It’s Summer—Post-Covid awakening Let’s Re-Invent Ourselves Post-Covid

(Wig shown above: IN CHARGE WIG BY RAQUEL WELCH)

As we all ease back into more “normal” days…it’s time to put on a new look to celebrate it! It’s party time, graduations, weddings, and just fun get-togethers in our future. Why not put the “regular” you on the sidelines for now, and step out in a new you—a more glamorous you?

I don’t know about you but when I drag myself out of bed and get into the shower, I feel anything but pretty, much less glamorous. But when I come out of the shower, (if I don’t stare too hard into the mirror) I feel that I can once again tackle the world. That gets me through, and I’d bet it is the same for you. We feel renewed and revived, and the same feeling comes over me when I get a new hairstyle/wig, a new outfit, or shoes. It’s fun to get and try new things, and for at least a few minutes, hours, or days, every time we put on or see that something new, different, we feel better.

Life is tough sometimes, and we all have our issues, some more difficult than others. But experience has taught me that we really do live one moment at a time. It is the culmination of all these moments that make up our memories. I like to look back and remember that I had moments when I stepped out of my comfort zone to try something new. For me right now that means trying new kinds of exercise, a new kind of eating (intermittent fasting), and a new look. I want to walk by the mirror and stop for a second look because I look like myself, but not exactly. Maybe I look better, just a bit different. I want to liven myself up a bit, put a little glamour back in my life, a little romance (in looks if not in fact), and value my individual moments a little more.

I recently had to force myself out of the yoga pants or leggings, find my makeup, try on outfits, and wonder what had happened to my old self. As I prepared for a writers’ conference with real people (in person!), I saw myself through new eyes. After turning around in circles and lamenting the fact that I looked like I’d been in a cave for years, and that I liked nothing in my closet, I decided to do something that I hadn’t done in years. I splurged on myself and went to a spa for a facial, manicure, and massage. Emboldened from this new happy-me-high, I went on to my favorite department store to find a new outfit. Feeling like a new person, I went home with my “new self” and realized there was only one thing missing—new hair! I pulled my newest wig, Raquel Welch’s, In Charge out of my closet. It was a little blonder than I’m used to, a bit longer, and with a fuller look than I normally wear. But it was the absolutely perfect new look for me. Could I pull this off? I know how that sounds to any of you reading this and wondering what’s the big deal—so what if the wig was a bit different than the usual, I know you are thinking. But to me, it was a big deal. I had spent a lot of time in shorter hair, and kind of blah but efficient outfits, thinking this was “just fine” and who cared if I looked anything but “just fine” anyway?

I should have care. I should have paid more attention to how the things I wore made me feel. I should have cared that when I took the time to wear things that made me look better that I felt better. When I wore wigs that suited me better or made me look younger, current, and put together, and no pun intended, “In Charge”—the feeling filtered down through my entire day and everything I did. I had been hidden from the world during Covid and now that I was re-joining it, I had to look at myself differently. More importantly, I had to CARE about how I looked, felt, acted, and interacted with others now, and I needed to decide what that person would look like to the world. What we put out into the world—words, deeds, looks, attitude, all get reflected back to us one way or the other.

I wanted to put out good things and get good things back so along with my attitude shift, I had to shift my view of myself, and realize that it is not selfish to spend time on myself—the way I look, feel, and care for myself.

Yes, I re-invented myself for one occasion, but those people won’t ever know that. They will think that I looked that way all the time—that I’m confident all the time, and I can almost believe it too. Kicking myself into gear for this one event re-started my life again as I ventured back into the post-Covid world.

I urge all of you to care for yourselves too, every day and in all areas of your life. One of the easiest and fastest ways to change our look is with a new wig. I am now brave enough to step outside my comfort zone and try wigs that I thought were “too long, too blonde, too glamorous” and see the possibilities.
Summer is here, so go new, go pretty—
Until next time, look at these options!

Vickie Lynn