Perception of Beauty is Affected by Self Confidence

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Beauty. It isn’t a myth, but what it is and how we define it are two questions consistently shifting with time, never scientifically proven or concrete across generations, genders, and cultures.

As much as beauty is all around us, our primary concern usually is our own personal beauty. However, when we turn a critical eye on our own beauty, we often see our faults in a much more exaggerated light than we do our strengths. At my practice in Miami, I notice my patients focusing on their perceived flaws instead of on their individual beauty. Recently,Dove created a campaign to illustrate this exact point. Women are so hard on themselves, and often, strangers see us in a more forgiving light than we see ourselves. Looking into a mirror, no one else is staring back at you but YOU! Embrace that person.

We all want to take care of our skin. In fact, scientist and psychologist Nancy Etcoff stresses in her book, Survival of the Prettiest, that beauty is “an essential and ineradicable part of human nature.” Once you accept your natural physical beauty, the next step is to play to your strengths and properly care for your skin. You can achieve this with a healthy lifestyle and a tailored skincare regimen.  Some choose to opt for anti-aging procedures such as Botox, Juvéderm, lasers, and skin tightening devices. Please make sure that you find a trustworthy and artistic doctor to perform whatever cosmetic procedures you wish to indulge in, so that you do not look over done or fake. There is an art to aging gracefully, and as long as you maintain a natural appearance – that is, one that is not overdone – your beauty will continue to shine even when your chronological age increases.

Besides physical beauty, there are many factors that play important roles in aging and making you feel and look more youthful: state-of-mind including a positive attitude and self-confidence, diet, setting and achieving goals, and exercise. Here’s why:

• Feeling good about yourself, inside and out, gives you a positive attitude, and in turn, attitude plays an important role in wellness. This Oxford Journal article depicts how self-esteem levels change throughout a person’s lifespan – beginning high in childhood, dropping during adolescence, rising gradually throughout adulthood, and declining sharply in old age. For many women, self-confidence is the missing key that will make all the difference.
•  Another article linking appearance to self-esteem shows that enhancing one’s appearance through means of diet, cosmetic procedures, and exercise can intrinsically raise self-esteem.
• Exercising, on a very basic level, boosts self-esteem and improves self-image. No matter your weight, dress size, gender, or age, getting active can promptly raise your perception of your own attractiveness and self-worth. It’s also a great stress-reducer – keeping those wrinkles at bay!
• Setting and achieving goals lets you take the reins on your life. Thinking about your dreams, goals, and future can play a huge role in elevating your self-esteem. You feel stronger and more accomplished which factors into overall happiness.
• Tying it all together is Joanna Rohrback. This YouTube internet sensationtaught us a thing or two while she “prancercised.” She embodies all the key elements that keep her healthy and youthful.

Despite the fact that each generation, culture, and gender has its own unique standards of beauty, all of us can agree that beauty is truly in the eyes of the beholder, inside and out. Combining diligence and preventative measures help us maintain a healthy, youthful exterior, but taking care of the interior is just as imperative. Here’s to a confident you!

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By Leslie Baumann, M.D.
Aug 31, 2013