Reflecting: On Learning to Love My Hair

wearing my hair in a bantu-knot out turned shrunken afro (thanks to the humidity!)
outfit details are in my post: Black, White, and Big Hair

I think all women have an interesting relationship with hair. We admire each other's hair, wish for what we don't have, and buy products to give us the hair of our dreams. No wonder why the hair industry is so lucrative! I've had a love-hate relationship with my hair for many years. However, I'm proud to say that the relationship has transformed to all love over the past few years. As a child, my hair was thick and hard to manage; breaking the teeth on combs and popping hair ties and bubbles (some folks call them ballies lol) were commonplace for my hair. Several people told me my hair was beautiful, but I didn't truly believe it. I dreamed of having straight hair. I was envious of all the girls at school with straight hair because I thought mine was ugly. I didn't understand why God gave me this thick and hard to manage hair that was always in braids or twists to prevent tangles. There were so many days that I woke up wishing for straight hair because I believed that was the standard of beauty. I remember walking through the hair and beauty isle as a child while idolizing the little girls on the "Just for Me" kiddie relaxer packages. Their silky hair was perfect in my eyes and I wanted to be one of those girls so badly. I begged my mother several times throughout my childhood to relax my hair and each time she firmly told me no! By my 12th birthday I continued pestering my mom to relax my hair and we compromised on a texturizer instead. She was reluctant, but I wanted it so bad that she gave in. 

After a couple of years, my texturizer turned into a super relaxer and I regretted the day I ever allowed those chemicals to touch my hair; my once thick hair grew longer and thinner. My mother gave the usual "I told you so" and reminded me that my natural hair was always beautiful. During my sophomore year of high school, I decided to give texturizers another try. My hair began to grow back thicker, but it wasn't as healthy as it could be. By my junior year of high school, I decided to stop putting harsh chemicals in my hair for good because I was unsatisfied with its health. I no longer wanted to blend in with everyone and I stopped idolizing the girls with straight hair. I wanted to celebrate my natural beauty and exercise confidence. So I gradually cut off my chemically straightened hair until I was left with nothing but my natural texture and a new found appreciation for it. I didn't see many women  rocking their natural hair, but that was okay with me. I didn't care if I looked different because I chose to wear my hair in natural styles. There were some days when I hated being natural because of the time and effort it took to make my hair look "presentable". However, I eventually mastered the art of styling my hair. I can proudly say that I look into the mirror and I love the beautiful woman with the gorgeous hair staring back at me. Sometimes my afro is huge, sometimes it shrinks up to a fraction of it's length. My hair has been called kinky, curly, nappy, coarse, tough and unruly. It has been likened to cotton candy and lambs wool. All in all, I love my hair because it is a part of me.


Make Time for the Things You Love to do

Top & Skirt-JCPenny | Shoes-Nine West | Purse-The Gap | Sunglasses- Ray Ban via Lens Crafters
I had grand plans for the summer at the beginning of June. I was going to travel a lot, visit parks, museums/art galleries, attend fun events, and basically do lots of awesome stuff that I love to do. Well, I traveled often during the beginning of summer between vacations/business trips and attended a few events. However, everything changed as the summer progressed. I quickly became entrenched in my career and that became my life. When I wasn't at work, I tried to accomplish all the things I couldn't during my work week. However, I realized that I was so busy trying to do everything that I often neglected myself. It's so easy to become consumed by the daily routines of life that we often forget about ourselves. That's why I made it a priority to devote time once a week towards doing something that I enjoy. It could be as simple as going out for ice cream with my boyfriend, getting dressed up for church, or simply just admiring the art around me. Last week, I decided to view some local street art and shoot my after-church outfit post simultaneously. Putting on a cute outfit makes me feel good and I really enjoy art. I've always been fascinated by murals and graffiti; spotting walls that local artists transformed into their canvases always catches my attention. What catches your attention aside from work? Are you working hard/smart AND making time for the things that YOU enjoy? Remember, balance is the one of the key factors to living a successful life. It's important to make time for yourself so that you don't get burnt out and become miserable. I urge you to find time this week to do something that you enjoy!