All About the Fashion

I have come to believe that the key to freelance or small business work is all in the frame of mind. I am my own boss. I

am the sole employer of my abilities and employee of my will-power and self-determination.

I've also come to realize that how I dress in the morning will have a direct influence on my success for the rest of the day. Now my husband seemed aware of this from the first day I decided to freelance. I believe his exact words were "Honey, just shower, get dressed up and start writing." Well... okay I may have added the word "up" in there. The truth is he probably didn't want me stinking in my own filth anymore.

And yet, his words ring true 2 years later. I have to admit I've spent many days not dressing up. In fact, I spent most of my husband's last deployment in his old sweatpants and shirts. And I really don't regret that. I mean, sometimes a girl, with the weight of the world on her shoulders, needs a little comfort.

Lately, however, I've been going back to that bit of advice from my hubby. I've been making a special effort to actually shower in the morning and put on... gasp... work clothes, complete with a skirt and warm tights. And it's made all the difference. When I put on my "work clothes," I feel a sense of purpose I often miss as a freelancer. I feel professional and get that slight bit of discomfort that comes from wearing clothes that you really don't want to stretch out or rip inadvertantly.

Of course, that's not to say I've ditched the sweatpants. I may be a professional, but I'm still a military wife, whose hubby does scary things, sometimes in scary lands and sometimes, despite the professional airs I try to maintain, sometimes I need a little comfort of an old, ratty Navy Sweatshirt that smells of sweat and fuel. And, of course, I'm always wearing slippers.