8 Steps To True Beauty

A little retail therapy session at the local beauty supply can lift my mood immeasurably, however, I’ve distilled “true beauty” (as in beauty that comes from the inside out,) down to 8 simple steps. If I can practice all 8 of them on a daily basis, then I’m much more likely to feel (and hopefully look,) decent – if not beautiful. There isn’t a skincare potion, plastic surgery procedure, hairstyle, or lip-plumping gloss, that will do the same – so read on:

1. Gratitude: There is nothing more attractive than someone who is really grateful for their life. Gratitude softens fine lines better than any expensive potion. If you are feeling hideously ungrateful, unclench your jaw, whip out a piece of paper and write down 10 things that you are grateful for today.

2. Acceptance: Women who accept their imperfections are gorgeous, whereas women who try everything they can to hide them give off strange energy. I have a few friends who exude gorgeousness because they truly accept and clearly don’t try to hide their age or anything else which might be less than “perfect”  – although really there’s no such thing as perfection.  Sure, we’d all love to look a few years younger than we are, get rid of our cellulite, lose unwanted pounds – and boy do we TRY! The beauty and diet industry hopes we’ll keep on trying, but there comes a point when acceptance of who we are, the way we look, our age, and our limitations is a beautiful gift that allows us to be happy, joyous, and free.

3. Exercise: Unless you are physically incapacitated, one of the most important things you can do every single day is EXERCISE. It will lift your mood, shed your pounds, improve your mental agility, get rid of toxins, give you strength/energy, sculpt your body – NEED I SAY MORE. I don’t give myself an option when it comes to exercising. It’s non-negotiable and I plan it for the week ahead in my calendar – that way there’s no getting out of it. I pick things that I enjoy – yoga, Zumba, dance, and hiking.

4. Nutrition: I have a wonderful dermatologist who won’t even give any skincare advice to her patients until she has made sure that the building blocks of their diet are supportive of a healthy body and thus healthy skin. Making sure that you eat a varied and balanced diet is more important than supplements. Variety is hugely important because many of us get stuck in a rut when it comes to our diet. Also make sure that you are getting your daily greens, superfoods, and omega oils for optimum health and glowing skin. I love my Terra Oceana “Power For Life” powdered greens and more. This incredible supplement contains everything I need for great energy, glowing skin, and smooth digestion. I love that I don’t have to fiddle around with tons of pills – this supplement contains it all. For Omega Oils, I buy Nordic Naturals.

5. Change: Don’t get stuck in a rut. Many of us stick with the same old beauty routine, hairstyle, diet, and exercise routine for years. It feels fantastic to shake it up a bit and to not allow your body or your skin to rest on its laurels. For skincare, try some of my recipes from Do It Gorgeously or check out the “Gorgeous Finds” at Gorgeously Green every day. Why not try a completely new hairstyle this year? If you don’t love it, it will grow back!

6. Keep It Simple: Whatever routine you choose, keep it simple enough that you’ll actually stick to it. If you try to cram too much into your day – an 8-step true beauty regime, followed by exercise, meditation then special food preparation, you’ll give it all up in a week. Plan a simple and enjoyable routine.

7. Do What You Love: Even if you don’t love your job, find at least one thing a day to do that you love. It could be a dance class, a great book, baking a cake or even having lunch with a fun girlfriend. Feeding your soul with activities that lift your spirits are a huge part of looking and feeling beautiful.

8. Laugh: This is the most important step. A woman who is laughing is beautiful. When I was back in England recently, I saw two friends who I hadn’t seen for at least 10 years. One of them is always complaining and her face is sort of growing into a scowl, the other is always laughing (she finds something funny in almost everything,) – she is a joy to have around and I noticed that she gets even more beautiful with age.