Confidence in your 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s
Learn to love yourself
Confidence in your looks in an inside job. Here, Louise Wedgwood shares tips for being healthy, happy and naturally beautiful as you age.
In your 20s
Your 20s are a time to refine who you are as an adult. Your confidence in your appearance depends largely on your confidence in yourself. Carlaw says:
“I’ve worked with genetically blessed women for most of my career, and let me tell you, they are some of the most self-conscious people I know. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, beats a beautiful laugh, a confident woman, a kind person with sparkling eyes and a wicked sense of humour. Those things totally trump thigh gaps and perky boobs.”
TIP: Work on being the type of person you’re proud of, and your attractiveness to others will take care of itself.
In your 30s
Your 30s may start to show you some grey hairs, a softer tummy or less youthful eyes. And if you’ve had children you’ll know that nothing about your body is the same as it was before.
This can affect how beautiful you feel, but it doesn’t have to. Hansen encourages you to monitor what you tell yourself about your appearance and to accept compliments. She says: “It is part of the human experience to want what we do not have. A lesson taught through yoga is to recognise that we are always wanting, and to accept that the ‘want’ will never be satisfied.”
TIP: Rather than focusing on appearance, appreciate all the amazing things your body can do, allows you to do.
In your 40s
In your 40s, you are statistically at a greater risk of feeling down or even depressed. But if you make a conscious decision to smile more often, it can make you feel happier and increase your attractiveness to others.
At the University of Bern in Switzerland, researchers discovered that people are more alluring when they smile. The warmer the smile, the stronger the effect. And since smiling makes you happier, you’ll then find it easier to smile even more. While a change of facial expression isn’t enough to cure depression, this research gives evidence for the idea that a smile is the best makeup any girl can wear.
TIP: Smile more
In your 50s
After age 50, it’s common to find your shape has changed as your body stores fat in different areas after menopause. Rather than pining for the legs or waistline you had when you were younger, it’s helpful to accept your current body shape. Then you can dress in a way that flatters it and makes you feel good.
Carlaw says: “(Forget) what it was five years ago, or what it will be like after your next diet. Be real, be honest with yourself and then move from there.” Carlaw suggests investing in a shopping trip with a personal stylist, or letting a helpful shop assistant suggest outfits for you.
“You’d be amazed at how knowledgeable they can be if you give them a chance,” she says.
