The Let Go – Personal Musings: Charisse Glenn
As we age, you would think we know what to wear: what works well on us or not. Yet many of us continue to wear things that do not flatter us or, worse, make us look bad.
Surprisingly even our closest friends may hesitate to tell us these things do not suit us; perhaps it is because they too have fallen into the same habits.
“it is time to clear away what is not complimentary.”
If you are ready for a change that will make you look and feel years younger, it is time to clear away what is not complimentary.
First, we must take a good hard look at ourselves and acknowledge what no longer fits the women we have grown into. Let’s put our fashion-forward thinking caps on and take an honest look at what we can discard.
11 Ways to Change Your Look:
1) The Weight of the World Upon Our Shoulders.
We can’t change the world by carrying it around, so let’s put it down. Hunching or sloping and rolling our shoulders forward to carry the burden often creates a rounded back, aging us beyond our years. It compresses the spine and our lovely necks, which can manifest into back pain, headaches, joint discomfort, to name a few.
2) A Scowl or Frown.
Who remembers hearing as a child, wipe that look off your face, or it will stay that way? If you find yourself consistently wearing either, you may be unknowingly imprinting a permanent look on your face. It is said that at 40 yrs old, you have the face that your attitude has created. Choosing a smile outshines a frown any day.
3) Looking Down Your Nose.
When you look down your nose at someone, your eyes become harsh, sometimes even a bit crossed. Not a good look for anyone of any age. It projects an air of judgment, superiority, and disapproval. By letting go of those attitudes, it allows us to see with an open and accepting mind.
4) A Stiff Upper Lip.
A tight-lipped response is a mask we wear when we are in denial of our emotions, shoving down our feelings, or suppressing our needs and replacing it with an air that all is ok. This rigidity coincides with the lip’s tension that unknowingly tightens the neck and shoulders down into the back.
5) Expectations Others Place Upon Us.
Wearing the expectations we have allowed others to place upon us takes us away from living our own truth. Let those people who put their expectations upon you take them back. Let them actualize them for themselves.
6) Wearing Disappointments as a Plea for Sympathy.
Holding on to disappointments for too long will restrict our growth. Bad times will pass if we understand that we are holding on to something we cannot change. Living in the past robs us from living in the present.
7) Grudges and Resentments.
Just like disappointments, grudges and resentments limit our growth. These emotions can be toxic to ourselves as well as those around us. Holding on to slights, perceived, or otherwise, keeps us chained to that moment that no longer exists.
8) Rose Colored Glasses.
Admit it, we have all worn them one time or another. Shielding reality by being overly optimistic, naive, or oblivious about a situation is just as detrimental as being negative. Our ability to see clearly exists if we let go of the fear of realistically seeing ourselves.
9) An I Can’t Attitude.
“The alternative Can Do attitude fits all body types.”
Not a great look. When you carry a dark cloud and a defeatist attitude around, it contributes to a self-fulfilling prophecy of failure and a lack of success. The slumped profile can contribute to neck, shoulder, and back pain. This attitude always propels me to ask. “But if you could do it, how would that feel?” The alternative Can Do attitude fits all body types.
10) A Know it All Attitude.
No one likes a know it all. This attitude is often a mask for insecurity and is concerned with how others perceive us. It can be deeply ingrained from family dynamics, serving as a defense mechanism. However, because it was, it does not mean it needs to continue to be. The energy is destructive to relationships, so best to drop it. Learning to listen is a place to start.
11) Our Super Hero Personas.
These have been a popular item for years. We thought we could and had to do it all. We can lose the costume; understanding it is not the end of the world to ask for help, in fact, it is a sign of strength.
Let It Go:
It has taken a lifetime to create some of the physicalities we end up with, but we can shed them in an instant, once we become aware. It is never too late to let them go. All it takes is the courage to look inside at what drives us.
Are you ready to love yourself enough to accept the areas of who you are that need an update? Do you have the courage to make those changes and discard the looks you have become accustomed to wearing?
What is always attractive is an open heart, an easy smile, a straight back, a flexible approach, a zest for living, and a positive attitude. Wearing these will enhance any fashion or lifestyle choices, guaranteed to turn heads and make you feel on top of the world.
About the Author:
Charisse Glenn, Casting Director, Equestrian, and Creator of The Let Go. She is 62, gray, aging gracefully and has lots to say. Charrise is half Japanese and has the wisdom of that culture she was born into. She has been a casting director for commercials in Los Angeles for 35 years and is an equestrian having competed in 100-mile horse races around the world.
The initiative she writes, called The Let Go serves as a reminder to let go of all that no longer works in our lives, opening a pathway to happiness, love, and balance. Proudly she embraces the freedoms age provides serving as a role model to both men and women. She is a badass with a beautiful soft touch. You can find her on either her website , or follow her on The Let Go in Instagram.
