17 Tips And Habits Women Were Influenced By Other Women To Incorporate Into Their Daily Lives
I've learned so many things from my fellow women, and I'm always open to learning new things! So, when women of the BuzzFeed Community began sharing the daily habits and routines they've started implementing into their lives after seeing another woman doing them, I just had to take notes. Here are some of the most helpful tips and practices:
1."Keeping a vase of fresh flowers at home is such a simple gesture. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise — no amount of money spent on flowers is a waste, and they are not high maintenance. At our home, every day is a little brighter with flowers."
2."I learned about having an 'inner purse' from a former colleague. It's not a new concept, but basically, you have a smaller cosmetics bag or something similar where you keep the little things you carry every day 'just in case' — tissues, lip balm, ibuprofen, extra cash, emergency pads, bandaids, etc. Then, you just transfer that little bag to whatever purse or handbag you carry that day. It saved me a lot of time in the morning not scrambling around and picking out random little items from one bag to put into another. It also helps keep your purses tidy and makes everything easy to find. I've seen ads for clear purse inserts with pockets and compartments for a more 'professional' look, but I found cute bags with flamingoes and tropical designs that I love."
3."Some women I know always write a daily gratitude list. I started nearly two years ago, and it changed everything."
4."I try to compliment at least one woman every day whenever I go out. It doesn't matter whether it's at work, the store, or a night out with my friends. We need to build each other up, and a compliment is a small thing that can make a big impact on someone."
5."The best tip I've heard lately is to dry your shower/bath walls before you climb out because whatever stays wet will grow that nasty black or pink stuff. I've watched my husband clean out and recaulk the tub over and over because the caulking turns black over time, but then someone told me it turns black because it's always wet. It takes me just a couple of minutes to run a hand towel around the shower/bath stall, and my caulk stays gorgeous and white, and I only have to actually scrub the floor (I don't dry it). It's totally worth the brief daily effort to save the misery of doing heavy scrubbing and looking at black caulk. Maybe it doesn't happen in some climates, but where I live, moss will grow on your car if you don't wash it often!"
6."I stayed with my sister over the holidays and noticed in the mornings that she'd always make her bed all nice and spritz this gorgeous-scented room spray all over the room. I asked her why she put in so much effort, and she said it just made her feel more put-together and that she liked taking care of her space. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how important it is to respect and keep my space nice and well-maintained. I'm not saying I was messy before, but I definitely put in more effort to make my spaces feel cozy and inviting and not just lived in."
—Daniella, 22, Utah
7."My grandmother taught me not to wear my hair in too many tight, high ponytails. The tension will pull the hair out of the front and might cause your hairline to recede over time!"
8."Showering at night! A friend of mine told me years ago that she showered at night. I thought, I'd rather feel fresh in the morning, but once COVID hit, I came home and showered after work and just never stopped doing it. Now, I look forward to showering at night so I can take my time. It also allows me to unwind and relax before bed. Also, now I don't have to worry about freezing in the mornings during the winter."
9."Waking up early to work out or move my body in some capacity every morning has been a life-changer. It was difficult for a couple of weeks to get into the routine, but now, I look forward to that time every morning before my day starts."
10."This is maybe a less wholesome tip, but I live alone, and every time I leave or come back to my apartment, I pretend to greet/say goodbye to someone. This is a safety thing. If someone were to follow me, they'd think I live with someone or that my apartment isn't empty when I'm not there. Also, if you think you're being followed, don't immediately turn your apartment lights on when you get home."
11."I started detangling and braiding my hair before bed, and now I can just get up and go the next morning."
12."I ALWAYS keep tampons and pads in my car and purse. They're not just for me, but I have them if anyone asks. I usually give them to women who are panhandling. I almost never have cash on me, but I'll have a medical necessity on me so that women don't have to choose between buying hygiene and food. After I watched a mini-doc about what unhoused women would do to make makeshift pads and tampons, it changed my whole perspective."
13."I feel like a lot of self-care habits for women often focus on things like makeup and skincare routines — and there's nothing wrong with that. But I'll always appreciate my mother for showing me the benefit of other forms of self-care, like sewing, drawing, and gardening. I'm not interested in makeup or beauty, and I think if I hadn't had my mom's example, I would've ended up feeling less 'womanly.' But she showed me that not all women are interested in spending a lot of time on their appearance, and that doesn't make you any less of a woman. There are other things you can do for yourself that still count as self-care."
—Anonymous
14."'Howl' really loudly at the full moon. Gosh, it just feels wonderful to make all that noise — it's a real stress reliever. My grandmother was from Oklahoma and was part Native. She, her sisters, aunts, mothers, grandmothers, and all other women and girls would gather at midnight during a big, full, bright moon over at the edge of the reservation. Then, they'd let it all go! The thought of doing it was surprisingly gratifying and was etched into my mind's eye as something strong women do from childhood until the end of their earth walk. I joined them a few times in my life, but the sheer thought of this ritual is enough to draw upon when needed."
—Anonymous
15."My mom never went to bed without washing her face and applying moisturizer. She also drinks a ton of water daily, so I've adopted the same habits. I am almost 60, and my skin is still very nice. I've been told I look much younger than I am."
16."A coworker I took yoga with skips our Thursday evening class every week. I mentioned not seeing her, and she said, 'That's my husband's and my 'clean the house night.'" My partner and I started doing that, and it was a total game-changer. We used to spend so much time cleaning on the weekends, but now, it's part of our Thursday routine, and it's so nice to come home to a clean house on Friday at the end of the work week. We've kept it up for years!"
—Anonymous
17.Lastly: "One of the nicest things you can do for an older woman is complimenting her. I once told a woman in her 80s, 'When I'm your age, I hope I look just like you. You are so pretty!' Not only did I sincerely mean it, but her smile absolutely lit up the room. Tell older women that they're beautiful and have pretty eyes or hair. They don't hear it as often as they used to, and it will make their day."
I love being a woman! If you've adopted a habit or routine after seeing another woman doing it, I want to know all about it in the comments. Or, if you'd rather submit anonymously, you can share your tips and routines using this form!
