Starting a healthy hair journey comes with a lot of excitement at the beginning. You’re entering a whole new world with lots to learn. However as with any other journey (like fitness, healthy diet, etc) the challenges faced can discourage you. How do you stay motivated to keep loving your curls?
Compare yourself- with yourself. It’s good to glean inspiration from those way ahead of you, but beware of wanting your hair and journey to be exactly like theirs. Everyone’s hair varies in growth rate, appearance, acceptance of products. Instead compare your hair’s present state with when you begun to give you that energy boost to keep going. Here’s where photos come in handy for easy comparison.
Focus on health, not length. Many naturalistas are fascinated by the prospect of growing their hair long. Unfortunately this leads them to look for miracle products or methods which grow hair fast. They end up frustrated when these don’t work, thus missing out on the whole point of a healthy hair journey- enjoying one’s hair. As long as you maintain your hair’s healthy state it will keep growing out and you’ll retain length.
Celebrate small victories. Your hair may not have grown as fast as your favourite Youtuber, but there’s always something to celebrate. Think of things you’ve managed to do- whether it’s achieving a style you’ve wanted for long, or reducing breakage, finding products that work well for your hair. Focusing on the positives will keep you motivated.
Seek inspiration. Look for naturalistas with a hair type similar to yours and have achieved the level of healthy hair you’re aspiring for. If they made it so can you. Scour their blogs/ social media platforms for tips. If you have friends who are naturalistas, keep each other motivated and accountable. That’s one awesome thing about the naturalista world- it’s a community so you don’t have to feel alone.
