Hey Guys. This is Matthew. 

I am the owner and publisher of this blog. I am a pretty serious guy -- you would never guess; but, actually I am the one who came up with the phrase "Be Your Own Barber". 

I just loved the association with BYOB. ... You might find the term 'Be Your Own Barber' kinda 'funny' or 'weird'. I get it. But, TODAY, I actually want to share with you a serious message.

You see, Be Your Own Barber is actually much more than a hobby, it is a mindset. The Be Your Own Barber mindset has helped me take a powerful step forward. It has helped me take a major step towards self mastery. 

BTW

This post is going up in the beginning of January. We are currently soft-launching. 

You will know if you have already looked around, then we intend to be an unbeatable resource for ordinary guys who suddenly find themselves seperated from the barbershop. As part of that effort, we are preparing 5-6 or six "Barber Guides" -- these are going to be authoritative posts that will walk you step by step everything you need to get barbershop style while still at home. 

(This post is kind of like a teaser, as it is not part of the core Barber Guides series.)

But, anyway, that was a bit of a tangent, let me get back to the main point of this post: the mindset that you need for success in life, and how you could BYOB as a means to achieving that new level of self mastery. 

Whose New Normal?

As the new year roles in, we are all still trying to find a new sense of normality in light of the serious disruptions caused by the Corona Virus. 

There are no real 'winners' from this virus but there are definitely some - dare I say - 'losers'.

Let's not kid our selves ...

Some of our families

Some of our friends

Some of our neighbours

Some of our co-workers are getting seriously f*cked by this virus.

They are suffering a lot, and that is very sad.

Tranquility Prayer

Personally, I've avoided the worst of the virus. I am very fortunate.

If you are religious you might even say that I am blessed. 

But, to be honest: I have definitely had moments where the 'new normal' seemed hopeless. 

Here is the thing, we each have unique challenges that we have to face.

Over the course of our life and on a day to day basis, we each have unique problems. Some times the problems are within our control, and some times the problems are outside of our control. 

Many different cultures and spiritual traditions have recognized the wisdom of what we typically call the tranquility prayer. The tranquility prayer goes something like this: 

"God, grant me the tranquility to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference."

Religion can be a powerful force for personal maturation and social coherence. I am not trying to 'hate on' religion. But, I would like to suggest that the core idea in the tranquility does not need to be left in the hands of an invisible power. 

You can -- and must -- take this power in to your own hands.

What Can I Control?

There were times when I was emotionally overwhelmed by

a world in which we are not supposed to go outside,

a 'new normal' in which we are not supposed to see our family, and

a life where we cannot possibly go in to a normal work place.

I felt it man, it felt hopeless to me. 

It is scary

and It is easy to let that recognition turn in to fear

You could give in to the fear.

I would invite you to consider the current moment as a challenge that is calling on you to find a stronger self. A self that does not give in quite so quickly to the temptation of fear. 

Instead of fear, I would invite you to distinguish between what you can control and what you cannot control. 

Take that power in to your own hands

Never Let a Good Crisis Go To Waste 

Although it is not clear exactly who came up with this phrase, we know that at a critical point in World War II, Winston Churchill implored those around him to "never let a good crisis go to waste".

Now, fortunately we are not at war here. But ..

When we first got locked down, I saw that I needed to take matters into my own hands. I needed to identify exactly what I could control, and then focus on achieving those targets. 

One very small part of this journey was taking care of my own hair. 

You see, unlike Johnny who grew up in a family of stylish, Italian barbers, I grew up in a family of ... slobs. I am also not very coordinated. 

When we were  locked down, I saw that I needed to go back to basics and take care of my own hair even if I had never imagined I would do such a thing. Thanks to Johnny's help,  I was able to became my own barber.

I had not believed that it was even possible. Thanks to help, tho, we made it happen. That got me thinking, if I can do this .. then anyone can do it. So why don't they do it?

One thing led to another and we created this blog so that more guys could Stay Fresh, and Stay Sharp. That is why I say that:

Be Your Own Barber is more than a hobby. Be Your Own Barber is a Mindset.

HOW TO MAKE SHARPNESS A PART OF YOUR LIFE

The key to making SHARPNESS a part of your life is to make it become a daily habit.  Just like bathing, brushing your hair and teeth, eating breakfast, lunch, dinner etc.….you STAY SHARP!  

Small efforts toward sharpness everyday will compound and gradually lead you into sharpness.  It’s a balance, there’s no need to go to extremes.  

NO EXCUSES!

At times, it seems that trimming isn’t an option.  If you’re tired, sore, or feel like your coming down with a cold you can still do SOMETHING….ANYTHING! It doesn’t have to be high in intensity or too long in duration.  Go for a walk (keep a pace that you can sustain without overdoing it), hold plank a few breaths throughout your day, stretch muscles while waiting in lines or do a few squats or leg lifts while talking on the phone.  If you’re short on time, shorten your workout but keep the intensity high.  For example, I’ve been enjoying the Turbulence Training workouts on YouTube, I do the 4-minute workout while my tea bag seeps in the morning.  We have a lot more time to workout than we think.  You might just have to get a bit more creative and that will lead to more enjoyable workouts.

DO SOMETHING RIGHT NOW!

If you have fallen off your workout schedule or if you need to start one, don’t wait until Monday.  Fit people don’t wait until Monday.  Do something RIGHT NOW.  This is a lesson I use for everything I do, not just fitness.  If I decide I want to put a new marketing campaign together, I don’t wait until tomorrow.  I do something to get the project moving immediately, even if it just writing down action plans. Incorporate this lesson into all aspects of your life and you will be moving and grooving.

Maybe you said you were going to get fit for vacation and now with a week away you still haven’t started working out.  Don’t say “I blew it!  I’ll wait until after vacation.”  Start immediately.  You’re guaranteed to feel better.

DO A LITTLE BIT MORE EACH DAY!

Sometimes when I’m running I do intervals on the beach road instead of going to the track.  The beach road is much more scenic and often there is more of a breeze.  I will pick a landmark like a road sign and sprint to it.  I don’t finish before the sign or even at the sign, yet I push further and I sprint past the sign like it’s the finish line.  Work past the finish line.  Whatever you say you’re going to do, do a little bit more.

BE CONSISTENT!

This is probably the number one rule in life itself.  Consistency will bring great results in all you do.  When your consistent, things become easier, they become routine and you won’t have to ask yourself “Should I go for a run or not?”  If you skip a workout, don’t fret, make it up as soon as you can, or be sure to jump right back on the next day.  Don’t wait until next week!  Stay committed and stay consistent!

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!

Fit, healthy people find the time for exercise every day.  We all have the same number of hours in a day and we all have “a lot going on”, so be sure to allow time for you and your fitness.  You are worth it! If you take care of yourself first, you will find you have more energy to take care of everyone else, without feeling drained. Don’t think that taking time to workout is selfish, think it’s essential!

FIND THE BALANCE!

Pushing yourself too hard and too much at anything is unhealthy and that includes fitness.  You will burn yourself out! Find a workout plan that works with your schedule. Avoid jamming too much into your day because the first thing you will likely drop from your schedule is time for yourself, the time you would spend exercising! Find and maintain a balance and flow that will not fail!

GET YOUR REST!

Getting enough sleep is paramount for maintaining health.  Lack of sleep slows metabolism and decreases your energy.  The more you work out the more you will want to get a good night sleep.  Avoid high-energy activities, watching violence on TV, late night eating and drinking right before bed. The mind will spend too much time stressing if its lasts images before resting are negative (ie news, violence) and the body will spend too much energy if it has to digest food and drink all night while you sleep.  You may sleep but you will not have really given your body a break!

KEEP LIGHT PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY

It doesn’t stop with just your physical body.  Get your mind and spirit involved.  Meditating even for just a few minutes a day can be very beneficial to your overall mental and physical health. When we meditate, we slow down the chatter in our minds.  Clearing this chatter allows us to have better clarity. Focusing on maintaining a smooth quality and duration of breath helps reduce stress and creates calming which can really be a good tool when dealing with difficult people or situations.  Yoga is another path to quieting the mind, turning inward (where our great ideas originate) and keeping the physical body supple.

As the new year roles in, we are all still trying to find a new sense of normality in light of the serious disruptions caused by the Corona Virus. 

There are no real 'winners' from this virus but there are definitely some who are suffering more than others and that is very sad.

Personally and professionally, I am fortunate to be somewhat isolated from the most severe financial, physical, and emotional consequences of the virus. (Although, who am I kidding, my life and that of my family certainly has been impacted quite profoundly.)

While I could blabber on for some time, the point really is is that I am quite fortunate and I am grateful for that.

In turn, I hope that this blog will provide a forum through which I can help a few people out there by serving as a reliable source of credible information.  

BOTTOM LINE: WHATS IN IT FOR YOU?  

So why should you hang out at Barberismo? I would say the main reason you would want to check us out is because you want to dramatically improve your shaving game in a way that is both safe and sharp.

If you resonate with the following statements, you will enjoy the content you find on our site:

• You want a homey relaxing feeling when you come back to your tent or RV after a day of hiking.
• You want to feel comfortable enough to focus on moments and people you are sharing them with over the technicalities of camping
• You want gear advice based on customer experience and not commercial sales pages
• You are environmentally conscious and want to give your children a shot at having the same experiences you are having by protecting the nature.

If you are on board with this, I look forward to having you read our guides and tests. You can take a first step towards becoming the master of your own destiny..