Six Surprising Ways to Improve Your Inner Confidence and Your Outer Glow 

We all know instinctively that we’re at our best when we not only feel physically healthy, but emotionally stable as well. But how do we get to that elusive place? What can we do, to look good and feel good, both at the same time? In the end, the answer lies in us taking a holistic approach, nurturing our minds and our bodies in concert. 

Here’s six surprising ways we can foster both our inner confidence and our outer glow…

Meditate

For Inner Confidence – Clinical studies have shown that meditation makes us smarter, especially when it comes to better processing ideas and feelings. It also reduces stress levels, boosts our immune system, decreases anxiety and depression, and makes us happier. If you’re looking for a boost to your confidence, this is quite a list!

For That Outer Glow – Keeping our stress levels under control and our immune system in balance has a direct correlation to the health of our skin. Add in the fact that meditation has also been proven to assist with aging (it helps keep our telomeres longer, which is super-important if we want to age well) then we can see why meditation is such an important practice, keeping us looking good, inside and out.

Lift Weights

For Inner Confidence – When it comes to exercises which have a positive impact on our physical and mental wellbeing, lifting weights is too often overlooked. Not only is it the number one activity you can undertake to maintain good bone structure and bone density (so important for aging well), studies have shown it can help you deal with depression, improve your heart health, and get a better night’s sleep. Beyond that, regular weightlifting also boosts levels of mood-improving endorphins and – ultimately – your levels of resilience and self-confidence. 

For That Outer Glow – Regular weight training will almost certainly improve your fitness levels and – in many cases – will help replace fat with muscle. You’ll not only look better for it, you’ll feel better too. 

Be Mindful

For Inner Confidence – The process of focusing our awareness on the present moment - paying attention to our thoughts, feelings, and immediate environment - can deliver amazing psychological benefits. Among other things, a mindful attitude helps us to regulate our emotions, fight depression, reduce anxiety and stress, improve our memory and focus, and build better relationships. 

For That Outer Glow – Because it helps improve our mood and combat stress, mindfulness can also lead to better physical health. Its practice has been linked to improvements in immune function, back pain, arthritis, Type 2 diabetes, blood pressure, and psoriasis. Oh, and when you’re truly present in the company of someone else, listening and engaging with them? That’s when you’re at your very best.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

For Inner Confidence – We’ve discussed in previous articles why sleep is so vital for our health, but it’s not generally recognized that it can lift our happiness and self-confidence too. Primarily, this is because a good night’s sleep improves our energy levels, helping us wake up well-rested, and in a positive frame of mind (conversely, inadequate sleep, for prolonged periods, leaves us susceptible to mental distress, and even depression). Quality sleep also helps us make new neural connections, improving our cognitive abilities, at the same time as it decreases stress levels.

For That Outer Glow – A good night’s sleep not only improves our immune system, it has proven benefits for our skin. We all know, for example, that inadequate sleep can lead to unwanted dark circles under our eyes, but did you know that it also leads to dehydration? That’s the finding of recent research in the US, which shows that people who get less than 8 hours sleep a day are less hydrated than individuals who do. Inevitably, this has a flow-on effect, leading to decreased skin elasticity and faster aging.

Give and Receive Compliments, Openly and Willingly

For Inner Confidence – Receiving compliments is not something we do well in Western culture. We tend to deflect them, rather than receive them whole-heartedly, and it costs both us and the person delivering the compliment. If we open ourselves up to the possibility that we are worth something – that it’s okay to praise and be praised in turn - then the sky's the limit, both for our levels of our self-belief, and our self-confidence.

For That Outer Glow – Nothing is sexier than a person who believes in themselves and others, and who possesses the confidence and maturity to share their love. Nothing.

Follow a Thoughtful, Conscientious Beauty Routine

For Inner Confidence – These days, beauty isn’t simply about the way we present ourselves (although that remains part of the equation!), it’s also about doing the right thing in a wider context, caring for our wellbeing and our planet. A great starting point is to use natural beauty products that are consciously aligned with your beliefs. The very knowledge that your beauty routine is good both for you and the environment will offer a sense of peace, allowing you to bask in the self-confidence that comes from loving yourself and looking good!

For That Outer Glow – This is a given, right? A conscientious beauty routine using natural beauty products that hydrate and soften your skin, that promote collagen synthesis and elasticity, that protect against environmental aggressors, and that help you age gracefully… if that doesn’t get your glow on, nothing will!

This blog post was written for educational purposes only. It is not designed to diagnose, treat or cure. For individual health concerns World Organics recommends that you consult with a relevant health professional.