Alright, so this might be a bit misleading. There is no fast way to achieve the hair you want, in fact if you hear someone mention this in hearsay somewhere along your natural journey, politely nod and move on. Instead, what you should uncover are the tools you need along your journey to help ease the frustrations, platitudes and welcome the inevitable successes.
I was natural for a little over 7 years before finally deciding to stand up straight, take accountability for how I was treating my hair, as opposed to just ‘dealing’ with it. What’s the difference? Well, before you give me the *side eye* and tell me there isn’t…hear me out.
Read On!>>>
Dealing vs. Caring
I’m a stickler for language and using words to encourage and uplift those in the natural journey, which is why I often abhor the use of the word ‘deal’. To just deal with your natural hair means you’re inevitably missing out on the many perks other naturals are experiencing with their Fro’s. Trust me, many aren’t just ‘dealing.’ Granted it takes time, but eventually many do get over the hurdles and begin to value their hair in a way that doesn’t feel overly bothersome or much like a burden.
The art of caring for your natural hair often requires a few trustworthy glances in the mirror, and the ability to be open & honest. Are you doing this for yourself? If so, silence the critics, all the doubts & fears and start an inner dialog. Changing your mindset and approach to how you treat your hair should be a pretty high priority before inspecting the aisles of the local beauty store. Don’t just ‘DO’ your hair, learn to understand why it behaves the way it does, why it might need a bit more TLC than the next natural, and realize there’s nothing more rewarding than when you put in the work & care for something of value.
Be Your Hair’s #1 Fan
One of the many advantages of wearing natural hair today is the ability to stand out. Even with more and more women picking up the sheers and doing the BIG CHOP, no matter the party or event a woman who proudly rocks her natural hair is able to light up a room. The easiest way to grab a hold of that light, is to be your hair’s #1 Fan. Above all the compliments, encouraging nods & even sideway glances, you must value your ‘different’ more than the next person. To be validated by loved ones & friends is a wonderful blessing, but to love your inner beauty, to know for certain “I steer this ship,” and no one else…is when you’re in full control of your journey.To own it, you have to love it.
So to get on the fast track to the hair you want, you have to KNOW what you want. Set things in motion, do the work & commit to a game plan. The end rewards far outweigh any current struggles you may be facing or many of the emotional hurdles you might have to overcome. The fast track to any success story is to remain mindful, open and willing to learn.
Good advice. You have to love your hair. Being natural is so hard but you will reap from the benefits. No more chemical burns and shedding (after the transition phase) are minimal. Once you have trained your hair you will have the hair that you always wanted. I have been natural for about 4 years now and I love it. I didn't do the traditional chop. I did cut all my hair off but into a style and I was still getting relaxers. I did that for about 3 to 4 months and then got braids. I wore them for about 3 months and started to just get my hair blow dried and flat iron. I have been doing that since 2007. I now have long hair (past my shoulders) and it all natural. So ladies that are natural keep up the good work and those still deciding whether or not to go natural, just do it. You will not regret it. You will have that healthy, show stopper hair that you always wanted.
love this post! being natural is hard, whether its learning to do your hair, decoding products or dealing with perceptions about natural hair. being my own cheerleader has definitely helped me through the natural hair journey and given me patience. so glad to see these words of encouragement!
missdeeplyrooted.blogspot.com
I agree! I've been natural since 05 and still deal with insecurities of "does my hair look ok?" For the first time Saturday I wore my hair in a natural style "twist-out" for a night out Manhattan. Usually when I have something "special" to do, I break out the flat iron and blow dryer. This summer I decided to not fight with the weather and embrace my natural hair whether my twist outs come out "good" or not.. So frizz and all I'm rocking my hair and I'm feeling so fly! I'm finally starting to realize that it's not what others think, it's what you think and feel that is most important.
great post and right on time. i recently took a look in the mirror and saw how 'weathered' my hair was looking. needless to say, i had not been taking proper care or time to 'baby' my tresses. so i decided to rekindle a mosturizing regimen, get back on track with DC'ing, among other things & post it all on my mirror to view as a daily reminder. so far so good.
Great article! I totally agree with wording being important in regards to relationship with hair.
This is perfect! I have one big chopper and 2 transitioners that I am mentoring and I was just giving them this advice yesterday. I will be sharing this post with them. Thank you!
Yep! Anything worth having takes hard work!
tiannamae.blogspot.com
Well said! I love this post…thank you for sharing this very inspirational and poignant message with the CurlyNikki community!