In a world weighed down by crises—climate change, racial divisions, wars, and authoritarianism—it can feel nearly impossible to know how to respond. The challenges are vast, the news relentless, and the temptation to grow bitter and hopeless is real.
Yet there exists a quieter, profound force: beauty. Beauty is not a luxury. It is not status or elitism. It is accessible. It is resilience. It is a counter-narrative to hate and division. And it is a pathway to foster empathy and connection with people who may not look like us, or even agree with us.
Beauty in Everyday Life
Beauty begins in the small, intentional acts of daily life. Choosing nourishing hair and skin care, feeling the texture of a cream on our body, the ritual of brushing or styling—these moments affirm that we are worth care and that we value ourselves. They anchor us in the present, protecting us from the cynicism the world can so easily cultivate.
Beauty also flourishes through connection. Organizing art lessons for my son and our neighbours’ children isn’t just about creativity—it nurtures empathy, patience, and diversity of thought. It’s pure, shared joy.
Even cooking together—something as simple as a pot of mussels—becomes a ritual of attention, care, and celebration of the senses.
Sometimes, the magic appears in the simplest moments.
A seven-year-old girl with Afro-textured hair once tried our Eumel Shampoo for textured hair and exclaimed with pure delight, “It’s simply lovely… and delicious to eat!”
Her joy—radiant, spontaneous—reminded me that beauty is experiential, sensory, and contagious. In that moment, we connected. She felt cared for and seen. She felt valuable.
These small sparks of joy are the building blocks of empathy, connection, and resilience.
Art, Music, Creative Writing and Nature as Medicine
Beauty is also found beyond ourselves—in art, music, creative writing and the natural world. Visiting galleries, listening to music that heals, noticing the flight of birds or the sunlight dancing on water—these experiences remind us that creativity and wonder persist even amid turmoil. They expand our hearts, helping us connect with human experience, and revealing that life can be tender, meaningful, and shared.
Mindful Living as Resistance
Even the simplest acts—savouring strawberries, brewing a cup of green or peppermint tea, breathing in the scent of flowers—can transform the ordinary into nourishment for the soul.
By cultivating aesthetic awareness, we quietly resist bitterness.
Each sensory moment becomes both a seed of joy and a small wall against hopelessness.
Why This Matters?
In a world that often prizes fear, anger, and division, choosing beauty is an act of courage. It nourishes empathy, fosters connection, and reminds us of the shared humanity beneath it all.
Nurturing beauty in our lives is intentional: a choice to truly see, to listen, to savour, and to share wonder. It’s how we learn to value ourselves—and, through that, to open our hearts to others.
By choosing beauty, we actively cultivate a world that is richer, gentler, and more compassionate—one brushstroke, one melody, one mindful moment at a time.
Footnote: Artwork. This is a visual interpretation of Uranus the god of the sky and heavens by Master Josiah-Samuel Dadzie and Dr Ophelia E. Dadzie.
