The Truth About Beauty

Beauty is one of the most sought-after possessions in the world. How can one word build someone up, tear another down, create admiration and envy, destroy and bring people together? Beauty is an emotionally charged concept to people around the world. We admire those who possess it. Some go to any means necessary to attain it even if it means destroying family, health and well-being. Others seem to think beauty is unattainable and the demise of societies. Beauty has stirred up much controversy and debate over the course of human existence. 

I grew up in a world where physical beauty was the standard to get ahead. Beauty opened the doors of opportunity and without it, life would just be too hard to get anywhere worthwhile. When I was 12 years old, my grandmother took me to the local make up lady to teach me how to apply make up properly to make myself even more beautiful to the world. My grandfather added to that notion by saying what you look like on the outside determines how you succeed in the world. Now as a young girl, I took that to mean I must be outwardly pretty and pleasing to the eye in order to survive and have any meaningful place in this world. If I do not appear physically beautiful, I am doomed to be worthless and life will be nothing but a struggle. Not only did I believe this to be the truth, I also believed there was no way to be beautiful without help from makeup and clothes. 

For many years, I struggled with feelings that I was not good enough or pretty enough. Any advancement or failure I made in life or career I found a way to attribute to how I looked and not to any effort or work I put in. I found myself constantly comparing myself to others and as a result, becoming jealous and bitter. I was either too young or too old, too fat or too skinny, too blonde, not feminine enough, too masculine my hair was not long enough or my wardrobe was not up to date. The constant comparison and ever-present insecurity were overwhelming. I was so bitter, angry and confused. 

I was done with feeling judged by my appearance. I had more than a pretty face to offer the world. Interesting what life will reveal to you when you are ready to see things differently. Suddenly, I began to see with fresh eyes. I took a new look at the people I wanted to be like, the people I really admired, for their accomplishments in life. What did they have in common that made them so successful in life? I found physical beauty was not the answer. In fact, they each had a way about them that made them far more beautiful than any measure of physical beauty. 

We all know true beauty when we see and are around it. The person makes us feel good. We feel safe around them. They seem to shine with every word they speak. They are completely genuine. Every corner of the world knows this standard of beauty. It has no language barrier and it does not vary from culture to culture. True beauty comes from a person who is being who they are and in doing so they make others feel good. Yes, beauty is that simple. No amount of makeup or clothing will ever be able to make another person feel understood, loved or important. It is only when we are simply who we are that our true beauty shines. 

So now I focus on being me. It has literally changed my life. Even the people around me are more beautiful. I want you to join me in an effort to make the world a more beautiful place. Just be you. Will you allow your true beauty to shine out to the world? 

If you find this helpful or know someone who needs to hear topics like these, please be sure to share.  Be a life changer. You never know what may change the course of someone’s life. 

The Place of Insight