glow up ｡⋆₊˚ෆ
taking a less consumeristic approach to getting my life together
glow • up
a personal transformation; typically to physical appearance, but can also focus on mental, emotional, and spiritual improvement; becoming a better version of self.
a journey of self-discovery; finding purpose in life; prioritizing one’s overall well-being.
as a visual person I’ve been envisioning a journey to ideal self, or glow up, via vision boards. I have more practical boards of meal prep and home workout ideas. but let’s be real, my pinterest boards are 80% items that I can barely or probably never afford. style boards for a lifestyle nothing like my own.
it doesn’t hurt to be a bit delusional. life has been lacking luster lately. I escape into the realm of fantasy pinning things to my ‘luxury wishlist’ board. but even my ‘affordable wishlist’ has been stressing me out. the materialistic pursuits of glowing up have been exacting.
sometime last year, I decided that I no longer want to be the whimsical, disheveled hippie chick. I’m ready to transform into a grown and polished version of self, finally embrace my femininity, build a more classic wardrobe, learn how to do my nails, upgrade my makeup and skincare, etc.
< dream life >
I enjoyed nearly two weeks of being in the forest last summer and dreamed about that being my life. dedicating a significant amount of time to solo travel, connecting with nature, and being lost in spiritual study.
however besides enjoying my time in nature, there were many mishaps and things I wished I could change. most of my hiking/camping gear was bought around 2018 during my orthorexic era. I was planning a cross-country road trip for spring 2020 that was inevitably cancelled. years post-lockdown, my hiking/camp wear was three sizes too small and colors that were no longer my favorite. I felt hideous and uncomfortable most of the trip, constricted by clothes from the past.
I think this is when the initial stage of envisioning my glow up began. the not so subtle realization of how much my body has changed. at camp my nike slides kept attempting to break my ankles and the foam straps were like sponges that were never fully dry. to escape another rainy day at camp, I drove to the tiniest movie theatre to see Barbie (2023). fittingly one of the first items I bought when I returned home was a pair of water-resistant birkenstocks. they have adjustable straps to secure them to my feet. and they’d represent a new beginning, like Barbie starting her life in the real world.
last summer’s car camping trip, reignited my 2018/2019 goal of converting my car into a mini-camper. I thought a year would be plenty of time to buy new gear and embark on longer trips this summer. planning a trip and awaiting summer is how I convince my mind that life on Earth is worthwhile. part of me remains committed to living out the nomadic life I’d been planning pre-pandemic.
I’ve been on a few shorter road trips along the east coast, but my subconscious still has the desire to experience real nomadic life. a months long, cross-country road trip would make me feel like I’m following the right path in life.
summer has now returned and honestly my nervous system is so dysregulated. even with prioritizing rest days I feel burnt out from a year of trying to actualize too much—attempting to glow up. I’m feeling too depleted to even consider travel right now. there’s no destination I want to experience more than the comfort of my own bed. I’m accepting the familiar reality of delay. there are still many essential (and expensive) items for my car camping setup that I don’t have.
I’m proud of how much progress I’ve made in challenging myself to something difficult, all the things from my vision boards that I have actualized through hard work and bargain hunting. once I do embark on my next camping trip I’ll be much more comfortable and organized. in the meantime, I now have hiking gear that fits and am eager to explore nearby hiking trails this summer.
< the only requirement for glowing up is motivation >
in re-evaluating things I realize that glowing up can easily become superficial. I’ve had the temptation to just buy new clothes, makeup, accessories, and live some aesthetic fantasy life. throughout a glow up journey, it’s important to be intentional and realistic to avoid becoming caught up in creating an illusion of transformation, prosperity, and happiness.
throughout my glow up journey I’ve been broke and stressed more than ever. I feel a tremendous sense of relief extending the timeframe of my ‘nomadic life’ goal. I’ve learned that it’s important to have balance during such an intense period of transformation, so that you aren’t neglecting other areas of life.
my physical health has suffered during this whole glow up process. stressed by working as much as possible to accumulate new items, I’ve fallen off with things like my sleep schedule, exercise, and maintaining a healthy diet. I need to slowdown and focus on making important lifestyle changes to benefit my overall well-being.
< glow up plan | establish routine >
after much consideration, I’ve decided to share my glow up plan for this summer as a means to keep myself motivated and maybe inspire others having similar experiences. I’m shifting focus to making positive lifestyle changes. more of an inner glow up. my primary goal will be establishing routine and prioritizing my health.
I’m meditating on more conscientious ways of sharing lifestyle content online that doesn’t create an unrealistic image of perfection, performed aestheticism, memetic behavior, or feed into consumerism. I feel that we should be more mindful and genuine in how we influence one another online. this is a lesson I’ve learned reflecting more on my use of social media in the past and just considering the huge psychological impact of social media.
just prior to beginning my flexible twitter/x hiatus, I saw a viral ‘75 day soft glow up challenge’ tweet. the trend of a ‘soft glow up’ means focusing on mental health, personal wellness, and physical health. I think it’s great that people are collectively inspired to make positive transformation.
< my glow up plan >
✧. ₊˚ rest
follow a sleep schedule
✧. ₊˚ nourishment
meal prep healthy foods
✧. ₊˚ movement
exercise and/or stretch daily
✧. ₊˚ nature
take nature walks 5x a week
✧. ₊˚ learn
at least one hour of reading/studying daily
✧. ₊˚ spirit
prayer and meditation 3x daily
my summer glow up plan focuses most on creating a daily routine of healthier habits to improve my physical health and help me feel more centered spiritually. guiding my focus away from materialistic pursuits to a place of gratitude and (re)connection with Spirit. ♡
⋆˙⋆｡ﾟsome other ‘soft glow up’ ideas:
hydration ‧ creative activities ‧ spend time with friends + family ‧ journal ‧ therapy ‧ gratitude ‧ declutter ‧ set boundaries ‧ breathwork ‧ affirmations
listen | false self willow
I love the idea of creating a soft glow up plan. I’m in the last quarter of my astrological profection year cycle, so I’ll be entering a new iteration of myself soon. This is inspiring me to create a plan in my own way for welcoming the new version of myself.