A New Outfit, A New Outlook

I made a new friend last week. We met at a Ladies Who Launch networking event. Okay, we actually didn’t meet at the event, but she found me on Facebook afterwards and we connected there. I can already tell that I am going to like her a lot. We’re planning to get dressed up and meet for drinks (coffee, tea, or something a bit more sassy) at a swank hotel.

She wrote a post on her blog about the importance of a new outfit on one’s outlook. You can read it here: This Woman’s Daily Wear.

This got me to thinking (which by the way is a statement that always makes my husband nervous). In my last post I wrote about nourishing rituals. Most, but not all, of the rituals I listed were nourishing to your spirit. But dressing up and feeling good about your outside is important too. Not more important than taking care of the inside, but important none-the-less. Over the years I’ve learned that even if I stay at home all day, I am more productive if I get out of my loungewear and get dressed. I’ve also learned that I feel better about myself if I conceal any pimples. (Other make-up is not needed, but concealer is key.)

I heard of a college professor who made his students dress up on test day because he found they scored higher that way. I’ve also read that even if you have a phone interview, you should put on your interview suit because you will feel more confident and that confidence will be transmitted over the wires.

How we look on the outside can be reflective of how we feel on the inside. I am not suggesting that you need to always look your best or be overly concerned about outward appearance. But self-care is important. I would even go so far as to say that applying mascara and coordinating an accessory or two can be nourishing to your spirit. It can be a statement to yourself that you are important. It doesn’t have to be a new outfit that gives you a new outlook. Just taking the time to care for yourself will do it. If you feel a bit more perky because you’re looking better, what could be wrong with that?