A "New" Year

image from x-streamers.com

Truly looking forward to a "New" Year. Out with the old way of business as usual. There are many things that I could dwell on from the past year that I would like to get a "do over" on, but I'm learning to learn from the past and not dwell on it. Keeping all things in perspective, I have my health, family, a steady job, and most importantly my faith in Christ. However, I know that I have much to look forward to as I hold fast to the promises of God for my life. My husband and I have four focus areas for our "New" Year: Faith, Family, Finances, and, Fitness. We are stepping out with a plan with measurable goals not a New "Fail" Resolution.  I hope that you are able to reflect on the past, learn from it, and move forward into your "New" Year! 

Yours Truly~Freedom

Hair Journey: Relaxed to Natural

This is my very first youtube video (a photo montage) documenting my journey from relaxed to natural hair. I'm proud of myself for actually being able to put it together. It wasn't as hard as I originally thought it would be. I'm  definitely stepping outside of my comfort zone with the whole youtube thing. Others seem to do it so effortlessly. Well, anyway, I'm excited to share this with my followers. Enjoy!

Yours Truly~Freedom

The New York Times & Natural Hair

click here to view the article

 I found this article and video posted in the New York Times to be very interesting. It is written by film maker Zina Saro-Wiwa (pictured here). Her article is entitled Black Woman's Transitions to Natural Hair. While preparing this article she inadvertently embarks on her own journey of self-discovery. She has a profound opinion that is shared at the end of the video. Check it out. Share your opinion.

Link to the article
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/01/opinion/black-women-and-natural-hair.html?_r=0


Yours Truly~Freedom

Updated Natural Hair Regimen

Another Updated Natural Hair Regimen~October 2012-Present (subject to change as my hair needs change)

Regimen Overview:

Water

Shampoo and Condition 1x per week

Deep Condition 1x per week on dry hair

Put in Leave in After Washing and Conditioning 

Detangle

Air Dry in braids or twists

No Heat Styles

Regimen Details:

1) Water & Deep Conditioner 

Mist hair with spray bottle, section hair into 6-8 sections, add conditioner and detangle each section, put each section in loose braids or twists as you go

Keep loose braids or twists in hair through the entire wash process

Rinse hair with warm water in the shower for about 5 mins

2) Shampoo

Tresemme Luxurious Moisture: Shampoo hair twice. During second shampoo rinse, leave some shampoo in the hair

3) Conditioner

Tresemme Smooth & Silky: Apply conditioner, rinse after 5-10 min 

4) Leave-In Conditioner
Tresemme Smooth & Silky: Apply conditioner, Leave in, do not rinse out. Yes, this is the same conditioner in step 3

5) Detangling 
Detangle each section with wide tooth comb, take each section and divide into 2, for a total of 12-16 sections, retwist or braid (this second detangling is effortless, since most of the detangling was done in step 1) 

Air Dry

Let hair Air dry

No Heat Styles

Apply leave in and style- twists, puffs, bantu knots, buns, braids, cornrows, flat twists, french roll, bantu knot outs, braid outs, etc. 

That's All Folks!

Yours Truly~Freedom

Big Chop = Big Step

My Big Chop Hair

Like myself, many of you reading this have transitioned to natural by taking care of your hair and letting it grow until you were ready to cut off the relaxed ends. 

Others may have simply cut off their hair with very little to no transitioning time and rocked a low fade or TWA.

Whatever the case may be, Big Chop=Big Step. 

I transitioned for a total of 15 months. This time frame worked for me. I didn't have a goal date set as to when I would cut my hair. I just wanted to transition until I got to a length that I was comfortable with or until I felt ready to cut. At 15 months post relaxer, I was comfortable with the length AND I felt ready. I haven't looked back since. 

You Tube and Hairlista have become my ultimate hair resource. What I mean by this is that these sites are places where you can find real people sharing their real hair stories. However, while I was transitioning I realized something. I realized that I could sit and search for BC stories all I wanted and get advise on how to BC, when to BC, how I should feel about BC'ing, how others may react to my BC, etc. but I had to take it just for what it was, advice. No matter how much or how little, how good or bad, it was all advise. At the end of the day, it was my choice, my hair, my decision. 

For those of you that are thinking of transitioning to natural, the best advise I have received and could give is this: You have to do what you feel is right for you. You have to know that you are comfortable with yourself no matter what you do to your hair. Cutting your hair will not hide any insecurities you have, more than likely it will bring them out. 

While I was transitioning I had to worked through my insecurities because if I wasn't comfortable with me, others wouldn't be either. I had to work through all the "what if's", doubts, and fears. It's a good idea to write down what you are feeling and how you plan to deal with the emotions that come with this decision. This way you have an idea of how you are going to respond when things come up after you cut your hair. Because cutting your hair is a Big Step.

I never understood why people would transition to the point where they only had 2 inches of relaxed ends left but struggled with the idea of cutting it off. That was UNTIL IT WAS MY HAIR!. Then I could relate. So much of who we are is tied up in the image of our hair. So for most of us, it doesn't matter how much or how little we have left to cut off. It's still a Big Step. 

Yes, BC for some may be, "I shaved my head" but for others it may be, "I finally cut off those last 2 inches." The BC is different for everyone who experiences it no matter how "BIG" the Big Chop or how "little" the Big Chop. It's still a BIG STEP! 

Have an opinion on the matter? Comment.

Yours Truly~Freedom

I Wonder...Why?

Have You Ever Wondered...

Part I

photo by: Jalal Volker

Have you ever wondered

why the death of one person can 

shatter so many lives,

why love that was so hard to find 

is so easily lost,

why a single event can

alter the path of your future,

Have you ever wondered why?

Have you ever wondered

why little girls dream of their prince charming

only to find that love is not a fairytale,

why little boys feel invincible only to find that 

 the world is not theirs alone to conquer,

why mommies and daddies find it hard to let

their little ones make mistakes of their own,

Have you ever wondered why?

Have you ever wondered

why their is so much lack in a world 

 that's filled with plenty,

why the easy way out is the way 

most often chosen,

why the values of honesty and love are

overrated but deciet and disappointment are expected,

Have your ever wondered why?

Sometimes I Wonder...... Why?


Yours Truly~Freedom

3 Months Natural Update

So its been 3 months and I have already had to tweak my regimen to fit my hair needs. Click on my regimen to check out the changes. The journey continues to be pleasant and I'm still enjoying every minute of it! Here are just a few photos of the journey up to this point. To view my entire hair journey from relaxed to natural find me on hairlista click here My Hairlista Page  Yours Truly~Freedom

Braid out

Braid out

Braid out

Wash day-my hair before washing

Wash day-my hair before washing
top length

Wash day-my hair before washing

Side length

Side nape area

Back length (at the 4)

Another back length (at the 4)

Front length

1 Month Natural Update

My one month naturalversary was on April 18, 2012. Here are a few pics of how my hair was progressing. I'm a little late with this post but better late than never. Enjoy. Yours Truly~Freedom

chunky twist out with front braided back

side view

side view

impromptu length check

Newly Natural Hair Regimen

Figuring out what works for my natural hair has been as interesting as the journey itself. Besides the so true adage that "moisture is a natural's best friend". Here are a few things that I've learned about my hair so far:

1) I'm a head of many textures but predominately 4b (i think)

2) my natural hair acts nothing like my transitioning hair

3) shea butter works much better as a sealant than oil on my hair

4) sweet almond oil gives my hair a nice sheen and is best on my hair when applied a day or two after wash day

5) I don't have to totally abandon products I used while transitioning and relaxed (just some tweaking needed)

So without further ado:

Natural Hair Regimen~March 2012-Present

Regimen Overview:

Water

Shampoo and Condition 1x per week

Deep Condition 1x per week

Put in Leave in After Washing and Conditioning 

Air Dry only (to about 80%) 

Apply Modified Kimmaytube Leave in

Apply Shea Butter Mix

No Heat Styles

For a detailed look at my regimen, click on the "My Regimen" tab on the home page.

Yours Truly~Freedom

Big Chop Photos

Preparation 

Here are a few photos of my big chop. For photos of my journey you can find me on hairlista (www.hairlista.com)


Quick recap:
Last relaxer December 2010
Transitioned for 15 months 
Big chop March 2012 
Yours Truly~Freedom


   

Stringy relaxed ends

I was so excited.I originally thought that I would go to the salon to BC but I ended up doing it myself. Not to mentioned it was on a Sunday and I was ready. 

Working on this section

OMG! almost done

Yep, I'm keeping it.

Look at my hair!

Family

My Girls during a tour of
the Capital of Florida

Family is a very important aspect of my life. I enjoy every moment spent with my girls and Hubby (well almost every moment; motherhood & wifely duties can be a bit draining at times; 1 of me 4 of them but I wouldn't change it for the world). In any case, they are my rocks. They are there when I need them and they help me to remember what's really important in this life. We have one life to live. Let's make the most of it by enjoying ourselves while cherishing our families. Shout out to all the families that are making things  happen in their lives and in the lives of those they cherish most. 

Yours Truly~Freedom

2011 High School Grad
middle daughter, hubby, oldest,
me, and youngest

My Natural Hair

Things are going great with my hair. Although it took me about 4 days after my big chop to get all of the straight pieces of hair cut off. It seemed like I would finally have all my coils in place and out of no where would appear more straight pieces. Other than that its been great so far.


Oh I have to say this though. Reactions to my fab hair have been mostly positive. The biggest emotional  response that I have gotten is "I can't believe you cut your hair!" or "You actually cut your hair?" My girls love it! They think its great. Especially my youngest daughter, we say that we are "hair twins". The verdict is still out on how the hubby really feels about it. He's like "hey its your hair, do whatcha you gotta do". So we'll see in the long run.
Yours Truly~Freedom

After the Big Chop

The Big Chop

Sunday, March 18, 2012 was my official big chop day. I had been transitioning for 15 months and decided it was time to get rid of those stringy relaxed ends. I was getting anxious and by Friday I was ready to get the scissors. But I decided to wait a couple of days to see if I still had the urge to cut. Funny thing was that I did still want to cut my hair but I wasn't as anxious and I didn't have that impatient feeling that I had 2 days prior. I was very calm and relaxed. I knew I was ready so I began to cut, cut, and cut some more. I love my natural hair! I don't feel liberated in the way that others have describe their experiences. I think that in order for me to feel liberated I would have had to think that I was in bondage to my relaxed hair. Having my hair relaxed was a choice that I made. I was able to grow my hair to APL with a relaxer (can't wait to see where I can grow without one). I do believe that the difference now is that I can choose to wear my hair natural or relaxed armed with an educated view of either choice. I am free to choose wisely. With that being said I have chosen to be natural. 
Yours Truly~Freedom


Notes:
Big Chop or BC- cutting the relaxer out of your hair until you reach the new growth
Transitioning- letting your relaxer grow out until you are ready to cut off the relaxed ends
APL- arm pit length