Spring is finally here – flowers are in bloom, the sun is shining, the days are getting longer, animals are emerging from a long sleep. As the grayness of winter recedes, we feminine creatures are coming back to life.

With the winter months being cold and wet, it’s easy to spend a lot of time inside, hiding from the outside world.

After spending time like this we often become more aware of our natural longing for attention – our desire for our beauty to be seen and appreciated. It’s perfectly natural, especially as women, to want this. Though it can be vulnerable to admit!

When we don’t receive the attention we want from others, it’s easy to feel invisible. Luckily, as spring comes, there are opportunities all around you to be seen and appreciated! Once you start paying attention, you’ll see how enlivened you can feel moment to moment.

Start looking and you’ll find women appreciating your outfit, your hair or the way you move! Or you’ll see a man silently, sometimes shyly, glancing in your direction.

You’ll also start to see that when you offer a kind word or glance you tend get one in return. You may even notice cat-calls from an appreciative audience of construction workers. If you think they are unworthy of your time or attention, think again!

While I’m not suggesting you open yourself to disrespectful attention, don’t be so fast to assume negative intentions. Sometimes men express their appreciation awkwardly ;).

As you begin to accept adoration and appreciation, without discriminating against the source, you’ll feel start to feel more appreciated, which brightens your radiance. And you can carry that with you into your other interactions.

When I started opening to the appreciation of a group of 70-year-old men working on their cars on my street corner, I felt more infused with vitality and joy.

Almost every time I walk by, they say things like “Hey, baby – lookin’ good!” “You’re so fine!”  “You’re beautiful today!”

Rather than questioning their sincerity, I thanked them. And when I did, they brightened in return. Now we all feel appreciated!

The sad thing is that many women don’t get this daily dose of admiration, for a few reasons. The main reason is that our fears and beliefs get in the way of us enjoying and receiving attention.

Here are some of the biggest ways we block appreciation:

1. We think Strangers Aren’t Safe:

Many times, we cut ourselves off from attention when we can’t tell if we’re safe or not. We might think to ourselves “What if he is going to start following me?” or mistake simple appreciation for an invitation. So we become closed, put up walls, and refuse to make eye contact.

When you get in touch with your power and your body’s wisdom, you don’t have to put your walls up so quickly. You can discern when it’s not safe or when it is and you can have a little fun!

2.We Refuse Compliments:

It can be hard to receive a compliment with grace. A lot of times, we’re taught to be modest, and think it’s egotistical to take a compliment. We don’t want to look like we’re full of ourselves, so when someone says “You look gorgeous!” we shrink. We become shy, embarrassed, and play small.

Start receiving compliments – just say “thank you” – and recognize the difference between being egotistical and loving yourself. If you confuse thinking well of yourself with being egotistical you can get caught in a self-sabotaging cycle of not feeling enough.

3. We’re Grossed Out by the Source:

Male attention can feel really good – as long as the guy delivering it is young, hot, and acceptable to us, right? We need and want adoration, but then we’re picky about where it comes from.

Result? We reject sources of confidence-building appreciation every day. Give those guys at the gas station a break – and a chance – to show they think you’re beautiful.

One of our AWE participants made a great point. She realized she’d been wondering what it means about her if she found a man who complimented her unattractive and repulsive.

The truth is, even if you don’t find the man complimenting you attractive, he is still seeing your beauty!

When we put our heads down and “ignore” appreciative words or glances, we are not only rejecting the men who are showing their appreciation, we are also rejecting ourselves and our own beauty.

This spring, allow your beauty to come to life. Receive compliments with an open mind – no matter what the source. Revel in and enjoy them. Celebrate your beauty and let others do the same.

If you have a hard time celebrating your beauty, or allowing others to, this can have a really negative impact on your relationships, and can keep you from having the relationship you really want.

If you’re ready to move beyond this, we have just the thing coming in next week. Click here to read more…

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