So here I am, sitting at my kitchen counter. I do a lot of my thinking here. And writing. It’s, quite literally, this solid little island in the midst of my home life. I remember sitting here last year, launching this website and thinking Big Thoughts about who I wanted to reach and what I wanted to achieve. I wrote personal pieces here while waiting for a pot to boil, I tested some excellent nail polish here in between meals. I interviewed some inspiring women from my cell phone here. And I stared out the window a lot. Wondering who was reading and who cared. I questioned what I cared about and struggled to define myself as a writer and a mother in a cyberspace that, as a creative person first and business person a distant second, has proven challenging for me to navigate.
Then I had a pivotal conversation with one of my good friends a few weeks ago, best-selling author, nutritionist and holistic life coach, Esther Blum. I was feeling unsure about what I wanted to write about and at a loss for time to devote to BeautyMama. (If anything, for me, 2015 turned out to be the most demanding year of “motherhood” yet.) Esther so artfully asked me the right questions and brought my mission back into focus: to help mothers tap into their beauty, inside and out.
With that in mind, here are my five beauty resolutions for 2016. Let me know if you might add them to your list, too.
DO: The one thing that makes you feel great everyday. And I’m being totally superficial here. Wear your best lipstick. Don’t save that expensive face cream. You don’t have to spend meaningful time in front of the mirror to feel like you’ve invested in yourself. I know one mom who wears a bright red lip to early morning school drop-off —with her sweatpants. And she gives off this great energy. It doesn’t have to makeup if that’s not your thing: upgrade your ponytail holder, wear a vibrant scarf. I’ll freely admit that I hide behind sunglasses in the morning. Expensive, designer sunglasses I invested in because I feel great wearing them no matter what’s going on underneath.
INVEST: Time in yourself. Devise a quality beauty routine and stick to it. Every morning and every night. I promise, you’ll see the returns. It takes less than ten minutes. If you need some direction, just reach out. I’m happy to help. If you want to go a step further, book your hair color and cuts, waxes, etc, in advance. I have run into too many women with two-inch roots, walking around in a slump because of it. Prioritize yourself.
EAT: Foods that make you feel and look your best. Here is a great starter guide just for your skin. The most expensive creams and lasers can’t undo a diet that isn’t serving you. Drink more water than you think you should. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Wild salmon, coconut oil, foods rich in vitamin C. And cut the sugar. This is going to be numero uno for me. The other day, after a night of eating too much chocolate, I woke up with what I think is commonly referred to as “carb face” and I saw the light.
THINK: About what you like about yourself. Everyday. One thing. Show some gratitude. I whole heartedly believe in the idea that your thoughts define you. Especially the incessant ones. I’m pretty guilty of this. I start putting on makeup and my mission is is to cover up flaws and create illusions. I wish my hair was easier, my pores smaller. That dialogue needs to change and I know it. It doesn’t even have to be said out loud or written down. Here, I’ll start first: I really like my “beauty” marks. (It took me years to get to this point, by the way.)
GIVE: Compliments. The gift of a good word can change a person’s whole day or outlook. I feel like women eye each other with envy more than admiration. And I’m not just talking about beauty and style. Compliment children when they show kindness and creativity. There are compliments that literally changed my life when I was younger. Being told I was a good writer made me think of myself as a writer. When a beautiful woman told me I was unique looking, it made me look at myself differently, in the best way possible. But I don’t mean to totally digress here, absolutely tell your friends when they look great. Don’t hold back.
Wishing you a 2016 full of all the kinds of beauty.
Michele xo
