You are Beautiful: Kim L.

When I sat down to have a conversation with Kim, I found that she had been through so much at such a young age. Her experiences from age 13 to 21 greatly affected her. She felt alone during much of her childhood and young adulthood, and most of her relationships weren’t exactly nurturing.

Her life struggles continued on into her 30’s when she was diagnosed with some serious health conditions. At one point, she didn’t think life was necessarily worth it anymore. Depression really set in.

But then, she decided to find her strength. She decided to find the beautiful things in life and live for them. She decided she wanted to help others with their demons, demons just like hers because that would give her a great reason to smile.

Check out what else Kim had to say in our interview below.

Maggie: I think it’s important to know a little bit about the women I interview before diving into more personal and inspiring questions. So, today, I’d like to start with your story. Can you tell me about yourself and the life experiences you’ve faced throughout the years?

Kim: Well, my story seems to have so many negative twists and turns, BUT, I can honestly say I don’t know if I would change any of it.

When I was 13 years old, I was raped by my best friend, and I’ve spent my entire life trying to cover that up with beautiful experiences. Unfortunately, I have continued to pick the wrong guys to do that with.

When I was 17 years old, I moved out of my parent’s house, mostly because of my relationship with my father. I’ve been on my own ever since.

When I was 21 years old, I lost my first child at 8 weeks, and almost died from internal bleeding. The same thing happened 17 years later when I became pregnant again. I have no living children.

I was married for 5 years before, but then became divorced because my ex-husband was having a child with someone else. This added to my sense of failure as a woman, a mother, and a wife.

[It didn’t stop there.] Over the years, my health had become an issue. I have DDD also known as degenerative disc disease. When I was 28, I had back surgery to combat my DDD.

Later, when I was 31, I was diagnosed with Chiari Malformation Type I and had to have brain surgery immediately after my 32nd birthday. CM has really had a harsh impact on my daily life. I’ve lost friends, I’ve become severely depressed, and at one point, I was begging God to just let me die.

M: Wow. You have been put through the ringer. Through all of these life experiences, have you had the chance to sit down and genuinely see the beauty within yourself? First, do you have a definition of the word beauty, and if so, do you think you are beautiful?

K: My definition of beauty would be along the lines of the light that radiates within. I don’t think it has anything to do with our outer appearance.

There are times that I do think I’m beautiful, but I am still healing and fighting to find myself.

I think that I’ve found a way to see the beautiful things in life. I have found a way to appreciate the blessings no matter how small they are, and I’m trying to make the best of my time left on this Earth.

M: Finding the beautiful things in life can sometimes be challenging. But finding your way to those beautiful things is inspiring. Can you share some words of wisdom to the women out there struggling to find the beautiful things in life?

K: Yes, because if I can help one person with their own demons or help them find a reason to smile, I’m good.

I would tell them not to allow the actions or opinions of others to dictate who you are or how you see yourself. We were each made in our uniqueness. You are the only you that there is and the world is a better place because of it. You just have to make sure you love yourself.

M: You try your best to love yourself every single day, and you’ve been succeeding. Every day, it gets a little bit easier. That’s what I gather from our conversation. So, why is it important for you, right now, to have beautiful photos taken of you?

K: [I do my best to make sure I love myself, but] I want to see myself through someone else’s eyes with these beautiful pictures. I want to see myself in a different light. One that isn’t covered by all of my doubts and emotional scars. I think this will be one step forward in my journey of healing.

M: I’d like to close by saying you are an extraordinary, unique woman. All of your experiences have made you the person you are today. Can you tell me how your life has made you feel unique and powerful?

K: I’d say I can relate to so many people; it’s a bittersweet characteristic to own. I am compassionate, patient, and nurturing. I genuinely want to help others find their greatest potential, true happiness, and the power within to continue their journey through.

Kim chose to continue her journey through life, even when she was faced with hard challenges. She inspires all of us women to do the same; to find our greatest potential, to be truly happy, and to find the strength and power to continue this journey called life.

Now it’s our turn to transition this inspiration into motivation. It’s time to get out there and find the beautiful things in life, even if it’s a difficult task at first. In time, we’ll see our own unique beauty just like Kim.

Interested in a glamour or boudoir shoot to showcase what makes you uniquely beautiful? Check out our Website.

https://www.maggiemesser.com/

💄 Hair and Makeup by Kellie Outlaw with Sparkle Studios. https://www.kellieoutlaw.com/