Growing up, there were particular rules specifically for girls; cross your legs when seated, especially when wearing a dress, shave your legs, etc., you know, “ladylike” rules that every girl should know. For the most part I consider myself a rule follower, especially amongst my peers; always have been. Not saying I always do the right thing or that I’m some sort of saint but I do try to color within the lines so to speak. I was raised in a very “do as I say, not as I do” household with all types of what will happen if I don’t fear instilled in me. There was that time between the 6th and 8th grade where I started to rebel a little, getting suspended every year for fighting and cheated on a few tests, just to name a few. However by the end of the 8th grade, I had been in so much trouble and suffered what I considered at the time, end of the world consequences, that I was too afraid to break any more rules from that point on. As an adult, I no longer view rules negative but more as navigation tools.
If you read enough blogs you will find out quickly how many rules and stipulations come with having natural hair. The list seems endless and can literally be draining. I’m talking how to trim, if you should trim, what ingredients to use, how often to shampoo, what to do at night, and so on and so on. I could write multiple articles on each topic EASY, as a matter of fact I have! Throughout my journey I have changed the way I handle these hair rules and broken a few. Some I followed because I was told to but others I injected some common sense mixed with experimenting. There are rules that I once truly believed were mandatory, while others I have rebelled against and deemed no longer necessary. Some as a result of laziness or just convincing myself they had no value, others I truly didn’t feel made a difference in my hair life and therefore, eliminated out of my rule book. As you become more familiar with your hair and what’s good for it, you start breaking the rules and creating new ones. Therein lies the journey.
Sharing hairstories and life experiences from a curl’s perspective. Find Tammy at her blog, Curlychics, on Twitter, and Facebook.
