Why I Chose to Go Natural: Living the Natural LIfe as a Spiritual Journey?

I started this journey almost 4 years ago. Initially, I just stopped relaxing my hair. I would still use heat: blow drying (without a heat protectant) and using a flat iron on a regular basis. I can't give you an exact reason at that time I decided to stop relaxing,. I can't even say that this is the place I one day knew I would be--au naturale. I just think I came to the conclusion that I really had no use for chemicals. I always knew that they (chemicals) were not good for my hair, but I don't think I made the distinction that the heat was just as damaging.

I will say that I did know that I could get the same results with a flat iron as I had been getting with a relaxer. I also knew that it would be more work, BUT, I thought I was doing the right thing for my hair. I was very naive. I hadn't done the research. I would go by word of mouth about certain products that could possibly be good for my hair. I would watch YouTube videos and get the latest info on what black women were using to get their hair to grow--notice I said grow--but, did not mention what they were using to get their hair healthy. I didn't really care. I had and still have very strong hair. It's always been thick and it would grow--but not fast enough apparently.

I look back now thinking about the countless YouTube videos I watched, spending money I did not have on all kinds of products. I watched these wanna-be experts; basically the blind leading the blind give advice and product reviews on products they weren't really sure if they were working or not. I even found videos with huge followings that claimed that a product for horses that is sold in feed stores had amazing growth results (on human hair). You ask--was I one of the one's who shamelessly walked into my local feed store asking for this product and actually bought it? Yes, I was and I did. I will say no more.

In the end of all the madness I was just as confused and clueless as I was in the beginning. Needless to say, I did not see any improvement in my hair for the two plus years as I was mindlessly washing and stripping my hair with shampoo that was not even for my hair type; conditioning with whatever product I had on hand, and just forget about styling products. I will say that even with all my missteps, the end results were always fabulous. I would get so many compliments on how beautiful and thick my hair was, but I knew that I could not continue like this for much longer before my hair started showing signs that there were some real problems.

It wasn't until June, 2010 that I decided to do the "BIG CHOP" and start from scratch. Well, I have to admit that usually when my life is going through some type of change, or turmoil, my hair is always on the receiving end of some kind of assault. Looking back, I felt like as if whatever was happening emotionally on the inside of me was displayed outwardly in the strangest of ways. I decided on a whim that I needed to clear my life of some things and start making healthier life decisions. The first decision was to clear, or should I say chop all of my hair off  (almost) down to the root. My hair was definitely a symbol of all things that were damaged in my life, and in order to get right I had to let go of all things that were holding me back, down, captive, prisoner....you get the point, right?! And, that included my damaged hair.

So, my decision to go completely natural wasn't planned. There was no countdown to the final date; not a moment to think it over. Once I decided to do it--it was done. The journey up to this point has been life altering--literally. I know that sounds a bit dramatic but this whole experience has given me a different outlook on life, who I am, and how I want the world to see me. Accepting the fact that my hair is as pure and natural as it was when my mother use to wash it and plait it as young girl means that I have accepted who I am as I am, and have decided to live a life that is pure, natural and free. Living the natual life is still a process and my journey is far from over. I am still learning how to care for my hair as I learn to care for my heart, my soul, and my body.

Website: http://www.thekink101.weebly.com/

Liberated: Inspiration for those considering making the transition to natural

After I made the BIG CHOP over a year ago, because I did do it on a whim, I thought--"Oh, my God, what did I just do!" Yeah, yeah, in my previous blog (Why I Chose to Go Natural) I talked about how this transition was like a spiritual journey, out with the old; in with the new type thing. And, while all that is true, I panicked initially. It took me awhile to get used to this new journey. As I have mentiond before, I have been relaxer-free for a couple of years or so before deciding to chop off the rest of my damaged hair two summers ago.

Now, that I have gotten used to this change, I have to say it has been very challenging. I do not want to mislead any of you who are contemplating making this transition because it is a committment. It has taken a long time, AND, I am still trying new and different things to figure out which products are best for my hair. I did a lot of research. I learned my curl pattern, tried products that were supposedly good for my hair type, and learned that what was initially thought to be bad for my hair actually is ok. It is a lot to learn, but that is the beauty of this journey. As you learn, you find what is right for YOU! And, you may decide at a later time that what was right for you then may not be right for you now. That is ok! Remember it is a process. I have to admit I love the process. The process keeps me interested and it has given me the passion to learn all things natural, especially when it comes to my hair.

I feel like a child learning something new for the first time. Every time I read a product review about a new product, or shopped the ethnic haircare aisles at the local Wal-Mart and shamelessly bought something just because the bottle promised--in so many words--FREEDOM! FREEDOM from drying out my hair, FREEDOM from frizz,  FREEDOM from (essentially) never having to use another product again, and then later become disappointed that it did not deliver on its' promise. This was all cool though. I was learning, and anyone who knows my educational background, KNOWS I love to LEARN and love to TEACH what I know, and in this case-- teach what I have learned and learning.

Regardless of how many products I have tried, and there have been many. I do have some old stand-bys that always do the trick. Even if--wait for it--they are not the natural and organic products. I make a lot of home recipes with olive oil, eggs, honey, you name it, but when I do not have the time to experiment I use what works for the time being; always with the thought in mind that I have to live by what I promote. For the most part I do, but sometimes you have to make room for what is convenient. I always want to keep it 100...lol.

There is no question about it there is freedom in being natural. Yes, it is a lot of work, but I have never felt more LIBERATED in my entire life. The choice I made to go natural, once I got a clue, was all about me being who I am without the worry of what others thought of me.  There were people, mostly family who did not like the choice that I made. I almost felt pity for them because I instantly felt how paralyzing it must feel to think that we as women of color in our naturalness have to censor who we are just to make others feel comfortable. I admit that I have felt, whether it is true or not, that some people would overlook me because of my newly natural state. I found that I had to put myself out there to get recognized otherwise some people would look right past me. Like I said, I am not sure people are aware of what they do at times, or if I may have been a little uncomfortable in my own skin (in the beginning) and just thought this way.

Needless to say, I stuck to my guns and I remained faithful. Imagine the freedom in that! Now, when people see my hair; quite a bit longer than it was over a year ago, they compliment my wild curly curls, and they love the color. Yep, I had to add a little flair. Honestly, I would not care if they liked it or not. I am owning this. I am free, I am liberated!

website: http://www.thekink101.weebly.com/