The 8 sentences that will make you think about beauty in a whole new way.

Let me guess.

The last time you Googled “beauty” you were after beauty tips along the lines of how to get your cheekbones more defined with some Kim Kardashian-esque contouring.

If you are anything like me, you’ve probably been taught that beauty is about the way you look. But the good news is, the world is slowly changing.

Models are increasingly being chosen for their “uniqueness”. And consumers (that’s you and I) are becoming more aware of how photos are edited before they hit the magazine stand.

But the focus is still on looks. It is still on talking about physical beauty, and how to achieve “beauty perfection”.

Maybe it’s time we start to redefine what the word “beauty” means. Actually, scrap that. It’s definitely time.

Here’s eight new definitions of beauty we should all get behind.

1. Beauty is being brave.

Being beautiful isn’t about being beautiful to the outside world. It’s about being beautiful to yourself. About being truthful to yourself.

In 2013, actress Jodie Foster won the Cecil B DeMille lifetime achievement award at the Golden Globes.

At 50 years old, Foster decided to address the rumours about her sexuality and spoke of her partner and the request to respect her privacy. In that moment, she was more beautiful than ever before.

2. Beauty is being strong, as well as raw and vulnerable.

Even for someone like Caitlyn Jenner, whose truth has been more about what she looks like on the outside than anything else, her courage to be who she truly is was the real beauty.

In response to Jenner’s Vogue cover shoot, Orange is the New Black star Laverne Cox said, “Yes, Caitlyn looks amazing and is beautiful, but what I think is most beautiful about her is her heart and soul, the ways she has allowed the world into her vulnerabilities.”

3. Beauty is knowing you are amazing. Just as you are.

If Bridget Jones in Bridget Jones’ Diary didn’t get to you then actress Drew Barrymore will.

In an interview with Elle, Barrymore spoke about how she intends to define beauty for her two daughters. Barrymore spoke about how she compared herself to the woman her boyfriend cheated on her with when she was a teenager. How she felt that maybe she wasn’t enough. And the lesson she learned.

“I will literally kill myself to make [my daughters] learn the lesson I’ve learned about how insecurity is not an option. It just isn’t.”

4. Beauty isn’t just for women.

We tend to refer to women as beautiful. But celebrities like Bono show that men can be beautiful too, in terms of their compassion.

Bono is well known for his humanitarian work, being nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize a total of three times. His work to end poverty in Africa, stop the impact of famines on African communities and his work on HIV/AIDS is something that makes him more beautiful than any catwalk model.

5. Beauty is being a role model to your kids.

Actress Kate Winslet has long fought the battle of body shaming for her incredible curves. She could easily have fallen victim to the constant scrutiny but instead she’s decided to not let it pass on to the next generation.

“When I grew up, I never heard positive reinforcement about body image from any female in my life. I only heard negatives. That’s very damaging because then you’re programmed as a young woman to immediately scrutinise yourself and how you look,” she said on Running Wild With Bear Grylls.

“I stand in front of the mirror and say to Mia [her daughter], ‘We are so lucky we have a shape. We’re so lucky we’re curvy. We’re so lucky that we’ve got good bums. And she’ll say, ‘Mummy, I know, thank God.’ It’s paying off.”

6. Beauty is bringing happiness to those around you.

Leonardo DiCaprio is renowned for dating supermodels. But he insists he looks for real beauty in the women he falls in love with. In an interview with CBS, DiCaprio said that “humility [and] a good sense of humour” are more important than anything else.

7. Beauty is being positive. Radiating from the inside.

There truly is no one more beautiful than Turia Pitt. The ultra-marathon runner who suffered severe burns to her body and face spoke to Australian Women’s Weekly last year. Her words stayed with every Australian.

“Beauty is how we carry ourselves. It’s walking tall and looking people in the eye, and having confidence in yourself. That’s what makes a woman beautiful. I don’t think I have done anything inspiring. I’m just getting on with my life. We should all be making the most out of whatever circumstances we have all been dealt in life. You only have one life to live after all. You can sit around and feel sorry for yourself or you can get on with it. I just choose to get on with it. I honestly feel like the luckiest girl in the world.”

8. Beauty is being more than just you.

Beauty isn’t just about one part of you. It is about the complete package. Women like Angelina Jolie and the late Princess Diana are the epitome of beauty. They are/were not only smart, intelligent women, but they used their media presence to bring attention to humanitarian causes.

Princess Diana worked tirelessly on land mines and fighting HIV/AIDS, while Angelina Jolie has brought the work of the United Nation High Commission on Refugees to the forefront of everyone’s minds.

How do you define beauty?

Take a look at some more celebs and their message on body image…

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