People often think about personal presentation as vanity, or as something that ultimately doesn’t really matter or have much impact on anything – at least outside of job interviews.
In fact, though, the way you present yourself can influence all sorts of different things, and can radically shape your life in ways both big and small; far beyond what you would originally have assumed.
In life, trials, tribulations, and moments of uncertainty are inevitable from time to time. But whether you need to call a car accident lawyer, have a difficult conversation with a loved one, or begin the hunt for a new job, paying attention to your personal presentation can be genuinely helpful.
Here are a few ways in which paying attention to your personal presentation can help you through difficult times.
BY REINFORCING A MORE POSITIVE NARRATIVE OF WHO YOU ARE, IN YOUR OWN EYES
The way you dress and present yourself obviously has an impact on how other people perceive you. But it doesn’t just have an impact on how other people perceive you, it also has an impact on how you perceive yourself.
When things are going badly in one way or another, and when times are tough, it’s natural for us to lose confidence and to become worked up and hyper-critical of ourselves.
This is especially bad, as it’s often in these dark moments when we most need a sense of confidence in our abilities, and the feeling of self-belief and positivity.
When all is said and done, you are constantly telling yourself stories about who you are and what you can achieve, through your actions. Therefore, if you allow yourself to dress sloppily and stay in bed for half the day, you’re almost certainly going to end up developing a negative perception of yourself.
On the other hand, paying attention to your presentation and dressing and styling yourself in a way that you approve of, sends you a subconscious message that you are serious, in control, and worth believing in.
Even if you’ve just lost your job; dressing well to begin the process of searching for new roles to apply for can put you in a mindset of capability and professionalism which can significantly reduce your stress and anxiety, and can increase the odds that you will get back on your feet quickly.
BY HELPING YOU TO MAINTAIN SOME SENSE OF CONTROL
When things are going badly for us, in one or another sense, a major consequence is often that we feel completely helpless and out-of-control.
The more out-of-control we feel, the more circumstances are likely to spiral without proper intervention, and before you know it, a negative feedback loop has been created.
In these moments, one of the most important things to do is often just to get proactive and to do anything at all, instead of perpetually playing catchup or remaining passive.
No matter what’s going on in your life, you will almost always be in a position where you still have some control over how you present yourself. In fact, presenting yourself in a way that uplifts you and makes you feel just a bit better, is a great way of regaining a foothold and winning back your sense of capability, in general.
You don’t have to feel completely helpless, because you’re not completely helpless. Start by influencing the things you can easily influence – your personal presentation, and then the next step from there.
BY POSITIVELY INFLUENCING HOW OTHER PEOPLE REACT TO YOU
As mentioned earlier in this article, the way you dress, style, and present yourself will obviously have a significant influence on how other people perceive and react to you.
This can often be pretty useful when it comes to managing all sorts of negative situations. For example, it’s generally much easier to resolve an official or legal problem if you turn up to meetings in a well-tailored suit, looking like an earnest and professional person who means business.
By the same token, paying attention to your presentation can give the people who depend on you – your loved ones – a sense that you are strong and stable, and can be relied on even if, inside, you’re feeling just as worried as everyone else.
Depending on the situation you’re facing, the opinions of other people may or may not matter very much. But you are always likely to be a more effective person if you make a better impression, nonetheless.