In a world so obsessed with apparent perfection, it’s difficult to feel worthy while bombarded with imagery of filtered, retouched bodies, and faces vacant of any genuine emotion. We often let the media govern how we perceive ourselves, and we let trends make decisions for us, all the while foregoing our well-earned right to forge our own happiness and our own self-image.
Smiling from every magazine’s cover is yet another face representing all of our unaccomplished desires – a spotless complexion, a glowing, pearly-white smile, and a wrinkle-free brow. Delve a little deeper, and we get to see and hear their success stories, also tailored to represent another version of perfection. How can you compete?
Well, you shouldn’t. You are your only measure of beauty. You are one of a kind, with all the freckles, smile-caused lines, and belly folds. And there are ways to celebrate your beauty one choice at a time.
Cherish your beauty
Your appearance is only a fraction of your beauty, but it’s also a worthy reflection of how much and how well you care for yourself. Self-love and self-respect start with self-care. Before you can expect yourself to change how you see your own beauty, you need to implement practices that are simple, but fundamental for your wellbeing.
Take that daily shower to invigorate your body and prepare your skin for a nourishing lotion. Choose a scent that will elevate your mood and lift your spirits in the face of challenges. Do you have a reliable skincare routine? Rituals such as those can make or break your self-perception, and it pays to invest in items that will help you restore your health and thus restore your beauty.
Embrace the joy of self-expression
Trends come and go, but your style remains deeply-rooted in your preferences, feeling of comfort, and your authenticity. Although it’s useful to look to the latest designs for inspiration and ideas, you can use your style as a way to explore your identity, to express your character, and to build a style that transcends seasonal fashion tides.
To fuel your inspiration, find a versatile online fashion store that sells pieces that resonate with your personality and make you feel good in your own skin. Fashionable garments are an investment in your confidence, and they are a representation of your persona. They also serve to keep your skin and your body comfortable and safe, so choose in line with your values and listen to your innermost voice. Suddenly, a summer dress is so much more than a piece of cloth: it’s your confidence-booster, your skin-loving item that keeps you fresh in the summer heat, and the epitome of freedom.
Spread your wings through action
Your inner motivation will determine how you perceive exercise – as a vanity competition, or as a way to constantly grow and to nurture your body. Being active is so much more than a chase after a leaner physique. It’s a lifestyle, a way to honor your health and your vitality, a way to preserve your resilience, mental fortitude and physical strength in the face of challenges that are bound to come along in life.
Exercise is so much more than an hour or two at a gym, the yoga studio, the boxing ring, or the dojo. It is yet another way to love yourself inside and out, to help your heart stay strong, to endure and to prevail. Use this time to understand what happens in your body and your mind when you invest time and effort to overcome your current limitations, and you’ll find that you respect yourself more every day, and love your body for all it’s capable of accomplishing. In the process, you’ll understand the beauty of your strength and the inextricable link between your physical self and your spiritual self.
Nourish your spirit and your body
What’s your spiritual food? How do you feed your positive emotions? Understanding that nutrition is not limited to what you eat can help you build healthier habits and invest more in self-care. Everything you consume: books, movies, shows, time spent with people, media posts, they are all a part of your diet. They all affect how you perceive your own beauty. And more often than not, they do so in a negative manner.
Cleanse your spiritual palate! Give yourself the freedom to be around people that lift you up and cherish your uniqueness, the freedom to eat the food that will nourish your body, and the freedom to pour words of wisdom into your soul through arts and literature. Suddenly, you’ll find yourself more beautiful than ever in all of your imperfection, and all of your aspirations. Because a life of perfection is a life unlived, with no goals, no dreams, nothing more than what already is.
Feeling beautiful is precisely that – a feeling. It’s not limited to your appearance, and it’s not restricted to your mirror reflection. Use these tips to unravel all of the beauty that is hidden within your soul and your existence will gain a much deeper meaning than a pursuit of superficial and temporary. You’ll come to love yourself inside and out.