Kim Coles

Comedian and actress Kim Coles, best known for her five-season stint on the ground-breaking comedy series “Living Single,” began her professional career as a plus-size model and stand-up comedian. Known for her irreverent sense of humor, she is also a best-selling author, playwright, and currently co-host of BET’s “My Black is Beautiful.” Kim decided to share her journey to natural hair with us, and we hope it benefits every curly out there.

Actress and comedian Kim Coles is in control

In case you are just coming to the party, in January I came “out” with my hair —sans extensions. I caused a quite a stir, especially in the natural hair world, and I was pleasantly surprised. Okay, okay, I know I keep talking about my hair. I’ll even admit it. I’m obsessed!

Folks keep saying “It’s just hair,” but my choice to go natural has been affecting all aspects of my life. Trust me, if you had the same hair for more than 20 years and you made a radical change, you would feel it, too. I have to add to that the whole public aspect of being “Kim Coles” and the fact that the hair revamp actually mirrors other changes in my lifestyle—physically, spiritually and emotionally. Perhaps you could empathize feeling slightly uncomfortable with all this new and different stuff! Oh yeah, I just experienced a breakup of a romantic live-in relationship, too. UUUGGGHH!

So, after a few sleepless nights, I realized that what I really had for 20+ years was a guaranteed look that I could count on. Even on bad hair days with my extensions, I could still make it work. I could spritz it, curl it, or ponytail it. I had control.

I also realized that a lot has not changed in my life because of my need for control… ummm, well at least the false sense of it. I like certain things to be stable and predictable. Although I can be spontaneous sometimes, for the most part, I like things to be a certain way and I like life to be that way. But is it always? No, I don’t think so.

As happy as I am that I made this change, I’ll be honest and say some days I find it very difficult to look in the mirror and feel good. I don’t know what I am doing, yet. Just combing my hair feels brand new. I think that the last time I saw my hair in this state, with no relaxer or braids, was when I was 13 or so. Chile, I am 49! I have to learn a whole new world and a new way of doing things and I have given up the need to control. I am amazed at how the same lessons that I’m learning about my hair relate to life, too. The metaphors are there for the taking!

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