Feeling dressed

Do you ever dress like you feel? When you feel good, do you dress up? When you feel blah, do you dress down? Maybe consider taking a different approach….

dressing to meet the day

Consider setting a standard to meet each day–a colourful, organised, and coordinated norm. As each person is unique, this will be different for each individual. For me, a typical daily ensemble will often include a dark skirt or pant and a floral top OR a bright plain top with a floral scarf and headband.

By having a discipline of getting up, getting dressed and ready for the day (even if it’s a home day) helps pave the way for whatever the day may bring. It allows one to unclutter the mind from thinking of appearances in order to think about other responsibilities and how to care for others.

don’t rely on your feelings

ESPECIALLY the days I’m struggling, I try to dress up a bit more. This is a bit counter-intuitive, but I find it breaks the downward cycle of feel blah=dress blah=feel worse=dress worse….. Putting on a bit more makeup, wearing a nicer dress, or making sure I put in that bit of extra effort when I don’t feel like it really helps!

This consistent approach to life can be applied to other areas as well. There are various seasons we go through brought on by stages of life and changing circumstances–both planned and unplanned. Sometimes these simple, consistent disciplines are accomplishments that can add much joy and cheerfulness to our days!

remember others respond accordingly

I used to teach in a school (music, drama, textiles, and food prep–among other subjects). I learned that how I dressed made a huge difference in how the students responded to my teaching. From my new entrants through to my graduating high school students, dressing well made a difference in how well my students listened and responded as I taught. There was even a 5-year old boy who would wink at me during the choir because he loved coming to my class! (They start young)

So tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that, dress to meet the day (even if your feelings don’t match). As my mum used to say, “Fake it ’til you make it.” That’s the discipline in action: dressing well until you are well.