Back in 2010, I did the big chop. I had transitioned for what felt like a year, but was only three months. I was excited and hooked on the dream of having suer fine curly locs all the way to my butt cheeks. I stayed up watching every “Grow Your Hair Fast” and “Volumized Twist Out” tutorial on YouTube, but somehow never fully got the satisfaction I wanted: long natural hair. It was never hair that was my type (4C). It was always super light skinned women with very long, loose curls, showing me their wash n go’s! After having the 17th wash and go fail I didn’t even want to be natural anymore. I was ready to just perm my little bit of hair and slap a wig on. It was too much!
I then realized that I was hypnotized. Hypnotized by the notion that I had to have a certain type of hair, hair length, and baby hair setup as other women. I hadn’t yet realized that this journey was unique and perfectly made for me. I felt like my hair wasn’t done if my edges were gelled down with an entire bottle of gorilla snot! After a long time I am, within the last 3 years, realizing that this natural hair journey has been just that. A journey. It had a definitive start, but no ending. Everyday I come to love something different about my hair!
I say to any ladies struggling with hair identity, first I say stop watching every video of ladies who don’t look like you. That isn’t YOUR hair journey! Instead look at women who DO resemble you and then once you have enough hair styles in your arsenal, modify them to make you feel as beautiful and wonderfully made as you are.