Exploring the Connection Between Self-Esteem and Beauty Standards

Is There a Definition of Beauty?

Some media outlets impose a model-like appearance as the ideal of beauty. Others claim that curves are beautiful, and there are men who love fuller women but are ashamed of this preference, trying to suppress it because, in some parts of the world, it's not considered beautiful. In these regions, they would be embarrassed to walk around with such a woman. But what about other parts of the world? There, the opposite is celebrated. For example, Afghan women undergo surgeries to have a more pronounced nose, while Chinese women undergo surgeries to change their eye shape to resemble more European features.

In some parts of the world, women with rings around their necks are considered beautiful. These rings are placed on girls as young as five years old. In other regions, girls undergo lip-cutting to hold clay pots in their mouths to enhance their beauty and to ensure they can marry.

Beauty Standards Around the World

If you think this is extreme... I would argue that it might not be. For us in these regions, explain why women here choose to have silicone implants in their breasts, buttocks, calves, or lips? They do so to fit a beauty standard. But who defines what is beautiful? And what is beauty anyway?

In the East, pale skin is considered the epitome of beauty, while in the West, women go to tanning beds to achieve darker skin, thinking it enhances their beauty.

Redefining Beauty and Self-Confidence

Personally, I don’t judge any of the choices mentioned. Every woman wants to feel beautiful, and if something is considered beautiful, she can strive to achieve that look to feel good about herself.

But... do we really need to look a certain way to feel beautiful and to feel good in our skin? Does our lack of self-esteem stop us from doing what we otherwise would?

It might sound cliché, but beauty truly comes from within. How you radiate inside will influence how others perceive you. If you feel beautiful, others will see you that way. It’s not about whether you’re blonde or brunette, tall or short, or how much you weigh. It’s not even about whether you wear glasses or not.

The Key to Self-Love

Don’t let anything interfere with your self-esteem. A lack of self-confidence is a brake on achieving your true talents and potential. You can exercise, get dolled up, or do whatever makes you feel more beautiful, but that should never be the condition for how you value yourself or feel beautiful.

Beauty is relative, and remember—you are beautiful just as you are. To someone who loves you, you will be the most beautiful person in the world, just the way you are!

Changing Your Mindset Can Change Your Life

To confirm everything I’ve said, ask young children—those who are still unaffected by societal beauty standards—who they think is the most beautiful person in the world. They’ll say, “My mom,” no matter how she looks. :)