Beauty is being comfortable and happy in your skin. It is much more than presenting a face and body that is pleasing to the eye. All women, young and old, look most beautiful when they are wearing a genuine smile.

Happiness brings the beauty we carry inside of us to the surface. If we take care of our core, unique self, our natural beauty will shine.

The aging process is inevitable. I try to flow with it rather than fight it. I have no interest in keeping up with fashion trends, and I am not easy prey to hawkers of miracle creams and tonics promised to eliminate my cellulite or minimize my wrinkles. My goal is to age with grace.

I have applied minimalism to my wardrobe and morning routine which has eliminated a great deal of stress and indecision from my life. Fitness and nutrition are foundations of ongoing health and beauty. I am happy to have more time to keep my body and mind healthy through exercise, eating good food and other activities I enjoy. My confidence and authenticity make me attractive to my love and loved ones.

How Minimalism Enabled Me to Feel Beautiful

How we choose to enhance or improve our natural beauty is an individual choice. We can seek treatment of our hair, skin, and body parts to make them more attractive and we can adorn ourselves in a never-ending array of clothing, jewelry and makeup. Another option, which I choose, is to keep it simple.

Here are a few ways that embracing a life of less made me feel like more:

1. Prioritize health.

I feel beautiful when my body feels strong. Regular exercise helps me to sleep more soundly, keep my muscles toned, maintain good posture, and strengthen my aging bones. It also helps me to appreciate my body and its flaws and not become obsessed with weight.

Making fitness a central part of my life goes in tandem with drinking plenty of water and eating healthy foods. Preventive care as we age is critical. I schedule my medical screenings and appointments as recommended.

2. Define your style.

Adopting a minimalist wardrobe has made my morning routine simple and peaceful. It has significantly improved my life and fattened my wallet.

I remember mornings when I headed out to work in a frantic state because nothing I put on to wear felt or looked right. I was running late, leaving a pile of discarded clothing on the floor to greet me when I returned. I also spent lots of time in stores, searching, but with nothing specific in mind. This undefined search is how I accumulated so many clothes that weren’t quite right.

I began to cull my wardrobe several years ago. I am amazed that I continue to feel well dressed and attractive owning fewer items of clothing. I no longer experience early-morning meltdowns. I enjoy wearing anything that is in my closet, and everything fits.

I avoid fashion magazines. I trust my instincts and natural attraction to colors, styles and cuts of clothing. When I purchase a new item, it is usually a replacement. I never go shopping without a specific need and defined purpose.

I also pared down my jewelry to the few pieces I love to wear and adopted a shorter, easy hairstyle. My make-up has always been minimal. The wardrobe decisions and choices that I need to make in the morning concern only the weather and temperature, which is lovely.

3. Form over fashion.

I seek functional, high quality wardrobe essentials. My first area of focus when I began to declutter my wardrobe was my footwear. Instead of thinking about how much money I had spent on the unworn pile, I considered the things I liked about the pairs I was choosing to wear. They felt good and they were attractive to me.

I gave away several pairs of shoes and boots that I had either never worn or worn strategically on days when I knew I wouldn’t have to walk far and could handle the pain. How ridiculous! After all, the primary focus of footwear is to protect our feet and allow us to move quickly.

Today I own 15 pairs of footwear. This includes boots, shoes, sandals and athletic shoes. I wear all of them. I do not believe that women need to wear spiked high heels to be hot. I think my bare, healthy feet are sexy.

4. The power of one.

When you have one functional favorite item, it is all you need. I recently cleared out my collection of purses and wallets and bags. I found a unique, quality bag and a matching wallet that I use every day and everywhere. The wallet is a clutch, so I can use it alone. This bag enhances anything I wear and I love it. I waited until I found exactly what I wanted and purchased my signature piece with joy.