Many first-time clients sit in my chair and tell me, “I just want my curls to be healthy.” I understand what they mean. Usually, they want their hair to look and behave the way they think it’s supposed to—or at least do something different from what it’s doing right now. But unruly hair is not inherently damaged hair. Those hair bloggers who seem to post picture-perfect curls every week have one simple tool you may not be utilizing: a schedule. Self-care is really about healthy habits, and before you can change a habit, you have to acknowledge what you’re presently doing that is—or isn’t—working. Too many people skip this part. They jump straight into setting goals, buying products, and deciding where they want to go without figuring out where they are right now.
A large desk calendar or wall calendar placed somewhere you can see it every day is a great place to start. Then set ONE simple goal. Not five. Not your entire 2027 glow-up plan. One. Maybe your goal is to wash your face and moisturize every morning before brushing your teeth and every evening before bed for 30 days. Your calendar becomes part of the reward. Every day you complete your goal, give yourself a sticker, draw a heart, or put a giant X across that day. That little bit of instant gratification helps support the delayed gratification of eventually seeing the results of your consistency. Over time, your brain starts looking forward not just to completing the task, but to getting that little reward afterward.
Right now, my goal is to be consistent with the cuticle care on my hands and feet every week. No polish. Nothing elaborate. Just basic maintenance consistently for 30 days. I do mine on Mondays, which is my Saturday. I have dry-erase calendars in my bathroom and bedroom, plus a planner with monthly and weekly views. I’ve found that the wall calendars work especially well for personal care because they’re visible and focused. My planner has all my work stuff competing for attention. The calendar on my bathroom wall is about me. And when the inevitable question comes up—“What if I miss a day?”—my rule is simple: don’t miss twice in a row. If you do, start the same goal again the following month. Keep working on that one goal until you can consistently maintain the behavior before piling something else on top of it.
We’re getting ready to enter the final quarter of 2026, so you don’t have to wait until January to suddenly become the person you want to be in 2027. Start tracking your behavior now. Give yourself the next few months to learn what works, what doesn’t, and where you tend to fall off. By January, you’ll have something much more useful than another resolution—you’ll have information about your actual habits and a foundation you can build on. You don’t need anything fancy to begin. Grab an inexpensive desk calendar, some pens and a pack of cute stickers and make it FUNctional. Your self-care routine doesn’t have to start with a massive transformation. It can start with one little square on a calendar.
Challenge + Reward
If you bring in your self care calendar I will take $10 off of your service, whatever service it is. This must be a physical wall or desk calendar or a paper planner. I will want you to explain your goal, your new habit and your system for handling setbacks.
If you need help with this part just get the calendar and I will help you with the goal setting.
