Imagine yourself looking in the mirror and picking out everything that you don’t like. You think you aren’t tall enough, skinny enough, or don’t have a good waist. Feeling this way is an outcome from beauty standards which have caused many struggles for people.

According to an article from Eat my News, “Beauty standard is simple, to look attractive and beautiful in the eyes of one’s self or others.” Some people think they need to look a certain way to please others. Most people use filters and editing, which can change the picture completely. These features can make your teeth whiter, add makeup to your face, or change your body. But in reality the picture doesn’t look like what it did before. You become addicted to changing yourself and think you look “better”. This results in low self-esteem, body dysmorphia and eating disorders. But in reality, everybody is beautiful; just because you think someone like Bella Hadid or Megan Fox is beautiful doesn’t mean you’re ugly. 

Now with social media becoming more popular each day, the toxicity of beauty standards has been getting worse and spreading. We try so hard to fit in and get so lost with these apps like Instagram or Snapchat, we often forget who we are. What we should realize is that everything is not truthful. Getting insecure and comparing yourself is what not to do. Realize that real beauty comes from within and in many different ways. 

There are many ways to end this toxic trend. According to the website Recovery Warriors, there are steps and ways to help. The first one is going on a media detox, which means to shorten your time on social media by picking what will make you feel good. I really recommend this idea; I have been in the position of feeling self-conscious and not good enough due to the toxic side of social media . This idea works very well, it made me feel so much better about myself. Not looking at pictures or videos that cause anxiety or other bad emotions is best for you.. It will help people so much after taking a break from social media or changing what you see. 

Secondly, indulge in positive messages and affirm them. Say what makes you feel beautiful and place your attention on lifting yourself up. This can be by telling yourself “I’m beautiful”, “I’m perfect” and “I’m good enough.”  Doing this often will help you more than you know.

As a teenager in modern society, I’ve seen a lot of posts, pictures, and videos about the topic of beauty standards.. There are trends I see like “what I eat in a day” which makes me feel like I need to eat less to look like the person who posted it, and diet advice from people who aren’t even certified. It needs to come to an end or at least have a lot of change. People most likely have something they are dealing with: the toxicity of beauty standards doesn’t need to be added on with their other struggles or problems. I want to end this for my mental health and others. 

Every single thing about you is amazing. Next time you see yourself looking in the mirror being negative, remember that you are beautiful. Beauty does not define one person, the real definition of beauty is for everyone. Work on self-care and do not fall into the dark hole of beauty standards.

Facebook

Twitter

Email

Print