5 Ways I Remind Myself I’m Beautiful Every Day
“The BIC® Soleil® Make Your Own Sun® campaign is all about finding the bright side in any situation, which is what I learned on my journey of learning to love who I am.”
Beauty is only skin deep.
I made a conscious decision to Make My Own Sun by joining #teamnomakeup at a young age which meant fully embracing my imperfections. It is a practice I still uphold to this day. I own the flaws I have as essential parts of me and reinforce the uncoventional by saying I'm beautiful. I’ve always looked at myself in the mirror and said, “You’re beautiful” because I always knew I was. It might have taken a few years to get to that undeniable self-assured "I'm beautiful", but I got there, I loved it, and so I stay, support, and repeat. But even with all that practice, confidence, and self-assuredness, I definitely do have my moments (and days) where I feel inadequate and have my doubts. I force myself to see the bright side of my beauty, and bring the beauty within to the surface by reigniting my happy.
[Tweet "Bring the beauty that you have within to the surface by embracing your happy."]
Here are 5 ways I remind myself that I’m beautiful every day:
I listen to my favorite songs.
Music in general is a vessel for emotions. If you want to cry, there is music for that. If you want to be angry, there is music for that. If you want to be happy and dance until the end of time, there is definitely music for that. I think that is why it is such a universally loved art form. There is something exhilarating, refreshing, and carefree about rocking out to your favorite tunes.
When I am radiating joy and busting out some dance moves to my favorite divas, I am reminded that I’m beautiful.
I pamper myself.
This is a go-to for most people, but it’s true what they say: When you look good, you feel good. I can’t tell you how many times a bad day started with not feeling the way my afro turned out or not liking the top I paired with my pencil skirt. Pampering can be factored into your day-to-day in different ways. Set aside a Sunday and dedicate it to getting your nails done, doing your hair, or giving yourself a facial. I like taking long showers, indulging myself in the hot steam, washing my face underneath the running water as I listen to music, exfoliating my skin with my favorite coffee scrub, and spending a little extra time getting those flawlessly smooth legs. A little more “me” time in the shower leaves me feeling extra confident all day long.
When I unwind and dial down from my day or dial up to start my day, I am reminded of how beautiful I am.
I honor my body.
I like to do something physical at some point during my day. It helps me stay in tune with my body and is my way of taking care of it and my health. I do my best to drink 2-3 liters of water per day and try to eat as many fruits and veggies as possible. If I do junk, I try to do so sparingly and find that there is a difference in how I feel, how clear my skin is, and how much I glow when I am doing what I can to support my health.
When I am healthy, I am reminded of how beautiful I am.
I honor my spirit.
Whether I decide to pick up a book on self-help or poetry, I do what I can to fulfill my spiritual needs. I prefer to do this through reading because of how deeply connected I am with it by way of my passions. I also pray throughout the day, give thanks, and try to update my #anotetoself meditation journal every morning to start my day on a positive note. To reinforce that, I also meditate while holding my citrine healing stones that are known for their properties of cultivating abundance and prosperity.
When I am centered, I am reminded of my beauty.
I remind myself through telling myself.
I give myself words and mantras that echo the encouragement that I try to give myself physically. Whether it means telling myself “You’re beautiful” or “Damn, I look good!”, the intent is all about reaffirming that I am the key to any validation I might feel I could possibly be needing. It might not even mean me saying it aloud, it could just be me lingering in the mirror as I rub almond oil onto my face in the morning. My eyes are glued to the shape of my lips, my nose, my eyes – and I think to myself, “Yes.”
When I empower myself, I am reminded that I’m beautiful.
[Tweet "I am the key to any validation I might feel I could possibly be needing."]
Contrary to popular belief, I don’t wake up like this. It takes a village to raise a Queen. And for me, that means constantly doing things that reinforce the kind of beauty I wish to reflect and embody.
What are ways you remind yourself of your beauty daily? Share your self-care rituals and how you find the bright side with me below!
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Why You Should Implement The Closing Shift Cleaning Hack Into Your Daily Routine
A new cleaning hack could allow you to do away with Saturday cleaning altogether because your house is already tidy. Closing shift cleaning is a viral trend originally named by influencer Clara Pierce, who shared with her followers how she keeps her apartment clean and how that leads to productivity and a better overall experience in her apartment daily.
"Whenever I'm really trying to set myself up for success for the next day, I close up my apartment like I'm closing a shift at work. Sometimes, the closing shift involves cleaning my entire apartment, and other times, it involves cleaning it 10% to make sure that it's better for the next day," Pierce shared with her followers.
The Closing Shift Cleaning Hack
@clararpeirce goodnight 😴🫶🏼 #closingshift #closingshiftcleaning #nightroutine
The closing shift video has garnered over 3.8 million views, and the hashtag #closingshiftcleaning now has over 71.3 million views, proving that TikTok users are benefiting from this cleaning trend. Now that we've entered the spring equinox, I applied this trend to my own home and discovered that spending an hour tidying my home daily versus having days where I clean for hours was far more productive.
The day-to-day ways that your home can become messy with dirty dishes, clothes, boxes from packages, etc., can easily create an environment that isn't conducive to rest. My home is my sanctuary, and with a busy schedule, making time on the weekends for one big clean wasn't giving me the experience that I needed in my home.
But taking the time every night before I went to bed to clean allowed me to wake up in an environment that not only looks good but feels good for my space and my mind. It also helped me to develop a routine to clean my dog's food and drink bowls nightly so that he was also benefiting from the closing shift routine, as the FDA recommends washing pet food bowls and utensils "after each use" and cleaning water bowls daily.
Decluttering experts such as Rebekah of Organize for Love have shared similar organization skills across social media platforms and through their offerings for those looking to organize their homes and lives. In this Instagram post, she discusses the importance of scheduled decluttering as well as having a routine to clean.
Have you tried the closing shift cleaning hack for your daily routine, or are you team "get somebody else to do it" with a weekly housekeeper? Please sound off in the comments, and let's get to cleaning.
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Featured image by Rockaa/Getty Images