Redefine Beauty on Your Own Terms

When you think of beauty, or a beautiful woman, what comes to mind? Chances are an airbrushed model with a rail thin body, flawless skin and perfect hair that flows down her back. Once you can picture her, what’s your next thought? Chances are, it’s “I could never look as good as she does in a million years. I hate her.”

While hate is a strong word that I don’t like to use, it’s a word that is used all too often when you compare yourself to someone to whom you think you could never match up to. So your defenses go up and you deflect your insecurities with a few cutting words that make you feel like you’re in control. But instead of being in control of your emotions, what this tells me is that it’s a hot-button issue for you. Maybe it’s time to redefine what beauty means to you.

The word beauty is defined at dictionary.com as the quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind, whether arising from sensory manifestations (as shape, color, sound, etc.), a meaningful design or pattern, or something else (as a personality in which high spiritual qualities are manifest). Therefore, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and can be construed in a multitude of ways.

In our culture you have come to equate the notion of beauty with something that doesn’t necessarily exist in nature. You look at magazines and television and hold yourself up to the ideals portrayed in these media. What this does is creates an unrealistic expectation that you can never live up to (even the models don’t really look like their Photoshopped likenesses) and causes countless (and needless) comparisons which cause you to always feel inferior. Indeed, it is feelings of inferiority that the advertisers and purveyors play on to create a never ending demand for their goods. While these feelings may be putting billions of dollars into the pockets of the fashion industry, it’s time we women took back our self confidence and said NO MORE! It’s time that we redefined beauty on our own terms! How? Read on.

1/ To begin shifting your ideal of what beauty means to you it’s time for a little self-examination. To see beauty in others, you must first see it in yourself, so start by looking in the mirror. Instead of putting yourself down, take a closer look and see yourself through new eyes. What do you appreciate about your face, your hair, your body, your personality? Write it down and make a note to yourself. Put that note in your mirror and look at it every single day as a reminder. Play up whatever it is in the best way possible and show the world what you’ve got!

2/ Trust your intuition. This means everything from what clothing feels great on you to what to have for dinner to whether to leave your career and set out on your own. When you trust yourself and listen to your heart you build a confidence that is unrivaled and can send your self-worth soaring! There is nothing more beautiful than a confident woman who believes in herself, so this is key.

3/ Give it away. Share of yourself and your gifts in whatever way feels natural. It could be a simple act of kindness, volunteering or simply creating a business that lets you do what you do best to help others. Feeling fulfilled in your life will set off a chain reaction that leaves you exuding joy from the inside out. When you give to others it is a beautiful feeling that simply adds to your own natural beauty. After all, beauty radiates from the inside out – it doesn’t start with designer clothing but with a pure spirit and a joyful heart.

4/ Appreciate how you’re different. Whether you’re well-endowed or flat-chested, a size 0 or a 22, love the skin you’re in. We’re all created unique and were not meant to be carbon copies of each other. Embrace what you have and flaunt it to best effect. When you revel in your glory those around you will begin to appreciate every square inch of you too! You are good enough, no matter what and when you begin to feel whole and connected to yourself, your beauty can’t help but shine through!

Want to know how I can help you discover your own true beauty? Just e-mail me at Michele@OneChicMama.com to set up a 15-minute get acquainted call and discover how you can look your best each and every day!

Photo Credit: Solve Sundsbo from http://www.bvonstyle.com

Infuse Your Summer with Flavor

With the summer heat in full swing chances are you're downing a lot of water these days. If you're ready for a change, why not try a little flavor?

Crystal Light On-the-Go is a quick, easy and convenient alternative to soft drinks. Simply tuck it into your purse, your pool bag or your car and you have a little something extra to add to your bottled water that's a lot less expensive than soda.

Available in several flavors, the favorite was lemonade. My daughter preferred the strawberry, and the peach tea has become a staple with my mom and my sister.

With so many flavors and a wonderfully convenient package, summer is a great time to give Crystal Light On-the-Go a try!

Just Be You!

Last week when I made an appearance on the TV Show, My Carolina Today, one question I was asked is how to feel great about our wardrobe, in our own skin and in our clothes. My answer? Simple. Just be yourself and let your true beauty shine through. Sounds easy, right? Actually, it can be just that easy but we are weighted down by so much emotional baggage that we think it has to be hard.

While there are many reasons you may not feel confident about yourself, let’s take a look at a few simple strategies that may make a difference for you.

1/ First, ask yourself what you’re tolerating about your appearance. Negative self talk may give you clues to things that you really want to change. Have you wanted to lose 20 pounds for the last few years but just can’t seem to buckle down and do it? Are you tired of looking the same, year after year, but make no effort to change your appearance? Has your once-chic hairdo become a hair don’t? Has it been ages since you’ve invested in a new wardrobe for yourself because you just don’t feel worthy? When you look long and hard at those things that you’d really like to change, and then do it, you release a lot of stagnant energy and free yourself up to focus on the positive.

2/ Next, discover what’s amazing about you. Maybe you have gorgeous legs, a well-proportioned body or a killer smile. Whatever it is – and this is where I truly mean whatever – play it up to the hilt! You want to let that be your focal point and what you build your look around. If your small waist is your best asset, then don’t hide it behind big, baggy clothes. Wear fitted clothing that shows your shape (yes, even if you’re a plus-size!) and watch the compliments come pouring in. This keeps the attention on what’s good and away from everything else.

3/ Stop Comparing! I know this may be easier said than done, but seriously, do you really think you’re supposed to look like the airbrushed models in the magazines (who don’t even look like that in real life) or the glammed up celebs who spend 75% of their time (if not more) on their appearance and have a noted professional to help them manage everything from their weight to their wardrobe on any given day? I don’t think so! Let’s redfine beauty and begin by loving what you see in the mirror. Yes, I said loving – don’t just fall in like with yourself. If you find this hard to do, take baby steps and start one finger (or toe) at a time and continue until you fully love who you are, inside and out! If you’re not happy with your appearance, refer back to #1 and take personal responsibility for it. Only you can make the change.

4/ Dress for you, and for you alone! If you’ve found yourself wearing your hair long because your husband prefers it that way, or wearing a particular style of clothing because your mother always told you it was best for you, then I want to invite you to become a rebel. One of the true keys to confidence and feeling great in your own skin is being in touch with yourself. This means expressing yourself authentically and dressing for the person you truly are. Trust me, when your husband or your mother see how you amazing you look when you rock the short hairstyle you’ve always wanted or the dress you were always told you couldn’t wear, they will be astounded and ask you why you didn’t make the change sooner.

5/ Create Your Signature Style. This is taking authentic dressing to new heights. When you create your signature style it is a way of expressing your innermost self on the outside. Wear the colors you are magnetically drawn to, the shapes that make you feel powerful and the accessories that help you feel more connected to who you are. When you’re wearing something simply because you thought you should, you’re missing the point and the opportunity to really shine.

6/ Trust Yourself. Honestly, this is key to feeling confident in any aspect of your life, but especially when it comes to getting dressed. If you put something on and it makes you feel like you’re disconnected from you, take it off asap! When shopping, don’t listen to what the sales associate or your BFF say if it doesn’t jive with what your gut is telling you. Only you know what’s right for you, and when you listen you will be greatly rewarded. Let your intuition guide you in wearing the clothing that’s going to make you feel fabulous, confident and unstoppable!

Why live life dressing in a mediocre replica of someone when you could be a fabulous first-edition? Just being yourself is all it takes to create a stand out style that’s irreplaceable and leaves you feeling fabulous!

Want to know how I can help you create your best look regardless of the season? Just e-mail me at Michele@OneChicMama.com to set up a 15-minute get acquainted call and discover how you can look your best each and every day!