No Sweatpants to the Breakfast Table!
I never remember a day in my entire life, where I saw either of my parents wear sweatpants or PJ’s for the day. Never, ever did they NOT get ready and look their best for the day. Especially, my father.
As kids, we were not allowed, EVER, to show up to the breakfast table unprepared for the day. As a matter of fact, if I’m honest with each and every one of you, I have to confess that I don’t own a pair of sweatpants, and neither do my adult children! Yikes. To this day, I rarely if ever, show up to the breakfast unprepared and ready to meet my day.
My Dad believed that if you show up looking your very best, the day would give you back it’s very best. He would get up at 6 am or earlier and he was strict with his ritual. There was so much pride in looking his absolute best for the world to see. Yes, he did hog the bathroom and that was quite frustrating at times, but up until his very 2nd to last day on this earth, he got in the shower, dressed up with clean and ironed cloths, slapped on his cologne, and showed up at the hospital where he would be having his liver surgery. He didn’t make it, unfortunately (I still cry thinking about how much I miss him).
Some people would call it vanity. Perhaps, there was a bit of that, but nothing in comparison to his resolute and uncompromising value of offering his entire self to the world at his very best.
I think that his personal philosophy gave him 3 very important traits:
He was able to make better decisions. And, I think that’s because he felt good about himself and his very presence. He had a positive outlook on life and the people that surrounded him; all, because in dressing up it gave him an element of self-respect that added to his self-image.
He was able to accept himself better. My father never considered himself a handsome man, but he knew very well that his charm, charisma, appeal and in particular his style gave him what he needed to win people over. Everyone loved and trusted him. Everyone!
He was able to put his inner-critic to rest. I seriously do not remember witnessing my father ever outwardly doubting himself. Seldomly, did he ever voice not knowing what to do or how to go about doing something he was determined needed to get done.
Hmmm, as I’m writing this blog, I’m realizing just how on track he was and what a valuable lesson he passed on to me. Show up at your very best, whatever that looks like.
There is something to be said about getting ready in the mornings with the mindset of preparation and knowing that at any moment during the day, you’re ready.