Below are the bullet points from an article I found in some of my writing files. I was living in Chicago (2003) and was just about to publish Skin Care A to Z. My publicist at the time mentioned “O” Magazine was looking for skin care professionals to write about their point-of-view on radiance—what makes a woman radiant. I didn’t make it into the magazine (wa, wa) but I do want to share some of the thoughts I had back then, which are still true for me today.
- The source of true radiance is that inner knowing that you are perfect just exactly the way you are.
- I believe when you look at a woman and see her “glowing” you are looking at a woman who, perhaps, does take good care of her physical body. But surely this is a woman who has developed that core, inner knowing that she is a beautiful loving being. This, more than good skin, is what radiance is all about.
- Genetics, nutrition, and sun exposure all play a part in how healthy you look. But without self-acceptance and peace within, your ability to radiate true health is diminished.
- Because of my profession, I am in the unique position to see women up close and personal who are aging—and who look fabulous! They may not feel this way about themselves, but I see it. Aging is truly a marvelous thing to watch.
- Aging is multifaceted. It is not simply acquiring lines and wrinkles. Aging is the miracle of life evolving and unfolding.
- How you age is primarily, or at least initially, in your mind.
- What you choose to focus on will affect how you age. If you focus on the lines and wrinkles, neglecting to see the maturation of who you are as a person, you’ll miss out, in my opinion, on the opportunity to see the blessings that come with age.
- Radiance is a combination of outer health and inner beauty. Inner beauty is attainable; it is developing a core belief—a knowing—that you are a perfect human being, and beautiful just because.
- Keeping things in balance is necessary for maintaining health. Proper rest and relaxation; minimizing or eliminating smoking, drinking alcohol, and eating poor-quality food; drinking lots of water; taking good care of your skin; keeping direct sunlight off your face; and finding quiet time to reflect on the day’s events will all help you to achieve true radiance.
- Radiance is your inner strength reflected outward through your healthy mind and body.
Even when I was a fledgling aesthetician in my 20s, I knew for sure that I was not going to let aging get me down. And now, in my 50s, I continue the practice I began all those years ago. First, I do not say negative things about either my wrinkles or my self. Initially I had to catch myself—a lot—when I would go down the path of negative self-talk. But now, and this is absolutely true, when I look in the mirror on a day I don’t look so hot, I just let out a giggle and say “I’m 53! This is what 53 looks like today!—Not bad!!!” And I say a prayer of love for myself and move on with my day. This way of being didn’t come overnight; I honed it over time—and you can too. It’s never too late to start changing the way you talk to yourself and therefore see yourself.
Today is a good day to start :+)
For more in-depth articles on the aging process and all that goes with it, see:
