The Emotional Connection to Beautiful Skin

This message was brought home to me recently. Every morning I read a meditation to prepare myself for the day (I really like author Melody Beattie's meditations), and on this particular morning, the one I read was about nurturing yourself. There I was, lying in bed, anticipating a really hectic day with my seven-year-old. I'd promised to take him skiing, and I was worried. My son skis fast, and I'm a nervous Nelly with him sometimes. I didn't think I could keep up; plus, as a mom, I wanted to keep him safe. Not to mention the fact that I was exhausted and wanted to just lie in bed. So I said to myself, Katie, let's find a way to relax and enjoy this time. I decided to take a long, luxurious shower; give myself a hair mask; and put on some makeup before we hit the slopes. Just doing those little things made me much more patient with my son. I was able to nurture him because I had taken the time to nurture myself.

I heard a story from a friend about a college professor who was famous for her over-the-top jewelry: She wore rings on every finger, necklaces, bangles, you name it! It was an affectionate joke around the university that her students knew she was approaching because she jingled. So when she stopped jingling, they knew that something was wrong.

Look out for your own clues. Are you keeping up with your personal grooming? Do you take care of your skin, hair, and nails? Do you take pride in putting yourself together, or does it feel like a chore? If the answer to any of these questions is no, you might want to do a little self-examination and see what's really going on in your life.

Reflecting on yourself can be a vicious cycle. Because when you don't feel good and you don't take care of yourself, it shows. And if you look in the mirror and don't like what you see, that will affect the way you do your job and treat your family, as well as how you feel. My client Lisa Rinna talks a lot about this in her book, Rinnavation. Taking the time to treat yourself impacts every part of your life. You might feel a little selfish, but those extra moments will color your whole attitude in a positive way. When you feel better about yourself, you will perform your every role in life better!

Of course not every skin problem is caused by how you're feeling about yourself or your mental state. Sometimes an outbreak is just an outbreak: it might be hormonal or because you're genetically predisposed to it. But do watch your skin. If you're having problems, ask yourself, "Where am I mentally and emotionally?" You might be getting a sign that it's time to make a change in your life.

Next: Research that proves skin is impacted by your emotions