As a child looks to the adults around them to learn, they are taught at a young age to not judge a book by its cover. It is engraved in our minds that everyone is beautiful, an outward appearance can only mean so much. As we begin to grow up, we begin to make our own decisions which inevitably leads to people conforming to society. In society, however, the idea that beauty is only skin deep becomes more of a reality. A quick judgment is made based on a person’s outward appearance. As females in this society, it is difficult to understand the potential of beauty beyond the physical beauty.
However, if you look beyond society, you realize, beauty is more than just physical, it is a combination of physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional. Each of these four forms of beauty works together to fully define the beauty in a person. So, in order to fully see your own beauty, be sure to look into each of the following four forms of beauty.
Physical Beauty
Physical beauty is the easiest to find a form of beauty. It is the outward appearance of a person. Society is quick to judge a person based upon their clothing choice, their hair color or their facial structure. It is most times the first impression people make on others. Because of this, it is common for people to change their appearance to better conform to society. However, as it turns out, as people get to know each other, physical beauty is the least effective in determining the beauty in a person as compared to the other three forms of beauty. Physical beauty is only a large determinate in first impressions.
Tip for maximizing your physical beauty: Be sure to smile as much as possible when surrounded by people. You will be surprised at how much your interactions with people will improve and how much more comfortable they will be with you. Also, don’t forget about the positive benefit to yourself when you smile!
Mental Beauty
Mental beauty is the ability to accept new ideas and activities. Willingness to put yourself in situations where you may be uncomfortable can be one of the most beautiful things a person can do. It allows you to meet people you have never met before, and possibly find something that truly makes you happy. Beyond physically trying new activities, mental beauty includes the ability to strive to learn to things. The more a person is open to learning and doing new things, the more of the world they get to see and the more they will grow to their full potential.
Tip for maximizing your mental beauty: When going along with your day, don’t just do your daily routine and get through the day. Look at the world around you and take it all in, taste something new, do something new, speak to someone new, maybe even organize a trip to somewhere local which you and your friends have never done. Make it a goal to do something new every day!
Spiritual Beauty
Spiritual beauty is the acceptance of the differences in other people. It is one of the main forms of beauty which controls how a person views you. In today’s society, it is often difficult to accept others as being different but when you do, you get to meet and hear about a group of people living lives completely different than you. Who knows what you will learn next! A person who obtains positive spiritual beauty is one who lives their lives in parallel to their values and goals in life.
Tip for maximizing your spiritual beauty: Take some time out of your week to volunteer for a group. You will be given the opportunity to meet new people and hear new stories. Also, helping others is a great way to improve your own mood while improving others. It’s a win-win!
Emotional Beauty
Emotional beauty is the ability to understand your emotions and be able to take charge of them as they seem to fall out of place. Stress does not seem to be a controlling factor in the life of someone with positive emotional beauty; they are able to harness it and use it to their advantage. Apart from oneself, emotional beauty also pertains to someone with the ability to understand other people’s emotions and help them if help is needed.
Tip to improve your emotional beauty: The next time something starts to stress you out or make you feel overwhelmed, try making a to-do list. Don’t be afraid to break down your larger tasks into simple tasks and include mundane everyday tasks (including tasks like eating lunch). Being able to cross more things off your list at a quicker rate will keep you motivated to continue your list and finish it up!
Each of these four forms of beauty combines together to form the full understanding of beauty. A person will not be considered fully beautiful until they possess a portion of each of these categories. So, the next time you wake up in the morning and decide to put on make-up, maybe take that time to learn something new or plan a new trip. You will be surprised by the outcome of your events in both how you feel, and how others see you. Also, always remember, that true beauty comes from you. If you see yourself as beautiful, other will follow suit and see you as beautiful. ☺
Essay by: Meghan Kaminski
Field of study: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Institution: University of Virginia
About:
My name is Meghan Kaminski and I am a Graduate Student in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Virginia while doing research in wind turbines. I am a previous graduate of Penn State University where I studied Aerospace Engineering while participating on the Women’s Varsity Soccer Team up until injury. Beyond education, I get a lot of pleasure from spending all available time in the woods camping or rock climbing. I fully believe that any girl can be and do anything they want, and I am on the pathway through life to prove this!
ⒸGirlterest Scholarship Program 2016
