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Self-improvement: It's Just the Way You Look

Chesley Maldonado
People shouldn't judge you by the way you look; however, you should still care about your appearance. An important part of self-improvement is presenting yourself to others in a better way.
Self-improvement has a few different layers. One of those layers that happens to be on the top is your appearance. Believing that people should notice you for who you are regardless of how you look is no excuse for not taking care of yourself.
Beauty is only skin deep. It is so superficial to judge someone by their appearance, isn't it? What can you possibly know about a person based on the clothes they wear or how their hair is done?
It is so ridiculous to think that we should make ourselves look a certain way in order to impress other people, isn't it? Can't we just all be ourselves? Why can't people just get to know us before they make an opinion about us?

Why Are Looks Important?
The first thing that people see is how you look on the outside. They will take notice of your hair, face, clothes, and the things that you carry around. You may not always get the opportunity to speak to people. Your true personality is revealed only in certain circumstances, and not every circumstance will be that way.
You might look totally different from the way you are on the inside, but if people don't have the chance to get to know you, all they have to go on is your looks.
Another reason why looks are important is that they send a message. Clothing, just like words, have a connotation. That means that you might mean to present yourself in a certain way, but other people see it in a totally different way. Some examples might illustrate this point a little better.
You might think that you are dressed to kill, but you may look trashy. Similarly, you might think you look modest, but you may look aged and uptight. Furthermore, you might think you are dressed in a cool and unique way, but other might see you as sloppy or crazy.
It is important to understand the way that other people interpret your looks. You could be sending a message that you really don't want to send. If it seems like you don't care about your looks, it is difficult for people to believe that you care about yourself and the things that you do.
A sloppy look can make you appear to be a lazy person, even though you might be very hardworking. If you want people to take you seriously, you need to take yourself and your looks seriously first.

How Can You Improve Your Looks?
The first step in improving your looks is deciding on the message that you want to send. Your friends, family, and possibly co-workers can tell you if you are successful at sending that message. If you aren't presenting yourself in a way that you thought you were, get some help from them.
Find out the message that you do send, and what parts of your hairstyle, wardrobe, or makeup are sending that wrong message. You might have to step out of your comfort zone, and get rid of some of your favorite outfits that aren't working for you.
Buy new clothes that better suit your intended message and fit you well. You might need to spend a little money to look a little better, but the change is definitely worth it.
Make sure that the clothing that you choose and the hairstyle you have reflect your personality. Ask people who care about you to help you with this. Try new and different styles, and ask them if they reflect who you are on the inside. It may take time to find out what will work for you, but it is important that you do it.
As a result of improving your appearance, you will start feeling better about yourself. Not only that, but more people will take notice of you, and you will be taken more seriously. It will be easier for you to make the impression that you want to at job interviews, on dates, and anywhere else you go.
It's not just the way you look, it is the outward presentation of who you are on the inside.