Beauty is not just physical, and is more than skin deep. If we only focus on adorning our bodies with the latest makeup and fashion trends, but ignore inner health and wellness, our character and our peace, we miss out on truly rich lives and experiences. Feeling beautiful is different from looking beautiful. Here are ten things I try to live by to find the beauty around me and feel my most beautiful self.
- Smile… it will brighten your day and others around you will feel your energy. It is the thing I am complimented on most. Smiles are not only attractive, but contagious. Do it often!!
- Stretch… cats know that total body stretching does wonders. Follow their example and roll up slowly out of bed and stretch gently. Stretching reduces stress, elongates muscles, and promotes blood circulation throughout the body.
- Exercise… at least 20 mins of any continuous activity will boost your energy level and reduce bad stressors. Any kind of movement will do, even dancing around the kitchen while cooking dinner! I don’t make it to the gym as often as I like, but I don’t need a gym to do bodyweight exercises like squats, crunches and pushups.
- Drink water… No other liquid is quite like it. Clear your system. 8 glasses are recommended daily. Your skin will radiate.
- Rest… you need to take breaks during the day and sleep at night. Take breaks away from your work space to keep fresh and focused. Make sure you are getting sufficient sleep at night since your body regenerates while you are sleeping. Turn off the television and put away your phone and ipad. Be intentional about getting enough rest regularly.
- Practice random acts of kindness… When you do something for someone else without expecting anything in return you benefit in ways unimaginable. The key is don’t expect anything in return!
- Eat clean… Replace junk food or heavily processed foods with whole foods. There is so much truth to the old adage, “you are what you eat.” When we love bodies by fueling them with vitamin-rich foods, our bodies love us back.
- “Stop and smell the roses”… Look for good in everything. This is a toughie because most of us are “trained” to look for faults, errors, shortcomings, defects, etc. Begin with yourself. List all your assets (not just physical). Then realize all the good in being you. Move on to other things around you. Work on this consciously every day till it becomes a habit. There is something good about everything and everyone. Once you realize this you will be finding good everywhere without even trying.
- Learn… something new every day. Pick up a book, search online, or listen to a podcast or two. Learn to do something you have always wanted to do. You can even start for free by researching online. Search the subject and start stimulating and enriching your mind today.
- Reward yourself…Set financial and personal goals and tag them with rewards for accomplishing them. This may be something special you’ve always wanted to do, and not necessarily a purchase. If you have done all the above maybe go ahead and splurge a little. You deserve it!
