A few weeks ago I shaved my head. It's the most liberating thing I've ever done.
Today, as I re-buzzed it down to nothing, it occurred to me that shaving my head is a kind of self care for me. When it gets "too long" (a mere fuzz!) I can just buzz it all away -- buzz away that unnecessary extra -- the fluff -- the unwanted. (Sorry, hair. Love you.)
After a long day at work, shaving my head was as much of a relief as hopping into the hot shower afterwards. Shave it all away, wash it all away...
In that vein, here are ten of my favorite self-care treats.
- Shaving my head
- A hot cup of a new flavor of tea
- Snuggling with my cats while reading a book
- Working through the questions in Jennifer Louden's "The Comfort Queen's Guide to Life"
- Eyes closed, headphones on, music blasting (Mahler, anyone?)
- Sitting down to play piano, just to play. Not to practice, not to write, just to play and feel the weight of the keys under my fingers.
- A trip to the library, coming home with a stack of books. Maybe a stop by the coffee shop.
- "Dressing up" and taking a cute selfie
- Inner child artwork -- coloring, making a messy painting or scribble drawing. I'm no artist, but I love my crayons!
- Pinterest. Lots of social media can bring out the green-eyed comparison monster, but there's something very soothing about scrolling through recipes, crafts, gardening ideas, or pretty dresses.
- Bonus: This time of year, I love gift shopping for my friends!