Last week we talked about investing in ourselves. We talked about how to find those extra dollars to keep our look together. So this week I wanted to follow up that conversation, because I know for some of you the issue is not as much about money as it is about knowing what to do and finding the inspiration to do so.
Well ladies, inspiration is all around you. Just pay attention to women you see that have the look you want and then there is the tried and true magazine stand. Believe it or not, I’ve encountered a few people who have told me that magazines are a waste of money. Now I am going to make many a financial advisor cringe, but I have to tell you that the phrase “waste of money” is a relevant term. If you’re drab and you know it, and you know you need help, is $3.99 too much to invest? The same people that raise these objections are the same ones who can afford to knock back Wallaby Darneds at Outback on Friday nights.
If you were lost on a road to nowhere would $3.99 be too much for a map or one day of VZNavigator on your wireless phone? If you were in pain would $3.99 be too much for aspirin? Your image is important. I know, the financial advisors would say a map and aspirin are necessities, right? Well, have you ever seen a financial analyst looking broke down?! I haven’t. Have you ever seen Suze Ormon with her hair NOT done? How about Michelle Singletary without lipstick? I know, Glinda Bridgforth without eye makeup? My point exactly! Now they may not buy $5 lattes at Big Bucks, wear Louboutin’s or shop at Neiman’s, but they present themselves well because image is everything and you need a job just like they do. So when it comes to beauty and image don’t take their advice to the extreme. Invest in you!
You don’t want to end up looking like Ebenita Scrooge or worse–the Sea Hag. Once that settles into your spirit and your way of being it’s hard to get it out. I’ve seen it happen.
Stop blocking inspiration. Bitterness and jealousy are inspiration blockers. Don’t get all hung up on what celebrities have and what other people have that you miss the inspiration. Celebrities clue us in on trends all the time, that is why the designers give them stuff for free. It’s called marketing, is it really that different from when the Macy’s commercial comes on? You don’t get mad at the models on the commercial do you? I thought not. All that, if I had money, a chef and a trainer and a….whatever. Does this look inspire you, is that your color, trend, etc.? Will incorporating some of that work for you?
When you see women who are put together, take note. Don’t sit around with “she thinks she’s all that.” Ah, yeah…pretty much. Allow yourself to be encouraged, educated and inspired. That is how you begin to invest in yourself.
When the celebs are out and they are not all dolled up–they are not in their marketing gear at the moment and they are ordinary people. Don’t laugh. It will come back on you. I laughed at somebody one time and for six months I couldn’t even match socks. I knew I had a problem and there was nothing that I could do until it just wore off.
Don’t lose yourself to your circumstances. Balance is the key. Lopsided life improvements are not the answer. You know, I’m going to save and improve financially,but I won’t care about anything else. You’ll end up with a bunch of money and a miserable spirit and basically look a hot mess. I’ll get the perfect body, but I’ll go broke doing so. I only care about my inner self, and so on. Investing in you, requires striking a balance. We’ll revisit this again, but y’all got this.
So tell me how do you invest in you?