How To Feel More Attractive

For those of us that can't run out and buy a new outfit to feel more attractive, here are a few ideas to help spice up your look.

• Start by getting dressed each day to the shoe. It's easy to stay in pj's all day when you're a stay at home mom or wear cumfy clothes, but if you dress to the shoe you're more likely to dress nicer. And I've heard you're more productive when you're fully dressed. (Think about the days you stay in pj's vs. the days you're fully dressed....)

• Mix and match your clothes.Wear things together that you wouldn't normally. Skirt and t-shirt, blouse and jeans, dress and sneakers, tank top as the over-shirt instead of the undershirt, etc.

• Costume jewelry. Dress up an outfit with a necklace, bracelet, earrings, anklet, or toe ring.

• Trim and file your nails, then give them a nice coat of polish.

• Try something new with your hair. Wear it curly, straighten it, curl it under, flip it out, part it down the middle or to the side, whatever is a new do for you, do it!

• Add a headband or a ribbon to an up do.

• Change your makeup. Try a new color of eyeshadow, blush, eyeliner, mascara, or what have you. Go lighter or darker on the eyeliner or mascara and try a whole new color of blush or eyeshadow. If you don't wear some of those things, try them out.

• Put on lip gloss or lipstick.

• Wear a hat with hoop earrings.

• Try a new shampoo or body wash. Catching the scent throughout the day can make you feel more attractive!

• Put on some perfume.

•  Brush your teeth more often than usual.

Any other suggestions to add to the list?

Compliments

My husband gave me a compliment the other day that has made a huge impact on how I view myself now.

First, a little back story...

My whole life I've felt like I'm surrounded by people who do things just a little bit better than I do. In elementary school my handwriting was good, but my friends were better. In Junior High I was in choir and felt like a pretty good singer, but my peers were better. In high school I played softball my freshman year and was pretty good, but my teammates were better. Then when I got married I felt like a pretty good housewife, but listening to comments in church, my ward friends were better. I've always felt like a good writer, but my husband is better. Now I feel like a pretty good mom, but my Facebook and Pinterest friends are better.

Then one day my husband told me he thinks I'm a good singer. I laughed it off and told him he was crazy and he continued to say he thought I was better than certain people (which I won't name, but people I view as good singers). It's hard for me to take a compliment so I just moved onto a new topic, but what he said has really impacted my day to day operations.

First of all, I've always loved to sing, but I've been surrounded by people who are good singers so I've developed some insecurities in my own talents. In church I started singing soft enough that nobody around me could really hear me, but by doing so it made it hard to hit any high notes so I would "mess up" and feel even less capable in my abilities. But, hearing my husband tell me I'm a good singer has given me confidence. Now I project when I sing and I don't care who hears me or who's better than me!

But it's more than that. His simple compliment has changed how I look at myself. I feel more confident about a lot of things because I've realized that it doesn't matter who's better. What matters is who tries. I may not be the best singer, but I try. I may not be the best wife, but I try. I may not be the best mom, but I try. I do what I'm capable of doing to the best of my abilities and at the end of the day that's all that matters. It's not about who packs their husband a lunch everyday for work or who puts together elaborate activities for their kids that they found on Pinterest. It's not about who sings better or who's more athletic...

...It's about how you approach your talents and how they make YOU feel. Nobody else matters when it comes to your own abilities and personal strengths.

So I'm proposing a challenge.

Give someone a compliment, but make it worth while.

I'm not talking, "cute shoes, great haircut, good lesson". Those are nice things to hear, but sometimes they seem meaningless. They're conversation starters or silence fillers.

Instead, compliment someone on their talents. If you liked their cooking, tell them why it was good. If they taught a good lesson in church, tell them what hit home for you. Tell your husband what he's good at and why. My husband could have said he thinks I'm a good singer and left it at that, but he kept going. He gave me a reason to believe what he was saying was true.

Give someone a self-esteem boost because at the end of the day we all have our own insecurities and compliments can go a long way in helping us feel more confident. Even the people who we think are so confident on the outside, have insecurities on the inside. So compliment away. You never know what impact you can have on somebody's life!

Accepting Service

I had my baby! She'll be 3 weeks old tomorrow, and I'm loving being a mom.

Unfortunately last week I was diagnosed with a uterine infection and had to have surgery. Before the surgery I was feeling really great. I had energy, thanks to the newborn-sleepy state of my baby, I felt strong and was able to do a lot of the household tasks I would normally do, like keep the house clean, etc. The baby likes taking naps in her carrier, so that helped a lot too.

However, after the surgery I've been a lot worse off than I was before. The nurse at the hospital told me to take stairs carefully, and not take the baby up and down the stairs. (We live in a 2 story townhome) I've really had to rely on my husband. He has been so wonderful, while we were in the hospital he took care of the baby almost entirely, and would just bring her to me to eat. Whenever I need to go downstairs I have to have his help bringing the baby down the stairs. He works from home which has been a huge blessing, but it's still hard for me to not be able to do certain things.

I've had to learn how to let him help me. I'm one that likes to just do everything myself. I don't want to be an inconvenience to anyone else. Even now, I'm feeling much better and stronger, but I have to keep taking it easy until I have a follow up appointment with my doctor and am given the all-clear. It's hard for me to be feeling alright, but still not be able to do certain things.

I told my husband that there is no way I could do this without him, and it's entirely true. I hope I can start taking over some of the household tasks soon, but until then I just have to rely on, and accept his service to me.

So, what about you? Do you accept service well? Or are you a do-it-yourself-er? I think accepting service gracefully is something we could all improve on.

Count Your Blessings

Do you ever feel that nothing is going right?  That maybe you must be doing something wrong?  Probably too often, I feel overwhelmed with life and everything I have going on.  Some things we might all be thinking at one point or another are:

There are not enough hours in the day.  

I wish my husband was home more.  

I wish the hospital was paid off.  

Am I a good mother and wife?

(Maybe it's just me thinking these ones)

I especially hate those days when I think all that and more.  Those days, you need something to lift you up when you feel that nothing can.

I was at that point on Sunday.  Thankfully my husband came home from meetings and offered to stay home with the kids so I could go to church(they were all sick).  That was the first little lift I got.  Then while sitting in the chapel, I thought of my favorite hymn:  Count Your Blessings

I think this song can help anyone as they are going through certain situations and trials.  This week, it was verse 3 that touched me.  Though in the past, all the verses have touched me and strengthened me when I didn't think I could deal with whatever I might have been dealing with.

Because of this song on Sunday, I got the lift I needed to go on in my trials.  I found strength to look up and not down.  It is better to look up.  This song reminds me that I have so many things to be grateful for.  My husband, my daughters, my family, my home (even though it's getting tight), my Savior, my knowledge, and so many more.


For any of you who do not know this beautiful song, here are the verses:

1.    When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed, when you are discouraged thinking all is lost,
       Count your many blessings; name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.
2.    Are you ever burdened with a load of care?  Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
       Count your many blessings; every doubt will fly, and you will be singing as the days go by.
3.    When you look at others with their lands and gold, think that Christ has promised you his wealth untold.
       Count your many blessings; money cannot buy your reward in heaven nor your home on high.
4.    So amid the conflict whether great or small, do not be discouraged; God is over all.
       Count your many blessings; angels will attend, help and comfort give you to your journey's end.

Count you blessings; name them one by one.  Count your blessings; see what God hath done.  Count your blessings; name them one by one.  Count your many blessings; see what God hath done.

This song always helps me realize that I am never alone and that I CAN do it.  I hope it helps anyone who might be feeling down.  Remember to look up and to count your many blessings.

Do you have any songs, quotes, anything really that helps you when you need a boost?