Last week I wrote about the top ten beauty essentials from a practical point of view. These physical treatments and routines are useless without a level of inner well-being. Nothing makes us look and feel more beautiful, more womanly and more desirable than a positive and happy outlook on life. True beauty is never exclusively about appearance or material goods…I think we all know and appreciate that…but knowing something and finding our way is not always one and the same. How is it that some woman manage to achieve a level of beauty that transcends the physical? There are certain attributes to admire and to strive for and if we manage to incorporate some of these in our daily lives then we are well on the way to finding our hidden beauty.
Number 1…Caring
The person that cares about others radiates beauty. Loyalty, compassion, interest, patience and time are invaluable ways to show that we are not purely self-seeking and self-interested. Taking the time to maintain our friendships is an easy neglect. How often do we have all the best intentions but fail on the follow through? Communication is the key to relationships and relationships are the key to our intellectual, spiritual and emotional happiness.
Number 2…Contentment
If there was one virtue that I would like to conquer it would be contentment. To be contented with ourselves is paramount in our quest for beauty. Every year my resolution is to be more accepting of myself, of others…bury judgement and criticism… no one is perfect and least of all ourselves.
Number 3…Happiness
A happy woman is a beautiful woman. A smile instead of a frown brightens the face and engages others. Happy people are contagious, we all want to bask in their light, benefit from their personality. Happiness can sometimes be elusive and sometimes we forget how to be happy…..Happiness requires work, it’s not a given and it should never be taken for granted.
Number 4…Self-Confidence
The really big one. A self-confident woman is the most attractive of all. This is where the French girls have it all over us, they radiate self-confidence and even if underneath they may not be as robust as they appear, self-confidence, begets self-confidence. Confidence and the exuding of it is a cycle and sometimes a viscous one; the less confident we appear, the less confident we become. Confidence is about security; a lack of self-confidence is about insecurity. Break that cycle and beauty is in the palm of our hands.
Number 5…Laughter
Is there anything more lovely than hearing laughter? Is there anything better that a good laugh? Giggles, hoots, weak at the knees, side splitting, bellyaching laughs are as rejuvenating as any spa treatment. Even medical researchers have found beneficial links between good health and laughter.
Number 6…Learning
Learning should never stop…it’s not a privilege of the young nor a badge of the old. Learning should happen on a daily basis… we should be inquisitive and exercise our brains and challenge our minds. The subject matter of what we learn is less important than fostering our curiosity. Learning means we are active contributors in our lives and the lives of others and that promotes better communications, stronger friendships and greater self-confidence.
Number 7…Flexibility
Mental flexibility is as equally important as physical flexibility. Change – making it and facing it – is a positive. To embrace change is empowering, to be frightened means our lives remain static….we are the losers. Change enriches our lives, keeps our thinking young and our minds stimulated…A joie de vivre is nothing less than beautiful.
Number 8…Generosity
Generosity means giving selflessly and from the heart…not giving to reap our own rewards. Generosity in every part of our lives means being intuitive, simpatico and sensitive to the needs of others. Easier said than done..Like a moth to a flame, a generous soul is the most tantalising.
Number 9…Communication
Talk, share and connect with others. No talking means a lack of understanding and that is when misconceptions, doubts and insecurities arise. Communication is a two sided coin…to talk means to listen and there is nothing as irresistible as a good listener.
Number 10…Centred
To find our inner well-being, our equilibrium, our centre… is to amalgamate all of the above. A calm and centred woman is a graceful woman.
If we manage to practice all or any of these qualities then our good fortune will be a guaranteed success….add in a few French wardrobe basics, a couple of extra extravagances, an essential treatment or two and our beauty will know no bounds…
Note to self…read what you write…and start working….xv
image – vicki archer
