Be Your Best Self Tag

Right now at Beauteque they are doing a week of positivity. All of the festivities include giveaways on their various platforms as well as blog posts from their staffers on the Beauteque blog about what makes them their best self.

I decided that it may be a good therapeutic thing for me to do this tag. I've always dealt with depression and self esteem issues, though I hide it well.

Why not give this tag a try for yourself?

• Was there a time when you had to be brave in a difficult situation? 

When my father went to jail, and subsequently prison. I will not get into the details of his crimes as that is family business, but I essentially had to try and step up and be a crutch to my mother. 

The day of his arrest I had a breakdown, physically and mentally. I spent most of the afternoon and evening crying until I vomited, until the point that my body just gave out. 

As a daddy's girl, it was tough to have to pull myself together to help support my mother through the situation, not only emotionally but financially. Around the same time all of the employees of the shop I worked at quit all at one time, leaving me working twelve hour days essentially by myself. That definitely helped on the financial side of things, and being so busy kept my mind away from the troubles I had at home.

• Who inspires you to be your best self?  

Definitely my kids and my family. I do not wish to set a bad example for my boyfriend's kids that I've been raising for the past ten years. I consider them my children at this point because their mother hasn't exactly been the shining example of stability. 

 I want them to see that they can accomplish their dreams and do what they put their mind to. 

Sure, to some other parents I may seem rather hard on them, but I'd rather be a little hard on them now and have them succeed in the future rather than try to be a friend to them and not give them the discipline and structure that they deserve. The oldest boy looks to be beyond my help, the girl child seems to have a bit too much of her mother's personality so I hope that she does not relive her mother's mistakes, but the youngest (the one I've raised from diapers) has taken on mostly mine and my boyfriend's personalities. He came to me at the age of 9 and told me he wanted to be an engineer. That moment made me feel like I hadn't failed as a parent. It still makes me proud to think of that.

• What is your greatest personal achievement?

As of right now, my greatest personal achievement is raising a very well rounded 11 year old boy. 

 

He's smart, very polite and courteous, a total goof ball. He is always willing to learn or try something new, something that the other two kids do not do. My Monkey is already more than willing to get into the kitchen to learn to cook (though he doesn't like doing the dishes), try foods that may seem weird at least one time, excels at sports....

He is my proudest achievement. 

• Share a time when you acted selflessly.

If I listed all of the times I acted selflessly, I'd write a novel.

I grew up without very much, but we were very happy for what we did have.

Now, when I see someone who does not have much, I am the type that will give up the things that I have to make sure that all of their needs are met.

For a long time, my house was more like a hostel. I had so many people living here in and out because they didn't have places to live. At the time, they did it rent free because I knew that there was no way in hell that they were going to be able to pay anything at all. All I asked is that they picked up after themselves because I'm not their bleedin mother.

Now, when I cook, I always send the extras to my friends who are struggling to make ends meet. I'd rather have them eating my home cooked meals for free rather than going to some place like McDonald's and buying fatty nasty foods off of the dollar menu.

I've always been the mother hen of my group of friends.  

• What is the best compliment you have ever given? 

I'm honestly not sure. I'm not sure if this counts or not, but the loving little insults my boyfriend and I share? I generally won't insult you unless I like you. 

• What is the best compliment you have ever received? 

Oddly enough, it was from a little girl when I was a waitress. 

I always had a habit of getting down on the level of the children when I would ask them what they wanted to order (it made them feel grown up and their parents adored it), and I distinctly remember this little girl of probably about seven, in this little whisper tone, saying "woah, you're pretty! I want to be like you when I grow up!".

At the time I didn't feel so pretty because one of my front teeth had a huge hole in it from getting hit in the mouth and I hadn't been to the dentist yet to fix it.

It almost made me cry, especially since children are brutally honest. Just the day before my youngest great niece asked me why my tooth was nasty. The little girl I served, who has to be at least seventeen by now, really made an impact on me that day. 

• What's your best beauty tip? 

Take care of your skin!

Your skin is your largest organ, as well as your canvas for your makeup. Make your skin the best it can be by having a skin care regimen. You'll glow! 

I have my own little routine, though I recommend you find the things that are right for your skin.

I always use a foaming cleanser, toner, serum, beta salic cream and a moisturizer morning and night, plus an oil cleanser when I wear makeup. Don't forget your sunscreen!

• What beauty product makes you feel like your best self?

Tatcha's Kyoto Red lipstick. 

There is just something about this product that turned me into camwhore central.

It's one of those products that just makes me feel good. Like I feel like if I'm wearing it I can conquer the world. It makes me feel so pretty.

• What do you do that makes you feel like your best self? 

I suppose staying spiritual. Religion has always been a large aspect of my life in one way or another, and for me serving Allah and following the teachings of the Prophet (pbuh) makes me feel like I'm doing my best in this life. 

• What is something that you love about yourself? 

I have a big heart, sometimes a little too big. It gets me into a pickle at times. I wouldn't know how to live if I didn't help people. 

So what makes you your best self?

If you participate in this tag send me a link so I can read your posts, too!