#iwentfirst: Big Hair, Don't Care
For years I have struggled with my hair, but not in the way you might think.
I know how to do my hair. What I have struggled with is how my hair fits in society.
I have been straightening my hair for years because I thought it was the professional way it should look, all while asking myself, “Why isn't my curly hair professional?” Each morning I would wake up and actually love the way my curly hair looked and feel a bit of sadness as I watched the curls go flat with the flat iron. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my hair straight. I really do and will straighten my hair for fun sometimes. What I am not a fan of is feeling like I HAVE TO straighten my hair, like it is some sort of mask that I put on everyday. For years my husband has been telling me, "Wear your hair natural. It's beautiful, all those curls you have."
In 2019, I went through a pretty deep depression. Coming out of it is where I learned more about myself and what it means to take up space...unapologetically. It is not my job to make others feel comfortable with how I look naturally. It's been just in the past 4-5 months that I have really started to wear my hair natural more and more. Now, that's not to say I won't straighten my hair every now and then.
Only now it will be because I want to and not because I feel I HAVE TO.
I wore my hair curly and down to my new job today. Huge ball of nerves. When I walked in the first thing my boss said was, "Your hair is so pretty down." GET OUT! All those nerves for nothing.
It gets big...It's full... It's fluffy...but it is truly a reflection of who I am as a person and my personality.
My personality is big...it's full and it's fluffy. I TAKE UP SPACE. I WENT FIRST. I'M BEAUTIFULL.
#iwentfirst is a collection of photos and captions from women who stood in the power of their own contagious courage, and decided to “go first” by telling the world what it means for them to take up space.
Have your own story of contagious courage?