Jenee Michell. Empowering you to "Self Care": The Journey

It took me a few years before I decided to do the "Big Chop." I always waited months to get a relaxer- even before I thought of going fully natural. I played with the idea for a while, but would never let the "no relaxed look" go on much longer than 4 to 6 months. It took my daughter coming home to me one day after school that I decided to take it there :-) the place that some woman dare not to go.

Baby Girl comes home from kindergarten and tells me she wants her hair straight. Naturally I ask why. She tells me she wants her hair straight and long like the other girls in her class. I go into a spiel about how gorgeous her hair is naturally- so on and - so forth. At 4 years of age, she looks at me and reminds me that my hair is straight too. Mind you I was rocking 16 inches of bohemian looking hair, lol.

Her saying that to me really had me evaluating myself and what I was representing to her on a daily basis. It was at that moment that I decided to just do it and don't look back. I swear to you it has been a JOURNEY, lol. A journey I proudly recommend to every sister friend out there. Everyone's journey is different, but I swear I am beyond appreciative of the experience and phases I had to go through- being pretty enough, sexy enough, and loving myself more than enough- in my most natural state.

When I think back, I remember the frustration I had with my hair that I am now so in love with :-) Just trying to figure it all out because all hair types are not the same. Some products work well and some products are for different hair textures. The biggest conclusion I've come to is our hair needs MOISTURE!MOISTURE!MOISTURE! Aside from that, learning to appreciate your texture with out expectations from it will allow your hair to grow and flourish. Sounds crazy right. But not until I let go of the expectations and started to love my hair for what it was- did I begin to recognize its beauty.

Instead of hiding it with my weaves, I want to protect it as much as possible. I understand my hair has its own personality. Every coil, curl, and kink is different, expressing itself- for me and the world to admire.

This journey is not for the simple hearted. Only those that are ready to "get real" with themselves will even attempt the natural hair journey. I challenge you to push through and dedicate yourself to loving the natural you- unconditionally :-)