I hear a lot of people talk about a glow up when it comes to changes in how you look. But I don’t think we talk enough about the importance of having a LIFE glow-up.
I see a life glow-up a bit differently than a “regular” glow-up.
I think of it as a period of noticeable personal growth as a result of positive events or actions, that can make you feel really good about your life and the direction it’s going in. It could happen naturally as time passes or after a difficult time period which is what happened to me and what I’ll be talking about in this post.
My Story
The years 2021-2022 were pretty hard for me.
I graduated from college without a job and I felt quite lost in life. It looked like all my peers were figuring themselves out and I wasn’t. Even though I was job searching, I knew that eventually I wanted to go back to graduate school but I couldn’t afford it.
My family was also going through financial troubles which brought a lot of uncertainty and tension at home between all of us. I tried to stay strong and optimistic on the outside but on the inside, I was stuck in a cycle of anxiety, guilt that I wasn’t doing enough and fear about my future. But I pushed on and eventually in 2023, I was able to start graduate school after securing a scholarship!
Looking back now, I can honestly say that 2023 was one of the most exciting, fun years of my life.
Of course, it wasn’t perfect. There were still some ups and downs but overall, it was a pretty dope year and I believe this happened as a result of the points that I will list below.
I’ve had multiple people tell me that there’s something different about me. That I seem more positive and upbeat. I believe this is all thanks to the “life glow up” that I experienced during that year.
So here are things I did to have a life glow up after the difficult time I went through. If you’re currently going through some tough times, hang in there. Things will get better even if it doesn’t look like it right now. I’m rooting for you!
What I did To Have a Life Glow Up
1. I had more fun!
I decided that 2023 was going to be my fun year and I did everything I could to make that happen.
In 21-22, since I was so preoccupied with my personal stuff, I mostly stayed home and didn’t do much with friends. Not only did I not always feel like going out, but I also couldn’t afford it most times.
But once I started grad school, I was determined to take advantage of it and enjoy the experience as much as possible!
I made an effort to be more social and I attended events happening on campus. Since I had a part-time job at school, I was also able to budget for fun activities like trips with friends and that pole dancing class I always wanted to take!
Prioritizing fun helped me get out of my head and get back to the present! It also gave me something to look forward to everyday which helped me be more excited about life in general.
2. I prioritized friends and family
Since I couldn’t always do things with other people during that difficult time, I often felt very lonely.
That is why I also made quality time with friends and family a top priority in 2023 (and even to this day tbh).
Research has shown that staying connected to friends and family can do wonders for your physical and mental well-being.
So, I said yes to more invitations from friends and made sure to call my parents more often.
I planned monthly virtual game nights with my long-distance best friends.
I even went on a trip to Puerto Rico with a couple of friends! I’d wanted to do that for years! At first, I was concerned about the costs but since fun was a priority, I adjusted my spending in other parts of my life and made it happen! This also goes to show by the way, when there’s a will, there’s a way!
3. I made time for spiritual practice
I also made time to grow spiritually.
I was raised as a Christian and for a long time, I had been looking to join a Bible study group in my area, but I couldn’t find one. Until one day out of nowhere, I did!
I now attend a few times a month and I love it. Not only am I learning more and growing in my relationship with God, but I am doing it with a group of like-minded individuals that I now call friends. This has also provided me with a HUGE sense of community and connection.
I value spirituality because I think it can help us make sense of things we don’t understand. Or, at the very least, it helps us trust that there is a higher power guiding us through life.
But if religion is not your thing, you can also try practicing mindfulness through meditation for example, to help you learn to pause and get more in touch with your inner voice and intuition.
4. I ate healthier
So I don’t consider myself an unhealthy eater by any means.
Buuut I’m definitely not as intense about healthy eating as some people are.
Last year, my sister (who I live with) was very determined to improve our eating habits and invested in recipes and organic ingredients that are “actually good for us” lol.
Not gonna lie, I wasn’t too sure about it at first because I had to start being careful with how much carbs and sugar I was consuming. Again, not that I was overdoing it before but you get my point (hopefully).
Judge me if you want but I love carbs!
But I have to admit…the cleaner we ate, the lighter I felt, the more energy I had and the clearer my head felt.
There is no shortage of health benefits that come from consistently eating healthy.
So if you want to show up with more energy in your day-to-day life, consider making some adjustments to your everyday diet. If you can’t afford to make huge changes, start small by having more fruits and veggies for snacks instead of processed stuff. Something as simple as increasing your water intake can also make a noticeable difference.
5. I went back to therapy
A major aspect of my life glow-up involved taking care of my mind. One of the things I did to do that was go to therapy consistently.
Thanks to my graduate program, I had free access to a therapist on campus. I went to see her once a month. This really helped me to empty my head, heal from my past traumas and challenge the negative thoughts that had kept me mentally stuck the previous year.
Not everyone is a fan of therapy but if you ever want to try it, it’s important to approach it with an open mind and a willingness to be vulnerable and give it a real shot.
But if therapy is really not an option for you right now for whatever reason, try journaling. It’s also another HUGELY useful way to stop the cycle of overthinking, get out of your head and analyze your thoughts in a healthier way.
6. I set personal goals and crushed them!
Something that surprised me with how much it helped to keep my mood up over the past year was achieving small goals.
For example, it was my dream to visit my second home, Tanzania (where I spent my teenage years).
I hadn’t been there in a few years and I really missed it. Since I had my part-time job at school, I was determined to save enough to be able to visit over the Christmas holidays.
It wasn’t easy. But with a lot of dedication and consistency, I was able to accomplish that goal! And it felt so darn rewarding!
So think of a small, manageable goal you want to achieve in the next few months (or year).
Maybe you want to train for a marathon.
Maybe you’d like to write a book.
Define simple, actionable steps you can take (ex: writing a chapter a week). Use those to slowly but surely work towards achieving your goal. And don’t focus too much on the outcome. Remember to enjoy the process too–it’s the best part!
I promise you there’s no feeling like the one you get when you achieve that goal after months of hard work and psyching yourself up.
A life glow up can be just as amazing as the other kind. Is there anything else you’d add to this list? Let me know!
