Today on Feminine Roadmap guest Alexandra Levin encourages listeners to define their own authentic beauty. In a culture that values erasing any traces of aging and pursuing the appearance of youth as the standard of beauty, this conversation seeks to broaden the definition of beauty. Midlife is a season of many changes in our lives, not just our bodies but in our minds as well. Defining our own authentic beauty is an important part of the aging process. Alexandra has chosen to embrace the changes on her face and body, looking at the lines and wrinkles as reminders of the life she’s lived. She believes that her wrinkles are full of her life’s story and she loves that. Alexandra sees those changes as the authentic expression of who she is. She challenges listeners to think about the reasons why we want to change the way we look. Is it to gain approval? Is it because it’s expected of us? Is it because someone else has told us to? If we struggle to change how we look to be “good enough” then we are projecting that we are not good enough as we are. Alexandra wants women to love themselves first enough to care about what’s best for them rather than to conform to whatever someone else wants. One of the key steps is to give ourselves permission to free ourselves from external definitions of beauty and create our own. The next step is to engage in what brings us joy and not allowing anything around us to steal that joy. Grab a cuppa something wonderful, a sister friend and join in on this age affirming conversation. Be reminded that only YOU can define your own authentic beauty.