The Beauty Within.

I was brought up being taught that everyone in this world is beautiful, but the world taught me otherwise. Our society has seemed to establish standards of beauty that are superficial, hollow, and if I dare say so myself, just plain boring. Beauty pageants embed allure in having an attractive body. Bodybuilding competitions establish the standard of male attractiveness in being buff, with excessively protruding muscles. But don’t such flamboyant displays of physical attractiveness eclipse the true beauty of those participating in them: the elegance of a woman and the discipline and determination of the man? Some say that beauty lies in wealth. Being rich automatically makes you beautiful. But what about the charming smile of the poverty-stricken woman when she gets complimented by her husband on the stew she made with scraps of leftover meat? What about the beauty in the gaze of admiration a child has for his father who works all day in the fields? They say that a man is only attractive if he is strong, stoic and unfazed by the trials and trepidations of life. But isn’t there something beautiful in the courage it takes for a man to be vulnerable and sensitive?

The standards of beauty set by society clashed with the standards that I believed in. This caused a painful dissonance in my mind which was exacerbated when I realized how many people suffer from a shattered self-esteem, just because they don’t fall into the definition of “being attractive” dictated by society. However, after much deliberation I was able to draw some conclusions.

You see, the very notion that the idea of beauty is defined with such superficiality is testament to the fact that we haven’t understood the true potential of ourselves. Every human being in this world is unique. Each life is an outstandingly nuanced story, the chapters of which cannot be replicated. Each person is an unparalleled combination of experiences that defines them and them only. This rarity of their very existence is what makes them beautiful. I think true beauty lies in the uniqueness of the identity of an individual. But this begs the question, how do you emanate this beauty to the world? The answer: you flaunt the beauty within you through the expression and exploration of your own identity.

We comply with the ideals of beauty set by society because we are oblivious to the magnificence that lies within us. Take a dive inwards. There is an entire universe within you. There are so many things that you are capable of but are unaware because you chose to be a copy of someone else rather than being the original you. There are so many shades to your personality that you don’t even know of because you are afraid of expressing yourself. You have so much unlocked potential that the world is being deprived of. Unlock that potential and give the world the good that only you can provide.

How to unlock that potential you ask? Take a moment and look inwards. Become aware of who you actually are. Question the purpose of your existence. Let your mind break free of the chains set by society. Break free of the petty trivialities of life and create an ideology for yourself. Think of what good you can do to the world. Stop comparing yourself with others. Life is not a race where you have to defeat others. Life is a treasure hunt where you have to find the best version of you. Keep hustling to be that version. Discipline yourself. Each day should be started with the aim of being just a little bit better than yesterday. Grow everyday and then be proud of it. Love yourself for it. Once you have your own life on track you will be able to do good to those around you. Your brilliance will be contagious. Your very existence will be a magnificence to be witnessed. That’s when you will truly be beautiful. Not because you comply with the bullshit standards of society. Simply because, you are you. You are unique. You are beautiful.