Finding Your Authentic Visual Voice

AUTHENTIC VISUAL VOICE

Authentic Visual Voice: What is it? How do I find it? How do I flaunt it?

Authenticity is defined as “not false or copied; genuine and real.”

My style icon, Coco Chanel, stated “Beauty begins the moment we decide to be ourselves!” I couldn’t agree more.

Using my Signature S.T.Y.L.E system, let’s dive in to define and find our Authentic Visual Voice.

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S. Streamline Your Wardrobe….This allows you to SEE MORE CLEARLY in life.

I always encourage individuals to begin the culling process with removing any physical clutter to pair things down to a manageable state. Reduce your overwhelm by ridding the “unlovely” and anything that doesn’t inspire your creativity. I think of the closet as a microcosm of someone’s life. It story tells about what is important or sentimental to an individual but also gives me a quick understanding of someone’s personal style….or lack there of! Wink.

Physical clutter can be a distraction but so can toxic people. Purge anything or anyone that causes you to be derailed from your calling.  While it may be difficult, don’t be afraid to break up with or limit time with people who are energy suckers.  Also coat those hard relationships with grace.

When you scale things down, you allow yourself to be more genuine with your values and future life choices.

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T. Take Inventory of your closet… and TELL THE TRUTH about your life.

Answer this simple question:

What are you non-verbally communicating to folks about your highest values with the way you live and dress in your life?

For me personally, this included surveying close friends and family to asses how they see me if described in three words. Writing down a list of my highest values and figuring out my gifts was imperative to speaking confidently to my personal truths.

When you tell people the truth about who you are—you become safe for people to hang out with. The things that often keep us from feeling safe are shame and fear of some kind often from our past, which makes us want to hide from people. Reality is all people just want to be loved and known. They want to show up  feeling fully themselves without being judged.

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Y. Your Body Type (knowing how to dress your shape; focusing on your assets not your age) …but also believing that YOU MATTER no matter your size or shape.

Learn more about dressing for your body type here: Pear, Apple, Peanut, Carrot and String Bean.

Accept who you are as God’s perfect creation—your shape—your life—your heart remembering God doesn’t make garbage.

You might ask, “How can I possibly accomplish this with all the input in the world we are mislead by?”

  1. Stop Comparing Yourself to others: don’t try to be a copy of someone else or judge yourself too harshly.
  2. Stop believing the lies that media portrays suggesting that “You are not beautiful enough, but we can fix you.”
  3. Silence the condemning voice in your head: avoid minimizing your assets and throw yourself in! Flaunt your shape and live like a boss…

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L. “Less is more” philosophy in your closet…. PROTECT YOUR SPHERE OF INFLUENCE in your life.

“Buy less. Choose Well,” said Vivienne Westwood as it relates to the closet. Shop with Intension!

For your life: placing boundaries around not only who but also what activities you allow to fill your calendar is key. If you are a “yes” addict, remind yourself that when you say no to something—you give greater value to your “yes!

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E. Express your Authentic Visual Voice….express who you are as an IMAGE BEARER or “LIGHT” FOR GOD! 

2 Corinthians 4:6 resonated with me when the Bible reads to be a light as Jesus says as we walk in our truth: “For God, who said, ‘Let the light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”

In summary:

When we choose to see ourselves more clearly we 1. Streamline our lives, 2. Take inventory of our relationships, values and stuff; when we adopt the belief 3. You matter and live out a 4. Less is more philosophy and 5. Express your Authentic Visual Voice.

As a result our:

  • Creativity is enhanced
  • Motivation to achieve goals increases because we are more pointed in our efforts
  • Self confidence is improved
  • Honor for God in His creation is esteemed
  • S.T.Y.L.E. aligns with our authentic visual voice.

Cheers to a stylish you,

jen young