9 Ways to Make Yourself Irresistible

Diana Vreeland famously said,

You don’t have to be born beautiful to be wildly attractive.

Her wise words are supported by science. All too often we assume good looks and charisma are innate qualities bestowed to a handful of lucky people at birth. Research suggests otherwise. There is so much more to personal appeal than being pretty. Attractiveness and magnetism have much more to do with inner radiance and easily adaptable aspects of yourself.

Now, it’s your turn to shine.

Here are nine strategies you can use to make yourself irresistible:

1. Enhance your charisma

Inspire a gravitational pull by lowering the intonation of your voice at the end of your sentences, reducing how quickly and often you nod your head and pausing for two full seconds before you speak. These subtle behavioral changes convey presence, power, and warmth.

2. Dress the part

Clothes have an impact on how people see you and on how you see yourself. Make an effort to look tidy and pulled together. Research shows that dressing in flattering, well-tailored clothes increases personal appeal. Wearing something you feel good in also boosts self-confidence and openness.

3. Strike a power pose

An easy way to improve sex appeal and feel more powerful is to improve your posture. Not only does better posture attract positive attention, it can actually make you feel stronger and improve your mood.

4. Be interesting and interested

Strive to be a good listener. Giving someone your full attention is a powerful seduction tool. That means leaving your phone in your handbag and resisting the impulse to take a photo of your entrée.

5. Smell good

People who smell nice are perceived as more likable. Studies show that personal grooming matters a great deal. Taking the time to take care of oneself—filing your nails, washing your hair, applying a fragrance—isn’t vain or “high maintenance.” On the contrary, self-care is considered a sign of psychological health and is appealing to others.

6. Show off your pearly whites

A smile works wonders. In addition to appearing more attractive, research shows a smile makes you look more approachable, fun, and engaging.

7. Glow from the inside

Complexion counts. A diet rich in fruit and vegetables brightens skin and promotes a healthy appearance. Carrots and tomatoes are natural skin enhancers. Studies show they give a golden glow that is perceived as more attractive than a suntan.

8. Wear red

If you want to attract the attention of a potential mate, throw on a red dress. This is known as “the red dress effect.” In addition to drawing others to you, researchers believe that wearing red alters self-perception and makes you feel stronger and sexier. Red lipstick works, too!

9. Be nice

People who are kind are considered more attractive. This is known as the “halo effect”—people who are perceived as “good” become more beautiful in our eyes.

This article originally appeared on IvankaTrump.com

I wish you all the best,

Dr. Samantha Boardman

50 Shades of Bad Mood

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” In Romeo and Juliet, Juliet contends that the names we give things are insignificant. Labeling Romeo as a Montague or a rose as a rose is worthless, she argues. The implication is that labels are empty and meaningless.

While I would never disagree with Shakespeare, when it comes to unpleasant experiences having the ability to precisely label how you are feeling can affect how you process every day challenges.

Let me explain. Imagine having an argument with a co-worker. How would you describe your feelings afterwards? Would you say bad, and leave it at that? Or would you describe your emotions in more detail and use adjectives like: frustrated, irritated, upset, and discouraged.

According to a recent study, people who are able to differentiate how they feel at a given moment are better at regulating their emotions – they use this nuanced information to tailor a response to the situation. Psychologist call this emotional granularity. “Differentiators” are action-oriented. They feel empowered to seek solutions. Using the example above, the differentiator might decide to speak to the manager or perhaps engage in a less-heated conversation with the co-worker. As Lisa Feldman, one of the study’s authors, explained in a recent article:

This is why emotional granularity can have such influence on your well-being and health: It gives your brain more precise tools for handling the myriad challenges that life throws at you.

In comparison, those who struggle with emotion differentiation are more likely to feel overwhelmed and helpless. They may be more vulnerable to unhealthy or unfocused responses like binge-drinking or physical aggression. It stands to reason that are less optimistic and experience negative events as personal, pervasive and permanent.

The researchers summarize their findings as follows:

People who respond to their felt experiences with greater differentiation are more mindfully aware of their conscious state and thus find it easier to shift their attentional focus and maintain emotional stability. We speculate that when distressing feelings and bodily sensations arise, instead of letting these experiences dominate attention or dictate how to behave, high differentiators are better able to distance themselves. With this psychological distance, there is greater opportunity to direct effortful behavior toward personally valued strivings or goals.

The good news is that emotional differentiation is a skill that can be learned. By expanding our vocabulary, stressful experiences and negative emotions can be transformed into learning opportunities.

Having the ability to choose from, label and understand an array of nuanced responses – think of it as an emotional buffet table – is a gateway to greater wellbeing.

So, how do you feel after reading this post? Please don’t say, “bored.”

I wish you all the best,

Dr. Samantha Boardman

The Upside of Failing

Sara Blakely is the queen of the undergarment industry. Without any experience in retail or business and very little cash, she founded Spanx when she was only 29 years old.

How did she do it? Was it her parents’ kind words and gentle encouragement? Not exactly. As highlighted in an article at 99U, Blakely’s parents had an unconventional approach to child rearing:

I wish you all the best,

Dr. Samantha Boardman

Dr. Dennis Gross

The New York-based dermatologist and skincare brand founder understands the alchemy of beauty. He discusses the restorative powers of love and a good Netflix binge.

What is the World’s Most Wanted Painting?

Botticelli’s Birth of Venus? Monet’s Water Lilies?  Munch’s The Scream? Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring?

It turns out none of the above.  Two digital artists, Vitalyl Komar and Alex Melamid, conducted a number of polls to explore artistic preferences of people in ten countries.  Participants were asked detailed questions about what type of picture they most like to look at, whether they prefer landscapes or interiors scenes, favorite colors, what kinds of animals they like, what sorts of people they enjoy seeing depicted, whether they prefer them clothed or nude, young or old, famous or ordinary, bathing or sitting and so on.

The results across countries were surprisingly uniform: the most-wanted painting was a landscape with a mountain, water, wild animals, a tree, some people and strong blue colors.

Philosopher Denis Dutton argues in his book The Art Instinct that the universal appeal of landscapes with these elements can be explained by evolution. When our ancestors had to search for food and safety, an open space with water and a climbable tree would have represented safe, peaceful and prosperous environment.  In other words, he believes our emotional response to landscape works is part of our survival instinct.  We evolved to appreciate art and see the beauty in landscapes because it helped us survive.

As George Bernard Shaw says:

Without art, the crudeness of the world would make reality unbearable.

The Things that Matter

The comedian George Carlin once said,

A house is just a place to keep your stuff while you go out and get more stuff.

Nate Berkus couldn’t disagree more.

In his book, The Things That Matter, Berkus reflects on what really matters in life. He writes about the places, the people and events that have shaped him and what he values most. His home is a reflection and expression of who he is. Every object tells a story, every piece belongs there. He laments the collection of meaningless stuff and challenges us to think carefully about the things we choose to surround ourselves with and the environment we live in.

Captivating photographs paired with Berkus’ engaging voice create a beautiful book, part memoir, part design guide, 100% inspiration.

Our biographies are not always written with a pen. If we let them, our homes also tell the stories of our lives.

We can’t escape who we are, and what we love, and the truth is, it’s a mistake even to try.

So donate the clutter and honor the treasures that matter most.