For my entire life I can remember getting a relaxer. As I sit back and reminisce I can now smell the horrendous thick white creamy substance that I somehow had a love/hate relationship with.  I was only one years old when I first got my hair relaxed. (Yep you read right ) According to my mom my hair was extremely thick and very hard to manage. She believed my natural hair was a hindrance for the both of us to have to deal with, so she promptly decided to start my creamy crack addiction.

Ever since my freshman year at Clark Atlanta University I covered and masked my natural hair with perms and extensions. I did not know how to actually wear my real hair. The thought of me even wearing my real hair (perm or no perm) horrified me. I was the type of girl who had to have at least a “track” or two with my real hair. For some reason I did not feel complete without them. Hairstyle after hairstyle I was always looking for something new. At school whenever my current hairstyle got old and worn out it was time to make an appointment with my beautician and head to the beauty supply store.

Changing my hair became a constant ritual in my life. I figured I had the money, why not continue to invest in my hair and change it as often as I pleased. (At the time it seemed like a good idea) In many ways my extensions gave me a boast of confidence. They seemed to always satisfy me, providing me with fullness, volume, and length. I was ultimately happy with them because I no longer had to deal with the hassle of tending to my real hair. I could easily bury my real hair under a sew-in and keep going about my business.

In the Spring of 2014 something changed within me. I grew tired of consistently having to buy weave and switch up my hairstyle. Trying to achieve a particular look was time consuming and very expensive. Enough was enough, I knew something had to give. I couldn’t keep the trend the going. I decided to make that decision to go natural and clip my perm ends.  After I clipped my straight hair I got some Senegalese Twist as a protective style.

Although I had made a bold decision to cut my hair I wasn’t bold enough to wear my short mini afro. I had worn my Senegalese Twist all through the summer until the month of October. (I kept getting my ends clipped and getting them done over) As you might have figured I truly loved my twist. They were versatile, convenient, and extremely cute! After months of wearing the twist I believed they were long over due. I decided that it was time to see the progress of my natural hair.

Initially I was not planning on wearing my natural hair until the next school semester. Luckily God had given me an abundance of confidence. I had broken out of my comfort zone and was able to wear my natural hair and feel good about myself. My hair turned out better than I expected. I truly felt free and beautiful. I wasn’t concerned at all at what others thought about me. Looking back now if it was last year I would have never even thought about going natural. That was a time in my life when I was too worried about other people’s opinion. That was a time when I wanted an image that I knew people would like. That was a time when I didn’t even have enough confidence of my own.

Overall my experience has shown me that confidence is key. It allows you to achieve many things you never even imagined. I love the fact that black women show how comfortable and confident they are when they choose to wear their hair natural. Seeing them truly motivated me to break from the bondage of extensions and wear my natural hair proudly with confidence.

Throughout my natural transition a valuable lesson I learned is that you don’t need the approval from other people on your life. Ultimately what is for you is for you. People can say many things that throw you off track but it is up to you if you let them. From looking at my hair journey I believe if people continue to cover their real hair they’ll never know how to deal with it. I took a chance and stepped out of my comfort zone, which led to a blessing of confidence in many areas in my life. I encourage you to start off the New Year being more of yourself and not what others think of you. New blessings will not prosper unless you get out of your comfort zone. God has some great things waiting for you

Stay Blessed,

Happy New Year