Elegance is not just about style, manners, and design. True elegance starts with your thoughts. Here are some tips on how to create an elegant mindset. All of the lovely, elegant things you want to create will start to fall into place for you when you start by sorting your mind.

To live a beautiful life, an extraordinary life, an elegant woman lives her life on purpose. She is in charge of her thoughts as well as her actions. Our thoughts create our reality. The good news is that you get to do this on purpose. You get to decide how you want to feel and what thoughts you want to entertain.

Let’s get started.

Be mindful of what you consume.

We’re careful about our diets, but we must also feed our minds with positive influences. Be choosy about what media you consume. I learned a long time ago that I feel much better by not watching the nightly news. If there is something really important going on in the world, I am sure to hear about it. But I don’t feast on a daily diet of bad news and other people’s opinions.

Seek out beautiful books and magazines to read. Be choosy about what entertainment you watch and listen to. Be inspired by what you take in. Beauty begets beauty.

When you fill your mind with low quality influences, you create anxiety, frustration, and boredom. Junk in, junk out. You know when something feels draining. Start paying attention to those feelings, and making more positive choices that leave you feeling better.

What are good choices to find beautiful inspiration?

• Inspiring books about art and design
• Classic literature
• High fashion and home decor magazines
• Inspirational podcasts. Try my La Dolce Vita Files podcast.
• Lifestyle blogs like my DonnaDeRosa.com. Other good choices are A Beautiful Mess and Zoella.
• Fun music. I love finding chill-hop, French jazz, or Italian pop playlists on YouTube.

Continue learning and being curious.

Our thirst for knowledge should continue well after our school years have ended. Knowledge is power. Arm yourself with knowledge. The more subjects you pursue, the more interesting a person you will become. Cultivate an elegant mind full of interesting facts.

Travel. Meet new people. Take classes in subjects that light you up. Ask questions.

Are there topics you were interested in as a child that you still want to pursue? I was always fascinated by ancient Egypt and archaeology. I like to read books on those topics. I’m also interested in the history of royal families. I seek out books in this area.

Follow your curiosity. You never know where it will lead. I became interested in a Mediterranean diet and lifestyle and it led me to a book deal.

Face the world with a childlike wonder. Interests become passions. Passions lead to a sense of purpose. A purposeful life is very elegant.

Look to the future.

It’s important to live in the present and be optimistic about the future. Stop dwelling in the past.

We all have a past. Maybe you have some moments that you’re not so proud of from when you were younger. Maybe you didn’t grow up under the best circumstances. Maybe you have a marriage or relationship that didn’t end well. Maybe you didn’t take care of your body the way you wanted. Don’t linger on these past circumstances.

Learn from them, deal with them, and then let them go. Look to building your future. Your past has taught you many lessons. Be proud of how you survived them. Take stock of all the data you collected. You now know better what you want, what you don’t want, and what you will no longer tolerate.

Reflect on the lessons learned and move on. You can now move gracefully into your future with eyes wide open and an optimistic attitude. The future is yours to create.

Develop morning and evening routines.

Start your day with purpose. An elegant woman has a plan, and she takes purposeful action.

Some people like to plan their days the night before so they can wake up knowing what they want to accomplish. Some people like to spend their mornings journaling or making a list of things to do. When you face the day intentionally, you are more likely to create the future you desire.

Whichever way you choose, make sure you give yourself time to relax and unwind before bed. End your day by slowing down. Give yourself a half-hour or more to let go of the day and prepare for bed. Quality sleep is important for good health and will allow you to function better during the day.

Get your mind ready for sleep. I have an evening skin care routine that I enjoy before bed. I put on some relaxing music, and put thoughts of work and the day’s stresses out of my head. I create an atmosphere conducive to rest.

I hope you enjoy these tips for how to create an elegant mindset. Take control over the thoughts in your head. Be mindful of how you’re thinking and how your thoughts are making you feel, so you can make adjustments to improve your mindset. Do you have any tips on how to create an elegant mindset? Please share your lovely thoughts in the comments section.

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