I’ve been reflecting on the inter-connectedness of our “Inside Brilliance” and our “Outside Brilliance.”
How we think and feel on the “inside” impacts how we look and behave on the “outside,” AND how we look and behave on the “outside” impacts how we think and feel on the “inside.” It’s a closed loop and we just have to jump into it somewhere.
If you want to “level up” how you feel and think about yourself and your contributions and capabilities, a great place to start is by examining and shifting how you look – how you dress and how you carry yourself.
There’s a lot of research regarding the impact of how we dress:
- It influences others’ perceptions of us. The clothes we wear send cues about our personality, social status, and competence, and others subconsciously pick up on it.
- It can improve our own cognitive and behavioral performance. Dressing more carefully and “formally” has been found to improve our abstract thinking and negotiation skills.
- It can impact our emotional state. Your mood impacts what you choose to wear, but you can use this to your advantage. Choose clothing that makes you feel happy, and you’ll find it has the ability to change your mood.
On a scale of HARD to EASY, changing how we dress falls on the EASY side of the scale. The part that is more difficult is deciding HOW you want to dress, understanding that it has significant influence on your perception of self, your cognitive performance, and others’ perceptions of you.
What is alignment with who you are, how you feel, and how you want to be perceived?
Make conscious choices; you’ll be amazed at the impact!
