The Self Investment

I'm excited to introduce my friend Veronica from VintheNW! Veronica and I work together, Zumba together, and sometimes even shop together! Don't forget to follow her on Twitter and give her some love for this amazing post!

Lately I’ve been reading fashion blogs. I have my own style and I feel great in my clothes, but I enjoy seeing new styles and trends. As I read through them, though, I realize I’ve already got one of the very best accessories to any outfit. Best part is, this accessory is completely free, and it looks great on everyone!

So, what is the best accessory you can ever have? To me, it’s a healthy self-confidence. Regardless of height, weight, hair color, and any perceived imperfections with any portion of your appearance….loving yourself and strutting yourself as such is going to make you look good. It truly doesn’t matter if your shoes came from Chanel or Payless, whether your purse is the latest Louis Vuitton or the clearance item at Walmart. If you feel good about the product you’re putting out there (yourself), people are going to find you attractive.

So how do you find your self-confidence? Countless times I’ve heard references to things like, “I just need to lose twenty pounds,” “I really need a nose job”, “If only my teeth were whiter”. While yes, fixing things that make you insecure could help you feel more confident, in my opinion that’s not the only way. And, I’ve known people who have worked hard (or spent a lot of money) to correct whatever flaw they see in themselves, just to find that it didn’t change their self-perception one bit. Picture a stick-thin woman, sobbing because post-gastric-bypass, she feels lost in her own skin and misses her fat self. Sad, but it happens. And this girl thought she could solve all her problems if only she could squeeze into sample sizes.

So if conquering your flaws isn’t the answer, what is?

Invest in yourself.

Yep, that’s right; treat yourself as a high-quality investment for the rest of your life. Why are you wearing clothes that aren’t cute and don’t make you feel happy or attractive, when you could purchase a few new items and feel fantastic? I’m not saying you have to march yourself to the nearest Barney’s and drop a house in Malibu’s-worth of cash on new threads. No, no, no. I’m talking about picking out a few cute things in your own price range (for clothes, I loooove Kohl’s and JC Penney) that will get you a few compliments and make you feel great.

Now, while we’re talking about investing in yourself, get that Big Mac outta your pie hole. I’m serious. You are an INVESTMENT. You don’t fill up a Mercedes with regular old gas, you put premium in that car! You are not a Chevy Aveo, dear. You are a Mercedes. Treat yourself as such. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t ever indulge in junk food, but treat yourself to a lovely piece of fish or a square of nice dark chocolate. Don’t you deserve the finest?

This leads me to your space. Whether it’s your bedroom, your apartment, your house, whatever your digs are, they should bring you tranquility and comfort. Yes, this means you’re going to have to do some work. I always feel the most Zen in my house when it’s freshly cleaned, with candles burning and flowers in my pretty vases. Create a space that is beautiful, comfortable, and joyful. You’re not going to feel good about yourself if you walk in your front door only to be greeted by empty pizza boxes scattered in the living room, a beer stain on your couch, and a pile of dirty dishes. Gross.

By investing in yourself, it is entirely possible to achieve a gratifying self-love, without losing a pound or depriving yourself of anything.