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How to Feel Pretty – 10 Simple Ways to Feel Pretty

By on April 23, 2015

Sometimes people have very twisted ideas about their own self-image due to filters of perception that just aren’t right. Most people are actually insanely beautiful, they just have to find their own beauty and stop hiding from it. Read on about tips on how to feel marvelous right now.

1. Realize Beauty Is Unique

Whilst there are very traditional ideas for what beauty is supposed to be like physically, so long as someone is physically looking after themselves and doing the most with their unique look, people tend to gravitate toward them given they have a healthy self esteem.

You have something unique that no one else in this world has – your personality. That’s ultimately what will attract people to you, but so as to do that, you need to open up. If you are hiding behind a fake attitude, or shying away from everyone, hiding in a corner, or beneath the ugliest clothes in town, they won’t be able to see the true you.

When you live out the real you to the full, you will be able to feel your own beauty come alive. You will also seize to be jealous of other people as you will no longer wish to be like them.

2. Do a Reality Check

Whilst speaking about physical beauty, let’s also have a word about the media’s propaganda. One minute they say to be skinny, the next to have an hour glass figure. Your figure truly doesn’t matter beyond being healthy and keeping fit.

The media has also painted a very photoshopped image of the world. If you ever wondered what photoshop combined with great photography can do, have a look around for some of the best photographers in your area, then have a set of pictures done after having had your hair and make-up fixed by an expert. Afterwards have them airbrush the images to perfection. Then you will know how different real life is from how people look on magazine covers.

I recently had my butt photoshopped for a marketing campaign, believe me, I know about photoshop… True story. Wasn’t my idea to edit it, but the skirt needed to be smoothed out and somehow my butt got a facelift in the process…

3. Build Confidence

Confidence is really the cornerstone to beauty. Once you feel confident you will be able to open up so that others can see your true beauty.

First of all, start becoming aware of your own thoughts. Check in several times a day to see what you are really thinking. Often we are on autopilot and don’t truly notice what thoughts we are having, we just experience different moods.

For the next few days set your alarm every half an hour to stop and see what you are thinking.

Whenever you have negative self-talk, stop it. Ask yourself if you could see it from another point of view? Is it necessary to look at it from a negative angle? Challenge yourself to see the beauty in what you are experiencing. Failing that go do something else. Listen to an uplifting song.

A tip I always give is to imagine your older self talk to you as a friend. What would an older you, coming back from the future, have to tell you? How would you treat yourself if you were a kind, loving friend, giving advice?

Secondly, write down a list of traits you are proud of. Are you kind to people? Helpful? Do you give of yourself to others? What makes you a great person? Go about doing these things more often – it will make you feel good.

Thirdly, get friends to compile a list about what makes you great. Remember that this is your true beauty.

Fourthly, start meditating. It will give you peace, which will help with confidence. Try various meditation tracks online both for relaxation and confidence.

4. Make Yourself Feel Good

feel pretty

Nothing radiates beauty as much as happiness. When you are happy the world will be drawn to you like a magnet.

So find out what you love doing and go do it. Make yourself sparkle.

It can take a bit of work and discipline to actually do what you love as some dreams are harder to achieve than others, but just spending half an hour a day doing it is better than no time. Also, take time for simple pleasures like your hobbies, time in the sun, time with friends, etc.

5. Take Care of Your Body

Working out will release hormones that make you happy and you will also feel good about yourself because you are looking after your body. You are, essentially, making your body happy.

Sometimes you have a lot on, but you can alway squeeze in a ten minute super work out every day (take a minute or two to wake up the entire body, then focus on one part, like legs, or arms and then do a proper stretch). Also, when you have three minutes, just get up and dance!

As with anything, don’t overdo it – obsessively exercising isn’t going to make you happy, nor make you look good.

Spoiling your body also helps. Going for a sauna, having a massage, relaxing in the hot tub and simply taking time out to put on some natural body lotion will make you feel good instantly. There is just something that gives you the glow when you look after yourself.

6. Eat Well

Eating a lot of fruit and veg, as well as a whole foods diet will work wonders on everything from your skin and hair to the way you feel when you wake up in the morning. Do yourself a favor and skip the processed foods, refined grains and sugars.

Also make sure to get your one and a half liters of water a day.

7. Look After Your Appearance

Feeling good means taking care of all of you. Great clothes will bring out your inner personality as well as enhancing your looks. If you aren’t great with style, get help from an expert! You can also use friends, but make sure they know what they are doing. You want something that truly fits you. Sometimes if you’ve been hiding away it can feel strange suddenly stepping into the limelight with beautiful clothes and a nice hairstyle, but it will make you feel great in the long run.

8. Spend Time Outdoors and Get Your Sleep

Did you know that to be healthy you should spend some time outdoors every day? Preferably an hour or more. The body needs to be exposed to the sun (even through the clouds) to feel happy.

Also, going to sleep at the same time every night and ensuring you get seven to eight hours is important. If you don’t, your body is having a constant jet lag and as a result you won’t feel great. The better you feel, the more attractive you get.

9. Smell Nice

Believe it or not, but smells can alter your mood. Using harsh synthetic perfumes will likely do little for your mood other than giving you a toxic overload, but natural soaps, shampoos, incense and essential oils (you can blend your own perfume that way – but read up about the different properties. Citrus oils, for examples, should never be used directly on the skin as they make you sensitive to the sun) are great mood boosters. Scents have also been known to attract people to you.

10. Spend Time with People Who Value Your Beauty

There is almost no better way of feeling beautiful than spending time with people who love you. If you don’t already have an active social life, get out there and start mingling. It can take time to build up a great group of friends (you often meet quite a few that aren’t a fit in the process), but it’s worth the effort. Having a fulfilling social life will help you feel great. If you are really shy or feel you aren’t great at socializing, simply read books about it and practice, or get a coach. Everyone was, unfortunately, not raised knowing how to make friends easily. It doesn’t mean you aren’t great, it simply means you need to learn social skill. You might even want to learn pick-up skills…

In general improving people skills will help anyone as communication is the key for anyone to be able to see your true beauty.

11. And One More Thing…

Do you remember the film Walk the Line with Reese Witherspoon and Jaquin Phoenix? I used to think Jaquin Phoenix had a peculiar look and I was not in the least attracted to him. When I watched Walk the Line I suddenly found him incredibly attractive though, as I was drawn to the character he portrayed. Attitude accounts for a lot of attraction. If you are willing to open up to people and show them your heart – live it, if you so like – then the people who are attracted to the true you will be, well, attracted to you. If you put up a facade you will attract people who like the facade.

1507760_10152392614860079_8379465670289960282_n copy 2By Maria Montgomery – Maria is a freelance writer, director and social entrepreneur. She’s also the spokesperson for The Little Angels Community Center and an avid blogger. You can find her somewhere between Cape Town, London and L.A., where you will most likely find her in the hills, looking out over the city she loves. @OhMyMontgomery

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