Ways to Feel Beautiful

There are ways to boost your self-confidence & feel beautiful. It’s pretty tough to feel confident when there are other people, things or society constantly reminding you that you’re not good enough, pretty enough, rich enough, stylish enough, whatever enough. Here are some tips for feeling beautiful and  more confident.

Stand Tall

"Your brain is constantly checking in with the rest of your body to find out how you're feeling," says Kelly McGonigal, PhD, a health psychologist at Stanford University. "When your posture is erect, the message it gets is: I feel good about myself. " One study, published last year in the European Journal of Social Psychology , found that subjects who sat up straight in their chairs instead of slouching were more confident about statements they wrote. Keeping your shoulders back and chest open also makes you look taller, slimmer, and radiantly self-assured.

Smile

The more you laugh, the happier you’ll be, and the happier you are, the more happiness you’ll attract.  Misery loves company, but so does happiness.  You deserve to be happy for yourself, and you possess the power to get yourself there.

Laugh, a lot

Laughter is healing – even when tears are streaming down your eyes – laughter heals.  There’s someone in your life that can make you laugh while you’re crying.  If it’s not your mom/dad, brother/sister, or best friend – it can be your favorite comedian. You can watch comedy stand-up, silly TV shows, or actually go to comedy shows with friends. It’s a wonderful way to get yourself smiling.

Be an observer 

Don't issue good/bad/pretty/ugly judgments when you look in the mirror. "If you have a scar, you can decide to see it as a flaw or simply as a memory of an injury," says Stacey Tantleff-Dunn, PhD, associate professor of psychology at the University of Central Florida and director of the Laboratory for the Study of Eating, Appearance & Health. Try to take in your physical attributes the way you would those of a child or beloved friend—with appreciation and acceptance, not criticism.

Admire Yourself

"Studies using eye-tracking technology have shown that people who are unhappy with their appearance zero in on their perceived flaws when they look in the mirror," says Nancy Etcoff, PhD, director of the Program in Aesthetics and Well Being at Massachusetts General Hospital. Turn your gaze on the feature you like (we know you have at least one). "When your eyes take in something that pleases you, your brain's reward system is activated, lifting your whole mood," says Etcoff.

Put on a happy face

"We all find smiling faces more attractive than nonsmiling ones," says Paul Ekman, PhD, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, who has studied facial expression for several decades. A smile not only lifts the muscles around the eyes and lips, for a more youthful appearance, but also generates a feel-good ripple effect: Your brain gets an instant mood boost from the muscle contractions, and that boost is maintained as people smile back at you.

Breathe Deeply

Shallow breathing manifests itself as tension in your face, throat, even shoulders. On the other hand, when you take deep, slow breaths, you look and feel more at ease in your body. So take a second, enjoy the photo, and breathe.

Say "Thanks"

Stop deflecting praise about your appearance. Simply say "thank you" when someone compliments your thick hair or sparkling eyes. You—and your admirer—will feel better about the exchange, creating positive reinforcement that makes you both want to give and receive compliments more often.

Wear Color

You can wear, try, anything that makes you feel beautiful.It is absolutely amazing how much better I felt when I started putting effort into how I looked again – even if it were for one day. When you look good, you feel good. If your skin tone is warm (it looks yellow-orange next to a piece of white paper), choose royal blues; if your complexion is cool (it has a more pinkish cast), try icier blues or aquas. "It's universally considered a 'happy' color, and there's a shade that looks good on everyone," says fashion stylist Joe Lupo, coauthor of Life in Color. 

Choose friends wisely

Recent research shows that our social networks have a profound effect on our behaviors and attitudes—including how we perceive our appearance. "It's hard to feel good about your looks if you're surrounded by people who criticize their own," says Etcoff. "Spend time around people who are confident in their bodies, and you'll find yourself following suit." And if you don't already have a few gay men in your circle of friends, you might want to add some: A study published last year in the journal Body Image found that friendships with gay men can elevate women's body esteem.

keep a diary

You can try writing down what you’re grateful for.This practice has been suggested / recommended / shared by some of the world’s most successful people (and experts in self-love, happiness, etc.).  Writing down what you’re grateful for, will serve as reminders of how blessed we are, and shift our perspective to focusing on what we DO have, instead of constantly worrying about what we DON’T. Everyone is fighting a battle that you know nothing about.  Some of the ‘happiest’ people have problems in their lives that you would never expect them to be dealing with.So, what are you grateful for?  Write these things down, as often as you can, and watch how it changes your perspective and your outlook on life.  If anything, it’s an excuse to go buy a cute notebook.