6 truths we can learn from Don Draper's Real-Life Makeover
Y'all know we're crazy Mad Men fans, even if the office politics make us die a little inside. But watching Sunday's episode, you could have knocked me over with a feather: even rapscallion Don Draper wants a Real-Life Makeover! Here, six universal truths evident in his makeover and applicable to yours.
It's never too late, and you're never too far gone.
So you've been lying to everyone about everything for your entire adult life. So you took a wrecking ball to your wife and family. Your whole life can be in ruins, but let this be a lesson to all of us: you are never too far gone for a change. Things are never too bad to get better, and it's never too late to make over yourself or your life. If Don can do it, any of us can. Change can happen whenever we have the will.
Write in a journal.
How surprised were you when Don sat by the window in his apartment and started writing about his feelings? Dude is sad. But instead of temporarily drinking his troubles away, he's working through his baggage with the cheapest therapy on earth: pen and paper. Putting a lid on your toxic feelings leads--as the guidance counselor memorably demonstrated in my second grade class--to a pot that boils over. A journal provides a private place to unleash your deepest, darkest thoughts, and it offers a first step to help you heal.
Talk to yourself.
Don's voice-overs kind of make us cringe, but there's some benefit to talking to yourself. Jean Kristeller, Ph.D., cofounder of The Center for Mindful Eating in Dover, New Hampshire, says that narrating your indulgence can make the difference between a small splurge and a bender.
Choose exercise that works for your life.
Don picked swimming because it helps clear his mind, and he likes not getting sweaty (maybe he also hopes it will wash away his sins?). Pick an exercise you enjoy and that fits into your life, and the chances are that much higher you'll make it a part of your daily routine. Don's morning swim fits tidily into his morning (and a handsome gym bag). If you like working out alone, a walk in the neighborhood might suit you best. Or, if you like the camaraderie of sweating with others, try Zumba. (It's way fun.) Experiment until you find something you actually look forward to.
Remove temptation.
When Miss Blakenship brought up four bottles of whiskey from the store room--his weekly supply?--Don sent her back from whence she came. Whether your personal vice is chocolate or Cheetos, keeping them in the cupboard when you are first starting to make a change is just asking for trouble. Because sure enough, Don wanted a drink one morning. But how proud were you when he buzzed for a cup of coffee instead?
Break with your traditions.
Insanity, Einstein said, is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Change your behavior, though, and you change our life. Don has a habit of escaping his own personal misery by diving into bed with women. But on Sunday night, we saw him out on a date with Dr. Faye Miller (love her!). He flirted. He opened up. And then, instead of going through his usual quick-to-the-bedroom routine, they made out a little in the cab and then Don dropped her at home. Her home. We were as surprised by his gentlemanly behavior as she was.
Do you think Don's makeover will hit a stumbling block next week? What are the other makeover essentials that will keep him from screwing this up?
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