10 Healthy Beauty Habits

I used to think that the "Self Help" section of the bookstores & libraries were an embarrassing place to be seen. Well, now I realize that feeling is EXACTLY WHY I needed to hang out there! We are human and so by default we are not perfect. We also struggle to find peace & purpose & to be positive about our lives. As much as I want to say that my faith alone is what helped me build a positive mindset, I needed more. I believe God has led me to people who use experiences and words that heve also led me to understanding Him better and myself better too!

Now through Christ I truly believe all things are possible and as long as I pray more than pout, compliment more than complain & am grateful more than grumpy - I continue to have a positive mindset!

Have you ever taken the "Love Languages" Quiz?... Gifts & Acts of Service are at the bottom of my list. Words of Affirmation & Quality Time are the top of my list. However, throughout the years I have found that GIVING (without expectation of receiving) is one of the many blessings this life has given me. Creating that "Win/Win" feeling, where I can use my time, energy, skills, talents, etc to bless someone's life in some way, also makes me feel like I have more purpose & helps me feel good too!

I am telling you, when you focus on giving with a grateful heart, you will overcome so much more of life's challenges because when you get beyond yourself and your circumstances, you begin to see how broken most humans are. You are not alone. But you are also able to shine your light on others so that they don't feel so alone either!

Ok, this is a touchy subject for me.... There were a few years where I lost my mind freaking out over every label. It gave me so much anxiety and that anxiety was probably worse for me than the actual food & products I was using & consuming. Now I have a "Healthier" outlook on this subject. I give myself grace. I know I am going to die at some point & I will be off to Heaven, so as much as I do not go just yet - I also know that something will get me when my time is up. I want to enjoy the time I have here, while I have it. So stressing out over eating perfect is no way to live. Instead, I know what is bad for me & I avoid that stuff when at all possible, BUT if I happen to run thru the McD's drivethru - I am not going to feel embarrassed or guilty or beat myself up about it.

Yes, there are unfortunately WAY TOO MANY toxins allowed in our foods & I have some conspiracy theories about that. lol! HOWEVER, if you eat less processed & more of what God has provided that has not been tampered with by science - you will feel better. Just always remember to give yourself grace & do what you can, with what you have.

OK, here we go! I am not saying you have to cut out wine (& other libations) completely. (unless you HAVE TO - I am senstivie to those who suffer with addiction since it runs in my family) What I AM saying is that, replacing as much as you can with more water WILL help your body have less inflammation which will help so many things. But again, give yourself grace. Also give yourself extra B vitamins which will help you feel less effects as well.

((just talk to your doctor before you take any advice from some stranger on the internet though! I am not a medical professional and nothing I say should EVER be taken as medical adivce! It is just my personal experience.))

Along with the anxiety I had over eating perfect, I also started to obsess and stress out over working out. When I almost died from Breast Implant Illness (another story for another time) I gave up on anything that would help my body live longer and stronger for awhile because " I was going to die at some point anyway. " That was a very dark time for me. Between my medical trauma and family trauma - I just wanted to "enjoy" life. Truth be told though - I wasn't enjoying life. I was actually quite miserable. Eating bad and not moving my body & drinking too much wine, made me feel awful! Really, really awful! I do not workout the way I used to, but I do move my body more and when I do - I just FEEL better.

So now I have the mindset that I want to feel better while I am on this earth & working out (even if it's just walking & stretching) is just a habit I need to have.

Remember how I talked about toxins in our food?.... Well, there are an incredile amount of toxins also in our cleaning supplies. These toxins can lead to autoimmune reactions and more. You can find companies with cleaner options or find DIY recipes. Just switch your products out slowly. Don't feel like you have to switch everything out at once.

I never knew that what you put on your skin gets absorbed into your bloodstream within 26 seconds. Unfortunately there are over 1300 chemicals in the majority of cosmetics that are hormone disruptors and inflammatory response ignitors, etc....

I have found incredible products that not only are SAFE, but perform really well. Getting great results with your haircare & skincare are a few things that will lead to more confidence. And that is always a good thing!

Having been through bankruptcy (again, another story for another day), I know the horrible feeling you get being in debt and owing more money than you make. Once you break free from those shackles and you feel the freedom of making more money than you owe - I am telling you - it's one of THE BEST FEELINGS EVER!

There are ways of doing this. You could live as cheaply as possible OR your could find a "side hustle" where you can earn extra income in the hours between your day job. This will help you to afford the life you dream of (or even just afford the life you have right now). Yes, I encourage you to also spend less money too which sounds horrible, but once you make this a habit & you see your spending account always has enough cushion in case of emergencies - you will be so much happier. Also, investing more instead of spending more on frivilous things will help you feel more in control of your finances which will help you to feel free & happy.

It is a feeling I cannot describe and if you need help figuring out which side hustle is right for you - let me know! I also have a financial advisor I could connect you with too. I want you to have financial freedom so you can build the life of your dreams & more importantly - ENJOY it too!

Do you ever feel like you can't say "No"? Like either you get "FOMO" or like you just feel guilty if you don't do everything for everyone?.... Then this is a Habit you definitely need to work on.

Rememebr - you CANNOT pour into others' cups if your pot is empty. Selfcare is not selfish - it is VITAL! And PRIORITIZING your TRUE priorities will help your pot stay full.

This means, you need to learn what things are OK to say "No" to. What things you can DELEGATE to others & also what things you can put off till another day. I am a procrastinator by nature (I am still wondering if I have ADHD to be honest!) - so I have the opposite issue. I am always trying to force myself to do things NOW instead of putting them off till later. Typically the hard things or the things I know will take extra time & energy are what I wait to do. Unfortunately those are typically the things that will get me to my goals and should be more of a priority for me.

I am a work in progress!

But I share this with you because, if you are like me - this is an area that needs attention and this is the encouragement (we both) need. Kind of like this blog post. It is something I have been wanting to write since I published my book over a year ago. And I say (with a smile on my face) "Better Late Than Never" - but what I know to be more true is the "Sooner the Better"!

One more thing I have learned... "Done is better than Perfect". Sometimes we get stuck in doing everything "perfect" which steals time & joy away from ourselves & those around us. It's ok to just finish a task fast & move on. You can always fix things later. If being perfect is robbing you of enjoying what REALLY matters in life (like time with your family & friends) - then this advice is meant for you!

Having more fun is something (as a mom) that I felt guilty about. But once I realized that life is too short and we are not promised tomorrow, I want to enjoy more of the moments I DO have. And so I try to not take everything so seriously and incporporate FUN more often than I did before! I do this in small and big ways. Small ways by instead of having such high expectations for people and experiences where I end up complaining and whining, I focus on the good things and let all the negative fall away.

Truth be told... It is harder to do this when you are surrounded by people with high expectations, who compare and complain and judge other people. So I am learning to not spend as much time with those kind of people. I realize I am better and less stressed and "judgy" when I am surrounded by happier, more positive & fun people. And that makes me happier & more fun to be around too!

They say "Your Vibe Attracts Your Tribe" - but I say "Your Vibe is INFLUCENCED by Your Tribe - so CHOOSE WISELY!"... Those you surround yourself with, matters!