The Life-Changing Magic of Change
This is a post about change, but really about nails, that turns out to still really just be about change (and not the kind that jingles in your pocket).
When I started writing (what ended up to be this post) I was actually intending to write about my decision to give up fake nails and go the natural route. Somewhere between reviewing my last word and planning my next, I unexpectedly started to reflect on the journey that led me to where I am now and what I’ve discovered as a result.
The Compounding Effects of Change // The Butterfly Effect
It’s crazy, almost ironic, the things that you can discover just by changing your habits. I’m in awe at how much you can discover just by making a simple change. The effects of change in your life is like a savings account, what you withdraw and deposit is impacted by the interest and thus your balance. And over time, you can end up with something substantial – the compounding effect. The choices we make and habits we have either contribute negatively or positively to our lives. That’s right, every thought, action, and decision impacts other things that you probably never even considered. We are always one decision away from a different outcome and a different life. And if we play our cards right, maybe it’s a life that we desire.
Discoveries > Fake Nails
For example, I made the decision to finally give up fake nails and to invest the necessary time to grow my nails naturally. I’ve maintained this commitment for the past six months and along the way I’ve made a few pivotal discoveries:
- I found lost (ok, wasted) money
- My skin has improved
- I’ve been able to create dedicated ME time
- I found a piece of me I didn’t realize I’d lost
Mo Money, Mo Money, Mo Money!
The discovery of extra money was the first big impact of my decision to go all natural and care for my own nails. I found that I’m saving about $120 a month. In addition to my routine full-set, I would often get fancy designs (complete with a fancy additional cost), and I like the gel polish which is typically more expensive – even for take off! As with any products or services, there’s always upselling, so I’d usually end up leaving with a pedicure and/or waxing of some sort as well. So when I cut out the fake nails, I also cut out the unnecessary pedicures and waxing. Now rest assured, I’m still well-groomed, I just took it back in-house. I realized that I am fully capable of doing these things at home on my own and that purchasing theses services just wasn’t as essential as I once thought.
Healthier, Happier Skin
The second discovery was less skin irritation. It’s also the one that I was most surprised by and happiest with! For as long as I can remember, I’ve had bad skin. I break out easily, and dark spots from any injury, bite or irritation are just standard. On top of that, I have a nervous habit of scratching which only makes things worse (Le sigh). As a child, my skin raised a lot of questions and often resulted in me being teased. It was so bad that for the longest time I avoided shorts and skirts, even in the midst of summer I’d rock pants just to avoid having my skin be seen. Hell, I once had a boyfriend (who actually happened to be my first love) tell me that if he could change one thing about me it would be my skin. Anyway, one of the things that I’ve noticed since getting rid of the fake nails is that when I am tempted to scratch, my skin doesn’t get as irritated by my natural nails as it did with the fake nails. As a result, I’ve noticed my skin has been healthier, happier and has even cleared up in some areas.
Back to Me
One of the things I’ve been working on is getting to know ME better and creating the best version of me that I can. So the third thing I discovered is that setting time aside to do my nails has been a great opportunity for Me time. I’ve been able to use this time to reflect, brainstorm and rediscover myself. It has also led to the [fourth] discovery of something I used to really enjoy as a kid. I remembered how much I used to love nail polish and painting my nails. I had a Caboodle filled with every color imaginable.
In Closing
This is just one example of the compounding effect that choices and change have. I’m sure there’s an infinite amount of these that I could trace throughout my life. My goal now is to simply share the power of change and how one relatively small decision has led to even more good than I could have anticipated.
Now YOU
What are your goals? What small change can you make today to help you get a step closer to your goals and on the path to compounding effects?
