You are beautiful

You are beautiful – yes, you are, although beauty is morethan skin-deep. Beauty is unique grace and confidence, a shining light thatsparkles through the eyes and smile. It's not what you look like; it's what youproject.

Beauty is a subjective quality and a universal perfectbeauty is but an abstract concept.

Secretly, we all want to be beautiful and make the best ofourselves. We want to look more beautiful without losing the essence of whatmakes us uniquely attractive.

Perfect beauty is an elusive concept, but if you can feelgood about yourself by enhancing your looks, you may find more joy in your life.

Enjoy the beautiful you and Life!

How to counter insomnia

Find joy and passion in life

Finding something you love to do is a good start toincreasing the moments of joy in your life, and your passion for living.

Today's pace of life prevents too many people from findingwhat they love to do because they feel so tired. But when you give in to theurge to take photographs or make your own clothes or do woodworking, or becomea first-class baker, you're giving yourself a gift. It takes energy, but italso creates energy in the passion you find for a new activity.

You may or may not be able to change careers, but doingsomething you love even as a hobby brightens you up. You'll look forward togetting up in the morning, you'll feel more interested and alive, and otherpeople will be drawn to your energy. If schools really wanted to increase the qualityof kids' lives, there would be a place in the curriculum for finding things youlove to do and working at them, attaining a level of expertise that lets youexpress your creativity.

As adults, we can re-educate ourselves about joy and passionby skipping the night class in business management and studying sculptureinstead.

Ouma se kombuis

Chill out!

Bogged down by deadlines, family commitments and a demanding social life? Take a deep breath...

You don't always need acupuncture, aromatherapy, hot-stone therapy or an Indian head massage to relax. There are many things you can easily do in the comfort of your own home to get rid of some stress.

Wash away the stress

Water has been used as a stress reliever for centuries. Go for a swim, sit in a sauna or relax in a Jacuzzi. Twice a month, soak your body in a hot bath to which you've added a cup of sea salt and a cup of bicarbonate of soda. It will relax your muscles and make you drowsy, helping you have a good night's rest and ensuring you wake up feeling refreshed and energised.

Shake it off

Exercise releases endorphins (feel-good hormones) and also burns off excess energy, which would otherwise make you feel grumpy or irritable. Try Tai Chi, an exercise regime from the East, which has been described as movement meditation or an alternative form of yoga. It aids flexibility and relaxation. Here are a few exercises for you to try:

- If your body is feeling tired and stiff, lie on your back on a firm, flat surface with your feet slightly apart and your hands at your sides. Relax your arms and turn your palms upwards, with your fingers slightly bent. Lie in this position for 10 to 20 minutes while concentrating on your breathing. Before getting up, turn onto your left side and place your left arm underneath your head. Lie like this for at least two minutes before pushing yourself up with your right hand.

- Lie on your stomach with your legs slightly apart. Put your hands on top of each other, with the palms facing down and turn your head to the side so that your cheek is resting on top of your hands. Close your eyes and breathe rhythmically through your nose. This exercise is especially effective for calming you down after you've had a fight with someone.

- Sit with your feet shoulder-width apart. Rest your palms on your thighs. Close your eyes. Spend five minutes passively listening to sounds in the distance, until you feel relaxed. You can do this behind your desk or in a parked car. Try it after struggling through traffic on your way to an important meeting or after a disagreement with a colleague.

Sweet dreams

Lie on your back in bed. Close your eyes and place your hands in a comfortable position behind your head. Press your thumbs into your ears to shut out the external noise. You will hear a sound rushing through your head – that's completely normal. Listen to it for 10 to 15 minutes, then bring your arms down to your sides, relax and go to sleep.

Vitamin C

Researchers at the University of Trier in Germany have found that vitamin C helps us to relax and lessens our stress levels. Research subjects exhibited a marked lowering in levels of the harmful stress hormone cortisol, as well as lower blood pressure after taking 1 000mg vitamin C three times a day.

You can bolster your levels of vitamin C naturally by eating lots of citrus, strawberries, broccoli, guavas, spanspek, green pepper and tomatoes.

Laugh it off

When you laugh, feel-good hormones are released that inhibit levels of the harmful stress hormone cortisol, and bolster your immunity.

The joy of music

Some types of music, especially baroque music, calm you down by slowing your brain waves. Try listening to music composed by Johann Sebastian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi (especially The Four Seasons) or Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart when you're feeling stressed.

Acknowledgement:  Ideas.co.za

Woman to Woman

My Beautiful World