My quarantine has been an interesting time for me. I have spent a lot of it organizing my stuff, my life, and my daily routine. I have developed a wonderful self-care program that helps center and ground me and prepares me for each day.
I have also shaved my head.
A la Britney Spears, circa 2007, I took a razor to my own head a few weeks ago.
I was feeling weighed down, heavy, and burdened. A lot of it was emotional, but as I began to take stock of my life and where I was, I realized that I needed a change. Waking every day and not feeling happy about what I saw in the mirror wasn’t what I wanted (or needed) while navigating a pandemic.
So I took the electric razor and a mirror outside and buzzed it all off.
It felt so freeing. I felt ALIVE.
And now I’ve maintained it. I do a trim about once a week, keep up the longer part in the middle with scissors, and that’s it.
No more styling. No more hair supplies.
No more bad hair days.
I can go swimming and not worry about my hair.
I can roll out of bed and get dressed, no time needed on my head.
I am free.
It has been an incredibly liberating process. I removed my hair, but with it came years of shame, and regret, and patriarchal ideals of beauty.
So Britney, I get it now. I totally do.