THE ART OF LIVING WELL: CHAMPAGNE DIET STYLE
Another Monday is upon us, and I can bet my Celine micro luggage that you might be feeling a bit of stress today. Whether you’re changing diapers, negotiating deals, or desperately trying to find some time to run your business while balancing your cubicle duties, I feel you. As ambitious women, we tend to put a ton of pressure on ourselves, especially at the start of a brand new week. But I’m here to tell you that we have been doing it all wrong.
I really began exploring the way I lived back in 2008, when I started my blog, The Champagne Diet. I realized I was existing in a constant state of anxiety, always worried about something or other. Whether it was my diet, my job, my relationship, or my finances, I put an insurmountable amount of stress on myself and it was taking me nowhere fast.
It wasn’t until I discovered the joy of sipping champagne that I truly began to discover the joy of life. Or as the French say, the Joie de vivre. I read an article this weekend about how French women treat themselves right, and it reminded me of how far I’ve come in my own personal evolution. It inspired me to share some of my tried-and-true tips that I’ve built my own Champagne Life around. Between the way I think, live, eat, and dress, I have truly flipped my world upside down in the best way possible, and I want to help you do the same.
Below are my cornerstones for living The Champagne Diet:
Appreciate everything. Gratitude truly is the answer. I preach about how important it is to be thankful for what you have all the time, but it bears repeating. When you live in a constant state of thanks, you feel happier and more alive, and you attract even more things to be thankful for. Set aside 10 minutes each day to make a gratitude list in a beautiful journal. Make this time non-negotiable.
Make everything beautiful. Whether it’s drinking your coffee from a vintage tea cup, lighting scented candles first thing in the morning, or adorning your home in fresh flowers once a week, life feels better when its pretty. Add glamorous, feminine touches wherever possible. It makes a world of difference.
Treat your body with respect. Eating crap will make you look, and feel, like crap. In the same vain, over-drinking will also wreak havoc on your mind, body, and soul. In my quest to constantly become a better woman, I make sure I eat healthy, delicious, high-end foods (whole foods, very limited processed meals), and really moderate my drinking. Do I love a gorgeous glass of wine or champagne from time to time? Absolutely. But getting drunk is so passé. (Read more of my thoughts on that here).
Always take the high road. There is nothing classier than a woman who remains composed. Be still in the moments where you want to fight (or rip someone’s head off), because those will teach you the most. It always feels better to stay calm. This doesn’t mean you can’t stand up for yourself, but practice being proactive rather than reactive.
Be kind. On the heels of taking the high road, remember to always be kind. Even if you don’t like someone (remember, you don’t need to everyone’s glass of champagne, and they don’t need to be yours!), it is always important to treat people with kindness and respect. As the great Maya Angelou said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Create your own personal signature style. I love wearing all black. You can usually find me in head-to-toe black, donning a luxury purse. This has been my look for years, and people recognize me by it. Even if I’m wearing what I call “luxe leisure” (aka, workout clothes), I stick with a similar style and always carry my best handbag. Invest in a few key pieces for your wardrobe. This makes getting ready in the morning so much easier, and it helps keep your look polished and professional. Pssst. There’s a whole blog coming on the concept of creating a “uniform” later on this week. You’re going to love it.
Stop looking for approval. Let go of worrying what others think of you. People will hate you, love you, or be indifferent to you. And you cannot control any of it. The moment you release the need to impress everybody, life gets easier.
Work hard. Even if you don’t love your current career, make sure you do a damn good job at it. I made a promise to myself at a very young age (I began working at 16 years old), that if my name was attached to something, I would always over-deliver. I never want someone to associate me with doing a shoddy job, and I never want an unhappy client. Be known for always working extremely hard at whatever you do. This will take you further than you could ever imagine. Reputation is everything.
Indulge. Hardworking women must always make time to reward themselves. Indulge in long, relaxing bubble baths, create a budget to treat yourself to the things you want, savor a delicious meal. Deprivation is not a way of life, and it will only lead to stress and burn out by trying to strive for a level of perfection that does not exist.
Stop beating yourself up. There are certain things that are either beyond our control, or just not worth fighting for. For example, I will probably never be a size 2 with defined abs. At one time, this was everything I wanted. So much so that I became utterly obsessed with attaining an ideal that in retrospect was not worth all of that time I invested in trying to get there. Accept what you cannot – or do not want – to change. I love bread and I love wine. These things are more important to me than defined abs. Once you own something, it no longer has power over you.