In the obvious chaos of the early 2000’s materialistic world, we were constantly bombarded with beauty standards that were, and still are, utterly unreachable. Now more than ever, we need to change our dialogue. An opinion editorial by Dr. Bilge Gregory, CEO, and founder of Vital Connection MD
Beauty yesterday, today, and tomorrow
What’s considered a beautiful physical appearance changes so much. One moment, everyone was waxing their eyebrows paper thin. Now, big bushy eyebrows are in such high demand, you can even have them micro-bladed to give a fuller effect.
What was considered beauty five years ago is irrelevant to today’s societal expectations. Severe skinniness was considered ‘beautiful’, then the Kardashians brought in the curves. Now, we’re finally at the stage of celebrating body positivity.
To add fuel to the constantly burning fire, these definitions of physical beauty change regularly. This leaves us feeling like we’re never quite ‘keeping up’ with the outer and superficial expectations of today’s world.
Beauty begins within
It’s cliché, but I’m here to remind you—beauty begins within. The most beautiful people who walk this earth are the ones who know themselves through and through.
An excellent example of pop icon we can look to for proof of this is Pete Davidson, an SNL performer. The media has gone into a frenzy, writing article after article, focusing on ‘just how does he do it?’ How does he date these beautiful A-list celebrities when he’s just an average-looking man? Every article finishes with the same conclusion: He’s just such a good guy.
It’s clear that as Gen Z and Millennials move into taking over our world by coming into their 30s, we are collectively heading towards craving more genuine connections with others and valuing authenticity over materiality. I couldn’t be happier with this shift.
So how can you use this global shift to build your inner beauty and strengthen your relationships by leveraging this internal confidence after decades of E! News and a toxic social media coming of age?
Your Reality Is a Projection of You and Brings Out How Others Feel About Themselves
Relationships can provide a loving and nurturing environment for growth and enhance our inner confidence. Yet, be careful; not all relationships can offer that. Some can hinder your progress, especially those that lack authenticity, judge and belittle you, or have you feeling “less than”, rather than empowered.
Even the most introverted people have a human instinct to create genuine and authentic relationships. It’s just as much part of our identity as individuals to have people surrounding us, on which we leave a positive impact, which subsequently brings our well-being to higher levels.
But all in all, we are selfish beings. And regardless of this instinct, we surround ourselves with the people we feel we deserve for better or worse. If you have negative thoughts about yourself, chances are, you will automatically find yourself hanging out with others who share a comradery in that way of thinking.
It’s essential to understand your intentions and the intentions of others. Their personal values, standards, and goals, and how that reflects on you, or how your own projects are onto them.
Change your inner monologue
By changing your inner monologue, you’ll start attracting others with similar positive inner voices. By bringing out the best in yourself, you’ll start bringing out the best in others. This in turn will help create a circle of genuine relationships that promote better well-being and growth.
Once you find that you’ve created a circle of uplifting vibrations—you’ll start to see your social life adding quality to your life. Remember, it’s a human instinct!
Wealth Is an Inner Abundance and Should Not Be Measured by Monetary Means
As society distances itself from hustle culture and starts to move towards a more balanced way of working life, with that comes letting go of the ideology around ‘getting rich.’
Presently, the ‘quiet quitting’ movement in the western world is roaring. After COVID-19, a lot of people were given money from the government, and many decided to put themselves into a healthier environment. They realized quickly that they didn’t want to work their asses off anymore.
So what can we replace the getting materialistically rich mindset with?
Well, we can change our view of success by being measured by career or monetary gain and begin to understand that success can genuinely be that of total day-to-day stability and internal peace and wellness.
Whether that means being content with being able to pay the bills and living a low-stress life, regardless of wage, or just focusing on the consistency of our daily well-being. It’s about celebrating simplicity.
When you surrender your expectations, your focus shifts to making your own well-being your highest priority.
In turn, the world will move for you and show you results on the outside that radiate from the manifestation of what’s brewing inside.
When You Scroll Through Social Media, What Do You See?
We create our own reality based on perceptions of the world we see around us. What do you see when you open your phone first thing in the morning, lying in bed, your mind at its most vulnerable?
Are you trying to change the above, like taking the pressure off yourself and not conforming to ‘hustle culture’? Then maybe it’s not best to fill your feed with that of “rich” people, who often have curated and inauthentic content of their own. You’ll be killing yourself trying to chase a lifestyle that doesn’t even really exist in the way that’s presented in social media.
Or maybe you are focusing on learning to love parts of your body that you’ve struggled to enjoy for the decades you’ve walked this earth? Be mindful of influencers with seemingly flawless bodies who have likely posted air-brushed images of themselves.
I can promise you, their life isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. It’s all part of the show. The information you consume heavily impacts your reality. Where your focus goes, energy flows. So make sure you limit your exposure to things that offend you or make you feel unworthy.
Remember, You Are Timelessly Beautiful!
Beauty standards change, and as cosmetic surgeons, we try to honor that person’s wishes. However, ultimately, how they present themselves to the world is what contributes to their overall beauty and good looks.
There’s a wide variety of beauty standards. Comparing yourself to others and striving for what’s hot right now is very self-limiting. Remember that your physical appearance is a shell, or as I like to say, it’s your meat suit. Trust that the value you bring to this world is much more about what you have inside.
About the author
Dr. Bilge Gregory is the CEO and founder of Vital Connection MD.
She has 16 years of experience as a board-certified Emergency Medicine physician. Through her extensive training, Dr. Gregory has developed a passion for patient advocacy, holistic well-being, weight loss, fitness, and cosmetic procedures. Read her full bio below.
