Try Letting Your Hair Down!

Try Letting Your Hair Down!

By Allen Merritt (©2017)

This is the time of year everyone is busy trying or still thinking on ways to improve their lives. Many people have things they want to attend to and address. You know, the old New Year’s Resolution? The one that often gets dropped like a hot potato only a few weeks in?

I don’t know that I spend a lot of time thinking up resolutions, but I am definitely always looking for improvement opportunities including ways to organize and a means to do so. I try to be self-inspired and motivated to achieve goals. That is because I am an idea person and I am always coming up with projects to work on.

As a Virgo (listed as a perfectionist), I have come to describe myself as a compromised Virgo. That’s because I’ve learned 1) It takes more time than I ever think it will; and 2) I can’t seem to do it all at least not at the same time. Duh!

So I do the best I can.

I feel I work too hard at going nowhere real fast! That’s just personal perception, because there is always something needing to get done.

In the meantime, I generally feel I could do better at letting my hair down, as they say. I will be the first to admit I do not do enough of that, which is interesting because I have allowed myself to become a full blown hippie! Pun intended.

I find it ironic how someone with long hair and beard doesn’t take the time to let his hair down often enough considering how I speak about it all the time. Does this fall into the category of practice what I preach?

Let’s explore both sides of the coin!

The idea of letting ones hair down I believe has something to do with not feeling so formal, but to relax, celebrate and enjoy oneself. There is a sense of freedom in not adhering to convention at all times. No code of conduct or social constraints. It’s as if one can drop their inhibitions and vacate themselves a bit without being offensive. I suppose that is what events such as Burning Man and certain music festivals are about. They provide a safe place for people to step outside of themselves. And yet, when we let our hair down in such environments, does it grant one permission to go hog wild crazy? Does it allow us to hurt ourselves and others by behaving inappropriately? What exactly are acceptable ways to let our hair down without feeling out of place in public situations? Or should we care? Does letting down our hair mean kicking up more dust, inconveniencing others around us or making louder noise? I suppose different people have different ideas of what a party is.

I guess there is a negative connotation surrounding this philosophy when it comes to influence. If you let your hair down to the extent that you go too far with something and endanger your life and the life of others, then it serves no purpose. It if causes you to reveal too much personal information in a world of hackers and identity theft, then it causes great concern. If you cross the line and suddenly find yourself an unexpected parent, then your life is instantly changed. In these ways letting the old hair down may be too extreme.

However, finding ways to relax, chill, have fun, find your good time, to let go of the world as you know it for a bit here and there has some value. Certainly taking a vacation is one of the most common ways to do so. I think that’s a given.

I think allowing yourself to laugh and be silly is always an option. How about a night of dancing? Ever been in a flash mob? Try something new? What if you said “Yes” instead of “No” once in a while to something different? It can be so easy to talk yourself out of things.

I am sure everyone has their own idea of how to have fun and let it all hang out a bit. The important thing is to not be afraid to discover new positive solutions to let your hair down and just “be.” Each person has their own comfort level. In any case, being true to oneself is half the ball game here.

I am not sure what I will do differently to let my hair down, but I will be exploring some options which are true to my spirit and actually freeing to my soul.

All in all, letting your hair down is discerning where your happy is. I mean real happy and not fabricated escapism. I don’t want to drown my sorrows. I want to free my senses and gain a better sense of direction as a result.

With that in mind, here’s to finding new ways to let your hair down!


Cheers!