It’s common for people to go to great lengths and expense in the pursuit of beauty. Cosmetics, fashion and even the medical industry vie for your attention and dollars. There are a million ways to enhance your physical beauty. How much will it cost? Will you ever be satisfied? Will you really feel more beautiful? Following are a series of suggestions that offer a holistic and spiritual approach to the more beautiful you.
They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. You may be a brunette with an eye on a guy who only likes blondes. The Kayan Lahwi tribe in Thailand reveres women with elongated necks, stretched with brass rings over a lifetime. There are plenty of people who believe Jersey Shore girls have got it going on while others like classic, elegant and understated or conservative style. An endless array of looks and levels of style live in between extremes. External beauty is widely interpreted. It’s helpful to accept that, based on this, you will never be beautiful to everyone. A standard of physical beauty across all cultures is nonexistent.
But the definition of interior beauty is universal. A good heart and a kind soul always trumps a dark and brooding nature. Who do you prefer to spend time with? Someone who laughs or someone who complains? What do you project to friends, family and the world? The expression of your heart and soul is as obvious as your freshly shellacked fingernails and little black dress.
Check your watch. The time is now. The past is over and tomorrow may never come. All that you have and all that you can control is right here and right now. You can choose to be beautiful and let our beauty tips put roses in your cheeks and lightness in your step. You do not need a day spa to feel beautiful today.
To be truly beautiful, you must first open your eyes and invite beauty into your life. Every moment offers a choice. With so many pressures upon us, we are easily distracted. Text messages fly fast. Phones ring and emails pile up. Your eyes are dry from staring at glowing screens of smart phones, laptops, desktops and tablets. Look up and unplug – the world can change. Beauty is free, but with a catch. Beauty is an invitation you must accept. Open your eyes and your heart and welcome beauty into your life.
Look for beauty outdoors, in the park or at the beach or in the woods. In nature, everything is perfect and beautiful, just as you are. The trick to finding beauty lies in the difference between just looking and actually seeing. To see, you must pause, focus and observe. Every tree may be covered in bark, but what does that bark really look like? What is the texture? What is the pattern? What are the colors? To feel beautiful, you must stop and consciously do so.
You can radiate beauty quite easily. Just laugh. Fill your lungs deeply with air and cut loose. You don’t need a reason or even a joke. Just laugh and your body will respond with even more, real laughter. The muscles in your face lift and widen. Your body arches. Even if you fake a belly laugh, your brain will interpret the physical sensations as a good and wonderful thing.
There is another physical action that generates a positive emotional reaction. Slouch your shoulders, lower your head and look down. You will feel ugly. On the other hand, if you stand up straight and raise your head, your brain will interpret your posture as a good feeling. Use your body to affect your heart.
Your greatest and most effective beauty tip is simple and costs nothing. To feel truly beautiful instantly, just smile. Take an extra second to acknowledge another person, even a stranger. Look them in the eye and grin. This action has a rippling effect. You can see the result and it feels good. Give a little and receive a lot. When we step out of our way to extend an act of kindness and attention to another, our body chemistry changes. A simple hello or a sincere acknowledgment will make you feel like the most beautiful person on the planet.
True beauty radiates from within, but a little lipstick never hurts. You may have a routine. A long, hot bath feels beautiful. A glass of wine may do the trick. An extra accessory, something that you would not normally wear, can make you feel glamorous. Light up your wardrobe with color. Dress for a gala and go to the supermarket. Change your style and persona for a day, for fun.
To feel beautiful is a simple, natural action. Sadly, external pressures confuse our definition of beauty. Cosmetic surgery may stretch your insecurity. Fad and fashions change by the minute. Every season has a new color and a new look for a new you. The roar is deafening, but quietly and carefully, you can become the most beautiful goddess in the world. Just listen to you.
