My 2014 New Year’s Resolution
After you read this post I must insist you go read this funny one from Kaitlin! I am definitely guilty of several things on the list but am also with her on many of them. If the world made a resolution against progress pics and ab Instagrams, I’d be the top supporter!
I don’t usually even make New Year’s resolutions but I just happened to feel inspired to make this one around 12/31, so I’m going to call it a New Year’s resolution. My dad got very upset at first when he heard what my resolution was but hear me out: I want to make more of an effort when it comes to my appearance. Let me explain.
I’m not talking about working out more, eating “cleaner”, etc. I’m talking about blow-drying my hair, putting on eyeliner, and dressing nicely. You may remember my reflections about how much better I felt on a very mentally blah day in Florida – the day I arrived there. I felt tired and large and let my mental blahs translate into feeling like I looked blah – and should stay that way. But if feeling mentally blah makes me think I look blah, why can’t looking awesome make me feel mentally awesome? Why can’t it go both ways? It can!
Before a night out in Florida – I took the time to blow dry my hair and my sis curled it for me!
I encounter plenty of days when I want to wear my glasses, put my hair in a messy bun, and rock yoga pants. Sometimes doing so makes me feel cozy, especially post-gym on the weekend. But other times when I haven’t worked out or when I’m feeling guilty about a previous night out at an event or restaurant, I’m tempted to just retreat into myself and hide in stretchy pants. I don’t feel like trying to make myself look nice because I feel as if I don’t deserve to look nice.
This photo was taken this past Black Friday. I felt pretty down on myself that evening and it shows in the leggings and big shirt I’m hiding behind. I didn’t bother to do anything with my hair, or put on makeup.
Self love is about knowing what I deserve. I don’t deserve to have to feel bad about myself and do all I can to keep those bad vibes going. I deserve to do anything I can to make my day brighter and make my posture straighter, my step peppier, and my smile larger. Whenever I think I look good, I feel good about myself overall. That includes feeling better about my body! I really noticed how much showering, taking time to blow dry my hair, and putting on a cute outfit did wonders for my mood that day in Florida. So I tried to keep it up all trip. I rocked my bright pink lipstick and did another couple days of blow drying my hair before dinner so I (or my sister) could do something nice with it. I wore a cute top, jeans, and my contacts for the plane ride home. And you know what? I had the energy to go out for a late dinner with my sis and our friend after we landed. I doubt I would have been up for that if I’d been in travel-slob mode!
Jeans on the plane? Where are my yoga pants! Also – EXIT ROW.
So today though I am working from home (aka Daybreak) due to snow, I still put on the cute workplace outfit I had planned. I scrunched my hair, put on contacts and makeup, and decided to rock my fake hipster glasses. And I feel good! Later tonight after I’ve taken my post-gym shower, the stretchy pants and glasses will emerge. But until then I am wearing a fashionable outfit (including flats…poor decision, my feet are freezing) and sitting up straight and taking selfies like the boss I am.
It’s not even just about hair, clothes, or makeup. No one can tell from far away when my hands are dry, but man can I feel it, so I recently invested in some nice Bath & Body Works shea hand cream and am getting in the habit of putting it on several times per day. I’ve started keeping a lip balm or Chap-Stick with me wherever I am, because it’s hard to focus on anything else when my lips are chapped. Maybe it takes a few extra bucks for some new beauty/skin products and it seems like a waste of money at first when I wonder if anyone will even notice I’m using them, but the number one most important person is me. If I notice, then it’s worth it!
This photo was taken the day after Black Friday when I celebrated a family friend’s birthday with a drink at Chops N Catch. I straightened my hair and made an effort picking out an outfit. I felt so much better about myself and also less guilty about enjoying some wine! It’s crazy how much better about myself I felt just one day later – thanks to a few extra minutes of effort on my part.
I hope that I can keep up this resolution to “make more of an effort” in 2014 and beyond. I deserve to feel good but it just takes some extra time. The 10-15 minutes I spend blow drying my hair instead of going out to eat with wet “mermaid hair” will be worth it when I feel confident and pretty all evening. The extra time spent picking out a cute outfit instead of my favorite yoga pants will be time well spent when I get a mood-lifting compliment on that outfit later in the day. I’m not trying to change myself by losing weight or “toning up”. I just want to take what I’ve got – take myself – and feel great about ME!
Do you have any New Year’s resolutions?
What are your thoughts on food/fitness related resolutions in general?
Do you find your mood affected by the time/effort you put into appearance?
