Our idea of beauty should not be based on what we see on TV or fashion shows
As teenagers, there is one question we often ask ourselves – are we of the right weight? Are we too thin? Too fat? Or just right? Being on the slim side, I have often wondered if I was perhaps a bit too skinny and looked like a scarecrow. My close friend, a bit on the plump side, constantly worried about being too fat.
One day, when my friend and I were studying for exams together, I was cribbing about being too thin and she about being too fat. Suddenly we both looked at each other and started laughing. We realised that no matter how much we weighed, it would never seem right.
Once she left, I stood in front of the mirror and looked at myself. I thought to myself how in different countries, the definition of ‘perfect weight’ was different. Perhaps, there was no such thing as the perfect weight.
Over the next few days as I met people, and interacted with some of them whom I really admired, I realized that none of them really fit in to my ‘perfect weight’ categorisation but it never made them look any less beautiful or handsome in my eyes. I realised feeling healthy was important – doing regular exercise and keeping myself strong – but I shouldn’t have to worry too much about what I weighed.
Advertisements, fashion shows and television programmes may create a very misleading picture of beauty in our minds. Comparing ourselves to these ‘perfect’ people we see on screen is not only silly but a big waste of time. Ever since I realised this, the way I look at myself has changed.
(Megha Bajaj is the founder of Wonder of Words, a ‘make a difference’ organisation that aims to bring excellent life skills and language skills to adults and children. To know more, write to megha@wonderofwords.org)
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