Bad Hair Day

When life is turned upside down for any reason—losing a job, having children, getting a divorce, moving across the country—I tend to think that’s the perfect time for some drastic change. I mean, I went from too busy to exercise, eat, and sleep to going to the gym in the morning, working on some things that are important to me (not my employer), taking a nap in the afternoon, and having time to write this blog in the daylight hours. I’m not sure things could have changed much more!

Last week (pre-layoff), I made a hair appointment. Just the typical trim-a-little-off-the-ends trip. But when someone handed me my life on a platter, I searched for something—anything—that I could control! So I went to see the girl who does my hair, and I told her to chop it. For those of you who know me well, you know that I have always had and probably in all likelihood should always have long hair. So this may come as a bit of a shock. But after much back-and-forth with Steph and assuring her that it is “just hair and will grow back, I promise,” I got what I wanted. (Well, not exactly what I wanted: I wanted to dye it black, but my mom was with me, and she’d have none of that!)

As I walked out of the salon about a pound lighter and my hair eight inches shorter, I wasn’t sure I’d made the right decision. I cried a little bit, and my mom reassured me it looked fabulous (that’s what mom’s are supposed to do, so that doesn’t offer much comfort). My daughter happily played with the new do but looked at me as if I might be someone different than she’s known for the past two years. My dad said nothing.

I haven’t shown the new “me” to friends yet (though I told a girlfriend on the phone this morning what I’d done, and she seemed in complete disbelief), and I haven’t decided whether I’m gonna start growing my hair back out today or keep the new look. But I know that I made the right decision. Taking control of your life is important. So many of us are stuck in this “machine” with others dictating when and where, how and why. Although there’s not always much that can be done about that right away, the one thing that each and every one of us can do is take control of our own destinies. Getting my hair cut off was the first step for me. Whether I keep the bob or grow out my locks (yet again), I know I’m now on the right road and that something great is just around the corner.

(Picture to come just as soon as I can get my camera cord back from the former employer.)