Projecting Your Authentic Self

I unfortunately am not very vague about my personal appearance. I'm sure that I reflect the lack of attention that I pay to my outward appearance. The best I can do is a good haircut and color. That doesn't mean the hair is fixed! I have an amazing hairdresser, but am sometimes ashamed to tell people her name. I don't want them to judge her professional abilities on my example. Since beginning to blog my Simple Abundance journey I have had 5 or 6 inches cut off of my hair and a slightly different style. This change came after more than a year of "so, are we ready for a change? Are we going to lose some of this length?". I took the hint. It needed it. But I never would have done it on my own. My motto is shower and go. It allows me to be at work early, but it probably does send an unfortunately accurate image of the time I put into the package. Does it count that I'm good about touching up my gray roots?

The wardrobe has evolved into a better reflection. I'm a very hard to fit off the rack short, curvy package. There aren't a lot of things that look good. I know what colors I like and wear well but tend to get stuck on a shade or tone and it shows up a lot. This would probably change if I bought a few more clothes. But I must once again express my frustration at the advice  in the journal to gather magazines, spend time looking through and cutting out images, creating possible collages of my style. Mess, mess, lack of time, clutter. Here's what I recommend for the 21st Century. Watch TLC's What Not To Wear. They do a great job of helping women move into their current reality and find the colors and styles that are flattering for their particular body shape. It truly is a reflection of the beauty that is in each woman. Ok, there is a little unflattering look at how horrid the image currently being portrayed; thus the necessity for the intervention. But the focus is on awakening an inner radiance by learning what fits your personality, style and shape. I have to admit to more than one aha moment as I look down and find I am wearing exactly what I SHOULDN"T for my body shape while watching the show. There were several years where the only new things I wore were items that were bought as presents. They were ok, but not right. I still haven't worked myself to the point where I have a coordinated wardrobe, but I am getting better about only buying or keeping what is truly a reflection of me.

One of the most important aspects of the work today was learning how to grow. We do this as women in every aspect of our professional, social and inner selves, but often forget to do the same with out outward appearance. This doesn't mean that we have to look dowdy or no longer wear stylish clothes. But I havet given up the bright red lipstick that was so much a part of my twenties. Tends to emphasize those wrinkles around the mouth in a most unflattering matter!

Expressing gratitude today for:

1. friendly library workers (it's my version of Cheers, "where everybody knows your name")
2. rain instead of ice on the way to work
3. Clairol root touch-up