Looking Inside The Heart

Kerry Daigle Keep Punching Personal Development, Promotional, and Sales Training	Email this page to a friend
with Kerry Daigle LOOKING INSIDE THE HEART Recently I found myself sitting on my patio and looking at magazines and noticing the poses and smiles of all the beautiful people, both male and female, modeling very fashionable clothing. It made me to start thinking of only a year ago I brought my 11 year old daughter, Angela, to pose for some photos with a modeling agency. Angela did a wonderful job and impressed the agency's owner who stated she was definitely a 'star' on the horizon. Mickey, my wife, spent hours getting her ready for the poses by fixing her hair different ways while having her change outfits numerous times until you think you've captured the essence of the perfect pose for a photo shoot. When this was complete we then looked at hundreds of photos of other young girls and young men that had done the same. By then, Angela, was comparing herself to all the perfection she saw in those other pictures and focusing on all things that she was not. She was thinking it was unfair she wasn't a brunette when she thought brunettes with big brown eyes had a special look, especially with a tan. Angela has light brown hair with big blue eyes. She mentioned other girls were taller and older. Angela felt she was too young. I started wondering if she felt that she shouldn't have been there. After all it was my job as a parent to figure out if this was good for her. I was thinking it was a wonderful way to build self-esteem in my daughter's passive and shy personality. After all, Angela was photogenic and I must admit did a wonderful job in posing for the shoots and is extremely attractive. Of course, all Dads would think the same of their daughters, I'm certain. It made me start realizing what Maw Maw Daigle taught me years ago about no one being absolutely perfect. At least not in 'real life', but maybe in the movies. Actors and actresses are always busy remaking their eyebrows, noses, chins, cheeks, eyelids, and a lot more for the look of perfection but in reality they really aren't going to be perfect. This is a regular topic of conversation to all the men and women who are seeking modeling or acting jobs. That is when it is refreshing to see major actresses like Jamie Lee Curtis allowing herself to be photographed without any touch ups of any kind. As I looked at my 11 year old I started thinking... "Will she be like the ones looking for perfection or will she go the Jamie Lee Curtis route?" Is this too much for her too soon? In today's age of technology our younger generation is more up to date and more mature on these issues than this same age group one to two decades ago. Maw Maw Daigle also said that beauty on the inside is much more important than beauty on the outside and she would compare beautiful people to 'homes'. She would state that beautiful people might look beautiful on the outside but many were not the same inside. A home, she said, might look exceptionally nice on the outside but a good look on the inside would definitely tell you the complete story. What a great analogy she had! There were a lot of gorgeous homes in the Lafayette and Opelousas area beautifully landscaped and painted with intoxicating colors but were filled with lots of pain and unhappiness inside. Again, her explanation was that it was hard to tell what kind of person you were dealing with from the outside before looking inside. The lesson is "nobody's perfect" and real beauty lies not only on the exterior but also inside of the heart. In reality, no one is perfect, no one's body is perfect, and no one's home is perfect. We spend so much time into pretending that everything is absolutely perfect when in essence that is far from the truth. We all have challenges. That is the real world, however, we want to present our 'smiley face' because we don't want anyone to really know the truth. After all we wouldn't dare have them think we were only 'human', would we? To think that we were all just real people living real lives with challenges raising children, working long hours, chasing dreams, and having real life challenges with our spouses. God forbid! Yes, some people like the Hurricane Katrina and Rita evacuees are struggling to get by day after day. Others are facing obstacles after losing a loved one through a divorce, break-up, or a death, major illnesses, financial ruins, and homelessness. That is where the 'smiley face' really is important. That smile is a part of what is 'inside' of you that is beautiful to give to another. A nice smile to someone in need, especially for someone 'looking' for a smile from "someone that is having a bad day"....especially coming from you when you are having an unenjoyable day. Think what that will do not only for yourself but the other person you are 'giving' that smile to. Where am I going with this? Simple. The thing to remember is that there is something wonderful in every human being on earth. We just have to give more people a chance, look beyond their exterior and reach out. That alone can make a huge difference in someone's life. Most people need just a human touch, a kind word, a smile, and a written card mailed to them just to let them know they are loved and thought about. So, this is where I need to bring my 11 year old. Sure, I want Angela to model (if that is in her heart) but I do want her to be just as beautiful inside as she is outside. I think she understands that now but I don't want that message to ever escape her. That is why I titled this "Looking Inside the Heart". The most wonderful thing we can do for others is to look beyond the exterior of a person and try to see what is inside their heart. That is where really beautiful people exist. Sometimes it is difficult to realize we have to accept people for where they are and that we can't really change them except to attempt to make them think more positive about themselves and the life they are living. Imagine what the whole world would be like if we could have more people looking at the 'inside' of others vs just what they see outside. Many opportunities have been overlooked because of short visions and the oversight of not looking inside one's heart. So, as you start thinking of all the beautiful people you know and see or start putting your children through the rigors of modeling or pagents, don't forget that true beauty lies within each person you meet. Because as Maw Maw Daigle said, "Nobody is perfect." Now I need to remember to continue to teach that my daughter that it is just as important to be beautiful inside as she is outside. I think that is the best lesson I can give my 11 year old. I am so glad I spent time looking at all those pictures in the fashion magazines while giving myself some 'quiet' time. Keep the smiles coming and remember no one is absolutely perfect...and Keep Punching!
Kerry has been involved in his own homebased business since the age of 13 and now years later still operates a multi-million dollar sales and distribution center directly out of his home involving Juice Plus, a whole food product, www.kerrydaigle.com. During his teen years and all of his adult life, Kerry has worked in the promotional arena in professional and amateur boxing and major concerts worldwide. Some of the shows he has been involved in were televised on the major networks, ESPN, USA Network, and other cable affiliates. He has also promoted legal seminars for attorneys. Kerry is also an author and writer. He does the Keeppunching Radio Show which is promoted internationally through audiotapes and the web on www.keeppunching.com and www.kslokogm-fm.com He also does speaking engagements on personal development and sales across the world. Kerry also assists other speakers and authors to promote their profession and/or books through his contacts across the globe. Kerry can be reached at 337.288.8510 or email him at keeppunching@cox.net. Feel free to write to Kerry about his articles and any questions you may have. And as Kerry says...KEEP PUNCHING!
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