So when I said I was ending the Three On Thursday link up . . . I didn’t mean I was ending Three On Thursday all together. This week I’m sharing three random things . . .
- Do you do hair math? That thing where you figure out which days you need your hair to look it’s best and then decide which days you will be washing it based on that? When I was younger, I washed my hair every day but I haven’t done that for years now. Between aging, having longer hair (and no bangs), and dry shampoo, I only need to wash my hair 2-3 times/week. Sometimes the hair math works in my favor and sometimes . . . not so much. I clearly spend way too much time thinking about this.
- I’ve told you before that I write in a gratitude journal every morning, right after I brush my teeth but before I’ve had my coffee. Because I use a habit tracker, I can tell you that I have done this for 1,243 days in a row. I’ve started thinking of it as more of a good things list rather than a gratitude list, however. I’m grateful for all the good things that happen to me so it feels perfectly appropriate and it makes it easier to track. I really enjoy flipping back through my gratitude journal and reading what I’ve written, those lists spark great memories.
- I’m heading to Boston tomorrow for a conference this weekend. I know it will be fun and informative and it still stresses me out. I have anticipatory anxiety about traveling to get there (I’ve preordered my Uber and allowed for plenty of time but still . . . ), eating alone at lunch, finding my way around, basically all of my junior high social anxiety reaches a peak when it comes to this stuff. And yet I do it anyway. Go figure.
And that’s all I have for you this Thursday. Make it a great day!
I’m jealous! I want to go to Boston ?
My son just went back yesterday for spring semester. I love shopping on Newbury street
I hope you have a fabulous weekend!
I just started my gratitude journal. I hope I stick with it. Have a great weekend.
I think it’s “good” when we challenge ourselves and do things anyway . . . even when we’d rather not. I hope you have a great experience at the conference, and that your anxiety melts away once it gets rolling. (I also think it’s great that you’re recognizing the anticipatory stuff and naming it. That goes a long way to figuring out how to manage it.) XO (And “hair math.” That cracks me up.) 🙂
I am nodding in agreement with Kym! It is so good to challenge ourselves and do that which is upsetting, because I generally find that there are dozens (if not more) people who were worried about the same things as me… and suddenly we have forged new connections, we can laugh in solidarity at our worries, and then enjoy the festivities with a burden lifted!
And Hair Math… I was NEVER good at math but… I have found the best work around for miscalculating hair math… a hair tie. It is the gods answer to all of us who failed that test on a morning when we need it. Messy bun to the rescue! 🙂
No hair math here (but you do you)! I often have anxiety about things like that, but I also often find that I’m having a very good time once I’m in the swing of the event. If I remember correctly this might be a librarian’s conference. They’re friendly people, almost as friendly as knitters (and I know that some of them are knitters). Hope you have a great time!
Eating alone at lunch is a choice. There’s probably someone else there dreading that too. Maybe look around and if you see someone else by themself ask if you can join them (assuming this is some sort of food hall where your meeting is. Or offer a seat to someone looking around for a place to sit. Once I started looking at awkward moments by myself as a chance to make someone else feel welcome I found myself feeling more in control of the situation.
Oh have fun in Boston! Hope the conference goes well. I really don’t like gong to restaurants alone…but I’ve done it and survived. I think Vicki (https://www.knitorious.life/) is going to Boston with her sister…not sure if it is this weekend or not. I’m glad you are still doing 3 on Thursday. I definitely fall into the whole Hair Math thing and I agree with Kat about a messy bun or ponytail for those days when my math failed. The messy bun and ponytail are also what are sort of keeping me from cutting my hair really short (again).
Sending all the good vibes for tomorrow’s trip! I got to really enjoy solo travel, especially having a room all to myself, enjoying a glass of wine at the bar and talking to strangers (a very different vibe than the conversations I usually have), and reading a book or writing in my journal over a meal. Enjoy!!
I still have to wash my hair every day (especially on the days I have a sweaty workout), so no hair math for me yet, though I consider how much effort, if any, I have to put into styling it on any given day. Does that count?
I hope you have a fabulous time on your trip! Those kind of experiences always make me a bit nervous, but I’ve never once regretted any of them.
Yes to hair math! I used to wash my hair every day for the perfect blow dry, but that went to every other day a few years ago, and now I can even squeeze an extra day past that. It may not *feel* particularly clean, but it looks great.
Anticipatory anxiety: Oh yes. I go to a lot of knitting conferences. At first it was hard if I didn’t know anyone (and being a teacher I meet a lot of people but don’t really know them, and don’t usually recognize a past student), but I’ve learned to just roll with it. Lots of people are also feeling the same way, so we all just invite each other to lunch/dinner!
Have a great time at your conference!
I do hair math now that I’m older – so nice not to have to wash it everyday!! I can totally relate to the anticipatory anxiety. Finding my way in to Boston to meet my daughter at the Boch Center for Dancing with the Stars caused me a great deal of anxiety before I met up with her, but I did it and it was a great show!
I’ve never heard it called “hair math” but I do it nearly every week!!
I used to travel alone for work. If I didn’t go out to eat alone, I would never have a good meal. I would always take a book with me (and still do!) It keeps me from having to figure out where to look!
I moved from Chelmford, MA, to TN in October – I really miss Boston!
Hope the conference is going well. I can totally relate to anticipatory anxiety — it’s real! I do know that if it’s a library conference, you’ll be around your people just as you are at knitting event. So, deep breath and onward. <3