Growing up we all heard the phrase, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder. ”This means beauty is subjective and represents different things to different people.

But what about physical beauty? How does a radically diverse perception of physical beauty impact the lives of women over 60?

From our earliest childhood impressions of physical beauty being tied to youth to the latest social trends and media narratives that imply the more we age, the less physically beautiful we are, one significant thing stands out.

All these perceptions are predicated on outside looks being the determining factor for how we feel about ourselves on the inside.

So, how do we, as women over 60, begin to behold the beauty of our physical appearance lovingly from within and consistently hold that view in the now of nows?

In this article, which is the sixth of a seven-part series on The Seven Myths of Love & Happiness™, I will share with you how to change the outer narrative of the Myth of Physical Beauty by realizing true love and your radiant beauty comes from within.

What Is the Myth of Physical Beauty?

The Myth of Physical Beauty is perhaps the single most effective of the Seven Myths of Love & Happiness™ at keeping you separated from your true self and therefore, disconnected from true love.

Deceptively alluring, this myth works in concert with the Myth of Aging to tell the same toxic story. The narrative of this story says to be loved, admired, and desirable you must be perceived by others as physically beautiful.

The effects of the Myth of Physical Beauty may look and feel very real, but with no definitive agreement of what is beautiful, we are left with stories about beauty that are mythical at best and emotionally destructive at worst.

The Money Maker

The Myth of Physical Beauty is the money maker of all the Seven Myths of Love & Happiness™. It is akin to a magical ingredient that can be applied to any of the other myths, and in doing so, amplifies the power of its illusion.

The premise is that if something is made to look sexy and beautiful on the surface, it will be accepted at face value as being a better choice than anything else in comparison.

From the outward appearance of young, attractive public personalities to the sleek and sexy appearance of products, society is generationally educated and conditioned to see beauty based on external packaging.

Not surprisingly, youth is the predominant frame the ideal picture of love and happiness is placed in. To change this we must reframe our perception of physical beauty from the inside-out.

The Real Damage of This Myth

There is nothing wrong with desiring to be perceived as youthful in your energy and physically beautiful by others.

But when your sense of beauty and worthiness is based solely on what others see as beautiful or not, you become distracted from your inner beauty and detached from your inner, authentic self.

This is where things can become murky for women over 60.

The real damage of the Myth of Physical Beauty, then, is that without a set of daily practices of self-love and self-care, this myth leaves your emotional well-being highly susceptible to other people’s opinions of what constitutes physical beauty.

5 Ways to Reclaim Your Physical Beauty

When all we see are young and beautiful people on television, in advertisements, and on the silver screen, society becomes conditioned to associate true love, success, happiness and fun times with the physical beauty attributed to youth.

Although this is not true, with multiple generations sold this narrative, the Myth of Physical Beauty has become another one of those perceived unchangeable truths.

It’s time to change this myth.

While we can all agree that there is beauty in youth, beauty is equally abundant in all stages of aging. To behold this, it is essential we perceive beauty in new ways and from different vantage points.

Here are five simple, yet profoundly effective, ways to reclaim your power to perceive yourself as the beautiful, radiant woman you are.

Journal a New Story

Make a list of all the ways you can begin loving the parts of you that – up to now – you did not perceive as beautiful.

Listen to a New Voice

Instead of listening to a collection of shame driven beliefs from your inner critic, consciously choose to listen to the inner voice of your authentic self.

Speak to Yourself Differently

Establish a new, empowering dialogue with yourself, particularly as it relates to your physical beauty.

Love on Yourself Daily

Make time each morning, and throughout the day, to love on yourself through self-hugs and consistently acknowledging the beauty of your body.

Self-Care Routine for Your Body

There is a myriad of ways to do this, some of which include: healthy food, exercise, yoga, meditation, baths, massage, organic and non-allergic lotions, and lots of laughter.

To help you overwrite the Myth of Physical Beauty, and further integrate what you have learned, in my video for this article, I will guide you through three journal prompts and share with you 10 empowering affirmations.

What do you think about the Myth of Physical Beauty? Has it messed up with your perceptions of beauty? How are you recreating beauty in your mind and life?