Being Beautiful

Here's what 42 year-old Halle Berry, new Mom of Nahla (born in March) has to say after being deamed the "Sexiest Woman Alive" by Esquire Magazine....

"Sexiness is a state of mind - a comfortable state of being," she says. "It's about loving yourself in your most unlovable moments."

Without sounding catty or awful, I think its pretty easy to have a sexy state of mind if you have the body of Halle Berry. However taking the essence of her words – I do believe what she says is true. The times I have felt truly beautiful were often bizarre or challenging times and I felt powerful, in control and beautiful. Doing things which are sensual, pampering and treating myself for the sheer glory of beauty, having beautiful things around, fresh flowers or sipping out of a dainty teacup - is when I feel most feminine and luscious.

I do have concerns about the rising amount of Yummy Mummies – with Victoria B as its queen. In case you have lived under a rock – they are the glamorous mums and mums-to-be who shop, lunch and totter their way through pregnancy in sexy very high heeled shoes, proudly displaying their perfect round little bumps like the latest handbag and have those perfect babies who wear matching designer gear. They are never sick, tired or grumpy – but usually have an au-pair or nanny, personal trainer and a cook working for them. – oh and they ‘bounce” back into perfect shape within a few months – while the rest of us are still wearing our 9 month preg gear a year after having our little one.

But coming back to being beautiful – I think its possible – certainly for short moments…. and who knows – if we practice long enough perhaps those moments will last a whole hour! What bliss would that be to be truly beautiful for an hour – where no-one can touch us and our feminine power of lusciousness and sensuality.

Simple Luxuries

A little while ago a friend suggested I read and undergo the 12 week challenge of The Artists Way – a book for uncovering your creativity and unblocking all those nasty evil thoughts and beliefs that stop you stepping into your greatness.

Luxuries are one of those things that as a mum you just bypass thinking that you’ll get around to it later on – after you do the washing, cleaning, mothering, cooking etc etc. A luxury for a mum might be having a hot shower, by yourself, enjoying all the way down to the bottom of a hot cuppa, a long uninterrupted bath or a chatty telephone call with a friend which is not punctuated by screams and wails.

Reading the book made me realize how few luxuries I now afford myself and how guilty I feel if I partake in them. Added to this guilt if that luxury involves some sort of food or drink – it is doubled and its just so not worth it in the end. I would have been a fantastic Catholic – I have the guilt gene deeply inbuilt already.

An exercise we had to complete was to note down a luxurious day. I have many dream days I could indulge in – but here is my luxurious day which I can afford monetary to do – but don’t do – as I would have too much guilt attached to it.

Sleep in till 9 am knowing that the kids have been dressed and fed breakfast and are playing happily in the yard or in the playroom. Drink freshly ground coffee whilst reading the newspaper and munch on a bowl of fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and cherries. ( the kids by now are being looked after somewhere I am safe and happy with.)

Off to the movies – gold class of course – sinking into the luscious seat sipping a cocktail and eating M and Ms.

Lunch and coffee with girlfriends

I would pick and choose between an afternoon wandering around the art gallery or museum punctuated by a Gloria Jeans coffee or getting a massage and then spending time in a spa – or snuggling up with a fiction book and reading the entire thing, munching on cookies and milo.. yum!

Luxuries start with small things. I have a beautiful set of china tea cups and saucers and love to make a cuppa in. They are delicate and sweet and so removed from my normal way of doing things. Time sort of stops when you sip tea out of them…( sort of like a television advert)

Looking back on this list – makes me think I aught to go and do some of these things on a regular basis. I do these things already:

Buy fresh flowers every week – it makes me feel very affluent

Buy good quality and organic foods – for health reasons and it makes me feel that I am appreciating both my body and those of my family.

only buy good quality chocolate - especailly at Easter time - not to allow crappy awful chocolate in the house.

Humm might go and make myself a cuppa now….