Lets talk about shoes.

“If you look good, you feel good, and if you feel good, you do good.”

Georges St. Pierre

I love shoes. All shapes. All sizes. All functions. I am rather grateful that I have feet shaped like a duck and have a tough time finding shoes that fit. If I didn’t, I would have a shoe inventory worth more than my car.

It’s also one of the first things I will notice on others. Now maybe I notice shoes a bit too much but I’m short and they are close… and it’s probably why I rarely notice a light fixture. Go figure.

But here’s the thing about shoes for me. They reflect my mood. Feeling business-y (it’s a word)? Nice solid pair of wedges. Feeling risky? Strappy heels… maybe in a fun color. Rambunctious or goofy, sneakers. Feeling blahhhhhh… sliiipppppeeerrrssss… You get the idea.

Here is the other thing I have learned about shoes. They complete the outfit. And the outfit completes the person. I’m not trying to be a fashion expert or turn this blog into fashion 101. Nor am I trying to judge anyone else’s fashion choices. So let me try to explain this particular ramble.

I have worked in a lot of different industries. From hospitality to marketing to construction. I have covered a lot of basics. The thing I have found most common between all of them is that your success depends on how you present yourself. If you wear slippers to work (or pajama pants to Walmart – there I said it), well guess what… you are not going to earn a whole lot of respect.

My last 2 jobs, I worked in construction and renovation. In both cases, I was in a sales and supervisor role and was often required to be on a work site among tools, dirt, paint and pretty much any kind of yucky stuff you could dig up.

I still wore nice shoes.

But it wasn’t about the shoes. It was about how the shoes made me feel. Confident. Qualified. Professional. It set me apart from the guy walking in with paint splattered 10 year old sneakers with a hole in the toe. And guess who usually got the job.

So here’s the thing. Today when you go out… whatever it is you are going out to do… head up, shoulders back and put your best shoe forward.

Today… kick ass with a nice pair of shoes.