The Secret to Beauty is Personal Growth

Famous actress and humanitarian, Audrey Hepburn, was once quoted saying: "The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman is seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. True beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It’s the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman only grows with passing years." I have to say I agree. As women age, their beauty enhances. I feel our beauty enhances over time simply as a result of our daily actions and habits.

Have you ever looked at pictures from your past and compared them to today? Don't you see yourself as wiser and more confident? More together? More sure of yourself? With humor, I bet you even think your overall style and way of carrying yourself has improved. Yet, in all seriousness, I feel a woman's beauty only blossoms with age because most women, past a certain age, fully embrace themselves. Women over 30, have not only come to terms with who they truly are, but also have the resources and know-how to pursue their own self-growth and development. What is also great for mature women is their ability to live free of fear or the opinion of others. In my opinion, it is personal growth that expresses our beauty and keeps us looking youthful. ​

As I march further into my mid-thirties this fall, I feel my life only getting better with age. I have people all the time asking me how I manage to get so much done, have so much energy, and stay looking so young. Well, I want to share with you my top 10 list to lifelong, youthful beauty. Hopefully, my list will help you tap into your inner beauty and youthful spirit. This list has helped me to maintain my youthful spirit and glow.

Top Ten Ways to Keep Growing
with Youthful Beauty

1. Keep educating yourself. Take classes. Get certifications. Never stop your pursuit of knowledge or personal advancement. Also, don't be afraid of people younger than you. They do have amazing ideas and an alternative approach to the world. It is important to stay fresh and connected to people of all ages.

2. Read Daily. Read anything from magazine, newspapers, to books. Keep your imagination and critical mind active. Stay informed, and allow your mind to create its own images. Both of these suggestions are important in our digital world. Daily reading also helps to reduce cognitive decline as we age.

3. Drink lots of water. Hydration keeps our skin, hair, and nails looking young. It also helps reduce wrinkles and blemishes. Water also helps to flush toxins out of the body.  It also reduces those feelings of hunger, so water helps with weight management. Plus, water is 80% of your bodily make-up, so drink away!

4. Do you best to get enough sleep. Adults need at least 7 hours of sleep a day to stay cognitively alert. Sleep also helps with balancing our mood, fighting infections, weight management, and reducing the signs of aging. Moms don't roll your eyes. You probably understand this best. Do you best to get the rest, even if sleep is part of a long-term goal. 

5. Tap into your feminine energy. Let's face it, we live in a male dominated, masculine world. We are always on the go, go, go. Don't be afraid to slow down and do things that help you to tap into your feminine energy. Perhaps it's getting your nails done, wearing make-up, buying that perfect outfit, or treating yourself to a spa day. Whatever it is for you, be sure to ALLOW yourself some personal time.

6. Take care of your skin. Wash and moisturize your face and body daily. I also recommend exfoliating your entire body with an exfoliant rag or sponge at least once a week to get all the dead skin off your body. To wash, I recommend sensitive skin face washes, and natural body washes or bar soaps. For moisturizers, I recommend facial oils or natural creams. In the a.m. I make sure to apply moisturizer that has SPF of 15 plus. At night, I wash all of my makeup off and use either a night-time cream or oil. I recommend keeping your products as natural as possible. Taking care of our skin is critical to maintaining youth. I moisturize my entire body at least twice a day, especially after I shower. Please do not use body or face washes with micro-beads. These are deadly for our oceans and plankton species because they are plastic. This plastic is nearly impossible to remove from our oceans and fresh water reserves. ​

7. Exercise. You should move your body every day and have a goal to do weight or resistance training 5 times a week.Your daily goal for movement/exercise/training should be 30 minutes to an hour. Daily exercise is fundamental to feeling good. When we train or exercise we release lots of feel good hormones. These hormones help us to radiate positive energy. We often feel more confident, sexy, and self-aware. Remember: a body in motion stays in motion.

8. Eat whole foods! It is so much better for our organs, digestion, blood sugar, and brain to eat whole foods, opposed to processed foods.  Anything that says "enriched" should be avoided. Enriched means the natural nutrients of the food have been stripped away and have been replaced with additives, supplementations, and/or artificial ingredients. Typically, if I cannot read an ingredient, or know exactly where it came from organically, I won't buy it. A once in a while "junk food" treat won't hurt you, but don't keep it a daily habit. ​

9. Enjoy having sex. Orgasms should be part of your health regiment. They help to reduce stress. They help with sleep. They help with your overall mood. They enhance your complexion too. Plus, orgasms feel amazing. Whether you find pleasure from yourself, or with another person, be safe and have fun. Sex is nothing to be ashamed about it.

10. Pause in Silence. Each day make sure you reflect on your daily life and choices. Allow yourself quiet time. Having silence in our day is very important, especially if you live in a busy city, a noisy part of town, or have a job with lots of noise and stimulation. Allow yourself to "unplug" from technology. You can do lots of things to allow the pause mode to settle into your life. You can meditate, journal, go for a walk without music, take a hot bath, drive home in silence, or drink a cup of coffee in silence before anyone else is awake and talking to you. I could go on, but I think you get the idea. ​

I hope my list of ideas help you to tap into your eternal youth and inner beauty. Never be afraid to shine. Keep growing. Stay kind. Give love to others. Be fearless in your pursuit of happiness.

All my best wishes,

Brenna