Looking good…why it is important

Have you ever wondered about physical beauty distribution among Homo Sapiens?

The general population beauty distribution is like this:

Bottom 2% Very Unattractive, 15% Unattractive, Slightly Below Average 10%, Average 46%, Slightly Above Average 10%, Attractive 15%, Beautiful 2%. Beautiful people and Ugly people are rare but most people fall into the average category (Appearance is Everything by Steve Jeffes)

Those who fall into the top 2 percent thankfully need not do much to look good. The next 15 percent too are saved a lot of effort in this department. Problem starts for the others down this line! While most of us fall into this group of average and below average in good looks, a huge number among us do not make any effort to look good at all!

The reasons for this are many

• Looking good does not matter when we are kids, and by the time we reach teens, when it does get to become important, it’s often too late, crooked teeth, messed up skin are already set!
• Families traditionally do not encourage looking good activities; getting good grades is so much more important than looking good
• It requires some effort, routines to be set in, which is not possible for most of us. A bulk of us are too lazy to pay attention to look good; it interferes with our comfort zone
• A big part of looking good requires every day exercise…anathema to most of us!
• Another critical aspect is eating right… sadly, we relish eating wrong!
• Dressing right is a big part of looking good, but most of us do not master the skill to do so
• Aesthetic sense is very valued aspect for looking good; not many among us exercise this aspect of our personality adequately
• Flowing with the crowds and the times makes us appear very inappropriate most often eg. Adopting the fashion of the day without a care as to how it looks on us!
• We live in societies where good looks are emphasized only for one half and the other half can let go and be as it suits them! Mothers struggle to make their daughters as good looking as possible, but sons do not have to be bothered about!
• The stigma attached to pursuing good looks actively! We are considered shallow, egoistic, narcissistic and vain!
• Other end of this vanity lies another kind of vanity! Eg: good looks are unintelligent expression of self…dressing down, carelessly is the in – thing for appearing intelligent serious scholar/ scientist! ‘I don’t care how I look’ … one of the chip-on-the-shoulder comments we hear often!
• Lastly, there are those among us who genuinely do not care how we look, our attention is always on something else that we dearly care for

Hence, as we glance at a group of people randomly, we find less than average good looking people populating our world.  Over weight, spoilt skins, shaggy hair, unseemly hands and feet, inappropriate clothes… are all there to see on an everyday basis. If you pass by 20 persons, probably you will see one who is looking good! If you feel this is okay…that’s fine with me.

But, there are great advantages to looking your best that might help change your mind

• Our eyes behold the physical form before lighting on anything else when we look at the other. It’s important to present a decent appearance for this sake at least, if we want bare minimum attention
• Looking good adds immensely to our self esteem…ask any teenager!
• Self confidence that evades most of us in crucial times is bolstered greatly if we look good and are easy on the eyes
• It’s found through research that good looking people get absorbed in jobs much faster than others, with other qualifications being controlled!
• Good looks bring with them the need for healthy habits; cleanliness, exercise, nutritious diet, regular habits…which go a long way in maintaining health
• Good looking people invariably have a social advantage; they tend to have more friends, are more readily welcome into new social groups, are likely to be chosen leaders of the group
• Lastly, good looks are critical for nice romantic relationships…its over emphasized in media, but it still remains the pivot based on which one is chosen as worthy of love

So…what must we do to look good?

The sad part is we humans come in varied shapes, sizes, colours…what constitutes good looks is difficult to define.  International standards do not apply to most people in the world. But when we look at the huge number of pictures of our celebrity beautiful people, we realize, beauty can come in many shapes and sizes. The range is unbelievable!

So take heart…do your best with what you have. Genes have given each one of us something to work on and present it well. Here are some ideas

• Right attitude about looking good is important; if not the rest is a lost cause
• Take a hard look at yourself in the mirror and identify what’s wrong and what’s right
• Work on the wrong and highlight the right. Modern day cosmetics and clearing/cleaning agents are sought after by the converted
• Some cardinal actions are a must; exercise daily, eat healthy, maintain cleanliness
• Dress according to what suits you…not what is fashionable
• Choose colours based on your skin tone
• Practice wearing and being comfortable in your clothes eg. The saree especially; not all women who look great in it can carry it off!
• Gender is a big issue; Men, please note that looking good is as important for you as for women; do not neglect all the necessary steps to look good. It’s not effeminate to try to look good; it’s healthy! Women, do not let go after you get married and /or have children! more the reason to carry on with healthy habits which retain your good looks
• Our inner self is reflected on our most expressive part…the face, which is the first thing noted by others. Remember to have a positive attitude towards life so that the tranquility is reflected on your face, which adds immensely to good looks
• Mental health is equally reflected in good looks. Having positive a optimistic  attitude towards life is critical for good looks, so cultivate that… a tall order for many of us

You might counter me by saying ‘beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder’ … if so why are there millions of fans for great looking idols of beauty? All those people agree that that person is beautiful! So it’s possible to look good to many eyes!

‘Character is more important that good looks’…you might argue…but who identifies your character on limited encounter? It’s your appearance that draws the first attention…then introduction, acquaintance, friendship…follow where your inner personality adds to your attractive exterior!

Hope this makes a good case for looking good!

All the best to those who are working /going to work on this

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