How to Have an Inner Glow Up

Most people know a glow up is a major positive change in physical appearance. But did you know that glow ups can also take place within?

An “inner glow up,” or transformation that takes place on the inside, can leave you looking radiant on the outside. According to Parade, working on your mental health and shifting perspective can work wonders for inner change.

Tips for an Inner Glow Up
While a glow up can involve physical changes, the most significant thing to prioritize is your mental health and mindset, Aine Rock, an integrative life coach, tells Parade. So how do you become radiant from the inside out? Here are some tips to get you started.

Take Ownership of Your Life Choices
An inner glow up starts with taking responsibility for your life, according to a blog on Lauren Barri. This means avoiding blame and realizing you have the power to change your life. Whatever has happened, the choices you make today can shape your future.

Leave Your Comfort Zone
Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. To achieve an inner glow up, lean into the unfamiliar. Break old habits, build new ones, and embrace new experiences. Whether it’s traveling, trying a new experience, or sending a message to someone — stepping out of your comfort zone fosters growth and can make you more radiant.

Focus on Your Core Values
True inner change starts when you uncover your core values. Understand what’s important to you and see whether your actions align with your values. Once you know what your values are and you’ve checked whether you’re living in alignment with them, you can live a life of harmony and real transformation becomes possible. 

Let Challenges Become Life Lessons
Even though challenges are tough, they can be lessons in disguise. While hurdles are a natural part of life, how you respond to and what you learn from them shapes your growth. So feel your feelings and embrace challenges as opportunities to learn and evolve.

Move on From the Past
Let go of what no longer serves you. Release the weight of the past — whether it’s previous mistakes, habits, and beliefs, and instead, focus on the present and the future for a genuine inner glow. 

Have Goals and Dreams
Whether you’ve dreamed of creating a business that allows you to travel or want to have a better job, focus on what excites you. 

Julia Billings, a life and leadership coach, tells Parade it’s important to be clear on what you want. “Instead of generic goals, such as…’I want to be a more positive person’ or ‘I want to be better with money,’ try to get specific,” Billings recommends. Work towards your vision with passion.

Take Care of Yourself and Your Home
Making lifestyle choices is key to an inner glow up. This could mean regular exercise for your mood and energy levels, getting enough sleep, and cleaning your home to keep it organized. Feeling confident in your clothing can also contribute to your glow up. So evaluate your personal style to make sure you feel great in what you’re wearing.

Learn to Set Boundaries
Setting boundaries is crucial for protecting your energy and mental health. “Setting clear limits helps you prevent burnout, fosters healthier relationships and allows you to prioritize taking care of yourself on your self-improvement journey,” says Billings. Billings advises identifying areas of your life that may leave you feeling drained and setting clear limits.

Seek Help
A glow up begins with your mental health including a change in self-esteem, confidence, and self-worth. Olivia Dreizen Howell, a certified life and success coach, clinical hypnotherapist and NLP practitioner, says that therapy can help you uncover and understand past experiences, which is crucial for inner transformation.

However, seeking help goes beyond the therapy room. Your community can also provide support. Finding an accountability partner or a group of people on a similar path to help you stick to your values and goals.

The Ripple Effect of Inner Glow Ups
The impact of a glow up from the inside out is undeniable. “I started a consistent gym routine, started cooking more meals at home, and I prioritized my sleep — which is vital, especially to us moms. I took up journaling. I leaned heavily into mindfulness, self-awareness and reflection to help me realize where the true glow up needed to happen,” Lydia Myers tells Newsweek.

She says through self-reflection, journaling, and therapy, she learned about deep core wounds that needed healing. Once Myers started pursuing this healing, that was the moment when the real change happened. “The inner work will never stop. Now that I know what it feels like to walk through life as a healed individual, I don’t ever want to return to the insecurity I felt before,” she adds.

An inner glow up may be the key to feeling better on the inside, more confident, and having more inner peace, proving that the true glow starts from within.