“The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.” — Sam Levenson, “The Beauty of a Woman”
Welcome to our third annual Beauty of a Woman BlogFest! I started this fest two years ago, after readers were beautifully responsive to a post I shared about moving past my eating disorder. Thanks to remarkable readers and writers like you all, it’s become a positive light in the blogosphere and a gift to may each year. You are all ROCKSTARS!
This week is also National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, making the theme and stories even more meaningful. As you read contributors’ words, I hope you’ll consider ways to further embrace your own inner and outer beauty. You deserve it! If the notion seems selfish or less important than other responsibilities in your life, remind yourself that the most powerful work we can do for others derives from self-nurturing. If there’s one thing our world could use more of, IMO, it’s positive role models. 🙂 Thanks, with all my heart, for joining us!
How to participate and potentially win fun prizes:
Click on the links below to read participants’ stories between Thursday, February 27th and Sunday, March 2nd. Prizes will be awarded by way of a drawing, one for each category, next week. (To read stories from the Girl Boner category which ran earlier this week, visit this link!)
To have your name added to the prize drawing:
- Comment below this post, based on the prompts at the end = 1 entry
- Tweet this post, tagging me @AugstMcLaughlin = 1 entry
- Share this post on Facebook, tagging me or my author page = 1 entry
- Participate as a blogger = 5 entries
- Read and post a comment on all of the posts below, then let me know you did so (in a comment on this post or via Twitter) = 10 entries
PRIZES: Winners from the drawing for each fest category will receive Starbucks and Amazon gift cards, valuing $5 to $50. I’ll also select two BOAW Girl Boner posts to read on Girl Boner Radio.
Bloggers: If you signed up for this category and your post is missing below, I haven’t yet received your link (or somehow missed it!). Please send it to me via email or Twitter and I’ll add it promptly. Thanks!
Beauty-FULL Contributions:
1. Kathryn Chastain Treat: Beauty of a Woman BlogFest 2014
2. Patricia Sands: Beauty of a Woman 2014 ~ Hear Us Roar!
3. David W. Walker: The Beauty of a Woman
4. Kassandra Lamb: Beauty: A Matter of Mind Over Matter
5. Barbara McDowell: Beauty in Stages: Reflections on My Younger Self
6. Jess Witkins: Beauty of a Woman Blogfest: 1 Billion Rising
7. Susie Sylvester: Beautiful Woman, God’s Design
8. Kourtney Heinz: BOAW: The Beauty of a Body in Motion
9. Catherine Johnson: BOAW BlogFest: Kat Apel
10. Ashley: Positively Body Image
11. Audrey Kalman: Three Beauties and a Redefinition
12. Lynn Kelley: Beauty of a Woman 2014: My Morphing Body and Mind
13. Marcia Richards: BOAW BlogFest — Where Your Beauty Lies
14. Kate Wood: Beautiful Goddess
15. Elizabeth Mitchell: BOAW The Most Beautiful Woman I Ever Met
16. Ingrid Schaffenburg: The True Beauty of a Woman
17. Kecia Adams: Beauty of a Woman Blog Fest III: In Praise of the Selfie
18. Scott Moon: Touched by Fire for BOAW 3
19. Jenny Hansen: What Are YOUR 21 Layers of Beauty? #BOAW3
20. Mike Sirota: Redux: When Art Creates Life
21. Marla Martenson: The Beauty of Following Your Bliss
22. Dana Myles: Beauty of a Woman Blog Fest, 2014 – This one’s for YOU!
23. Shan Jeniah: The Beauty of a Woman Blogfest III – finding Beauty in a Life of Lovely Chaos
24. Sheri Fink: Embracing the Beauty of Your Dreams (Despite Fear and Doubt)
25. Eden MaBee: BOAW — Us
26. Katy Brandes: The Beauty of a Woman BlogFest III
27. Eli Pacheco: The Beauty of a Woman: Giving Props to My 3 Favorite Female Olympians (and Ashley Wagner)
28. August McLaughlin: How to Gain Beauty by Embracing Your Body — An Interview with Dr. Jane Greer*
*My entry is an interview on Dr. Jane Greer’s radio show, Let’s Talk Sex!, via YouTube. Feel free to tune in for as little or long you like. 🙂
How do you define beauty? What makes you feel beautiful? Any thoughts to share on this year’s fest overall? Remember, you have 4 days to check out and comment on all of the posts for 10 extra chances to win a groovy prize! If you do so, let me know via a blog comment below or Twitter (@AugstMcLaughlin) by next Tuesday, March 4th. Thanks again for participating! ♥
Girl Boner 
Patricia Sands
/ February 27, 2014Congrats, August, on another successful BOAW blogfest! It’s such a pleasure to be part of the celebration and to spend a day enjoying all the fabulous posts.
August McLaughlin
/ February 27, 2014Thanks, Patricia! Thrilled to be sharing it with you for the 3rd time! 🙂
Jenny Hansen
/ February 27, 2014FYI…Jess’s link didn’t work. Here’s her post:
August McLaughlin
/ February 27, 2014Thanks, Jenny!
Catherine Johnson
/ February 27, 2014Thanks, August for another great BOAW blogfest. Tenacity and compassion are two of my favorite female qualities.
August McLaughlin
/ February 27, 2014Great picks, Catherine! The combination of those two really rock, IMO. 🙂
Eden
/ February 27, 2014I’m glad I was able to jump in here and not miss this another year. My post is “late” but definitely inspired by the moment. A morning in the bakery can be good for the soul.
Sorry about spamming my link, August, but here’s my BOAW post:
August McLaughlin
/ February 27, 2014Yay! I’ll add it shortly.
Kassandra Lamb
/ February 27, 2014Thanks again for doing this, August! You are such a gem and I feel privileged to know you.
Now I’m off to read more posts!
August McLaughlin
/ February 27, 2014Aw. It’s my pleasure, Kassandra! I’m so grateful to know you as well. 🙂
katybrandes
/ February 27, 2014What a great festival, August! Beauty pours out from a woman when she shows compassion and support for another woman who needs her help. To me, that’s what feminism is all about.
And I love it when women wear their age with pride – not shame – at all the life experience gained along the way. We truly earn every wrinkle!
I’d love to participate as a blogger and hope there was no entry submission deadline. I’m going to be thoroughly absorbed in all these posts!
August McLaughlin
/ February 27, 2014Well said, Katy! You can still contribute. I included instructions after your registration page comment. 🙂 Happy reading!
Satin Sheet Diva
/ February 27, 2014Reblogged this on Satin Sheet Diva's Blog and commented:
Be sure to check out all of the other posts!
August McLaughlin
/ February 27, 2014Thanks for the support!
Kathryn Chastain Treat
/ February 27, 2014What a wonderful BOAW Blogfest. I have visited and commented on all the blogs. Thank you for taking the time to host this again this year.
August McLaughlin
/ February 27, 2014Thank YOU, Kathryn! I’m giving you a 5 extra points for being the first to sign up and to read and comment on everyone’s posts. 🙂
tomwisk
/ February 27, 2014Hi August, listened to your podcast on your first orgasm. Okay, I’m male and curious. It was lovely. I’ll listen to the others. Where were you when I was young and virile?
August McLaughlin
/ February 27, 2014Ha. Thanks for listening! That wasn’t actually my fist orgasm, but it was my first time masturbating to climax. I’ve been on a journey, that’s for sure. 🙂
Kassandra Lamb
/ February 27, 2014I am loving these posts! Great job, ladies and gents!
August McLaughlin
/ February 27, 2014Ditto, Kassandra! So glad you’re enjoying.
Marla Martenson
/ February 27, 2014Love this blog fest, thanks for having me! xxxoo
August McLaughlin
/ February 27, 2014Thanks for joining us! xo
David N. Walker
/ February 27, 2014Love being a part of this for the second time, August. I expect to be involved again next year.
August McLaughlin
/ February 27, 2014We’ve loved having you, David! Thanks for being an awesome participant. 🙂
Raani York
/ February 27, 2014I love the Original BOAW Blogfest just as much as the Girl Boner Edition.
It’s been quite some “work” to read and comment and spread word on Twitter and Google and more about all the phenomenal posts you collected here August.
I found a few amazing blogs I’ll be following from now on!
What a GREAT Fest!!!!
August McLaughlin
/ February 28, 2014You’re such an awesome cheerleader and participant, Raani! Thanks ever so much.
Diana Beebe
/ February 27, 2014Wow! What a beautiful line up you’ve gathered! 😀
August McLaughlin
/ February 28, 2014Aren’t they all fabulous? Thanks for stopping by, Diana!
Gina Fava
/ February 28, 2014Congratulations, August! You should be very proud of all your hard work, and proud to be a woman. I know I am 🙂
August McLaughlin
/ February 28, 2014Thanks so much for the support, Gina! Being a woman really is a beautiful thing. 🙂
Inion N. Mathair
/ February 28, 2014Congratulations on another wonderful BOAW, August. Mathair and I hope that there’ll be a Girl Boner edition for next year as well. What really blows us away is how many women are willing to celebrate themselves, each other, and the empowerment and self-awareness it’s given all of us. Sharing a toast in your honor tonight, August, and in honor of all women.
August McLaughlin
/ March 1, 2014Thanks, ladies! I feel the same way about everyone’s involvement and eagerness to share their hearts and words — you included! Cheers. 🙂
The Hook
/ March 1, 2014Beauty is certainly subjective, but for my money, it lies within. The eyes truly are windows to the soul.
Congrats on a successful blog fest, August.
August McLaughlin
/ March 1, 2014Thanks so much. I agree about inner-beauty!
Kourtney Heintz
/ March 1, 2014Wow, I love all these topics–so many great blogs to visit this weekend! 🙂 Thank you so much for creating and organizing this blogfest!
August McLaughlin
/ March 1, 2014I agree! Really impressed by everyone’s insight and unique takes on the theme. It’s all a total pleasure for me. 🙂
lynnkelleyauthor
/ March 1, 2014Awesome blogfest, August! You should be proud that you’re making a difference in so many lives. I thoroughly enjoyed reading all the posts. I commented on all the posts in the BOAW Original, except for Sheri Fink’s because I couldn’t figure out how to leave a comment. So I liked her FB paged, connected on Twitter and LinkedIn.
You did a great job in the interview with Dr. Greer. I think I’d become tongue tied trying to do a live interview. Kudos to you!
August McLaughlin
/ March 1, 2014I’m so glad you enjoyed the fest, Lynn! Thanks for the super sweet words and support. 🙂
You’ll LOVE staying connected with Sheri — she is rockstar-awesome, like you!
Marcia
/ March 3, 2014Whew! I managed to visit and comment on everyone’s post! They were all wonderful! another great year of BOAW! Congrats on its success, August!