How To Be Happy #10: Put on your nice undies, even when you're living in a pandemic.
I was talking to an friend of mine one day when I was a little down. She’d asked how I was, and I told her. “Not so great, today.”
“Oh,” she said. “I’m having a day like that too. I always put on my best undies when I’m a bit down. It makes me feel better.”
I laughed. But it’s actually pretty good advice.
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE LIVING UNDER SOCIAL RESTRICTIONS IN A GLOBAL PANDEMIC.*
Putting on your nice undies does make you feel a bit special, all day. I’d probably even take it a step further and say ‘put on your good clothes’. Maybe some makeup as well. If all you can do is take the dog for a walk, or put out the bin, do it with class. There’s something about taking some time and care over your appearance which makes for a happier day, a happier week, a happier life. A happier pandemic.
If you never wash your hair, or only ever wear your old, ripped track pants and that t-shirt that should probably have been sent to the thrift store three years ago, you’re not going to feel so good.
This isn’t about being prettier or more attractive than the next girl, or trying to get the attention of that special someone. (Not that that’s possible in these days anyway.) This is about saying to yourself, “You’re worth a little extra today. You’re worth spending some time on.”
Put on your good undies. Put on your good clothes. Use the lip gloss and mascara in your makeup bag. They’re awesome (unless you put them on like my little kid puts them on - smeared all over her face. On the other hand, she seems to feel amazing anyway, so maybe it doesn’t matter.)
Putting on your good stuff can make you brighter and happier, simply because you’ve taken the time to care for yourself.
What is your favourite piece of clothing and why?
What makes you feel extra special?
If it’s not wearing something nice, what else makes you feel like you’re taking care of yourself?\
*I started this How to Be Happy Series thinking it would be a fun thing to do for 2020. And then, we had a pandemic. I mean, who saw that coming? (Shhh, conspiracy theorists. I don’t want to hear from you.) For a few weeks, while everything went a bit nuts and we all started to stay home and stay a kangaroo distance apart, and while there was no toilet paper, I debated whether or not to continue this blog series. It seemed trivial. Almost silly. As if anyone could be happy with a coronavirus on the loose, right? And yet, if ever we need habits that help us to be happy, it’s right now. I had a change of heart. I’ll keep serving it up, if only as a reminder to myself that happiness isn’t just about your circumstances and whether you’re on lockdown or not. It’s bigger, and more beautiful than that.
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Want more on how to be happy? Check out the rest of Cecily Paterson's How To Be Happy blog series for more tips and advice.
Want more of Cecily's writing? You can grab a free copy of her novel, Invisible here.