The Sin of Vanity & The Feminine Struggle to Feel Enough
Lately, I’ve been struggling with something I haven’t wanted to talk about. Truthfully, I’ve been struggling with it my whole life. And I feel ashamed.
Ashamed that after years of helping women step into their feminine essence, I still wrestle with vanity and self-worth. I know I’m not alone in this.
If you’ve ever struggled to love what you see in the mirror, if you’ve ever felt like your worth was somehow tied to how beautiful, youthful, or desirable you are—then this is for you.
The Sin of Vanity & The Search for Approval
This morning, during my quiet time with Sophia (the voice of wisdom I connect with in prayer and journaling), I asked:
💭 “What is the sin of vanity?”
Vanity is often described as excessive pride in one’s appearance, achievements, or status—placing too much importance on what fades, rather than what is eternal. It is the obsession with how we are perceived, rather than who we are in the sight of God.
St. Thomas Aquinas described vanity as the pursuit of human praise rather than divine approval.
When I read that, it hit me. So much of what we chase in this world is fleeting and empty. We spend years perfecting our outer beauty—learning the right colors to wear, the best skincare routine, the perfect way to style our hair. None of these things are bad in themselves. But when our self-worth hinges on them? That’s where vanity takes root.
How Vanity Blocks Feminine Energy
For years, I’ve taught that true feminine energy is rooted in safety, security, and wholeness. It is radiant, but not searching. It is beautiful, but not performing. It does not seek validation—because it already knows it is worthy.
But vanity sneaks in quietly. It whispers:
❌ “You’re only beautiful if you’re skin is flawless.”
❌ “You’re only valuable if you are desired.”
❌ “You must keep up with the changing standards of beauty.”
And so, we chase. We strive. We compare.
Even when we do inner work, even when we practice feminine embodiment, the old wounds still surface. Because this isn’t just a mental or emotional struggle—it is a spiritual struggle.
Healing the Way We See Ourselves
The beauty industry thrives on our insecurity. Social media bombards us with impossible beauty standards. And deep down, many of us have internalized a painful lie:
"I am only as valuable as I am beautiful."
But the truth is this: Your worth was never meant to be measured by the world’s changing standards.
This realization led me to write something I now call “Litany of Soft Eyes”—a prayer, a meditation, a reminder to see ourselves the way God sees us.
To stop measuring.
To stop comparing.
To see with soft eyes.
Litany of Soft Eyes: A Prayer for Self-Worth & Feminine Healing
I created this prayer to rewire the way we look at ourselves. It is a reminder to see with love, not judgment—to embrace aging, beauty, and identity through the lens of divine truth.
If you are on a journey of self-acceptance, this is for you.
Litany of Soft Eyes
Blessed Mother, who sees us as we truly are, let us see with your eyes.
Mother, who never measures or compares, let us see with your eyes.
You who watched the face of God as a child,
You who gazed upon the cross without looking away,
You who wipe the tears of the broken—
Teach us how to see.
Where we have been taught to see our reflection as not enough,
Teach us how to see with love.
Where we have been trained to seek approval,
Teach us to seek only truth.
Where we have been told our worth is in our beauty,
Show us the beauty of our worth.
When we look in the mirror,
Let us see your soft eyes gazing back.
And when we see other women,
Let us lay down comparison and see the little girl who just wants to be loved.
When we see our bodies, let us see strength, not flaw.
And when we see ourselves aging, let us see wisdom, not loss.
And when we see our past, let us see redemption, not regret.
Mother of Mercy, teach us to see the unseen—
The kindness in a tired face,
The courage behind a quiet voice,
The holy longing in a body that has been through a long battle,
The divine image hidden within every person we meet.
And when we forget—
When the old ways of looking at ourselves and each other with cruelty creep back in—
Take our faces in your hands, as a mother does.
Turn our eyes back to Love and whisper:
Daughter, behold, you are very good.
➡️ Get the “Litany of Soft Eyes” Print for Your Home or Prayer Space https://www.etsy.com/listing/1848005874/litany-of-soft-eyes-poster
Hang it where you get ready in the morning.
Place it near your mirror as a reminder to see with love, not comparison.
Gift it to a woman who needs to be reminded: She is already enough.
Let this be your daily prayer to see yourself through the eyes of love. 💛
Grace & Peace,
Morgan
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