A Cliché
“Looks don’t matter.”
We tend to hear this cliché more often than not. This somehow consoles an inferior heart, believing that there’s really nothing to improve when, in reality, there is. This popular belief holds to the notion that if you are significant to someone, your looks don’t matter. Well, personally, I somehow believe in it in the sense that there are existing scenarios reflecting such a belief. But don’t get me wrong; it doesn’t mean I believe that I totally agree with it. Also, it doesn’t hold true in every aspect of life’s situations.
On the contrary, your physical appearance is, in fact, important! Clinging to the popular notion that “looks don’t matter” is a lie. Of course, it does matter! Having a great physical appearance gives a plethora of benefits that fuel your inner self, which reflects externally on how we appear to the world and how people perceive us. Surprisingly enough, this premise holds true for philosophers, gurus, motivational speakers, and any wise man you’ll come across. Their teachings and advice narrowed down to ‘knowing yourself’ first.
An example of this is Sun Tzu, an ancient Chinese philosopher, military strategist, and writer who posits in his timeless “The Art of War” that to know your enemies, you must know yourself. Knowing yourself starts with acceptance. Recognizing your strengths and improving them as much as possible; accepting the poor areas of your life and taking action for improvement—these are key determiners of change. However, this process is not just a mere observation and declaration; rather, it requires an honest scrutiny of your own self and self-discipline along the way. Neither is an easy task.
To do better in your life, you must first look better. Improve your overall appearance by targeting your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects. In this sense, you build a connection to yourself. You start to demand only the best for yourself. You’ll realize then why you settled for the bare minimum for so long. And when you do, you start attracting good and positive circumstances and opportunities.
The Right Mindset to Self-Care
How do we actually improve our physical appearance? Mindset: shifting from a negative to a positive mindset is a crucial step to self-improvement. Once truly acquired, the rewards are endless. If you think positively, you tend to regard yourself as a high-value person. And then the desire to put yourself upfront by taking good care of your well-being kicks in, and a series of steps in achieving and maintaining your desired end follows. As you value yourself, the realization of a must-do-self-care becomes a dire need. Needless to say, this is being mindful of your time and attention (two precious assets you merely throw elsewhere).
Prioritizing yourself, regardless of others’ opinions, is extremely vital. It is choosing yourself above anything else as a way of expressing self-love and self-worth. It is worth noting that improving your physical appearance doesn’t necessarily mean one has to go through an ‘under the knife’ process. Self-care is not selfish; it is an act of compassion and love you give to yourself. Because if you don’t take care of yourself, who will? How will you take care of others, your family, and loved ones? How well can you represent yourself in the marketplace? The late Jim Rohn, one of my favorite motivational speakers, reiterates in one of his speeches the importance of “feeling good about yourself because if you’re not, you won’t feel good about your life, and feeling not good about your life means you won’t be very interested in looking for opportunities, and you tend to sell yourself short.”
You don’t necessarily change the environment you are in. Everything starts within you; it is only by changing yourself through a positive mindset that you’ll see change and attract those elusive possibilities you’ve craved.
Be the change you want to have. Hurray for a new journey!