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Your Body is Always Beach Ready

There’s always talk at this sunny time of year concerning getting beach ready and obtaining that ‘perfect’ beach body. But the concept of ‘perfect’ is finally changing. It has traditionally only involved women looking slim, toned, tanned, and perfectly proportioned, but is that really the dream for us all? Sure, there is nothing wrong with being slim and toned, but some of us have curves, and some of us have different shapes, *big bum and teeny boobs anyone? Yup* and in truth we should embrace the body we have, however it looks. So if you find yourself feeling a little angsty or pressured about the whole beach body thang, you don’t need to change a thing or cover anything up, your body is yours and it looks damn fine just as it is.

What you think is what you feel – What you think about in your thoughts becomes what you believe and ultimately it undoubtedly has an impact on your behaviour and how you feel? Trust me, I spent years being way too self conscious and hating on myself, negative feelings about ourselves can be very loud, to the point where you only see what you perceive to be flaws, and that is a waste of precious time. If you turn this around and build a positive outlook on yourself then you’ll start to notice the amazing things about you, and that makes a huge impact on how you feel; partly because you start to see yourself in a more loving way and partly because you start giving less of a fuff about what others think. People are mostly too pre-occupied with their own stuff to be judging you anyway, so please don’t go judging yourself!

What lies beneath can dramatically change your look – Yes, a focus on what you wear can really help to boost your confidence and make you feel great about your look, but, could you be doing more to enhance the clothes that you wear? The undies you choose to wear each day can change the way a top or dress fits and it all ties in with your confidence. Brands like ultimo can make a big difference to your body shape with bras that fit and underwear that enhances your figure, whether you want vpl free knickers or ones to enhance ya peachy bum. 

Dressing to your body shape and skin tone – If you are happy in your own skin and don’t feel the pressure to conform to society *phew for you* then you may want to focus on dressing for the body shape you have. Sometimes we might love a particular top or dress but, if the cut won’t suit our body shape then it can do the opposite of making us feel good; something which clings on the hips is a nope for me! A quick look online will help identify your body shape and the type of clothing that’ll suit you, once you know what cuts are the best for your body, you have a timeless recipe for successful style! 

A bright lip can give you all the confidence – Sometimes, if you do just one thing then make sure you do something that can instantly boost your confidence. For some that can be a slick of a bold lip colour as you leave the door. It might be different for you, I like a pop of blush on my cheeks to make me look rosy, but find what gives you that boost and use it Sista!

Mostly, be brave and own your beach body, because, with a smacking of true confidence, you will look absolutely A W E S O M E.

 

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Taking Care of Me

I’m one of those gals who believes that taking care of your own well-being should be a pretty high priority. I haven’t always been good at looking after myself but as I get older – and a little bit wiser  – I choose to be nice to myself as if I were my own best friend, and that includes learning to realize when I need a little help. Whether it’s help with something practical, or acknowledging that I need to take some medication when I’m feeling really bad with a headache, I’m getting much better at accepting help. I used to plough on and push through headaches in fear of letting anyone down, or, if I took a break to sleep it off I’d get wracked with guilt over taking time out. I get thunderous migraines, I always have. Ones which render me useless for work, dizzy and despairing. I get lots of milder tension headaches too, and often with those I can tune into my body and notice that I need to breathe deep, do some yoga and H Y D R AT E, which most often moves a tension headache on. But when I’m floored by a migraine, those horrible ones that leave you feeling sick and shying away from bright lights, oh man, those ones are so hard to ignore. It used to be that you had to summon the energy to get down to your doctors to get a prescription for something strong enough, but I’m really pleased that I found the perfect prescription strength migraine medication Sumatriptan, which I buy online at The Independent Pharmacy. It’s the only thing that packs a punch when it comes to my migraines and I make sure I have some in my medicine drawer for when one hits, and dang do they hit hard! It makes sense in its science; it effectively stimulates serotonin receptors in the brain, which cause the muscles surrounding the blood vessels in the brain to contract, and ta-daaah, I feel better in pretty much half an hour, which means I can carry on with work, or play, if it’s a day off! I like to use traditional remedies as often as I can and I have learnt that a lot of physical pains are due to me rushing around being stressed and not taking on enough water, but, migraines are in a different league and Sumatriptan means I don’t have to surrender to the symptoms. Looking after you is so important, and sometimes we all need a little help. Shiatsu, Yoga, a nice clean diet, and listening to my body are what helps me, as well as knowing what medicines can get me back to my best when I really need them. Keep a stash of your favourite relaxing bath salts on standby, keep your yoga mat within easy reach at home, and pay attention to when you need to tend to yourself; it’s not selfish, it’s self care.

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Adventure Accomplished

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Close your eyes and jump! I said to myself as I hit the *Book Now* button on a 10-day solo trip to Bali. I wanted my very own adventure, just for me. I wanted to become my own best friend and learn to rely on myself, but I was also kinda terrified. New territory, new terrain, somewhere as far away as possible where all I recognised was the skin on the back of my hands. A self-proposed challenge, I faced it fuelled by a whole heap of anxiety and anticipation. I wanted to do this to grow. I had to.

Bali, well, it bloomin’ embraced me. New sights, sounds and smells surrounded me so densely that I didn’t have a chance to feel alone. Engulfed by new experiences, my eagerness to explore replaced the doubts which had dominated, my senses were too preoccupied with pleasure. I based myself in Ubud, a haven of Hindu traditions. Green, green rice fields, temples and streets strewn with the prettiest Canang Sari; twice daily handmade flowery offerings to the gods, thanking them for peace. Such a calm pace of life I could hardly even contemplate for life back home, their dedication to devotion defied my usually busy life. This calmness was the coolest feeling I have ever had.
image-5Walking the patchy pavements avoiding holes and uneven surfaces, I felt I was forever stepping carefully over these sweet scattered offerings, so many that the streets looked like they’d been littered with Party Poppers, explosions of cute colour at my feet. Scooters swarmed like mosquitoes, injecting a rush of activity, Mothers straddling bikes, no helmets, with children held on laps, trusting their own way of life. Markets had a super stench in the heat. Leather, spice and sweat coupled with constant calls to buy, all stimulating my senses to the point where, I could not stop smiling.

I visited a Hindu healer, with no idea what it would hold. After him repeatedly banging hard on my head and pushing his thumbs so forcefully into my closed eyes that I wondered if it was a joke, he told me, I had to be my own hero.

As I spent my last evening watching the sunset at Tanah Lot, I took it all in, every single bit of it. I’d had monkeys on my head, eaten fruits I’d never heard of, shared a bedroom with lizards and lingered with locals. I had done this, I had navigated my own adventure. Faraway from anyone I knew, I felt an intrepid confidence blooming. Teaming tour groups around me, selfie sticks obstructing the view, and with a somewhat hands-on tour guide trying to sit too close, I caught on to just how far I’d come. I realised right there, I already was my own hero.

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Finishing School Advice The Women Of The Past Lived By

For the most part, finishing school is now considered a pretty outdated concept. Of course, there are still finishing schools situated across the UK and the wider world, but only the socially elite attend them. But, if you were to travel back in time 60 years, you’d find that the majority of women go on to attend finishing school after their formal education has been completed, wow!

The concept of finishing school is simple: to teach women how to be polite, well mannered, and socially accepted members of society. Back in the 1940’s and 1950’s, if you didn’t know the importance of picking up a champagne glass from the bottom of the stem and offering desserts from the left, you were considered unforgivably rude and uneducated. Today, luckily, such customs are no longer considered to be important, phew! Just because finishing schools aren’t a popular concept in 2017, that doesn’t mean that we can’t learn some things from them though. You see, the things that they taught, were things that the women of the past lived by – it wasn’t just about being a good wife (that was part of it though if you can believe it!) but also about being the best (and happiest) that you could be, ace! It sounds like we could learn a lot from the tips that the women of the past were taught in finishing school and lived by. So, here are some of the tips of social etiquette that the women from the 40’s and 50’s lived by….

Tip 1: Always look your best

One of the first things that women were taught in finishing school was to always look their best. According to a finishing school handbook this meant ensuring that their hair was neatly styled, their nails were perfectly manicured, their makeup was beautifully applied, and their outfit – day or night – was picture-perfect. Looking their best was to do with social etiquette. Part of the concept of always looking their best was about feeling confident in their appearance, as a confident woman is a happy woman, right? We might have mastered looking our best during the day with pretty hairstyles, gel manicures, and smart, stylish clothing, but what about at night? Far too many of us simple pop on an oversized t-shirt and get into bed – it might be comfy but does it make you feel good? To feel good in what you wear to bed, something pretty, like a neglige from the Vanilla night and day range, could be perfect. It’s not about looking good for anyone else; it’s about being happy in yourself and feeling good about what you’re wearing.

Tip 2: Don’t slump

For the women of the past, good posture was seen as being the key to charm, beauty and social success. Look back at old photos of women from this time period, and you will see that in each and every photo, people stand tall with their head held high. Walking along with a straight spine, squared shoulders, and your head held high gives you confidence. Don’t look down when you walk, keep your head held high – you will look better for it, as well as feeling more confident. Posture isn’t just important when walking; it’s also crucial when standing still. Instead of popping a hand on your hip and bending one knee, stand straight with your shoulders back and head held high, and place one foot slightly in front of the other. Finishing school also taught women that they looked more attractive when sitting gracefully – another thing that we can learn from today. When sat, whether at home, while out for dinner, or at a social event, always sit with a straight back, your shoulders held high and your head up, it’ll male you feel more positive and alert, and it’ll help ease backache too!

Rule 3: The E’s of beauty

The three E’s of beauty are things that women of the past swore by when it came to looking and feeling good throughout life.

Early to bed: By getting a good night’s sleep, your entire body is happier and healthier, including your skin. When you don’t sleep well, it’s visible on your face, so getting a good night’s sleep every night is pretty important.

Eat well: Eating well means eating for beauty. This means avoiding processed sugar as much as possible as processed sugar is bad for the skin and your waistline. It means eating clean, wholesome foods and drinking plenty of water.

Exercise regularly: Exercising regularly is important not only for your waistline but also for your mind – a woman who exercises regularly tends to be happier and less stressed than a woman who doesn’t. I do Yoga every day and it helps me enormously.
So, there you have it, a guide to the advice that the women of the past learned at finishing school and lived by! The overall idea of finishing schools is an old fashioned one but, we can take the best tips into our modern lives to feel better and more like we are being our best selves. How wonderful.

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