101 Free Ways to be Beautiful - #2 Smile

We've all heard it.  

Smile, and the world smiles with you.

It takes seventeen muscles to smile and forty-three to frown.

A smile is just a frown upside down.

There are so many ways smiling makes us beautiful.  I mean, come on, how many times have you heard "Oh, she has such a beautiful scowl".  I know it's difficult at times but if you practice, and give yourself permission to smile more, even if you don't feel like it, you'll be amazed at the changes that will happen in your life.

People like people who smile.

It's that simple.  When you meet someone who smiles at you, it sends a message of friendship and safety.  It's positive, inspiring communication without saying a word!  When you smile at someone, especially in today's society, it could be just the thing that turns their day around.  What's not beautiful about that?

Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing. ~ Mother Theresa

Smiling brightens your face.

 

Seriously, people seem to have a brighter light to them when they're smiling.  A happy glow.  It works from the inside out. It increases beta endorphines and lowers stress, worry and tension levels. It's good for your health and healthy people are more attractive.

I have never seen a smiling face that was not beautiful. 

~Anonymous

Smiling can make you more successful.

It increases energy, motivation and drive by increasing positive energy and can make you more popular.  Who wants to hang around the grouch with the slouch?  It's also habit forming so over time the little acts of positive energy will multiply and magnify.  Smiling reduces negativity and puts it on hold for a while.  It helps put you in a positive state and in that state you have more power and potential to shine.  There's a reason that almost all advertising photos have people with big smiles.  A smile is the universal language of good things.

Beauty is power; a smile is its sword. 

~Charles Reade

So.  What are you waiting for?  It's free.  It's beautiful. It's contagious.  It can change the world.  And it's one habit that's good for you.  It's the first step to feeling better and better.  When you feel better, you look better.... 

“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile,

 but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”
~Thich Nhat Hanh

101 Free Ways to be Beautiful - #1 Stand up Straight

Don't roll your eyes at me!  Your mother was on to something!

Proper posture does so much for us.  First of all it allows our energy, blood and lymph to circulate properly which in turn will keep you healthier.  It helps keep bones aligned properly preventing all kinds of inconvenient and even debilitating situations.  I for one, find that quite attractive.

More to the point though, try this little exercise (I'm sure you've done it before).  

Stand up.  

Take note of your natural posture.  Now go to a mirror.  Resist the urge to modify your posture.  We all have a natural tendency to stand up straight when we're in front of the mirror, but is that really what we look like when not faced with our image?  Be honest.  Stand there with the honest, natural posture you assume throughout most of your day.  If you find that difficult, catch yourself off guard during the day, focus on the posture in the middle of doing something and try to keep that posture as you get to the mirror.  

Next, stand up straight.

  The best tip I can give you for standing up straight is keep your chin down.  When you chin is level with the floor it's more difficult to round your back and shoulders and you automatically stand up straighter, your tummy comes in.  Your core supports you more when your neck and spine are aligned. They were on to something with that whole, carrying a book on your head thing.

Standing up straight is going to go a long way to presenting an air of confidence and strength.  Self assurance, grace and pride.  Not to mention everything looks better.  You can buy the most expensive clothes but if they're hanging off of a lumpy sofa, they're not going to have a chance.

I will not lie to you.  This might be free but it's not easy.  Especially if you've developed poor posture over the years. But be aware, be committed, see the difference and stick to it.  Eventually you will simply train your body to stand differently.

Chin Chest Belly Boots 

There are all kinds of other tricks for changing posture.

Pretend there is a string tied to the bottom of your feet that follows up your spine and out the top of your head.  Imagine always keeping that string straight, like you're being pulled up by that string from the top of your head.

Chest out, belly in.  Especially for the women.  While keeping your chin level to the ground, be proud and lift your chest.  Don't just stick it out but really lift, like you want to make sure the top of your breasts are always pointed towards the sky rather than forward. (This is a little exaggeration of course, but the visual will help you get the posture right).  When you do that.. whoops!  What just happened?  Your belly came in!  Chin, chest, belly... now for the boots.

Keep your weight evenly distributed between the two feet, flat on the ground, feet under shoulders.  Remember we want everything to line up.

Something that will really help you is exercise. Why you will exercise is a whole other topic.  But, in terms of posture, working on core muscles through yoga, pilates, swimming, push ups, plank: all will help make good posture easier.

If you've already developed poor posture that is impairing your movement or hurting you, I highly recommend seeing a therapist.  My choice is a massage therapist trained in Active Release Therapy.  In a short time you should see results and if you therapist is worth their salt, they'll give you great exercises to do at home.  My therapist's belief is that if he hasn't gotten you well on your way in 3 sessions, he probably won't be the best to help you and will refer you.... that's the kind of person you're looking for.  In January 2010 I had such severe pain in my legs I couldn't walk more than 10 minutes without having pain for 3 days.  In September 2011 I ran a half-marathon and never looked back.

Check out this great video with Ms. Ratherly Stern!  She puts it all together.

So, remember.  People keep looking at you once you've stopped looking at you.  Want to put your Best Face Forward?  Practice standing up straight and feel the change in your energy.  Feel the change in confidence and ...

Be Beautiful!

Do you have any tricks that have helped you modify your posture?  Let others know!  Leave a comment.

101 Free Ways to be Beautiful

You've heard it over and over again, beauty is more than skin deep.  I agree. Free Beauty 101 articles are 101 free ways to be beautiful.  Ideas, tips and tricks that are free and work to add that 'je ne sais quoi' to your energy, your influence, your confidence and contribute to you becoming an overall beautiful person.

When I was young we had periods where we did not have any money.  I vividly remember my mother stressing that being poor was no excuse to go out looking poor.  You can always brush your hair and straighten the clothes you have, stand up straight etc.  These are lessons I've learned to live a beautifully abundant life despite the amount in the bank account.

But remember: because beauty is in the eye of the beholder... the biggest thing you will need to do is to always be true to what you believe to be beautiful, no matter what I say.  

Take what you need and leave the rest.

But always, be beautiful!

Be well,

Bonnie