first impressionsLet’s play a game today.

The game is called “If You Saw You”.

If you saw you walking down the street, what would you think?

What would you think about the way you handle yourself, the way you walk, the way you move? What about the way you dress?

Here’s how to play:

Have a friend videotape you walking down the street. Don’t try to make yourself up. Remember, the goal is to look at yourself and see what others see. Do your everyday activities. Dress like you normally do. If your friend is really down to help, try to get them to catch you off guard. If you don’t know you’re being watched you’ll get a more accurate picture….

Next, watch the video.

What adjective would you use to describe yourself? Do you think you’re dynamic? Do you find yourself sexy? Do you look like you picture yourself?

This exercise is helpful because it forces you to examine your physical self. Do you walk with confidence or like you’re trying to hide yourself? How do your clothes fit you? In order to attract the person you want, you need to understand the brand you exude.

I like to call this awareness Brand New. The next step is to decide what you like and what you don’t like. Don’t fret if your dislikes outweigh your likes. If you don’t like what you see, think about changes you can make.

Start small.

Perhaps your posture is poor and gives the appearance of having no confidence. Actively engage in thinking about your posture each time you sit down, when you’re driving your car, and when you’re walking through the office. You’ll be surprised at how quickly a small change can make a big difference.

Who Are You Attracting Into Your Life?

Look in your closet. Do the clothes in your closet actually represent who you are? I bet a lot of you have clothes in your closet that are old, outdated, things that no longer look good on you, things that looked good on your when you were skinnier or chunkier. Get rid of them.

You don’t need to buy a new wardrobe. Pick out what looks good and throw out the rest.

When you go shopping try to pick items that will compliment what you already have. There are many style blogs for women of all shapes and styles. There’s no reason you should ever leave the house not feeling your best. It’s the least you can do for you. Brand New is about understanding what makes you unique and then diving into that state of being.

Everybody out here is different. Right now I’m on the treadmill at the gym and I’m people watching. There is a girl in a heart sweatshirt that reads, “I am loved”. Obviously that resonated with her and it gives me an idea of who she is as a person. She’s certainly confident in herself.

I’m looking at a guy that just walked in. He’s got a flannel shirt on, a pair of jeans cuffed up, a pair of full work boots. He’s well put together. He knows his brand and he knows his look. Most people don’t know their brand or their look. You probably know people like this. They walk through the world unaware of how others see them.

Being brand aware means you’re setting the tone for how others see you. It’s a way to take charge before an interaction even begins.  How many times do you get to make a first impression? Doesn’t matter how nice you are, what a good friend you are, or how much money you have. They’ve already formed an opinion of you, based on the how you look. 85% of life is non-verbal.

Start working on your brand and you’ll begin to attract the people you’re looking for.