While Rihanna's Trophy Wife had us all glowing to perfection this season, the real glow up has nothing to do with external beauty at all. Society perpetuates this false idea of the physical glow up by promoting only the tangible aspects of our progression. But the real "Glow Up" is much more complex. While we are constantly reminded of our physical growth by old photos or unsolicited facebook reminders, our physical appearance isn't the only thing that experiences growth. The caterpillar to butterfly process we all undergo in our everyday lives goes far beyond our aesthetics, and deeper into who we are internally. That internal progression is called the "Glow Up".
My younger years were full of many mistakes, confusion, and non-meaningful relationships, but thank God for growth, and thank God for Glow.
If it's one thing I've noticed throughout the years, it's everyone always witnesses the glitz and glamour of the glow. They see the success story but they don't always see the hard work that goes into it. It shatters some friendships, distances you from familiar things, and pushes you to your full potential. And let's be real, that can be a scary thing.
As I accepted the growth and direction of my life, I noticed that a lot of things I was once familiar with had to change. I had to put aside old ways and, along with it, I had to let go of some people. I didn't let go of them because I cared for them any less, but I knew that sometimes old behaviors and old "friends" didn't coincide with the direction my life was going in. They were the past and I was trying to move forward so, I had a choice to make.
I chose to glow so everything that no longer served me had to go.
As painful as it was, I understood that I had to close certain doors and let go of certain people in order to walk into my destiny. So I did.
I would later appreciate all those painful decisions and clearly see how necessary they all were in creating the life I wanted to lead. Letting go made me a better woman and put me in a position to create healthier meaningful relationships.
I no longer sought out things or people that didn't serve a purpose and my decision-making only focused on growth.
The most important part of glowing up to me is the growth. The "Glow Up" is about maturing into an adult, making the right decisions, and becoming the best versions of ourselves. While the growth of your physical appearance is a great bonus, your mentality shifts tremendously and your views on life change with it. You notice the people you choose to engage with are not the same as before and your interests have developed to align with higher standards. As you glow up, you become that person you once aspired to be and it's a beautiful feeling.
Glowing up is a constant rebirth and coming of age journey with yourself.
You get to reflect on your former life and you get to witness just how much you've grown as a person. It's a time to walk into your destiny and be proud of all your hard work and sacrifices you've made throughout the years. There is no end point in glowing up, it's an ongoing process that you should proudly walk in. As for me, the glow has just begun and shall continue for years to come.
There's always more goals to set, more room for growth, and like our girl Rihanna's Trophy Wife highlighter, you can never have too much glow.
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