The definition of beauty

BEAUTY
*noun*
a combination of qualities, such as shape, colour, or form, that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight.

In the space of five days, I heard seven of my school classmates say that they wanted plastic surgery/botox when they were older. Their explanation: they didn’t like their bodies. These girls were only sixteen. That was the first time I looked up the definition of ‘beauty’.

This experience has since got me thinking about what ‘beauty’ means to you as a person. What does ‘beauty’ look like? What is ‘beauty’ classified as? What makes someone beautiful? I don’t have all the answers. Nor do I believe that one person’s definition of ‘beauty’ is the right one. This is simply my take on the definition of ‘beauty’.

Learning how to love yourself isn’t taught in school. People who disagree with me need only go back to school themselves. What is seen as important are grades, college applications and learning books off by heart. Learning to love your body is seen as a second-rate lession. This lession is seen as ‘un-important’, when it is truly one of the most vital of all. The body you have is the only one you get for life. It wakes you up in the morning, takes you on walks, vocalises and writes what you are thinking, absorbs all the nutrients in the food you eat. Loving yourself means loving what your body does for you every day. Self-love isn’t selfish…it’s important. Unfortunately, not everyone sees their body in this incredible way.

In today’s Instagram worthy idea of society, we are all expected to look a certain way. Maybe that is why so many people believe they need plastic surgery/botox. Because we see so many celebrities with botox and plastic surgery that we think ‘I want to look like them…I’ll get it too! Then I’ll be beautiful!’ Girls are expected to look made up and curvy and wrinkle free, with full lips and flat stomachs with unreasonable sizing expectations. And on and on and on it goes. The unrealistic expectations that society has set for us. We are often forced into a mold that doesn’t fit. Hence, the rise of the younger generation having surgery. And not only that, but the feeling of anxiety of looking a certain way. The start of body dysmorphia. The development of eating disorders in order to look like models in a magazine. This is your friendly reminder that what you see on social media is fake. People are made to look “better” in photos to get more likes, sales, follows, etc. No matter what you are told, what you see is not natural.

What is natural, however, is who you are. You don’t have to change your appearance just to fit the mold of beautiful. Because you already are.

Something that I was taught from a young age is that ‘beauty’ comes from within. R.M. Broderick once said ‘it’s that heart of gold, and stardust soul that make you beautiful.’ In today’s society, I believe this is too often forgotten. When we picture ‘beauty’, we imagine a girl in a pretty dress, wearing makeup. At least, if you google images of ‘beauty’ that is what you will find. What they can’t show you is that ‘beauty’ is so, so much more. It is the qualities of a person – such as kindness, honesty, generosity, thoughtfulness and many others, that will shine through. ‘Stardust souls’ are never physically seen on another human being. But when it is felt emotionally, you know that is the kind of beauty that makes others smile. And if that isn’t beautiful, I’m not sure what is.

The way I see it; we are all pieces of art in progress. Some people are further down the line of completion than others. All, however, are equally unique, special and captivatingly gorgeous. Being yourself, loving yourself…that is beauty that no one can ever take away from you and no one will ever be able to replace. Your own kind of beautiful.

If I had the chance to go back to when each of those girls said those words, I would. And I would describe to them my definition of beauty.

BEAUTY
*noun*
a person who is unapologetically and uniquely themselves, all while seeing the beauty that lives in others.

My argument is not that people shouldn’t get plastic surgery. This is my definition and meaning of beauty. I am simply addressing the fact that beauty is something that comes from within. You only get one body. And you should love it with all you have. You are beautiful just the way you are.