I’ve been a natural for nearly ten years now, and I can confidently say that it’s been a wild ride. From severe breakage to beautiful afros, I’ve experienced and enjoyed so much of my natural hair journey. But the thing about a journey is that it’s more fun when you take others along with you for the ride. So whether you’ve been a long-time natural hair veteran or you’re considering going natural yourself, this is for you. Here are five reasons why I love having natural hair.
Why I Love My Natural Hair
1) It’s a great conversation starter
In 2011, natural hair wasn’t as common as it is today. The only women that I ever saw with natural hair were artists, models (occasionally), or little girls. So to see someone like me, a high school student at the time, with natural hair was an excellent conversation starter.
People would ask me where I’m from, what my life with natural hair is like, and a plethora of other questions that would lead to deep and meaningful conversations. My natural hair has even attracted men that normally I wouldn’t have had the chance to talk to. In fact, it was one of the reasons why my current husband was so interested in me.
So if you’re looking for a great way to make friends, find love, and meet other like-minded people, then I encourage you to go natural.
2) It makes me feel healthy
Healthy hair was something that I never achieved with relaxed hair. After hours of washing, drying, straightening, and curling, I was always rewarded with temporary beauty, breakage, and burns.
After going natural, my scars have healed, I can actually see growth, and I can tell what my hair needs. With straight hair, I never knew how to moisturize it. I was always afraid of putting water on my head because it’d cause my hair to revert to it’s original state, or “back to the Jungle” as my mother would put it.
I remember asking myself, “Why can’t healthy, natural hair be considered beautiful?” After years of asking myself that I concluded that it can be and that it is. If you’re concerned that natural hair your isn’t beautiful, please be comforted to know that it is. If you’re healthy and happy, the beauty that comes from it will soon follow.
3) It helped me to be more confident in myself
Confidence was one of the things that I lacked the most growing up. I wasn’t ever going to look like Heidi Klum, Beyonce, or even my classmates. I was always going to look like me and it took me years to realize that that’s a good thing.
Putting effort into my hair bled into other places that I desired to improve in. I worked harder on academics, finances, character development, and relationships too. Am I saying that my hair made me a better person? Absolutely not. But it did teach me determination and patience. And those two attributes, wherever you learn them, will affect every part of your life as well.
Now, that confidence helps to hold my head up high. It helps me to strive for other goals. I’ve successfully proven to myself that if I put my mind to it, I can achieve something. Now I have a mountain of goals that I’m eager to see come to fruition just because I was able to do that. If you’re struggling with going natural or being natural, I encourage you to not give up. Investing that effort and time, in the end, will be more than worth it.
4) My curls are absolutely beautiful
I never realized how beautiful kinks and coils were until I started researching natural hair. As you learn how hair works, what your hair does, and why every hair type looks different, you start to appreciate the beauty within your own hair. I remember doing research before my first big chop and I was so excited to discover what my curl type was. “Would it be 4A? 4C? A combination?” I didn’t know until I finally cut it off and watched it grow. Now, I can’t imagine a day where I don’t see my coils.
It brings me so much joy to see other women’s curls too. The creativity and practicality that goes into everyday hairstyles is incredible. In 2021, there’s a high chance of seeing other women wearing their natural hair and utilizing what they already have. But I must admit, I especially love hearing natural-haired mothers encourage their sons and daughters to embrace their curls while telling that they are more than their hairstyle or skin tone, that they are individuals who can follow their dreams no matter what they look like.
5) It helps other naturals to be more confident in themselves too.
Finally, I love being natural because it encourages others to be natural too. The goal of the natural hair movement was to prove to people that you can have natural hair and be a successful person. Whether success means wealthy, healthy, or even average, you don’t have to straighten your hair to be taken seriously. There are so many women who are doctors, writers, teachers, and mothers who have natural hair and are still respected. There are so many women who have natural hair and aren’t even activists or artists. Having natural hair isn’t necessarily a statement against Eurocentrism, anti-racism, or anything bold like that.
No, natural hair is just a different expression of beauty and comfort with oneself. It’s a rejection of feeling like you have to be uncomfortable in order to be beautiful. But at the time, it doesn’t mean that you hate those who don’t have natural hair or that you can’t try other styles instead. It’s about feeling free within yourself to express your style the way that you want to.
Being natural has always been fun for me. And if you aren’t natural and you’re wondering if it’s for you, I encourage you to give it a try. If you hate it, just grow your hair back. But be warned: once you choose curls they’ll rock your whole world.
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