Who doesn’t love a quick fix? How about a quick upgrade? Movies, especially those teen dramas from the early 2000s were all about making upgrades through changes in appearance. It mostly came down to fashion. While fashion is a fantastic way to make an upgrade on an appearance, it’s important to know that it’s not the only thing either. There isn’t exactly just some holy grail to beauty or attractiveness like you may want to think. Garments are not a magical potion and there is a lot more that needs to be put into consideration when trying to do a glow-up on yourself. These are some fantastic ways to boost your appearance without fashion. 

Start off with the hair

I guess now is a good time as any to debut my new hair.

This took my friend Des five hours because my hair is so thick and there were too many sections, but Colourette's Bleach Cloud did not fry my hair at all! I am thinking I need another bleaching session to lighten my hair further though, but after that I will color it pink or violet! I can't decide yet!

BUT note that this doesn’t mean you have to cut your hair, color it, or even attempt to change the texture. All hair is beautiful, but sometimes there needs to be some small changes to boost an appearance. As we age, hairstyles that once looked great on us can tend to fade. Meaning as our faces age some hair cuts or style will gradually become less flattering. You may want to put your age, hair texture, and the shape of your face into consideration. Subtle layers are fantastic for adding character, sometimes all it takes is a bit of teasing to make it voluminous, or even just change how your hair frames the face. This can be done with a haircut or how you choose to style your hair, such as with hair scarves.

Posture

Sometimes all it takes is a bit of posture to look incredible. Posture can help in making your back and other muscles feel better, but it can also make your clothes look better. Adjusting your posture helps in transforming how the garment is draped on you. This not only boosts your confidence, but it can even have the power of stating the type of emotion you’re evoking without having to say a word. It makes you look taller, healthier, and a bit thinner if that’s something you’re after. Having good posture is something that makes a bit of time and it includes doing some exercises to help in staying more conscious about it. 

Try out accessories

While accessories can be a part of fashion, they don’t entirely have to be. Sometimes all it takes to improve an appearance and build some confidence can be some accessories. Whether you’re wanting some piercings such as labret studs, something for your neck, or even your hair, it all has really helped in making an improved appearance.

Your skin

You’ve probably seen plenty of videos on Instagram and TikTok of people strongly encouraging you to develop a skincare routine. They’re completely right about that. Skincare routine is one of the best ways to learn about beauty products and how they can help with graceful gaining. This also includes exercising, getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, using luxury skin products, as well as consuming healthy foods. It’s best to give your skin a visual boost and doing so can lead to decades of confidence thanks to having a healthy routine for your skin.  

When it comes to how you feel about yourself, it has a significant impact on how you live and interact with others. If you are self-assured, you tend to perceive yourself positively and truly like spending time with and around other individuals. You don't feel self-conscious or embarrassed in social situations, which allows you to live your life to the fullest and happiest extent possible. But it is thought that 85% of people suffer from low self-esteem at some point in their lives, so if you are struggling, you are not alone.

Confidence is taking photos right outside my unit using just my phone and its self timer

I experienced this right after I experienced a major heartbreak many years ago. The toxicity of that non-relationship led me to doubt myself and caused my self-esteem to crash. I used to be outgoing in school, but that incident affected me and my mental health negatively. I am so glad and relieved to be out of the woods. 

Those who find themselves suffocating in a sea of self-doubt, hesitation, and shyness tend to retreat and separate themselves from others, avoiding interactions and connections with other people. Your social anxiety, which you feel in the pit of your stomach when you are with people, is causing you to be much less productive and is detrimental to your emotional health and overall well-being. If you lack self-confidence or have friends or family members who lack confidence, you must take steps to improve your situation.

Stop Comparing Yourself to Others

Comparisons aren't good, whether you're comparing how you appear to your pals on Facebook or comparing your wage to your friend's income. In fact, according to a 2018 study published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, there is a direct correlation between feelings of envy and how you feel about yourself.

According to the findings of the study, persons who compare themselves to others develop feelings of envy. And the more they were envious of others, the more self-conscious they became.

Remind yourself of your own accomplishments and talents if you find yourself feeling jealous of someone else's life. Consider keeping a gratitude notebook regularly to help you stay focused on your own life rather than the lives of others.

Focus On Others

If you are low on confidence, self-conscious, nervous and shy in social situations, focus your attention on other people and what they are saying or doing instead of your own awkwardness.

For example, think about what is interesting about the person who’s the centre of the party or the guy or girl you are talking with. Prompt them to talk more about themselves and be genuinely interested in what they say. You will instantly come across as confident and warmhearted.

People generally want to talk about themselves, be heard and understood. They will love it when you’re eager and willing to listen to them and really listen to what they have to say.

This habit of focusing more on what you love in others instead of what you dislike in yourself will help you become more assertive and comfortable in virtually all social situations and instantly make you feel great about yourself.

Change Your Look

You don't need to make drastic changes, but you can benefit from treating yourself to something new that you have coveted for a while now. Maybe you want a new pair of boots, or you bought some Body Jewellery Online for your piercings. Wear the item, make yourself feel good and use this confidence boost you help you get through the day.

An excellent tip for challenging situations is to pamper yourself beforehand; if you feel comfortable and confident in your skin, you will instantly feel better when approaching circumstances that affect your confidence. Avoid choosing outfits that you don't feel comfortable in, as this will have the opposite effect on your confidence.

Alternatively, completely overhauling your style can offer you a chance to overcome your anxiety issues, build your esteem, and reinvent yourself, almost like shedding old skin and growing into a new one. 

Surround Yourself With Positivity

Pay close attention to how people around you make you feel about yourself. Do your family and friends help you to grow or hinder your progress? Do they continuously pass judgement on you, or do they embrace you for who you are as an individual?

The individuals with whom you spend most of your time significantly influence your ideas and attitudes about yourself than you may realize. If you feel self-conscious after spending time with someone, it may be time to separate ways.

As a reflection of this, you want to share this positivity with others too. People are more receptive to others, especially those more introverted if they have nine things to say about others. So build up those around you with compliments and see how it is received and reciprocated to give you a quick confidence boost when you need it.

Look After Yourself

How much do you pay attention to your body and what it needS? How you treat yourself to ensure you are fit and healthy can play a massive part in your self-esteem and confidence. Chances are, if you are sleeping poorly and eating the wrong foods, you won't feel so great within yourself. In turn, this will knock down your confidence.

Pay close attention to the foods you eat, how much exercise and fresh air you get, and your sleeping routines. It would be best to aim for around 7-9 hours of sleep each night at regular, consistent times and eat a healthy balanced diet. Everything in moderation is the key to a good diet, eating plenty of more nutritious foods, reducing processed foods and high sugar foods, and drinking around eight glasses of water per day. Doing so will improve your general health, help you feel more alert, and support your body to work on your confidence without running down due to bad lifestyle choices.

Practice Being Assertive

Being assertive is about acknowledging and respecting the ideas and needs of others but also demanding the same in return. An effective strategy is to observe other people who are forceful and then mimic their actions.

It's not about pretending to be someone you aren't when it comes to this. Learning from those you admire while allowing your true self to shine through is what it is all about.

Learn to Say No

People with poor self-esteem frequently feel obligated to say yes to others, even if they do not honestly want to, mostly because they fear rejection.

Saying no does not generally cause problems in interpersonal interactions. But you run the risk of being overloaded, resentful, angry, and depressed due to your experience. It can be beneficial to keep saying no, but in different ways, until they get what you're trying to express.

Accept Yourself

Being aware of your own identity begins with the realization that no two people are the same and that no single social environment is appropriate for everyone. Everyone is endowed with their own set of distinct abilities and ways of expressing themselves. Take pride in yours! When it comes to one-on-one and small group conversations, you might not be as brave and confident as you would be in a larger group. 

Introverts, for example, exude calm confidence that is, regrettably, sometimes mistaken for shyness by those around them. They are naturally reserved and prefer to spend their time by themselves. In exchange for this inherent propensity, they are endowed with specific unique abilities, such as the capacity to listen more attentively and notice things that others do not.

Your individuality serves as both a source of strength and competitive advantage. The fact is that you will not be comfortable and confident in all circumstances at all times. Accept this and allow yourself to shine when you can not criticize yourself for being like others in different situations.

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” Albert Einstein

Find Something You Enjoy

Exercise, reading, music, riding a bicycle or going fishing are all examples of activities that you should engage in regularly that you actually enjoy, and that brings you genuine happiness. This will, in turn, strengthen your self-belief and increase your confidence by orders of magnitude. It will increase your self-esteem, calm your ego, and allow you to identify with your unique traits and talents.

It is possible that you will not become popular for doing what you enjoy, and it is even possible that you will not desire to become popular at all. Being popular doesn't make you happy; instead, doing what you enjoy makes you happy.

Fake It 'Til You Make It

When it comes to boosting your self-esteem and confidence, it won't be an overnight change; forcing yourself to do things you aren't comfortable with can backfire. Especially if you push too hard, take things slowly, reinforce the changes you want to make and congratulate yourself when you make positive changes.

Fake it 'til you make it is a phrase used by many people in different contexts but in this situation faking your confidence and self-esteem can help you gain what you are looking for and give you a boost when you need it the most. And before long, you will realize you aren't faking it anymore.  

I know, right? The last time I went hiking was when I was 16 years old, as a requirement for COCC trainees and CAT Officers in high school. I cursed every step I took, to think I trained for it so I was prepared. I was ready. And then I realized hiking is not for me.


But maybe it's for you! The idea of taking up hiking can sound daunting as there’s a lot to think about, but they say if you get the basics right it can be a really enjoyable and stress-free hobby. You don’t really need any special skills to hike; you simply need to know how to read a map, plan a route, and enjoy getting out and about and walking. It’s fun, exciting, and good for both your mental and physical health.

Whether you've always wanted to try hiking or the pandemic and working from home has made you more keen to get out and about regularly, hiking can be really great for your mental health, as well as your physical health.

If you’re keen to start hiking but don’t really know where to begin, it can seem a little overwhelming, but the truth is that it’s easier to get started than you might think. It’s simply a case of preparing properly and making sure that you have everything that you need to make hiking safe and enjoyable.

 

Wondering what you need to get started when it comes to hiking and how to enjoy the new hobby safely? Below is a guide to everything that you should know!

Invest in the right gear

One of the most important aspects of hiking - and any outdoor activity - is that you invest in the right gear. The last thing that you want is to be caught out without the right equipment, so making sure that you have everything that you need is extremely important. What that means is taking the time to work out what the essentials are for hiking - usually, walking boots are a must, but what else do you need?

It’s a good idea to do plenty of research to find out what the most essential items are - you can also opt to ask other hiking enthusiasts what their must-have items are. You might also find that websites like ECOGEAR FX are useful for sourcing essential outdoor activity items, so are worth taking a look at.

Plan your routes

When you first start out hiking, it’s a good idea to get into the habit of planning your routes. As a newbie hiker, there’s a lot to think about when route planning, so you might find it helpful to research some tried and tested routes to try out. There are lots of websites that can help with this - so it’s worth taking the time to have a look around.

Another option as a new hiker is to consider joining a hiking group, where you can enjoy some different walks as part of a group. This ensures that you’re hiking safely and are able to learn as much about hiking as possible. When done incorrectly, hiking - like any outdoor sport - can become dangerous, so it pays to gain an insight into the ins and outs of hiking.

There you have it, a guide to how to take up hiking and how you can ensure that you love getting out and about exploring.

As for me, I am so out of shape as the only exercise I get these days is by walking to the clubhouse to pick up deliveries. -_- Showing proof of life here as J and I dropped by 7-Eleven for a quick coffee and snacks fix.

How are you? I hope you are doing well and keeping safe. :)

Even before the pandemic shut the world down and majority of businesses adapted by making employees work from home, my former workplace enforced Work Anywhere Wednesdays wherein if you do not have office meetings on Wednesdays, you can, well, work anywhere. I used to not care for it because during the first few times I tried to work from home, I always ended up falling asleep LOL. But now that I have gotten used to working from home, you cannot make me go to the office ever again. I used to think I needed a physical office to give structure to my day, but now I do not think I can ever function in the old method ever again.

There are so many factors that you should be looking to improve upon when you are trying to make the most of working from home. This is one of the most effective forms of being able to maintain a successful career, and there are a lot of benefits of being able to work from home as much as possible. 

Now, there are plenty of hacks that you need to make sure you keep in mind if you are serious about enhancing the work from home experience. Sharing some of the best hacks you can use that will help you to work from home more effectively right now.

Structure Your Day

Structure is such a huge part of your working day, and this is something that you need to try. Having some sort of structure and organization can help you significantly when it comes to the process of improving and enhancing your working day. You have to make sure you focus on doing as much as you can to improve this process and to make sure you work from home as effectively as possible. Some people use the Pomodoro technique while others log time blocks on their daily calendars. Different strokes for different folks, find a method that works for you.

Make Sure Your Computer is Fully Functional

Making sure your computer is fully functional is one of the most important elements of working from home. This is something that can play a massive role in helping you to be more productive and efficient. In order to achieve this you have to make sure you look at things like what to do with your Mac if you can’t update it, or how to optimize Windows to allow you to enjoy your computer’s best performance. 

Remove Distractions

Distractions are a menace when you are trying to work from home more productively, and this is something that you need to try to make the most of moving forward. Try to come up with some of the best ideas that you can use that will help you focus more on your work. Everyone’s work from home situation is different, and removing distractions is a vital part of being successful with this. As for me, I guess it helps that I moved out and I do not have a TV in my apartment.

Use Productivity Tools

Using productivity and workflow tools such as Strict Workflow or Trello is a great way of being able to improve how productive you are by blocking websites and social media that can prove to be distractions. Productivity is one of the key areas of working from home that you have to try to make sure you get right, and it is important to ensure that you come up with tips that will help you to be more productive each day. 

There are a lot of things that will help you when it comes to improving your work from home experience, and this involves taking a lot of steps that will help you improve the working process. You need to try to focus on taking the right steps to improve and enhance your working life, and these are some of the best hacks you can utilize to allow you to achieve this.   

I woke up today feeling a little bit hopeful, and before noontime I literally burst into tears upon learning of VP Leni Robredo's intent to run for President. The Internet instantly became awash with various shades of pink. She represents so much: empathy, power, resilience, dignity, integrity, but most importantly she has become a beacon of hope for so many.

My work calendar was fully booked but I was able to steal 30 minutes after 6PM to bake some cookies. I guess I changed some time between being 34 and 35 as I display affection now by preparing food. :) I've already tried this recipe last week and it was a huge success so I made it again today, with a little addition. It was an even bigger success so I say it will now be my go to cookie recipe, hence this blog post. It's so easy to make and you can already find most of the ingredients in your pantry. 

I call this Pink Sugar Dreams, cookies with chocolate chips, white chocolate, pink Himalayan salt, and a lot of hope.

INGREDIENTS 

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C) and line two baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
2. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt into a small bowl. Whisk until combined. 
3. With a hand mixer or stand mixer, combine melted butter and sugars. Beat for about 3 minutes until creamy. 
4. Add in egg, egg yolk and vanilla and beat for another 2 - 3 minutes. 
5. Slowly mix in flour by hand or on low speed with your mixer. 
6. Add droplets of pink gel food color, depending on the intensity of color you want on your cookies.
7. Lastly, add in white chocolate chunks and chocolate chips and mix by hand with a spoon. 
8. Chill dough for 30 minutes for easy scooping. 
9. Using a ¼ cup ice cream scoop, place mounds of cookie dough onto baking sheet, leaving plenty of space between the dough. Top with a light sprinkle of pink sea salt. 
10. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until edges are crispy and centre is still a bit soft. 
11. Remove from oven, let sit for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to baking rack to completely cool.

Enjoy! And please register to vote!