I just wrote a new "About Westwoods" post and decided after trying to summarize our life and the changes our lives have made, that there is something very startling about our family picture compared to the old one that was on my page for the past three years, and that maybe I should do a post about some personal changes to my appearance.
This post is for my girl audience only. Not that I know of any men that read my blog...but just saying, this could be a bit boring for you.
In the last four years or so you may have noticed my hair color and my weight gain. Or maybe you didn't but I thought I'd tell you about it anyway. I also thought I'd share a few personal ideas about health and beauty and overall self care.
this is me currently...
and this was 2017
When I was nearing the age of forty, the same year I started my school teaching stint, I made yet another valiant effort to reach my goal weight, to be fit and toned, and to be brave to life's challenges. I preached sermons to myself about not being one of those women who let themselves go, to not get so "mature" that I would get lazy about plucking, shaving, or exercising.
And I won and I lost. I did not stay toned. I had to stop going to Curves because of funds and time. Instead I took walks as often as I could and taught P.E. classes every Monday to my students, only if I'm honest, it was my throat that got sore from yelling out directions more than my legs from running with the kids. I chose quiet neighborhood walks over resistance training because it was cost effective and mind calming.
I was not lazy about clipping, plucking, or shaving, but I discovered when you have a full time job if you don't find the time for those things on the weekend you will suddenly find a chin hair on a early Wed morning as you brush your teeth and by the time you are finished brushing your teeth you have forgotten about said chin hair because you must not be late for work and someone needs in the bathroom...so you forget. Until later in the day a student might point it out. That didn't happen. But one time a student did comment on my stray eyebrow hairs that needed plucking.
Never mind the problem of gray/white hair. I started coloring my hair when I was in my early twenties because of so much gray shining through. I figured if I didn't color it as naturally as I could I would draw more attention to myself by growing gray prematurely. My husband agreed. One more good reason to color.
But what a pain. And so much unsolicited advice from those who had not gone before me, yet knew what they would do if they were to gray prematurely.
Anyway, about age forty I grew weary of keeping up with it every two to three weeks. Again it came down to cost, time, and health. I could not feel like it was a good thing to dump those chemicals on my head that often and I did need all my brain cells for my job.
I never did get my husband's understanding. He still thinks I should try to look as young as I am. This is one point we split ways. I think in time he will like my hoary head as much as he does my charming personality. Also, I think around the age of forty you just can't quite believe how you got there, so there is denial about all that kind of thing.
So what I think about health and self care is that it is important. But that brushing your teeth and smiling and reading your Bible and strolling in your walks is more important than plucking hairs and resistance training. I think that sometimes you have to prioritize what needs care the most. Is it your soul that needs fed? Does your body need more stress and activity or does it need a rest? Is your brain and mind anxious or fevered with worry?
Maybe you need to learn how to meditate on the Word of God, but maybe you need to see a doctor and get a prescription for your mind to be able to calm down. Maybe you need to relearn about health and nutrition because as your body ages your methods or ideas about staying fit and healthy may need to change too.
Most importantly, never stop or give up. Now that I am done with teaching school I finally have time to re-educate myself on all these things and it can be more important than it was the past four years.
Oh, and one more thing, women should like and want to self care. God made us to be beautiful, attractive beings for a reason. He also gave us the desire to nurture and make things beautiful. We like cozy, comfy, and fluffy because we were made that way. So don't be one of those harsh, rough edged women that think it's immature and selfish to work on our softer, feminine side.
Now go make yourself gorgeous, Baby.
This post is for my girl audience only. Not that I know of any men that read my blog...but just saying, this could be a bit boring for you.
In the last four years or so you may have noticed my hair color and my weight gain. Or maybe you didn't but I thought I'd tell you about it anyway. I also thought I'd share a few personal ideas about health and beauty and overall self care.
When I was nearing the age of forty, the same year I started my school teaching stint, I made yet another valiant effort to reach my goal weight, to be fit and toned, and to be brave to life's challenges. I preached sermons to myself about not being one of those women who let themselves go, to not get so "mature" that I would get lazy about plucking, shaving, or exercising.
And I won and I lost. I did not stay toned. I had to stop going to Curves because of funds and time. Instead I took walks as often as I could and taught P.E. classes every Monday to my students, only if I'm honest, it was my throat that got sore from yelling out directions more than my legs from running with the kids. I chose quiet neighborhood walks over resistance training because it was cost effective and mind calming.
I was not lazy about clipping, plucking, or shaving, but I discovered when you have a full time job if you don't find the time for those things on the weekend you will suddenly find a chin hair on a early Wed morning as you brush your teeth and by the time you are finished brushing your teeth you have forgotten about said chin hair because you must not be late for work and someone needs in the bathroom...so you forget. Until later in the day a student might point it out. That didn't happen. But one time a student did comment on my stray eyebrow hairs that needed plucking.
Never mind the problem of gray/white hair. I started coloring my hair when I was in my early twenties because of so much gray shining through. I figured if I didn't color it as naturally as I could I would draw more attention to myself by growing gray prematurely. My husband agreed. One more good reason to color.
But what a pain. And so much unsolicited advice from those who had not gone before me, yet knew what they would do if they were to gray prematurely.
Anyway, about age forty I grew weary of keeping up with it every two to three weeks. Again it came down to cost, time, and health. I could not feel like it was a good thing to dump those chemicals on my head that often and I did need all my brain cells for my job.
I never did get my husband's understanding. He still thinks I should try to look as young as I am. This is one point we split ways. I think in time he will like my hoary head as much as he does my charming personality. Also, I think around the age of forty you just can't quite believe how you got there, so there is denial about all that kind of thing.
So what I think about health and self care is that it is important. But that brushing your teeth and smiling and reading your Bible and strolling in your walks is more important than plucking hairs and resistance training. I think that sometimes you have to prioritize what needs care the most. Is it your soul that needs fed? Does your body need more stress and activity or does it need a rest? Is your brain and mind anxious or fevered with worry?
Maybe you need to learn how to meditate on the Word of God, but maybe you need to see a doctor and get a prescription for your mind to be able to calm down. Maybe you need to relearn about health and nutrition because as your body ages your methods or ideas about staying fit and healthy may need to change too.
Most importantly, never stop or give up. Now that I am done with teaching school I finally have time to re-educate myself on all these things and it can be more important than it was the past four years.
Oh, and one more thing, women should like and want to self care. God made us to be beautiful, attractive beings for a reason. He also gave us the desire to nurture and make things beautiful. We like cozy, comfy, and fluffy because we were made that way. So don't be one of those harsh, rough edged women that think it's immature and selfish to work on our softer, feminine side.
Now go make yourself gorgeous, Baby.
Love this. Very true. And great challenge.
ReplyDeleteYou should hear my youngest daughter oohing and aahing over lovely gray hair. And now you are in style. I see high school students and young 20's who have obviously done something to their hair to make it gray. :)
ReplyDelete