A Beard that reveals you for you. Growing one is much more significant than you know! Like hair, a beard can completely transform your look, style, and most importantly your confidence. Growing said beard could have a monumental impact on your life, especially in my case.
Having little affairs in life growing up, I wasn’t very interested in what went on outside or with friends, I remained alone for a long time. During this time, I would always judge the way my chin stood out, making me look like a half-moon from side-on. Leaving me to mainly only ever engage with others online. From the age of 13 to 16, this occurred immensely when I began to do more extra curriculum activities, mainly acting.
The more I felt people saw me the more I would close up and try to censor this, making myself feel uncomfortable, anxious, and anything but confident. At this stage, I was still a rather shy person and struggled to talk to people as this was something I didn’t do often. Hence why I joined acting. However, one summer holiday while away at my grandparents for a month I decided not to shave. This led to a sudden arrival of facial hair the length I had never seen before, on myself at least. Returning to school, I immediately was a highlighted individual, someone everyone could spot. As my school had just the year before allowed GCSEs to be done there so I was in fact the first person in the whole school to have a beard.
Growing the beard…
Controversy went all over, I received statements and rumors of apparent detentions and exclusions for supposedly having it. People would want to run up to me and touch my face. It was ludicrous. On the other hand, I thought it was simply a reaction due to the new situation, which evidently quickly died down. Now living with a beard for a month I started to talk to people I would have never spoken to, made new friends, and began to actually speak up in class more. Even to the point where looking back my grades previously were shocking, and from GCSE I went far beyond what they expected.
I felt mature. Somewhat older and felt like I had more of a say. With this outside of school, It pushed me to want to do more in my acting, experimenting more and appearing louder and louder as a singer, unafraid of my appearance. To the point where now, I was at college doing a musical theatre BTEC. Ballet, jazz, and urban all embarrassed me in ways I could not imagine. Yet the beard remained, and I was comfortable with being embarrassed by now. Finding that pushing yourself, even though embarrassing at times can lead to the greatest award. Self-fulfillment. Achieving something you yourself did not believe because you felt you, not someone else.
The Accident… Nooooooooooo
Leading to the monumental moment. Of accidentally using my trimmer with practically no setting… I panicked realizing there was no way back, after 3 years of modeling different styles of beards. Unaware of my baby face dwindling below. I did not know what to think. I knew for certain people wouldn’t know who I was. To that thought I was right. However, the biggest shock of all was to myself. As this change did not stop me in how I continued to work, socialize, and simply engage in life. It seemed obscene. Made me appreciate my face even more. Especially for the compensation skincare of having a beard making my skin silky smooth, which was new. But at this point re-growing a beard felt like an ancient dream, one I would never harness again.
Following to today, in how I love reminding myself about the ways of experimenting with my facial looks. Growing a beard has never been more fun. Beyond the initial worry, I do it all the time now. As it may appear subtle at first and only a visual improvement, although deep below you develop tastes and styles. Finding yourself enjoying little moments of time where you yourself can feel as comfortable and wild as possible. It may appear rough, nasty, and scary at first to even try. Taking longer for some than others. But using some time to upkeep yourself and make decisions in making you more you, or even exploring that fact can take you down so many positive and fun experiences you may never forget.
Worth a try, how about growing one
For those who struggle to simply grow one hair or are looking for quicker growth, there are many oils, facial massage techniques (to increase blood flow), foods, and supplements. That will increase the growth speed, texture, and condition of your facial hair. With the actual effects of a beard providing many facial health benefits including infection resistance, natural good facial oils (keeping you young forever), and obviously warmth. And a spare hand/tool to use to hold additional items, now if that’s food it’s your choice. Lastly, I will remind you that your beard is also hair and will require maintenance. So keep it clean!!!
Reminding you that life is never constant. You take the action to change who you want to be, or what you looks like. Someone can’t grow a beard for you, that’s down to you. So go on, go grow a beard.
