FEELINGS

F4 E1 E1 L1 I1 N1 G2 S1 - Double letter, double word score 26 points

At my job, we have a mandatory dress code now: business casual, jeans on Fridays, be careful of cleavage, etc. So I went on a small shopping spree, got some new outfits and dress shoes in order to comply.

Yesterday, when I went to work, I had a different hairdo and was in a fairly cute outfit. One of my co-workers commented on how my appearance: "You look so nice today! You look like you feel good! Do you?"

That took me by surprise because people have commented on how nice I've been looking but never on how I FEEL about how I look. And I had to tell her that I did feel good about how I was looking and feeling. My old "uniform" consisted of sweats, a T-Shirt or sweatshirt and sneakers. I would pull my hair into a puff and then call it a day. But since I've been dressing more "professionally" I have been feeling better about myself.

Plus, I've been taking steps towards getting back in shape after having Princess Leapfrog (because I am a part of Team Chunk stand the fuck up! - ty Fresh): I've been eating better (well at least 80% better), am on the road to not smoking anymore, and am taking a funkareobics class starting next week. It's the first time in a LONG time that I've taken time out to do something for ME instead of for someone else: my baby, mom, aunt, whoever.

Not that I mind doing things for others, because I really don't. But I realized that I really do need to and deserve to do things for myself. That is something that we fail to do once we get grown, get jobs, get families...we tend to just focus on the others and not on what we need to do for self in order to continue helping the others.

So now is the time for me to start paying as much attention to myself as I do to my family, friends, and work. Maybe I'll get back into the mani/pedi combos and start treating myself to an occasional spa day. Getting my hair done by a natural stylist and having him/her massage my scalp definitely sounds like a plan and a date that I need to keep monthly. Like my Momma used to tell me: ain't nobody gonna love you unless you love yourself. So I'm going to start loving me. And feeling good will come a little bit more naturally.