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| When was
the last time you made a first impression? Probably today.
Perhaps it was as seemingly benign as your encounter with
the cashier at the grocery shop, or it might have been
potentially more life altering as in your interview for
a new job. Granted, the impact on your life is certainly
different, but the question remains the same. Are you
aware of what kind of first impression you make? |
| While first impressions
are comprised of many elements, one of the most decisive
and influencing elements is visual. In other words, your
appearance and body language speak volumes. How you look
and carry yourself gives people big clues as to who you
are. Based on this information alone, people will often
make conscious and unconscious judgments about who they
think you are. Sometimes this is all the information they
use to make a decision about how they will interact with
you. |
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I have
learnt more from my failures than my successes
Richard Branson
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| For those of you who
say, "I am who I am," it's not quite that simple,
or at the very least you could be missing an opportunity
to make a purposeful visual statement about yourself.
Some things, such as how tall you are, shape of your face,
etc., are matters over which you have no control. That
said, there's also a lot that you can affect, and here's
where it pays to do your homework. |
| While body language,
eye contact, handshakes, and posture (to name a few) are
all visual clues, here we will address areas related to
visual presence and image. How you present yourself visually
will impact how others relate to you. What's most important
is not necessarily that you fit some prescribed notion
of how you think you should look, but that you purposefully
create the visual image you want to project. This gives
you confidence, a more empowered presence, and offers
the other person valuable insight into your personality.
Leaving it to chance will only create confusion, distraction,
and leave you disempowered. |
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Let's focus on two of the most important
considerations. Ask yourself these questions:
1. Do I like the way I look and present myself?
2. Do I know what image I am projecting, and is
it the image I want to project?
If you can answer yes to both of those, then you are doing
fine. |
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If not, consider the following:
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- Look at Yourself Objectively. This
is arguably one of the most difficult practices to
perfect. We each see ourselves in a particular way
and are often not aware of how others perceive us.
Don't they see us they way we see ourselves
- The importance of good grooming. Good
grooming is the mainstay of a positive impression.
Your clothes don't have to be expensive. Your style
doesn't have to be the most current, and you don't
have to be slim to look good in your clothes. While
cleanliness and good personal care are obvious, good
grooming goes beyond that.
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- Dress Appropriately. Weekends
are weekends, and work is work, and never the two
shall meet.
- Dress for the Job You Want, Not the Job You Have.
Show initiative, interest, and professionalism, and
your efforts will be rewarded.
- Attend Workshop. By
understanding the basic rules, dressing well can easily
be achieved. There is no excuse, however, not to learn.
There are plenty of resources available for regular
people, not just celebrities. Take an adult education
class or attend a workshop on personal styling.
We all want people to appreciate us for who we are
and not what we wear. In a perfect world, that would
always be true. This is one area of life where ignorance
is not bliss. What you don't know can hurt you. Many
people leave the house in the morning hoping others
won't notice what they are wearing, or that they didn't
style their hair, or that their nail polish needs
to be refreshed. These oversights can be distracting
either to you or to those you meet or both. Don't
let this happen to you! While you can't please everyone,
the place to begin is with yourself. Liking the way
you look boosts your self-esteem and confidence.
Overcoming a bad first impression, provided you're
even given the opportunity, leaves you with a mountain
to climb. In the long run, it's just a whole lot easier
to make sure your first impression is a good one,
and awareness is the first step.
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