New 10 of the Month

Copyright (c) 2009 Dawn McIntyre

Okay, she?s been bringing home awards and accolades for years now, and could arguably be called currently TV?s most beloved actress. And yes, she certainly doesn?t need any more recognition than she?s already piling up. To be honest, she actually seems a bit embarrassed every time she takes to podium to claim yet another honor.

But as much as I hate to add to her embarrassment, I still can?t resist honoring Tina Fey as my New 10 for the month of November. I just think she is an inspiration for women everywhere.

What caught my attention was an interview in which she revealed that she was a virgin until the age of 24. She revealed that she was completely and totally unpopular, and something of a ?geek? ? a classic Plain Jane. She was also overweight for a good portion of her life.

How this classic ?ugly duckling? transformed herself into a swan is what impressed me the most. With the exception of slimming down a little ? but not to a typical Hollywood Size Zero ? she did it without radically changing the way she looks or the person she is. Instead, Tina Fey became a woman who is currently regarded as a ?thinking man?s sex symbol? simply by allowing herself to be herself.

Instead of trying to become a totally different person, into an ?idea? of an ideal woman, she focused on the areas where she knew she was strong and the things she knew she was good at and parlayed them into unbelievable success. By celebrating what is beautiful and special about the woman she is, she became someone the entire world has fallen in love with.

This is why I think Tina Fey serves as such an amazing example to all women everywhere. How many of us waste our time and energy wishing we were more conventionally beautiful, or thinner, or smarter, or more athletic. How many of us try to turn ourselves into something we?re not, when we could and should be focusing our energies on the gifts we already have?

In Tina Fey?s case, her God-given gifts ? the gift of the talent to write and the gift of a wicked (but still warm and forgiving?most of the time!) sense of humor changed her life. They transformed a classic Plain Jane into an internationally recognizable superstar.

The most amazing thing is, we all have the power to do the same thing for ourselves. What gifts do you have that you are overlooking, or not taking advantage of? Are you wasting your precious energy and time worrying about what you?re not, when there?s so much power and beauty in the person who you are?

I hope you will be inspired by Tina Fey and learn to honor the things that are beautiful and special about YOU. You might not turn into a TV star, but you will allow your true, inner beauty to shine through.