The Valuable Lesson I Learned At The Nail Salon
Today I went to get my nails done. I was really excited for this moment of self-care. You see, I haven’t gotten my nails done in a long time for multiple reasons. I have been doing my own nails regularly mainly as a cost savings and also as a time savings.
Now, this was not how I used to be!
In fact, I religiously got my nails done weekly. I never missed a week. When gel manicures were introduced, I went every two weeks.
But I never missed an appointment.
To me, having your nails painted is like an extension of your outfit. They should always look manicured, neat and stylish.
I still feel this way.
But after my 2nd daughter was born, something shifted in me. I started to find that I couldn’t really relax and enjoy myself the way I used to. I always found myself feeling anxious, looking at the clock and wondering when it was going to finish so I could move on with my day.
Why is it that something that used to bring me so much joy, had now suddenly become a source of anxiety for me?
I chalked it up to little babies and lack of time and sleep.
But today, I went to the salon and should have fully enjoyed my time in the pedicure and manicure chair. I should have been able to relax knowing that I had plenty of time. My kids were in school for several hours.
Instead, I was a ball of anxiety!
I kept thinking, “OK, if I finish here by 10:15 then I can run to this place and then this place and still get home in time to do this, before I get the girls.”
Then it became, “OK, if I finish here at 10:30, I can get there by 10:45…..”and you can imagine how the story went in my head.
And THEN, because I had been on my phone the entire time, my battery was down to 10%.
Cue the increase in stress!
Why? I have no idea. What could possibly happen if my phone died? Really nothing. I could charge it in the car when I left. Yet, here I was, so anxious.
Anyone else ever work themselves up like this?
Truth be told, those things I “had to do” were really just errands that could have been done before or after school pick-up.
There was no life or death consequence for me to get out of the nail salon at any certain time.
So while I was sitting there feeling super anxious, I started to think about how unfair I was being to myself.
I was robbing myself of a chance to relax and enjoy something that is meant to be a source of joy!
This “self-care” we all speak of, it was right there in my lap.
Yet I couldn’t seem to let myself just be in the moment.
I decided to do some research when I got home from the salon. Basically, I wanted to see what I (and maybe you too, if you can relate to this story) can do to stay in the moment.
Here are some interesting strategies I discovered for us:
- Use the key phrase: “Now I am”. I thought this was a great little trick for helping us focus. If we say to ourselves, “Now I am getting a manicure” it helps to keep us centered on what is happening in the moment, as it actually happens. This phrase can help prevent us from allowing our minds to drift. We put ourselves in the “now” simply by saying the word!
- Tap into your senses. To slow down and stay present, take notice of what you see, smell, hear, feel or taste in your experience. Savor your food or enjoy the feeling of warm water on your feet. Getting in tune with your senses is a great way to channel your energy into what is right before you.
- Detach from your phone. So I feel like this is a no brainer. And probably a good reason why I was feeling anxious during my salon visit. The phone is a major distraction and if you are constantly checking emails or worse, social media, you will miss everything happening around you. Allow yourself to have a minute and the experience without bringing in the outside world.
- Pause between transitions. I thought this was fascinating. Before moving onto the next task, stop and take in what you just did, how you felt and what you saw around you. Reflection helps you to neatly put that task away and focus on something new with all of your energy. Basically think of it as boxing up the experience and putting it on shelf. Once it’s been properly put away, you can turn to your attention to the next project.
- Set an Intention before each activity. I really like this idea. Had I gone into the nail salon telling myself that for the next hour and half I was going to relax, I feel like I would have had a much different experience in the moment!
After I read all of these articles and thought more about these tactics it all boiled down to this for me.
Mindfulness.
Being mindful of what we are doing in the moment, what we are saying to ourselves and how we are approaching our daily activities is the difference between living life and thriving in life.
I don’t know about you guys, but I am ready to lessen my anxiety and increase my joy so I am definitely going to give these tactics a whirl!
Now obviously as busy moms we all need to multi-task at times. But not every time. So next time you are feeling like you are running through your list and not truly enjoying the moment, try a few of these tactics and see if it helps!
Because a happy mom and wife, makes for a happy family and home.
And remember ladies, you’re not fully dressed until you sparkle!
