I went to a ‘proper’ barber last year and it changed the way I thought about self care. For the record I’ve had plenty of haircuts and in between there was about 15 years of long hair. But I’d only ever really had haircuts. I had a cutthroat shave in Turkey one time but I’d never gone the whole hog and had the full treatment. And then one day I did.
It might sound stupid but it took me a long time to do something that made me look and feel good. That trip to the barbers was the first time and all of a sudden a heap of things made sense. Hairdressers and dyes and waxing and all those beauty treatments weren’t such a foreign genre. I sat in a chair and got trimmed, shaved, primped and preened. I walk out looking and feeling better than when I went in.
Self care is not something I’ve ever engaged in. I run till I’m empty and I continue on till I’m broken. In 40 years I’ve barely stopped and stood still let alone taken time out to run diagnostics and repairs. Like a rider in the Tour I’ll take on a feed bag and continue riding. Need patching up? It was running repairs – doctor leaning out of the car as I kept riding.
I’ve got to stop though. I’m finding it harder and harder to switch off. I’m starting to feel it more than ever – I’m getting tired and worn out. I need more than a haircut, although it does help.
Self care is something I need to practice more – and that I need to ensure I make time and space for.
Heart | Soul | Machine 