This is a message for all women, young and old. the younger ones may be surprised.

Guess what?

I feel prettier now than when I was 20.

Crazy? Probably yes.

Of course my skin doesn’t look as smooth, my hair is drier and my body skin not quite so tight.

But I feel so much better about myself! I found my sense of style. I’ve accepted all my features, including my not so straight eyes for which I was mercilessly teased and my little tipped nose (well almost,  still not so happy with my portruding teeth…).

And because of that confidence , I look better and I’m more attractive.

Also, I don’t care so much anymore about what others think about me. So I can make all my fashion and style choices, completely the way I like it. I don’t care anymore if I look ‘preppy’ one day and ‘rockchic’ the next. I don’t need to belong in one particular group. I just want to be myself and dress for the mood that I’m in.

Taking pictures and ‘exposting’ myself has helped as well. Not too long ago I could barely look at a picture of myself.  All I would see are all the flaws that I still have and that are only increasing due to sagging skin. But now I see a confident women, happy with the life she is leading.

So how can you achieve that for yourself?

  • Perhaps start taking pictures as well and appreciate how good you can look.
  • Have some fun with the clothes you have, you may be surprised what great styles you can create.
  • Get to understand your body type and choose clothes that flatter you
  • Realise how wonderful you will think you look now when you are 20 years older. You may as well enjoy the body and face you have today!
  • Look at the ladies at advanced style and be inspired by the kind of life you can still have at 98. (I’m only 45; I still have lots of time to enjoy)
  • Enjoy life and do things you enjoy. Nothing will make you prettier than that.

Don’t get me wrong. Of course I would like to get some of my youth back! But I would want it with the confidence that I have now. It’s only now that I’m starting to wear high heals, or expose (part of) my chest. I wish I would have had the confidence to dress sexier, more elegant before. I didn’t do it then but I can still do it now. And so can you.

How about you? How do you feel about yourself now that you are over 40?

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