I went to work today wearing a Snoopy pullover, Snoopy earrings, and red boots. Obviously, I don't work in a bank or a corporate office. Still, these choices were "out there" choices for work, even for me in my production/post-production life.
As I made my way to work, I thought about what people might think, and about how I'd decided to leave the house dressed this way, and the only thing I could think was that I was channeling my inner--not child, exactly, because it wasn't childhood I was looking for. Not my inner weekend, because it wasn't just a choice of being casual. What I was channeling, I realized, was myself--the self who has loved Snoopy for years (and owns Snoopy earrings from the Mall of America to prove it), the self who enjoys bright colors and wacky socks, the Muppets, and old music.
Most days, we walk out of our homes, dressed and prepared to show the world exactly what we want the world to see--us as business people, us as hip to the latest trends, us as the right size or the right shape, or the right fit for where we are. Obviously, there are times when this is unavoidable--corporate work demands corporate attire, "black tie" means "black tie" (or some version thereof). Yet, we choose how we present ourselves not just at those times, but most of the time. We choose to present ourselves to the world not so much as who we are, but as we would like people to see us in any given moment.
Today, I channeled my inner me--the me that sometimes gets pushed to the back in favor of the me I'm trying to present each day. It felt good. Will I be wearing Snoopy daily from now on? I doubt it. But channeling my inner me reminded me that at least sometimes, it's okay for the world, and us, to see a little bit of who we really are.
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