A new Moi?
I started a new job this week and it occurred to me that I could re-boot myself and show up as a whole new person. I only know one employee in my new workplace, so if I looked or acted differently than I used to, hardly anyone would be the wiser.
- I could be loud and laugh a lot.
- I could be cool and calculating.
- I could be a rah-rah cheerleader-style boss.
- I could leave Facebook open on my desktop all day.
- I could chat with the staff about what TV shows we watched last night.
- I could encourage my co-workers to make up a team and run a 5K with me.
Doesn’t sound like me? You guys know me too well – they don’t! Admittedly, I would have to watch and study every night to be able to talk about television 🙂
Another tempting option is to change my appearance.
- I could colour my hair.
- I could wear make-up.
- I could wear skirts or dresses.
- I could wear power suits!
- I could start accessorizing with scarves and bangles.
- I could decide on a look, such as Indie or Athletic.
If I really wanted to go out on a limb, I could blithely lie about myself!
- I’ve travelled to 20 other countries! (actual: 2)
- My other car is a Mustang! (actual household cars: Nissan and Hyundai)
- I can’t wait for Friday night so I can drink my face off! (actual: coffee?)
- On the weekends I take pole dancing and belly dancing! (actual: blogging and reading)
- We should compare tattoos! (actual: I am a blank canvas)
OK, you know what really happened my first week.
- I wore my usual uniform of a colour block T-shirt, dress pants and cardigan.
- Everyone asked me how many cats I had and could I bring pictures of them? (I did)
- I held a staff meeting and told everyone not to panic because I didn’t intend to make waves.
Oh, the perils of being oneself!
Have you ever made yourself over for a new job, a new school or a new city?
I chose this photo because both looks are gorgeous! (Source: megytomyam.blogspot.com)
An Exacting Life 
Nope. Well, that’s not strictly true – when I started working in the big city office again I did start to dress a little better. Other than that, it seems like too much work to change yourself. And dressing better for me really meant just digging some stuff out of the back of the closet, ironing it and occasionally putting on some mascara. 🙂
Mascara, ooh! I have upgraded my wardrobe occasionally but I seem to keep returning to my default 🙂
I used to walk to primary school covering my face with hair, thinking that I’d get to school and no one would recognise me, I’d the new girl and maybe make new and different friends! This was probably when I was 8-9 years old! Now days, thanks to my career and studies at uni, I’m confident in who I am – like it or lump it. My waste weighing, walk to my home brand ATM, travel the world, loudness – it is who I am, and whilst I could adapt or tone it down, I find it’s truly me. I’ll keep making the same waves I always make :p
Congrats on the new job – and being true to yourself toO!
Thanks – I guess I really do know myself and I know that I can’t keep up a pretense!
That’s cute that everyone wanted to see the cat pics 🙂
I attempted to buy a whole new ‘power suit’ outfit last week to wear to my job interview, but it felt so wrong! Then I re-read the quote from Thoreau: “If you have any new enterprise before you, try it in your old clothes.” What great advice: go as you are!
Walden does allow that you can “procure a new suit” if you have “enterprised or sailed in some way, that we feel like new men in the old.” I’ll save my makeover / tattoo / new car for then!
Excellent advice from Thoreau! I will be making some modest changes (to be reported in next post).
I also love that everyone asked about your cats 🙂
I tried to reinvent myself when I started high school but didn’t last too long 🙂 However at the moment I am searching for “work” clothes in op shops for when I get a grown-up job 🙂
That is a perfect opportunity to make a change! Sometimes it’s truly required. BTW, librarians and cats – it is a given!
I think you are wonderful the way you are. Plus changing everything about you would take so much effort you wouldn’t be able to do all the stuff you really like to do!
Thanks! It would be hard to keep the lies straight, ha ha!
I felt like I was different when I went to University. I am not sure if I consciously changed or more that I found friends that I felt comfortable to be just me and that person was different than “high school” me…
That’s a good example – there are times in your life when you really ARE different and ready to make a change.
“Wear confidence in your smile, and be comfortable in your own skin, wherever you go, whatever you do” was my dad’s precious advice to me. Please don’t change, Dar: we love you the way you are. 🙂 Congratulations on the new job!
Thank you, Vera! That is a benefit of maturity – feeling comfortable in your own skin!
I am looking for new seasons clothes at the moment – maybe I should change my style completely and shock myself! I wish I had thought of re-inventing myself at aged 9 when I moved to a new location and school, but I stayed true to form – shy and retiring – I think it had something to do with being skinny with ginger hair and freckles not to mention the braces for my sticky out teeth. Now I want to be skinny and have grown to like my ginger hair (doesn’t turn grey as quickly as other colours) and am grateful for my straight teeth!
Hope the new job going well – lucky you – I feel like a bit of a change too.
I really do think of changing my style sometimes! because I know that when you change your look, you become that person, and the rest will follow! It’s that whole “acting as if” theory. As someone from the fashion world, you must have given a lot of thought to that.
Yes the fashion world have a lot to answer for and no doubt in my time I was one of the culprits dictating what women should be wearing and how to wear it!
PS I think you are nice though just as you are x
Aww, thanks!
What fun you’ve had thinking up a different you!
Yes, it would be fun to create a 2.0!
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Love this post.
I have changed work places many times. And often think it would be an opportunity to change me. Less loud, less swearing, more cool. But the true me often comes out quickly – heart on my sleeve type of girl. But my latest job comes with a lot of expectations of how I should speak, behave, act. So I have to hide my thoughts, feelings,emotions. It means my friends see me as me. People who I meet since taking on this job and expect me to behave a certain way (“But you’re an X”) get the job-me, not the true me and they can’t become friends. And the workers get a me but the boss-me. Still louder, less likely to take myself seriously and quicker to laugh than many others in the same position.
I have been a manager since I was 27 years old and every time I get a new job, I come in as The Boss. So everyone gets to know the efficient, decisive Work Me. While staff are not “afraid” of the managers, there is a culture of arms-length rather than side-by-side friendliness. It’s partly the true me, but not all of it!