Dress for Success

Put on clothes for the day you want to have

Click here for my recent blog “Don’t Beat Yourself Up“

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Video Transcript:

When I was in College

When I was in college, for every test I took, I would stop studying an hour beforehand, go take a shower, fix my hair and put on makeup. I would dress in my Sunday best and walk into that classroom dressed for success. My friends of course made fun of me. They would be wearing t-shirts and ball caps and they would like at me and point, dress for success? And I would say, you know it! It was a silly little ritual but even at 20 years old I knew that if I was showered and dress nicely, I felt more confident. It was more helpful to me to get ready than it was for one more hour of cramming my study notes.

Why it matters now

That habit has followed me through the years and truthfully it’s been a gift to me in these weeks of sheltering at home from COVID-19. It may seem like an odd topic for a dietitian to share with you, but I think it can be really powerful. My family has been joking about not knowing what day it is. I saw a meme that said, your amazon package will be here Wednesday and the person said and when is that? I have found that dressing for the day I want make a big difference in this time at home.

Get dressed for the day you want

If I cannot stand the condition of my house or I really want to have an active day where I’m up and moving and productive, I will put on activewear , workout capris, tank top complete with socks and tennis shoes and a ponytail. It puts me in an active state of mind.

If I want to stay focused on playing with my kids and putting other things off so I’m present with them, I will wear lounge clothes that I can get down on the floor and that I generally feel more like slowing down when I wear them. And when my husband is going to take over the kids for a morning so I can walk upstairs to my office, I will dress for success just like on test days. As you spend your time at home, consider what you are wearing.

Maybe you need to put on fitness clothes all day long so you stay active, so you feel motivated. Or maybe you need to dress for success just to feel more confident.

Getting “fresh” might help your snacking

If you’ve been putting off taking a shower or wearing lounge clothes most days but find yourself snacking more often, it just might be a simple habit to shower and get dressed for a purpose, and work on a project you’ve been putting off.

If you’ve been using this time for spring cleaning and going through your closet, consider how you feel when you wear your clothes. You might organize your clothing based on the day you want to have. Finally, remember not to be too hard on yourself right now.

If you missed it, click the link below to read or listen to my last blog about being kind to yourself, and asking what you need right now. Sometimes you just need a shower and a nice outfit. All my best to you and yours.