Beautiful You with LeAnne

I recently wrote an article titled "Your Beautiful Way: 10 Secrets To Getting Gorgeous and Winter Ready!" (available on voices.yahoo.com). The purpose of this piece was to share my best winter beauty secrets and, while I knew I'd enjoy writing about one of my most favorite subjects, I had no idea how absolutely exciting it would be to share them with the world! Instructing the best way to hydrate, exfoliate, and moisturize was Secret #1; by the the time I'd reached Secret #4, I'd poured a lovely glass of wine, popped a brightly-colored bowl full of popcorn, and settled in to write and enjoy "reliving" my favorite beauty tricks and tips! There seemed to be a permanent smile plastered across my face as I happily typed away! Who doesn't love beauty of some sort? Makeup, natural conditioners, green tea toners for bright, youthful eyes....this article was a goldmine on achieving easy, breezy, winter beauty.
But then my fingers suddenly froze in mid-air, hanging distractedly over the keyboard. All of my thoughts seemed to form into one question: Exactly who am I helping? I couldn't think of an answer right away. My peers? Teenage girls? Or maybe women already loving the skin their in. But what about the ones who don't? Women who's skin discolorations that actually needed medical attention, not just good exfoliation. Women with skin conditions that even prescriptions can't cure. Facial hair and male pattern baldness, quicker aging and skin pigmentation. Even excessive weight gain around the mid-section, something incredibly difficult to reverse! With a wide range of symptoms as dreadful and disheartening as these, we struggle to even think of ourselves as attractive, let alone beautiful or gorgeous. Our problems go beyond fixes for broken nails or our best winter shade of lipstick. Instead of asking ourselves how we can still look glamorous while pregnant, we instead have to spend hours in doctors offices getting help for infertility. PCOS has plagued some of us and not only warped our bodies, but also our way of thinking. But it doesn't have to! I quickly realized that there were more than just certain types of women that needed help in reaching their best "get gorgeous" potential. I also realized that, especially for women with PCOS, real beauty starts with the mind.
Do you know that there are many "secrets" for women with PCOS to discover! Did you know that? Has it ever crossed your mind that there is a physically, mentally, socially, emotionally, magnificent beautiful you that is waiting to be uncovered? Imagine yourself with dewy, glowing skin and thick, shiny, voluminous hair. You no longer struggle with infertility and your energy is positively through the roof! You've conquered PCOS and are now sharing your success with other women around you. That's one of the most important steps to winning in the battle against PCOS; envisioning yourself as already being the woman you want to become. And you should always remember that your thoughts become things. Therefore, whatever you feel or think about yourself should always reflect something great and amazing, so that those same great and amazing things can "manifest" in your life. Yes, I'm sure it sounds a bit hippie-ish and whimsical, but I know it to be true. Instead of thinking of the past struggles in your war against PCOS, envision yourself not only victorious, but happy and thriving. Next week, in Beautiful You with LeAnne, we'll begin to uncover some beauty secrets specifically targeted to women with PCOS. They're quick, easy, and their benefits are almost instant! You have a life, babe. Do you want to look out the window, watching it go by? Or get out there and start living it? You decide.

*Please note that I am not a psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist, or trained counselor. I am not qualified to give out any emotional advice. I am a woman with PCOS who is sharing my personal experiences in this blog and I advise you to consult a professional.*