Recently, I’ve noticed an increase of attempts to undertake and turn around the perverted view of beauty. ‘True beauty’ is mentioned more and more in Youtube videos, through music artists, books, magazines, blogs, social media, and more. The acknowledgement of this issue is incredible and encouraging, but looking around it doesn’t seem to be making much of an impact. Sure, confidence is being promoted and restored, but is that really what we’re needing to fix? Confidence?

The corrupt view of beauty has its roots deep in this world. The first thing people think of and picture when beauty is brought up, whether they believe it’s true or not, is a face, a body, a woman. Not just any woman either, a physically acceptable one; Thin, but with just a hint of curves. Luscious hair, flawless skin, a charming smile, and kind eyes. She’s perfect. She’s beautiful. That’s just how it is and how it’s been. Ultimately, the physical appearance rules as the first thing we attribute beauty to.

So, what is true beauty? What does it mean to be beautiful? There are endless quotes about genuine beauty that sum up to say that it “...comes from within.” Falling into believing that your outward appearance matters more than what’s internal is a battle that people have been, and continue to be fighting daily. A lot of girls discover what true beauty is, and are secure in it. But, even being secure, you’ll still have those nudges that tell you, “you’re not good enough.” The problem here roots with how we respond to it. Do you continue to believe what you know beauty is, or do you let it steal your confidence?

Nowadays, people don’t even have to insult you to make you feel bad about yourself. Worldly beauty is portrayed in so many places and in so many ways that you’ve been trained to automatically recognize your defects all by yourself; social media, websites, magazines, billboards, movies, books, and more. You can’t run from it, or hide from it. It’s constant.

In reality, no two people are the same. Why, then, do we only put certain people in the “beautiful category” if EVERYONE is different from each other? And IF true beauty lies within, why don’t we tell men that they’re beautiful?

“Matthew, you’re beautiful.”

“Um, thank you?”

Why do we recognize people by their so called ‘flaws’?

“So, Jenny the other day-”

“Wait, Jenny with the big nose?”

“Yeah, that Jenny.”

Why do we only compliment people when we like something about them, or feel like being ‘nice’?

Wow, she actually did something with her hair today. Her shoes are cute, too.

“Jenny! You’re shoes are so cute! Where did you get them?”

Why?

We’ve given beauty so much power. Why is it even an option to look at ourselves and be disgusted. We’ve come up with this idea that we have to work to be considered beautiful, whether it be inner OR outer beauty. Beauty isn’t something we gain, it’s something we’re given. If you exist, you are beautiful. Beauty is natural. Stop trying to be beautiful, and just be beautiful.