“Appearance, after all, was a reflection of what a person thought of themselves and therefore, by extension, of others. A person crippled by self-loathing or self-doubt reflected those feelings in their appearance. Such visual clues did not inspire confidence in others because, and while not always completely accurate, for the most part they did reflect the inner person — whether or not the person realized it.” – Terry Goodkind, Chainfire

FlyLady recommends that getting dressed and “fixing your hair and face” should be done every morning, no matter how you feel. Many times that can lift your spirits and, in turn, make you physically feel better as well. It really only takes a few minutes, and I’m able to accomplish this while keeping an eye on a very active toddler.  Since all I use is Bare Mineralsit is very fast, looks natural, and actually keeps my skin healthy due to the absorbent nature of the minerals and the added sunscreen protection. It is nice to know that you already look great when the unexpected visitor or emergency errand comes up!

It seems to be a good influence on my daughter, too.  At 18 months old, she brushes her teeth, brushes her hair, and plays with a big fluffy makeup brush as I do these things in the morning.  I hope this excitement for personal hygiene continues as she grows older!

It is good for your health, too.  Obviously, bathing is always good, as is brushing your teeth.  But did you know that flossing your teeth can prevent heart attacks and miscarriages?  Using a loofah or scrub sponge can help your skin absorb the moisture and nutrients it needs to keep it looking great?  Brushing your hair makes it stronger and more lustrous by distributing the natural oils?  I realize that I am getting to the age where adult acne shouldn’t be as much of a problem anymore, but I have noticed a dramatic improvement since I started using the mineral makeup every day.  There are many reasons to be sure you take a little bit of extra time on yourself, especially when you are under the weather.

Taking pride in your appearance also shows a respect for your spouse. Sure, he or she should love you for “who you really are” even when you don’t look your best – but aren’t you really someone who takes pride in themselves, and how you reflect on your family?  Besides, the person I most want to look good for is my husband.  It gives him an extra boost to know that I am willing to take the time even though he is the only one to see me that day.

I hope I have encouraged you to set this worthy goal of developing this morning ritual for yourself!

I have always tried to follow this principle, making a very determined effort over the past few months. I feel it is helping a lot, and my family has even noted some good changes in my attitude. It has even inspired them to do some similar things! Isn’t it wonderful how good attitudes can be contagious?

You really do determine your own reality. I decided many years ago to stop basing my reality on my level of misery. Why not base it on the good things in my life? Anthony Robbins suggested that, even when you can’t think of a single good thing, you can at least shout, “Hooray, my feet don’t stink today!”

I found this wonderful article by Steve Pavlina: Abuse of Power. He lists some of the more common ways that many of us feed that negative teller: Complaining, Self-Doubt, Cowardice, Arguing, Asking Permission, and Blaming. I know I have personally struggled with Complaining, and since making a concentrated effort to improve, I have noticed my entire outlook has changed for the better! His article is definitely recommended reading.