I’m going to share with you one of my guilty little pleasures. I would think that everyone has a few, and if you don’t, it’s not too late to find one.

I’m not the type that usually goes out and buys luxury items or spends extravagantly on anything. I’m also not exactly cheap when it comes to spending money on things, but I do always look for the best bargain. I choose the product or service that I  like the best and then I spend a lot of my time researching online for the best possible price. There is great satisfaction when you know you saved significantly on something good.

However, there are a few areas that I seem to go cheap. And one of them was that whenever it came time to get a haircut, I always went cheap. I don’t exactly have the kind of hair that models and celebrities have that needs to be fussed with. I inherited my father’s hairline and while I am not going bald, let’s just say I have a pretty big forehead.

Old School…

Growing up, most of the time, my mother cut my hair which was generally a trim around the ears and along the back of the neck. Occasionally if we had the extra money, or a big event was coming up, we went to Louie the barber. Haircuts from Louie, were standard and neat, but unimaginative. Then for a while, I let my sister cut my hair until I started heading over to Astor Place in the city. A huge and trendy place to get the latest style. Giovanni, was skillful and a perfectionist. Eventually he moved back to Italy and I think that would’ve been too expensive a trip to make for a haircut.

As time went on, I would just go to a local barber or one of the cheap franchise places and get my hair done as inexpensively as possible. Now that I’m older and I kind of look at my hair and then look back at pictures of myself over the last bunch of years, and I think “Man you’re hair looks awful” I guess I always just thought “I’m a guy, who cares?  Just keep it neat”. But recently, after seeing an ad on my Instagram feed, I gave in to the temptation of going to this stylish salon called Fleischman’s in New York City and it’s not cheap by any means. When I first saw their price list, I laughed out loud and thought “Oh my God, who spends that kind of money on a haircut!”

But then, I thought about it for a while. I have plenty of other expenses that I could use that money on, but I had the feeling that I should just go treat myself. I could save money somewhere else. After much deliberation, I gave in and booked an appointment online. It’s expensive enough for me to feel guilty about going, but holy cow, what a different experience it is when you go to a place that knows what they are doing and understands how to treat you.

What a difference…

I don’t mean this to be a commercial for Fleischman’s but from the minute I was greeted and sat down in the chair, I knew I made a good choice, even before the scissors came out. It’s wonderful how a warm greeting and a friendly vibe can impact you.

My stylist, Mackenzie was very cheerful and immediately set me at ease. She talked to me about my hair and how I think I would like it to look. Then she genuinely shared her thoughts on how it might look better. I felt very comfortable letting her decide about my cut. It’s been a long time since anyone took the time to consider my appearance besides me.

It didn’t take her very long to cut my hair. We had a normal enough conversation and as she finished up, she said she loved the color, and when she was done, she told how good I looked. I truly didn’t know how to handle the compliment. As I was getting ready to leave, Mackenzie gave me some tips on how to care for it and keep it looking good and natural.

Afterward, as I walked out, I felt like a million bucks. Now listen, I am not delusional about my hair or how I look. It’s grey, thinning and most folks will not notice a difference in my appearance. But, most importantly, I did. I noticed and I feel better about the way I look. Truthfully, that’s all that really matters isn’t it?

I’ve gone back several times since then, and each time my experience is the same, relaxing and rejuvenating. The question is, am I spending that extra money for a good haircut, or am I spending it for a boost in my self-esteem? It’s one guilty little pleasure I gladly sacrifice a few cups of expensive coffee for.

Please don’t think that a guilty pleasure has to be something frivolous or has to cost you money that you don’t have. I shared this story to tell you how I found something that makes me feel good about myself. There really isn’t any true guilt attached to it anymore. I recognize that I deserve it. Don’t you deserve to treat yourself to something special? In today’s world, where we are constantly on the run, we need to make sure we are taking good care of our well being. I’m sure you can think of something that can make you feel a little better about yourself. Give yourself a gift.