Talk aboout it Tuesday- Personal Image!

Not sure if this is happening in any other towns, but here in Kingsport, Gala season is upon us! This coming Friday is the 72nd Annual Dinner for the Chamber of Commerce and the following weekend is the CASA Red Shoe Gala. While I’m not attending the Chamber Dinner this year (tickets sold out sooooo fast!) I am going to the Red Shoe Gala for the first time in years…and I have definitely been thinking about my mom-bod in the little black dress I’m wanting to wear.

Every year around this time, I hear all about what my clients are wearing, how we will fix their hair…and inevitably, how much weight they think they have gained! As women, we are so hard on ourselves! What is funny to me, is that when you really stop to think about it, we’re probably not really paying that much attention to each other. We’re all too concerned about our own stomach, arms, lumps and bumps!

Let’s really break this scenario down a little bit. These days, there is very little reason to get really dressed up. Most women I know buy a whole new outfit for these events. A nice dress, new jewelry, maybe that pretty pair of shoes that you can finally justify buying…we tend to go all out for these special occasions! Add in the shapewear, the hair appointment, the new lipstick and paying the babysitter and you’re looking at a nice little investment! I’m not usually into the whole “pay to be miserable” thing…so this year, I’m just not going to! I’m going to get fixed up, fully enjoy myself, forget about my not-so-flat-tummy and have fun at the Gala! I encourage you to do the same!

I talk to women more than the average person. I feel so privileged that my clients open up to me and share their vulnerabilities. If there is anything that my time behind the chair has taught me, it’s that EVERYONE has something about themselves that they don’t like. Actually….”don't like” might be putting things a little weakly. Most women have something about themselves that they hate. From “saggy” necks, and “pudgy” cheeks…to “huge” feet and “ disgusting” thighs. I really have heard it all! The words we use to describe ourselves can actually be quite cruel. We would never use these words toward anyone else! Why do we continually speak them about ourselves?

In the coming weeks I am really going to work hard to change the way I view myself. More importantly though, I am going to work hard to lift other women up! When I hear a woman speak negatively about herself, I am going to stop her and speak something positive over her. We need to be each others cheerleaders! Who else is willing to commit to this with me? Maybe our kindness will become contagious…who knows what we might be able to accomplish!

I think we should to try to look at ourselves through the same lens of kindness we use when we view others. Not just at these special events…but every single day!