Hey fabulous Life of Shal followers!

It’s time for your 2023 glow up plan. You’re probably wondering what a glow up plan is. Well, I’m here to tell you exactly what that is! Change is never easy but putting in the effort is truly the first step to becoming someone better.

So, what does it mean to glow up?

A glow up is a mental, physical, and emotional transformation for the better. Glow ups can be both natural and /or planned. They can also be gradual and permanent, or fast and temporary. It really depends on you and how you map out your growth plan. It’s a dedication to yourself, to focus on improving your wellness, health, looks, and mental strength so you can look and feel your absolute best.

This can be in the form of small actionable steps that you take now to improve certain areas in your life such as your mental health, physical health and personal development. The key is small, actionable steps. That’s simple, easy techniques that don’t affect your everyday life but which are easy to implement and integrate.

Now you might be saying to yourself: Okay Shal, I hear you… small actionable steps… but what are these small actionable steps I can take now?

Well, I’m about to share them with you!

Of course, this is just a small list to help you kick start your glow up plan.

You’ll need to take these tips away and see if they align with your goals for the year ahead as well. If not, don’t worry. Use these tips as a baseline and tailor them to your goals, dreams and desires for the year ahead.

So, without further ado… here are some simple steps to help you build your 2023 glow up plan!

Part 1: Glow up your mind

Wake up earlier

Having ME-time can sometimes be difficult in today’s day and age. Whether it be to avoid traffic or take care of little humans, we often tend to put others first before ourselves. The concept of waking up earlier means you actually start slotting in time for YOU, to do the things that are beneficial to your body and mind. whether it be more time to sip on your coffee in peace while reading a chapter of a book, exercising or journalling – waking up earlier is definitely going to allow you to feel more aligned with yourself and your goals.

No phone in the morning

This is a habit I myself need to break. Checking your phone in the morning immediately after waking up means you’re immediately bombarded with new messages, emails, to-do lists and other things that are just going to leave you feeling stressed and anxious. It’s also a sure-fire way to start endless scrolling and mind numbing. Did you know that when checking social media, your brain releases dopamine? It’s a neurochemical that makes you feel rewarded, which creates a quick easy feel-good experience that is unhealthy for you. What you really want is to start your morning being relaxed and calm. Try leaving your phone in another room or switching it to silent before bed. I know, that’s a lot easier said than done, especially in today’s day and age. Another option is to make sure you have a replacement activity nearby that can you quickly substitute your smartphone with. This can include a book to read, exercising, meditating, journaling, making a healthy breakfast or writing.

No screen time 45 minutes before bed

Screen time before bed can often lengthen the time taken to fall asleep and reduce the overall quality of your sleep. Try reducing your screen time by using the night mode on your phone or dimming the brightness, making your bedroom a technology free zone, creating a bedtime routine or reading a book before bed.

Journal daily

Journaling is one of the best mental activities you can do! Journalling has been found to reduce stress and anxiety, improve your mood, reduce depression, helps you let go of any negative thoughts, enhances self-awareness and overall, improves your mental health drastically.

Create a vision board

Vision boarding is a great way to get clear on your goals. It’s one of the best ways to help you visualize your goals and the details behind them. It’s also one of the best ways (next to journaling) to help you manifest your goals. Make yourself a cup of coffee and collect images that speak to your future self. The key here is in the detail – if you want to manifest a new car, find a picture with as much detail of what you envision that car to look like (color, shape, model, features). Stick your vision board up in place where you will look at it every day. Once your board is ready, speak it into existence and inspire action.

Read before bed

Reading a few pages before bed can help reduce stress, relax and strengthen your mind. reading allows you take in new information (which is a great way to work on skills you want to develop) and doing it just before bed helps you have a better sleep.

Practice gratitude

Gratitude is simply being thankful for all the positive things you have in your life at present. It tells the universe that you notice the good things around you and that you appreciate them. Whether it be because someone showed up on time to the sun shining through the window for you – each of these small moments where you show gratitude creates a web of wellbeing leading to your overall happiness. It also paves the way for better things to come.

Show up as the girl you’re becoming

This is a big one! To glow up and manifest this better you, you have to start showing up as the girl you’re becoming NOW. How do you do this? Start by imagining what she looks like, how she acts, what are the things she says and how does she feel. Write down these little mannerisms if you have too and start doing them! By acting like her now, you almost trick your brain into thinking you are there already. These small chain events are the building blocks for the path to your glowing self.

Part 2: Glow up your body

This part of your glow up is all about getting healthier more fit and achieving a healthy appearance.

Work out 3 times a week

I know, I know… working out is hard and it takes up a lot of time. It’s boring. It’s hard. It’s a chore. Trust me, I use the same excuses. But girl… you’ve got to move your body! It’s one of the essential parts to “glowing up”. There are many ways you can incorporate a workout into your body – instead of committing to a long workout once a day, why not try a few short 15-minute workouts wherever you can fit in a gap. Try a dance class, or a high intensity work out class at the gym. Go for a walk early in the morning, or late in the evening of even during your lunch break. The best part? It will help contribute to your other goal of achieving 10 000 steps per day.  

10k steps daily

Getting in your steps is another form of exercise and it’s a great way to get outside and get some fresh air, which is also really great for your body and mental health. The magical number of 10 000 actually came from a Japanese marketing campaign that was run in 1965 to help the Japanese population avoid obesity. The 10 000-step recommendation has stuck since then! The idea is to just get your body moving so if 10 000 steps seem overwhelming, start smaller and work your way up.

Drink more water

Water has an unbelievable number of benefits on your body. Want to rock unbelievably clear skin? Well then stay hydrated! Want to flush out toxins and any bloating? Drink water.

Drinking water can do wonders for your overall health. Not only do you stay hydrated, but it also helps flush out any toxins from your body. It will help you keep a healthier digestive system, healthy urinary tract and will make your skin look healthier and give you more energy overall. The best way to make this a habit is to get yourself a water bottle that’s easy to carry around with you. This way you’ll be able to sip along as your day plays out.

Eat more whole foods

whole foods include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, milk, yoghurt, nuts and seeds. These foods retain their nutritional content a lot more than processed foods and aid chronic disease management, weight loss, improve gastrointestinal health and overall provides a stronger immune system.

Get fresh air daily

pure air plays a crucial role to your mind and body. It keeps you energized and relaxed, increases the level of oxygen circulating in your blood and cleans your lungs. It also facilitates the release of serotonin which is a feel-good hormone associated with increased energy levels and happiness. Having some outdoor time can make a world of difference for your wellbeing. Try opening a window first thing in the morning or going for a walk at least once a day.

Reduce sugar intake

Reducing your sugar intake can help keep your blood glucose levels within healthy limits, aid in weight management and improve your oral and heart health. If you’re a sugar lover like me, it’s going to be hard to just go cold turkey no sugar… so don’t. Remember, you’re trying to make small changes that overtimes will contribute to a greater good. Perhaps add one less spoon of sugar to your coffee in the morning or switch out the chocolate bar for something healthier in your diet.

Prioritize sleep and rest

As our days get busier, we sometimes end up working into the night and compromising our sleep just so we can get more hours into the day. But not having a good night’s sleep can affect so many things in our everyday life from feeling good to being alert and responsive to just feeling overall happier. Having a good 8 hours of sleep is so important for your mental and physical strength, so don’t compromise of the things are that going to rejuvenate you.

This is your year to shine!

Include at least a few of these tips in your everyday life (or at least tailor them to your personal goals or lifestyle). You will feel so much better and in no time, you’ll see a glow up! That being said, remember that you are already a wonder to this universe and glowing up is about shining bigger and brighter than you already do.

We only encourage positive vibes here!

Till next time,