Beauty surrounds us every day. We are inundated with images of celebrities, models and the like, who we are told are beautiful. So much emphasis is placed on looking a certain way, looking young and feeling beautiful. We are told to buy this cream, that lotion, go on that diet and dress in those clothes. There is no doubt that if your goal is to be beautiful, you have many options available to you to improve the way you look. I believe that as a society, we need to re-evaluate how much emphasis we place on how we look on the outside.
There is a beauty that is much deeper than all that, and it is called radiance. Radiance is something that comes from the inside. It is not about having the perfect face. It's not about having the perfect body and image. It's far more beautiful and awe inspiring than the beauty that we chase outside side of ourselves. It's the light our heart shines. Each one us has this light, as each one of us has a heart. When I reflect on this, one woman comes to mind: and that is Audrey Hepburn. She radiated from the inside out. It was a quality that was so exquisite and yet so natural.
She had it figured out and she embraced it. She said, "True beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It's the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows." What was she referring to? She was talking about the inner qualities of a woman that make her radiant. Those qualities of kindness, decency, love and compassion. These are the things that make a woman beautiful, as they emanate from the inside and they radiate outside, making her more attractive and alive.
Why is there so much emphasis on the exterior? Why is there so much judgement on how women look? Women, young and older, are being sold an idea that there is something wrong with them and they have to change and fix it. They believe they have to be perfect, like the images that are marketed to them. It's a never-ending cycle of change, this and that, then you are told you could be even more attractive if you altered something else. It's a fantastic game of keeping women shut off from their real selves and instead focusing all their energy and time into something that is empty.
There is nothing wrong with looking after yourself, as this is an act of self-love. It only becomes a problem when the focus is only about the exterior. The truth of the matter is women are so much more than what appears on the outside. They are their essence, their radiance, their feminine energy and their pure love. They have so much more to offer the world than a perfected face and body. It's time for women to embrace their uniqueness, be just as they are and let their radiant light shine.
How wonderful would it be if we could see more real role models in women doing amazing things in the world? This is happening as more and more women take a stand for their God-given radiance and magnificence. We need to pave the way for the younger generation and, tell them who they really are. We need to embody our inner radiance and true essence and show them that they are so much more beautiful when they are happy from the inside.