Sonja Kabell 
What does Christy Brinkley, Michelle Pfeiffer, Oprah Winfrey and Madonna all have in common? They are all over fifty and look fabulous! What is their secret? Grant it, they do have the ability to hire scads of personal chefs, trainers, assistants and the best of the best. We can all look and feel fabulous too without having to deal with all the paparazzi!
So, what is the secret to lasting beauty, a youthful appearance, and a healthy glow? If you read any information on how the “Stars” stay fit and fabulous, the common theme will be eating right and exercising. We know that what we nourish our bodies with is a huge factor in how we look and feel. Eating a well-balanced diet, limiting high fat and processed foods are key. Staying active also plays a role in keeping fit. Aerobic activity and resistance training consistently will keep our bodies in shape. What are the other big hitters? Restful sleep, having an active sex life and taking great supplements. What about your attitude? Does it make a difference? Absolutely!
Let’s talk about attitude. Attitude is everything. To quote an article written by the Mayo Clinic, May 2011, “Positive thinking helps with stress management and can even improve your health.” Your outlook on life and events will negatively or positively effect how you look and feel. If you deal with things in a stressful way or get “stressed out” your health will decline. Free radicals – stress – can cause you to become unhealthy. Unhealthy people tend to be unhappy and look older. Have you ever known someone who seems to be perpetually in a good mood? They look healthier, more youthful, less “stressed.” These happy people are like magnets. We migrate to them like they are a burst of sunshine. People who can see things in a positive manner verses negative can increase their life span, reduce the risk of heart disease, have lower rates of depression, and have a higher resistance to the common cold! Who knew that the glass half full verse half empty is so powerful?
How do you start to work on your attitude that will in turn work on your outer beauty? Start being more positive and love on yourself with positive self talk. Research shows that happy people tend to: express gratitude on a regular basis; practice being optimistic; engage in frequent acts of kindness; savor joyful events, and practice forgiveness. Gratitude, optimism, kindness and forgiveness are such powerful words. Just saying “thank you” more often can give you a feeling of gratitude and what a difference it will make to the other person!
Positive self-talks in important as well. Self talk is the internal voice in our head that speaks loud and clear. Love on yourself by telling you just how great you are. I challenge you start the day by telling yourself something positive. It is not always easy so when you start to hear negative Nelly in your head, think more encouraging thoughts. There are books written on the power of positive thinking by Norman Vincent Peale that might be of interest. Reading inspirational quotes each morning to start off your day. One of my personal favorites is “Go confidentially in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imaged” by Henry David Thoreau. I always feel uplifted and motivated every time I read that quote.
Surrounding yourself with loving, uplifting and encouraging people will help too. You know the old saying, “bird of a feather, flock together.” Don’t hang out with turkeys! I hope you are inspired! We all can use some inspiration in our lives! Look great, feel great and be great!
