2021 Bold Beautiful Perfect: Christiana
“A smile is the quickest way to improve your appearance. If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours.”
Tell us about yourself, Christiana!
My name is Christiana Good. I am 45 years old and a Louisiana southern girl, born and raised as the oldest of seven siblings. After 28 years, I am recently divorced from my high school sweetheart. I have two adult children, a daughter (23) and a son (20) along with two grandchildren. I have been working as a surgical technologist for the last sixteen years and enjoy every aspect and opportunity of the medical field. It isn’t work if you love what you do! My hobbies include drawing, painting, and the newest is throwing darts. I really enjoy getting out and meeting new people with whom I can connect with on different levels.
How did you come to understand your inner beauty?
Growing up I was never concerned about my appearance. I have always been a friend to anyone and everyone I met. I had many friends and was never drawn to one particular person or group of people. I was recently told that I am very approachable, that my genuine caring disposition to listen and understand makes it easy for people to open up and say what is on their mind.
The inner beauty of a woman is reflected in who that woman is and how that woman acts. It’s not about what the woman looks like, rather the passion and kindness that she exudes. Going through the last several months after meeting a new friend I’ve reached another peak of my life where happiness, love and gratitude pours from my heart into my daily life. If you want to give light to others, you have to glow yourself.
What parts of your story can you share to help women to understand their own beauty?
The most important Bible verse about beauty is from 1 Peter, “What matters is not your outer appearance — the styling of your hair, the jewelry you wear, the cut of your clothes — but your inner disposition. Cultivate inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in.” No matter how our appearance may change as we grow older with muscle deterioration, gray hair and wrinkles appearing, our inner spiritual nature can be renewed every day. A smile is the quickest way to improve your appearance. If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours. It won’t cost anything. It will brighten their day and yours. The real definition of beauty should be focused on what makes a person their most authentic selves, regardless of whether this refers to their looks or their characteristics. You’re beautiful if you believe you’re beautiful. You’re attractive if you feel attractive. Everyone only sees you as a projection of what you see when you look into the mirror. And at the end of the day, call it what you want, inner beauty or outer, there’s just one kind. And it’s the kind of beauty you see when YOU see yourself in the mirror.
Tell us about your experience with the photo shoot.
Honestly, I struggled with confidence for the longest time. I hated how I looked, and I got anxiety any time a camera got closer than five feet from me. I used to cringe any time someone said, “Let me take a picture of you!“ or “Pose for the camera!” My anxiety of being photographed killed me, because deep down, I desperately wanted to be confident. I always felt more comfortable with other people being in the picture because it would have are the focus off of me.
Being chosen by someone who finds the same value in a person as I do made me feel confident and more comfortable putting myself out there. I have always told my two children to find people they mesh with because looks always change, but their character doesn’t. I feel when a photographer you have a connection with is looking out for how you’re being portrayed in the images, and not just their artistic vision, they photograph you in the most beautiful way they can.
Brandi assessed my personality…made the shoot turn into an easy collaboration between the photographer and the subject. Upon introducing herself she asked about my day and explained what we will be doing together. She gave positive reinforcement which kept the positivity flowing and things going in the right direction. “This looks great!” “Give me that smile from before.” She made me feel comfortable and good being myself. Even the constructive comments were made in a positive way. I found that the good conversation over the course of the session made the whole shoot much more comfortable. The more she got me talking, the more I broke out of my shell. She made me laugh by creating an environment where I felt comfortable enough to open up. The shoot was a memorable experience where I enjoyed myself and felt confident enough to create some stunning photos.
Anything else you would like to share?
So I went through many changes in the past two years, some good and some bad. At the end of 2018 I realized my health was heading in a not so good direction and decided I needed to make a healthier change in my life. I had been struggling within my marriage and my personal growth was not going in the direction it needed to. In January of 2019, I decided to see myself for who I was as a person and who I wanted to be for others. I began to make healthier choices both mentally and physically. I am physically now 100 lbs lighter and as a last step I made a mentally healthy decision with going through a separation and divorce after many years of being afraid to be alone. The glow of confidence and sex appeal comes from within yourself. You’re confident because of how you present yourself to the world and how you maintain your authenticity. A lot of people assume that confidence has everything to do with your physical appearance, but that’s not true. It is everything within you – heart, mind, and soul. More than your physical appearance, these are the things that make you even more beautiful and attractive. You can have the most perfect body and face, but if you don’t love yourself or have beauty from within, then that beauty is pointless. True inner beauty is not about having the perfect physical appearance, rather being comfortable in your own skin and being true to yourself. Staying modest and practicing generosity are aspects of the inner beauty of a woman and everyone.
You are more beautiful than you know!
To book your own fabulous Portrait Session, contact us through the inquiry form below.
Much love,
Brandi
International Award-Winning Portrait Photographer
Brandi Stage is an international award-winning portrait photographer based in Bay St. Louis, MS. She creates an exceptional magazine-style photo shoot and timeless heirloom portraits for women, men, children and pets in her studio or on location.