self-discovery

I'm not good with long introductions. I have had a lot of things go on in my life and somewhere in the midst of all that, I lost who I was. Recently, well, I guess not so recently, it's been about a year now, I went natural. At first I had not planned to fully go natural, however, after looking back on pictures through my life I saw that my hair was continuously getting thinner and shorter and thinner and breaking. I decided to break the unhealthy hair cycle in my family. I stopped getting relaxers cold turkey. For most of the time while I transitioned, I was scared. I was straightening my hair every chance I got. No one knew I was no longer getting relaxers. Eventually one day I said enough. Then, the big chop. I cut off the rest of my relaxed hair leaving me with maybe four inches of natural hair. I haven't had a relaxer in just about a year, maybe a little more or a little less. I am still coming to terms with it and every now and then I even regret being natural. However, I have been growing in my self-esteem and confidence on this journey. I feel as though I have been a fresh clean start in more ways than one. My senior year before I graduated no one in my school knew I had natural hair. Since beginning college, I have worn my hair natural almost every single day. This is how I know I have come a long way but I know I still have a long road ahead of me, and am interested in what else I can now do with my healthy, strong, natural hair.

I am sure you will get lots of info, support, tips, laughs, etc from this forum. Also I find that having natural hair will start to lead to a better healthier you. I drink more water now and take my vitamins habits that initially began as a result of my healthy hair journey. And you have sooo much versatility now you can doo so much with ur hair that you could not do before...and the first thing you can do with ur healthy, strong, natural hair is LOVE IT!!

Thank you A85. I am hoping so. Today was a bad hair day. You know the days you have when you see all the girls around you flipping their long straight hair. When your hair looks a mess. When you wish you were back to wear all you had to do in the morning was undo your wrap from the previous night. That "you" was me today. For a minute, I even considered going to back to the creamy crack. However, I came to senses, praise God. I just have to continue to love my hair every day and learn how to properly take care of it, and it will love me back. So even though today is not the best hair day and I regretted being natural, at the end of it all I am proud of natural, curly, thick, luxurious hair

QueenBi- amazing story. welcome to the hair challenge! i look forward ot reading ur posts and sharing encouragement! dont give up on ur hair! im sure it is beautiful- even on days like today when u feel u ha a bad hair day... i bet AT LEAST one of those girls flipping their long, straight, chemically altered locks saw ur hair today and wished they could be as courageous as u. never give up! WE can do it!

You will most def have good and bad days but that comes with everything. Whenever you have a bad day just give yourself some positive reinforcement, think of pluses of your new do. For example, now I laugh in the face of rain esp when i'm wearing my wash & go...I no longer have to run like a mad woman to get inside when the tiniest spritz of water falls. lol I also tell myself that I don't have to constantly spend mucho money and time in the salon sitting for hours...the list goes on