We live in a world where we’re constantly bombarded by negativity. From bullying in schools to constantly feeling not good enough in the workplace, you may find it difficult to always see yourself as confident and beautiful. Standards of beauty are specific and narrow, so if you don’t look and feel like the models in the magazines, you aren’t good enough… right? But what if you could turn that whole way of thinking around?
Finding that confidence can be tricky, but by taking care of your body and mind, you can start to look and feel great without worrying about the unnecessary pressures the world puts on you. Confidence is beautiful, so take care of yourself in these three areas and you’ll radiate confidence and beauty.
Take Care of Your Body
While confidence comes from a multitude of places, taking care of your body often creates positive vibes in so many different areas. Getting healthy doesn’t just help you adjust your figure, but gives you energy and releases useful endorphins in your body. There are so many benefits to exercise beyond losing weight. Constant exercise reverses aging on your skin and keeps it glowing, increases your metabolism, helps with posture, and encourages better sleeping habits. Anything from an intense weight lifting session, an hourlong class at a dance center, or a 20-minute walk around your neighborhood will start getting your blood working and calm your nerves. Getting in daily exercise releases endorphins to give you energy, but it also improves mental health and happiness.
Beyond exercise, there are plenty of ways to take care of your body. Another way is through a strong nutrition plan. Getting all your fruits and vegetables isn’t just something we teach kids when we cover the food pyramid, but real advice for all ages. Food is fuel, so fuel yourself with something good. Eating right may feel like a chore, but the benefits to healthy eating are numerous. Nutritional eating helps with weight loss, disease prevention, as well as mental health.
And while you work on a strong diet plan, be sure to factor in some of the things you love. Depriving yourself completely of a particular food item can lead to anger or resentment. If your goal is to look and feel great, then give yourself permission to enjoy some of your favorite items in moderation. If you’ve found the best coffee subscription or a great piece of chocolate cake to enjoy every so often, then enjoy them. Be gentle with yourself through the healthy eating and exercise process, because making any effort at all is already success.
Taking care of your body in this way means you’re taking care of yourself and your happiness. Not only will you look thinner and healthier, but you will gain a newfound confidence in the work you’ve put into your health. You deserve to look and feel good, and nutrition and exercise directly affect this feeling.
Take Care of Your Appearance
Once you are feeling healthier by eating right and exercising, you’ll want to show off the new you. While appearance isn’t everything, there is some truth behind the old saying “dress for success.” When you look good, you feel better, and it really is that simple. Looking put together and professional can help you get a second interview or even a pay raise at your current job. The more confident you appear, the more persuasive and credible you appear in your job or even as a customer in a store.
While confidence shouldn’t revolve around beauty, taking a few extra steps can help you feel good for your job, a date, or just for yourself. There is no shame in wanting to wear a nice dress or some makeup to enjoy a fun night out on the town. Beauty doesn’t have to be expensive or synthetic either. There are plenty of natural beauty tips to help you look and feel naturally beautiful. These include anything from grapefruit scrubs to simply giving yourself positive affirmation throughout the day.
Beauty treatments and fashion trends can be fun and exciting, especially if there is something you choose to splurge on. So treat yourself. Go out and enjoy your monthly mani-pedis with the gals or look into invisalign to make sure your smile is straight and radiant. If you need to engage in some retail therapy, do it. Invest in yourself and enjoy it. Don’t ever feel self conscious about a procedure or a product that you want or need to make yourself feel beautiful. Of course, you are beautiful no matter how much makeup you wear, how you choose to wear your hair, or how you dress, but taking a chance to dress up and look good can give you oodles of confidence. Take the time for you and enjoy your individual style and appearance.
Take Care of Your Mind
We’ve talked a lot so far about how to look and feel great on the outside, but the bottom line of finding your confidence is knowing your worth in your heart and mind. Mental and physical health go hand in hand, so feeling good takes work on both sides. Improving your mental health and self esteem may sound like a loose and confusing process, but there are some concrete actions you can take to feel your best. Making lists of your strengths and assets, scheduling in time to focus on a fun activity, or saying no to a stressful event are some solid actions you can take to improve your emotional wellbeing.
The key is to treat your mental health journey the same way you treat a physical health journey. Improvement won’t come overnight, so you really have to work on improving your confidence. Some of these steps won’t be easy. For example, if you are in a toxic environment surrounded by individuals who constantly tear you down, leaving may be best for your self-esteem. If you’re a workaholic and constantly stuck at the office for late hours, taking time off for a creative outlet may be necessary, even if it seems impossible. Everyone is different with unique needs as far as feeling confident and fulfilled, so don’t ever apologize for what you need.
Give yourself permission to stop and smell the roses. Just as we get caught up in the media standards of beauty, we can get caught up in the pressures of a modern work environment. Feeling burnt out affects workers everywhere. However, you can’t operate at your best if you’re constantly feeling overworked and tired. Take time off to remember that who you are doesn’t directly correlate to what you do. Take a vacation to experience Florida’s gulf coast or even just to enjoy a few days off with your family. Looking and feeling good starts with acknowledging you’re worth it. Don’t get too caught up in giving your time and energy to so many other commitments that you can’t remember to give time to yourself. Whether that’s through exercise, a shopping spree, or a lazy afternoon at home, spending time on you is a surefire way to always look and feel your best.
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What are your favorite tips for feeling confident and looking and feeling great?
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