After a year and a half of living in a global pandemic, everybody’s ready for a change, dying to return to school or normal life as the best versions of themselves.
If you’ve been on TikTok, you know that the No. 1 way to do this is to have a “glow-up.” However, on the app, this “glow-up” is often thought of solely in terms of physical appearance. In this article, I’ll be giving you twelve tips on how to achieve a holistic glow-up, or one that is physical, mental, emotional, and social, all in one go!
Physical
1. Exercise
I’m no stranger to the random bursts of motivation that push us to intensely exercise for a day or two, only to find ourselves burning out afterward and spending a week eating chips. However, the keys to effective exercise are determination and consistency. Even doing light exercise for ten to twenty minutes daily could make a huge difference in improving your overall health, and I just can’t emphasize enough how important doing so is.
Because we can’t always rely on motivation, designate a specific time in your day wherein you push yourself, no matter how lazy you feel, to get up and get active! There are heaps of amazing free exercise gurus on YouTube that are more than ready to help you out.
2. Drink water
Supplying your body with necessary nutrients, helping you resist disease and infection, and lowering your blood pressure are just three of the many benefits of drinking water. Besides that, it’s well-known that water clears your skin and gives it that glow we all crave, as well as improves the health of your hair and nails.
It’s recommended that you drink about three liters daily, but if you’re like me and struggle to do so, try checking out water bottles with time reminders like this one to help you out!
3. Eat healthy
Try incorporating fruits and vegetables into each meal. I don’t exaggerate when I say that I’m a picky eater and that there are tons of fruits and veggies I’d never dare to try, but, while aimed for younger kids, this list of tips was amazing in helping me get to eat healthier! In addition to eating healthily, though, don’t forget to cut down on sugar and other unhealthy foods!
4. Adopt a skincare routine
It could be as simple as 1-2-3, or it could be a long process that would take over an hour- everyone’s skin is different, so do whatever suits you best and makes your skin healthy and glowy! For those of you who haven’t established theirs, here are some great tips on how to do so.
Mental and Emotional
5. Meditate
Meditating will do close to nothing for you if you don’t do it consistently. The good thing is that it requires little to nothing more than your time and dedication. Take this time to reflect on your life, plans, health, self-esteem, and perceptions! Congratulate yourself in the areas where you think you’re doing amazing and be patient with yourself if you feel as if you’re lost.
6. Keep a journal
No matter how short the entry, consistently writing it all down in a journal is always a good idea. Whether you write about your day, what you’re grateful for, or questions you have about the world, this journal will surely help you see how you develop and progress, allowing you to feel pride in your achievements or identify areas in which you need to improve.
Journaling does wonders for mental health because it provides a safe space to embrace your emotions, reflect on what you’ve done or what you need to do, and be yourself.
7. Seek new things
Are you stuck on an endless loop of days that are indistinguishable from one another? Now’s the time to try new things, like going on a run, baking a new treat, knitting a sweater, painting a mirror, or reading poetry. Doing so gives you an amazing opportunity to find new passions and explore various aspects of life you’ve never set foot in before, as well as provides you with the courage to try even more things in the future!
8. Treat yourself
Whether it be a much-needed spa day, a cozy movie night, an amazing solo room concert, or your favorite meal from the place down the street, treating yourself is important. If you need more ideas, check this list out! Acknowledge the fact that you deserve to be happy and enjoy life, just like everybody else does!
Social
9. Keep in touch
With a pandemic that seems to go on forever, it may be hard to keep your relationships going. Maybe you don’t know what to say, or maybe you’re just a little anxious about messaging someone seemingly out of the blue. Whatever the reason, just do it, even if it’s just to check on them! Trust me when I say that they won’t think badly of it and it would probably bring a smile to their face.
10. Compliment people
If you’re walking by someone in the supermarket and love their earrings, tell them! You’ll probably never see them again, and small compliments like that, which only take a good two or three seconds of your life, could make someone’s day and be something they look back on fondly years later.
11. Avoid one question, one answer
When getting to know someone new, avoid responding to all their attempts at conversation with a single short answer. Instead, answer them, explain a little more about it, and ask them a related question in return! Doing this could help you make a new acquaintance, ease social anxiety, and develop social skills!
12. Show genuine interest
We can all confidently say that, when we’re talking to someone about something that matters a lot to us, we’d hate it if they seemed as if they just wanted us to stop talking and leave. We may be so caught up in overthinking and nervousness that we may unintentionally send the person the wrong message, so, whenever talking to people, make an effort to show interest! It may mean much more to them than we know.
In Conclusion…
When aiming for a glow-up, don’t just focus on your physical appearance! Instead, work on every aspect of yourself equally. I hope these tips were helpful, and if there’s one piece of advice I could give you along your journey, it’s never to let yourself believe that, if you haven’t achieved a glow-up just yet, your present self is any less worthy of love and appreciation than your future self. Keep going and don’t forget to enjoy it all!
Meg P.
Meg is a high school student and is especially interested in the fields of environment, history, philosophy, and politics.
