Be Your Own Valentine
Be Your Own Valentine.
I went to a launch party for a 90-Day Challenge at The Bar Method Tuesday
night…yes I’m hooked and still shaking it up at the workouts there. Anyhow, I had been working in my clinic all day and so when I arrived for the evening gala after about 7 hours of therapy, I was looking like a sweaty mess in an outfit I think I put on in the dark yesterday morning. The thing that you have to know about The Bar Method is that everyone there looks vibrant, alive, fit, lean and beautiful even after their workouts! And dressed up they all just get more beautiful and vibrant. How do people look that good?
Note to self: never arrive at a social event without due time spent checking in with my inner fashionista who sadly had checked out yesterday obviously! And normally as I catch myself with these out of place feelings, I try to turn up my inner beam. But I’ve been fending off a winter cold. So you get the picture, there I was with about 40 other beautiful people sipping sparkling water and enjoying the buzz. Me realizing I need to step up self-care. My body is showing up with a cold and dressed in a strange outfit.
Anyhow it got me thinking about why I keep unflattering clothes at all! If I cleared out the not-so-great stuff, surely even in the dark I would have managed to look a wee bit more together last night. Admittedly I can be a little lazy on wardrobe coordination at times.
Every morning could be a fresh date with self! Just as I think Valentine’s month should really be Valentine’s year. Do you take time to get your self, date ready in the morning? How do you feel about your wardrobe or your style? Do you dress for other people’s opinion, or for yourself?
Body image is a big concern for men and women. A research team at Brown University published a study that suggests 74.4% of normal-weight women thought about their weight or appearance all the time. 46% of the normal-weight men surveyed responded the same.http://brown.edu/Student_Services/Health_Services/Health_Education/nutrition_&_eating_concerns/body_image.php
Why not be grateful for the body your spirit lives in? Why not take a little extra time to dress your body up and take your body out for a stroll, a jog, a dance, or anything that your body might love to do today? Where will you take your body out for lunch today?
Are you your own Valentine? Is it time for you to become more conscious of your own style of dressing? It can be helpful and fun to employ someone to update and coordinate your wardrobe. What is uniquely expressed about you in your wardrobe style? If hiring a professional stylist sounds expensive or too self-indulgent, invite a long-time friend who knows you really well to give you feedback. Does the ‘you’ on the outside speak congruently for the ‘you’ on the inside?
Our wardrobes are like rose bushes, they thrive with a good pruning each season! Often it’s hard to do our own pruning and it takes an expert to assess the best ways trim and balance a wardrobe. And don’t be waiting to lose or gain that extra five pounds. Enjoy your body exactly as it is today.
What is your morning routine exactly? Here are some tips to get your mojo started right now:
- Take five minutes to breathe in and breathe out. Open your heart to this day.
- Take a moment to consider 3 things that you are grateful for from yesterday.
- If you have time, get to the gym or go for a run around the block before work. The more simple you keep your routine, the more inclined you will be to continue a new habit.
- Is there a color you haven’t worn lately? What color shows off your eyes best?
- Is there someone you could give those too tight or too loose clothes too?
Create your own checklist for your morning and notice that you will feel more energy, personal autonomy, and probably choose better food, enjoy the company of your friends, family and colleges. And drink up! That sparkling water is not the only thing that’s bubbly today!
