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Why We Need a More Natural Definition of Beautiful
How Today’s Women Describe Their Looks:
Natural 31%
Average 29%
Attractive 9%
Feminine 8%
Good-looking 7%
Cute 7%
BEAUTIFUL 2%
This lack of identification with “beautiful” holds across all age groups, with
only 4 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds choosing “beautiful” as a word to describe their looks.
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Source: The Real Truth about Beauty by StrategyOne with Dr. Nancy Etcoff of Harvard University and Dr Susie Orbach of the London School of Economics. The study consisted of a 3,200-respondent telephone survey, conducted among women aged 18 to 64 in 10 countries.
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We come into the world, totally comfortable with our bodies. As infants, we revel in the sensations we experience as we go about discovering the world around us. We delight in who and what we are and our bodies give us joy.
And then, as we grow, we are constantly bombarded with messages from our families and our culture. Television, magazines and countless other sources tell us what is beautiful, acceptable and valuable. As awareness increases, we eventually reach a point where we begin to compare ourselves with others; with images and ideals that have nothing to do with who and what we really are.
We develop a Body Image, and however accurate or inaccurate it may be; it defines how we relate to our bodies. This is something everyone deals with. Whether or not your body fits the cultural standard of ‘normal’ or ‘beautiful’, your image of yourself becomes what is real to you. For some of us, it is partly how we judge our worth. It affects how we feel about being in the world; whether we are confident or terrified, self-conscious or empowered.
But your body image is not really about your body; it is about your perception of your body. It is what you hold in your mind.
You have a choice about whether to buy into the myth that there is an acceptable standard of beauty and that we are all held to that standard. You can decide what YOU value. You can decide to accept yourself the way you are. You can be empowered, confident and happy in your body.
Women come in all shapes and sizes. Our bodies are capable of amazing things; acts of beauty and power that can be overlooked or minimized because we don’t look like runway models or movie stars. How would it feel to see yourself in a different light and learn to love yourself as you are?
You are unique. There IS no comparison.
You can celebrate your self, your life, and your place in the world. You can validate yourself and others for being ‘just right’ and promote self-empowerment. You can find your own truth – not through a media message or someone else’s eyes.
Change your belief and celebrate the real you!
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"She wins who calls herself beautiful and challenges the world to change to truly see her."
Naomi Wolf, The Beauty Myth
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