You can find beauty in everything if you look closely enough.
Beauty is a spectrum. It ranges in colour, size and shape. Modern society and media may paint beauty in in specific sizes but life and self-appreciation go beyond what anyone or any publication suggests.
Just as money isn’t bad but the love of it is, I believe beauty in itself isn’t vanity; it’s just the excessive focus on outer beauty that is. If you prioritise beauty over other significant areas like self-development for instance, you will find yourself wanting in the long run. Appearance might get you through the door but it would take character and value to keep your seat.
That being said, I believe the world’s definition or perspective on beauty is too narrow. Everyone possesses beauty in unique proportions; beyond physical looks. Physically, some may appear more favourable to look upon than others but God in His infinite wisdom has created us such that there are some parts that elevate and other parts that humble us. That balances the scales.
People may admire you for how presentable you look with first impressions but it would require more than that for others to retain that admiration and respect for you. If you believe you are beautiful, it influences the way you see the world and react to it.
Of course, some think it’s a leeway for them to be rude but that’s conceited and the only ending to that story is a humiliating fall. What I mean is, when you see yourself as beautiful and worthy, it boosts your self-confidence and encourages you to be more assertive.
You determine the standards by how people should address and relate to you without being imposing. You don’t allow people’s negative energy to get to you. You can’t control what others think of or behave towards you but the outcome is based on your own terms when you refuse to come down to their level to prove a point.
You are not perfect; no one is regardless of how hard people appear to be and that’s okay. Believe you were created in the image of God who is beautiful and awesome. If people can’t appreciate your unique beauty, that’s their loss. But first, they need to know how you feel about yourself; as that would determine how they react to you.
You may not have the smoothest skin, softest palms, longest and silkiest hair, nicest nails and perfect teeth but you are beautiful in spite of the deficiencies. Your character radiates brighter than the perfect face beat with the best makeup kit. If you have a beautiful heart, you will have a beautiful aura.
But if you have a lovely face and body with a terrible attitude, soon, people will be repulsed by your beauty. If it is true that beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, then you can be assured that people won’t see you as beautiful and worth admiring anymore.
You are beautiful just the way you are. Thus, act beautiful, think pure and speak with flavour and fragrance. Own your beauty and no one would be able to define it for you.
Josephine Amoako
Supervising Editor, Glitz Africa Magazine (Issue 24)
Blogger at Joseyphina’s World (https://joseyphina.wordpress.com)
