What is "The Beautiful List"?

Our girls are growing up with an over-filtered and unrealistic version of reality

Moms, remember what it was like to begin wondering how you looked compared to others? Remember staring in the mirror, changing outfits umpteen times, trying to get your hair just right, micro-assessing your pimples, wishing you had so-and-so's legs or the popular girl's complexion? If we're honest, many of us still do that today, at least to some extent. It's time we start looking in the mirror and embracing what we find there. Because our girls are looking to us for guidance. And their world is much scarier.

Today our girls are growing up with the same insecurities we had, only they are presented with distorted, over-filtered and unrealistic versions of everyone else through social media. It's downright frightening.

The Beautiful List is a book I've written first and foremost to meet our girls where they are and shout from the rooftops, "YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL! YOU ARE WORTHY! JUST. AS. YOU. ARE."

The book gives you a first-person look at the life of Seraphina (Serah) Reynolds, a well-to-do tween living the dream life in suburbia. Serah realizes suddenly one day at the airport that she cares a lot about how other people see her. A twelve-year-old genius, she determines to get to the bottom of it. After creating a “beautiful list,” she realizes what’s missing from it—and determines to get the answers she wishes were as simple to find as the conclusion to a scientific experiment. As she embarks on her journey of self-discovery, Serah solicits the help of her best friend, Courtney, and her school counselor, Mrs. Caldwell. Along the way, her parents and siblings don’t seem to be much help as she navigates her own struggles about appearance, intelligence, family life, friendship, girl drama, boys, and even bathing suits. When it seems like things couldn’t get any worse, tragedy strikes. But not everything is exactly as it seems, and the unexpected turn of events leaves Serah feeling betrayed. In the end, with so much stacked against her, will Serah give up her quest? Or will she emerge from her journey stronger and more beautiful than ever?

Included in the book is a study guide of questions so that you can either read the book with your daughter and talk through the lessons included in it, or form a book club with some friends to do the same.

I wrote the book to make it easier for moms and daughters, or role models and the girls in their lives, to be transparent with each other through the creation of a fictional character. My hope is Serah will open the door to authentically and realistically talk about the uncomfortable parts of growing up and address some of the tough questions that we all wonder about but don't typically discuss.

If you are interested in being an early reader of the manuscript, or in being a "beautiful booster" (think cheerleader and helper in getting this ball rolling), I'd love to hear from you.

Wishing you love and beauty in your heart,