Do You Need A Gratitude Adjustment?
By: Laurie Mandato (see my bio)
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You’ve probably heard the term “attitude adjustment,” but I’d like to suggest a “gratitude adjustment!”
As an image consultant, one of the first things I often hear from a new client is a list of what she considers to be her “flaws”:
- I still need to lose 10 pounds
- I can’t wear skirts because my legs are ugly
- I don’t wear sleeveless tops because I don’t have Michelle Obama’s arms
Some of these might even sound familiar to you. We women are so used to feeling judged on how we look as compared to the airbrushed models in the fashion magazines. We often focus on what’s “wrong” with us instead of all the wonderful gifts and assets we do have.
I prefer to look at assets. Remember the lyrics to that old song “Accentuate the Positive” — you’ve got to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative? Let that be your theme song for the month! Unfortunately, too many of us focus far too much on what we don’t have instead of what we do have. I say be GRATEFUL for your FABULOUS DIVA self! Look in the mirror every day and be thankful for all that you do have!
Take a few minutes to write yourself a mantra about one thing you love about you. Something like …
- “I am grateful for my gorgeous brown eyes that allow me to see all of nature’s beauty”
- “I am grateful for my healthy body, and I practice extreme self care to keep it strong”
- “I am grateful for my arms that let me give warm, loving hugs to my family and friends”
Now, post that mantra somewhere you’ll see it often throughout the day and say it out loud to yourself every chance you get.
Once you start thinking differently about how you view yourself, many shifts start to occur. Your outlook will brighten, and you’ll start to focus on your gifts and assets instead of what you might think of as “flaws.”
Next, start dressing to accentuate your assets. When you dress with intention, your confidence level will soar and you will look and feel fabulous. You may have heard me talk about my favorite style system Fashion Feng Shui®. It teaches you to dress authentically, paying attention to your true essence — who you really are. Based on the five elements of nature, FFS coordinates colors, textures and shapes with each element. Once we determine what your essence is, we use that information to bring out and enhance it with your clothing so that you are dressing the inside and the outside — everything in alignment. Your image starts to match your message.
Honor YOUR essence, and remember to say thank you for all that you have. Focus on the positive, your natural gifts and assets. When you change your outlook, you change your life as natural shifts start to occur. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and grow. Make a “gratitude adjustment,” and I promise you will feel the difference!
Related Posts
- Love is Wonderful
- Attitude Adjustment in a Crisis
- What Are You Grateful For?
- Thanksgiving Gratitude… to You
- What’s on Your “Makes Me Happy” List
About the Author
Wardrobe and Style Consultant Laurie Mandato has always been excited about fashion and style. She knows people feel better when they look good. Laurie was drawn to image consulting work because she’s passionate about bringing out the best in others. She is a Certified Color Consultant, Fashion Feng Shui® facilitator, and a member of The Association of Image Consultants International (AICI). She is president of the AICI New England Chapter and founder of Imaging Joy. Laurie is passionate about working with speakers, authors, executive leaders, coaches and entrepreneurs who are stepping into the spotlight. She helps them match their image to their message, feeling fabulous and confident in the role of speaker. She hosts workshops and teleclasses about finding your unique presence and bringing it authentically to the world in your appearance. Contact Laurie by visiting her website at http://www.ImagingJoy.com.
November 20th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
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November 20th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
Great post Laurie!
Another great way to look at giving yourself a gratitude adjustment is thinking about it this way:
“How will the universe entrust me with more (Insert~ love, finances, relationships etc) if I’m not grateful for what IS in my life today?”
Many times I have to pour out in order to be able to put more in. This was a big “ah ha” moment for me when I started looking at being grateful like this.
Also one of the things that was easiest for me in the beginning (Taking baby steps) was to point out everything I didn’t like about my life. For some reason it was easier for me to be negative before I was positive ~Imagine that
~ so I decided to use it to my advantage. I wrote down everything I didn’t like about my life and then wrote down the exact opposite, then I focused on being grateful for those negative things because identifying them was my salvation to identifying what I DID want in my life.
Hopefully this adds value to the the conversation. Great Great post!
Thank you!
Tony Teegarden´s last blog ..Economics Spiritual Marketing and My Big Mouth Around the New Lifestyle Design
November 21st, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Hi Laurie,
This goes along with the idea to have an attitude of gratitude. Gratitude and Appreciation keep us functioning at the highest energy levels both personally and professionally.