more than just a hair cut

Have you ever always wanted to do something but told yourself that you couldn't, or came up with a long list of the ways that it won't work out or you will fail?  I find myself in this category quite a bit.  I have dreams, ambitions, lofty goals.  But I constantly find myself doubting every possible outcome.  When I gave birth, I finally achieved of those dreams that I had and it charged me with this new found strength and sense of bravery.  For so long I had told myself that I wouldn't be able to get through birth, let alone a natural one.  And I did it, I accomplished what I had told myself wouldn't come true.  

I'm sure you're wondering where this bravery and strength comes into play with my hair cut.  

As woman, we define ourselves by our looks often times.  Long hair is viewed as beautiful, pretty, stunning.  And then there is the "mom chop".  When all moms end up chopping off their hair for a more simple look.  I swore I wouldn't be one of those moms, and I found myself doing exactly what I swore I wouldn't do.  For a while I had been wanting to chop my hair but constantly doubted if I would still see myself as beautiful without the long locks.  Listen up, we are not defined by our hair length or even the color of it.  Even leading up to my cut I had to tell myself this over and over again.  I also had to accept the fact that stereotypes are nonsense, and if I ended up getting the "mom chop"- so be it.  What it really boils down to is this insecurity inside of me based upon other's thoughts about me.  Isn't is crazy how we can think someone thinks one thing about us and it is completely false?!?  Hopefully I'm not the only one subject to this weakness.  For years I have kept some aspects of my life in a box out of fear of what people would think of me.  Accepting this new found bravery and strength meant getting out of that box, stepping into the truth, and realizing that my life is worth way more than living it for other's expectations.  

So I chopped my hair.  And I had a couple of reasons along the way:

a) I have crrraazzzzyyyy thick hair.  Now only is it thick, but the strands are course at times.  This makes doing my hair take forever-like a solid 30 minutes to blow dry start to finish. 

b) The first week Nathan was here I was able to curl my hair and have it done.  And then the tiredness of sleepless nights finally set in and my go-to bun was quickly becoming my only hair style.  I just didn't want that.  I wanted a styled look that didn't take forever and a day to do. 

c) My ends were horrific!  Probably the worst they have ever been. 

d) Most women have a tendency to loose their hair after their baby is born.  I had the exact opposite and lost a lot during my pregnancy.  Due to how much hair I do have, you could never tell.  

Needless to say, I was ready for a change both on the outside and the inside.  So I chopped my hair.  And it feels absolutely amazing!