I love, love, love the start of a new year. It’s an opportunity to leave the past behind and begin anew. I always spend some time thinking about what I want to accomplish which usually ends up being what I didn’t get done the previous year. This year is different for me—I’m newly natural—BC’d on the first of October. My goal was to be natural by my 40th birthday on September 5th. Well, that day came and left and I was still wearing braids because I was afraid to take that leap (even though I’d done it before”>. On September 29, I saw Solange Knowles on Oprah with her fabulous TWA talking about how much time and energy she used to spend on her hair. Wow…me too! I knew it was meant to be when I was able to get an appointment with my “always booked” stylist the very next day. Ok God, I hear you. Just do it already! Now that 2010 is fast-approaching, I have a new outlook on life and I’m ready to share my resolutions for fabulous curls.
First and foremost—tame my PJism
Ok…I got it bad! If hair products were crack then I’d be a crack head for sure. I can NOT resist the promise of healthier, shinier, more fabulous, maintenance-free hair no matter how unrealistic the notion. Walking into a beauty supply for me is a high. I can spend hours looking and reading labels and fantasizing about how gorgeous I’ll be after using that product. Crazy? Yes, but I know I’m not the only one…I read the forums! I resolve to stick with the products that work. I’ve found a few, but, of course, I’m on a perpetual search—surely there is something better just waiting for me. In 2010 (at least the first 6 months”>, I plan to devise a routine with what I already have and stick with it.
Pop my Pills
I resolve to take my vitamins religiously. I have them in my pantry but if my husband doesn’t put them out for me, they never see the light of day. It’s no secret that proper nutrition is essential to healthy hair. With this in mind, I plan to actually take my vitamins and add biotin, flaxseed oil and MSM (methylsulfonylmethane, which provides sulfur, a vital building block of joints, cartilage, skin, hair and nails”>, to my regime to maximize growth.
Clean it up
I resolve to clean up my diet. Not only do I plan to add more fish and nuts, I’m also going to cut back on the sugar (the word eliminate is not even in my lexicon at this point”>. A clean diet is another component to achieving healthy hair. My diet is pretty good but my sweet tooth has a death grip on me, especially around the holidays. Now that I’m 40, I’m finding that sugar is beginning to have an adverse affect on my hair, skin and energy level. This is going to be tough one but I’m way too vain to not give it the ol’ college try.
Drink like a fish
I resolve to drink at least 2 liters of water a day. We all know how important water is, as it makes up over 50% of our bodies. It also aids in eliminating toxins which can wreak havoc on hair and skin. One of my favorite celebs, Eva Mendes, claims water is the secret to her glowing skin. I’m sold. I bought a cool new water bottle that allows me to track how many bottles I’ve guzzled right on the bottle. The promise of skin like Eva is worth choking down the extra water.
Get my blood pumping
I’m a pretty consistent exerciser already, which is one of the reasons I went back to natural hair. I refuse to give up my runs for the sake of preserving my hairstyle. I find that my hair grows faster when I’m breaking a sweat on a regular basis. I resolve to kick up my routine a notch by training for a race in the spring. I plan to do another half marathon with some friends and keep getting my butt kicked in PiYo (pilates/yoga fusion”> class. My booty will look just as fabulous as my curls.
Condition, condition and condition some more…
Want to learn more about henna?
I resolve to do henna/deep conditioning on a regular basis. I’m a bit late to the henna craze but the message boards have got me excited to try this! I plan to start henna as soon as my loot comes in the mail. I’m also excited about coconut oil. I’ve read amazing things about the benefits of this versatile oil when used internally and externally. Right now, I’m taking coconut oil pills (when I remember to”> and massaging Vitaki coconut oil on my scalp at night. I will continue this into the new year.
Keep it in check—stress that is.
I resolve to keep stress at bay. Stress can wreak unbelievable havoc on your hair. I can personally attest to this. When I moved back to the US from Japan a couple of years ago (we’re a military family”>, I had a 2-year-old, a 2-month-old and a demanding job. My husband was on sea duty and was always gone. I was on my own dealing with 2 babies, the commute from hell and a job that I didn’t like. The combination of post partum hair loss and stress caused my shoulder length hair to fall out in sad, little clumps. The hair I had left was a dry, brittle mess. Not a good look.
Set it off
I resolve to set off my curls with amazing skin. The combination of a healthy diet, kicked up exercise routine and increased water intake will have my skin glowing. If you’re rocking a TWA like mine, your face becomes center focus. When I did the BC, my first thought was wow…now I can see my face.
Submit to my man
Ok…big sigh. I resolve to let my husband run his hands through my curls. For years, it was a NO-NO…ok?!! NOOOOO…don’t touch my hair. Don’t even think about it! Now that my hair is natural, my goal is to find the right product combination that keeps my hair soft, touchable and still fabulous.
Last but not least – ROCK IT!
I resolve to rock my curls with amazing confidence! Bottom line: nothing looks and feels better than good health. What better way to show of those fabulous curls than with a healthy body, glowing skin and an open mind? 2010 is my year!
