What is "beautiful?"
There is an overwhelming pressure from society to be “beautiful” placed on women and men. They either focus on outer beauty or inner. It poses the question of whether or not you will be beautiful outside or inside and leaves individuals even more confused about their ideals of beauty than before!
Since when did being "beautiful" become limited to visually pleasing or personality based?
Being beautiful is not how well you can apply your liquid eyeliner, and it is not about how much better of a person you are simply because you focus on inner beauty as compared to people who like makeup. Far too often, I see both ends of the spectrum bash the other end all in the name of "beauty."
That is wrong!
So what does beautiful mean?
The wonderful thing about beauty is that it is different for every single person on the planet. Where we go wrong with beauty is when we try to force our ideals of beauty onto other people.
To me personally, being beautiful is to be the best you that you can be.
However, regardless of standards placed by society, different beauty ideals, and inner versus outer beauty battles, there are some essential beauty ideals everyone can strive for. I've come up with three of my own "beauty" practices for a better and happier lifestyle, not aesthetic.
1. Wash your face.
Wipe and wash away all the negative thoughts you’ve had about yourself or others throughout the day. Those harmful and harsh words will leave long lasting effects and cause pesky wrinkles, cranky attitudes, and unwanted blemishes. They may seem minuscule at first, but they can quickly take over. It's best to stop the negativity right before it starts! You are too beautiful to think bad about yourself or others.
2. Stand tall.
Shrug off all that excess weight you’re carrying. 1 Peter 5:7 says “Cast all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” This is not your weight to bear. Give it to God. The worries of tomorrow, the anxiety of that next big test, or striving for somebody's idea of perfection will weigh you down. It’s not worth the pain and stress.
3. Smile.
Today is something to be thankful for. You’re alive and breathing! Today is a gift. You have the opportunity to do new things, make a change, laugh, and make memories. But, it all starts with a positive attitude and your best accessory: a smile.
The next time you start to think negatively about yourself, feel the pressures from society to be "beautiful," or the weight of your life, remember that you are beautiful.
