physical

07
Apr
2022
What is Your Current Level of Wellness?

What is Your Current Level of Wellness?

Reading Time: 2 minutes

One of the many frustrations many people have in their lives concern their physical health. We are obsessed with trying to achieve the perfect bodies similar to the models we see in magazines. But we are frustrated because most of us cannot afford the lifestyle required to achieve and maintain such a body. Similar to our goals of financial success, a perfect-looking body has also become a status symbol. However, the state of our bodies as well as our wallets and/or bank accounts do not provide a total picture or measure of our wellness. What is more important is your current level of wellness.

There are several dimensions of wellness and being able to pay attention to all of them should be our goal. Being able to achieve complete and holistic wellness is a major factor in your success.

The stress of the daily grind affects us mentally, physically, socially, psychologically and even economically. Before we fix anything, let us first try to get a clear picture of our current level of wellness so we can plan the best approach to improve ourselves.

Answer the questions for each of the dimensions to assess your overall wellness. It would be helpful if you make a pie chart or a graph of your results so you can compare your development and improvements in the future.

Are You Well?

A Balanced Life

After answering these questions, you should now have a better perspective of your current state of wellness. Take note of the items where you had a negative answer and think about how you can improve them in the following days.

This quiz is in no way, a comprehensive list of the things that you need to do or can do to balance out each dimension of wellness in your life. However, it can serve as a general guide on what areas of each dimension you should try to develop to achieve overall wellness.

The only way to achieve wellness in all dimensions is to live a balanced life. This can be a difficult process but it is not impossible. As long as you take the necessary preparation, planning, remain committed and consistent to your goals, then you can achieve a balanced life that allows you to enjoy holistic wellness.

Updated. First published on 2020.03.16.
Original Photo by Kristopher Allison on Unsplash.

Posted by H.J. Rangas in Spiritual, 0 comments
25
Feb
2022
What Makes a Good Life?

What Makes a Good Life?

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Everyone wants to be happy. There is no argument about that. The question is, what will make you happy? If happiness is your ultimate life goal, where will you spend most of your time and energy? Will you focus on gaining financial abundance, good health, strong relationship, successful career or prestige and power? What do you need to achieve to have a good life? A Harvard Study that started in the late 1930s has been examining this question for years now. It is the longest study that has ever been done. So, what makes a good life?

The Harvard Study of Adult Development otherwise known as the Grant Study, had followed 724 men, year after year, from the time they were teenagers, to their marriage and career life all the way to their old age. While the original 268 men were from Harvard University, the remaining 456 men were from Boston’s poorest neighborhood. For years, the men agreed to have regular extensive interviews, together with a series of physical and physiological examinations to determine their physical, mental and emotional well being.

Some of these men became workers and bricklayers. Others became alcoholic and developed schizophrenia. At the same time, a great number of them achieved great success and became doctors and lawyers.  One of them even became a US President.

So, what makes a good life? If you think that money, fame and success are the answers, think again. After almost 75 years of research, here are the three big lessons they have learned according to Robert Waldinger, the fourth director of the study:

1. Social Connections are Important to our Well Being

People who have deep connections with their family, friends and community lived happier, healthier and longer lives. Social connections improved one’s physical, mental and emotional well being. People who live in isolation and are lonely often live shorter lives.

2. Quality of your Relationship Matters

When it comes to relationships, it is quality over quantity. It is not a matter of how many friends you have or if you are married or not, but rather it is all about whether you have a healthy relationship with the people around you. The quality of your relationship will determine your quality of life. In the study, the people who are happy and satisfied with their relationships at age 50 were the healthiest at age 80. 

3. Happy Relationships Protect Both the Body and the Brain

Happy relationships not just protect our physical body but also our mental and brain health. The people who are secure and happy in their relationships remained sharp while the others who don’t have meaningful relationships suffered from memory decline.

Check out this Ted talk by Robert Waldinger for more insights:

Youtube Video Source: http://TED

Do you want to have a good life? Then improve on your social wellness. Invest in the quality of your relationships with the people who are dear to you. Make this your first step towards a better life. 

First published May 7, 2020.

Feature Image by Posted by A.L. Jonas in Social, 0 comments

11
Feb
2022
Health is The Most Important Thing in Life

Health is The Most Important Thing in Life

Reading Time: 2 minutes

When asked what we want in life, we usually have the words “happiness”, “wealth” and “success” in our minds. We often forget that a prerequisite to anything we want in life is good health. We often take our own health for granted. Our physical health is the most important thing in life. It serve as the foundation that allows us to develop the other dimensions of wellness in our life.

Health is like money, we never have a true idea of its value until we lose it.

– Josh Billings

Before we can pursue any of our goals in life; it is important that we have a healthy mind and body. We also need a healthy mindset and social life to support us along the way. Of course, we also need to maintain healthy habits to sustain our health. For example, if we have healthy financial habits; we can preserve and grow our wealth so we can do even more of the things we love. When did you last evaluate your physical health?

It is health that is real wealth. And not pieces of gold and silver.

– Mahatma Gandhi

Money can buy a lot of things but health cannot be bought. You should develop habits that help you maintain your health in all aspects of your life. After all, we only have one body and mind. They are what enables us to move and experience this world; and change it the way we want it to be.

Don’t let your health take the backset when planning your goals. Make sure that you observe healthy habits in everything you do. This allows you to be healthy enough to enjoy the success that you want in your life. Not only will you enjoy life more; your family will also benefit from you being healthy enough to celebrate life’s successes with them.

Updated. Previously published on 2020.01.13.
Feature Image: Original Photo by Dominik Wycisło on Unsplash.

Posted by H.J. Rangas in Physical, 0 comments
04
Feb
2022
Are You Well? The Eight Dimensions of Wellness

Are You Well? The Eight Dimensions of Wellness

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Do you feel healthy? Do you feel well enough to engage in your daily activities most of the time? Most of us gauge a healthy diet and exercising as a measure of our health, but this is only one aspect of being totally healthy. There are actually eight dimensions of wellness.

Are you fulfilling the 8 dimensions of wellness to live a balanced life?

Not being sick is also not a sign that you are healthy. Yes, you may be healthy physically but you may not be well. Actually, wellness is a holistic experience and total wellness can only be achieved if you are fulfilling the 8 dimensions of wellness in your regular activities.

Wellness is considered a necessary component to be able to achieve your full potential as a human being. It encompasses your lifestyle including your mental and spiritual well-being. Wellness is an experience where you, the individual, consciously make decisions that propel you to achieving a successful, balanced existence.

The 8 Dimensions of Wellness

To help you achieve and maximize your full human potential, you need to make daily goals that develop each of these dimensions.

PHYSICAL

Are you physically healthy? Do you look and feel healthy? Are you sick often or almost never? Physical wellness is being able to get through your daily activities without undue fatigue or physical stress. Physical health is one of the dimensions of wellness that is mostly neglected and taken for granted. It is important to take care of yourself physically because it is the foundation for our overall wellness.

Do you take care of yourself physically?

Remember that we only have one body and we are only able to interact with each other and our environment because of our body so we should make it a priority to take care of ourselves. We should ensure that we are physically healthy so we can perform to our best each time we are physically needed to do so.

FINANCIAL

Do you track your expenses? Are you following a budget? Do you have a savings account? Do you have an emergency fund? Are you investing your money? These are just some of the things that we need to have in our financial life. Without these things in place, we won’t be able to manage our finances effectively.

Are you satisfied about your current financial situation or do you wish you could improve it?

There are many ways to start learning about finances so you can improve your skills in handling your money. There is no quick-rich magic formula to become instantly rich. The best way to improve your financial situation is to learn more about your money personality, improve your financial literacy, pick one financial area that you are comfortable learning and doing and then expand from there.

SOCIAL

Are you friendly and outgoing? Are you aloof and/or prefer to be alone? Do you have one constant set of friends or do you have multiple sets of friends? Social wellness is having and maintaining positive connections with friends, family, colleagues and others. It means that you have people around you who you can feel safe with and are comfortable enough to be with in various situations.

Do you make time to go out with your friends and family?

Having many friends does not mean that you are healthy. You may be surrounded by friends and still feel alone and lonely if you don’t have good relationships with most of them. It is the quality and value of the interactions that you have with them that enables you to achieve social wellness. Constant communication is also a key factor in achieving social wellness.

SPIRITUAL

Do you feel that you are being guided to the right opportunities and decisions? Do you believe that you are being directed towards your goal or that you are fulfilling your purpose in life? How about, do you feel connected with and do you empathize with the people and events around you? Spirituality is different from religion. Two people can be from different religions but share similar spiritual practices and beliefs.

Can you calm down your worries and feel reassured that everything will work out for the best?

Finding your purpose in life and living it is the ultimate goal of each individual. Most of us believe that when we find our purpose and start living it, then we will find happiness. In fact, if we strive to find happiness in our lives, then it will become easier for us to find what truly makes us happy which is what fulfilling our life purpose should feel like. Being spiritually well involves a combination of believing in yourself as well as faith that the Universe has our back.

EMOTIONAL

Are you happy or sad? Are you angry or constantly cheerful or feeling upset? Emotional wellness refers to how you feel inside. When you feel constantly anxious, stressed and unhappy, this will eventually take a major toll in your overall health and wellness. Negative thoughts and feelings are a sign of poor health. There are many ways to alleviate poor emotional health and each person must find a way that is tailored to their specific personalities, needs and circumstances.

Are you sad or happy? How you feel greatly affects your health.

Being well emotionally means that you are able to control or regulate your emotions as necessary and that you are also able to take the necessary steps to change your emotions so you feel better about yourself and/or a negative situation. The main goal is to attain emotional happiness and fulfillment.

INTELLECTUAL

Does your job provide you with adequate intellectual challenges? Intellectual wellness means that you experience various types of intellectual stimulation through various means and different areas in your life. Constant learning not only staves off boredom; it also opens up new opportunities to develop relationships with new people, gain new knowledge, skills and new experiences.

Do you engage in activities that stimulate you intellectually?

Try enrolling in a course, develop a reading habit or listen to audiobooks, attend seminars and conferences about a topic you are interested in or find a hobby that you want to pursue. Develop a learning habit so that you constantly stimulate your intellect and mental skills and maintain your intellectual health. This also allows you to relate to much younger people than you since they are also learning new things in life.

ENVIRONMENTAL

Do you feel safe at home? How about in your community as a whole? Are you able to keep your home clutter-free? Are you disposing your trash properly? Environmental wellness is having a pleasant and stimulating environment that supports your overall well-being. You should have many safe spaces in your environment.

Does your environment allow you to feel safe enough to do the things you want and need to do?

Having the right environment is a big factor in achieving your goals in life. This can be as basic as having a dedicated work space to improve your focus and productivity. This also includes cleaning your living space as well as clearing the energy in these spaces. It also means how safe you feel in your community when you are walking alone late at night. Your environment also includes the people you interact with, your family, friends, as well as your colleagues at work and the office culture.

OCCUPATIONAL

Do you feel excited to go to work? Are you doing what you love? Your job contributes a lot to your financial state. If you are not well in this area, then it will definitely affect your performance in the other dimensions of wellness. We know that money can’t buy love or happiness but it does allow us to engage in experiences that can make us happy and acquire the things we like.

Do you love your job or are you constantly thinking of quitting?

We spend a huge amount of time at our jobs and if we are constantly stressed by it, then it will have a negative impact on our overall health. Also, having anxieties about your financial situation can cause a lot of stress. Make sure you spend some time to think about your job and your finances and what your real situation is. It helps to list down the pros and cons and then make a plan on how you can improve the situation and alleviate your issues.

Your State of Wellness

So are you well? If you are not paying attention to any of these dimensions of wellness, then you have not truly achieved overall wellness. Working on each aspect of wellness means that you plan for activities that help you fulfill each dimension. Make sure you review often so you are also able to monitor your progress towards your goal of achieving overall wellness.

If you are not sure which dimension you should work on first, then find time to look inward and talk to yourself. Spend more time with nature and learn to be comfortable with yourself. Get to know yourself better so you can have a clearer picture of what your qualities and values are and why they are important to you. This is the starting point for you to redesign your life to achieve overall wellness in all eight dimensions.

There are many ways to do this. You can start practicing meditation and engaging in gentle exercise that require focus such as tai chi and yoga. The simple act of keeping your thoughts in a diary and writing down your feelings on paper also helps. Expressing your emotions thru drawing and painting or even thru needle work or flower arrangement area also great ways to help you get to know yourself better.

The important thing is to carve out some “me time” for yourself during your day to strengthen your awareness of self. You can gain a deeper connection to your values and beliefs and get a clearer understanding of why you choose to live the way you live and how you can change it for the better.

Updated. First published on 2020.01.20.
Feature Image: Original Photo by Yayan Sopian on Unsplash.

Posted by H.J. Rangas in Spiritual, 0 comments
23
Mar
2020
7 Simple Ways to Help Improve Your Wellness

7 Simple Ways to Help Improve Your Wellness

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Wellness is an important factor in life. The word “busy” is often considered a badge of honor worn by anyone who consider themselves hard-working adults, trying to get their lives together. Have a job that provides you food and shelter and pays the bills is something to be proud of but it should not be the only thing that you should be busy with. While our job takes up most of our time in our every day lives, we should not neglect the other aspects of our lives that play a major role in making our life experience all the more enjoyable. Learn ways on how to improve your wellness.

Remember that too much of a good thing is bad so here are 7 simple things that you can incorporate into your daily or weekly routine to improve your overall wellness.

1. Make a Plan

You can’t predict how your day will go but you can plan how you want it to be. Planning ahead allows you to manage your time and define your priorities that way you can take care of the important things first and you can free up time to do other things that you didn’t have time to do before. Your daily plan should help keep you focused all day and give you that feeling of satisfaction at the end of the day when you’ve checked off all your priorities for the day.

Daily planning is a good habit and if you get into this daily routine, you might even be encouraged to do it for longer time periods. Just make sure to follow the S.M.A.R.T. Goals strategy to ensure that your plans are realistic and attainable. However, before you write down concrete plans, you might want to engage your imagination and create a vision board to remind you of your long-term goals daily.

2. Eat Healthy and On Time

One of the things you should plan for is what to eat and when to eat. Most of us are too busy to get up from our office chairs to take our lunch breaks. This can also be due to poor planning of your tasks for the day which results in poor time management.

For those of us who don’t know what tasks are to be thrown at us once we get to work, eating should still be on your agenda. Don’t munch while at your desk but try to finish as much work as you can, take a break to eat and go back to the task at hand.

Believe it or not, distracting yourself from work for a short time can be helpful. It not only re-energizes you, it also refreshes your mental capacity to stay focused so you can focus better after taking a short break.

Similarly, while eating, stay focused on the task of eating too. Savor the smell and taste of the food, chew slowly and sit at a table away from your desk while doing so.

3. Stay Hydrated and Keep Moving

Exercise should be a part of our daily routine but if you don’t have that much time yet, then make the best of the time you have at work. One of the ways to keep ourselves physically healthy and in a healthy state of mind is to stay hydrated and to be constantly moving throughout our day. As most of us need to sit in an office chair several hours a day, we often forget to hydrate ourselves or get up and stretch our muscles.

Keep a water bottle at your desk and make it a goal to regularly drink from it at least every hour until you get your 8 glasses or more quota for the day. You will find yourself needing to pee every now and then at first but take it as an opportunity to stretch your legs and arms and to rest your eyes from staring at the computer. If you have time, take a short walk outside.

Taking short breaks in between tasks can help you be more focused and productive; just don’t get distracted by other things during your break. Also, be sure to refill your water bottle before you get back to your office desk.

Another way to keep moving at home is to do the chores. Don’t let work pile up and exhaust yourself tackling them over the weekend. Do them in small doses each day so you have time to rest up and actually enjoy your day off. The important thing is to remain healthy by slowly incorporating and observing the basic rules to maintain your physical health.

4. Keep In Touch With Your Important People

Busy people seldom have time to meet up with friends or eat a meal together with their families. Even so, we should make time for them in our daily lives. Just saying hello and keeping ourselves informed of what’s happening in each other’s lives is a simple way to strengthen bonds and maintain relationships.

This can be done with a simple text message, a short call or even a heart felt email to share some good news or a funny anecdote. You can do any of these at any time during the day. There are so many ways to send a message to the people you value the most; so don’t neglect this little habit to remind people how much you care and value them.

To maintain your relationships, you must also be honest with yourself and with other people. If you need to apologize, do it as soon as you can; don’t prolong your agony and theirs’. Also, be fair in dealing with others. Don’t hog all the blessings to yourself and learn to share fairly as well.

5. Stay In Touch With Your Inner Self

While eating healthy and on time, keeping yourself hydrated and constantly moving through the day are forms of self-care; keeping in touch with your inner self is the most important self-care routine that most of us neglect.

Staying in touch with your inner self helps you identify your body’s needs so you can give yourself physical care such as a self massage or a warm bath. It also helps you identify what emotions you are experiencing at the moment and how to alleviate them or enhance them.

One of the best ways to get in touch with your inner self is to meditate or do breathing exercises. There are many ways you can start to do this. You can also indulge your inner child by having fun once in a while such as dancing or singing to a lively song while doing some chores or playing games with other people.

You can even make work more fun this way by approaching it like a game. Win by crossing off more than half of your tasks on your To Do list. You can even set up a reward for winning the game; you set the the rules.

Another aspect of your life that could use a game approach is your finances. Try out this money jar budgeting system and see if you can get your bank account or wallet to come out as the winner at the end of the month.

6. Keep Improving Yourself

One sure fire way to stop yourself from comparing yourself to others and to improve your confidence level is to keep yourself busy with the task of self-improvement. How to do this? You just need to keep on learning.

Learn a new skill to improve your job performance if you want to advance in your career. Find out how the experts did it If you want to start a business. Join a dance class or learn from a personal trainer. If you want to improve your physical fitness, . If you want to indulge your creative side, learn how to play an instrument, learn how to draw or learn calligraphy.

As long as you have the desire to improve, then you should include learning as part of your daily routine. Take an hour or two of your day to learn something new. If you can’t take a physical class, learn online or read books. Keep your mind stimulated with new information so you keep improving yourself instead of dwelling on the things you wish you could do but you have no talent for. Remember that knowledge is power and innate talent can only be maximized with regular practice.

7. Keep a Gratitude Journal

One of the simplest ways to end your day on a positive note is to write down the things that you are grateful for that day. You have planned your day, you have accomplished much and you want to thank the Universe, God or the Divine Source for all the blessings you received for the day, in whatever form they came.

Most people start out by writing down at least 3-5 things but if you’re the prolific writer, then a whole essay is also okay. The point of this exercise is to recognize the positive things that made up your day instead of the negative ones. As you review your day, you will also be able to see what things make you happy or sad or angry. You can analyze these situations and get a better understanding of yourself this way too.

Remember, we shouldn’t be too busy to the point of neglecting the other areas of our lives as they play a major role in determining whether our life experiences turn out positive or negative. So stay focused and keep moving forward.

In the meantime, you can check out what is your current level of wellness so you have a clear idea of which aspect of your wellness to put more focus and effort on.

Original Photo by Anthony Fomin on Unsplash.

Posted by H.J. Rangas in Emotional, 0 comments
10
Mar
2020
Dress for Success

Dress for Success

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Have you heard of the saying that you should dress for the job that you want, not the job that you have? While what you wear does not define your value as a person, it is a fact that what you wear influences how others see you. Your clothing makes a strong visual statement on your confidence level and how you see yourself. It is also a way to show respect not only to the situation but also to the people whom you are going to meet and talk to. Career counsellors know this well that is why they advise people to always look good and look professional especially on a job interview. That is why, you should always dress for success.

Studies

There are several studies that prove how your appearance highly influences not just how others perceive you but also how you conduct yourself in a particular situation.

In a co-study made by Micheal Krauss, a professor at Yale University and the Journal of Experimental Psychology in 2014, 128 men from different backgrounds and income levels were engaged in a negotiation game, acting as buyer and seller. The group was divided into three: one group in business attire, the second group wore sweatpants, shirts and sandals and the third group just wore their ordinary clothes.

Dress for Success
Source: Wall Street Journal

Results showed that those who are dressed up ended up with the most profitable deals compared with their poorly dressed counterparts.

In another study on formal attire made by Abraham Rutchik, a professor of psychology at the California State University, Northridge; results showed that wearing formal attire increased abstract thinking. Abstract thinking makes you think more broadly. It enhances creativity and problem solving. It helps you deal with complex data and strategies making you feel powerful.

Putting on formal clothes makes us feel powerful, and that changes the basic way we see the world.

– Abraham Rutchik

So, the effect of dressing up affects not only you but also others around you. You gain confidence and you elicit the feeling of power. The observer on the other hand, could feel this feeling of confidence and in return will show you some respect.

Dressing up does not necessarily mean that you should always wear suits neither does it mean that you should invest heavily on clothes. There are many ways to dress up without necessarily stretching your budget.

Tips

Here are some tips on how you should dress for success:

Assess the environment

Do your research first. Where are you going? Who are you going to meet? Is there a dress code? If you are going for a job interview, find out about the industry. What do they normally wear? It is very important to wear the appropriate clothes.

Plan ahead

Don’t just pick up the first thing that you see in your closet. It helps to plan what you are going to wear the night before.

Stick to the basics

Normally, a classic and minimalist look is always stylish and sophisticated. While bold patterns and prints can work, neutral colours are the best. You don’t need to have a closet full of the latest trends, all you need is a few basic fashion must haves. Basic classic fashion never goes out of style.

Iron your clothes

Remember that how you dress says something about yourself. Showing up with wrinkled clothing gives an impression that you couldn’t care less. Perfectly pressed clothing is mandatory not just in interviews but in all occasions.

Wear clothes that fit you well

The most important aspect in dressing is the fit. The brand nor the price tag does not matter. Your clothing should fit the body perfectly. You want to avoid clothing that is too loose or too tight.

Dress comfortably

Dressing comfortably will help you relax. However, dressing comfortably does not mean baggy sweatpants or slippers. You can still wear comfortable clothes without sacrificing style. The key is balance. If you want to wear a loose top, wear something fitting for your pants.

Do not show too much skin

Never be overexposed. Unless you are going to the beach, keep your cleavage and your belly button covered. The less skin you show, the more professional you look.

Do not over accessorize

Accessories are useful in enhancing an outfit. However, if you wear them all together at once, it becomes a fashion failure. Be content with wearing just one or two. Invest in a statement piece like a watch, bracelet or bag.

It is better to be overdressed than be underdressed

Hollywood stylist Rachel Zoe believes that it is better to be overdressed than underdressed. If you are not sure what to wear, dress in such a way that you look like you have a very important meeting to attend to.

Be yourself

Lastly, don’t be afraid to show your individuality. Add a touch of yourself in your outfit whether it is the colour, the pattern or the accessories.

First published in Pinoy Smart Living on 06.25.2018
Feature Image by Stock5nap from Pixabay Images.

Posted by A.L. Jonas in Physical, 1 comment
11
Feb
2020
Items You Must Have in Your Closet

Items You Must Have in Your Closet

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Do you know what you’re wearing tomorrow? Did you previously plan what you were wearing today? If you’re one of those who already has their whole week’s outfit planned out according to your schedule, then you are one of the lucky few and we envy you. You should start learning more about the psychology of dressing and how to dress for success. However, most mortals wake up every morning not having a plan of what to wear and usually waste precious time rummaging through their closets and cabinets to put together an outfit for the day. Doing this daily can become tiresome and in the long run, quite stressful. To avoid this scenario every morning, a simple solution is to go back to the basics. There are just a few items you must have in your closet. With fewer choices to go thru, picking an outfit is faster and easier.

If you already have a closet-full of clothes but you still look at your closet every morning thinking you don’t have anything to wear, then a little decluttering and a new perspective on what you should have in your closet should refresh your style senses.

Or if you are trying to overhaul your fashion style, then these basics are a good way to start. These basic items can be mixed and matched for a casual to a semi-formal look or amped up for a formal event. Later on, you can add to this collection to come up with a wardrobe that expresses your very own personal style.

First, decide on a color palette. A basic tip is to have a neutral, a darker and a lighter color in your wardrobe which complement each other so that they can mix-and-match easily.

1. T-Shirt

A classic t-shirt is a good foundation for most attires. T-shirts can be round-necked, v-necked, loose or body-fitting. Pick the style that you are most comfortable with. Get one with a solid color that you can wear every day or one that goes well with the color palette you want for your wardrobe. Having a white, grey and black t-shirt in your wardrobe can give you several options.

2. Jeans

Jeans are a fashion must-have. They can be used for many different occasions depending on the tops and accessories you pair them with and with proper care, they can last you a long time. Pick a pair of jeans in a dark or light color. Make sure that they fit you well because you will find yourself wearing them most of the time.

3. Button-up Shirt

A button-up shirt comes in a variety of styles and colors. You can choose from plaid, chambray or even a denim one in a light fabric. You can use this shirt alone tucked into your pants or as a layer over your t-shirt for colder seasons.

4. Blazer

To amp up your attire, for a client meeting for example, then go business-casual by putting on a blazer on top of your t-shirt or button-up shirt and your jeans. You can even use the same attire to attend a wedding.

5. Jacket

A versatile jacket can take your outfit from basic to casual in a jiffy and its pretty useful when the weather gets extra cold. Choose a style that goes well with your daily activities. There’s denim, leather, military-style, etc.

6. Shoes

A good pair of shoes is essential to complete your outfit. For women, a pair of flats, comfortable heels or ankle boots can be used from errands to office. For men, a pair of dark-colored loafers, a classic oxford or brogues, or ankle boots can also take you from a simple date to a business meeting.

7. Statement Jewelry

To put some punch to your outfit, accessorize with statement jewelry. The easiest one to go for is a wristwatch. Pick one in a classic design so that it compliments any of your attire combinations. If you have the budget, you can also go for a luxury watch because it serves as an investment too.

For women, a pair of pearl earrings or a chunky necklace are also great ways to accessorise and are great for all occasions. These days, both men and women can also make a fashion statement with a uniquely designed bracelet or a ring.

These are some basic fashion items that should make up your wardrobe. For more variety to your outfits, here are some items that you can add to your clothing options.

For Women

Dress
A little black or white dress, or one in another color, is a basic clothing item that you can wear on many different occasions. Choose a knee-length dress or go for a maxi dress for more flair to your outfit. You can wear it as is for a party or a day out. You can top it with a blazer for formal occasions or top it with a jacket for the colder seasons.

Skirt
A skirt is a great way to exchange for your jeans if you want to go for a more feminine look. Just be sure that it is comfortable enough for you to wear all day and that the length is just right for you to be able to enjoy your daily activities.

For Men

Polo Shirt
On occasions that you don’t want to be too casual with a t-shirt but you don’t want to look too formal with a blazer or you just don’t want to bother with a button-up, then a polo shirt is just the right thing to put on. It can go well with your jeans, and it can also look good with a blazer or jacket for colder months.

Neck Tie
For more formal events, a neck tie can take your jeans and blazer ensemble to a more formal level. Grab one or two on your next shopping schedule for more mix-and-match variety.

Day Bag

Finally, every man and woman should have a day bag which can carry your all-day essentials whether you’re running an errand, braving the traffic or attending a conference. This is different from your laptop bag. If you can, try investing on a designer handbag. Some luxury handbags can be a great form of investment too. Moreover, your bag can also serve as your statement piece.

Most women will carry their make-up and toiletry essentials in their bag and most men may think that they don’t need one and that their wallet carries all their essentials. However, a handy bag can be used to carry your electronics with you, such as your chargers as well as work stuff like your notebook and pens, a book for some reading, and maybe an extra box of tissue or wet wipes or a handkerchief for occasions when you might need one.

First published on Pinoy Smart Living 08.28.2018
Original photo by Artificial Photography on Unsplash

Posted by H.J. Rangas in Physical, 0 comments