The meaning of internal beauty
By Sara Silverman
March 15, 2024
Image Credit: Photo by Peter Kalonji on Unsplash
People often say, “it’s what matters on the inside,” but what does this really mean? Maybe, it’s just a way to make someone feel better about themselves. On the contrary, perhaps internal beauty truly can radiate from a person. Let’s find out whether this idea is nonsense or is meaningfully backed by truth.
Oftentimes, the first thing we notice when meeting someone is their physical appearance. We take note of their hair, skin, eyes, body and maybe their outfit too, before knowing anything about their character.
However, the most genuine connections we make are arguably with those we find internally beautiful.
“I think true beauty is when someone is able to live their most authentic lives in terms of pursuing what they’re passionate about, being able to convey what emotion they’re experiencing and just kind of finding joy in life and purpose in what they’re doing,” said Peer Counseling Skills and Mental Health Advocacy professor Isabella Stoto.
In her course, she discusses the negative impact beauty standards can have on one’s mental health and self-image. Stoto emphasizes that once people find joy in their daily lives, they may begin to discover their own, true beauty. She also believes that sharing your feelings with others and being honest with yourself is beautiful in itself.
Feeling beautiful on the inside may also be about how we treat others. It’s natural to feel happy after doing something kind for someone else. This sense of fulfillment can definitely contribute to increased self-worth, synonymous with feeling internally beautiful.
“If you’re generous and compassionate to others, you radiate beauty… if you’re a kind person, that will show,” freshman Emma Cohen said.
Other students believe that internal beauty stems from our own morals and the way we present ourselves.
“It’s about how you act and the things you do and the things you say, and the things that you value,” freshman Mollie Anderson said.
Stoto works at the counseling center and performs research for Dr. Delida Sanchez in the Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education, which gives us a new perspective on internal beauty.
Her research includes “examining how the media perpetuates colorism and examining ways that women of color, specifically Latinx women, can resist those instances of beauty standards,” she said.”
Once we appreciate the beauty we can hold and express, without succumbing to society’s unattainable standards, we can gain freedom from the immense pressure put on individuals to look a certain way.
“Societal beauty standards are very unrealistic and unattainable and…they create negative perceptions of what people think beauty is,” Stoto said. “So it’s really important to find those spaces and to find areas in which you can redefine what beauty means.”
Social pressure to appear a certain way can prevent us from building our character. Anderson reminds us, however, “you can look past whatever you see on the outside or whatever you think you might see, because whatever someone is like on the inside is what matters.”
Beauty can shine inside of everyone, but sometimes it can be dimmed by insecurity, jealousy, or warped beauty standards. Every person is capable of establishing a sense of worth and confidence, and it all stems from self-reflection and treating others with kindness
You can interpret “it’s what matters on the inside” as how you interact with others, yourself, and your surroundings. It shouldn’t matter what the exact definition of internal beauty is, rather, what working toward the best version of yourself looks like.
People deserve to feel beautiful despite focusing on the way they look, and by maintaining this value, countless individuals will catch each other radiating internal beauty.
Oftentimes, the first thing we notice when meeting someone is their physical appearance. We take note of their hair, skin, eyes, body and maybe their outfit too, before knowing anything about their character.
However, the most genuine connections we make are arguably with those we find internally beautiful.
“I think true beauty is when someone is able to live their most authentic lives in terms of pursuing what they’re passionate about, being able to convey what emotion they’re experiencing and just kind of finding joy in life and purpose in what they’re doing,” said Peer Counseling Skills and Mental Health Advocacy professor Isabella Stoto.
In her course, she discusses the negative impact beauty standards can have on one’s mental health and self-image. Stoto emphasizes that once people find joy in their daily lives, they may begin to discover their own, true beauty. She also believes that sharing your feelings with others and being honest with yourself is beautiful in itself.
Feeling beautiful on the inside may also be about how we treat others. It’s natural to feel happy after doing something kind for someone else. This sense of fulfillment can definitely contribute to increased self-worth, synonymous with feeling internally beautiful.
“If you’re generous and compassionate to others, you radiate beauty… if you’re a kind person, that will show,” freshman Emma Cohen said.
Other students believe that internal beauty stems from our own morals and the way we present ourselves.
“It’s about how you act and the things you do and the things you say, and the things that you value,” freshman Mollie Anderson said.
Stoto works at the counseling center and performs research for Dr. Delida Sanchez in the Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education, which gives us a new perspective on internal beauty.
Her research includes “examining how the media perpetuates colorism and examining ways that women of color, specifically Latinx women, can resist those instances of beauty standards,” she said.”
Once we appreciate the beauty we can hold and express, without succumbing to society’s unattainable standards, we can gain freedom from the immense pressure put on individuals to look a certain way.
“Societal beauty standards are very unrealistic and unattainable and…they create negative perceptions of what people think beauty is,” Stoto said. “So it’s really important to find those spaces and to find areas in which you can redefine what beauty means.”
Social pressure to appear a certain way can prevent us from building our character. Anderson reminds us, however, “you can look past whatever you see on the outside or whatever you think you might see, because whatever someone is like on the inside is what matters.”
Beauty can shine inside of everyone, but sometimes it can be dimmed by insecurity, jealousy, or warped beauty standards. Every person is capable of establishing a sense of worth and confidence, and it all stems from self-reflection and treating others with kindness
You can interpret “it’s what matters on the inside” as how you interact with others, yourself, and your surroundings. It shouldn’t matter what the exact definition of internal beauty is, rather, what working toward the best version of yourself looks like.
People deserve to feel beautiful despite focusing on the way they look, and by maintaining this value, countless individuals will catch each other radiating internal beauty.