Almost Cut My Hair

Those of you old enough – or into classic rock – will recognize the CSNY song title I borrowed for the title of this post. While the original meaning of the lyrics is about the Vietnam war, the draft, and the emotions swirling around at the time, it has always had a more personal meaning for me. To me it speaks of being true to yourself and that is key to making the transition into life after retirement.

In these crazy times, doing even a little thing for yourself can help with morale. For me, one thing I can do is grow my hair. What is one thing you can do for yourself? I’ve always wanted to get back to the long hair I once had – and I am thankful to still have enough hair to grow! – but Corporate America tends to frown on men with long hair. My first job after college required men’s hair to be above the shirt collar which was a nasty change for me, but a sacrifice made to get the job. And one that continued for 35 years!

As soon as I announced my retirement, I began my quest to get that hair back. It’s been six months since I retired and I am well on my way with this quest. It’s one thing the pandemic actually helped as I couldn’t have gotten a haircut for a few months even if I had wanted to. Growing my hair is part of my detox I keep referring to. While it’s a small thing, having the freedom to let my hair grow in the midst of all the constraints on us right now has helped me to get “me” back. It also provides a chuckle - and inspiration - once in a while, like when a gas station attendant told me if he had hair like mine he’d grow it longer and I should let mine grow, or when our server at the local brewery saw me for the first time in months and said “great hair, keep it going!”.

For me, longer hair has always been a metaphor for being able to be myself – something we can’t always do in the office, or on Zoom calls all day. Today’s retirement is all about re-inventing ourselves for success in this new phase of life, but it needs to start with being true to yourself. That is what will allow you to spot opportunities that you may not have even considered while still working, and make it easier to get your butt off the couch and away from the TV.

For those of you still working, how can you apply this to make your life even more fulfilling?

So, grow your hair, and enjoy the freedom to pursue those things you have always wanted to do!