Why dressing up is important for self-love and empowerment
Ever wondered how to stay motivated while working from home? Dressing up can help and in this post I'm going to share with you how fashion pushed me to become an entrepreneur.
Fashion doesn't define you.
Fashion doesn't say who you are. But fashion can help you understand that dressing up is important for
you
. While so many of us have had to learn to work from home in the last years, for some it has really become a struggle from wearing sweatpants on the bottom and a cute shirt on the top for our zoom meetings to deciding to not even dress up at all. (No judgements)
But let me tell you why dressing up became a priority for me way before the pandemic hit our lifestyles.
But let me tell you why dressing up became a priority for me way before the pandemic hit our lifestyles.
Dressing up is and should always be, for you
What I mean by this is that how many times have you thought: "I won't wear that cute blazer or dress because I won't even go out of my house today. Maybe I should just toss on a pair of leggings and get through with my day".
It happened to me when I had to move to a different country and rediscover my life's purpose. I wasn't able to work for my previous job, so I had to quit. And there I was a newly wed 25 year old woman sitting on her couch thinking about what I was going to be doing all day long.
The thought of being a regular stay at home woman terrified me. And I don't have anything against stay at home moms or women, I'm just being transparent, I firmly believed I never wanted this lifestyle.
I have always been ambitious. I had a clear vision that my professional path would be to scale up the corporate ladder, and possibly lead a team one day, specifically in an office environment.
So when I was there, powerless, sitting in front of my TV and waiting for my husband to come home, I felt lost. So lost that I didn't even care about getting dressed up. I thought "what's the use" if I'm not even going to go to work today, then why do anything?
And then one day I said: NO! "Natalia if you're going to adapt to your new life, because you have no other option right now, then get up and get dressed for you".
(Credit to the sustainable skirt from an awesome brand called
Passion Lilie
)
I dressed up, opened my laptop everyday and started exploring what I could do with my life now. The options were endless, and I got so inspired to start my own digital business, so I started having fun doing what I remembered that used to be my passion when I was a kid, and had completely forgot about, which is writing .
Shortly after, this sustainable blog pivoted into Natalia Maganda where I get to help brands and people that align with my purpose every single day.
This has been my mantra ever since I was forced to learn to work from home and try new things. When I learned to dress for myself, to make myself feel better, to have a sense that I was dressing for going to my own virtual office that I called office even when no one was paying me a salary (yet) was so powerful, trust me.
Being an entrepreneur is all about mindset really. And the more I felt like a girl boss starting a business, the more I started to believe it, and it actually happened. There I was blogging from 9-5 (or more honestly, because when you start doing what you love, you'll find a magical energy that you can't stop).
And then, people started to believe in me. Brands started to want to work with me. I started sharing marketing advice and then thought, well, this could actually become my own business, and so it did.
But this would not have been possible if I hadn't stayed committed to showing up for myself, putting on my favorite clothes, wearing that pink lipstick and looking at myself in the mirror mentally saying: you've got this, and you look beautiful.
Dressing up for myself in times of uncertainty made me start a sustainable fashion blog
I've talked about this story in other places, but in a long-story-short-version when I was forced to step out of my comfort zone and what I thought were the next steps in my life (getting married, working for that dream job, having kids, etc) I realized that society's stereotypes can make us live our lives doing things that we don't even know will fulfill us for the rest of the lives.I dressed up, opened my laptop everyday and started exploring what I could do with my life now. The options were endless, and I got so inspired to start my own digital business, so I started having fun doing what I remembered that used to be my passion when I was a kid, and had completely forgot about, which is writing .
Shortly after, this sustainable blog pivoted into Natalia Maganda where I get to help brands and people that align with my purpose every single day.
Staying motivated while working from home starts with self-love
This has been my mantra ever since I was forced to learn to work from home and try new things. When I learned to dress for myself, to make myself feel better, to have a sense that I was dressing for going to my own virtual office that I called office even when no one was paying me a salary (yet) was so powerful, trust me.
Being an entrepreneur is all about mindset really. And the more I felt like a girl boss starting a business, the more I started to believe it, and it actually happened. There I was blogging from 9-5 (or more honestly, because when you start doing what you love, you'll find a magical energy that you can't stop).
And then, people started to believe in me. Brands started to want to work with me. I started sharing marketing advice and then thought, well, this could actually become my own business, and so it did.
But this would not have been possible if I hadn't stayed committed to showing up for myself, putting on my favorite clothes, wearing that pink lipstick and looking at myself in the mirror mentally saying: you've got this, and you look beautiful.
Dressing up is important for staying motivated, even when you won't step outside of your home
And that's why fashion has been my therapist basically over the past 3 years. I've learned to love myself more, discover my passions at a deeper level, and nurture that relationship with myself where I choose to dress up for me, and for no one else.
Nurturing your mindset with positive things can help you overcome fear as an entrepre neur and it can help you unleash that empowered woman that is waiting to do something life-changing like starting a business.
I never knew that dressing up would have led me to start my own business, to take fear of failure and turn it into action and to find a purpose that drives me with passion. It even motivated me to quit my job after I was able to move back to Mexico and work again.
I had the opportunity to go back to my previous work, and after experiencing the perks of being my own boss, I no longer had fear to work from home, and had learned to do what I love. It felt pointless to work for someone else doing what I had been doing for the past 5 years with stress, anxiety and overwhelm for a paycheck that I could easily double being my own boss and working hard for it.
You never know what doors can open, and most importantly, what you can make out of your own life when you choose to take control and get to know yourself at a deeper level.
I hope that the next time you're thinking about dressing up, you think twice about who you want to become and dress like it.
Nurturing your mindset with positive things can help you overcome fear as an entrepre neur and it can help you unleash that empowered woman that is waiting to do something life-changing like starting a business.
I never knew that dressing up would have led me to start my own business, to take fear of failure and turn it into action and to find a purpose that drives me with passion. It even motivated me to quit my job after I was able to move back to Mexico and work again.
I had the opportunity to go back to my previous work, and after experiencing the perks of being my own boss, I no longer had fear to work from home, and had learned to do what I love. It felt pointless to work for someone else doing what I had been doing for the past 5 years with stress, anxiety and overwhelm for a paycheck that I could easily double being my own boss and working hard for it.
You never know what doors can open, and most importantly, what you can make out of your own life when you choose to take control and get to know yourself at a deeper level.
I hope that the next time you're thinking about dressing up, you think twice about who you want to become and dress like it.

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* AI Disclosure: This content may contain sections generated with AI with the purpose of providing you with condensed helpful and relevant content, however all personal opinions are 100% human made as well as the blog post structure, outline and key takeaways.
* Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links on www.nataliamaganda.com may contain affiliate links meaning that I will get a commission for recommending products at no extra cost to you.

hello! i'm natalia
Latina, web design expert for mental health professionals.
I help ambitious life coaches, therapists and holistic leaders amplify their magic, gain visibility, and simplify their marketing efforts through strategic web design and content.


By Sofia Alvarez
•
April 18, 2025
You sit down after a long day of sessions, your brain still processing the emotional weight you’ve carried. You should be resting. But instead, you're buried in your inbox—responding to DMs, rescheduling a cancellation from earlier, checking if that intake form ever came through. The therapy part of your work is done for the day, but the admin part? It’s just beginning. Maybe you've tried to make Google Calendar work. Maybe you’re toggling between too many tabs—forms here, reminders there, and client info in some spreadsheet you meant to organize weeks ago. You wonder if there’s a simpler way to keep everything running without it running you into the ground. The truth is: managing your schedule shouldn’t feel like a second job. You don’t just need a booking link. You need a system that understands the nuances of your practice—one that helps clients get to you easily, keeps no-shows to a minimum, and gives you back your time, energy, and peace of mind. And that’s where smart scheduling tools come in. Not just to help you stay organized, but to actually support the growth and sustainability of your practice. In case we haven’t met—hi, I’m Natalia. I’m a website designer for therapists and practitioners , and I help private practice owners like you build brands, websites, and systems that feel as grounded as the work you offer. Today, I want to show you the scheduling software I recommend to all my clients—the ones that don’t just “book appointments,” but make your life easier. What is scheduling software for therapists? Imagine this: A potential client visits your website. Instead of filling out a long contact form and waiting days for a response, they see a calendar directly on your website. They book a free intro call, receive an automated confirmation, and get a reminder the day before their appointment. No back-and-forth emails. No admin stress. Just a smooth process that increases bookings effortlessly. That’s what scheduling software does—it automates appointment booking, reminders, cancellations, and follow-ups so you can focus on your clients, not your inbox. But here’s where many therapists go wrong: they only use a practice management software (PMS) when they really need both a PMS and a CRM. Practice management software vs. CRM: what’s the difference? Understanding the difference between practice management software (PMS) and customer relationship management (CRM) tools can change how smoothly your practice runs. While they might sound similar, they serve two very different functions—and relying only on one can mean missing out on potential clients. Practice management software (PMS) – handles client care after they book A PMS is an all-in-one tool designed to manage everything that happens after a client books. It takes care of billing, session notes, insurance claims, compliance, and scheduling so you can focus on therapy instead of admin work. What a PMS does: Manages billing and insurance claims so payments run smoothly Stores client records, SOAP notes, and treatment documentation Ensures compliance with HIPAA and legal requirements Simplifies session scheduling within your workflow Offers secure telehealth capabilities 📌 Example: A new client books their first session. Your PMS ensures their intake forms, session notes, and payments are processed automatically, allowing you to focus on therapy. Customer relationship management (CRM) – converts leads into clients While a PMS handles existing clients, a CRM helps potential clients book their first session. A CRM is all about lead management—helping you nurture inquiries, follow up automatically, and guide potential clients from first contact to a confirmed appointment. What a CRM does: Captures inquiries from your website Sends automated email follow-ups so leads don’t slip away Tracks where potential clients are in the decision process Helps convert website visitors into paying clients 📌 Example: A potential client fills out a contact form but doesn’t book right away. Without a CRM, they might forget to follow up. With a CRM, they receive personalized emails answering their questions and encouraging them to schedule a session. The all-in-one scheduling platform I install for my clients (and why it’s built with HighLevel) When I build websites for therapists, I’m not just thinking about fonts and colors—I’m thinking about how your site will actually work for you . That means making sure it doesn’t just look beautiful, but that it also automates, simplifies, and supports the day-to-day flow of your private practice. That’s why I set up every therapist website using HighLevel , a powerful all-in-one platform designed to do much more than just book sessions. Instead of juggling multiple tools—one for scheduling, another for forms, another for email follow-ups—I give you one streamlined system where everything works together . Fewer tabs. Fewer headaches. More time for your clients (and for yourself). Here’s how it supports you behind the scenes (and yes, we integrate all of this into your website): 1. A fully integrated calendar—connected to your site No more back-and-forth emails. No more third-party apps with limited features. With HighLevel, we embed a real-time, branded calendar directly into your website. Visitors can: See your availability Book a free intro call (or paid session) Get a confirmation instantly And you? You get more bookings without lifting a finger.