People ask me all the time how I feel good and look good, as if there is one answer I have been holding back. There is not. It is a handful of things I actually do, consistently, and I figured I would just tell you what they are.
Let's start with style, because it is the one people notice first. My rule is simple. I dress for the body I have today, not the one I had years ago and not the one I think I am supposed to have. Fit matters more than trend. A piece that skims and moves with you will always look better than something a size too small that you are holding your breath in. Boho has always worked for me because it forgives and flatters at the same time, but the real trick is just paying attention to what actually feels good on your body right now.
Skincare is not something I overthink, but there is one thing I do every single night that makes a real difference. After my usual routine, the very last step is a nappy rash cream called Bepanthen. I know how that sounds. It is the same stuff used on babies, and it turns out that is exactly why it works so well on us. It creates a barrier that locks in everything underneath it, so instead of your moisturiser evaporating overnight, it stays put and actually does its job. I wake up looking dewy instead of dry, and it has made a real difference for the crepey texture that starts showing up on your skin as you get older. It is inexpensive, it is not fancy, and it works.
The other thing I reach for is Tonee Skin body tape, especially on the areas that shift the most as we get older. It pulls and holds the skin in place wherever you use it. On your legs, it smooths out cellulite and any loss of elasticity so your skin looks even under your clothes. On your neck, it pulls things back and softens crepe and looseness. You can even use it on your face for a subtle lift through the cheeks and brows, or on your arms for looseness there too. And on your stomach, for that pouch a lot of us are left with after babies or menopause, it pulls everything up and flattens things out. It does not fix anything, because nothing needed fixing. It is just one more small thing in my back pocket for the days I want a bit more polish.
On the health side, two things matter more than anything else to me. The first is protein. Most women my age are not eating nearly enough of it, and it shows up in everything from energy to how your body holds its shape. The second is strength training. I still do cardio and I still enjoy it, but strength training is what actually protects you as you get older. It keeps your bones strong, it keeps your muscle, and it keeps you capable. If I had to choose only one type of movement from here on out, it would be that.
But if you asked me to name the single biggest thing that changed how I feel, it would not be any of the above. It would be reducing stress. I mean that seriously. Figure out what in your life is causing you stress, whether it is a person, a job, a habit, or something you are holding onto that is not serving you, and do the work to move away from it. Everything else on this list helps around the edges. Getting the stress out of your life changes you from the inside out, and it is the one thing I would tell any woman to prioritise first.
None of this is about becoming someone new. It is about paying attention to what actually works for the body and the life you have right now, and giving it your attention on purpose.