After spending decades of my life worrying about what others think, I’ve come to the realization, it’s just not a good use of my time.

“Am I now trying to win the approval of people, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).

Being over fifty has its advantages. After so many trips around the sun, my perspective and priorities have changed, that and a little encounter I had with God.

Early one morning while still in my pajamas, before I had showered, dressed, or put on any makeup, I saw a glimpse of younger me. It was surreal. It was as if God wanted to take me back to a time when I felt intense pressure to be perfect so that He could bring healing to my soul.

As a young adolescent I would spend hours each day putting on makeup, fixing my hair, and getting dressed, even when I didn’t have to leave the house.

As the saying goes, perfection was my enemy. I felt deep discontentment with who I was and believed if I could somehow get the outside right, the inside would feel right too.

It didn’t work. I grew increasingly dissatisfied with who I was and eventually turned to bulimia as a means to control my appearance.

Looking in the mirror on this particular morning, I felt God saying, Rae Lynn, you are beautiful just the way you are—no makeup, tousled hair, wrinkled pajama’s and all. Beauty that I esteem has nothing to do with outward appearance. Your beauty radiates from within. It cannot be measured by human standards so quit trying to quantify your worth by the world’s broken standards.

“The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

It all happened in a split second; yet in that brief exchange, God brought great healing to my soul.

I pray that you do not struggle with feelings of unworthiness like younger me. I pray that you can look in the mirror and see what God sees—beauty—even when the world says you’re at your worst.

The more we try to perfect outside, the less fulfilled we feel on the inside. Take it from someone who knows. Don’t let another year go by without finding internal peace with past, present, and future you.

Dear Younger Me, I’m sorry that I allowed the world to dictate your worth. I release you from those worldly pressures, and I want you to know that I love you just the way you are—no makeup, tousled hair, wrinkled pajama’s and all. You are beautiful and worthy just the way you are.