Happy Chopaversary to me!! This month marks one year since I made the decision to do the big chop and go au naturale. One whole year of no heat, no extensions, just me and my coily curls! Little Emani would be SHOCKED and SPEECHLESS! I cannot explain to you what this year has meant to me. Last year, I opened up in my blog post, "Marvelous are YOUR Works" about how I finally turned toward what God says about me rather than chasing a continuously changing society.
Now, just because I made the decision to go natural and knew what God thinks of me, doesn’t mean that this past year was smooth sailing. I had moments where my thoughts would overtake me and I couldn’t look in the mirror. I had moments filled with tears after a failed wash and go, moments of anger because of my tight texture and shrinkage. Those emotions were all still present, but God's Word was right there too, breathing life and confidence into me where I could hold my head up high. My only regret is that I didn’t grow up having confidence in myself, natural hair and all, despite what my peers said. Because let me tell you, one thing I have realized is that you cannot live your life to please others. People are always going to have an opinion and it's always going to be a different one. If you bend and move every time someone says to change this way or that way or they just simply don't like something....you'll never have peace. Go on to do what it is that makes YOU feel the most confident. Whether that is going natural, or dying your hair, or shaving it off. Whatever that is, do what makes YOU feel beautiful and don't hide and cover up because of what you feel others will accept.
My goal with this was not just to learn to love myself, but to also inspire others. So, if there is another young girl out there struggling to love what she sees in the mirror or a grown woman who is still carrying the scarring words from her peers, let me remind you that you are the apple of God’s eye (Zechariah 2:8). His work is intricate and intentional and that includes His greatest work...YOU. The texture of your hair, the color of your skin, your body, ALL of it. Pray to God that He will help you to see yourself the way that He sees you, as His marvelous creation. Blast on some songs that make you feel confident! A personal fave is what I started the post with, "I am Not my Hair" by India Arie. You know you are NOT your hair, your skin, your body, anything. Walk with your head held high knowing how intentional everything about you is.
It Will be Well,
E
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