What I LOVE LOVE LOVE About being Natural!

Based on My Story , you already know that for me, being natural is about more than just my hair. It was a way to break away from all the distractions in my life that stopped me from being my true self. It's about unleashing the potential and truth that was buried underneath fake hair, fake nails, designer labels and "keeping up with the Jones's mentality" that kept myself and so many of our women in a state a paralysis as it relates to accomplishing goals, self discovery and free thought. Boy have I grown since those clippers grazed my scalp!



I have learned that there is so much more to me than what meets the eye and now I have more of a reason to express that hidden side. Along those lines here are a few things about being natural (me) that I just love Love LOVE!



1) All the love I have gotten from others!-

I have yet to hear a negative comment from anyone when it comes to my hair. As a matter of fact I have gotten lots of love. People come up to me out of nowhere and compliment my hair. I was out eating one day and an older gentleman approached me and commented that he liked my hair and that he especially appreciated seeing a young woman not afraid to wear her own hair.

I was in the mall (on another occasion) with hubby and one of the cashiers commented that she really liked my hair and I could tell from the way she said it, that she was shocked to see someone rocking a natural do that she actually liked.

The love alone, makes this journey worth it that much more!



2) The fact that my hair is not that big a deal anymore-

Alot of naturals are obsessed with length and want to know all the ways to make their hair behave like another natural they've seen. Or they want/need it to look a certain way in order for them to like their hair or continue on the journey. I on the other hand am just going with the flow. I am letting my hair grow with the same patience as I give the hair under my armpits. I 'm not measuring it or documenting its growth any more than I am documenting the growth of my toe nails. When I did the bog chop, I let all the anxiety related to my hair fall to the floor and be swept away with its unwanted baggage in tow.
AS I was getting my hair cut I decided to free myself from the drama associated with my hair because it no longer had a huge say in who I was. My hair is like my arm, it's an extension of me, but it doesn't take center stage in determining my worth as a person. My hair IS my crown but I no longer feel the need to manipulate it and force it to do what I want it to do. AS the queen that I am, I effortlessly reign. My crown, as given to me by my creator, need not be pressured or rushed or changed.



3)In the heat of South Carolina, I love the fact that my hair isn't adding to the heat I am feeling!

I am soooo happy that my weave and permed days are over! When it's 101 degree heat index like it is today I am thankful for the short do I am rocking, and even of my hair was longer I imagine the peace I would feel knowing that sweat was no threat to my style. I don't have to worry abut my hairstyle having a boiling point!

4) The freedom!-
I feel so free and powerful with this natural way of life. Whenever I talk to my friends that are still battling to keep their hair straight, I always feel a sense of "Thank God I'm natural" wash over me. I can do so many more things now with out worrying about my hair. I wonder how many lives would be changed if more women were natural. Really, I wanna know. Since I am natural I have no reason to not jump in the pool with my son and teach him how to swim, I have no reason not to play in the sprinklers with him. I won't have a standing appointment on Saturday mornings with a stylists and so I could very well use that as time for my family to have breakfast or go for a run... anything! Letting go of hair pressure frees up so much in your life and I am loving it. You know that 50million pound challenge? I want to see the effects of a challenge for black women to embrace their hair and be natural on a national level I bet we would see things emerge from our communities that we never thought were possible just from freeing people from the bondage of the good/bad hair mentality.

5) My pockets are fatter!-
Yes! I am saving so much money from being natural. NO more beauty shop appointments, perms, weave, glue, flat irons etc. I didn't really pay attention to how much I was saving until I met my neighbor who is always finding a way to hide her natural hair. Whenever she gets a new do she tells me how much she spent on it (including the cost of hair if it was added) and I am always shocked at the prices. I know I used to spend the same amount if not more on my hair back in the day, but now that I have stepped away from that lifestyle, the craziness of the amount of money we spend hiding our hair is more apparent. (I also stopped with the fake nails too, so you know I'm sitting on stacks these days!)

I love being me. Being natural. I feel great. I look the best I've ever looked in my life and I am growing in ways I never thought of before.

What do you love Love LOVE about being natural? Are you saving money now that you're a natural? What do you think about my 50 million naturals campaign?

Peace Love and Freedom
Sunshine