I am an introvert…
This may come across as an odd statement for a hairdresser to make – especially for one that sees 60 to 90 guests within a month. It is also a remarkable statement for one that teaches and has presented a “hair collection” to a room full of peers. However it is a 100% factual statement. Happiness to me is when I get to spend an hour (or two or three) alone with myself. I don’t mean to sound like a hermit and the one to three-hour thing is VERY rare, however time by myself has always been how I recharge my batteries. It enables me to clearly think, plan and create. Quiet alone time is also how I write these very blogs! I have difficulty concentrating if there is bedlam and business going on around me.
I believe I have mentioned it before, but I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions. I find them a bit too easy to break. I instead believe you should be intentional about goals. This year one of my goals is to take more time for myself. I didn’t even think about it as a goal until I received a very gracious gift of one extra paid vacation day to utilize this year. Along with the gift was a note from my amazing boss babe about how 2019 was the realization of how important time was. At the very end of 2019 with all the chaotic flurry that is the holidays, I realized how much that note and that gift resonated with me. 2020 has begun in the very same way that 2019 has ended – with many irons in the fire (translation: BUSY BUSY BUSY).
Take time and take care
I realize time is an extremely precious commodity for all of us. Everyone leads a very full life. There are other responsibilities we have in our lives – individuals that need care (young and old), housing, automobiles, animals, businesses and the like. Yet, what good are we at juggling all those things if we don’t have moments alone to ourselves? I’m not speaking about taking hours upon hours or even a full day (because let’s face it even time off isn’t ever really time OFF) but just setting aside a little time to individually gather our thoughts.
It can be as simple as:
- Closing the door in the bathroom and taking a leisurely bath or shower (With some of your favorite Aveda products ::wink:: we won’t worry about water conservation just yet)
- Getting up before everyone else and having some coffee or tea (my fave)
- Closing your office door and “taking 5”
- A nap (another fave)
- Reading a chapter in a book
- Journaling
- Sketching/doodling
- Taking yourself on a field trip (ie. Somewhere new that you haven’t been before – how far away is your choice)
- Creating a pamper routine – giving yourself a mini facial, a pedicure, a manicure or getting a massage
This year I’m embracing my inner introvert and treating her to some R&R. I haven’t completely decided what that looks like (maybe it will be traveling abroad again or perhaps it will be discovering something new in my own backyard) yet, fifteen days into January, I’m going to look for ways to make it happen. And I hope you make it happen for yourself as well.
