Across the internet this weekend, people are praising Colbie Caillat’s new video, Try. (Watch it here. It is amazing.)

The premise is that you don’t have to try to be beautiful or accepted or wanted. It is a super strong message that needs to be spoken into the young women of our culture. And with over 3 million views in less than a week, it’s connecting in a major way.

I love seeing new dads tweet about it and tween dads blog about it.

But where are the moms?

Interesting, yes? Good dads are quick to stand up for their daughters’ beauty- why aren’t the moms as vocal? Some might say that how a daddy speaks to his daughter’s beauty is more powerful. Or that because dads are dudes they understand what it’s like to be on the consumer side of beauty and they want their daughters to live differently than they saw their friends live as teens. And I think all that is true.

But dads don’t FEEL this video like we adult women, moms or not, can FEEL this video.

I think many adult women watch this video and don’t believe it for themselves.

The reality is that it isn’t just young girls who are struggling with this. 

I struggle with this. When I’m speaking at a camp or a retreat and everyone is in shorts and a tshirt, I still feel the need to straighten my hair and put on makeup and wear jeans. Why? I’d like to say it’s because I have to look professional and such, but I’m lying. It’s because I don’t believe that I don’t have to try.

I feel like I always have to try.

And I know tons of women my age and older who fight with this too. We see wrinkles so we cover them with concealer. We see rolls so we squeeze them with spanx. We wear makeup to the gym. We stay home when we don’t feel pretty.

And we wonder why the next generation still struggles.

Mamas, you need to hear this message for you. It’s not just for the ones behind us. It’s for us too. If Moms will believe what this song says, their daughters will too. Sure, it will take time. Sure, that’s not a universal truth (only God writes those), but I’m telling you- if YOU as an adult can live what this song describes- be yourself, you don’t have to try so hard, love yourself the way God made you- the ones behind us will see that and they will take notice and they will change.

We want the next generation to believe Colbie? We have to start believing her too.

Take your makeup off

Let your hair down

Take a deep breath

Look into the mirror at yourself

Don’t you like you?

Cause I like you.

. . . . .

Your thoughts? 

. . . . .