Beauty is not something you put on. Beauty comes from the inside out.

Beauty is not just about having flawless skin, using the right products, getting regular facials. Although these are important things do to on your beauty journey, they’re not the only part! You also need a beautiful mind to truly BE beautiful.

These days, it’s harder than ever to feel beautiful. We’re constantly being bombarded by images of unachievable beauty. The portrayal of beauty we see in ads and in the media is an unrealistic ideal – these images have been so heavily airbrushed, Photoshopped and filtered. Even though you may know this on an intellectual level, you may still conscious or unconscious compare yourself to this impossible standard.

To truly be beautiful, you must also feel beautiful. If you look good on the outside, but you feel crummy on the inside, what good is that? Although you may feel beautiful after a great facial, when wearing a new outfit, after losing some weigh or finding the perfect lipstick color, truly feeling beautiful is something that must be intentionally practiced on a daily basis.

Here are some tips to help you feel beautiful every day no matter what.

 

THINKING BEAUTY

SMILE

Smiling has been scientifically proven to release dopamine and serotonin in the brain, chemicals that increase feelings of happiness and lower levels of stress. Smiling makes you feel happy and happy people are always beautiful. 

Exercise: When you’re feeling stressed out or unhappy about your appearance, force yourself to smile for 30 seconds or more. Even a fake smile produces the same results as a real smile. 

PRACTICE GRATITUDE

Be grateful for everything you are and everything you have. Tell yourself, “I am so grateful for having…I am so grateful that I am…” Bathe in the beauty of your blessings and it will transform you from the inside out. 

Exercise: Tell yourself 3 things you love about yourself that you’re grateful for. They can be the same things every day; All that matters is that you practice being grateful for how perfect and gorgeous you already are.

PRACTICE MINDFULNESS

Mindfulness is simply the practice of paying attention to your thoughts and feelings without judging them. There is no right or wrong way to think or feel, you just need to be aware of what’s going on inside your mind. 

Exercise: For 10 minutes each day, take a moment to pay attention to your thoughts. Don’t think about what you need to do in the future or what happened in the past, just stay in the present moment. Focus on your breath, do a body scan, take inventory of how you’re feeling right now.

SAY AFFIRMATIONS

There is power in words, especially the words that you say to yourself. Repeating “beauty affirmations” is an easy way to instantly make you feel more beautiful. 

Exercise: Each day in the morning, say a beauty affirmation or two to yourself in the mirror. It can be as simple as saying, “Hello beautiful!” to yourself. Here are a few other affirmations to get you started:
“Every cell in my body is beautiful and that beauty is radiated out.” 
“I feel glorious, energetic and attractive.” 
“I am beautiful. I am confident. I am the perfect age. I am the perfect size.” 
“Everyday, in every way, I am getting more and more beautiful.”

STOP NEGATIVE TALKS

Just like saying positive things to yourself can help you feel more beautiful, saying negative things to yourself will most definitely make you feel bad about yourself. Catch yourself saying mean things to yourself and replace those messages with ones of love and compassion. 

Exercise: When you find yourself ruminating on something negative or beating yourself up, literally say out loud or in your head, “STOP!” Replace the negative thoughts with a positive affirmation instead.

FOCUS ON THE GOOD THINGS

Stop staring at the wrinkle or that blemish. Quit comparing yourself to every other woman you see. Let your “worst” features recede and instead try to focus on your best. 

Exercise: Next time you find yourself saying, “I hate ____ about myself,” immediately replace that thought with something that you like about yourself. 
See yourself as your loved ones see you. When you’re feeling down or just can’t seem to get yourself to think positively, talk it out with your bestie or a loved one. We are often our harshest critics. No one judges you as harshly as your judge yourself. When you can’t get out of your own way, lean on your support network. 

Exercise: Call up a friend or meet them for lunch. Tell them what you’re struggling with and really listen to what they say to lift you up. Your friends and loved ones want the best for you. They’re not going to lead you astray. 
Think about your inner beauty. As I’ve been saying all along, beauty is not just about how you look physically. Think about your kindness, your sense of humor, your nurturing spirit… there are so many other parts of you that make you beautiful! 

Exercise: Take a moment to think about the other parts of who you are (aside from the physical stuff). What do you love about your personality?   
Surround yourself with others who think beauty too. It’s common knowledge that you are who you surround yourself with. If you spend time around negative people, you’ll be more negative. That’s why surrounding yourself with positive people, who always see the beauty in everything, will help you think beauty too!

Exercise: Take inventory of the people in your life. Are there some negative Nancy’s out there? Try to limit the amount of time you spend with them. Are there some super positive people you wish you could be more like? Try spending more time with them. Easy, right?

 

FEELING BEAUTIFUL

MOVE YOUR BODY

Exercise is one of the easiest things you can do to quickly boost your mood. Regular exercise is scientifically proven to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Exercise also helps to make you feel more confident in your body.

Exercise: You don’t have to hit the gym hard every day to reap the benefits of exercise. Even just a 10-minute walk will help to make you feel great. Another good way to get some exercise and boost your mood? Dance!

GET ENOUGH SLEEP

Studies show that people who don’t get enough sleep report experiencing more negative moods and less positive moods. Poor or inadequate sleep can cause irritability and stress, while good sleep can enhance well-being. It’s definitely hard to feel beautiful when you’re exhausted!

Exercise: Be sure to get at least 7 hours of sleep every single night. If you can’t get this much sleep every night, try to at least get 7+ hours of sleep at least 5 nights out of the week.

STAND UP STRAIGHT

Studies show that posture is linked to self-esteem and that standing up tall (i.e. having good posture) is directly correlated to a higher level of self-confidence and a better mood. Think about it... You probably never see the most self-confident people you know slouching.

Exercise: Follow these steps to have good posture while standing: Stand up tall and pretend your back is against a wall. Hold your head straight and tuck in your chin. Pull your shoulders back, keep your knees straight, and tuck your belly in. Don't let your booty or hips stick out. Straighten up so you feel like your head stretches toward the sky.

EAT RIGHT

I said it once, I will say it again and again and again. What you put in your body is just as important as what you put on your skin. Eating the right diet will not only improve the way your skin and body looks, it will also improve the way you feel. It’s an undeniable fact.

Exercise: Keep a food diary and honestly record everything. After a few weeks, take a look back through your diary. Are you eating as many whole foods such as fruits and vegetables as you thought you did? Are you eating a lot of processed foods and junk foods? Make a real effort to eat better. Try cutting out added sugars, foods that are loaded with sodium and processed foods.

REDUCE STRESS

Stress is so bad for you for a ton of reasons. Not only will it ruin your mood, it also does physical damage to your body. Stress can also take a toll on your skin by causing wrinkles, dark under eye circles, acne, rashes and more.

Exercise: Learn to manage your stress! Take up a meditation practice, learn breathing techniques, find a therapist, learn kick-boxing. Whatever helps you blow-off steam, do it! And do it regularly!

DO THINGS THAT YOU LOVE

When you’re doing the things you love, you light up inside and that light radiates outwards. That light is part of what makes you beautiful!

Exercise: Think of things that you love to do. I’m not talking about big things like travel and buying expensive shoes, I’m talking about the little things. Things like enjoying a morning cup of tea while reading a book, listening to your favorite song, talking to a good friend. Make a list of these things and try to do a few of them every day.

SHOW KINDNESS

Being kind to others isn’t just good karma, it will make you genuinely happy too! There’s even a term for this. It’s called ‘helper’s high,’ and it refers to those good feelings you have when you know you’ve made a difference, no matter how small.

Exercise: Try to do an act of kindness every day. It doesn’t have to be big. Simply holding the door for someone, complimenting them or offering to do a favor is enough to give you a helper’s high.

GIVE HUGS

There are so many benefits to hugging! Did you know that among the many benefits, the act of hugging actually releases chemicals in the brain that are responsible for happiness, feeling connected to others and self-esteem?

Exercise: Hug your friends, your family members, and your pets as often as you can! Hugging will make you both feel good.

WEAR CLOTHES YOU LOVE

Don’t you love the feeling of finding an outfit that fits just right and makes you feel amazing? When you put on certain outfits, you feel and look like a million bucks!

Get rid of all the clothes that you don’t feel good in! Go out and buy clothes that you feel amazing in. If you wear clothes that make you feel beautiful every day, you will feel beautiful every day!

GET OUT IN NATURE

Getting out in nature and connecting to the world outside of yourself is the best way to get out of your head. To appreciate nature, you need to be in the present moment, and being in the present moment will boost your mood.

Exercise: Try to connect with nature at least once a week. You can go on a hike or walk along the beach, but it can also be as simple as appreciating the trees in your neighborhood or the wildflowers growing along the street.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEALTH

You can be drop-dead gorgeous, but if you’re in poor health, it won’t matter. Be obsessive about taking care of your health. Visit your doctor and your dentist every year, eat well, drink enough water, be kind to your body.

Exercise: Are there any doctor appointments you’ve been putting off? Are there any healthy habits you know you should start but keep putting off? Make a promise to yourself today to start living a healthier life.

STOP SMOKING 

This one is a no-brainer. You should know by now that not only does smoking damage your health, it also damages your skin and teeth. Smoking will give you wrinkles prematurely and under eye bags and it will also leave your skin look gaunt and grey.

Exercise: STOP SMOKING.

 

LOOKING BEAUTY

UPDATE YOUR MAKE UP

There is something cathartic about throwing away old makeup and getting new stuff. Even something as simple as getting a new, bold lipstick can make you feel more beautiful and confident.
 
Exercise: Take a look at your makeup. Does anything need to be replaced? Have you been wearing the same colors for a while? Maybe it’s time to try something new. Have you always felt your foundation or concealer isn’t quite right? Invest the time in finding makeup you love that makes you feel great. 

GET REGULAR FACIALS

Facials aren’t just about pampering yourself (although they do feel so good!). There are so many more benefits to facials… they help to reduce stress, fight acne and acne scars, improve circulation, prevent premature aging, detoxify the skin and so much more!
 
Exercise: Book your next facial today or do a self-mini facial at home.

USE THE RIGHT SKIN CARE PRODUCTS

There are so many skincare products out there! It can be hard to know if you’re using the right ones for your skin. Instead of just taking a wild guess, talk to your esthetician or dermatologist. Tell them about your skincare concerns and what products you’re currently using. They will help you figure out which products and ingredients are best for you.

Don’t just try random products, hoping that you’ll eventually land on the right ones for you. Talk to a skincare professional that you trust instead.  

DRINK ENOUGH WATER

Water is not only essential for life, it’s also essential for glowing, radiant skin. Hydrated skin looks plumper and livelier as opposed to dry or dehydrated skin, which can appear dull, flaky, and sallow.  
Exercise: Drink at least 8 glasses of water every single day.

GET A HAIRCUT

It can be hard to feel good about your looks when your hair is looking scraggily because you’re overdue for a haircut. Going in for regular trims will keep you looking polished. Also changing up your hairstyle or color can give you a boost of confidence!
 
Exercise: If you’re overdue for a haircut, make that appointment today!

TAKE CARE OF YOUR TEETH

Even if your face, your hair, and your outfit are on-point, if your teeth are yellow, it can affect how you feel about your looks. Not only that, but your teeth affect your overall health. Keeping your teeth white, healthy and clean will help to make you feel beautiful.
 
Exercise: Make an appointment with your dentist and talk to them about your concerns about your teeth.

GET YOUR EYES AND BROWS AN UPDATE

Your eyes are one of the most prominent features of your face. They’re also what people will notice first about you. If you have short or sparse eyelashes consider getting eyelash extensions. Or if your brows need a little attention, get those professional groomed.
 
Exercise: Make those eyes pop by beautifying your lashes and your brows.

HAVE A CONSISTENT AM+PM RITUAL

Aside from just washing your face every morning and before bed, you should also be using other AM + PM skincare products consistently. At the very least, be sure that you’re using a moisturizer (with SPF) and toner every morning and a good make-up remover and serum every night.
 
Exercise: Talk to your esthetician or dermatologist about your skincare concerns. They can help to determine if you need to add any other products into your daily skincare routine. 

EXFOLIATE

Exfoliation helps to improve the tone and texture of your skin by removing dead skin cells from your face. Choose an exfoliator carefully. If you have dry or sensitive skin, you should look for a gentle exfoliator. Also, try not to over-exfoliate as that can cause redness and irritation.
 
Exercise: Find an exfoliator that works for your skin type and use it once or twice a week.

ALWAYS WEAR SUNSCREEN

This is in non-negotiable. Too much sun can fasten the pre-mature aging. It breaks down the collagen in your skin,  Wear. Sunscreen. Every. Single. Day.
 
Exercise: Put that SPF on your face every morning. Reapply if you’re spending a lot of time outside or if you get sweaty. Just do it.