I’ll admit it – I place a huge value in feeling beautiful. Feeling beautiful, *to me*,  is a strong fuel for my life. Yet,  it’s not exactly how it sounds, or how you immediately imagine this to be (read on). Although I don’t constantly put these into play in my life, when I do give them some priority, life feels rich and everything in it seems to improve. It’s one important way of filling your cup – letting the overflow to the saucer be the energy and bandwidth available to give to others in healthy ways.

My personal connection to beauty might not fit yours. And it shouldn’t. Mine is unique to me,  just as yours is unique to you.  (And after reading this post, I encourage you to list out 10 or 20 ways you can feel connected to your beauty, to help you clarify yours).

Feeling beautiful takes all kinds of  forms. It’s not formulaic, and yet I’m sure some of the ways that I’ve (we’ve) come to feel beautiful plug into society’s demand and definition for women to be beautiful – our cultural archetype of beauty. I notice though, that the wiser I become, the more I realize that buying into other’s approval just dilutes my own joy…and sense of feeling beautiful.  It’s a process of culling and refining my own value of beauty, my own requirements, and leaving those that don’t bring me the connection that I know I need to feel, and benefit so much from feeling.

When you step into your own ways of feeling beautiful, whatever they are, it not only connects you and empowers you, but others can feel it. It’s an elixir in attraction, although this is not about doing anything for anyone else’s benefit. It just so happens that the byproduct is increasing your magnetism and attraction.  Nice, huh? ;-)

I began this post this morning, and then had to leave it for other work.  Later today I happened to be listening to a spiritual-based radio show where beauty was defined (don’t you love synchronicity?)  as,’The revelation of one’s grace.’  Which means the revelation of what’s inside. Your essence. Honoring who you are, without apology. I loved this – it is what I have struggled languaging -  and realized that hearing this was a sign for me to complete this post!

The more I invest in valuing the things that connect me to my own sense of beauty, the more whole and complete I feel, and in turn, the better person I am to others.  In our busy lives, it’s easy to ignore our own needs – especially on this topic –  and simply plug into what other’s value.  Over time, we can become as empty as some of the ‘stuff’ or ‘trends’ that we often see dictating ‘beauty’ and how to feel beautiful.

To give yourself a beauty boost – especially if you’re feeling lonely and desiring a love in your life, list out some ways that you connect to your own beauty. Then, decide that you will do one of them each day for one week.  See how you feel at the end of the week – I guarantee that you will have experienced a big shift.

Here are some ways that I connect to feeling beautiful within myself to help you along with your own list:

Lying or walking on a beach, feeling the sand beneath my feet, listening to the ocean

Having a meal of kale & seaweed salad from the Whole Foods salad bar (yum)

Moving my body to music on the elliptical at the gym, or dancing around my apartment, and working up a sweat

Communicating what’s absolutely true for me, without censoring to take care of the other person

A professional blow-out

Doing good & meaningful work: inspiring others – improving life experiences – whether in my work or volunteering

A great outfit when I am needing a great outfit

Earning an income that supports, nourishes and empowers me

Wearing jewelry & color that speaks to me & inspires me

Playing good music in my office, appartment, car , Ipod

A hot bath, bubbles – or – a baking soda & espsom salt clearing bath

Sending unexpected thoughtful notes, texts and cards to people that I love and appreciate

Petting animals, playing with kids.

To your beauty,

Leslie

www.BeLoveSavvy.com

Dear Savvy Lady,

I had great response from my Ezine over the weekend on what’s Out/In both with our own self, in in the wonder-land of dating and relating!   If you’re not getting my Ezine, be sure to sign up for the free subscription at http://BeLoveSavvy.com !

One savvy lady told me she had just cut her hair off (lots of it!) the day before the issue came out, and had so much fun noticing how she was showing up differently at a party that very night.  She said the short new ‘do gave her an instant injection of sass and playfulness.  How fun!  The best thing, she said, was she knew that once she outgrew this style, she could change it again.  Hair does grow- right along with us. ;-)

 A friend of mine and very savvy Stylist (multiple books & a stint on Oprah are under her belt!) offered to be a guest on an upcoming tele-class of mine.  I can’t wait to ‘play’ with her on the call.  We’ll blend savvy style how-to’s relative to this topic of changing our outer-selves to align with our inner-UPDATED- selves.  The best part about this - during these seemingly uncertain times –  is that you don’t need to go shopping (unless, of course, you want to!).   We can mix things up with what we’ve got – but sometimes we need another mind here – and we’ll have one of a professional sylist!

Sometimes I make  ’just for the day’ changes to make sure I keep myself on my toes – I can get easily bored with my ‘look!’, as you might have read on Friday.   For instance, today I chose not to spend 30 minutes washing & styling my hair.  I threw it back in a loose ponytail – although it was curly from yesterday, so it has some curl (frizz)  to it - and put a little cap on, to try for a casual-sassy look.  I’m spending my day writing and on phone calls, so I could get away with this.  Most importantly, changing up how I presented myself to the world (and to myself!) today allowed me to feel a little bit more free and light = more creative. 

If this is resonating with you,  I challenge you to step out of your comfort zone.  I dare you!

Be sure you are Rep-ra-zentin, savvy girl.

Have some fun!

From my savvy heart to yours ~

Leslie

The Savvy Woman’s Love Coach

www.BeLoveSavvy.com

Dear Savvy Woman,

Getting ready for the day this morning, I looked in the mirror and thanked myself for getting my brows done yesterday.   Whenever I get them done, I feel a little more ‘together’ as I walk out the door, without having to spend a second longer in my morning ritual for it.

Little things like this I find can really help me raise my vibrational energy at times.  When I’m in  a low -vibe place, I’ll take whatever I can get. = )

True and infinite beauty comes from within, this I am sure of.   But a girls got a right to feel good on the outside!

So, if you haven’t had your brows shaped (and throw in some color while you’re at it!) before, I highly recommend it.

For you local SF gals, Erika Lee at Dermal Essentials in Cow Hollow is a pro.   After spending years at Benefit, she went out on her own :  http://dermalessentials.com.  

Go on, raise some brows!

From my savvy heart to yours,

Leslie

The Savvy Woman’s Love Coach

www.BeLoveSavvy.com