I recently discovered that I have a 5 o’clock shadow first thing in the morning- immediately after shaving??!? I am not sure if it is due to COVID, and the amount of time my face is covered with a mask, or if it is because I am aging and my eyesight isn’t what it used to be, but I suspect that this has been going on for quite some time! I have lived through the 80s, where the Don Johnson bristled look was popular, but this was not something I was actively striving for. I have mentioned in previous articles that I tend to be thrifty (okay, down right cheap) and I should have recognized that my electric razer needed to be replaced months or even years ago. But here we are.
I like my razer. I looked at getting a new top and blade for the razer, and the price was not that much less than getting a brand new razer. But the rechargeable battery was recharging well, and there was no reason it needed to be in a landfill somewhere, so I paid the big bucks for the part I needed, and the razer now works like a charm! Of course you won’t see my smooth skin under my mask, but it is there!!! I was even delighted to see that the new part arrived with very minimal packaging, also helpful for the environment.
Why am I talking about this in an article on wellness? Our society has shifted from a mindset of repair to replace. We purchase new appliances regularly, expecting to have to replace them years before our parents would think of replacing a similar item. Things aren’t built to last and we don’t expect them to.
When it comes to our body, we sometimes adopt the same attitude. We expect it to break down at a certain age and may not put the work in to repairing it because we expect to feel a certain level of discomfort. When my mother was in her 60s, she complained to her doctor about her right knee. He was quick to say, “What do you expect? It’s 65 years old”
She wisely pointed out to him that her left knee was also 65 years old, and it was working just fine, thank you. True, medical science has made great progress in replacing knees and hips, but nothing compares to taking care of the set you are born with. If our body is out of balance, we will put additional strain on certain areas, much like a car with bad wheel alignment will have the tire treads wear out unevenly.
As we think of doing spring cleaning and upkeep, getting our winter tires off and our all seasons balanced, let’s also remember to get our body tuned up. A spring detox, some stretching, exercise, and/or a network entrainment may keep you from needing to replace something that just needs a little maintenance.