Hi, Happy New Year! Oh my, it is really January 4th! I’m late with my wishes to you for the New Year. Better late than never, right?
How are you doing on your New Year’s resolutions? Are you keeping up with them? You’ve had 4 days to get into the groove of doing them. Or are you like me and have a longer-term goal for the year? My big goal for the new year is a definitely a slow-moving target. Going grayciously gray doesn’t happen in one day. That’s a fact, Jack!
But, I’m really okay with that. My gray hairs of wisdom have taught me over the years not to expect too much of myself just because a new year is starting. Sorry folks, believe it or not, nothing magical happens on January 1st that changes us into people with superpowers who can miraculously do every item on our resolution list. We don’t change that quickly, let alone in one day! Remember, we’ve had 365 + days to practice not doing so in the first place.
I did hope to or want to be more faithful and blog daily. For some habits to change, I know daily practice is important, but so are many other things in life. It is day 4 and I’ve already not met that wish list item! So much for sticking to that resolution for the new year?! Oh, but wait, I knew better than that! I didn’t want to set myself up for failure so early in the year!! Like I said, it was a potential item on my list for the year. I will get there, just not in the first month.
Wow – jeez – um – well, not a very motivating message so far is it? Or is it? Maybe this should be called the curmudgeon approach to New Year’s resolutions? The slow progression of going gray naturally, which by the way, isn’t totally in my control, hair grows at its own pace and it can be slow! There are definitely days of curmudgeonly getting by with a crappy attitude. I know I can control how I respond or deal with it, but that doesn’t change the fact some things you just have to wait and grow into rather than see immediate results. If you want to read a motivational book about curmudgeon thoughts, this book is full of tidbits! The Portable Curmudgeon.
Wait…time to get back on track…where was I going with this post? Oh yeah, here I am at 16 weeks post decision to stop coloring. 
There’s really no hiding the gray around my face now, as slow as it seems to be growing, it is time to embrace it and go with it. I’m very excited about the salt and pepper coloring. I’m feeling a bit more independent in my decision, and you know what, that is pretty fun most days!
Reminds me a bit of being a teenager at 16. There is a sense of new-found freedom. Remember what it is like to be able to jump in a car and go places without your parents? It is so much fun to just do things independently. That time in life was a bit scary too.
I’m getting more comments from people like, “So, are you growing your hair out?” or “Oh, yeah, um…gray is the new in color they say, but not for me” or, “my _____ (female figure) would never do that” or the old faithful response of simply polite silence.
No lying, I did have a few moments of panic as I got ready for family gatherings and holiday festivities. But, after a few deep breaths, adding a hair clip or two, I made it through the holidays and even family picture time.
“If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly. – G.K. Chesterton
I stayed strong despite the fears of judgment. My family is awesome and supportive, but deep down we all still have moments of “My oh my, should this really be happening?” But, I knew I wasn’t going to break and call my hairdresser. I’m sticking to my commitment. I’ve come too far to break down now. I know this adventure can be done. It can be done. It can be done. Persistence is needed.
Just like our New Year’s resolutions, we humans actually do accomplish action items, especially when we have decided to accomplish them regardless of our ability to do so or not. So I didn’t start on January 1st, I started way back in September. 16 weeks ago!
Even though I’ve decided not to buy into the hype of the New Year resolutions. Going gray all year-long is a big deal. If you’re starting out this year with the same goal, you can see 16 weeks is possible.
Whether you’re starting today, or started earlier or going to start later, it requires action on our part. There will be days of skepticism, being a curmudgeon and doing a really crappy job at doing what we set out to do.
Action: the last resource of those who know not how to dream. – Oscar Wilde
We can be inspired by people who have been there done that and gone gray. We can be proud of ourselves for sticking to our commitment to do something we want to do. We can do so too with an ounce or two of admiration for those who have chosen grandiose type goals for the new year on the 1st of the year. More power to all of us for choosing positive changes in our lives.
Admiration, n. Our polite recognition of another’s resemblance to ourselves. – Ambrose Bierce
Thanks for stopping by. I’d love to hear your thoughts on New Year’s resolutions! If you’ve chosen going gray as a change for the new year, I’d love to hear how it is going for you too! Good graycious – 2017 is going to be loads of fun and a much lighter year for sure!!
