Of Make-up habits

I worked for a football academy for seven years and my dress code, for about 90% of the time, was tracks, t-shirts and sneakers, and I loved it! I had never seen myself as a girly girl dress up kinda chic. I had been a tomboy growing up and this job fit well with what I was sure was my personality. I dressed up once in a while and put on make-up and yes, I looked amazing, lol, but it was a rare thing. Funny enough at some point of my young life I did say I would love a job where I could where track pants or jeans all day…. Power of the tongue and all. That was the height, at least in my mind of an informal workplace. I found make up whole unnecessary and hard to do.

Anyway, fast forward, after the seven years, I move to my current organization and I am the new receptionist which means I am the first contact for people coming to the school. My momma had instilled in me over many years that it matters how you dress and how you show up. So, I did a full 180, I got tailor made outfits, got my contact lenses prescription renewed and learnt a little more about doing make-up. And there I was for the year I was a receptionist always looking sharp. Make-up became a part of my everyday life. Even as I transitioned into the role of an Executive Assistant away from the front desk, I kept and began to love it, it became a part of me. Wake up, get dressed sharp and put on make-up. However, on weekends I do not put on make-up, give my skin a break and all that.

So, couple of months ago, I met a colleague on the weekend and she said “wow! Wendy, you have such beautiful skin, I don’t think I have ever seen you without make up. Why don’t you spend more time at work just like this? Simple, no make-up?” And my reflexive answer was “No I can’t do that, gotta spruce up a little you know” and we had a chat about a few things and we each went our way. Some context, this lovely lady with whom I had this convo wears no make-up at all, for as long as I have known her, she is very simple yet still very classy. It wasn’t until a week later that I reflected on that convo and it hit me, something that was a by-the-way thing had now become something I couldn’t imagine work day to day without.

It got me thinking, how many things in our lives are just this? Things that seem like they don’t really matter but through sheer habit become part of our daily lives? Small things, small seemingly irrelevant habits, that sort of just creep in? They could be good, but mostly they are bad…… They seem effortless or easy to do even though they end costing so much more in the long run……a cigarette here, a drink there, gossip by the water cooler here, skip an exercise day there, not praying today, telling a white lie……

How much more could we get done if we got more mindful about everything, that we do each day? Especially so with the small decisions, because it is those small decisions, those small choices, that make some of the biggest differences in our lives. Every minute we have is a blessing, one that won’t ever come back our way, make it count!

I think I’ll keep my make-up habit but I’ll be more aware and more conscious of why I do it and remind myself that I am just as beautiful with no sprucing up 😉

What habits do you think you should reflect on?