Are You Being Dumped? Go For A Makeover

There are certain, crucial moments in life when you are forced to re-evaluate how you feel about yourself, and how you present yourself to the world. Going through the painful break-up of a relationship is the time you most begin to question everything from the colour of your hair to the books you have on your bedside table. Someone has decided you are unlovable, that they cannot bear to set eyes on you ever again. So an awful, gnawing, nagging doubt inevitably begins to fester. Sounds weird, but it's great to have a stylish life and to undergo a makeover if you are dumped by your spouse, recently. Never mind, if he or she does not come back to check you out.

If you thought that the tips for post-break-up fabulousness are all designed to snare another man, forget it. The new rules for living post break-up are designed to boost your self-esteem, not his, whether you are suddenly single, bored with how you look, or just in need of a spring clean.

1) Take a long, hard look at you in a full-length mirror in daylight. What can be fIxed, what needs to be disguised and what deserves to be celebrated? A bit of objective criticism can be a springboard to a new you, so ask a good friend to be honest about what you could do to improve your appearance.

2) Look at the contents of your wardrobe. What outfIts do you have that are age-inappropriate, or too comfy, or old, or sloppy, or badly fitting?

3) Next, buy a new outfit. Spend on yourself and set you eyes on higher-end, luxurious products. As you are once again single, dressing up would enhance your beauty and self-esteem. More so, you should keep telling yourself- 'I am dressing well because I love myself and because I am worth it'.

4) Take up a new form of exercise. Try to remove that extra flab. Start feeling healthy from within. You also have to be calm, cheerful and confident. Don't exercise just to get in shape, but do something that injects some joy into your life, as well.

5) Try on something you'd never normally wear, such as a pair of khaki shorts, high-waist jeans, or a shift dress. If you habitually wore white and black, it would be a good idea to shift to a purple satin shirt or a shocking pink skirt. Your something new could be anything from a new shade of lip gloss to a hot pink thong, or a pair of yellow patent platforms when people are used to seeing you wearing normal navy flats.

6) Learn to draw a line between you and the past. Do not re-run conversations in your head, or have imaginary arguments. Do not sit by the phone waiting for it to spring into life, or drive around the area in which he now lives in your open-top car, just in case you might spot him.

7) Do not wail. Do not think - 'He will never appreciate how you look today, so why bother? Why not just wear a denim boiler suit and have done with it?' Nothing lifts the spirits, wreaks revenge and invites possibility more than knowing you look bloody fantastic.

Michael Douglas is a relationship expert and the webmaster of www.womendatingmanual.com. Here's how you can help yourself in conquering the boyfriend blues and by avoiding common dating mistakes you probably make with men.