I shaved my head during quarantine 2020. While this might seem unusual to some, it turned out to be a trend during quarantine.
Why did I want a shaved head?
I did it in mid April 2020 about a month after my world turned upside down. I’m sure many of you experienced a similar shake up/wake up around the same time. In the middle of March last year my husband’s work closed its doors, my state went into shelter in place lockdown, I was laid off, and we lost one of our beloved pets in the span of 4 days.
It felt like such a dark time, and I wish I could say I adjusted to the curveballs gracefully, but I really didn’t. I withdrew. I shrunk back into myself where I thought it might feel safer, and I’m still in the process of coming back out.
Why I did it:
I’ve had short hair a few times in my life. Short hair is one of those external things that gives me a lot internally. I find that when there’s no hair on my shoulders, around my neck, covering my ears, framing my face, or sitting on top of my head I feel exposed and at the same time more brave.
Once I could breathe a little bit again after last year’s changes I found myself wanting to take a first step into a new future. I had always thought about shaving my head and knew I would do it someday. With the world closed down and feeling like I had lost things that mattered a lot more to me than my hair I chose to shave it then.
In the process I did some research and found inspiration and practical advice from other women’s stories of shaving their heads. In particular I enjoyed a few of Brad Mondo’s reaction videos like this one.
Shaving off all my hair:
Thomas shaved it all and told me how much he liked it, which meant the world to me. I told him I wanted to go for a minimalist/zen vibe to represent letting go of the anguish I had around the things that happened that I can’t change.
I don’t have many pictures from this time because the last thing I felt like doing was recording myself feeling so bad, or faking anything for a camera or the internet.
Did I like my shaved head?
There were moments though where I felt badass like here in my thrifted black turtleneck.
There were moments like this one where I could see on the outside the stand I had taken on the inside to start over from where I was.
And the satisfaction and strength I see from myself here is something I will always be glad I captured even if it was done so in a smudgy mirror-selfie taken in my untidy bedroom.
I believe that when we are challenged most we have a unique opportunity to see the light in ourselves and in others. One of my friends shaved her head shortly after I did and it was so cool to know we shared that experience in these times.
If you’re interested, catch up with our other life updates.
I’m curious to know what you’re seeing in yourself in these current circumstances both communal, and personal. What fresh starts are you considering taking, or have taken already? Are there any things that you do for yourself externally that feed you internally? Would you ever shave your head? Haha!