We may want to start by asking ourselves “what is strength?” and “what is beauty?”
The word strength derives from the Old English word “strengþu”. It means “bodily power, force, vigor, firmness, fortitude.
The word “beauty” comes from Middle English word beaute, a derivative of the Latin adjective bellus “pretty, handsome, charming, fine, pleasant, nice.”
As seen above “strength” is more than just brute force, it’s “vigor” (healthiness), and “fortitude” (courage). It’s the courage to take chances, push boundaries, and do the right thing even when no one is looking, just like we say in our Curves core values.
The word “beauty” is not based on appearance but being kind, since it’s your inner beauty that shines through your pores and is what the world truly sees.
That being said it is not always easy to stay strong, and feel beautiful, especially with the media painting a picture of what the “ideal” pretty is.
More now than ever, we need to come together as a community of strong women, break the mold, and re-paint the image of beauty, to show the world that beauty is something different to everyone. Just like we may all like different colors, and are attracted to different shapes, there is a beauty for everyone, and beauty in everyone.
We asked a few of our Curves women to let us know what “Strength and beauty” meant to them.
“Real Beauty to me is all about what is on the inside. It’s about kindness, respecting others and a confidence in yourself that you don’t need to try to be anyone but yourself. Real Strength comes from identifying and implementing what you as an individual need to be happy and healthy.”
– Jennifer Trim
“Strength is something we need to find within ourselves or around us to overcome difficult times. My strength is the smile of my daughters every morning. Beauty is feeling at ease with your body whatever form it takes, having confidence in your own self and the things you can achieve, and having charm.”
-Leyla Maggio
“Beauty is strength. And strength is beauty. It is the inner confidence, the self-assuredness. We all have beauty and strength within us.“
-Paige Littlejohns
“Beauty is to feel confident and positive about yourself. It is to nature your body and take care of yourself. It is to feel strong and capable of everything you like to do and enjoy.“
-Martha Aguiar
As we notice their answers may be slightly different although they all seem to point to the same thing. An insight we’ve been missing out on—the ideal of beauty goes beyond just good looks.
Beauty is something that runs bone deep. A healthier woman exudes a certain glow that no outer beauty regimen can match.
On the topic of health, we may note that women often put themselves second, although the stronger you are, the more strength you have to share.
Women NEED to put their health first, this means their mental, and physical health by staying active, eating correctly, proper sleeping cycles, and lower stress levels.
A beauty that stems from inner health is eternal! Just ask the inspiring women around you, and you’ll know! Because after all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, we just need to change that beholder’s perspective!
At Curves we believe that beauty comes from strength; the strength to love yourself, and others, to see the good in the world, to strive to be the best you can be. Join the movement of strengthening women in communities all over the world, Join Curves, and together let’s make a difference let’s break the mold! Remember it starts with YOU.
Find your local Curves Club: https://www.curvesafrica.com/find-your-curves-club/
