Looking good starts by feeling good

Article by Image Coach, Maite Barón

Looking good starts by feeling good Presenting yourself well and for maximum benefit is both a science and an art. Research shows that image influences the prestige, authority and desirability people ascribe to you. When people meet you, over 55% of the first impression they form of you is based on your image, 38% is based on your voice and only 7% is based on what you say. When you first meet someone you only have 5 seconds to get the right message across and it can take over 20 further meetings to reverse a poor first impression. We live in a world where visual impact is very important, going through life wearing different social masks. We believe what we see, at least at the first instance. We spend fortunes on clothes, make up, beauty treatments, etc, wanting to look good and often believing that in this way we will also feel good. The reality is that after this first impression we can’t carry on pretending forever. Our emotions and feelings have great impact in our bodies and the way we relate to the world around us. Whatever we feel inside about ourselves will be projected unconsciously to the outside world, by the way we dress, move, talk and even by what and how we eat. Ultimately our incongruence and misalignment with ourselves will come across in one way or another. So, is it possible to look good even when I’m not feeling good? The answer is yes and no. You can learn how to make the best of your assets, understand how to dress for your body proportions which colours and make up show you at your best, learning how to always look great. However, if your self-esteem is low, you lack confidence, feel unmotivated, sad or unhappy with yourself, you will not be able to maintain this first impression, creating confusion and doubt. Let’s have a look at ‘ the circle of success’ as our image affects not only how others perceive us, but also how we perceive ourselves. better image more recognition improved self-esteem encourages performance more confidence In this circle we can see how looking better will improve our self-esteem, make us feel more confident, encourage performance, get things done and get more recognition. When feeling good about ourselves it doesn’t matter where we start in the circle, i.e. if we already feel confident, we will perform better, feel more motivated to look after our image and so on. The challenge could be, i.e.- when I have low self-esteem I may not care about how I look. How to get motivated to look after my image? Often there are negative self- sponsoring messages coming with this state ’it doesn’t matter what I wear I don’t look good’ or ‘ nobody notice me’ or ‘nobody would ever love me looking like this’. Have you ever had any of these thoughts? The good news is that by starting changing our thoughts about ourselves we’ll start changing the way we feel and the way we’re perceived by others and self. Today we will start with 3 simple steps to start feeling better to look better: 1. Everything starts by self-acceptance. We may not have Sharon Stone’s face or Claudia Schiffer’s body but we have a lot to offer the world and ourselves. How do I feel about myself? How happy I’m with my body? What would I like to change? Whatever your replies are, start by accepting that this is how you feel about yourself at the moment, where you are right now. Ask yourself: How could I make the most of myself now? How could I look my best even when I’m not feeling at my best so I can increase my self-esteem and feel more motivated to create the changes I want in my life? Which colours make me feel good? Remember that coloured lingerie can also have a very good effect in your mood! 2. Reward yourself for all the effort and progress you make, as small as this may seem. Give yourself a positive self-talk: ‘well done’, ‘I can do it’ ‘everyday I feel and look better’ ‘I’m beautiful’, ‘I’m lovable’,… 3. Acknowledge any compliments people give you, how you look, how you feel... Notice how people notice you when you make the effort to look great. Learning how to create a personal brand will help you to build better relationships and to establish a better personal and professional image. Mastering branding will enable you to communicate effectively at the right level and to maintain an appropriate public persona – to look confident, appropriate and credible. In my e-book 'Walking with Assertiveness, Beauty and Magic' I will share with you valuable tips to look your best, to understand what suits you and to achieve the success you deserve. Looking good starts by feeling good so why not to start with a smile? Maite Barón, Image Coach


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