Appearance

We all realize that our appearance has a pretty substantial effect on the way other people treat us. Whether or not this should be the case is a discussion for another day, but we've all heard the studies, most of us either teased or were teased in school about appearance, and we have all made that snap judgment of a person based on their appearance at least once. There is, however, a lesser-highlighted--yet equally pervasive--experience in our society: judging yourself based on your appearance.

During high school, my sister Brooke made the fantastic discovery that if she felt sick or tired, she could perk herself up by putting extra effort into her appearance. She had a better sense of style than I did anyway, but she made herself look spectacular on days when she was feeling her worst. If she had a big test, she enjoyed the extra confidence boost that looking good made her feel, and she generally did better on those tests than she felt she otherwise would have.

My freshman year of college, I came into my own a bit. I even dated a boy for a little while. I'd dated boys before, but I'd never before developed quite the connection that you do when you live in the same housing complex and see each other every day. The relationship ended, as most tend to, but only after we'd had what I considered at that point to be a huge fight and subsequent three days of silence. Those three days were the hardest of my entire freshman year, harder even than the breakup that ended them. I missed my first two classes the first day, and only ventured out of my dorm room to gather snack food from the vending machines in the lobby.

Soon, however, the realization that I would fail my classes if I didn't attend broke through the fog in my head. I remembered what Brooke had done in high school when she wasn't feeling her best, and I took a significant amount of time over the next three days before leaving my room to make sure that I looked better than I had all year. The change in my attitude was instant. Not only did I have the confidence that anyone who saw me would see me at my best, but it freed my mind from most of the self-conscious thoughts that harangued me in those days, and I could focus on other things, like getting through my day.

I've gotten to the point where I don't need to use that trick to feel better emotionally very often. However, I have found that people in general treat me and my opinions with more respect on days when I dress more professionally I am blessed to have an amazing job at which I am allowed to wear anything I want as long as it's neither pajamas nor immodest. While working at this job, I've discovered something else as well: Not only do I feel more respected and capable on days when I dress professionally, but wearing such an outfit actually puts me into a mindset in which I am more productive. Wearing a hoodie and jeans is almost like giving myself permission to slack off. I feel like I have more of an obligation to perform if I'm wearing a skirt, heels, and tailored jacket.

I enjoy tricking myself into being less lazy.