The “Glow Up” Isn’t Pretty

Here’s the Shit They Don’t Talk About

Let’s be real.

The concept of the “Glow-Up” is beautiful.

It’s painted pastel colors of unicorns and rainbows and sprinkled with glitter. People talk about the glow up as this incredible transformative period that leaves you literally glowing and happy and shiny all the time.

Bitch.

First of all — that glow is a combination of good skincare and fuckin sweat.

The “Glow Up” is fucking messy. It’s ugly, and dirty, and it’s going to have you feeling raw and uncomfortable AF for the majority of your time in that space.

What often gets left out of “glow up” stories is the hard fucking work you have to put in to make shit real.

When I first started my journey, it was all meditation, journaling, and skincare …. so, the fun parts. The relaxing parts that make you feel good. But it wasn’t until I stuck my hands in the mud that things really started to change for me.

I still remember the realization that everything I was doing was just barely scratching the surface. When it clicked that I was going to have to start dealing with my shit, it wasn’t excitement that I felt. It was a whole giant pile of “oh fuck.”

The thought of digging into my traumas, the horrible shit I did during active addiction, the pain I still felt from my childhood… it all made me want to run screaming or hide with my head buried under the covers.

But that’s the work.

It’s also ongoing. Please don’t expect to power through this in any kind of timeframe… this is LIFE work.

That was also another “well, fuck” moment for me.

Thinking that this was not something I could just “fix.” It’s painful. It cuts deep knowing that all that shit can’t just be erased. But even though we can’t just wipe it away, we CAN heal.

The most important components of a solid “glow up” are:

1. Actual Self Care. Not JUST skincare & bubble baths, but reflection, journaling, exercise, meditation, pushing yourself outside your comfort zone & of course — GIVING YOURSELF GRACE.
2. Creating some kind of stability. This can be done by creating routines and structures throughout your day in ways you can actually stick to.
3. Building a strong support network. The people you surround yourself with MATTER. Make sure they are people who want to see you grow, who will push and inspire you to be your best self, and want you to do the same for them.
4. CONSISTENCY. In everything.
5. Being open to the hard shit. A lot of this work involves unpacking all the baggage we carry around. In order to move forward, we have to go back a little bit and deal with the things holding us back or creating feelings of self doubt or fear.
6. A willingness and determination to SHOW UP. For yourself, for your growth, and for the people around you. How we show up determines how we shape our lives. We can either succumb to our circumstances or choose to show up in ways that move us forward. But you have to be committed to doing the work.
   

Whatever you do, no matter how hard it gets, don’t fucking give up.

If you’re going to start on this path towards real transformation, know that it’s going to be rocky AND that the outcome will make it all worth it. It’s not as satisfying as the instant gratification approach, but those small little steps you take to heal and grow as a human will end up making a much bigger impact than trying to force it all the time.

When you say you want the “Glow Up,” you’re saying you’re ready to get really uncomfortable.

I’m still working on this constantly. And I don’t imagine I’ll be done any time soon. As much as that sucks, we have to be ok with it. It is what it is. The sooner we accept that the faster we’ll start seeing progress.

ACTIONS:

1. Create a self care plan you can stick to.
2. Let your support system know what you’re up to so they can not only support but help you say accountable
3. Create a schedule or a morning routine AT LEAST to set the tone for your day and help you stay on track
4. Practice showing up. For everything. Keep those promises to yourself.
   

What other ways can you prepare for your “glow up?”