Imperfect Beauty
Loving yourself is the biggest resolution. But does everyone in this world love themselves and their body for who and what they are? It seems very easy to say to a person that it’s not a big deal or that they’re just going through a phase, until one day, you’re in their shoes. Throughout the years, there have been certain beauty standards for men and women that present the way a man or a woman is supposed to look. Men have to have broad shoulders, big muscles, good height, and certain masculinity about themselves whereas women should have a flat stomach, clear skin, long and straight hair, and certain femininity towards them. From a young age, magazines and social media train us that there is a certain way we are supposed to look. They say it’s not about being fat or skinny, it’s about being healthy. This leads to people thinking that they aren’t good enough or aren’t pretty enough, just because they can’t match the impossible standards displayed to them through the world of social media filters. People start feeling like a total outcast or feeling as if they don’t belong when they are expected to meet such beauty standards. This feeling of being misunderstood or being alone can eventually lead to a lot of mental health problems.
Being fat or obese, having acne, having some kind of disease, scars, curves, or chubby doesn’t mean you’re not beautiful. We live in a world where anyone can be a critic, anyone on social media can comment on how a person looks. Some people comment nasty things about someone’s body that they don’t realize, but it can cause someone to starve himself or herself. Here’s where the big question comes. How do we change the way the world expects us to look? Well, we cannot change the way people think, what we can do is spread positivity and use social media, the same thing that was a big part of making a person feel bad about their body as a force for good. There are many ways to do this and the first one could be to post-natural and real pictures. There is nothing wrong with using filters but why not be real and embrace your natural beauty and imperfections. Support other people who are struggling through this and encourage them to do the same. Try to talk about and overcome your insecurities about any part of your body. This will not only help people who are struggling with their body image, but it will also inspire young minds to strive for change. Understand that clothes are made for you, you aren’t made for clothes. You may receive criticism while working towards a change, but keep in mind that it may be bad now, but one day, it will be worth it.
You are you and that’s what makes you unique. We are all imperfectly beautiful and we don’t need to meet high standards of beauty just because that’s what other people want. There is no wrong way to have a body. We are different in our own ways and that is the biggest beauty secret of them all. Whether you are a man or a woman, your looks do not define you. Your kindness, compassion, empathy, and passion define who you are. You are your own definition of beautiful.
This article was written by Saisha Ramchandani of KR Mangalam School.
