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“Cameron
Diaz and David
Beckham let
their confidence
shine through”
Sex.
Though ts of sex seem
to dom inate our teen
years . But feeling
sexy d oesn’t have to
go han d in hand with
having sex.
Nicole Casey explains
how to embrace your
‘inner sexy’ without
gett ing physical.
22
www.faceup.ie
It’s a small word, but one which comes with
a ton of stigma and pressure.
For some people, sex has never been an
issue. Pressure isn’t a concern and they
know it’s ok to wait. For others, though, sex
can be a scary thought, and can make us
question everything we believe in.
It’s no surprise we’re so confused. Every day
we’re bombarded with images of celebrities
– male and female – dressing provocatively,
smiling seductively and oozing sex appeal.
But feeling sexy and having sex are two totally
different things. It’s true! There are millions
of ways to make yourself feel sexy, without the
sex! You just have to know how.
Confidence is the key. It’s the secret
to celebrities’ apparent sexiness. Their
confidence grabs our attention. You’d never
see Cameron Diaz slouching on the front of
a magazine, with her head hung low and a
huge frown plastered across her forehead.
She stands tall, dresses for her body shape
and always remembers to smile. Even if she’s
not feeling sexy in a dreary photo studio
on a rainy Autumn morning, she lets her
confidence shine through. David Beckham’s
another one who knows how to work it. And
here’s how you can too.
STEP 1. FAKE IT
Unfortunately, the average teenager isn’t
overflowing with confidence. If this sounds
like you, then you simply have to fake it
till you make it. If you’re feeling low, start
purposefully acting cheerful. Soon enough,
that smile stretching across your face will
actually become real. Not only will you feel
ten times happier, but smiling is a surefire
way to let your inner sexy shine through.
What’s not to love?
STEP 2. KNOW WHO YOU ARE
To radiate super sexy confidence it’s vital to
know yourself inside out. This may not be as
easy as you think! People tend to ignore how
they really feel, and what they really want,
in favour of ‘fitting in.’ But somewhere,
beneath the multiple masks we’ve created,
our true self can be found. Having many
different personalities is a part of everyday
teenage life: it’s important to be a good
student, a good child, a good brother or
sister. But the most important thing is to
be good to ourselves. Once you come to
terms with just how awesome the inner you
really is, the outer you will overflow with
confidence.
STEP 3. LOVE YOUR BODY
A lot of teens feel they need the approval of
the opposite sex to have any confidence in
their appearance. But if we’re comfortable
in who we are – and accept the way we were
born – we’re capable of loving ourselves.
And when we love ourselves, others can
love us, too. Remember that bodies come
in all shapes and sizes, and if we all looked
the same it’d be a pretty boring world.
Embrace your flaws. So, you don’t have a flat
stomach, or a six pack?... Concentrate on
23
www.faceup.ie
the compliments you’ve received about your
gorgeous eyes or your strong build.
STEP 4. TAKE CARE OF
YOURSELF
Focusing on the inner you doesn’t mean
you should give up entirely on the way you
look. If you make a bit of an effort with
your appearance, the world will notice.
People care about people who care about
themselves. And that leads to one thing – a
big boost to your inner confidence.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Sex is a huge step, for both girls and guys,
and your teenage years are complicated
enough without adding more pressure and
problems into the mix. We’re constantly
trying to please a lot of people, but when it
comes to sex, the only person that matters
is YOU. So remember, never let anyone
persuade you to do something you’re not
comfortable with or that you know is wrong.
Next time you think ‘sexy’, think
‘confidence’ instead. You can feel like the
sexiest person alive without even thinking
about having sex. Let your confidence shine
through, and your inner sexiness is sure to
follow.