Recently I had a little bit of an embarrassing moment and I recalled it this morning as I was putting on my make-up. Now that my red face has disappeared, I can laugh instead of blush, and I thought you’d like to share this lesson I learned.
Not a driving tip, but I did realize as I typed my title that it would work there too! Teehee.
So, I’m definitely a girly-girl. I love clothes, shoes, jewelry and, of course, make-up. But like most of us, I find myself getting into ruts and doing the same thing over and over.
Did you know that Image Consultants know that we only use about 20% of our wardrobes? Yes, we go to the same things over and over again. I wonder if that’s why we only use 20% of our brains? But I digress, back to my story…
I was puttering about in my bathroom early one morning and decided today was the day to shake-up my make-up routine. Have you noticed how so many of the gals on the TV and in the celeb magazines are into the ‘cat eye’ make-up look? I thought I’d give it a go.
I had an eye-liner specially designed for getting that sexy, 1950’s bombshell look. (How did I get that eye-liner? That’s another story!) And I dived in and spent a little time drawing a sweeping line on my eyelids. To tell the truth, and you know I always do, it wasn’t perfect. But it was definitely good enough once I had my cat’s eye eggplant purple glasses on. And I thought ‘yeah baby, you are one sexy lady for a gal in her 50s’.
And I went about with my day…
I saw some clients on-line. I took the pup for a brisk walk. Did paperwork, ate lunch…all the usual stuff. And ended my day with some yoga. Looking good…feeling great.
And then hubby came home. He looked at me and said ‘what’s going on with your eyes?’ Hmmm…not the reaction expected and certainly not very polite, so I thought. I started explaining and at the same time turned to look in the mirror. Dear lord! I looked like a panda. The day had not been kind to my new make-up look and it was smudged in big black gobs around my eyes.
Oh my! I hadn’t once looked in the mirror all day. I’d been so busy racing around that I hadn’t taken the time to see how I was presenting myself to the world.
All I could think was ‘thank goodness I wasn’t at the clinic seeing clients today!’ Hence, the blushing and the embarrassment.
But doing my cheery, always look on the bright side, I realized that there was a lesson here: SLOW DOWN!
I hadn’t taken time to be in the now. That may be just checking in on your appearance.
In the Buddhist tradition, a bell is rung periodically during the day to bring you back to the present moment. A gentle reminder to slow down and savor life. Whether eating a cookie with intention or pausing to check your make-up in the mirror, take time to slow down, pause and be present in the now.
For me, the ring of the zen bell is often to just pause and touch-up my lippy. Sometimes, it’s look out the window and watch the birds hopping around and enjoying the feeders.
(There’s a big blue jay outside my office window right now.)
Maybe, it’s pause and connect with a friend. Not by email or text, but actually pick up the phone and say ‘hi, how’s it going?’
I often head into the kitchen for a nice cuppa tea, as you probably know by now 😉
What are your tips for conscious living? Do share in the comments below.
And me? I’ve now got a pretty mirror on my office wall…just in case. And I haven’t done the cat’s eye make-up look since. 😀
The Cat’s Eyeliner look is the Cat’s Meow! Keeping it to the lids only is the mystery…. Taking a moment to slow down, be present to this moment (lipstick ritual) while looking in the mirror or starring out the window…for me it’s the belly breath…this brings me to ‘now’…a few times a day…I’m going to start looking in the mirror immediately thereafter going forward….one never know when the Cat’s Eyeliner will turn into an Owl…
Breathing deeply! We don’t want to be pandas or owls…teehee! Thank you. xox
Hi Jacqueline:-) You’re so funny:-) Thanks for sharing this experience with me…it’s one of those priceless ones! And I can tell you enjoyed it:-)…well until your husband asked that question…:-) I’ve never worn eyeliner..too much of a hassle and difficult to get an even line. But I recently came across permanent makeup that last around 2 years. Guess what? I got it done today to bring out my lashes:-)
I take time to take a few deep breathes throughout the day..that’s a biggie for me:-) So many benefits of the breath! xoDana
Ooh…sexy eyes all the time, what fun! Glad you enjoyed my story. And so happy you are reminded to breathe…taking a few now. xox
Great story! Well, I don’t do the eye makeup thing because I wear contacts and have always found it bothersome, but I DO thinks it looks marvelous on those that do! I stop and breathe or even stop and pray. These two things alone seem to recharge my battery and remind me that each moment is precious! 🙂
Breathing and praying…fabulous! xox
For 2 days, I’ve been glued to the computer working on an online program I’ll be offering. In the meantime, people were posting on FB what beautiful spring-like weather we were having. And, I was missing it!
Today, I finally broke away and took a walk outside the sun was shining, sky was crystal clear blue & I reminded myself to enjoy the moment (and to remember to take breaks).
Glad you tried something new and now you know to check your eyes every so often (if you ever do the “cat eye” thing again).
🙂
D
Yes, getting out and enjoying the arrival of Spring is a great way to be in the now. I’m going to book a nice walk today as the sun is shining, the sky is blue and the daffodils are poking their heads up. <3
Thanks for sharing Jacqueline – I had to laugh at your opening line because us stylists do know that most people wear the same clothes over and over 🙂
I do digress too – slowing down is key, I am working on that myself.
a long time ago, a month after my daughter was born I was due at my doctors office for a check-up, I arrived at her office with just enough time to make it. Right in front of me was a broken down car and they asked me for a quick battery jump, their car was perfectly positioned too but I said no because I was running late. I Felt awful about it, but I made it upstairs just on time. I sat in the lobby for 2.5 hours waiting for my then doctor who was running VERY late. Every minute that I sat there I became madder and madder at myself for not helping those poor people in the parking lot, all because I was in a hurry.
That was 10 years ago and I still remember it like it was yesterday. Today I make sure to make time for things that matter because I don’t want to add another story of regret.
Thanks for the reminder.
Adorable story Catherine. Thank you for sharing. Lesson learned and I’ll take that with me today as I head out into the world. 🙂
Looking in the mirror…
I had dinner with a couple of other friends. The restaurant was in a shopping center. My friends went walking back to their cars, and walked around a little. I went into a shop, and I tried on a couple of items that were on sale. I looked at myself in the mirror, and I just looked so old. My faces in just the last few months has seemed to have sprouted lines that it never had before. There was a sticker on the dressing room mirror, and it said something like, “Love how you look today”, and the contrast between that message of loving how I was looking, and how I felt about how I looked – I burst into tears.
I don’t have a story right now about being more mindful after looking in the mirror. I just don’t.
Oh Claire, I hear you. I’ve been there! It’s part of the aging process…the days I look in the mirror and I see age, or my mum’s face, and I just wanna sit down and howl. One thing I learned when studying with the herbalist Susun Weed, was to sing to my reflection. (Maybe not something to do in the shops, but there are benefits to age!)
Susun had us sing ‘there’s an old woman I’m beginning to know’. It’s a button push to begin with, but you know what, as I sang it to myself more often…it started to work. I’m me and this is my face, showing and sharing the time I’ve been on the planet. Yes, I sometimes push up my chin, or lift up the corners of my eyes. But then I laugh and sing!
Try it and go through the tears. You are grieving the loss of the maiden and mother. May as well embrace the crone. xox