New Year’s Eve of 2019, my wife and I brought in the new year with friends by having dinner. No big parties, just a way of saying goodbye to 2019 and looking forward to 2020 bearing as much fruit as possible.

That and having some intellectual conversation thrown in with copious amounts of wine and cheese, of course.

As we passed around the turkey roulade and fake laughed our way through some awful jokes, we started the countdown to bring in the year 2020. At the stroke of midnight, we brought in the New Year by dancing and hugging the 10 people around the dinner table.

There were tears of joy as we each we chanted that 2020 was going to be ‘our year’ of opportunity and being productive.

I remember doing this like it was yesterday, but the year 2020 quickly turned into the year everyone would like to forget.

January 2020 started like any other year really, but this year was different as there were rumours of a change that set to cause ripples and waves in every aspect.

Fast forward to April and times of financial struggle reared its ugly head as I lost my regular 9-5 because of the pandemic.

Being told that we couldn’t go outside was a strange sensation, but even stranger than that, was my routine of going to and from work had come to a grinding halt. As the hamster wheel of work stopped turning, I missed being part of the rat race, and I felt like a caged bird.

As the restrictions escalated from tier one, then two, and continued into tier three of lockdowns, it seemed like I only had spatial awareness but no sense of time.

I mean, I literally couldn’t tell one day from the next.

Frequently I asked my wife what day it was, and she would say “Its Friday” and I replied,

“The last time I asked you what day it was, you said it was Monday”.

I thought she was playing some kind of time prank on me. I always checked my phone to see if she was telling me the truth, because she has a wicked sense of humour, but sure enough it was Friday.

Where did Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday go?

Hollistic Hell!

Talking of time, during this whole pandemic I, like most of us, have had a lot of time to think about what to do to keep from going stir crazy. I was naturally worried, and I had to re-evaluate how I was going to survive financially.

I began searching for ways to become an entrepreneur on YouTube to obviously bail me out of my financial depression.

I also looked for ways to feel better about myself spiritually. I was inspired by some videos that sparked my interest in meditation again and I was surprised how much I lost touch with being as spiritual as I used to be.  

Previously I was into all things holistic and tried to soak up as much information as I could about mindfulness techniques and self-help programs.

But in recent months I felt I needed actionable steps to make ends meet than sitting in a lotus position all day.

At least having a job was some sense of security to relie on, however, the bitter taste of unemployment showed  how much reality bites, and this most certainly was crunch time.

I remembered how meditation used to connect my journey to know more about who I was, so I tried it for a month and document my findings. Week one went by, at least I think it was a week. but I noticed that I didn’t feel any different. I was expecting something magical to materialise or a news flash that all is right with the world.

A man can dream, can’t he?

Anyway, still thinking about how to apply myself, I wasn’t keeping up my regular grooming ritual because, well; it seemed unnecessary.

Obviously, I washed and paid attention to hygiene, but I began to notice that I was growing more and more facial hair as I hadn’t bothered to shave.

It was a surprise that I had gone from 5 o’clock shadow to midnight werewolf in the space of a month. The last time I sported this amount of facial hair, I was making some sort of statement in my early thirties. However, it didn’t fit my Mr clean image as a professional, or so I thought.

Growing my beard was the one thing I could control

During the pandemic

Mediation used to make me feel centred, but what I really wanted was action.

By mid-August I needed money because we cut back on many things, we considered a want rather than need.

I needed a sign from the heavens that I could become financially stable with my own resources. I meditated more often to keep my mind from thinking about how to turn my life around. The one thing that was a constant was that my beard was growing.

Not because I wanted to look like some kind of Yogi, complete with wearing a robe, but I realised that something was happening to me.

I felt in charge.

Since this whole lockdown episode, I felt like I lost control with nowhere to go and nothing to show for being at home. Growing my beard was the one thing I could control during the pandemic. Don’t get me wrong I’m pretty sure that meditation has some incredible benefits, but personally it was apparent that this meditation thing wasn’t working while I had this lack of direction in my life.

I think two more weeks passed; I wasn’t sure, but by now I felt a sense of connection. All I know is that I stopped meditating and started monitoring how much my beard was growing and needing attention to maintain it.

I felt a sense of pride by watching my beard grow. I didn’t want to look like grizzly Adams, yes, I’m showing my age, and I especially wasn’t going for the homeless look, but I knew that getting up in the morning and washing my face meant that I had to give due diligence to my mountain man, pirate look.

Hairy Movie

I forgot about looking for videos to inspire me, instead I saw searched for videos on YouTube of other people that were growing their beards and getting the same feeling of being liberated.

Some people looked wrong, simply wrong with messy, unkempt beards or just couldn’t look after it. You have to care for your beard, shape it, add oils to it and devote beard love to it.

I saw a trend with famous people and those who I admired like Will smith and other celebrities that changed drastically after growing their beards.

The more videos I saw that this was a conscious action, the more I thought “wait, is this a thing?”.

Maybe it was, I wasn’t aware of any new fashion or movement going on and like I said, I’ve grown a beard before. But for some reason this time it was different.

It seemed that having that rugged appearance was becoming sexy again.

One study showed women prefer men with beards, not that I’m trying to attract anyone, but I thought that it was interesting how having facial hair has some sort of new mating call. Of course, beards aren’t to everyone’s taste or feel, but I had no idea that having a beard could feel so powerful.

I felt like I could be somebody with my beard. I know fully that my beard doesn’t define me, but strangely I feel like I regained my self-worth. Even if it was to feel like a man again,

all I know is that I felt better and more confident.

I researched articles to find the best oils for my beard and how to maintain it and wash it properly.

Even with a product called ‘beard butter,’ made my beard feel smooth like well, butter.

How this can help you,

Here are 7 reasons to grow luscious locks on your face, to improve self-esteem.

If you can grow a full beard, then you are fortunate because there are many that can’t. Some people have that patchwork fluff look for a beard so appreciate if you can grow a full one with all its glory. That’s not to say you can’t experience the feeling of confidence in sporting a beard with spaces in your face. 

There are products that help to make your existing facial hair have more volume, fuller, and even appear straighter.

2. Beards help you breathe!

Beards are natural air filters and protect from you allergens. If you are an asthma sufferer, it can filter the dust in the air and prevent bacteria from being in your mouth. Having a beard can harvest dirt while it's filtering the mouth region, which is why it is also important to wash your face and beard thoroughly.

I felt ignorant about the amount of care devoted to wearing a beard. Even learning about the different types of beard shampoo with beard kits.

3. Natures Sunblock and moisturiser

Growing a beard can protect you from too much seasonal exposure to the elements, especially the sun and its direct UV rays on the skin. Having a beard naturally provides added protection.

Beards protect you from the sun, much like the hair on your head protects your scalp. Having a beard keeps moisture in the skin on colder months and keeps your face warm.

Your skin is prone to dry out and needs far greater maintenance as your face is the most exposed part of our bodies. A beard can protect a face with sensitive skin and promote better facial skin health overall.

4. Shaving time off to do other things

It takes a considerable amount of time to maintain your ‘good looks’ when having a beard could make you focus on other areas of your life.

Shaving can leave the skin to be irritated if not properly cared for, causing razor burns and even acne. Shaving also means spending money on shaving products.

5. Change Your Style!

You can be more creative with a beard by altering the way your face looks. Having a beard or at least some facial hair can alter your face and be an accessory when putting together a distinct look.

From goatees to sporting an old western movie like moustache, having a choice of facial look allows you to create a better version of yourself.

Before we get too carried away with the love of the fluff, there are people that have a fear of beards known as Pogonophobia which can be very serious leading to panic attacks just like having any form of anxiety?

6. Beard makes you more intelligent!

Ok, so beards don’t mean you are more or less intelligent than others, but it certainly gives you an air of wisdom.

We often associate being clean shaven with being a professional, however, this was not the case throughout history. In ancient Egyptian times, having a beard signified dignity and increased knowledge, giving the impression as being more distinguished.

7. Beards mean you are better at relationships!

Ok, not true! But beards have shown statistics of demonstrating trust and stability in a relationship and authority. According to the 2012 research by Barnaby J Dixon and Paul L. Vasey, women found that a man with a beard had characteristics of a man looking most dominant, having masculinity, social maturity and confidence.

My Final View

My wife doesn’t like my beard because she says that I use it to catch food in it but my wife doesn’t see the benefit of storing food in my beard for when I want a snack later.

I am joking, of course.

I appreciate that not everyone is a

Fan of beards but love them or loathe them, I know that personally I have grown more confident during these hazy days of global uncertainty. It gives me something to do to regain attention to myself where before, I felt so lost.

Im not sure if I will keep my beard, but these days it helps to know that I can look in the mirror and like what I see again.

Hair today, monkey boy tomorrow!