11 Daily Habits Of Highly Polished People — That Give Them A Huge Advantage
Being polished is a state of mind based on self-love.
Pixabay / Pexels Being a polished person is about more than just how you look (although polished people tend to look great at all times, even when they’re dressed casually). Being polished is about the vibes you give off and the way you set people around you at ease. Being polished is a skill that can be acquired, with a little practice — and a lot of shine.
These are 11 daily habits of highly polished people that give them a major advantage.
1. They start and end their day with a set routine.
Whether it’s a six-step skincare routine or a cup of coffee while reading the headlines, polished people know that starting and ending the day with a ritual is a highly grounding and affirming act of self-love. According to psychologist Debbie Sorensen, a relaxing (and offline) morning routine helps you start the day on the right foot and keep your stress levels in check, making you feel and appear more polished as opposed to frazzled.
To feel centered, try doing something that brings you joy to jumpstart and peace to wind down.
2. They dress for success, however they define it.
Polished people feel good in their skin and they let their style speak for itself. A person can be just as polished in a three-piece suit as they can be in a sweatsuit.
It doesn’t matter if your look is super dapper or way dressed down; putting that extra bit of care into your self-expression speaks volumes.
3. They practice great self-care.
Knowing how to take care of yourself in the ways that work best for you makes you a polished person. Your self-care might be rooted in working out or cooking homemade meals; it might be all about moisturizing and exfoliating.
Photo: Ron Lach / Pexels
No matter what, polished people take care of themselves in ways that let them feel wholly good about themselves.
4. They live a balanced lifestyle.
Finding a middle ground between indulgence and a strict schedule is something polished people thrive at. They know that sometimes, ice cream for dinner is the best thing they can do for themselves. Other times, it might be sunrise yoga or a walk through nature with a friend.
“Self-care in the form of fun is just as important as anything else we do to take care of ourselves,” Laura Pendergrass, an industrial psychologist who advises Fortune 500 companies, told CNBC. “We recognize the importance of recess for kids and build it into their school time, but we forget the importance of play as adults.”
Photo: Mart Production / Pexels
Polished people are flexible, and they listen to their intuition about what they need at any given moment.
5. They work at being confident.
A polished person knows there’s truth behind the age-old adage, fake it til you make it. Confidence is more than how you present yourself to others, it’s how you feel about yourself at your core. As influencer Spencer Barbosa described it, self-confidence is about believing in yourself and validating your own self-worth, rather than relying on others to validate you from the outside.
“You do not need to be perfect to be confident,” Barbosa noted. She spoke to the fact that no amount of make-up or designer clothes change who you are on the inside, explaining, “If you do not love and appreciate the skills that you have and what you bring to the table, you can’t fully be confident.”
6. They build up their communities.
Polished people have a strong sense of community and they center their hearts. Friendships and other intimate relationships take precedence for them.
They’ll be the first ones to reach out to people they haven’t heard from in a while. They’re a stable and warm presence in the lives of those they care about.
7. They lead with compassion.
Empathy is a trait that often seems to be sorely lacking in our world, yet a polished person knows that kindness is the best way to relate to those around them — and this can even lead them to be faster learners. A 2016 study found that empathetic people are faster at learning new tasks when that task has the opportunity to help others, which is why polished people may always seem like they know exactly what they're doing at all times.
8. They meet people where they’re at.
Being non-judgmental is a crucial aspect of being polished. This goes hand-in-hand with being empathetic. While curbing our judgment isn’t always easy, it allows for us to relate to others and give them — and ourselves — grace to be imperfect.
9. They mean what they say.
Polished people maintain clear communication with the people in their lives. They mean what they say and they say what they mean.
They set clearly defined boundaries and stick to them because they know that creating boundaries is a pathway to loving ourselves and others in the best ways possible. They care about the people they engage with, and their communication style proves it.
10. They put in the work and reap the rewards.
It might seem like polished people are effortlessly good at what they do, but make no mistake, they work hard. A polished person knows that the only way out is through, no matter what their goal is.
11. They prioritize rest.
Even though polished people grind when they have to, they also rest when they feel run down. So many people feel guilty for carving out necessary space to refuel, but polished people know that you can’t pour from an empty cup.
Being polished has way less to do with how you look, and more to do with how you hold yourself in the world.
The journey towards being a polished person is one that relies on true self-acceptance, and loving ourselves for exactly who we are.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers mental health, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.