An elegant woman knows that taking care of herself is of the utmost importance. In order to be a woman who can handle stress, think clearly, and look like someone who knows what she is doing, she needs to put in some time taking care of herself. I’ve created an Elegant Woman’s Guide To Self-Care to get you started on your journey to elegantly care for yourself. This will help you perform at your best, while moving through your day with ease and elegance.
An Elegant Woman’s Guide To Self-Care
1. Maintain a healthy diet
If you are a regular reader of my website, you know I recommend a Mediterranean diet because of its enormous health benefits. In fact, I wrote all about it in The Big Book of Mediterranean Diet Cooking. A Mediterranean diet will not only supply you with the nutrients your body needs and help keep your heart healthy, studies have shown that it also works on the brain. It does all of these things while being an enjoyable way to eat.
I always say that a Mediterranean diet is a lifestyle of moderate indulgence. While you are taking care of yourself by eating healthy whole foods, there is room for a little indulgence from time to time. I like to experience my indulgent pleasures by drinking a high quality coffee or tea, or a glass of red wine or bubbly, or a luxurious piece of chocolate. But all within reason, of course. Make time to eat healthy and feed your soul from time to time with a little luxury.
2. Develop morning and evening rituals
There are many ways you can start and end the day in a beautiful way. Maybe you like to journal in the morning, or meditate, or get up an hour before the rest of the household to enjoy some quiet time with your coffee or tea. My morning ritual is to sleep a little later, have a cold glass of water, then make my coffee. I don’t look at social media or answer any emails until I am ready. I like a slow peaceful start to the day.
In the evening, I enjoy my skin care routine. I wash my face and apply a facial serum. I brush my teeth and my hair. I enjoy reading or listening to music in my bedroom before I turn in. I might light a candle or add some essential oils to a diffuser. I have a rule that there is no television in the bedroom. We all watch way too much TV already. We don’t need the stress of news, dramas, and commercials.
There are many ways you can create these small moments for yourself. I encourage you to start and end your day with a self-care routine.
3. Manage stress
A great way to handle stress in your life is to add some form of exercise to your daily routine. Schedule exercise into your calendar like you would any doctor’s appointment. Find something you enjoy doing. Exercise doesn’t have to be an agonizing ordeal. Take a walk in nature, or find a beautiful form of movement like dance or yoga. I’ve been doing adult beginner ballet barre and I love it. I’ve always taken ballet classes throughout my life. Wherever I’ve lived, I always sought out a ballet studio. Now I do a ballet barre routine at home by following along with YouTube videos.
Another of my favorite ways to relieve stress is meditation. Even a five-minutes meditation can be beneficial. Sample some of my meditations that I’ve written and recorded myself. My Mermaid Meditation is very popular. If you don’t enjoy meditation, sometimes all you need to do is take a few minutes to clear your mind and breathe.
Other ways to relax are taking a bath and applying a silky body oil or cream. I enjoy giving myself a Borghese mud mask about once a week.
4. Create a relaxing home
A decluttered home is essential for the elegant woman. That doesn’t mean your home decor needs to be minimal. Get into the habit of clearing up at the end of the day. Put things away after you use them. Don’t leave the dishes to dry in a rack. Dry them and put them in the cabinet.
Pay special attention to your bedroom. Take inspiration from luxury hotel rooms. I like to search for luxury hotels around the world and view photos online. It’s a great way to get ideas.
Decorate with dreamy fabrics that feel lovely against the skin. Think about all of the fabrics in your life: your towels, sheets, pillows, upholstery, blankets, etc.
Add plants to your rooms. Dark green plants can make a room look rich. Use home fragrance to add ambience or change the mood of a room. Think about your home as your private sanctuary.
5. Invest in beautiful loungewear
When you are relaxing elegantly at home, do so in gorgeous loungewear. During the day I like to wear soft fabric pants that are wide leg and flowy, or a silky jogger pant. Sometimes I wear long flowing dresses like kaftans. I never wear something I would be ashamed to be seen in if someone came to the door. Instead of my usual underwire bras, I wear camisoles with shelf bras, or I wear a lightweight sports-type of bra.
In the evening I like silky nightgowns or cotton pajamas. It’s essential for an elegant woman to have a beautiful robe. Choose breathable fabrics like silk or cotton. Be mindful of what you put next to your skin. You won’t feel elegant in old sweat pants and a concert tee. Elevate your loungewear and you elevate your life.
I hope you enjoyed my elegant woman’s guide to self-care. How do you practice self-care at home? Share your ideas in the comments section below. I love to learn from you too.
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