7 Wellness Habits to Boost Your Inner Beauty

If you find yourself in a season where it’s no longer enough to look like you have it all together on the outside when your inner self craves love and attention, you are not alone. Lately, I have found myself searching for depth and consistency in wellness practices that go beyond this elusive phrase we call self care. What does that mean, really? And, in spite of popular opinion, in my experience, an elaborate skincare routine will not fulfill the void to truly cater to yourself in a way that goes beyond the surface. 

Now before we get into my top 7 wellness habits for inner beauty, I want you to take a moment to define what wellness means to you on every level: body, mind, spirit and soul. What does being your best self on each of those levels look like? This is an important first step because in order to define wellness (and take these 7 ideas to make them your own), you must first know how you define your healthiest self.

Remember: wellness in your body is not just in how you look or only the physical parts of you. That encompasses your lifestyle and choices around food, movement, and thought patterns in your brain, which all impact mindset and actions.

I encourage you to use these ideas as a starting point to begin to define what you need in this season.

1 —

Develop a miracle morning routine.

I first heard about this from a friend of mine and the concept is this: every morning is a miracle so where did we get the idea to wake up begrudgingly, drag ourselves to the coffee pot first thing, and go straight to our phones or other electronics?

Instead, be conscious about that first hour of your day by feeding your mind, body, soul and spirit with things that are beneficial to having a productive day. 

For me, that looks like: keeping my phone on do not disturb until I’m ready to start work for the day, drinking at least one bottle of water before my morning coffee, doing something to move my body (running or going to the gym are my go to), and spending time praying and expressing gratitude. I have noticed that when I take the time to tend to myself on every level, during the day, I am more at peace and centered on what’s most important. My mind is able to focus more on things that are uplifting and my emotions are more regulated.

Now of course, I don’t always wake up early enough to have a full hour to myself, but I’ve learned to make time for what matters in the morning, even if that means taking my prayer journal to the gym for when I’m on the treadmill, or speaking words of affirmation over myself while I run. This way, I can cater to myself on more than one level at a time.

The key is to develop a flow that fits with your lifestyle and give yourself grace along the way.

2 —

Feed your body like you love her.

Now look, I love chocolate and sweets like the next woman but I’ve had to realize that eating sweets cannot substitute addressing the reason why I am craving them in the first place, and even, dare I say, choosing to eat a kiwi or make a fruit smoothie instead. It’s one thing to have a treat every now and then, it’s another thing to use food as a coping mechanism. One is a healthy boundary, the other is not. And I say that out of love!

I’ve had an unhealthy relationship with food before (same goes for alcohol) and used it as a coping mechanism, usually driven by the emotional distress of a hard day or tough circumstance. Only you know deep down if this is triggering for you, and if it is, begin to notice why. Look at when you reach for the sweet stuff. For me, it was when I wanted to shut out my emotions or not address the deeper root of something I was facing. Learn to recognize your patterns so that you can reroute them. Remember: your brain is just like every other organ in your body. It is programmed by how you stimulate it, and that can be for your benefit or detriment.

3 —

Be kind to your mind.

Being kind to your mind is cultivating a mindset that is healthy and beneficial to your highest self. And mindset begins with what you dwell on. While the brain introduces thoughts to us based on what we are stimulated by, we can choose to accept them or reject them in our mindset by dwelling on them or letting them go.

Cultivating a healthy mindset is not the time for feeling guilt, shame or regret. Leave the past in the past, learn from your mistakes, forgive yourself and others freely, and move on. Cultivate a mindset that is uplifting to your emotions, encouraging to your soul, and rooted in peace. If you find yourself dwelling on things that are negative, check your intake.

What type of music do you listen to? What about movies and TV? This all plays a part in what you dwell on. There have been times where I have noticed that when I watch things that are full of drama and dissension, it impacts my emotions. So now, I cultivate very carefully what I watch and the type of music I listen to. It’s like the saying that you become who you hang out with, and the same is true for what you watch and listen to.

4 — 

Develop practices that cater to your spirit.

Just like we feed our bodies food, and our minds substance, we must feed our spirits too and that comes with the actual application, or practice, of spiritual disciplines.

For me, that means praying and having faith in what I read in the Bible, along with taking what I read about and applying it to my life.

For example, the theme of the entire Bible (and what I founded Liplove on) is love. And I’m not talking about love that is like what we see on media, I’m talking about the kind of love that looks out for others before self, and doesn’t give up, always hopes, endures through everything, is patient and kind, never envious or proud. Now in theory that sounds amazing, right? But I must also choose to confront the parts of me that are selfish or not willing to forgive or holding on to past hurts so that my spirit becomes revived in practicing what I believe. I must also search my heart for my deepest desires and hopes and dreams and look inward to understand my identity so that my spirit can thrive. 

All of these spiritual practices are rooted in my faith in Christ. I encourage you to define what you believe and what you want to devote your spirit to.

5 —

Find an outlet.

Beyond work, family, children, and husband, always make sure you have a way to release. This can be journaling, art, sitting outside in nature - anything that allows you time to reflect. It doesn’t have to be creative, and should be something you are naturally drawn to or have always wanted to try. Personally, I do not like to build attachments to physical things like going to the spa in this space of finding an outlet, because while that is a relaxing moment, it is not one in which I am able to connect with myself without the presence of others.

6 — 

Check your attitude often.

This is one that I personally need to be more intentional about. This is the area where it’s all about emotional management. Now of course there are things like childhood experiences and sometimes trauma that shape this area. If you always had to be emotionally at a 10 because of critical parents, it can take time to not always be in a state of defense emotionally. Or, if you’re like me, and you’re really hard on yourself sometimes, this can lead to a very up and down attitude that is based on circumstances. Everything is interconnected so the attitude check is kind of like a gut check, but for your spirit. 

7 — 

Be patient in the process of who you are becoming. 

If you’re reading this you want to become a better version of yourself beyond the surface. In the midst of that, remember to give yourself grace. Just as a flower doesn’t bloom overnight and the ground is cultivated before a seed is planted, so are you in the process of becoming all you were created to be.