Day 160 of 365 - How Do I Look?
That's a question I rarely ask any longer of others. It may be partly because I seldom get dressed up enough to really be concerned much about it. But, I also think it's because it's a more important question to ask myself. That, and the question 'How do I feel?'
In the spring of 1983, in my opinion, I looked and felt frumpy. I was the mother of a three year old and a one year old, a homemaker. I was not yet thinking about going back to work. But, my mother's death in March made me think more about living my life as a better version of myself. Impulsively, I joined a somewhat expensive and strict weight loss program, and rapidly lost a lot of weight.
That decision also jump started a desire to look better and dress better, even if I was mainly at home. The extra attention of the staff at the program, where I had to go for daily weighing and supplements, boosted my spirits and helped me expand my horizons again. Not long after I was recommended for a part-time job, for which I was hired, and which became the longest part of my professional career.
Self help author, Louise Hay says 'Your body is a mirror of your inner thoughts and feelings. We change our life by what we do in the present moment'. The way I felt about myself, before my mother's death gave me a wake up call, was reflected in my careless outer appearance. My decision to do something about that made a significant change in my life.
Hay also says, 'The more you can connect with who you really are, the easier it is to show up in your life as the person that you are truly here to be'. Why does any of this even matter? It's because the outer reflects the inner. In that instance, for me, it took outward action, and the support of others to help me realize my potential.
Another author, Sarah Ban Breathnach says, 'seeking your authentic self will do more for your looks than you will believe'. Even if life circumstances like illness or effects of aging affect our outer appearance, if we feel good about who we are inside it comes through in how we present ourselves to the world. This is another one of those scenarios where it can work both ways, meaning that, approaching the issue from either an inner or an outer perspective can create a shift.
I currently have a more colorful wardrobe, thanks mainly to clothing given to me by friends as I lost a significant amount of weight in the last eighteen months or so. But, I still need to be able to believe in and care enough about myself to choose to wear colorful and coordinated pieces. That's an ongoing work in progress. I am still in the process of letting go of items that are too large, simply because I had decided they are 'fine'.
Fortunately, I have role models, in friends who always dress nicely and also via some of the more senior ladies in my apartment building who still nicely accessorize even simple outfits to present a more vibrant image. But, ultimately, it comes down to me, and how I care about and for myself.
How I look and how I feel about myself are important aspects of my health and vitality in my senior years too.
In the spring of 1983, in my opinion, I looked and felt frumpy. I was the mother of a three year old and a one year old, a homemaker. I was not yet thinking about going back to work. But, my mother's death in March made me think more about living my life as a better version of myself. Impulsively, I joined a somewhat expensive and strict weight loss program, and rapidly lost a lot of weight.
That decision also jump started a desire to look better and dress better, even if I was mainly at home. The extra attention of the staff at the program, where I had to go for daily weighing and supplements, boosted my spirits and helped me expand my horizons again. Not long after I was recommended for a part-time job, for which I was hired, and which became the longest part of my professional career.
Self help author, Louise Hay says 'Your body is a mirror of your inner thoughts and feelings. We change our life by what we do in the present moment'. The way I felt about myself, before my mother's death gave me a wake up call, was reflected in my careless outer appearance. My decision to do something about that made a significant change in my life.
Hay also says, 'The more you can connect with who you really are, the easier it is to show up in your life as the person that you are truly here to be'. Why does any of this even matter? It's because the outer reflects the inner. In that instance, for me, it took outward action, and the support of others to help me realize my potential.
Another author, Sarah Ban Breathnach says, 'seeking your authentic self will do more for your looks than you will believe'. Even if life circumstances like illness or effects of aging affect our outer appearance, if we feel good about who we are inside it comes through in how we present ourselves to the world. This is another one of those scenarios where it can work both ways, meaning that, approaching the issue from either an inner or an outer perspective can create a shift.
I currently have a more colorful wardrobe, thanks mainly to clothing given to me by friends as I lost a significant amount of weight in the last eighteen months or so. But, I still need to be able to believe in and care enough about myself to choose to wear colorful and coordinated pieces. That's an ongoing work in progress. I am still in the process of letting go of items that are too large, simply because I had decided they are 'fine'.
Fortunately, I have role models, in friends who always dress nicely and also via some of the more senior ladies in my apartment building who still nicely accessorize even simple outfits to present a more vibrant image. But, ultimately, it comes down to me, and how I care about and for myself.
How I look and how I feel about myself are important aspects of my health and vitality in my senior years too.
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