What does modesty look like across cultures and religions and eras and genders and age groups? It looks like purity. Modesty is seeking to uplift oneself and others through actions, demeanor, and appearance.
For my great great aunt, it meant making the people around her feel important and loved as she listened with wonder and encouraged with kindness. For my coworker at Walmart, it meant blessing his interactions with warm laughter and a genuine smile. For my peer, it meant deciding to wear clothing that drew people’s eyes to her own eyes, thereby gaining more attention for her beautiful heart and mind, and not just for her body.
You are glorious because of who you inherently are and what you can become. Your worth does not come from your appearance or attention or even what you can accomplish (though you can accomplish a lot). This is why I feel sad when I see so many people posting pictures to show off their bodies on the internet or when I hear people tearing down others with cutting remarks. That is not how they will find their worth.
But how do you change your behavior to be modest and discover more about who you really are? Here are a few ideas:
-Use your unique gifts to help others. Are you good at making people laugh? Are you a good listener to friends that need to be heard? Could you teach someone a skill that you have? Do you express things that might be difficult for others to express? Just do something to uplift.
-Change what you post on the internet. Post pictures of things that feed your soul. Take pictures of beautiful things and people- things and people that mean something to your life journey. I believe we are eternal beings, children of a Heavenly Father. No matter what you believe in, seek wholesome things.
-Seek wholesome people to interact with as well. Uplift others and look for people that uplift you. Become a friend that accepts people as they are, yet wants to help people progress. Be both kind and honest. Stand up for the people and principles that you value.
-Change your language. Replace degrading words so that you can reframe your perceptions of yourself and others. (e.g. "I am beautiful," "Her smile just glows," "He is so fun to be around," "I learn a lot from her," "I am grateful that you are a good friend to me," etc.)
-Live more fully in your own surroundings and interact more fully with the people around you. Consider taking a break from social media. Take a walk to enjoy nature. Call up a good friend or visit with some family members.
If you do even one of the things in that list, you will feel greater confidence in yourself and someone else will be happier than they were before. That is the power of modesty. It is the power to uplift yourself and those around you in simple, but lasting ways. It may be difficult at first, but it is worth it and you are worth it.
