Regaining Your Freedom When You’re Held Captive By Your Hair
Hey, Curllfriends, I’m noticing a trend with natural hair care, and I don’t think I like it. So many of our curlfriends confess to being held captive by their hair. The ease and freedom of hair care have turned into long hours, traumatic experiences, complicated hair care routines, and allowing our hair to take us captive and take control of our lives.
Understandably identity is a big deal for so many of us, and our hair is a large part of our identity. I would be remiss if I didn’t say that I, too, have suffered in the past from feeling like I was held captive to my hair. Beyond the limiting beliefs and misaligned expectations, there are so many rules to follow, steps to take, and trends to keep up with that the hair care experience has become overwhelming.
This is not how it is supposed to be! Even if our hair is an integral part of our identity, it should not have the power to control our lives. It’s time to break free from the bondage of hair care. Reclaim your time and confidence and make your natural experience Easy!
Simplicity is the name of the game, and I’m here to show you some simple things that you can do right now to regain control when you’re feeling held captive by your hair.
Grab your friends and your pens. It’s time to break free! Here are four things you can do right now to free yourself from being held captive by your hair
Know the facts
Facts matter when it comes to hair care. Unfortunately, we allow fiction to drive what we do to care for our hair. Following the facts removes confusion, eliminates misguidance from old wives’ tales and popular opinions, and helps us be more intentional when caring for our curls. Everything from deciding what products to use to which hair care practices are best becomes easier. Opinions, old wives’ tales, gimmicks, and trends are very spicy and often enticing. The problem is that they often work against us when the goal is to simplify our hair care routines and make our natural experience easy. Stick to the facts, and everything becomes easier.
Let your voice be the loudest.
People’s opinions carry a lot of weight. I know they shouldn’t, but they do. Societal stigmas and prejudices have set the tone for what we consider professional, beautiful, and hair goals. This causes us to work hard to achieve a look or meet a standard and often keeps us in captivity to our hair. If you want to break free, you have to stop letting other people’s opinions be the loudest voice that plays in your head. When you learn the facts, take what you know about your hair and let that be what drives your decisions about hair care and how your hair should look, feel, and behave. Then remind yourself that other people’s opinions about your hair do not matter!
Break the rules.
There are so many rules about natural hair care, many of which are not factual or backed by science. These rules were made to be broken. If it’s nonsensical, don’t follow it. If it requires too much time, effort, and energy, it’s probably not what you should be doing. Excessively restrictive practices and those that require you to do the most are not necessary.
Some rules perpetuate the myths and falsehoods that cause natural hair care to be complicated, overwhelming, and frustrating. When we start our natural journey, it is hard to know what to do to encourage our hair to thrive. It becomes easy to follow the guidance of others whom we assume are being successful, especially when their hair appears to be thriving or is designated as the gold standard. My advice, scrutinize everything. Break the rules that cause you to overwork and mistreat your hair. Put practices in place that focus on creating healthy hair that is easy to care for and thrives.
Keep it simple
Our hair needs consistent care, but that care does not need to be complicated. You do not have to make products at home or have multistep processes that require hours of work. You do not have to be captive to your hair for it to thrive. The secret to successfully caring for your hair is simplicity. Cleansing, conditioning, and styling your hair routinely is all you need. Consistently doing the right work yields the desired results, eliminates frustration, and brings a certain level of ease. It is OK to take the path of least resistance. It leads to progress, and you having a more enjoyable natural experience—one where you are not held captive to your hair and can cultivate healthy curls that thrive.
Listen, the days of doing the most and being held captive to our hair are over! I know you want easy. You want to be free from hair bondage, and I want you to enjoy your natural experience. Mastering these four steps will have you well on your way to freedom. I would love to assist you in navigating this path. Visit BoldKulture.com, and let’s connect.
Here’s to you no longer being held captive by your hair! My goal is always for you to succeed.
