Whether you’re ready for it or not, Christmas is fast approaching. And at the top of everyone’s list this year is to be able to have a “normal holiday season” without the recent restrictions of the pandemic.
Thankfully the things I most enjoy about Christmas will still be possible despite Covid-19. For me, it’s all about the lead up to Christmas, decorating the tree, eating seasonal treats and watching nostalgic festive films. Christmas Day itself has always been a bit of an anti-climax and never turns out the way I imagine! I compare it to when you first start using a new skincare product. You’re optimistic in the beginning, believing that THIS PRODUCT WILL CHANGE EVERYTHING. But after a few short weeks you finish it only to realise you don’t have the clear skin you’ve been dreaming of.
After years of countless attempts trying new medications, treatments and skincare to clear my acne, I’ve learnt not to get my hopes up. But like anything in life, condemning something to fail before really giving it a chance won’t produce good results either! The key to achieving any goal is to use smart objectives. You’ve probably heard about these before but sometimes our desperation for clear skin prevents us from putting them into practice and instead we are left wondering why nothing works.
I’ve come to realise we all have unrealistic expectations when it comes to skincare. Whether it’s the speed in which we expect to see results or the result itself… And filtered and airbrushed skin hasn’t made things any easier! More and more clients are asking me for digitally enhanced skin in REAL life but it’s just not possible… These unrealistic demands and expectations stem from how a product is marketed or sold, but that’s a topic for another time!
So when people contact me to tell me they’ve tried everything and nothing they use works, I ask them a series of questions: How long have you been using the product? How much do you apply? What does your whole skincare routine look like? How are you measuring your results? The answer is always the same. They’ve not been using the product long or frequently enough and their expectations are unrealistic. And because they have not been documenting the process there is no way of fairly evaluating the effectiveness of their routine. So to quote Antoine de Saint-Exupéry:“a goal without a plan is just a wish.”
This quote features at the very beginning of my skincare journal, because before I started making smart goals for my skin, I used to silently wish my acne would be gone by the next Christmas. Now every time I update my journal, that quote reminds me that each entry is getting me closer to identifying the cause of my breakouts and my goal of being happy in my own skin without needing to rely on a Christmas miracle!
So before I wish you all a wonderful time over the festive season, don’t forget to be smart this Christmas. Map out the specifics of your skincare (or other) goal. Decide how you’re going to measure your progress. And assess if the task you’ve set is realistically achievable in the time you’ve given yourself.
Wishing you all peace and joy,
Joanna x