My Natural Hair Journey So far

Right so I Big Chopped last year in August.

(29th of August to be exact.)

I was in the primitive stage of my self love journey so I figured I should go natural.

Major choice because I didn't hate my hair (I was traumatized years ago by this episode of Tyra with this black lady who hated her natural but relaxed hair so much that she never let anyone see it and had a break down as it was taken out by Tyra's staff and I vowed never to be so attached to weaves/wigs) but in my last year of high school I had this growth hair spurt and my hair was long and healthy so cutting it would seem crazy to me.

Do you know how attached black girls can be to their hair?

So I tried transitioning from June last year to August and was like fuuuuck this, no so I went to my friend's and got it cut.

I only told my boyfriend and he was for it so I was like, why not?

Felt liberated but insecure for the first couple of months because it was dry and I didn't know what to do with it so co-washing became my thing. Oh and cutting my looser ends. Funny thing about my hair, it ranges from 3a (CURLY hair) to 4c (KINKY hair).

Nobody told me you can have extreme textures, so I kept cutting my looser curls because i was *convinced* they were still relaxed ends. Turns out I was born like dissss.

Took a while before I found anyone with hair that looked like mine.

Eventually I got into doing twist outs and braid outs and stuff so no biggie really.

Not really much of an experimenter with styles but I do try.

But lately my hair texture is evening out into 4a so braid outs and twist outs are not as cute :(

My hair is pretty thick but the hair at the back is not so thick which I don't like much but eh.

Anyways, one major thing I have learnt is that being natural is not just a hairstyle... it's a lifestyle

I was like, I'm just going natural, I will not turn into a hippie.

I wouldn't quite say I'm a hippie buuut...

Becoming a natural:

Was one of my first steps in cheering for black feminism.

(Equality of the sexes, not women ruling the world... although women are the majority of the world yet most countries' cabinets are majorly men... hmmmm....)

Opened my eyes to racism.

Made me aware to so many things wrong in society, including things that do not directly influence me.

Gave me a deep yearning to love the country I was born in, the country I live in and my continent.

Becoming in touch with my spirituality.

And as usual, contributed to me nonconforming to some of society's bullshit.

I've grown A LOT in the past year, it's a little crazy when I think about it.

I decided from Day 1 that I would never be one of those naturals who hates on girls who relax their hair or wear weaves (very big problem in the natural community.). I also decided I would have fun with my hair. I wouldn't focus on growing it and rather let it help grow me as a person.

I have embraced it's length and now I'm at a stage that I like to call the Awkward Stage.

I'm a bit past TWA (Teeny Weeny Afro) but my hair isn't quite long yet either.

Believe me when I say it's awkward.

I am currently dyeing it blonde because well... I'm turning 20 and am inviting a ton of change into my life.

Wanted to do something dramatic.

It blew up in my face because it turned out albino blonde, then I dyed it again and it turned orange and then I went back to black and then it decided to have brown highlights... which everyone thinks is sexy and intentional so... I'm going with. My hair is a bit damaged, but I've been trying to restore it which may take a month or so.

My goal was simple... to be able to tie my hair in a bun in it's natural state, which I CAN :D

I'm also chilling at neck length and would like to reach bra strap length for year 2... which is ambitious but... what I want so let's see how that goes.

Think 1 month post big chop?

One year post big chop \o/ (Stretched out of course.)