{"id":2532,"date":"2010-05-18T23:22:46","date_gmt":"2010-05-19T07:22:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=2532"},"modified":"2013-08-22T08:00:25","modified_gmt":"2013-08-22T16:00:25","slug":"look-good-feel-good","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/look-good-feel-good\/","title":{"rendered":"Look Good, Feel Good: 5 Cost Conscious Ways"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Image courtesy of Hashem Abrishami<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

In previous articles, I have discussed just how deeply unemployment can affect a person\u2019s self confidence.\u00a0 And let\u2019s face it, if you don\u2019t feel good, you probably don\u2019t look good.\u00a0 You see, another downside of unemployment is that it can do damage to your good looks.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m certain many of you, as you read this, are shaking your heads or snickering while thinking, \u201cI\u2019ve got plenty more to worry about than what I look like right now.\u201d\u00a0 And you could be right, but you also might be wrong.\u00a0 So keep reading.<\/p>\n

At first, upon receiving the proverbial axe, the pink slip, you might, that following Monday morning, revel in the fact that you don\u2019t have to wake up at 5:30am to take a shower, do your hair and put on a suit!!!\u00a0 But several months down the long and winding road of unemployment, several months into wearing the same sweats or baggy jeans, over sized tee shirts and flip flops, you just feel like\u2026 well, like crap.\u00a0 (You\u2019re not looking so hot either. You know it, too.\u00a0 You haven\u2019t been to the gym or had your hair cut in months.)\u00a0 And this is only in addition to how bad you feel mentally.<\/p>\n

You might defend your new constant casual Friday attire by saying something like \u201cwell, I wore a suit almost every day for 10 years\u201d or \u201cwhy should I get dressed up in the morning to sit at home in front of a computer all day?\u201d (Even though this is exactly what you use to do all day when you had job!)\u00a0 And somewhere in the back of your mind, you might even feel like you don\u2019t deserve <\/em>to get up and get dressed up because you have<\/em> lost your job.\u00a0 You got laid off.\u00a0 You\u2019ve got nowhere to go and so evidently, you aren\u2019t good enough to feel good about yourself.\u00a0 You guilt yourself into believing that you are to blame and slumming about all day in your workout clothes or better yet, your pajamas, is your punishment.<\/p>\n

Now, I myself have also succumbed to a less than fabulous uniform of black leggings and tank tops for the past year.\u00a0 And I used to be in the fashion business.\u00a0 Looking good was the golden rule.\u00a0 \u201cThe Devil Wears Prada\u201d is not just a movie.\u00a0 And the color of choice not just because it is always chic, but most likely an overly dramatic symbol of my mourning the loss of what I thought was my identity.\u00a0 My career.<\/p>\n

Well, with all due respect, I\u2019m going to say this\u2026 Stop being a martyr.<\/p>\n

At least try.\u00a0 I am.<\/p>\n

Repeat after me: \u201cWhen you look good, you feel good. And vice versa.\u201d\u00a0 Your external looks are a reflection of your internal beauty\u2026 of your self-confidence and your self-respect.\u00a0 And if you aren\u2019t feeling so good inside, you aren\u2019t looking good outside.\u00a0\u00a0 And you will NEVER get a job this way.\u00a0 Yes, you might be sitting at home stressing over your finances, sending out resumes and praying that someone will call with a job offer.\u00a0 Praying that something\/someone finally gives.\u00a0 But it won\u2019t be you.<\/p>\n

From here on out we are not just sitting at home all day in our pajamas attempting to navigate the abyss of unemployment.\u00a0 WE are getting ready to go on our next interview!\u00a0 We are preparing ourselves to be prepared for that next big job!\u00a0 And we are starting from the inside out.<\/p>\n

Here are some simple and cost conscious ways you can give yourself a pre-interview mini makeover.\u00a0 And a much needed confidence boost.<\/p>\n