What A Bearded And Inked Life Can Do For You

Everyone has a side to them that they hold close and that they only show to certain people.  EVERYONE does, and it’s ok, that’s just how personalities develop, and why everyone needs their browsing history wiped when they die.  The more you find others like yourself, or the more you want to find them, the more you let that side of yourself out. 

I started Draebel when I started growing out my current full beard, and soon learned that there are incredibly large communities of guys out there, worldwide, that have a passion for beards like you wouldn’t believe.  Over the last (almost) two years of working with Draebel, I’ve learned a lot of what it means to be a modern beardsman.  I’ve always had a beard as long as I could remember, but having a company that works with those products and that lifestyle truly opens you up to every corner of that world.  Every fellow beardsman that I’ve met is extremely passionate about what they do, loyal, and patient.  And all of these qualities are developed to be stronger through growing a beard, because it takes all of them as well as a hell of a lot of tenacity to keep from shaving the damned thing off whenever you get tired of it, and let’s face it, we all do from time to time.

We also recently started the club Draebel Rebels, or the Rebel Army, as a combination of this passion with tattoos, and its going crazy.  I thought that these two passions were a great match but also realized that they are both two of my own pursuits.  Living a bearded life is akin to an inked life, and I can tell you that through being a long time tattoo lover, tattooer, artist, and everything in between.  Like a passion for the beard life, tattoos take a strong sense of dedication, patience, tolerance, and acceptance.  It’s a struggle either way, and a passion for life for those who dive in.  What’s more, both of these are an instant form of bonding and finding of community that needs no apprehension.  To any likeminded person, which is outed obviously for showing their own tattoos or beard, both of these passions have an instant belonging to all that want it.  Because it is a pursuit of passion in either case, one of the biggest things that a beard and ink life can bring you is instant friendship wherever you go.  A beardsman will always appreciate one of their own, I have never seen the case where they don’t, and a tattoo collector will always appreciate work that you’re happy to show off on your skin.  It’s an instant icebreaker to those of a similar taste, and even those who haven’t taken that same route yet.

So what does all this have to do with life in general? Every one of those qualities mentioned is commonly referred to as either a virtue to achieve in some way, or a quality needed for a happy life.  No one is ever pissed after getting a good tattoo, and no one growing a beard out is ever unhappy about doing so, and no one is ever upset about instant friendships started from something they’re passionate about.  This is because both of these are expressions of style and personality.  Whether you like to style your mug with a manly face rug, or have your passions and interests permanently marked on your skin, you are saying to the world, look bitches, this is me, %$&*ing deal with it.  This is a strong key to, as mentioned previously, leading a virtuous, happy, and fulfilling life.  Why?  Because, you are making the effort to excel in self-acceptance.  You are doing something for yourself in either option that is just that; something for yourself.  And sure, naturally, because these things effect our outward appearance, deep down, a part of it is about acceptance from other.  However,  there’s no calling in a substitute, or a pen name, or a straw-man for something that you are changing about yourself in appearance to the outside world, and so it is to be commended whenever I see someone with a beard or covered in ink because that takes time, work, and a world of other things.  You are letting your passions out and saying I love who I am, and I don’t care what any hater thinks, and THAT, is something that should be celebrated by everyone around you.

 So in short, be happy about your choices, and if you’re not, embrace what makes you happy.  And if you’re on the fence about growing out your face rug or getting that new ink sleeve, hopefully, this has helped you understand that it’s one of the best choices you can make for yourself.  And if it comes to beards or ink, clearly, you’ve got a %$&*ing family in us with the Rebel Army. 

Speaking of that, as a shameless little plug; want to join the Rebels?  It’s free!  It’s full of online and local communities, and we are working with events that are going all the time.  You’ll find people that are like minded and are just as individually and weirdly awesome as you.  Click here for info, ranks, and to join, and you’ll even get at least 20% off storewide with Draebel.

Beard on brothers!

-Jives

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