During this past year with everything else, I felt paralyzed from moving forward-with my dreams. I had to sit with discomfort and allow everything to move at ITs own pace. After completing these dream boards, I took my own advice and moved ahead on a whim without attachment and my dream came true.

My submission was inspired by all the many ways over time I, like all women, just had to figure it out. As a result of figuring it out, I have built a successful custom painting and furniture restoration business (Nest) as well as a writing career, writing for The Dollywood Company, Knoxville Mom's, Her View From Home, and Today.com.

Breaking Beautiful was my first organized effort to advocate for myself and other women. Throughout girlhood, I had received the message that beauty should look a certain way from the media and society. My hair, my body, my skin were all an affront to this standardized definition. As I looked around my college campus, I saw a world of beauty to be celebrated. My intention with this portrait series was to reclaim our power as women to define beauty for ourselves and to give voice to the uniqueness of each individual.