Meeting my new boss

Tomorrow I am meeting my new boss.  The last time I had to do this was near my peak weight of over 400 pounds.  That first moment of impression the last time was heart-breaking.  I had worked with the old boss for a while on the phone but I could tell he wasn't prepared for my appearance and it took him a while to get passed that.  This time will be different.

Last time I was wearing a tent of a shirt that was a 5x body and a size 20 neck.  Last night I bought medium dress shirts with 15 1/2 inch necks.  For the first time in a long time, my tie sits where it should on my neck and not with a gaping neck line.  I tried on some of my old ties but they were all "extra long" and before, that meant "just a little short".  Now extra long ties hang WAY too far down..so new ties were in order too.  My pants size before was a tight 62 and tomorrow I'll be sporting a reasonable 38 inch waist.  For the first time in my professional career I won't be hampered by a bad impression on first sight.  How wild is that?

Now that my body is getting in shape I just have to exhibit confidence and focus on our interaction.  So very different than working to recover from my nerves about my appearance.  Its been so long since I was this size that I hardly know how to present myself at a more normal weight.  Hopefully I'll get my head around it before tomorrow but I wanted to share with you guys.  This surgery affects EVERYTHING.

Terry

That is fantastic Terry. Enjoy the successes that you have worked so hard for. God bless.

Thanks Mimi

Wonderful!  Sometimes it helps to practice in front of the mirror.  I do that sometimes when I have a presentation or will be meeting people.  Especially if I know exactly what the topics are that will be discussed.  It gives me a chance to kind of "listen to myself" and know if I'm blathering, or if I'm being concise.  I think about the kind of things we'd cover, and go over the aspects and any obvious questions.

You'll be great!

Thanks for the suggestion.  I'm working a presentation deck as we speak.  That usually calms me down.  I'm actually pretty good at public speaking...its the one on one that gets to me.  I'm a pretty extreme introvert but most people in business don't see that in me (good at covering).  Still, I've been looking in that mirror too.  hahaha.  I thought it might help my nerves to share with my peeps on here.  And it has!

Best of luck!  You look good, you have new clothes that fit well, you are prepared -- all those things build confidence!  I bet you'll wow the guy!

CONGRATULATIONS Terry on fantastic losses! All that newfound confidence will show more than you realize. You'll do great and feel great doing it! Sometimes the tape measure is so much more validating than the scale. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Thanks Gale!

What an amazing accomplishment.  In the professional world being a big person can be so difficult.  I know from the interview process how horrible you felt.  I was lucky I found a place that looked past that.  Most don't...and we do have to live with that judgment....well not anymore!  Congrats to you!

Thanks Happie.  I've been very successful in the organization in which I work and feel fortunate that they have supported me through thick and (not very) thin.  New management has just come into play now though and every foot hold is important.  Taking this burden off my back is one of the main reasons I had the surgery.  This is my first time to really test out the result and it is exciting.