“Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart.” – Helen Keller
The world can often seem like kindness is in short supply. But I have found, that if you watch closely, and pay attention, you can find those people, those moments, where faith in humanity can be restored.
In New York, a place where strangers seem to be everywhere, one young woman is trying to make sure that the people around her feel seen. And it all starts with just one question – “What’s it like to be beautiful?”
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Tanya Sangani asks the question in a very meaningful way. “When I ask others, ‘What’s it like to be beautiful?’ my intention is not only to explore the meaning of beauty but to help each person recognize it within themselves,” Sangani said. “I want them to see their own light—the radiance that starts from within and shines outward. Through their stories, I hope to remind all of us that beauty is not just seen, it is felt. It is within all of us.”
What is noticeable is that people’s first reaction is to smile, then be a bit shy and unsure. It’s the idea that they are being ‘told’ they are beautiful as opposed to being asked ‘if’ they think they are beautiful.
With Sangani’s wording, the stranger’s beauty is a given – and that is what shocks people, she thinks. The idea that they are perceived as beautiful. Their reactions are magical to watch. “When I ask others, ‘What’s it like to be beautiful?’ my intention is not only to explore the meaning of beauty but to help each person recognize it within themselves,” Sangani said.
I want them to see their own light — the radiance that starts from within and shines outward. Through their stories, I hope to remind all of us that beauty is not just seen, it is felt. It is within all of us.”
“I started asking people what it’s like to be beautiful because, growing up, I was bullied for not fitting into conventional standards of beauty,” Sangani said. “It made me question: What does it really mean to be beautiful? Is beauty something we can see and measure, or does it come from a deeper place within us?, she said. “
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This question stayed with me for years, shaping how I saw myself and the world. There were times when I felt I looked good on the outside, but something still felt missing—I didn’t truly feel beautiful,” Sangani said. “It was in those moments of disconnect that I came to understand: beauty isn’t just about appearance. True beauty is found in the essence of who we are and the energy we bring into the world.”
Her impact wasn’t lost on her her Instagram followers. Some of what they said included:
- “Normalize treating people with love and watching them glow.”
- “Omg the lady who cried. Why is it the most beautiful people and ypu just feel her beautiful aura too that just never know their true beauty.”
- “This was wonderful because those young men will remember that compliment when they are 80. Guys almost never get an honest compliment so it will hold with them.”
- “Girl you healed something inside each one of them that day. 🫶”
- “Sometimes I really really love humans. Wow.”
The thing that stood out the most, one commenter said was “… how they actually look more beautiful after you asked them the question.” Sangani agreed. “Beauty is the kindness that lives in your heart, the part of you that touches others and never fades. It’s the warmth you give—the way you make people feel seen, loved, and valued.”
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Source: Upworthy
