Photo by Ram!
Ah ah ah! This isn’t about finding yourself male (or female) supermodels and sitting them like ducks all in a row!As fun as that may be, I am veering towards enriching your world with a beautiful environment.
For instance - Home is where the heart is right? Well is your heart surrounded by things to make it smile, or is it submerged in the sad matters of blandness and clutter?
If you want to experience a few of the the feel-good rays of life to your ultimate enjoyment, invest in your immediate surroundings. Your environment can absolutely affect your mood and so, my dear martyr, why not make a little effort in your home?
Whether you have the means to draw in an Oprah-approved interior decorator (Nate! Oh how I love thee!) or you’re a struggling college student (we’ve all gotta start somewhere) with only a few bucks to spare, there are things that you can do to indulge yourself in a happier, prettier home.
A Little Feng-Shui Goes A Long Way
Have you ever heard that your environment is directly related to your mind? They say when you feel like a mess, and your thoughts are disorganized, so are your things. I don’t know how true this is for any one of you, but you can always tell how I’m feeling by checking my room out. (shhh, that’s a secret). So one pick-me-up available to you is applying the rules of Feng Shui to your personal space.
Feng shui — which literally translates to “wind and water” — is the ancient Chinese art of placement. The goal is to enhance the flow of chi(life force or spiritual energy), and to create harmonious environments that support health, beckon wealth and invite happiness. At its most basic level, feng shui (pronounced fung shway) is a decorating discipline based on the belief that our surroundings affect us.
-Leah Hennen
Minimize your clutter. Place the items in your personal space in a manner that encourages a good energy flow. The idea is if you were to imagine water flowing into your, for example, bedroom… would it flow beautifully and freely? Would it swish in with ease? Or would it crash against walls of badly placed furniture, jarring it’s fluidity causing it to rush back out of your door? If picturing your water scene presents the latter, utilizing feng shui will introduce you to better moods via environment.
Check out HGTV’sgreat list of articles and resources to pick tips that will benefit you and whichever environment you’d like to improve first. Although, I will say, I am BIG believer in sprucing up your bedroom. Picture opening your eyes in a room you love whole heartedly. A room full of beauty and space - a room reflecting all that is you. It will do wonders for your mood and start your days off just right.
Here are some more ways beauty can change your every day life.
Color Your World
Reds are for passion, for appetite, for love. Blues are for soothing and for calming. It illicits peace. You have violet which lends its hue to rich royalty. Yellow sings of a bright energy and sunny days. The pallette is vast, this life is yours. One of the cheapest ways to makeover your surroundings is to paint. Paint your home to your heart’s content. If you can’t paint, you can always accessorize with beautiful photos that you can print and frame. Bring in a gorgeous bouquet of flowers. Regardless of your budget, there are always ways to bring color in. One might underestimate the effects of environment on his or her life especially if you’re overworked, underpaid and stressed beyond legitimate parameters. But think about it. That’s MORE of a reason to change your space. If everything you deal with on a daily basis contributes to a bad mood and that tiresome hamster-in-the-wheel sensation, you owe it to yourself to soothe your mind with things that contribute comfort and happiness to your life. Wouldn’t you agree that seeing pretty window curtains you love daily trumps seeing the badly designed window panes you hate (and can’t afford to change yet) every day? I thought so too.
Eat A Good Looking Plate Of Food
For me, a plate of food that looks great is one of the great joys of life. I kid you not. I love going out to eat at a restaurant that puts some effort into the presentation. From the ambiance (which, no fail, only makes me feel even more beautiful) to the platter, I enjoy the entire experience of dining. Now, if your daily life includes a date with a tv dinner or eating out of a take out box, I implore you - whip up a dish that you can sit down and truly enjoy. You get extra points if your good looking plate of food is just as good in your insides as it looks outside. Switching to whole grains, fresh veggies, hearty lean proteins, juicy delicious fruits will contribute to a happier, healthier you. Be mindful of the produce you buy. You deserve the greenest of greens! Pay attention to your meats. You don’t want a gray mass of what’s supposedto be some kind of .. err.. goat? No. You want succulent, piping pieces of tender grilled chicken (or whatever it is that strikes your salivatory glands as exciting) Relish your meals. Make them look good. Its that kind of rich living thinking that makes everything taste that much better.
Looking Good Is Good For You
Be the best you that you can be. The best you is a hottie. The best you loves the way she smells, loves the way she feels, and loves the way she looks. Take pride in your appearance because when you feel great in your heels 
your confidence will show in your stride and will shine through your smile. Claim your individuality through your wardrobe. Wear items that flatter you and your best features. We ALL have a nice feature or two, or ten that we own. Enjoy your look in the clothes that you buy. A bit of advice? Enjoying those clothes insinuate that those clothes are comfortable. Just how delicious are stilettos you can’t walk in worn ten blocks away from where your car is parked?
Welcome cleanliness…even if you’re look is ‘messy’. It’s like Pantene says - “The Beauty of Health”. It’s true. The most attractive qualities are also the healthiest ones. Think about it;
- soft, smooth, clear skin
- big, bright eyes
- white smile
- tone and strength
- bouncy, clean hair
- head, shoulders, knees and toes - knee’s and toes! (sorry. Catchy childhood song.) Speaking of toes - admit it. Pretty ones with toenails that don’t need to be buried in the sand makes for a good summer day.
What you want is to feel good in and out of your clothes. If you’re health is suffering due to nutrition - do something about it. Take advantage of the free resources like my fave- SparkPeople - that offer plenty of information to you and help you to maximize the life you have by improving and preserving your health. Habits like smoking will sacrifice your pretty teeth into Grey and Yellow Matter. Skip on too much water and you won’t have plump skin wrapping the goodness that is you. What you’ll have is a thinner, duller, dry paper skin that isn’t all that enticing.
So you see - never mind the crones that suspect that you might secretly be vain. Looking good is good for you. And what’s good for you all contributes to a better life! See, I knew you’d see things my way.
Last but not least, the best things in life are FREE. Step outside and take yourself somewhere breathtakingly scenic. If you have access to a gorgeous view, indulge! If you are lucky enough to live close to a park, stroll! Stop and smell the roses. Get lost in the beauty of life - your life. Contribute to your own happiness by finding the beauty in the world to enjoy. Share that beauty however you can. They say beauty is only skin deep but I say beauty can dig deeper. As always, it’s all in how you look at it.
