Shaving

I hate shaving. Always have.

If I had it my way, I’d stay unshaven in mad scientist mode, doing my best thinking and work. But the reality is I have to be in the real world and look “presentable,” as my wife puts it.

Over the years, though, I’ve found a new perspective on shaving that’s changed how I think about it entirely.

I now think of it as “shedding.” The definition of shedding is the act of separating or casting off.

Shedding lets me do a few things physically and mentally:

• Let go of the immediate past
• Forgive myself or others, especially if I’m in conflict
• Stay humble in victory — maybe I had a big win, but it’s time to move on

This reframe actually makes me look forward to shaving. Sometimes that means I shave every day, sometimes it stretches to two or three days. But either way, the act of shedding feels good now.