Improving Your Self Image - an Experiment

A high self-image involves feeling confident about your appearance. The easiest way to feel confident about your appearance is to play up your best traits and work on the worst ones.

So I am conducting a self experiment to see how my theory plays out. Feel free to participate by following the outline below.

Experiment Outline:
1. Write down the 5 physical traits that you like BEST about yourself.
2. For each trait, write down WHY you consider them your best traits.
3. For each trait, write down an easy way to keep that attribute physically healthy.
4. For each trait, write down a way to highlight those features (ex. Clothes, accessories).
5. On a separate sheet, write down the 5 physical traits you like LEAST about yourself.
6. For each trait, write down WHY you consider it one of your worst traits.
7. For each trait, write down an easy way to improve/make it better.
8. Now try out 3,4,7 for a week and see if you notice results.
9. From lists 3,4,7 and what results you were happiest with create “5 Rules of Thumb” – five rules that will strive to follow every day to look your best at all times.

Experiment Example (only uses one trait):
1. BEST: My wrists
2. My wrists – I have never thought negatively about them and I consider them “delicate”
3. My wrists - Moisturize
4. My wrists – wear dangly bracelets/bangles
5. WORST: My skin
6. My skin – I have struggled with acne every day of my life since I was 12 years old, my paleness is prone to burning & hard to hide blemishes
7. My skin - Follow strict skin regime (no cheating), don’t touch my face as much, bring facewash to the gym, keep night cream by my bed
8. I notice my skin looks better if I take the extra effort to make sure to follow the million steps in my daily routine!
9. Rule of Thumb: If going to be in the sun, bring powder!

Savoring the Small Things

Sometimes it’s easy to take the little things in life for granted. Since I’ve graduated, I have put a huge amount of weight on “the next big event”, wishing life could just speed up to get to that moment. I often forget that life is short and it’s important to savor EVERY happy moment, even if the happiness comes from something small.

Here are a few recent moments where I found joy in the little (but NOT insignificant) things in life:

10 Recent Moments I’m Savoring Right Now

1. Biting into a REALLY sweet, crisp apple
2. Reading a heart-felt email from a friend
3. Making it to Union Station without exactly knowing where I was going – another step toward my Chicago Street Smarts
4. Gas - $4.06 and FALLING
5. A five minute chat in the kitchen with my little brother who is going to school in California in a few weeks
6. My mom asking me for advice on fixing an organizational problem
7. A phone call from Justin
8. A Cubs win
9. My comfy, yet stylish, yellow sweatpants
10. The slightly sore, yet satisfied, feeling from a good workout.

And that’s only over two days! Maybe I should stop and smell the roses more often…

Jeans in the Workplace

Good idea or bad idea?

In today's society, I think tasteful, dressy jeans should be acceptable in the workplace... if not everyday, at least once a week!

There are so many cute ways to dress up jeans (ex. Blazer, button down) and jeans can look great on anyone if they get the right size, cut and color! However, it seems that some people just don’t understand what is or is not acceptable or how to effectively “dress up” jeans.

I’ve come up with 10 reasons why jeans aren’t currently accepted in the workplace and 10 easy to follow rules that companies can use to ensure tasteful jean-wearing! It’s simple people, just wear what looks good!

10 Reasons Why Jeans Aren’t Acceptable in the Workplace
1. Muffin top
2. High waist with elastic – worst idea ever!
3. Skirts
4. Way too ripped
5. Too tight, buy your size!
6. Plumber’s crack
7. Too ghetto
8. Too sexy?
9. Jorts
10. Underwear peeking out
10 Rules to Make Jeans Acceptable in the Workplace
1. No skirts
2. No shorts, capris or high waders.
3. Your shirt must be longer than the top of the jeans
4. No holes larger than a ¼ inch in diameter
5. Must have pockets in back
6. Must be dark jean color
7. Cannot be worn with sneakers or gym shoes
8. No undergarments should be visible
9. Managers may outlaw for the day with 48 hours notice
10. No bleach stains

Worst CD Ever

So my mom asked me to pick out some CDs from Best Buy for the kids in her art classes to listen to during their "fun days". So I checked out the kid genre online and this CD sounded like my worst nightmare.

The Worst Playlist Ever (Please imagine a class full of kids singing along)
1. Mickey
2. Footloose
3. Karma Chameleon
4. Funkytown
5. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go
6. Holiday
7. We're Not Gonna Take It
8. Kokomo
9. I Want Candy
10. Our House
11. Girls Just Want To Have Fun
12. Livin' On a Prayer
13. Vacation
14. Kids In America

My Life Is Sometimes a Sitcom

Ways My Life is Like a Sitcom
1. My mom is Mrs. Foreman from That 70s Show (seriously). Find out what character you are most like here: http://quiz.myyearbook.com/myspace/TelevisionMovies/226/What_that_70s_show_character_are_you.html
2. My friend Jill was told last week that she dances like Elaine from Seinfeld. See Elaine’s dance moves here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xi4O1yi6b0
3. Like Home Improvement – my little brother is the genius, Randy (played by JTT), and I’m the normal older sibling, Brad (played by Zachery Ty Bryan), who relies on his good looks to get through life.
4. Like Cheers, Harpos was my bar “where everybody knows your name”!
5. I’ve been told I have character traits similar to Monica on Friends (although I promise I wasn’t fat in HS). See clips of Monica’s traits here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yz8tRAdei6I
6. Like Fraiser, I still live with my dad. Unlike Fraiser, I still have a full head of hair.

In A Perfect World

Not that I'm complaining about my current life (because I have lots to be thankful for), but in my perfect world...

1. Justin & I would live together, in the same city with great jobs.
2. All my friends would live just around the corner.
3. Chocolate cookies & DQ blizzards would be diet foods.
4. I could afford to travel abroad at least 6 times a year.
5. I would have the flexibility and turnout of a professional dancer & be able to take classes every day.
6. Winter would last Dec. 1 - Jan. 1
7. I would own a lakehouse or condo on the ocean.
8. When I went shopping, the first outfit I tried on would always be perfect.
9. I would never be bored or overly stressed at work.
10. I would have perfect skin.

Speaking of perfect, here are my top 10 perfect desserts & where to find them (because you gotta try them):

1. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory - milk chocolate dipped chocolate chip cookie
2. Hagen Daas - belgium waffle with chocolate sauce & ice cream
3. Corner Bakery - lemon bar
4. Panera Bread - cobblestone muffin
5. Cinnabon - cinnamon roll
6. Andy's Frozen Custard - Cookie Casanova
7. Crazy Bowls & Wraps - chocolate chip rice krispie treat
8. Cracker Barrel - caramel apple slices (sadly no longer on the menu)
9. Coldstone - Candy Land
10. Cheesecake Factory - chocolate layer cake (I know it's not cheese cake but I promise it's worth it!)