Beauty, beauty, beauty.. why do we often base attractiveness on appearance, instead of characteristics? Why are we so obsessed with our looks? We weren’t made to gawk at. Also, why do beauty standards differ from country to country? Oh, yeah, cause people look different. The beauty standard is almost always the opposite of the people. Isn’t it, controlling, in a way? The way society makes us care so much about our appearance, push us to buy products that will harm us, do plastic surgery, change our looks completely.. just to fit a standard? Let’s say you did all that. Completely changed your identity. Step into another country, and look! You don’t fit the standards anymore. Now you feel insecure, little and empty. Maybe even go as far as to call yourself "ugly". Who told people that they had a right to comment on other's looks? Your face is generations of love put into one. So what makes you believe that you are anything but beautiful? Right. Your environment. Maybe someone insulted you, maybe your family was talking about appearances, maybe you watched a video, maybe something else overall. The whole "glow up" thing? Yeah, does wonders on young girls' minds. Another thing I noticed, is that the beauty standards are often based on youth. Small face? Thin? No body hair? Creepy. Isn’t that unsettling? Why do women have to look young forever? Why is "Oh, you look so young!" a compliment towards older women? Weird. We're supposed to age, to have wrinkles, to have marks.. it’s a sign you lived. I would rather take advice from someone who looked like they experienced life, rather than someone who looked like they took their whole life worrying about being "pretty". I mean, we often criticise ourselves so much that we don’t realise that.. no one really cares. Have you ever heard, "Oh! Her face doesn’t suit the golden ratio!" In real life? Probably not. And even if you did, dang.. that’s odd. I’ve said this before, but we’re often times more self-absorbed that we couldn’t care less about anything else. I mean, your face is literally in nature! Furthermore, I’d like to say that the phrases "comparison is the thief of joy" & "beauty is subjective" are honestly true. You might like the colour blue, but another person wouldn’t love it as much. Maybe prefer green. So? Who cares? Everyone has their preferences. Oh, and the comparison thing? I see teenage girls comparing themselves to random people on social platforms. Everyone has. It's probably one of the most common things for teenagers now. But, let me tell you this; the sun and butterflies are both beautiful, right? But do we ever say that one is more beautiful than the other? No, we don’t. Because they’re both pretty in their own ways. If you struggle with intense insecurity, try taking a break from your phone for a while, and looking at yourself in a mirror for at least a minute everyday. Gradually, you’ll get used to your appearance and even see your beauty. It might be hard, but try your absolute best not to compare yourself. Sincerely, rae.
