Did you know there is a day designated for people to throw caution to the wind? All or Nothing Day is about breaking free from what’s holding you back and going for it. Whether that means embracing your dreams, making that big decision, or finally putting a wrap on completing plans, today is the day! We love the enthusiasm for healthy living and life goals! When you reach the summit, you can look back and feel proud of your efforts and accomplishments. But how many times have you launched headlong into a new plan of action, like working out and eating 100% clean, only to peter out in short order, giving into the song of the sofa and yummy treats? But what if there was a middle ground? Let’s distill down what an all or nothing mindset means for your life and skincare self-care routine, the pros and cons to this way of thinking, and how embracing the grey supports and complements lifelong lifestyle habits.

Don’t Hold Back

On this day, take some time to really ask yourself what is holding you back from going all in. Often, fear of negative outcomes paralyzes us into inaction, as worrying about what might go wrong keeps us stuck. Unless we act, we will never fully know what might actually happen. Call on whatever source of strength and hope you have to help you set your fears aside and get to it! It is about committing to a plan or goal. Once you decide, you set a ball in motion that will propel you forward. And guess what? You can change your mind or try another approach if it turns out something isn’t working in your favor.

All Or Nothing

The all or nothing saying means that you are all in, indicating that no middle position or compromise is available. It shows dedication to your views or actions. Sometimes, we let fear derail us from making plans, worrying that they won’t work out. But what if they do? Perhaps it could be BETTER than you ever imagined! So, go ahead and make the leap! Go for that job, move, relationship, or dream. Feel the fear, get outside your comfort zone, take the risk, and bravely do it anyway! Why? Because you will never know how your life might look if you don't. Sticking to your intentions with an all or nothing unwavering approach and giving up certain things to follow your dreams is commendable. After all, it is the dogged pursuit of something, giving it your 100% and then some, that will help you achieve your goals.

The All or Nothing Theme

Songs throughout the ages have tackled the “all or nothing” topic, often speaking about love and relationships. Musical fans can't hear the phrase “All Er Nothing” and not hear Ado Annie singing about there being no in-between or now and then. Small Faces, Cher, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, O-Town, “All or None” by Pearl Jam, and "Everything or Nothing at All” by the Foo Fighters echo variations on this theme, signaling the dichotomy between the two forces of hope and hopelessness.

When All or Nothing Fails

Self-defeating all or nothing thinking is fraught with pitfalls. Although there is virtue in doing something fully and completely, abandoning ship at the first sign of a hiccup is flawed. It can sabotage progress, motivation, and self-perception while limiting us and shutting out possibilities. This mindset can become a firmly entrenched negative thought pattern of extremes that doesn't allow for the grey areas of life, your humanness, and alternative solutions. Here are some common all or nothing examples:

1. Thinking that unless you do x, y, or z 100% of the time, you are a failure.
2. That one mistake means your entire plan is ruined.
3. Once you hit a rough patch, you deem the day a loss.
4. When you haven’t achieved the goals you set by a certain time, you label yourself a loser and decide to cash in your chips.
5. Putting all your efforts into one area and neglecting other needs, such as working out like a maniac, while ignoring a rash of breakouts, pronounced fatigue, and injuries.
6. Forgetting important deadlines just proves you aren’t cut out for success.
7. Cheating on your diet, missing a workout, or forgetting to take off your make-up causes you to ditch your healthy self-care plan altogether.

Do any of these resonate with you? These types of thoughts are referred to as cognitive distortions for a reason. The lie in this mindset of absolutes is that you are only a success if you don't make a single mistake, which clearly doesn't work since mistakes are an integral part of life. We are not machines and must allow for interruptions, setbacks, and rest to have the stamina and desire to keep going or risk burning out. Not reaching benchmarks on time is not a reason to pull the plug on your plan, nor is blatantly disregarding your wellness. How successful will you be if your health suffers? Once again, self-acceptance and balance reign supreme. When you are all in, having committed to the person or routine of lifestyle with unwavering dedication, it shows commendable loyalty and determination. However, when we rigidly proceed with various facets of life, it doesn’t leave room for human errors, play, or spontaneity, which are important for a well-lived life. There is no upside to quitting healthy lifestyle habits altogether at the first sign of a misstep. Instead, give yourself permission to take a day off from the gym, perfect clean eating, or lengthy multi-step regimens when you get an opportunity to hit that summer concert or fair food! A day off won’t kill you, we promise!

Embrace the Grey Meaning

When we embrace the grey, we allow ourselves to feel comfortable with uncertainty and ambiguity, which facilitates an open-mindedness towards new ideas. It is an appreciation for our complex world and a recognition that few things are as clear-cut as we initially think. This is in stark contrast to the all or nothing saying and mindset, wherein we perceive the world around us as all black or all white, with little flexibility. Along the way, it says it is okay to adjust your timeline as needed while staying steadfast in pursuit of your dreams. Just beware of letting fear creep back in and derailing you from achieving your goals.

How Embracing the Grey Works

For most of our pursuits, learning to embrace the grey—the vast space between black and white in between—and letting things give a little is a much healthier, sustainable approach to living. It allows you to see other ways things could be, beyond the dichotomy of extremes. Adopting all or nothing thinking coping skills can help circumvent negative thought patterns. Here are some barometers to help determine if you’re stuck in a perfectionistic cycle with selective attention and help put some distance between you and this dead-end road:

1. Stick to the facts: Ask yourself what is realistic and what is true and challenge yourself to honor both, identifying the lies or cognitive distortions for what they are.
2. Set realistic goals: Set attainable goals and break them down into bite-size pieces to help make them more manageable.
3. Be patient: Remember that growth happens in stages; it isn’t a “now or never” overnight phenomenon! There is no race - often, our self-imposed timelines have no basis in reality.
4. Acknowledge yourself: Try to find three to five things you have done right today to celebrate what you have accomplished. You just might be surprised!
5. Step back: Consider if you would push someone else as hard as you push yourself. Chances are you wouldn’t.
6. Open your mind: Allow space to challenge yourself and be open to other ways of seeing things.
7. Reframe mistakes: Setbacks happen to even the most successful people. In fact, failure proves you have tried — an essential stepping stone to success! Learning to accept your human imperfection is part of the journey.
8. Stop it: Do your best to notice and stop negative thoughts and eliminate words like never or nothing from your mental vocabulary.

So, what does it mean to embrace the world in grey? Grey represents balance, and while “solutions aren’t so simple,” being able to look at both sides is healthy!

All or Nothing Skincare Routine 

Skincare is a healthy lifestyle habit best started at a young age to promote optimal skin health. Being 100% committed to a comprehensive, clean skincare routine, regarding it as non-negotiable (like brushing your teeth) is the surest way to see the full benefits. After three to six months of faithfully using a natural eye makeup remover, Oil-based cleanser for double cleansing, face wash, toner, serum, eye cream and lip care, moisturizer, and SPF daily, followed by weekly exfoliation, masking, and monthly Pevonia treatments, you ensure your chances of optimal skin health. Then, you can assess your progress and see if your regimen needs some tweaks to refine it.

When life gets hectic, skipping a few steps for a short time to adapt to what is presently going on while keeping your long-term beauty goals at the forefront is okay. Of course, as a skincare company, we believe that every product is essential. However, in a pinch, there are two skincare all or nothing absolutes—a sulfate-free cleanser and a reef safe sunscreen to stay clean and protected. Your other products will be there when you're ready to resume your routine at full speed. Beware of allowing all or nothing thinking to sabotage your beauty goals. On days when you skipped taking off your make-up, rather than thinking, “I should forget the whole thing,” resist letting this stonewall your regimen completely. Sure, one day off might trigger a breakout, but it won’t unravel your hard work. Just be sure to get back on track and redouble your efforts when you can to restore consistency and clarity. So, does skincare have to be all or nothing? No! But making sure you find your "alls" or staples you can be consistent with while being open to changing it up as needed is a more relaxed approach. Masks and exfoliants are not exactly "grey" areas, they are just not a part of everyday routines. That ride or die face oil for dry skin you can’t live without in Fall or Winter is "grey" in Spring and Summer for most skin types, and a “nothing” for oily/breakout-prone skin.

Want to maximize results for your healthiest skin ever? Boost skin health with an in-depth consultation for your ideal products and professional treatments. Visit Find A Spa for an oasis near you offering Pevonia face and body treatments!