Day Sixty of lockdown and I have attempted something I’ve never done before: cut my own hair.
An ace procrastinator at the best of times I can always be relied upon to find something more distracting: checking my Twitter feed, trying to book a delivery slot, working on my next manuscript. Wait, shouldn’t that last task have been top of the list?
Anyway, in the early days of self-isolation my locks were well-tamed but, as the days progressed, they became more unkempt. When I had to resort to bulldog clips to keep my hair out of my eyes I knew that the time had come.
I researched how to do it and the things to avoid, particularly clichés like ‘short and curlies.’ I read widely, watched YouTube videos, and took inspiration from the example of others. I listened to the experts and gained support from my peers. ‘Send us pictures,’ they pleaded. I realised then, that it was like writing my first novel. I cast off the self-doubt and took the plunge. It wasn’t easy. In fact it made me sweaty, anxious, and cross-eyed, especially when it came to cutting my fringe. The result is not perfect but maybe my second attempt will be better. I’ve learned so much, and now it’s out there for all to see (both my book- available online- and my hair- at a social distance). What’s important to me is that I persevered, had faith in myself, and pushed myself way out of my comfort zone until I had completed what I set out to achieve. So, if you’ve been holding back from a project and now have the space, the time and the circumstances that allow you to progress, just do it. Good luck. I have no regrets.
P.S. Here, in true psychological thriller style, is a picture of the end result.
