We’ve all heard the saying that Beauty is only skin deep, and for many A-list celebrities this may be true, however for us, the general public nothing could be further from the truth.
A few A-list celebrities although adept at coming across beautifully on camera, have horrendous bullying personalities that if displayed for the world to see would make them a very ugly person indeed.
The most famous of recent years has been the headlines surrounding Naomi Campbell, once dubbed as the most gorgeous woman on the planet her desirability soon vanished as she was revealed as having an awful temper, a God complex and violent tendencies towards her staff. Yet beauty works the other way too.
Do you ever wonder why your best friend always lights up the room despite having the odd pimple and a crooked tooth? Or why some men are dubbed the sexiest in the world, (prime example – Jimmy Nail) when on the surface they have a face that looks like it’s a bulldog chewing an irate wasp.
The secret isn’t really a secret at all, these people have learned everything they know about themselves, and accepted themselves for who they are. They have taken their assets and used them to the best possible advantage, whilst accepting their faults and quite simply ignoring them.
The key to external beauty, despite make up, fancy clothes and those new killer heels is simple.
Have Confidence
Confidence will win over looks every time. Cheryl Cole would easily be overlooked if she didn’t walk onto the stage with her head up, a winning smile, her shoulders back and a relaxed tone to her accent that makes people feel at ease. If you are not the most confident person, the trick is to pretend to be. Whatever situation you may be facing, think to yourself that it’s only temporary and you can feign that sureness that comes when you truly believe in yourself. The beauty is, if you do it often enough, the confidence will follow closely behind. Be careful however, not to mistake it for arrogance, being proud of yourself is one thing, being egotistical is quite a turn off.
Be Happy
It’s easy when we’re going through a rough time to forget what makes our lives so special. We take for granted the mainstays of our lives and little things like a bad day at work or an expensive bill can send us flying straight into the dumps. However, a little trick is to take a deep breath and think of the week ahead. Next week your bad day will only be a memory and you’ll have paid the bill and ridden the storm, even if it has meant living on bread and eggs for a week. Yet throughout it all your support network has stayed constant. Your parents, your children, your partner, the one person at work that makes you giggle over lunch and your friends who will have no doubt listened to you ranting about your boss as you tucked into a tub of Ben and Jerry’s. Another tactic I use is to think, “If I got run over by a bus tomorrow, would this really matter?” The answer is almost always no. There’s some truth to the advice of “live everyday as
if it’s your last.” By simply thinking that way you won’t take the ones you love for granted.
Learn to Communicate
The reason directors are at the head of the company, or A-listers attract flocks of men wherever they go is not all down to great make-up artists and a love for numbers. They are all well trained in public relations too. By learning to communicate in different ways, to different people at different times, you’ll ensure you always leave people happy they bumped into you; they will have a warm fuzzy glow for hours afterwards, and remember you as a beautiful person who really “got them”.
Don’t Apologise for Your Shortcomings
You may berate yourself for not being good enough at a certain task, for having fat ankles, or succumbing to the TV remote a few too many times a week, yet, don’t dwell on this. We all have our faults, it is this that makes us human after all, and without them we’d be pretty boring indeed. Our faults can endear us to people as much as our talents can, as you will know if you’ve ever bonded with a girlfriend over giving in to that extra pair of shoes, or confided to another mum that you don’t cook from scratch every time. Our faults can forge friendships that last the test of time, so embrace them and make no apologies for who you are.
Release Your Potential
When my children become jealous of each other’s abilities, I often say to them, “no two people are good at exactly the same things, whilst one of you may be an excellent reader; the other is fabulous at Maths. Let the other one receive credit where it’s due because tomorrow it will probably be your turn.” If we were all the same, there would be a lot of competition, however we’re not, and we all have unique gifts and abilities that benefit our lives and society in different ways. No matter how hopeless you feel, remember what you’re good at and use it to your advantage.