It’s no secret that I have been dealing with severe moderate skin issues this past week. The zit on my chin turned out to be, in fact, a boil. It all came to a head (pardon the pun) last Saturday morning. I spent all day Friday bemoaning my skin dilemma and feeling terribly sorry for myself, not to mention how uncomfortable I felt from the pain and swelling. I didn’t shower or fix my hair, and it wasn’t until after lunch that I changed from my jammies into sweats. Overall, it was one of those, “woe is me” kind of days (geez…I can be such a baby!).
Saturday morning, Joel got up with the kids and let me sleep in (I think I whined so much that even he was feeling sorry for me). When I finally woke up and joined my family in the playroom, the first thing out of Brooklyn’s mouth as I walked by was, “Mommy, you smell…(pause for dramatic effect)…interesting.” And that’s when I knew…I was suffering from a common case of the “uglies”, and what I needed was some serious intervention.
Initially, I wished I could simply climb back into bed and stay there until the boil was all healed up. I was fully willing to surrender to the “uglies”. Then I heard the “Mommy, we’re hungry; what’s for lunch?” cries from my three little people, and the harsh, cruel reality of the impending trip to the grocery store began to stare me in the face. I was going to have to leave the house. With a festering wound on my chin. And a swollen jaw and lower lip. It was at this point that I came up with my cure for the common case of the “uglies” and today’s Friday’s Free Advice: four do’s and a don’t.
Do take a shower – takes the “interesting” smell away.
Do your hair – good hair days are priceless.
Do put on make-up – need I say more? A little cover-up and foundation works miracles.
Do smile – I caught the “uglies” for the first time in seventh grade. My home perm had turned my naturally poker-straight hair into a wild and frizzy mess on my head. I cried my eyes out one morning because I couldn’t seem to get control of my mane (I didn’t have the luxury of quality hair products – it was just me, a comb, and water). By the time I had to leave for school I had cried so hard that my eyes were swollen and red. I couldn’t bear to leave the house looking so hideous. And that’s when I learned the power of a good smile. My mom pulled me aside, looked me straight in the eyes, and said “Amy, show me your smile.” I smiled. Then she added, “When you smile, your whole face lights up, and those red splotches practically disappear. You’re your most beautiful self when you have a smile on your face.” And I’ve been smiling ever since.
Don’t wear sweats – I’m all about comfort. I practically live in my sweats…er…comfy clothes. There is nothing wrong with being comfortable; however, when the “uglies” have struck, the last thing a girl should do is hide in her sweats. Put on your favorite pair of jeans, a shirt that doesn’t scream, “Hi, I’m a mommy,” and a cute pair of shoes. As tempting as it is to throw on sweats when down with the “uglies”, I can promise you that you will not feel any better about yourself. It only makes the case worse.
Trust me…this little cure really works. Last Saturday, swollen face and bulging boil and all, I showered, make-upped, did my hair, put on my favorite jeans, trendy t-shirt and ballerina flats, and headed out for the grocery store with a big smile on my face. While the “four do’s and a don’t” didn’t miraculously cure the boil, they were the perfect prescription for the “uglies”. And I’ve been heeding this advice all week long!