What is Beauty

My heart broke a little last week. I told my daughter she was beautiful, then I asked her if she knew what made her beautiful… She said my face. At that moment I was in shock. Why would my daughter think that, hadn't I made it clear to her that beauty is not what you look like but what comes from inside. Of course in the moment I went through the usual conversation where I told her that some people believe appearance is what makes you beautiful but those people are wrong. What really makes someone beautiful is what's on the inside. I said this just holding my breath hoping it sinks in this time and no one else will come behind and convince her otherwise.

This will not be the case so many people, even people I trust will come in and say the wrong things and my daughter will once again believe her appearance is how she should judge her beauty. But I will be there waiting to have this conversation again and again until she wholeheartedly believes it. Let's be real here society as a whole usually gets this wrong. It makes me so angry knowing that most girls and women are chasing after unrealistic standards and that's what they think makes them beautiful.

 

It’s such bullshit that people think there is this perfect shape and size we should all be. Beauty is not measured on the shape or size of your body. 

I hate that people are chasing a number on a scale and that's how they are deciding how beautiful they are in their current body.

It upsets me that people are exercising to change their appearance to one that society is telling them they should have. You should exercise for health not appearance.

Honestly I could probably make this list go on forever but it's doing nothing but raising my blood pressure and talking about how screwed up society is. I don't want to spend too much time talking about that. I want to talk about doing my part to make it better. I want to encourage you to do your part to make it better. Women supporting women and all. We need to start making sure that we set good examples for our youth.

Start telling women they are beautiful but when you tell them make 

sure you attach it to a mental attribute or an accomplishment of 

theirs. Do not attach it to their appearance. For example telling a woman how beautiful she is when she is in a dress is making it about her appearance. But telling a woman how beautiful she is when she has the strength to stand up for what she believes in makes it about her true beauty that's inside her.

If you have daughters ask them what makes them beautiful, make sure they understand, have this conversation with them. Tell them the world sucks sometimes and it just takes time and strong people willing to stand up for what they believe in to make a change.

If you have a son, have this conversation with him. Make sure he understands what beauty is. Tell your son he’s beautiful the same way you tell your daughter. Ask your son the same question.

Ask yourself what makes you beautiful? This might be hard at first but remember to be gentle on yourself. If you can only come up with one thing that's okay. I’m sure you have more than one mental attribute or strength that's part of your beauty sometimes it just takes awhile to realize it.

Start talking about what true beauty is. If you get the chance in a conversation to bring it up don’t sit on the sidelines, engage in the conversation and express that beauty is what's on the inside. If you can start a conversation about what beauty is do it. If you are someone with a huge platform please use it and tell your followers what makes them beautiful.