My Metaphaporical Mask

I have not gone out in over 8 months because of the pandemic. I've been working from home, having everything delivered. I know I haven't blogged since January 2017. But since I can't physically go out, maybe it's time for a blogpost to go out?

I realized today that one insignificant effect of this lockdown is telling us something possibly significant about ourselves.

A friend of mine said that toothpaste and lipstick sales are down because of the pandemic. Apparently, social distancing renders bad-breath-fighting toothpaste irrelevant. And since people wear masks, lip color goes unseen anyway. Another friend said skincare is surprisingly on an uptrend.

So when this pandemic took out the social equation from our lives, it surfaced who we groom & beautify (maybe even dress) ourselves for - ourselves or others? 

During the lockdown, do you shower, brush your teeth, continue to use grooming, skincare and beauty products you used on yourself pre-pandemic, and shave or wax whatever/wherever you used to, pre-pandemic? So whichever grooming & beauty ritual you continued to do in this lockdown... now you know... you do it FOR YOU AND NO ONE ELSE! And those you stopped doing... now you know... you do "FOR OTHERS".

Being an Enneagram 3 personality, it was quite liberating for me to find out the things I do for ME and only me! It would not be surprising for an Enneagram 3 personality, who is primarily motivated by image, to often wear a metaphorical masquerade mask. Don't get me wrong. I've uncovered which things I do "for others" and it helps me understand myself better. Nor do I believe a a metaphorical skin-caring mask is better than a metaphorical masquerade mask. But given my Enneagram personality, learning that I wear a metaphorical skin-caring mask more - that I do most of my grooming & beauty rituals for ME - is satisfyingly unshackling. I feel I am growing (Enneagram Integration) towards authenticity... Ironically, I feel like I'm shedding my mask.

This was my introspection during this morning's bath. Maybe it's because I've been indoors for so long. What about you? Which mask do you wear more?

P.S. If you really have to go outdoors and back into the social equation, please, please wear a mask. If you end up saving a life because of it, it will be well worth it.

Photos are from Style Vanity and Sherma Malone.