Today, let’s talk about something a bit different: how to look good all week long with a little one week challenge. How to find the time, the energy and how to justify doing things for your own well-being, being kinda selfish, when others need you too. Stop neglecting your looks and build your beauty routine and self-care routine with some simple daily and weekly habits.
You can dismiss the idea of taking care of yourself and the way you look as vain, as something you don’t care about. You can judge others for being too high-maintenance, wanting to make the most out of the way they look and “sacrificing” 2 hours of their day for just themselves. But I don’t think there are many of us who would deny the fact that when you look good, you feel good. And truly, we are all beautiful, we just need to remind ourselves of it more often.
How To Look Good All WEek Long
1. Stop Believing You’re Low Maintenance
Being low maintenance is not something to be proud of. There isn’t an award for it. Nobody’s gonna applaud when you finish 30 things from your crazy to-do list running around all day long in sweat pants with a messy bun on your head without even a second to yourself. Sure you might feel great for checking off everything, but there’s always that feeling this is not exactly what you want in life. You’re neglecting something, more than just an outfit.
Now before you say, I’m judgemental and start feeling attacked – I’m the same way. I’ve been telling everyone I’m pretty low maintenance all my life as if it’s my biggest achievement in life and I’ve worked so hard for it. And btw. I’m writing this wearing my hair in a messy bun with an outfit made out of sweatpants and a robe. No makeup on.
I know how I look right now, but here’s the thing: This is not how I perceive the real me. I know I can do so much better, I know I have so much more potential if I just put in a little time and effort. If I just accept a little bit of discomfort. Do I not deserve it? Do I not have the right to be the real me? The real me, she’s not sloppy or messy. She uses her potential, talents to the fullest and has the energy to face her fears and do the things she genuinely wants to do in the world. She doesn’t wear sweatpants for a living. Instead, she wears pants with buttons (or a dress) and doesn’t know what having a hunchback feels like.
Be honest with yourself and be specific about what you truly want. You know how you want to feel. You know how you want to look. Do you not deserve the best things in life? Go after that, put in the effort, make the time. You want to see yourself as the best version of yourself. At least, most days of the week. You want to be that version in the present, not one day, not six months from now, right now. Because what you see regularly is what you start to believe. Giving yourself an hour a day doesn’t make you high maintenance and selfish. It makes you a physically and mentally healthier person.
I also read this article which I thought was interesting, saying that being low maintenance in different areas of your life actually might stem from fear. And that it can lead to you convincing yourself you need less from others. You know how to give and support, but you don’t know how to ask and receive. This is totally something I struggle with in some areas and something I want to work on. If that’s you too, go ahead and read the article.
2. Do your research
Honestly, I can’t tell you how you look your best. It’s different for everyone. Your age, your shape, your style, your personality, it all matters. A woman in her 60-ies and a woman in her 20-ies can both look good when they know what works best for them. The reality is they will probably have different styles. We grow and evolve and our style changes with us. The most important person you want to look good for is you.
If you don’t know what works for you yet, take time to explore and experiment, then take notes. Find what is true for you, the clothes, the makeup, the hairstyle that makes you feel like your true best, most confident self.
3. Make It Routine
Make beauty and self-care a part of your daily and weekly routine. Define how often you want to do your skincare routine, your hair, your nails, your laundry (that’s right, ironing too)…Create a self-care and beauty routine checklist for the week, put it on your weekly and daily schedule (so plan for it!) and keep track of whether you’re doing the habits or not. Nobody else is going to make your self-care a priority, it’s not going to happen organically, but a few adjustments you can make it happen.
A One Week Challenge
This is a challenge to set aside the time you need and to put in the effort to look as good as you want to look for just a week. No ignoring it, no “I just want to be comfy”. For one week we’ll do the small habits that make big changes. And hopefully they will last.
I created a small printable that you can fill out with your own habits and routines in three categories: physical health, beauty and mental health.
Some examples from the habits I want to work on:
- Health and Fitness: eat seven cups of vegetables a day, sleep eight hours daily, do a more challenging 30-minute workout four times a week, drink a gallon of water a day
- Beauty: Wear an outfit I really like, do my hair and nails on a weekly basis, moisturize every time after a shower, improve my posture when I’m sitting/standing
- Mental health: go on two fun adventures doing something new and memorable, do more walks outside and listen to music or motivational podcasts/audiobooks.
Define what you want to work on the most and figure out what you need to do upfront in order to make it happen.
For example with my beauty routine, I really need to work on making time and scheduling the doing my hair and nails part. I need to reserve that time upfront. These always get neglected and I’ll be putting a reminder in my calendar. I know, it’s sad, but I’m realistic here.
Hope you found some inspiration to make more time for yourself to stop neglecting what you truly want!