do we just give up? or make a change?

There is a lot to love about Dolly Parton. For example, her talent, kindness, and the fact that she always tries to make the world a better place. I admire a lot about her. Recently, I've realized that what I admire most about Dolly is the fact that she is accepted for who she is. Truth be told, I am a little jealous of that, because it has never been the case for me. In elementary school, my friends dumped me (in a rather dramatic fashion) because I was "holding them back from popularity." In high school, I was bullied mercilessly for wearing band t-shirts and being shy. In adulthood, I was overlooked at work and told that I didn't have the right personality to be promoted. All of those experiences left scars. All of those experiences reminded me that I was not acceptable. For many years, I tried to toe the line. I tried to dress to fit in, follow the trends, do what other people did, and squash down various bits and pieces of my personality. I was still me, but I was never the full me. I wanted to be like everyone else, because I desperately wanted be accepted and acceptable. Not anymore. Not. Anymore. 

As I've gotten older (and hopefully wiser) it has become more difficult to hide all those little parts of myself. As a result, I am slowly, very slowly, trying to be okay with the fact that not everyone will like me and not everyone will accept my true self. Not in real life, not on social media, and not even here, on this beloved beauty blog. There are a lot of things that readers of the creation of beauty is art. know about me. For instance, I love makeup of all varieties, Betsey Johnson accessories, reading, watching movies, and celebrating holidays. Things you might not know about me? I have a serious stuffed animal obsession. I live with anxiety. I am a feminist. I stand against injustice. I struggle to feel safe in a world so full of cruelty. 

I always wanted the creation of beauty is art. to be a place that focused on the beautiful aspects of life. Things like makeup, fashion, photography, and entertainment. For more than eleven years, this blog has been focused on just that....and it will continue to be dedicated to all things beauty moving forward. However, I also want to share other parts of myself here. The parts of myself that I am afraid readers will reject. I have started to do this more often over the last year or so, both here and on social media. I hope it will become easier to do over time. I hope it will stop hurting when someone unfollows. Even though I am fighting against my long-standing desire to be "acceptable," it still hurts to be rejected for who I really am. 

What inspired all of this? The new Dolly Parton song, "World on Fire." Lyrics include...Liar, liar, the world's on fire/Whatcha gonna do when it all burns down/Fire, fire burning higher/Still got time to turn it around and Don't get me started on politics/Now how are we to live in a world like this/Greedy politicians, present and past/They wouldn't know the truth if it bit them in the ass. In classic Dolly fashion, she cuts to the core of the issue but still sprinkles hope into her music. I love that despite the anger, frustration, and fear, she still has hope for society. Another thing to admire about Dolly. The song, "World on Fire," inspired me to use my voice today. I want to be more open and vulnerable. I want to stop hiding the parts of myself that I like the most. I want to use my voice effectively. I want to accept myself, instead of always seeking acceptance from others. 

Dolly Parton shines in a way that I have never been able to. So, I am trying to learn from her example. I am trying to share my authentic self with others...even though it might lead to rejection. In the words of the icon herself, Do we just give up? Or make a change? I know that I am changing now and I know that it is for the better. Thanks, Dolly.