“Confidently beautiful with a heart.”

Pia Alonso Wurtzbach, Miss Universe 2015, gave this iconic answer. She defined what beauty is all about. It is not just about the looks. Nor is it about the glamour. Beauty is what is within.

For decades, the idea of beauty is dictated to the people. Different media would impose how your body should look. We are even dictated on what we should wear. Carry yourself this way. A lady must be like that. All those giving us a self-destroying sense of self. When we know it must not be the case. What we see shields us from what we should love.

Pageant titlist have the perfect body, the beautiful face, taught the proper answers, and have the regal of all bearings.

But we are not them. We are all different. No two faces are exactly the same. We don’t share the same thoughts. We are all different. Our uniqueness must be given the chance to fly and soar higher.

This phrase only means one thing. Yourself is all you need.

It would all affect us one way or another in our life. What we need is to teach ourselves to love who we are. Accept what we are given, then work with what you have to achieve your goals in life.

Your confidence will change everything about you. Your acceptance of your own flaws will highlight your beauty. Give yourself a chance to find that inner strength. Last we heard, no one got injured by doing that.

So take some time. Don’t berate yourself or punish yourself because you don’t fit on the stupid criteria. There should be no more of the standards that we are supposed to follow. What should happen instead, is an overhaul from the tradition. Where self-love and appreciation is important. Maybe then we’ll see the difference we can make in the world.

You see now? It’s not so hard to be the next Miss Universe. You be your own queen!