Background

For as long as I can remember I have bitten my fingernails.  And not just a little… I’m talking biting those suckers until my fingers bled!  Nasty, I know.  I never wanted to bite my nails, but it was a completely involuntary/subconscious response.  By the time I even realized I was biting them it was already too late… the damage had been done.  Therefore, the challenge presented to me by my friend Jen for the month of November, 2014 was to stop biting my fingernails for the entire month!

Observations

The first day was hard to be sure. I found myself wanting to bring my hands to my mouth on many occasions: in moments of stress, frustration or boredom… but really at any time the urge might have struck me.  Nevertheless, my competitiveness to successfully complete the challenge kept me honest.  During the challenge I did not use any products, nor did I paint my nails with hardeners or nasty tasking paints.  I just stopped cold-turkey.

Sure enough, my finger nails began growing back.  It wasn’t pretty, but day-by-day they kept looking more like a healthy set of fingers.  To be honest, it’s still a little odd having these longer nails. I had spent pretty much my entire life without them, and now normal actions like tapping on the table feels just a little different… good, but different.

Successful?

Yes, this challenge was a great success!

I did notice that instead of actually biting my nails I eventually substituted this habit for running my teeth under the nail.  This small change allowed the nail to grow and simultaneously satisfied my urges to bring my fingers to my mouth.

Also, on 01-Dec-2014 I celebrated the successful completion of my challenge by getting my very first manicure! My nails, which had grown wildly during the challenge, were shaped, cleaned and a hardener was applied. With the hardener, I now have less of a desire to even bring my fingernails to my mouth.

What’s Next?

I will continue to grow my fingernails and have no intention of biting them anymore. I still have some time to go before my fingers are fully healthy and aesthetically pleasing, and I intend on making that happen.

My challenge for December 2014 is to not use the snooze button in the mornings anymore.  Wish me luck!