On our trip we got to experience some of the treasures California has to offer. The first pictures are from the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Looking at the creatures of the deep blue made me think of all the variety there is when I dare to look outside of my box. Even though we humans tend to create comfort zones, where everything is predictable and not too different, diversity inspires.
There is so much hidden beauty all around us, but when we look through the glasses of how our society defines beauty, we are deceived. We begin to devalue and undermine features that go against the main stream, the alleged normal. It's such an appalling lie that everyone is supposed to look a certain way. It even sounds completely insane when said out loud, but that my friend is the sad reality. Most of us have been affected by the standards set by whoknowswho for so long, that we're not even able to discern the truth. We are used to sayings like "you're beautiful just the way you are" and " beauty comes from the inside out", but they don't really mean anything to us. We've heard and seen exactly what beautiful looks like through numerous presentations in the media and conversations of what's hot and what's not. The saddest part is that after accepting these standards as truths, we don't apply them only to ourselves, but everyone around us and judge accordingly. We become jealous, competitive and self-destructive.
For years I struggled with this myself, until I understood my unique purpose. I believe that we all have a special calling. Everyone brings something distinct to this world that no other person can. Nothing in you is a mistake, you were created intentionally exactly the way you are so that you can carry out your very own purpose. You're not in a competition with anyone else, you can't become someone else and no one can ever be you. Why waste any more time trying to be something you're not?
When you stop fighting against who you are, you begin to unleash all the potential placed inside of you. When you start loving yourself, you learn to love others and you're able to focus on your own mission.
Dare to be different… Dare to be you.
The rest of the pictures are from our road trip down Highway 1 and from a very special location called the Hearst Castle (please google it, there are far more pictures showing off this majestic castle). The building began in 1919 and was actually never finished after the builders, the newspaper magnate William Hearst's, death in 1951, but his vision is still very much alive in that place. Great dreamers always leave the greatest legacies.
xxx
Photos by me
(except the ones with me in them are by my husband)
Editing: Eino Manner
