A guest post by Hilary Rushford, the founder of Dean Street Society .

Have you ever woken up late, stared bleary-eyed at your closet, silently thinking “I have nothing to wear”, tried on & discarded multiple outfits onto your bed deciding along the way that you “look heavy in the middle” in this or “washed out” in that, before resignedly sticking with a choice you still feel slightly self-conscious in because you’re already late & no one will really notice you anyway?

I don’t think God delights in a sale at JCrew the same way we do, or a fabulous score at TJMaxx. But I do believe He sees us as beautiful & is delighted when we see ourselves the same way. I believe He feels there ARE enough hours in the day, & is saddened when we’re frantic & flustered. I believe He opens doors for us throughout our lives — a first date, a fabulous client, a final interview — but we have to show up, confident, radiant, in order to be able to glide through the door into the providence He’s provided.

As a personal stylist I’m on a mission to help women articulate that just because they don’t care {& shouldn’t care too much} about trends, fashion, allocating a large part of their budget to clothes, losing the last 10 pounds … doesn’t mean they don’t care {for they should care!} about being the best version of themselves & representing their unique brand on a daily basis.

As a personal stylist, writer & blogger I have tips galore on how to organize your closet to identify what’s getting worn & why, shop smarter & clear the clutter, creative ways to remix wardrobes to get the most out of them. But if you’re going to consider your style in just one way today, make just one change, I want you to ask yourself this question:

Who do I want to be in the next 3 years?

Do you want to be running your own business? Have your first child? Move onto a farm? Spend a summer taking a class in Italy? Think about what you want your life to look like in the next 3 years. Then ask yourself: How do I want to feel in the next 3 years? Perhaps it’s powerful, natural, whimsical, elegant, or spontaneous. Start with a furious brainstorm of words & then distill it down to just 3 key ones that really sum it up best.

Now dress for the life you want.

That will mean something different for each of us. Is it clearing the clutter since you want to travel more? Buying slacks instead of yoga pants from here on out because you’re ready to start booking more client meetings? Committing to purchasing only bright colors that will make you the eye-catching joyful woman you desire to be?

One of my favorite ministers, Jon Tyson, speaks often of “not living a lesser story than we were created for”. I believe that something as seemingly insignificant as hiding under a shapeless sweater, wearing black to blend in, or throwing on a sweatsuit & hoping not to be seen, are examples of playing small. Being less. And that’s not what He created us for. So let’s commit together to showing up 100% radiantly ourselves, every day, & seeing how we can create some providence in our lives in the next 3 years.

Hilary Rushford is the founder of Dean Street Society where she works as a personal stylist for “real people with real budgets” in person & via Skype across the country, & runs the style blog {bow ties & bettys} with weekly photo inspiration & how-to videos. She lives in Brooklyn, attends Trinity Grace Church & has a penchant for used books, college football & hosting theme costume parties. You can find her on Pinterest & Twitter as @HilaryRushford.

Images via the following:  all-things-kate.blogspot.com, sundaycrossbow.blogspot.com,  blondebreeze.tumblr.com,  browndresswithwhitedots.tumblr.com,  sadieandstella.blogspot.com,  moonlightrainbow.tumblr.com,  theaestate.com,  sailsandstripes.tumblr.com,  shadesofscarlett.tumblr.com,  thedecorista.tumblr.com