You may want to better yourself mentally and physically but be unsure of how to do so or where to start, especially if you’ve never worked on yourself before. For some women, the extra time and spare money are so limited that indulging yourself in self-care or self-improvement seems too difficult to take on. However, medical professionals say that it’s vital to your health to take some time to replenish your mind and body, especially if you are a mother or a caregiver. Physical and mental health can be tied, so working on one benefits the other. Reducing your stress can have positive impacts on your blood pressure and your heart health. Your confidence can be boosted through simple safe care tactics, and you can accomplish more in the days and months after thanks to your improved mental health.
Here are some ways to work on bettering yourself as a woman both internally and externally, helping you increase your confidence.
Paying for Self-Improvements
One of the barriers to working on yourself is the cost that comes with visiting a hairdresser, therapist, or personal trainer to get expert help. If you’re worried about how you’ll be able to afford self-care activities, there can be easy ways to generate extra money to cover these expenses that you have never even thought about. Many women sell used clothes and shoes on secondhand shopping sites to get extra money and get rid of unused items. High-end accessories like purses and scarves can retain a lot of their value if you take proper care of them and keep the dust bag and original box. If you don’t have clothes in good condition you’re ready to part with, maybe you have an old phone, unused gaming system, or tablet that you don’t need any longer. You can sell used electronics online and bring in more than you might realize for your old gadgets. Even your unworn jewelry can bring in money via a sell my gold website, or a local jeweler or pawn shop. These items that are simply cluttering up the home can serve a purpose for someone else, and the cash you get can help you accomplish your goals.
Working on the Inside
A key part of improving yourself is working on your mental health by addressing issues you may be carrying from the past that hold you back. Learning to let go of these burdens will help you feel better about yourself and release you from the blame you may carry around. While going to a therapist was once difficult to accommodate on a working schedule, therapists now are available at many times and through many different technologies. If you don’t have time to see a therapist in person by visiting your office, mental health telemedicine can be a perfect solution. Seeing a therapist online removes many of the issues that can cause you to miss appointments, like difficulty finding a ride to the office or getting childcare in place.
Meditation is another way to help improve your mental health and defray any anxiety you feel, and you don’t have to send any money or get any equipment to do it. In as little as five to ten minutes, you can start focusing on your thoughts and encourage yourself to think positively. While it can be hard to focus on meditating at first, using a guided meditation recording or app can help you learn to keep your mind from wandering. Increase your chance of being able to focus and get something out of the meditation by choosing a quiet spot where you are unlikely to be interrupted or hear distracting sounds. Get comfortable and close your eyes before you begin to help yourself concentrate. As you progress, you can add more time to your daily meditation session until you get better. You might also be able to find a local meditation group to join to improve your meditation skills. When a whole group of people concentrates on meditating together, the energy and vibrations they create can be calming and soothing.
Expand Your Knowledge
If you haven’t taken a class since your school days, it might be time to consider hitting the books again. A good way to learn more is by signing up to take a class on a subject that piques your interest. This doesn’t have to be an academic subject. Learning a new hobby or skill can be just as rewarding. Creative outlets like painting, drawing, and journaling can stimulate your mental health and make you feel better each time you do them. If you don’t have time to attend a class, you can start learning more by making time to read more books. Self-help books can help you improve on bad habits and find a more efficient way of doing things. Fiction works can help you make a little escape to somewhere besides home for a few minutes each day.
If you’re more of a visual learner or just don’t like sitting still in a classroom, try learning a new language via an app, website, or YouTube channel. Learning to speak in another tongue stimulates your brain and gives you a practical skill you can use out in the world. Once you’ve learned enough of the language to get by, you can try your skills by taking a trip to a new destination. Seeing a new part of the world can help change your perspective on your day-to-day life, help expand your horizons, and introduce you to new people and foods. Taking a solo trip can help you build your confidence and social skills in ways that you can by staying at home, or you can take a trip with friends or family and help them get around with your language skills.
Improving Physical Health and Appearance
Part of increasing your overall happiness with yourself is learning that all your value as a woman doesn’t come from your outer appearance. However, if there are parts of your body or face that you feel need improvement despite trying to accept them, taking steps to make these aspects better can be a positive thing for you. If a part of your body really makes you unhappy, taking the time to fix it can free you from this feeling, increase your confidence, and allow you to focus on other aspects of yourself.
If you want to improve yourself through cosmetic surgery, you are far from being the only one to do so. Many women, particularly those whose bodies have changed due to age, weight fluctuations, or carrying and having children, get cosmetic procedures to help with problem areas. There are many options like injectables and laser treatments that are non-invasive and don’t have a long recovery time. These can often be done in the medical office setting over a lunch break and you can return to work immediately after. The results of these aren’t as dramatic as surgery, but they may be enough to make you happy.
For those who want a more drastic change, mommy makeovers combine many of the cosmetic procedures that are appealing to women whose bodies have changed due to childbirth and the aftereffects. It might include procedures to flatten the stomach, lift the breasts, pull the neck skin tighter, and create a shapely bottom. Plastic surgeons bundle these services together to save you time and money. After the recovery period is done, you can look as you did when you were younger and feel more confident wearing whatever clothing you want.
Working on your physical fitness can help keep the results of any improvements looking good in the long term. If staying committed to going to the gym is hard for you, try finding an accountability buddy to work out with you, or sign up for some sessions with a personal trainer who can keep you motivated. You can reward yourself after hitting the gym regularly with deep tissue massages that help you work out sore muscles and get rid of any pains that come from getting in shape.
Teeth are often a source of shame for people who have noticeable missing teeth or yellowing color, but without dental insurance, visiting a dentist can seem intimidating. A cosmetic dentist can often fix these issues in a matter of a few visits, and many offer payment plans to help make it easier to afford. If you have a flex spending or health savings account through your medical insurance, you may be able to use this to cover the cost of dental work. Some cosmetic dentists even offer free consultations so you can get a better idea of how they can help without committing to a course of treatment.
Update Your Wardrobe and Style
Over time, as your body and fashion trends change, your clothing style has to change as well. Clothing can flatter your body and create a new silhouette, helping you create the visual impression you want to put out in the world. By learning some simple tricks, you can dress to emphasize the features you like. For example, if you don’t have a well-defined waist, putting on a belt can help you create the illusion of one. Dressing in monochromatic style helps you look tall and skinnier. There are many ways to use clothing to your advantage and create a distinct personal style.
Updating the style of your hair and makeup is another way to change your look and give yourself more confidence. Many women still apply makeup in the way they initially learned as teenagers or young women, which may not be the most flattering way for the face. There are also many new products that improve the skin and hair in ways that weren’t available five or ten years ago. You can easily learn new makeup techniques and styles via YouTube or social media channels. Creators of all skill levels and skin complexions demonstrate how to cover the imperfections you don’t like and emphasize the facial features you like. Hair coloring at a professional hair salon can help you update the shade and style of your hair to a trendier one that flatters your face.
Making Your Financial Status Better
The stress of being short on the money every month can play on your mind, causing you ongoing stress that is hard to shake. Improving your education or training in a new field can help you bring more money in, lessening your financial stress each month. If you aren’t able to get a better-paying position, you can still retain more of the salary you bring in by analyzing your spending and trying to reduce how much money goes out. To begin this process, create a budget that itemizes all the spending you do over the course of the month. List how much you bring in and when, and then all the monthly expenses that re-occur, like utility bills, car payments, and student loans. Add in things that can change, like how much you spend on gas, clothing, and entertainment. Next, look for areas where you can cut from the monthly expenses, like switching to a less expensive cell phone service provider, shopping for cheaper groceries, or reducing the trips you make in your car to save on gas.
Bettering yourself mentally and physically takes time and effort, but it’s well worth it in the end to become a stronger woman. When you are happier with yourself and more at peace, everyone around you becomes happier and easier to deal with, including your spouse and children. These ideas are just starting points for ways to improve yourself and live a more confident life.
