The way I grew up thinking about beauty was all sorts of wrong. I used to think beauty was more about facial symmetry and having a certain body type and certain skin color and texture. Sure, I knew it was important to be a good person and treat others well, but aren’t people’s first impressions about outer beauty?
The time, money, and exacting choice of words and images put into advertising is mind-blowing.
I was influenced by overt and subliminal messages about beauty standards.
Over the years, I heard messages I really liked: “beauty is confidence,” is one. “Beauty is simplicity,” is another. These messages were amazing! They were empowering. They felt good and somewhere inside, I knew these words were true.
As I grew older, I found shopping overstimulating: too much noise, too many colors, too many choices, and too many “on sale” signs. Too…extra.
For the past five years, I have adopted a minimalist mindset and way of life: the “stuff” I choose in my life are conscious choices, are meaningful, and are representative of who I am. The people in my life are there because our values align. I appreciate my inner qualities that allow me to be confident and feel beautiful. I own my fears and know that I am an awesome work-in-progress. I’m grateful for my supports that help me work through and overcome my insecurities.
These days I’m a big fan of inner beauty: acting with integrity, keeping up with kindness, living a value-driven life, showing gratitude, supporting another, and honoring one’s truth. I find random acts of kindness to be touching. I find someone who is unafraid to let his or her hair down, to be elegant. I find someone who can give a genuine compliment, to be confident. I find someone who can smile at a stranger, to be exquisite.
Outer beauty is fleeting. Inner beauty is limitless.
Are you beauty-full?