WE ALL FEEL BETTER when we know we look our best, but being busy, adopting bad habits, and even suffering a drop in confidence can mean we don’t feel able to make positive changes. Perhaps you feel too old for a bright lipstick or think your role as a mother means you shouldn’t take extra time to care for your skin. Yes, we’ve all been stuck in that familiar beauty rut. Psychologist Dr Meg Arroll, author of The Shrinkology Solution, a psychological guide to healthy eating, weight loss and wellbeing, explains that it can be a vicious circle. ‘If you don’t practise a minimum of self-care, this will affect your confidence,’ she says. ‘And if you don’t feel confident, you’re likely to practise less self-care.’
We should start, she says, by looking at any negative thoughts that are holding us back from making the most of our lives. ‘If you hear a voice in your head saying things like, “My family will laugh if I go blonde”, challenge these thoughts,’ she says. ‘Even if people don’t notice small changes in your appearance, they will notice how confident you feel.’ As for taking the time to make the changes, that can only be a good thing. ‘It’s important to value yourself enough to prioritise yourself,’ Meg says.