How to Glow Up Mentally and Physically: 21 Smart Ways

This is the ultimate guide on how to glow up mentally and physically in 2024.

Everyone wants to look, feel and act their best. Yet sometimes we get stuck in the same old cycles of life, and we start to notice that we feel, look and even act dusty and stale!

If that’s you right now, don’t feel bad. It just means that it’s time for you to have a positive transformation. Also known as a glow up. And you’ve come to the right place.

In this Glow Up Challenge guide, I’ll show you how to have a glow up of your own. Plus, you’ll get a free copy of a Glow Up Checklist, to help you start your glowing transformation today.

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Glow Up Challenge: 21 Smart Ways to Glow Up Both Mentally and Physically

You have made a great decision to improve your life today.

Let’s get started and dive into the glow up tips!

What is a glow up?

“Glow Up” is a term referring to someone who has had a positive transformation.

The transformation could be the person’s physical appearance and style, or it could be internal growth as they better themselves.

Usually, it’s a combination of both!

You’ll need to adopt some new, healthy habits and pay close attention to them in order to glow up both mentally and physically.

We’ve all had that person that we haven’t talk in a while, and by the next time we saw them, they seemed a completely different person.

“Wow, she had a glow up since last summer.”

Glow ups can be natural, that is, through puberty and the teenage phase, or intentional and planned.

After having my own glow up, I’m a firm believer that anyone can really transform themselves for the better.

To those unfamiliar with the term, let’s see the top definition in Urban Dictionary:

A glow up is a mental, physical, and emotional transformation for the better. Glow ups can be both natural and planned. As well as being gradual and permanent or fast and temporary.

“She has really had a glow up since the last time I saw her!”

What Is The Glow Up Challenge?

The glow up challenge is our community of women who are on a self-improvement journey like you!

Join the challenge below which will give you access to daily motivational glow up videos, a community of others on a transformation journey, and a helpful workbook:

Get instant access to the Glow Up Checklist / Challenge above, so you can save it and have it on your device, or print it out whenever you need it during your day or week.

This Glow Up Challenge is designed to help you improve yourself from the inside out.

Your glow-up will be unique to your personal goals.

But a typical glow up includes paying close attention to your appearance, how you dress, how you think and act, your sleeping schedule, your workout routine and eating habits, your mindset, and overall mental health.

As you begin your glow up, you’ll soon notice significant improvements in all aspects of your life.

But there is one important thing you need to know, before you begin.

We are treating this as a 30-day Glow Up Challenge, as a way to kickstart your motivation.

But know that 30 days is a small amount of time. You’ll not notice dramatic changes right away. Although you will notice small improvements, it’s really about sustainable growth over time.

You need to trust the process.

Glowing up, or ultimately changing the way you look and feel about yourself takes time. It is not an overnight process or something achievable in one week.

But don’t get discouraged.

I’m going to show you ways and actions you can interpret in your own life without even thinking about them and some activities requiring a bit more time.

It’s so great that you want to unleash the best version of yourself!

30-day challenge: My tip here is to focus 100% on the next 30 days. By the end of these 30 days, you’ll have probably got a taste of what it is to be more healthy, more confident, fitter, and so you would want to stick to it, making it a lifestyle.

Becoming more confident is the most important aspect of the glow up process, and it will come naturally whilst following this process.

So, are you ready?

Glow Up Challenge: 21 Smart Ways to Glow Up Both Mentally and Physically

Get instant access to the Glow Up Kit to accompany this challenge, so you can save it and have it on your device, or print it out whenever you need it during your day or week.

Without further ado, here is how you can glow up both mentally and physically with these 21 smart tips.

1: How to Glow Up Physically

The first step towards starting your glow-up process is to glow up physically. There are numerous things you can do to improve your physical appearance and boost your confidence.

Keep in mind that the goal is for you to feel great.

Our lifestyle is essentially a combination of our habits. Habits have a significant impact on our lives.

They constantly express our character and our goals because they are consistent, often unconscious patterns.

So, in order to fully glow, you must adopt new, healthy habits while abandoning old, toxic ones. Here’s how you’ll go about it:

1. Get your skin glowing

Your face is the first thing people notice about you. Also, it is the first thing you look at in a mirror.

Having a clear, acne-free face is a real confidence booster!

Here’s what you can do:

• Start by cleansing your face twice a day. This will remove any oil and dirt that has accumulated throughout the day or night.
• Start moisturizing your face twice a day after cleansing. Cleansing may remove some essential oils from your face, leaving it dry. Combat this issue by giving your face the important nutrients that it needs.
• Always use sunscreen, whenever you go out during the day. The sun is damaging your skin and is the number one contributor to skin cancer and wrinkles.
• Gently exfoliate your skin, once a week. Exfoliating your skin once a week will remove any dead skin cells, leaving room for new and healthy skin to grow.
• Start using face masks, once or twice a week. Face masks are an inexpensive and simple way to glow up your skin. Most of the time, they come with hydrating and replenishing ingredients.
• Use a serum and practice fascia massage (massage for improved blood flow and lymph drainage in your face)
• If you want to learn more about women’s skincare routines, check this list out.
• Also read: The Best Cruelty-Free Skincare Products

Other Tips To Glow Up Your Face:

Don’t touch your face often.

(Unless it’s during your dedicated facial massage time)

Although it is tempting and can happen without you even realizing it, avoid touching your face.

Touching your face can spread oil, dirt, and other bacteria from your hands to your face, which can lead to clogged pores and breakouts.

Only touch your face when you are cleansing, applying skincare, or massaging. Ensuring that you wash your hands thoroughly before and after.

Don’t pop pimples.

Picking/popping your pimples won’t help but actually make your skin worse.

It could leave you with permanent scars/ redness, and spread acne across your face! So resist your temptations.

Use a vegan silk pillowcase.

Using a vegan silk pillowcase protects your skin and hair.

Also, it won’t leave any indents on your face from sleeping (which can lead to wrinkles). Organic bamboo pillowcases are great too.

Related: 60 Best Self-Care Ideas For Stress Relief

Change your pillowcase once a week.

Dirt, dandruff, dust, oil, all of these are in your pillowcase.

You can follow all of the skincare routine tips above, but not changing your pillowcase at least once a week can really kill your skin’s appearance.

Start your day with a collagen-boosting superfood latte.

I recommend the Glow From The Inside Out Bundle which includes cellular beauty capsules and a greens powder that helps your skin and body glow.

Taking these supplements daily can help to minimize wrinkles and fine lines, while boosting your skin’s hydration, elasticity, and overall texture.

Kick-start your day with a pair of cellular beauty+ capsules to fuel your cellular metabolism.

Then, add a scoop of unflavored beauty & gut collagen+ to your morning coffee or smoothie for an extra moisture and smoothness boost to your skin.

2. Improve Your Posture

Focus on your posture. Don’t round your shoulders forward. Don’t walk with your face down!

Walking while facing down is linked with being shy and not being confident. And we don’t want that!

Instead,

Stand tall, with your chest out and shoulders back. Keep your lower back glued to the chair whenever you sit.

Standing with a straight back has many benefits, such as improved self-confidence and mood, less back pain, better breathing, and great muscle and bone function as you age!

This is an instant trick to change your appearance and improve your overall health! Win-win.

3. Glow Up Your Wardrobe

Studies have shown that the way you dress greatly impacts the way you feel. So a wardrobe upgrade can result in you feeling happier and more confident.

• Wear clothes that fit you and make you feel comfortable in your own skin.
• Make an effort to match your outfits. Not all outfits and colors go together.
• Get basics first.

Don’t spend all of your money or a big chunk of it on one single designer piece. In fact, to really look classy, avoid clothes with logos printed on them altogether.

Instead, start by getting some high-quality basics.

Think, a few organic cotton white and black T-shirts, a pair of regular jeans, a pair of black ones, and some white/ black sneakers.

These items will be your “base outfits.”

When I was starting my glow up, I built a capsule wardrobe, which has been awesome.

A capsule wardrobe is a collection of timeless clothing pieces that can be mixed and matched for endless outfit combinations.

These are the essentials, and you can work towards building your wardrobe from there.

• Experiment with your accessories.

Accessories spike up any outfit. Without them, your outfit is gonna look pretty basic and boring.

Be bold. Here are some ideas:

• Rings
• Chains
• A watch
• Necklace
• Earrings
• Sunglasses
• Handbag

Wearing accessories helps you achieve an awesome style that stands out.

Mixing up different accessories is a great way to ‘dress up’ your basics and make the same base outfit look different.

4. Get a New Haircut

Name me a better way to instantly change your appearance, I’ll wait.

Getting a fresh new haircut is such a confidence booster.

5. Up Your Water Intake

Dehydration is the #1 reason most people look and feel tired. Drinking adequate water improves your overall health. It works wonders with your skin and hair too!

Here are some benefits of drinking enough water⁽¹⁾ to motivate you to drink more:

• Helps maximize physical performance
• Significantly affects energy levels and brain function It may help prevent and treat headaches
• Flushes bacteria from your bladder
• Aids digestion It may help treat kidney stones
• Stabilizes the heartbeat Helps prevent hangovers
• Can aid in weight loss

Although how much you can drink is totally dependent on the individual, a general rule of thumb should be to drink 2 liters of water every day (or around 70oz).

So, if you don’t know how to glow up, implementing drinking enough water can be an instant game-changer for your overall appearance!

6. Start Working Out

You might think to yourself: “I don’t have time to work out!” and my response will always be: “Well, we all have the same 24 hours to work on, so it is a matter of priorities.”

Or you might be wondering: “I don’t have any equipment in hand and gyms are closed, what should I do?“

Here are some useful tips to add exercise into your daily routine in order to glow up physically:

• Instead of setting a goal of working out 1 hour per day 7 times a week, which is unrealistic if you don’t work out right now, you should try and integrate some 10-20 minute workouts into your everyday life.
• You don’t have to have any equipment to get fit! Although a pair of dumbells would be nice, you can get impressive results by doing at-home workouts with no equipment.
• The way I interpret exercise on my schedule is: I have a 15-20 minute workout session at noon, right before lunch, and then I go for a big walk in the afternoon.
• If you have a pair of dumbells, great! Use them. Adding weight resistance to your workouts will help you achieve your fitness goals faster, and it will also make them more fun and enjoyable

And yes, 15-20 minutes is WAY better than 0 minutes of exercise!

So, start with short, easy-to-keep-up workouts. Don’t make the same mistake I did and burn yourself out.

At the start, aim for 2-3x/week and up the intensity of your workouts whenever you feel like it.

7. Limit Junk Food and Focus on Fruits and Veggies

Your food is your fuel.

Also, what you eat, greatly impacts how you feel. Be mindful of your eating behaviors.

Eating healthy cannot only help you lose weight but can also improve your skin health.

Just remember, there is a principle when trying to lose or gain weight. Calories in, calories out.

What I mean by that is if you give your body more calories than it burns, you’ll gain weight. This is called a caloric surplus.

Accordingly, if you give your body fewer calories than it needs, you’ll lose weight. This is called a caloric deficit.

If, however, you consume and burn the same calories, your weight will be somewhat the same.

If all of this seems hard to understand (and I know it can be for some), just remember the basic principle of “Calories in vs Calories out“.

If you want to start tracking the calories you consume each day and the calories that you burn, a great app I highly recommend is MyFitnessPal.

It will walk you through your fitness journey and show you the exact calories you need to eat in order to meet your certain weight goal.

8. Improve Your Sleeping Schedule

Lack of sleep can really damage your energy levels, your mood, and your overall appearance, studies say. Buggy eyes, a tired-looking face, and feelings of grogginess are symptoms of sleep deprivation.

“I don’t fall asleep easily and end up only with 4 or 5 hours of sleep. What can I do?“

A good trick is to lie down on your back and relax every muscle in your body from your feet to your head. You can also listen to relaxing music and/or read books before bed.

Make sure that you don’t have any electronic devices or bright lights that may glow at night. Also, you can close your curtains so you won’t be awakened by the sun in the morning.

Lastly, don’t use your phone before bed because the interaction with it can keep you up for hours, as a study from Harvard suggests.

Related: How To Fall Asleep Faster: 15 Simple Ways For Better Sleep

9. Work On Hygiene

Having a healthier, brighter smile is always attractive. So if you want to glow up, try whitening products such as whitening toothpaste, mouthwash, and dental floss.

You can always try and brush your teeth with baking soda, but I don’t believe that is working.

Also, if you want to take it to the next level, try whitening strips. Although it can be expensive, it can instantly make your teeth whiter! (just don’t overdo it.)

10. Get More Organized

A cluttered space leads to a cluttered mind; how many times have you searched your entire house for a single thing because you couldn’t find it? For me, way too many…

Getting a bit more organized means that you get things done, and most importantly, you get things done ON time.

It also means that you worry less because you know what you have to do.

I dedicate Sunday as my “office” day, where I reflect on the past week and plan out the coming week. This helps me stay on top of my goals.

You can check out my Sunday routine for a productive week ahead.

I also apply the same principle at the start of every month. This way, I start the month on the right track, enabling me to conquer my goals.

See:

• 7 Habits Of (REALLY) Organized People
• 10 Small Tips To Get You More Organized
• How To Never Waste Time Again: 20 Powerful Time-Management Tips

#2 How to Glow Up Mentally

School, work, finance, toxic friends, a bad breakup, and everyday life, in general, can have a huge impact on your mental health.

Glowing up is (at least for me) mostly an inside job. I know from personal experience that it’s not enough to glow up only from the outside. Most importantly, the work has to be done from within.

You can eat healthily, work out like a madman, and take your vitamins, but if you don’t deal with the things and thoughts inside of you, you won’t be truly happy with your outer appearance.

Here’s how to glow up mentally:

11. Be Your #1 Priority

This glow-up challenge is all about you and bettering yourself. It is totally reasonable to press the brake pedal, slow down, and take care of yourself.

Dedicate some me-time to do the things you have to do in order to take care of yourself.

Be your #1 priority for a time. Show the same care to yourself as you do to your child, spouse, parents, friends, etc.

Set achievable goals, and when you accomplish them, reward yourself. When you get slightly off track, remind yourself why you started.

Don’t be too harsh on yourself.

12. Surround Yourself With Positive People

The time you spend with your friends can really define who you are and who you’re gonna be.

If you happen to hang around toxic people, consider getting rid of them or at least spend less time with them.

By surrounding yourself with negative people that don’t believe in you, are not there when you need them the most, or criticize every action you take can really impact your mental health.

You need to associate with people who inspired you, challenge you to rise higher, and who make you better instead of bringing you down.

There is a saying that my mom used to tell me all the time: “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with“.

As a rebellious teenager, I didn’t listen to her, I always thought that: “What does she know about friendships?”

Think about it, if you hang around with a group of 5 people who are unmotivated, lazy, and don’t want to do anything in life…

You are going to be the sixth one! But if you hang around with 5 millionaires, you’re going to be the sixth one!

The people we surround ourselves with are the biggest influence on our behavior, attitudes, and results.

13. Read Self-Improvement Books

Did you know that the average millionaire reads 50 books per year? This is equivalent to almost 1 book per week!

Reading books is a great productive way you can calm yourself before bed.

It reduces anxiety, calms your mind and thoughts, focuses on the book, and expands your fantasy.

I have a whole reading list of my favorite books curated for you right here!

14. Listen To Podcasts

If you aren’t a book person, and you prefer listening to some quick-fire tips, then listening to podcasts can be a great way to transform a boring commute to work into an educational one!

15. Meditate Every Day For At Least 5-10 Minutes

Meditation helps you find peace with yourself and your thoughts. there are different kinds of meditation.

My personal pick is a meditation called “Metta, Loving-kindness meditation”.

This style of meditation can help you accept who you are, your weaknesses and strengths, and overall love yourself.

Download a meditation app on your phone, or search it up on YouTube.

16. Start a Journaling Practice

Journaling is more than just something you do to pass the time or write down your memories—though it can be that.

Journalling is a strategy that has helped brilliant, powerful, and wise people become better at what they do.

Journaling has been found to:

• Reduce stress and anxiety
• Improve mood
• Improve cognitive function
• Reduce depression
• Let go of negative thoughts
• Enhance your self-awareness
• Overall, improve your mental health drastically.

17. Practice Gratitude

Gratitude is simply being thankful for all the positive things in your life.

Small daily acts of gratitude can greatly boost your mood and improve your overall mental health.

18. Get Rid Of Negative Thoughts

Negative self-talk can and is limiting your ability to believe in yourself and to love yourself. A great way to combat these thoughts is by keeping a journal.

Journaling your thoughts and your feelings and keeping a log every day gives you valuable information to move forward and understand that most of these negative thoughts are simply untrue.

Remember, the person who criticizes you the most is yourself. So, talk to yourself as you would to a friend or a family member.

Read: How To Do Shadow Work To Heal Yourself.

19. Practice Self-Love

Once you’ve dealt with negative and self-destructive thoughts, it’s time to make room for self-love and self-acceptance.

Self-love means taking care of your own needs and not sacrificing your well-being to please others. Self-love also means not settling for less than you deserve.

It means accepting your emotions for what they are and putting your physical, emotional, and mental well-being first.

So, enhance your mental health and your glow up by adding some self-care activities to your daily routine that make you love yourself a little more day by day.

21. Grow Your Confidence

Great news! Even if you don’t implement all of the things mentioned in this list, and tried only a few, you are guaranteed to feel more confident in your own skin and love yourself a little bit more.

21 Smart Ways: How to Glow Up Mentally and Physically – Conclusion

In short, if you want to have a glow up at anytime, you can.

Glow ups are basically our own self-improvement journeys to become healthier, fitter, stronger, and more attractive than ever before!

I hope this inspired you to take action and start your own glow up journey!

You can also start by leaving a comment under this article to tell me what action(s) you are going to take TODAY to implement these glow up tips and keep yourself accountable!

I’d love to hear from you!

As well, come and join the FB group Creators Glowing Up to connect with other women on a journey to live well.

What are you waiting for? Start your Glow Up challenge NOW!