Skip to main content

Breaking the Habit...

I walked down the street, with wind blowing up my face and my head feeling kind of light. For the first time I could feel the breeze on the back of my neck; and I loved it.

My friend had come to pick me up, and he said "Not bad". I went home and my roommate took a few seconds to react. She said, "It's Okay". After almost 15 minutes, she said "You know, I am kind of getting used to it now. It looks fine. You carry it well". 

And everyone I met afterwards had a reaction; "Why in world did you do it?", "It's you, so it's okay. For someone else, it would be so horrible", "You ruined it", "You look like a school going girl" etc... etc...

I still remember my friends reaction when I told 2 months back that I wanted to do it. No one was for it, everyone tried to convince me against that thought.

Okay, alright, so much for all the suspense. What did I do? I got a Haircut. Yeah right. It's just a haircut; then what's all this fuss about. I went from long straight hair (up to my waist) to short Bob cut. Yeah, you got it now.

I have seen that hair is an invaluable asset for everyone. I can see my friends frowning when there is a hair loss or when they start graying. And especially in Indian society, there is so much of importance given to it, that its really not easy for girls/ladies to go for short hair. Now given the background, you would understand why there was so much attention around this. 


The reason I started writing this blog was to state my own experience of a makeover. How a different hairstyle can change your appearance and people's perception of you. Most of the comments I received was that I look like an Entrepreneur, a CEO, an Outlook cover page - a complete corporate look that suits me. There was no specific outlook I was looking for with this haircut. It was just another thing I felt like doing and I went for it. But the feedback I got made me feel more confident. 

I still remember how the lady in the salon was also trying to talk me out of it while shampooing my hair; and when she saw I was in no mood of going back; she started showing shoulder length hairstyles from the catalog. And I would turn the pages and point on the bob cut styles; she finally laughed and said, "You aren't going to change your mind are you? Okay then let's do it. You will see it won't look good, and then you will not go for it again". Trust me she said it, and I was like "Yeah, that's alright. They will grow back, so I really wont be missing anything". After the haircut, when I walked to the billing counter, she remarked "On second thought; this look suits you. It doesn't look so bad as I thought, and the over sized glasses that you wear spices it up". 

I have developed a habit of doing things out of my comfort zone. Things that are part of our routine gradually becomes our comfort zone - trivial things like kind of clothes we wear, music we listen, food we eat, books we read...pretty much everything eventually makes us feel that we might not be able to do anything different or rather that something different might not suit us. I believe that one should constantly evolve; there are so many new things that we haven't explored yet, that missing out on them makes me feel nervous.

Going for this haircut made me realize, that breaking away from the habit is good. And really, if you are comfortable, if you enjoy the change, the rest of the world will eventually love it too. 

Like the Linkin Park song goes "I don't know how I got this way; I know it's not alright; So I'm breaking the habit; I'm breaking the habit tonight"

-Sarita
Dated - 12th August 2015

Comments

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Saw your pic with the bob cut... looks good on you. But please grow your hair back, coz I personally don't like the bob cut, coz it reminds me of my science teacher who had one, and who used to scold me when I was little. :(



    _ Sudhanshu

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Zindagi Gulzar Hai - A feast to ones eyes!

Today I am here to make a much interesting comparison of our current Indian TV industry with our neighboring country’s television industry. Interesting because I never thought I would ever engage in watching any of the Pakistan TV series/movies or listening to their music. My disinterest in Pakistan entertainment was not because of the tensed relationship with the country. But I myself am not a big fan of TV serials. The kind of drama that is filled in Indian TV Channels today is just exhausting and tiring to watch. I hardly follow any Indian TV series. When I visit home on vacation, I join my family in watching the program they watch and that’s how I keep myself updated with what is trending in the TV industry. I love listening to music and I listen to all genres of music. I did start listening to Pakistani music since last few years and have admired their music. Strings, Fuzon,  Kaavish, Jal, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Ghulam Ali, Parveen Abida, Quratulain Baloch and many ...

My Favorite Read - 6 - The Climb by Anatoli Boukreev (and Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer)

So, now that I want to get into some serious mountaineering activities, I started with reading books on mountains. When you check for top few books on mountains the one that comes up is " Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer " followed by “  The Climb by Anatoli Boukreev" ; both based on the 1996 Everest disaster which was made quite controversial. I started with "Into Thin Air' and while I was reading, I was continuously in conflict with Jon's views. Mind you, my memory is pretty weak when it comes to remembering details of any story - whether its books or movies. I had watched few documentaries and the Everest movie based on this topic; but that was a while ago. when I started reading this book 2 weeks back, I had no background; you can say I was totally new to this story.  And yet, it was difficult for me to understand some of Jon's accusations or feelings.  But nevertheless, Jon's style of writing was amazing; he knew how to keep reader's...

Ahamasmi Yodha - My First Tattoo

I finally did it. It isn’t a great achievement to show off, but for me it’s one more item on my bucket list getting fulfilled. So I am very happy about it. What did I do? Oh like I said nothing great – I just got my FIRST Tattoo  :) My first Tattoo Artist I had done a lot of research on it since last couple of months. I wanted to get it done on my birthday, but it somehow dint work out.  For all the first timers, I wanted to list out my personal experience, just in case it helps :) First of all, I felt it will be very helpful if you have some friends who would have got it done already. But I dint have that privilege. So I went through lot of blogs and articles in About.com, Wikihow, YahooAnswers etc… Well Google, the new lord of knowledge :) has all that you need to know. So, in summary, what I got from all these sites were First decide on what you want to get tattooed and where. Go over it again and again, since it is permanent, you will have to live ...

Uncovered, Not Exposed

After ages of procrastination, I finally decided to try formal art classes. I had always feared that rules would take the fun out of my art. Art is where I go to unwind and let my mind wander, and the idea of placing boundaries in that safe space never sat well with me. But this year, I signed up for weekend spring classes; telling myself to keep an open mind and take in only what resonated. I was intimidated - I didn't know if this would draw me deeper into art or push me away. To my surprise, it was overwhelming, but in the best possible way.  The reason for this post is however not to cover my art journey ( I have just started so I will give it some time to settle in ); but instead to capture my thoughts upon observing a profession in real life that I have only watched on screen -  Live nude models. And the quiet power of their bare form.  I spent an entire day observing nude male and female body for figure drawing, and it blew my mind in ways I had not expected. ...

Life... A Blank Page!

Whenever I open a notebook and come across the set of blank pages; my mind goes blank. For some reason, it always reminds me of my life. It forces me to start thinking about my life; about the past and the future. Being part of the age of computers and belonging to the IT industry, I hardly get an opportunity to actually pick a pen and write in the notebook. I write lot of blogs, poems etc… but I write them on the webpage or in Microsoft word in my laptop.  Once in a while I like to go back to traditional form of writing; using the actual pen and paper. And in last few years; I noticed that every time I try doing that for some reason the blank paper gets me all philosophical.         Although I never have that thought while opening the book; but whenever I see those blank pages; I just go blank. I always feel that my life is staring back at me with all those unanswered silenced questions, doubts, thoughts…forcing me to think – What does my lif...

Celebrating the Bridge for Friends!

Just like any other bridge, this one plays a role of connecting you and me. Some are brand new, very inviting, clean and pure, presenting to be strong, yet to get exposed to the harsh reality of life. Some have weathered in many seasons, with few bars of railings missing, few broken planks, yet they stand strong, like huge metal bridges.  Some are reinforced with fresh materials every few years, so we stay connected strong and safe for entire lifetime.  Some are beyond repair, standing there rusty and broken. Not because it's impossible to fix the gap, but just waiting for equal support from the other side to mend it. Some were meant to serve one another just once. The need to cross that bridge never arose again, doesn't mean we don't remember how important that bridge was in our journey. To new and old, deep and shallow, strong and weak, connected and broken friendships, I am grateful to have known you one way or another.  Happy Friendships Day! 🍻

My Favorite Read - 7 - Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman

"Call me by your name and I will call you by mine" . Yes. ' Let me think of the right words .' is what I kept telling myself for last one month, trying to put off writing this review, but I think it's time. I already bought a hardcopy of this book to add to my personal library. Yes, that's how much I loved it. This was the first audiobook I listened to when I started with Audible in May this year. I wanted to try some simple book to see if I would even enjoy Audible (considering I am a huge fan of books I can hold vs digital) and this book had good review for narration. So boom, I downloaded it and am glad I did. I don't know if it's the story itself or Armie Hammer's voice or the combination of both that made this love story so enticing.  I don't read much of romantic novels, so I am not sure what other good novels or writers are out there in this genre. But Aciman definitely has my heart for "Call me by your name."  ...

Share the Smile!

We don’t readily share our happiness with faraway friends. Atleast I don’t share my happy smiling face every now and then except with my sister. I just feel maybe the person may not be in a good mood; might be going through a rough phase or what would they care anyway, so why bother. But I realized today that it might brighten up someone’s day unexpectedly too. So am sitting here in the airport. Had woke up at 3 in the morning, did the drill of getting ready, packing up, checking out of hotel, Uber, traffic, security queue, reach the gate and find out that flight is delayed by 2 hours. And I wasn’t really mad or in bad mood; I have got used to all this; so now I really don’t get worked up at all when am stuck in traffic or delayed flights. Simple mantra - it is what it is, you can do much, so chill. But having said that, I am definitely groggy and sleepy; and have no reason to be smiling. I was just reading a book; and analyzing all the folks at the gate. Just kind of lost you can s...

My Brightest Star

You were very different from the others. The way you spoke about stars and universe, it was like you were part of them. I never understood your language, but I always enjoyed listening to you. It was so romantic when you spoke with such passion about universe. That friend of yours, Hubble, the way you discussed it's findings with so much excitement, I used to fall in love with you over and over again. The way you waited like a child outside the tent in freezing nights, to get the glimpse of milkyway, would always make me hug and kiss you. The nebulae, constellations, meteor showers, comets and so many such words, that I never knew before I met you; I started learning about them from you. For me everything was just a twinkling star in the dark night sky. You introduced me to them with names, like they were your friends, like they all were talking to you, like they all had some purpose. I thought you were crazy, but then I understood why you were so crazy about them. I still s...

खूबसूरत ग़ज़ल

महफ़िल वो सजी थी शाम ए ग़ज़ल की बैठा वहाँ था मैं बस चंद कदम दूर उस से | सजी थी खुद वो एक खूबसूरत ग़ज़ल की तरह अकेली जगमगा रही थी वो किसी जुगनू की तरह | शायरों का हर वो लब्ज़ जो गूंज रही थी वहां, मैं पढता गया उन्हें उसके दिलकश चेहरे पर, जैसे हर ग़ज़ल की रूह उसमें बसी थी | कभी वो ओझल सी उसकी आंखें, जिनके किनारे आ रूकती एक छोटी सी बूँद, बयान करती, की वो दर्द महसूस किया है उसने भी | कभी वो हलकी सी उसकी मुस्कान, होंठों के किनारे आ रूकती, इशारा करती, की वो हसीं पल जिया है उसने भी | ना जाने कौन थी वो | पर हर ग़ज़ल के हर एक जस्बात की गेहराई, उसकी आंखो में झलक रही थी उस रात | आज भी दिल याद करता है उस शाम को, जैसे अल्फ़ाज़ों को मिल गया था एक हसीं चेहरा, जो आज भी दे जाती है एक अजीब सी सुकून इस दिल को । सरीता 6th Feb 2020.