On why you should be well groomed

Have you ever had the experience of when you try to be your best and others who settle for complacency pick on that.  Because some people don’t take time to be well groomed and neat, they insult others who do, making it to be that they’re superficial or vain, or have a lot of spare time. 

When meeting people who are untidy, I always wonder what their house and car look like.  Dirty cars are my pet peeve.  Don’t get me started on dirty houses.  If you haven’t taken the time to wash your hair, I wonder if there are piles of dirty dishes in your house.  It may not be the case, but that is the impression they give off. 

Not being well groomed, is directly proportional to not being well organised, which also has on effect on how you are perceived at the office.  If you look haphazard, people will get the impression that you over slept and are late, which doesn’t make you come across as reliable. If you come to work unkempt, it’s a reflection of how you will handle your work at the office.  If you don’t bother with yourself, will you have the same attitude toward a project? 

People who are happy and fulfilled, will look neat and presentable.  We all know about ruts, perhaps after a break up, or a bad experience.  All a person in a rut will want to wear is a tracksuit, hair in a pony tale and no make up.  The opposite of a rut, is a happy life, so surely you wouldn’t be doing the same.

You are your brand, and how you market yourself, is in the way you take care of yourself. When people meet you, how you look may be the only impression they get off you. And we know that impressions last!  Remember, other people have to look at us.  We shouldn’t force our untidiness on them. 

When you look good, you feel good. Take some time for simple grooming that will make you feel better and more confident and give off a better impression of yourself.  Try it at least.

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Morning Pick-Me-Ups

No matter how much of sleep I get on a Sunday night, I still get up without the desired amount of energy I would like for a Monday morning. Unlike many, I don’t dread Mondays (well not entirely). I do get Sunday evening blues, but on Mondays, I like to see it as pushing the re-start button. I don’t think that New Years is the only time for resolutions, but Mondays are as well (or so I’d like to think). So, what are some of the pick-me-ups I've been trying? Not just for Monday mornings, but for all mornings.

Wheatgrass: Wheatgrass is a great energizer for the mornings. Depending on the brand you buy, 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon should be added to liquid and drunk on an empty tummy. N usually mixes 1 teaspoon for me in half a cup of hot water and I have that before showering. I prefer hot water, as it helps the wheatgrass to dissolve. It’s actually replaced my morning coffee (which I now drink later: because I like coffee and no longer because I need it)! Try it. If the taste isn’t something you can handle, mix it in orange juice. Yummy!!

Chia seeds:
If you aren’t already having chia seeds, you are missing out! Apparently most of Centurion is now having chia as I can’t seem to find it anywhere. Did you know that chia contains the highest source of omega-3 (yes, even more than salmon). Chia also gives you tons of energy. Lots to say about chia (cos I love them), so that will be in another post

Water:
Often tiredness is caused by dehydration. To work out how much of water is adequate for your body, take your body weight and divide by 30 (a person weighing 60kg will need 2 litres of water, a person weighing 90kg will need 3 litres, etc). Sounds like a lot, but if you drink it throughout the day, it will be easier. I fill a 1.5 litre bottle and leave it on my desk and sip it during the day. I aim to finish it before leaving for home.

Let me know what you think about my morning pick-me-ups and if you have other suggestions, let me know what works for you! 

Heres to better mornings…

P*

On being the best you can be:

Is it possible to be content with your life? Happily married? A good wife, daughter, sibling and friend? Successful in your career? Well educated? Well groomed? Healthy? A good cook? Maintain a neat home? Enjoy peace of mind? Or does it all sound too much?  

I hate it when women feel like they have to choose certain aspects of their life to excel in, at the deficit of others.  You often hear, I have a great career, so I don’t cook? Or I’m too busy studying to eat healthy or exercise. Or I’m an intellectual; hence I can be untidy and unkempt.  Why do some women feel that they cannot be their best self?  That as an individual (all encompassing), they can’t be the best in every area.  Doesn’t everyone deserve to be the best that they can be?  Whatever your potential, you deserve to reach it.  You deserve to be great in every area of your life.  Why can’t you kick *ss at the office, and then get home and be a great wife? If you can wow management with your presentation, why can’t you wow your husband with dinner?

I always wanted to be the best that I could be.  I wanted it all.  I wanted to go to university. I wanted to get married. I wanted to have a rocking 20’s.  I wanted to be a great daughter, sibling and friend. I wanted to excel in my career. I wanted to cook meals as good as my mum and gran. I wanted to bake goodies that I saw in magazines. I wanted to be well read and well travelled.  I wanted to look my best.  I wanted to maintain a neat and comfortable home.  And what is wrong with wanting it all? Why should I limit myself to being good at just one thing when it is possible to be great at it all? Who says that I am not good enough to have it all and that I have to choose?  Four months ago, I became the wife to my soul mate; the man who I believed only existed in my dreams.  Getting married added a new role to my already crowded life: his wife. I have to juggle with being the best in everything else, with also being the best at this newly acquired important role.

This is what has prompted me to write this blog. I want to share with each of you small and easy ways that will help you to be your best.  Meeting many people who seem to have chosen to only excel at some of the aspects in their life shows me that there is some sort of stereotype that makes women feel inhibited.

I hope my blog will highlight the complexity of life, the shortage of time, the rat race we live in, the difficulty in completing studies, the pain of healthy eating and exercise, the imagination for cooking, the mundane of cleaning house and off course, how you can do it all whilst being well groomed and a great wife, daughter, sister, friend and employee.

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