 |
| Huge thanks to lovely blog reader Karabella for sending me this divine lavender sachet bought in Versailles |
One of the best ways to make me want to do something is to make it stylish. I can�t intimidate myself into eating better, improving my grooming regime routine or exercising more.
But I can make myself want to eat better by decluttering my kitchen cupboards until there are only my favourite dishes and glasses in it - stylishly organised of course - and most used pots, gadgets and utensils. To further help I can have a clean-out of ingredients and only keeping in my pantry and fridge what I could imagine would be in a tiny chic French kitchen. I also imagine if someone came around, say Ines de la Fressange, what she would say about the type of food I had.
I would feel less embarrassed to show her my fridge full of fruit and vegetables, free-range eggs, and nice cheeses than if I had super-size bottles of Diet Coke and stacks of chocolate. In the same vein, I would happily have Ines browse my pantry of tall jars of staples such as wholemeal pasta, basmati rice, cans of tomatoes and tuna, olive oil and herbs and spices. I would not be happy if she saw family bags of sweets/candy and potato chips.
Coming home from work with a bounty of fresh product to inspire, makes me less likely to call and order takeaway food to pick up. Since I consciously began adding more vegetables, both raw and cooked into my daily diet, I now really miss them if we eat out or get takeaways. And from eating one piece of fruit per week (if that), I now enjoy fresh fruit every day and also miss if it I don�t have it.
I can make myself want to improve my grooming regime by keeping our bathroom tidy and clean, hotel-like almost, with fluffy towels and nice toiletries. Body products sometimes have garishly coloured bottles, so I decant into plain pump or flip-top containers a la Martha Stewart (we already had a label-maker at work so I printed off a few, oh how Martha would be proud).
I imagine I am a well-groomed French woman which would encourage me to create and uphold a self-care regime such as:
- Shave my legs every second day (that gets stretched out in the winter, but never less than once a week).
- Wash my hair every second maybe third day.
- Use facial scrub in the shower 1-2 times per week.
- Body lotion every single morning � legs, arms, bum and tummy.
SPF 15 body lotion on my d�colletage and neck every morning, body butter every night.
- Blow-dry and style nicely my hair each time I wash it.
For exercise, if it�s in a gym (so not me) or is something structured, bossy and unpleasant (I never finished that outdoor fitness bootcamp course), please don�t invite me along. I get far more pleasure and enjoyment out of going for a city, country or neighbourhood walk listening to my current inspiration.
I wear nice walking clothes and sunglasses (summer) or a scarf (winter) and stride along tall and lean, feeling my waist whittle as I go; I feel so strong and healthy and yes, chic!
Do you too need enticing into living well? Does �making it stylish� as inspiration work for you? Please share any tips you use too, merci!