A Worthwhile Read

Many years ago, I gave up reading magazines or even looking at them in the checkout line.  I noticed pretty quickly that I starting feeling better about myself and my own life--I was no longer feeling terrible about not being stick skinny, not having the perfect friends, not knowing all the things I should know about fashion, makeup, music, pop culture and the like.  Suddenly, I wasn't comparing myself to people I didn't even know and standards I didn't even really want to meet.

I try to always be aware of whether things in my life are building me up or breaking me down, and looking at magazines was certainly breaking me down on many levels.  So, I simply stopped looking at them, and it was a very healthy decision.

That is, until I was introduced to Verily.  My mom read a review of the fairly new publication and recommended it to me, and ever since I started reading their stuff--both on their website (verilymag.com) and in their two printed issues, I have been hooked on their philosophy and what they produce.

The whole idea behind the company was to create a magazine that was a healthy read (my own description)--something that made you feel good about yourself and your life when you read it, that gave you information and tips you wanted to know without making you feel like you were missing something.

The magazine is beautifully put together--truly a top-of-the-line look and feel--but there are little hints here and there that it is different from everything else out there, and if you actually read it all the way through (which is very easy and enjoyable to do), you realize you are dealing with an entirely new animal.  From using women as models who aren't emaciated, to showcasing stylish but modest clothing, to writing articles about women who are serving others through their life decisions, to using the term "making love" instead of "sex," and many other subtle decisions like these, the magazine provides a completely refreshing way to stay in touch with culture while remaining above the muck.

I highly recommend the read.  As far as I'm concerned, it's the opposite of every other magazine.  It builds you up.