With the dawn of every New Year, there are millions of wishes from all over the world for supernatural powers to change personal and professional lives for the better.

But rather than going by traditions of opening doors and windows wide open to usher good fortune, or piling up the dinner table with every round produce available in the grocery store, these hopeful folks should be told that there is a specific kind of power they need to channel good vibes and become successful in their endeavors. It’s called “The Power of Appearance.”

“Our appearance can and does have a profound effect on our self-esteem, confidence, relationships and future prospects,” Monet Ibañez, marketing manager of John Robert Powers (JRP) told The Manila Times.

The Power of Appearance, though, cannot be wished for but has to be worked on. It is achieved through physical and mental preparation—from learning how to dress and even how to speak—that will surely boost one’s self-esteem and confidence.

In this way, one can make positive and lasting impressions on others, which is a key in succeeding in the work place or even in a social circle.

“Once you begin to make changes on your appearance—even small ones such as different hairstyle, a new pair of glasses or even trying a fashionable color—you will begin to experience the effects these changes can have on other people’s perception of you,” Ibañez elaborated.

She added that dressing up or experimenting with a new look every now and then should not be associated with vanity or self-centeredness. Image in this day and age plays a very important role in reaching one’s goals.

“We at JRP are here to help people become the best they can be,” Ibañez continued, “and we have done so for many years. In fact, we have continuously kept up with international and national standards in formulating comprehensive and customized modules to help our students develop more positive personalities and image projection so that they can achieve their full potential.”

Among JRP’s tried and tested modules for its Imaging Series are Power Dressing, Image Make-Over, Visual Poise and Body Alignment, and a host of other components that are geared to improve a student’s communication skills.

Other courses that are being offered at JRP also include Basic Personality Development Program, Integrated Image Enhancement, Skills Integration and Development Workshop, Skills Advancement and Career Application Workshop, Lifetime Executive and Celebrity Program, English Learning Program and Corporate Workshops.

At the end of every course, JRP guarantees that its students have acquired communication, leadership, and social skills.

“Our students come from different age groups and backgrounds— from elementary school children to professionals, models, celebrities and even politicians. We are passionately dedicated to our role in the transformation process of our students,” Ibañez assured.

So no matter what horoscopes or fortune tellers say, only we can make 2013 “our” year. Success begins from within—overcoming our insecurities so that we can confidently take on whatever the New Year may bring us.

For more information on JRP, visit 4/F Casmer Building, 195 Salcedo St., Makati City or call 892 -9511.