I’m sharing #LISTERINE in my life as part of a LISTERINE® sponsored series for Socialstars™
There is a line in one of my favorite hymns that says “Dare to be true”. I remember hearing that as a child and kind of wondering what that meant. As I have had more life experiences, I have learned exactly what that means. Sometimes one of the hardest things that we may be faced with is standing up for ourselves or for others. It could be standing up for yourself or for someone else who is being bullied in some way or standing up for something you believe in. I honestly don’t think there is an easy option when it comes to any of those options!
Recently I attended a conference where we were going to be dressed by a brand on one of the days. As I looked at the clothing that they offered, I realized that most of the clothes didn’t fit the modesty guidelines that I dress my body with. I was honored that they wanted to dress me, but nervous to tell them how few options they would have when choosing what to dress me in. I didn’t want them to feel like I was ungrateful or that I didn’t like their clothing. I thought really hard about how to word my instructions in a thoughtful and kind way so they would understand what I needed and know how grateful I truly was for the opportunity.
The day of the conference came and I went with another outfit in tow that I could wear in the event that the outfit they chose wouldn’t work. I got there and was instantly impressed with the warmth and kindness that they showed to each of the women they were dressing. They didn’t treat me any differently than they did any of the other women, even though I know that I was much more of a challenge to style. Being bold enough to stand up for the modesty values that I live by was well worth the fear that I felt before I stood up for myself.
Someone who really inspires me for being bold and sticking up for themselves is my friend Tara. She has had many moments in her life that she has had to stand up for herself, but most recently was when she received a hurtful message online about how she looked in a swimming suit. This message was from a complete stranger who thought she was doing Tara a favor by letting her know how she looked in the suit she had chosen to wear. Instead of sitting back and taking this abuse, Tara sounded off on a blog post that has reached many people who needed to hear her message. I am really proud to call her my friend. She was bold enough to tell the world that she loved herself and loved her body just the way it was and wasn’t looking for anyone else’s opinions about her body.
I think it is important to surround ourselves with people who are willing to stand up for what they believe in. That bold attitude is a trait that can be learned and is something that I strive to get better at each day.
LISTERINE® encourages people to be bold with their Bring Out the Bold campaign. I love that they encourage people to stand up for their beliefs and to be bold enough to embrace who they are. You can learn more about LISTERINE® on Facebook and Twitter.