After doing a little reflecting on past practices that have worked really well, I realized that I've neglected one ritual that transformed my life. It was early on in my career and, in an effort to get noticed for future promotions, I wanted to put into practice one piece of advice that I heard repeated many times in career success books---"dress the part!" At the time, I wasn't earning much so I had to use a different method. I set aside a little time on Sundays to put together various looks for the week ahead.
Making outfit choice selections on a laid back Sunday afternoon is nothing like the experience of having to throw something together just minutes before you have to flee to work. Without the immediate sense of urgency, your level of creativity heightens. Suddenly you are able to see new combinations that weren't nearly as obvious before. It's like shopping at a small boutique, except everything in the "store" already fits. On Sunday nights, there's enough time to try on outfits that you haven't worn in a while. The goal is to have an entire week of outfits (head to toe) prepared before the session is over (accessories and all). Put on some groovy music, and play with the infinite number of combinations based on what you currently own. I got in the grove, I was like
"what if I wore this jacket with these jeans?" or
"what if I pair this skirt with these heels?" Ideas just flow out of me. And this was years ago, way before inspiration boards and fashion blogs. If you are overwhelmed with the process, you have an infinite amount of sources to turn to for inspiration.
The result. First of all, I felt really
prepared heading in to the new week. I freed up quite a bit of time and mental energy in having to decide what you need to wear the morning of. There's no more wondering
"did I just wear this last week?" Or finding a cute top but realizing (too late) that the perfect pair of slacks are buried deep in the laundry basket. It also gets rid of that "
I have nothing to wear feeling" which is just another way of expressing overwhelm.
Beyond the mental benefits, it also allowed me additional time, before work, to squeeze in a pre-work activities (like building the blog, meditating or enjoying a brief yoga session). Since I didn't have to worry about deciding what to wear, I could dedicate a little more time
to makeup application and other beauty rituals. A little bit of extra time each morning
will compound in a powerful way, when put to good use and can change the course of your life.
The last benefit took me by surprise. Suddenly, I was injected with a boost of confidence because. I'd put a little time and effort in what I wore. My mood was great. Others noticed and reacted to me differently. Then one day, the woman who held the highest position at the company stopped by my desk to say hello. We engaged in polite conversation and suddenly, out of no where, she says
"you dress so nice." Mind you, she was earning over six figures a year in base salary and I was still earning a small hourly wage. We'd worked together for a while and she never once made a comment on my clothing. But, when I invested time & effort in my garments, everyone took note.
And yeah, I did receive promotions. Eventually, I landed a job at a company that required us to wear branded uniforms. Getting dressed in the morning consisted of deciding what color polo shirt I felt like wearing that day. Years passed and wearing the same thing everyday eventually made me lazy. I realize how invaluable this outfit planning process was and I'm determined to bring it back into play. First on the agenda, is to procure one of
these neat little closet racks on wheels. This way I can easily separate my outfits for the week ahead. I don't want the mobile closet to become a place of clutter, just a means to remind myself of my commitment to always appear presentable. Going through your closet on a regular basis creates the perfect opportunity for you to decide which clothing items compliment you best and which ones need to be thrown away or donated.
Even though I may be working from home everyday next week, one thing I know for sure is that I'll look and feel great. Best of all, it'll be an easy process that leaves me with zero excuses. I urge everyone reading this to try this tonight and see what impact if makes for you in the week ahead.
