Dear Society,

We cut, wax, color, clip, pluck, straighten, shave and curl. We lift, run, squat, sweat. We spend far too long staring back at that person in the mirror, scrutinizing, worrying and wishing; wishing that our stomach could be just a little bit flatter, that our arms could be a little more toned, that our legs could be longer. Why do we spend countless hours dissecting every minor imperfection? Why can’t we appreciate our imperfections for making us unique? We obsess over this illusion of beauty and how we should look, but do we even know what beauty is? Aesthetics are not beauty. It isn’t hidden in the words of any beauty, diet or fitness magazine article. It certainly doesn’t come from hefty price tags or the promise of a smaller waist. Beauty isn’t bought, borrowed or stolen. It lives and breathes on its own in each of us. Beauty comes alive when we let it and when we don’t hinder it with self-doubt and shame.

There is something inside all of us that makes us one in 7.125 billion. Instead of embracing these qualities, you make us hide them under layers of makeup and forced smiles. Why do you shame others for trying to break the mold and be who they are? There is beauty in embracing our truest selves and wanting to show the world exactly who that is. Society, you’re constantly trying to keep different people in the shadows. You don’t want to change because the unknown is a scary place. However, there is beauty in the limitless possibilities that live in the darkness of the unknown. Just because somebody is gay or Hispanic or black or disabled or a brunette does not mean they don’t deserve to shine as bright as the movie star or Victoria’s Secret model or cheerleader or pop star. They don’t deserve your shame, nobody does.

You are a hypocrite. You want us to be the skinniest, smartest, prettiest girls. But once we seem to obtain that inconceivable standard, we become anorexic, a nerd, self-centered. Why do you shame the ones who injure themselves desperately striving to be what you tell them to be? Nothing can satisfy your need for perfection. Nothing can ever be truly beautiful in your judgmental eyes.

Everyone could write a definition of beauty based on what they’ve experienced in life. They can tell you which hairstyle looks the best, which eye color is the prettiest, what clothes are in style right now, but none of those things will reflect themselves. We are never the prettiest in our own eyes. Someone else always has better clothes or prettier eyes or greater hair. That is your fault. The people you put on the magazine covers and commercials are blessed with DNA that make them perfectly beautiful. But that’s not true. Beauty is not what people see, rather it is in the way we treat others. Beauty is in honesty, not false smiles. Beauty is in integrity, not clothing. Beauty is in confidence, not physique. Beauty is in compassion, not the size of your waist. Beauty is in your heart, not your body.

I once was that person you pressured into being picture perfect. I let you trick me into changing how I looked so I would be happier. I thought if I lost weight and put on layers of unnecessary makeup I would finally be seen as beautiful instead of that weird tall girl. But it didn’t work. Instead, you made me doubt who I am and what I hold dearest to my heart. Eventually I realized I didn’t like who I was becoming. I was superficial and hurting myself. I figured out that I am beautiful as regular old me. I don’t need the trendiest clothes. I’ll wear what makes me feel confident. I don’t need pounds of make-up covering my face. I can walk out of the house without any and feel great. I don’t need perfect hair. My friends will still talk to me if it’s a frizzy mess. I am beautiful because I know who I am on the inside. I am compassionate, kind, confident, independent, outspoken, honest and attentive. I know that how I treat the people around me will leave an impact instead of how I look.

So society, you lose. I was able to get out from under your thumb and make myself the person you don’t want me to be. You no longer have my head filled with your nonsense. The war we’re fighting is not over, but this battle has ended and I am the victor. One by one we’ve all been able to see beauty in our own ways and forget the images you’ve been throwing before us all our lives. One by one others will hear our message and join the fight against superficial beauty. I look forward to our next confrontation. You won’t stand a chance.

Sincerely,

A Beautiful Soul