Feeling Luminous

lu·mi·nous

 [loo-muh-nuhs] 

adjective

1.

radiating or reflecting light; shining; bright.

What makes me feel luminous?  What makes me feel shiny and bright?  

Well...

Telling a joke and getting a laugh, that makes me feel alive.  

Being the first person on a dance floor and getting the party started, that makes me feel powerful.

Taking a stand for what I believe in, even if it's simply changing my Facebook avatar, that makes me feel passionate and involved.

Tucking my babies in at night with tickle backs and kisses, that makes me feel full of a fierce compassion and mother love.

Holding hands with my husband, that makes me feel loved.

All of these make me feel luminous.

It's not just one thing, it's all the things.  All the little things and big things, complicated and simple things.  

It's about being true to myself.  Honoring what I love and believe to be important.  Listening to music that makes want to move or makes me cry.  Crafting with my kids after spotting a fun project on Pinterest. Making a dinner that most of my kids enjoy (that's actually a pretty ginormous feat in our house, we have a few picky eaters here). 

Not apologizing, but honoring.  Living out loud, authentically.

It's about taking care of myself.  Finding new work outs like Tabata training or inspiration from Insanity infomercials to push the limits. Washing my face every night and taking note of a new wrinkle/laugh line proudly as a sign of experience and wisdom. A night time ritual feels a bit indulgent--exfoliating and then moisturizing, not just one step, but two?  I recently started my own ritual using POND'S® Luminous Clean Daily Exfoliating Cleanser and Luminous Moisture.  The products do indeed give my skin a fresher, brighter look.  The process of taking the time to care for my skin and be kind to myself renews my spirit.

It's about breathing gratitude in and out deeply every day.  The older I get, the more comfortable I get in my skin.  I forgive the younger me that didn't wear sunscreen or my retainer.  I don't beat myself up for mistakes.  I move on.  Because wrinkles aren't the only thing I've gained with age. Nope, being an almost 40-year-old mother I've gained more empathy and patience, a much bigger sense of humor and a deeper appreciation for life.  

All these things make me feel luminous and shiny and bright.

What makes you feel luminous? 

POND'S®, the iconic beauty brand known for giving women beautiful skin, is partnering with supermodel Molly Sims to help women look luminous every day.  This month, Sims, who has graced the covers of magazines from Cosmopolitan to Sports Illustrated and been on the cast of televesion shows like Last Vegas,  joins POND'S® to help women experience the "luminous effect" that comes with having great skin.  Together, they are launching the "POND'S® 30-Day Luminous  Photo Challenge," a 30-Dday photo sweepstakes featuring daily challenges to inspire women to share photos of their happiest, most radiant moments.  Thirty prizes will be awarded so women can live life more luminously.  There's still time to enter, the sweepstakes continues through April 2. All you have to do is upload pictures to POND's® Facebook page or share via Twitter or Instagram by using hashtag #LuminousEffect.

The Luminous Line is available nationwide and the products are extremely affordable ranging in price from $4.99 to $5.79.

Enter the POND'S® 30-Day Luminous Photo Challenge on the POND'S® Facebook page.

You could be one of the daily photo sweepstakes winners.  Honor your luminosity, take a picture with your smartphone (or camera) and enter to win.

Check out some of Molly Sims' Tips on Looking Luminous:

• Feed the Glow: Start the day off with a green juice to kick start the morning.  "It keeps me energized and does wonders for my complexion," says Sims.

• Buff Your Way To Beautiful: For great circulation and even tone skin, Sims recommends exfoliating your face, body and even your lips.

• Lights, Camera: Every woman can look luminous from within--but great lighting can help, too.  "One trick I've learned before snapping a photo is to step away from overhead lights to avoid shadows on the face," Sims advises.

• Lighten Up: "When posing for pictures, I make a point to smile big," says Sims.  "Your face will light up and you will instantly look and feel luminous."

I participated in this campaign for One2One Network.  By posting, I am eligible for incentive.  I received product to facilitate my post, but all opinions stated are my own.