A little dramatic, I know. But hear me out. As a mom of three, life can be hectic. My kids ages range from 8 to nearly a year old. So, it’s safe to say that I’m pulled in every direction from school pickup lines and homework all the way down to potty training and breastfeeding. This mama is tired for real.
READ: 6 Ways You Can Level Up Your Life As a Busy Mom
Busy mom life leaves little to no room for me to prioritize time for myself unless I’m intentional about doing so. To be purposeful, I set a realistic goal of getting dressed every day for 30 days. Out with the daily habit of wearing black leggings and oversized T-shirts (there’s nothing wrong with this, by the way) and in with thoughtfully curated outfits that help to add a little bit of joy to my day. It was like my own little experiment. I honestly didn’t think much would come from such a simple goal. Boy, was I wrong.
How did I get here?
Growing up, I’ve always been into fashion. I even dreamt of attending fashion school after high school but chose to take a different path instead. That didn’t stop my love for fashion though. I carefully planned out my outfits daily throughout high school and college up until the day I became a mom. It was literally that instantaneous. For some odd reason, I convinced myself that I couldn’t prioritize looking nice since I was a mom. “As long as my daughter looks cute, that’s all that matters,” I often thought to myself. Internally, I wanted more, but I felt mom guilt at the same time. Navigating the unexpected body changes didn’t help either. Oversized T-shirts and leggings became my uniform, and I’m not talking about the cutesy leggings-and-T-shirt outfits you see your favorite influencer rocking today.
Instead of embracing my new body, and celebrating the life I miraculously created, I nitpicked my appearance often and tried hard to hide it from myself. Now, three kids later, I realized that I needed to rediscover who I was and get back to loving me and my body, flaws and all. I no longer wanted the relationships around me to suffer because of my own insecurities. I knew I needed to change, but I didn’t know where to begin.
Out with the old, in with the new
“What’s one thing I can do to start this transformation?” I asked myself. That’s when I decided that for the next 30 days straight, I would put on clothes regardless of my schedule. And by clothes, I mean jeans and a blouse, a dress, or a nice top with a skirt. If I was working from home, I’d get fully dressed. If the kids wanted to go to the park or a birthday party, I’d put on clothes. Even if I just needed to run errands, I’d pick out an outfit beforehand. I would get dressed every single day for 30 days and see if it changed anything. To force me not to grab my favorite legging and T-shirt combination, I bagged up each item that I owned and dropped it off in the nearest donation bin. There was no looking back now. I was excited — and a little nervous at the same time.
One simple habit changed everything
On just the first day of my little experiment, I took myself by surprise. I could feel my mood shifting instantly. The hidden joy started to shine as I browsed Pinterest and my closet while putting my initial outfit together. I went from hating the way I looked in jeans to learning how to dress my new mom body. What seemed like an overwhelming and daunting task ended up changing my life. I’ve never felt better.
The saying, “When you look good, you feel good,” rang true for me. Just by putting in the extra time and effort into myself daily made me happier. There has been no better feeling than looking put together and polished. Now, don’t get me wrong, I still love my leggings, sweatpants, and oversized T-shirts, but I’ve reserved them for their time and place and not as an everyday uniform.
I’m a better mom now, too
Never did I imagine that the clothing I chose to wear daily could affect my mothering. But every day as I woke up an hour or two before the kids to get dressed for the day, I learned that putting myself first made me a better mom. Tension and discord changed into newfound happiness, or maybe just rediscovered joy. It was a reminder of the mom I desired to be. What started as an experiment turned out to be a life-changing moment. I was able to encourage and inspire myself for all the good I was able to bring to the lives I impact daily.
Closing thoughts
To make a long story short, yes, months later, it has lasted. I still dress up daily and doing so has brought out the urge to discover my femininity again. For 30 days, I paid close attention to detail, physically and mentally, and became a well-tended to woman. I simply wanted to feel better about myself; however, I not only transformed myself outwardly, but there was an internal shift as well.
This has been a delightful, yet unexpected change, and I don’t plan to ever go back. This experiment was about much more than fashion choices, but rather a mindset change. I hope I’ve inspired just one mom, whether that’s to get dressed daily also, signing up for that dance class you’ve been eyeing, or maybe even something as simple as being intentional with connecting with friends more frequently. Whatever it may be, I believe that every mom out there can learn unique and valuable insight by intentionally putting themselves first.
