Je Ne Sais Quoi

Quite literally, “Je ne sais quoi” is French for “I don’t know.” This is a phrase often attributed to those indescribable aspects of beauty: the little things that aren’t immediately visible to the naked eye. Pinpointing these traits requires more attention. It goes deeper than saying she has great hair or a nice body. A woman’s beauty can be in the way she carries herself, or in her passion, or simply in the way she approaches life.  It is the inner beauty that shines enough to affect the outside.

1. Security in their originality

There is something undeniably attractive about a person that makes no apologies for being exactly who they are. It is an undercurrent of confidence—they’re not in your face with it, but it exists in the simplest things they do. They are the people that walk like they know what they’ve got.

2. Poise

The ideology of being “young and wild and free” is very trendy. However, there is something to be said about a woman that holds herself in high regard. That doesn’t mean she is frigid or boring. It means she knows the line that separates the wild from the out of control, and the free from the easy.

3. They can disengage from themselves

Thoughtfulness is an underrated trait. It is completely engaging to have a conversation with someone who puts genuine thought into the words they say; their sentences aren’t littered with “likes” or “ummmms.” They say what they mean, instead of just mirroring what you have said or saying what you want to hear.

4. Keeps some things close to the cuff

We are masters of the overshare—constantly chronicling our lives via Facebook albums or live twitter updates. The people that aren’t absorbed with broadcasting their every minute of every day have an air of mystery.

5. “The sign of a beautiful person is that they always see beauty in others.”

It is draining to hang out with people that get a thrill from verbally ripping other people to shreds. People that can appreciate others without being petty or jealous are a calming presence. It is a sign of confidence and just a genuinely good heart.

6. A really good laugh

The people that can look at life with an uninhibited joy radiate a certain kind of beauty. I love people that laugh like they mean it. The best laughs are hearty, and not always easily earned.

7. They have a passion

When was the last time you invested in time in something because you really truly love it? Not because it was a requirement for school, or would help you get some likes on Instagram. People that have a passion also have an inner drive that is inspiring to be around.