Hi there! Happy Wednesday!
Whew! We have made it to the middle of the week! I am so excited for the weekend, as always! Do you have any special plans for this weekend? Are you doing anything special for Father’s Day? Let me know in the comments!
This is a beauty blog, and I share lots of product reviews and beauty tips, but today I wanted to share something a little different. I have certain habits that I have created for myself that cost no money and I believe make myself, and anyone who chooses to apply them, and beautiful!
#1 No Screen Morning Routine
When I wake up (always on the first alarm, a life-changing habit I started thanks to The 5 Second Rule) I turn off my alarm and check the weather but then I do not check any news, emails, texts, or social media until I’ve been awake for at least 30 minutes. I like to listen to affirmations for peace, calming anxiety, and confidence on YouTube. If you’d like my picks for these, please let me know in the comments. Having this no screen rule when I first wake up helps me decide how my day starts instead of news or things others are doing, and I believe this helps my attitude for the duration of the day to be happier, and more beautiful.
#2 Get Ready
I get ready every single day which to me means I apply some makeup and do my hair every day. For some of you this may mean just some mascara or lipstick, and for others it may mean a full face, but some amount of makeup makes me feel “ready” for anything. I also do my hair, always, which is sometimes just a braid of a messy bun, and sometimes a full curl styling or straightening. I feel more confident, social, and happy when I take a few minutes to get myself ready.
#3 The Rule of Three
When I get dressed I always try to remember the Rule of Three even on my most casual day. A tee shirt and a pair of jeans is just clothes, but if you tuck in or knot your tee, cuff your jeans, and throw on an amazing hat, necklace, or pair of shoes? It is an outfit. I try to stick to the “rule” that you need three pieces for it to be an outfit. If you’d like me to go into more detail with this, I would be happy to do so!
#4 Journal
I am a writer and have been a writer since I was a young child, but I’ve never been good at keeping a diary or journaling. I have started many but never created habits. In the beginning of 2018 I decided to begin a gratitude journal and started writing down three things I was grateful for (ranging from simple things like coffee to major things like my marriage and my children). You can do this in any old notebook you have lying around, but a pretty journal may be more fun to keep on your person daily. I have now switched over to The 5 Second Journal adore it so much! I highly recommend it for those of you who don’t have the time or patience for traditional journaling. By taking a few minutes to set my goals and remember what I am grateful for, I am able to give the best of myself to those around me and let go of what doesn’t matter. Being calm and less anxious helps me to feel happy and in turn, more beautiful inside and out.
#5 Eye Contact and Smile
Alright, I get it, everyone *knows* eye contact is important and smiling makes anyone more beautiful. However, until I made it a little game I play where I try to hold eye contact until the other person looks away (all of the people I know in real life reading this are going to look for it now…oh well!), I never realized how, frankly, bad most people are at eye contact. I also am a big proponent of smiling because it makes you look so confident, approachable, and if you keep smiling you actually become more positive and happy. You know when you see or meet someone with a fantastic smile? Be that person!
#6 Workout
I am a naturally slim person, but over the past two almost three years I have really focused on my strength and toning by working out five days a week. People ask me a lot what workouts I use and how I do it, but really it isn’t all that fancy. I use this mat on the floor of my bedroom and simple hand weights (5, 8, and 12lb) like these. I have an easy curl bar and these resistance bands. Some days I workout for an hour and have a fantastic workout! Other days I have a full face of makeup on and don’t even change into workout clothes, but still do an upper or lower body workout because some is better than none. I think with working out you just need to start! You’ll never regret a workout (unless you get injured!). I also do simple cardio like walking on a high incline on our treadmill and doing some jogging. I also love to chase around the yard with our Little Loves. Working out is something I do for me as a stress release and something that makes me feel good about myself. I LOVE the way it feels to get stronger and notice muscles developing. I also do it for those around me because I am a much better wife/mother/human when I get my workouts in. Plus, working out is so good for my short and long-term health.
#7 Evening Routine
I think everyone should have an evening routine that they can look forward to throughout the day. It could be something like a hot bath, meditation or yoga, or journaling. My nighttime routine is a small snack like my favorite popcorn, a cup of tea, and watching a show on Netflix or YouTube. I think about this time when I feel anxious or stressed during the day, and it helps me to calm myself. I feel like a much happier person knowing I have quiet me time to look forward to and being happier makes me more beautiful.
What are some of your ways to make yourself feel beautiful? Do you have any tricks you could share with others?
Thank you for reading and have a great weekend! xx
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