The last week of December is the most celebrated time of the year as well as the week for self-reflection before the beginning of the New Year. Whether you are looking back on the past 12 months in appreciation of your accomplishments or deciding on goals you want to work on and achieve in the year to come, one thing that you can focus on all on your own or with your family is your well-being from the inside out.
When you feel good, you look good, exude confidence, and have the mental space to do everything you set your mind on.
Look Good All Year
We know that you want to look good for the holidays, who doesn’t? Take advantage of the ScissorsCut app to book a beauty professional to step up your look and help you look glamorous for your holiday festivities. It doesn’t matter if you are staying home or going out —it always feels good to dress up and glam up our looks to make any occasion feel special. Why not do so for the start of the year?
Do you have a look you’ve wanted to try out, or curious if it suits you? The new year is a great time to experiment with hairstyles, colours, and makeup looks. Check out some of our previous posts on hair colours that you might want to embrace, and we hope you continue to follow the skincare tips we’ve given you to keep your complexion happy.
Boost in Self-Esteem
Doing your makeup or even just dressing up has an impact on how you feel on the inside. According to a 2021 study by Frontiers in Psychology, women’s choices in clothing can help them overcome body-ideal pressures society puts on them and help overcome objectification. They also share in their study that camouflaging outfits typically is a way to hide our bodies and make us feel less confident.
We hope that in the coming year you embrace who you are while you continue to grow and care for your wellness.
Eat Well
Often during the holidays, we eat foods that are higher in calories and not as healthy as we’d wish them to be. There is nothing wrong with that. It’s important to allow ourselves to enjoy the foods we look forward to and enjoy our traditions. Don’t feel disappointed in yourself or let it trip you up from a healthy diet that you want to follow.
Once the holidays are over, reflect on what foods, vitamins, and nutrients your body asks for and what foods can provide you with what you need. Everyone is different and needs different foods and fruits to feel good inside. Look into ways of making sure you make or buy healthy meals, whether that is by tracking meals, meal prep, or having someone help you plan out meals for your dietary needs.
You can speak with a nutritionist or dietician who can properly guide you and make you feel empowered. A starting point to check out is Canada’s Dietary Guidelines, where they spell out basics that can help us all figure out what we need to feel good when we eat. Some of the suggestions and guidelines you can find there include cooking more often, limiting highly processed foods, making your own snacks, and always reading food labels.
Meditate
Focusing on our looks and diet can really guide us to working on our mental health —more often than not, the root of self-image concerns, as well as other types of concerns, stem from within. Every day take a few minutes to quiet your mind and be intentional. Meditation helps you maintain stability and have focus.
If you are able to create a pattern of meditation in the coming year, you will see positive changes in your state of mind. Establish it as part of your daily routine, and soon you won’t remember a time when you didn’t meditate to balance your mind and remain centered.
According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, a review from the American Heart Association states meditation can help reduce blood pressure. Meditation has also been shown to help with anxiety, depression, and pain.
Ways to Meditate
There are different ways to begin a meditation routine. Below is a list of ideas for you that can help you start.
- Meditation Apps – Apps are easily accessible because we all carry our phones everywhere we go. You can access meditation apps while you’re at home, work, or about to go on a drive. Some are short and quick, and others are longer; you can choose the best type of meditation for what you need. They can assist you in falling asleep and getting better sleep, which helps you think clearer and be more alert.
- Exercise – While it is not a conventionally zen way of meditation, exercise is a form of mindfulness that helps people overcome anxiety and negative feelings. Our endorphins get a much-needed boost, and through consistent workouts, your mind and body will feel better and, in turn, also look better. Exercise-induced euphoria helps your body positively change hormones when responding to stress.
- Journaling – When we write down our concerns, fears, grief, or anxieties, it is a form of release. Seeing what is consuming our minds in writing can help put our thoughts into perspective and allow us to process. Journaling helps reduce stress levels and gives us an understanding of why we feel, the way we feel, and increases our resilience.
Do Your Best
The past couple of years have been difficult for a variety of reasons. It is necessary to take time to digest and reflect on the good and the bad. To pat ourselves on the back for everything we have been able to achieve, note what we need to work on, and set new goals. We are all doing our best, and sometimes that means getting our nails done, updating our hair style, our skin taken care of and a new makeup look to give ourselves a little love, and other times that means creating healthy routines.
We hope the coming year brings a lot of good into your life —Happy Holidays!