What is beauty? And since when has beauty been determined by a hair color, whether it is long or short, the size of your jeans, or the color of your eyes?
By definition, beauty is the quality present in a thing or in a person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind.
As time has moved on from past generations, the standards of beauty have been redefined. However, we are the ones who should be redefining the standards and qualifications of what true beauty really is.
In this society, there is hardly enough self-love, self-appreciation, or self-confidence in women and girls of all ages. This needs to change.
When we look at ourselves in the mirror, automatically we begin to critique the reflection that glances back at us, but who could really blame us?
Call us robots, as we feel we should be programmed to look and be a certain way that society without a doubt creates.
As women, what we fail to realize is that we have power over the way we view ourselves and the way others do as well.
In the media, we see women of all ages who appear to have the perfect body.
Since when does the perfect body mean obtaining a thigh gap, having a perfectly flat stomach, or being tanned to perfection?
Our bodies are perfect regardless of shape or size. Just because we see Gigi Hadid killing the cover of "Vogue Brazil" does not mean we should feel as if we need to look the same way because it is idealistic.
We are human beings, imperfect at all costs. We need to stop wishing to have what we do not, because in the end, where would that get us? It would turn into more under appreciation of the beauty we behold.
Find the beauty in what you have whether it is being curvylicious, having a great athletic build, or having legs that compete in length with the Sears Tower. Being beautiful and having a good body is not limited to anything if we say so. This is why we as women should redefine what beauty truly is.
Take my favorite example, Ruby Rose, the thriving star of one of the most mesmerizing series Orange Is the New Black.
From my perspective, she is one of the most beautiful individuals I have ever seen. Her look is exotic and fresh, not like the superficial beauty we are so used to seeing. She kills her look with her jet-black short cut hair, her Ninja Turtle tattoo, and her insane style.
She colors outside of the beauty box just by portraying her individuality and self-confidence. She could even rock purple hair and my jaw still dropped when I stared at her iconic image.
We should take something from Ruby and the way she presents herself, and that is that being beautiful or possessing beauty means to be yourself.
It means to express your individuality and be the way you want to be, not the way society expects you to be. We are the ones who define our own beauty. This power we hold over ourselves it is not anyone else.
In spite of seeing photoshopped models on all forms of social media, we still have to remember that we are our own person. Having beauty starts with believing in yourself and knowing that you are you and you should have confidence in the person you are and the person who you will grow to be.
Do not be afraid to shy away from the ideal standards society has created on what is and is not beautiful.
BE CONFIDENT in the individual that you are, and without a doubt, that confidence and appreciation of yourself and your body will shine. Own what you have and if you want something (abs, like myself) then work your butt off and aim for it.
However, what is crucial and most important to remember is that our true beauty lies within the person we are, how we hold ourselves, and the kindness and love we share amongst others and ourselves.
Our beauty, as Audrey Hepburn said, "is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she knows.”
