From the Root to the Toot

I have so many tiny goals to achieve it can sometimes seem a bit overwhelming. I have one main goal: to become and remain a healthy, happier me inside out... that includes my roots.

I have been a happy nappy girl for four years now and just this year really decided to take my mane serious. I am focused on getting it to it's healthiest self and retaining length.

For the past three months (coincidentally how old my son is) I have been 90% protective styling my hair by usually getting a predominantly cornrowed hairstyle with a section (usually something bang-like) in two-strand twist. This leaves every strand of my hair protected from being manipulated for at least two weeks. I then let my hair breathe for a day or two (depending on my stylist's schedule) before I try either the same do with a twist or something new all together. Today, I am getting my first REAL set of box braids. I am so nervous because I don’t know what the outcome will be. I see sisters all the time pulling off this hairstyle with the greatest of ease and it's SO fly. But the one time I started to do them on my head it was looking ridiculous! Well, this time I am coming with enforcements: my stylist standing out of the blue corner at 4' 9" tall at a whopping 110 pounds. lol

It is no secret that I am not good at styling my own hair unless it's two-strand twists, which I really just started perfecting within the last year. I can also make myself a super duper fly chunky twist-out. But I want to unravel twists (because it is so easy to do) in a week for fabulous twist out results. The secret to retaining length I am learning is to keep your tresses conditioned, moisturized and protected. Protective styling like braids and twists, especially with the winter coming up, are a necessity to stop breakage and retain length. So, I am going to need to commit (there's that word again) to a system so that by spring, I can see some change not only on the scales, but in my mane as well. I just took my hair down yesterday and it's awesome how big/long my hair is getting. I know that is in large part to the protective styling (AKA being lazy) I have been doing since my sun was birthed into the world. So this fall, I am starting my first-ever hair care & protective style challenge to see what actually listening and paying attention to my hair can do. Wish me luck that I don't look crazy with box braids... I really want to conquer rocking this style as box braids take more work to undo than two-strands, so I am more likely to leave them in for longer than the week or two I leave in my twists. Also, it will afford me the chance to begin styling, trying pin-ups and what not so that I don't get bored.

I am still working on my daily schedule as I stated in the previous post and I am almost done once I get my hair routine(s) figured out and squeezed into the flow of things. October 2007 is truly going to kick off an amazing transformation for me from the roots of my head, to my spirituality, to my muscles... in other words the TRUE meaning of "mind, body and soul." Next fall, I will emerge a more beautiful, healthier, longer haired, butterfly from HEAD to TOE with a new job and lifestyle. I see it, and it's perfect.