How much money have you spent on YOU lately?

Like most moms, I don’t usually spend a lot on ME. I buy for everyone else.

Until this year, when some combination of getting older and needing a change resulted in me getting my hair done every 8 weeks. This is unheard of for me. Normally, I get a hair cut when I get so fed up with my hair that I just want it gone. By the way, I don’t recommend this strategy. It can result in some bad decisions that can take a while to grow out. It also meant that my hair stylist was whoever had an opening right NOW, which is also leaving way too much up to fate.

But last fall, I discovered a great stylist, and I’ve stuck with her. I even schedule appointments in advance. I’ve also referred her to others, and my daughters even like her.

And earlier this year, I did a first — I had my hair professionally colored. I went with highlights in various shades. Eight weeks later, she added blonde highlights. My hair was a riot of color, and I liked it. But now it is the end of July, and I am planning and preparing for my fall classes, and I thought I was too blond for fall. So I went dark again, but I still have a lot of highlights mixed in, which I love.

But it takes about two hours to cut and color my hair, which seems very decadent. It isn’t something I even would have considered doing in the past. I have too many demands on my time and all of those demands come before me.

This year, however, I realized I need to do for me as well. When my hair looks good, I have more energy and feel better about myself, which means I am more likely to do things with my family. When my hair looks blah, I feel blah. Now, I might feel blah, but my hair still looks great.

The next step? I want to plan a really great vacation for my husband and me. I’m not sure when or even where, but I’m starting to think of the options. Because we’re worth it.