How to Develop Your Inner Beauty-Advice from a Fashionista

By Elma B.

"Outer beauty attracts but inner beauty captivates."-Kate Angell

What is inner beauty? 

We often hear about the importance of having "inner beauty" but what exactly is it? Inner beauty has to do with what is not visible to the naked eye immediately but what becomes apparent after the person starts to speak, e.g., personality, intelligence, integrity, grace, charisma, and politeness. In another words, inner beauty reveals that a person is funny, intelligent, compassionate, and strong.

I will attest that it is important to take care of yourself physically, i.e., eat healthy, exercise, wear sunscreen, etc.; however, it is equally important to take care of your mental health, i.e., what is dubbed as "inner beauty." 

So, how to develop your inner beauty? Here are some suggestions:

1.  Seize the present. Many of us dwell on the past of what could have been or wait for the "better and brighter" future. In turn, we miss out on the present without taking the time to enjoy and savor the little pleasures in life, e.g., having your hot coffee and reading a newspaper/favorite magazine in the morning, the long hot shower after work, etc. 

2. Spirituality matters. Some of us are more religious than others and some are not religious at all. Whatever your stance, there are options like meditation to calm your inner banter, going on a long walk in a park to enjoy the marvelous nature or just watching the sunset in silence. The spiritual aspect helps to calm your anxiety and countless of thoughts that your brain has to process after a long day/week. 

3. Focus on the positive. Avoid complaining and being negative, and partaking in activities like gossip and making negative comments about others who are not around. The negativity will only kill your enthusiasm and in turn will extinguish your inner beauty. Almost everything that happens to you, there is a positive and a negative side; focus on the positive, and think of the lessons learned from every unpleasant situation. How am I better off as a result? How am I wiser? 

A few words of wisdom: 

I often write about fashion, and I wanted girls and young women to understand that beauty is not all that meets the eye. There are so many more important layers to beauty than just physical appearance. Inner beauty is what makes you a wholesome person in the long run. Practice fist on nurturing your inner beauty and then taking care of your physical appearance; after all, how you look on the outside often reflects on how you feel on the inside. Until next time fashionistas, stay beautiful, xoxo.  

Me

p.s. For the fashionistas, my outfit dissected: sweater from French Connection; purse from Salvatore Ferragamo; sneakers from Hogan; boyfriend jeans from Rag and Bone; t-shirt from Zara.