Depression sucks. By definition, it is depressing. I am not a physician, but I do think clinical depression is a thing. It's probably not as ubiquitous as skinny jeans on hipsters, as pharmaceutical ads might have you believe, but I'm sure it's out there.
But this isn't a virus we're talking about here. You don't just show up at your buddy's house from high school that looks like an episode of 'Hoarders' and get it from direct contact with the bongwater in the rug. These things are cultivated, grown carefully over time and at such a slow rate that you won't see it until it has overtaken you. The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step and so too does negativity. It is insidious and as banal as a bad attitude. Constant vigilance, the only defense.
This may be, but what has it to do with grooming? Cleanliness is next to Godliness. Ever hear that? Well it's true. When were you the most unkempt? Your twenties? When you would dress like a member of Pearl Jam and drink all night and sleep all day? No one goes to the market in their jammies buying hangover remedies and feels good about it. Nobody shame walks two miles back to their car, smelling like whiskey and B.O. and thinks, "That was totally worth it!"
Okay, sometimes, but it's pretty rare. My point is, that grooming can be a good indicator of virtue. Do you smell good? Well then you probably haven't committed any recent crimes. Therefor you might feel pretty good about yourself. See?
When you're dressed nice, you don't sit home watching 'It's Always Sunny' eating ice cream from the container, screening your calls. No, you go out. You want people to see you. You interact. You have fun. When you dress well, you're early. When you're unkempt you're late. Or, you never even show up at all. Begin shame spiral.
Afraid someone might question your motives for dressing nice?
"Why are you so dressed up, are you going to court?"
"Just because you dress like a hobo doesn't mean I can't look nice."
This is also true of your living space. How many visitors do you have over when your house is a shit sty? Not many. And if anyone does show up, you block the view from the door with your terry cloth robe. The one with the Kool-Aid stain and the dried hard spot.
I know, I know, it's fucken hard to stay on top of things like manner of dress and household chores when you have so many other things to contend with in your life. But it has been my experience that if you make the time for cleaning and grooming, the result in your attitude enables you to better affect those other areas. Good begets good. And vice versa. Clean yourself up and scrub your cage, and you'll be amazed at the energy you'll find.
So go take on the day and discover the joys of a nice shirt.
