Natural Beauty Basics

By: Jenni Saake (DME)

Thank you for allowing me to share a little sliver of your day as you read this column.  For my first post it only seems right to share a bit about myself so you know who it is you are trusting for your information.  I’m featured here as a “Natural Beauty Expert” and yes, I think that is a fair description.  However my expertise has not been learned through special training, nor am I naturally gifted in knowledge of my topic.  Rather I share with you what I have searched out in answer to my own questions about health and beauty.  Much of what I have to say is information you could readily find for yourself were you to set out looking for it, but I can speak as an expert because I have taken the time to do that searching on your behalf and am happy to share what I’ve learned along my own journey to natural beauty.

If you have questions you would like to see answered here, I would like to hear from you!  If you ask things that I don’t know the answer to but think my readers will benefit from learning about as well, I will be honest with you that you are asking about things outside my area of current knowledge, but will gladly do my best to research and let you know what I find out.  So with these disclaimers, I welcome you to this little corner of my world and look forward to learning about natural beauty alongside you!

Let’s start with the most basic of basics.  Ask most beauty experts their number one piece of beauty advice and you will probably hear, “Drink lots of water!” Hydration is so important to ever cell in our bodies. There really is no substitute for pure, clean, refreshing water. Just “drinking” isn’t good enough as caffeinated, alcohol rich, sugary or chemical-laden (such as diet) drinks can actually rob our bodies of many of the benefits of plain water.

Sometimes it is hard to drink enough because water is just that, plain!  It doesn’t “taste good” to us so we seek alternatives. Slices of citrus (lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit or some combination of these) might give it the kick we need to make it more inviting. Or for an unusual and refreshing alternative, try slicing a chilled cucumber into your water. (Don’t forget to save a couple slices for a cooling puffy-eye treat!)

Another common reason for not drinking enough is simple business or forgetfulness. Make a habit of drinking you 64+ daily ounces by setting a pitcher out on the counter, lining up 8 glasses as a visual reminder to count down through the day, or by setting a timer for hourly drinks.  If you have other creative ways to make sure you are staying well-hydrated, I look forward to hearing what you have to share.

I’ve always believed that our bodies are only the start of beauty though, and that true beauty begins deep within, even deeper than the cellular level.  Just as it is important to train ourselves to stay physically hydrated, it is equally critical, really even more so, to make a habit out of daily refreshing our spirits too!  We all come from different religious backgrounds (or some choose to avoid religion all together), but in my Christian faith Jesus calls Himself the “Living Water” and time meditating on the Bible and spending moments with Him in prayer is how my heart is refreshed, just as water blesses my physical body.  You might find your spirit energized through exercise, or pursuing a beloved hobby, or simply reaching outside yourself to lend a helping hand to someone in need.  When I feel truly joyful and at peace inside, I glow with unique beauty that radiates to the world around me no matter the condition of my physical body.

De-Clutter Your Life

By: Melissa Smallwood (DME)

Have you ever wondered where all your things come from?  Clutter is stuff, things, and objects.  Where does it come from?  How did all this get here in the first place?  Let’s take a look at what creates clutter and the ways to keep track of what is coming into your environment.

We live in a materialistic society.  Things can give a person status, comfort, recognition, a smile.  None of those things are negative, however if we rely on things for our positive attitude than we are setting ourselves up for disappointment.  We are also making ourselves vulnerable to relying on the accumulation of things to feel satisfied.  This is like trying to gain weight and only drinking water.  It’s not going to work!

There are a few different ways we accumulate things- but any way that we get something, the decision to keep it is ours alone.  Whether you purchase something on a whim, are given a gift that you know you won’t use or just can’t pass up a bargain, you have to remember that you are choosing to keep that item in your environment.  I am vulnerable to this when it comes to shoes.  Especially if they are cute and/or on sale J

So, how do you deal with the urge to collect things, accumulate stuff, add that notch to your shopping belt?  Here are a few things I recommend when trying to decrease the things you own that are just creating clutter and chaos in your environment:

• Keep a journal of purchasing.  A pair of shoes here, a clearance item there may not seem like a lot.  But, when added up all of these unnecessary purchases could be causing your cluttered environment.  You won’t know until you are honest with yourself about what you are bringing into your home.  Write it down for a few weeks and then examine how many of those items were necessary and you have a place for.

• Resist the urge to buy in bulk.  Now, let me clarify something here.  I am a frugal shopper and a strong advocate of doing everything possible to be good stewards of our financial resources.  However, if you do not have the room to store items in bulk- don’t buy them in bulk.  Many people will buy in bulk without doing the math to see if it is truly a better deal to do so (it is not always the cheaper route).  Think it through and ask yourself if you have room to store all these items BEFORE purchasing them.

• Be a bargain snob.  If you are easily sucked in by the clearance rack (as am I) then make a deal with yourself that if you are buying something new, something old has to leave.  If I buy a new blouse then I am already deciding in my mind which blouse I am willing to part with from my closet.  That type of mindset will stop impulse buying in its tracks quite often.

• Understand why you are accumulating.  Many times, accumulating things can be meeting more of an emotional need than an actual physical need.  Ever heard of retail therapy?  Many people say this jokingly but it is an actual phenomenon and can become addictive. Evaluate your motivation for purchasing an item- are you getting a temporary rush (fix) and then going to be stuck with the item for the long haul?

These are just a few of the things you can do to evaluate where your “stuff” problem is coming from.  Allow yourself the time and attention to discover the reason your environment is cluttered and you will have a much easier time rectifying the problem.

Melissa Smallwood (Multi-tasking Mama) has worked with seniors and families as a professional organizer for several years and is the owner of Organized Life by Design, LLC. She has an extensive human services background. She is also the mom of three active boys (one of which has special needs). She enjoys helping people get their lives, calendars and homes organized so that they have time to see and enjoy their blessings!