When we talk about “taking care of ourselves” we mainly mention physical fitness and emotional awareness. Both of these are incredibly important, but I’d like to touch on a couple more aspects of “taking care of yourself” that don’t get mentioned as often.

I’m working on an ebook about etiquette/the modern lady and I just randomly plucked these ideas from there, so please excuse the lack of organization.

Intelligence

Putting aside the fact that intelligence is important for being the best woman that you can be for yourself, intelligence is also important in finding a partner. This doesn’t mean that you have to have a PhD in Astrophysics, but you should be able to spell common words correctly, communicate adequately, know what’s going on in the world, and be able to hold a mature conversation.

Knowledge is sexy. Your “worth” dramatically increases if you’re intelligent and curious about the world around you. Intelligence is important both in the search for a partner and in a relationship. If 2 identical women are texting a man and 1 texts like dis lololol ;) and the other texts appropriately, which one do you think the man will be more interested in? In relationships, if your boyfriend/husband is obsessed with a certain sport or has a favorite book, make an effort to learn more about these things.

Side note: most people know about the differences between there/they’re/their and your/you’re, but less know about the differences between woman/women and dominate/dominant.

Appearance

Stand up straight, cross your legs at the ankles if you’re wearing a short dress, and choose timeless styles that look great on you over trendy pieces that look great on a couple celebrities.

Wear clothes that make you feel like the best version of yourself. What clothes and accessories make YOU feel feminine?

Attitude

We talk a lot about our emotional awareness and maturity in relationships, but it’s also important to note that the way you treat strangers is also important. Smile. Say “Please” and “Thank you”. Don’t use your phone when you’re interacting with someone in front of you. You’ll be surprised how all of these seemingly little things will help to cultivate a happy heart and mind and will then translate into your relationship.

Side note: I don’t think these are as important to mention in this subreddit, but don’t forget to say “Thank you” when someone holds the door open for you (and take a look behind you to make sure you’re not closing the door in anyone’s face) and be kind in declining polite offers from men you’re not interested in.

These are just a few things I wanted to throw in the pot. I know some of them are general etiquette/being polite, but it never hurts to be reminded. I’d love to hear what ideas you all have.