Be natural

I'm almost six months natural (July 22, 2010) and since I won't be able to post during my travels, I thought I'd post now. I've been in China almost five months so most of my natural lessons have happened here. It's been an amazing time of discovery and I just wanted to share four things that I have learned so far...

1. Ignore the haters/naysayers:
People will try to get you down about your new experiences. "Why did you do that?", "What were you thinking?", "You know your hair is never going to grow back, right?", etc. Everyone has an opinion about your hair but at the end of the day it's YOURS! If YOU like it then that's all the matters! You chose to B.C., transition, or loc your hair, so enjoy it plan and simple, naysayers be damned!

2. Do what works for you:
Every one's hair is different and although we are all natural doesn't mean our hair all likes the same things. My hair doesn't like olive oil at all. It completely dries my hair and makes it crunchy. I kept putting it in my hair, thinking "everyone raves about it". At the end of the day I'm going to trade with someone else and move on. Try the product/s a few times and if you notice that it's not working for your hair swap or return it if you can. There's no shame in trying a product and finding that it doesn't work for you. Don't try to force your hair to be something that it's not. Love your hair for what it is; not what you think it should be!

3. Big earrings are your friend:
This may seem like a silly one, but it's true! I went to a private school for most of my life (elementary school-until graduation from high school), meaning no earrings bigger than a quarter. In college, I wore bigger ones but they were usually hidden by my flat relaxed hair. After my B.C., I went earring crazy! Since my hair was really short, it helped me feel girly and beautiful. Sometimes something small can make a big difference!

4. Enjoy it:
As each month passes, I am more and more thankful that I'm natural. I'm learning more about my hair now than I ever did when I was relaxed. I was too dependent on others doing my hair instead of taking care of it myself. Now, I know how to work with it and when to back off. I feel marvelous knowing that my hair is healthy and growing normally.

Being natural isn't just about cutting your hair; it's about what you do after that. So go with the flow, try new styles, and enjoy this process while you're in it. Don't force yourself or our hair to be something it's not, just be natural.