Hair... Something so simple that controls a person's look. A small adjustment can completely change someone's persona. Some people constantly change their hair; they cut, dye and restyle their hair often. Others keep their hair the same and get nervous about even a trim; they have the unbearable fear of cutting their hair known as tonsurephobia.
I am one of the people who have the crippling fear of cutting their hair. I do not know the cause of it; I never had an awful hair cut or a dramatic experience with my hair. I just dread hair cuts and always hated the change.
The last time I cut my hair was in high school. I was in a love-hate relationship with my hair. I had to style it everyday and spend way too much time maintaining it. I hated it natural, but I was frying and damaging it. Then my hair went through a change. It went from frizzy and fluffy to sleek and wavy curls. I loved the sudden change and wanted my hair as long as possible! I no longer had to style it everyday so it was easy to maintain. It grew, and time went on. But before I knew it, I had been growing it for six years! I hadn't cut it or even trimmed it during those years. It became my persona — the girl with mermaid hair. It was a part of me! It was who I was.
Recently, I had become annoyed with my hair. It was difficult to manage because it was so long, and since I hadn't trimmed it, the damaged ends had gotten out of control. So to get to healthy hair, I would have to cut a majority of it off. If I had simply gotten it trimmed once a year, I would have prevented the need for the drastic haircut. However, it was time. I talked myself into it for about a month. Every time I thought about it, my stomach would drop. Then I made the appointment and the day slowly crept up on me.
It was the day of the haircut. I refused to let myself convince myself not to go even though what every part of me didn't want to. So off I went, to get part of me chopped off — yes I looked at it as something that dramatic! I went in blindly and had no real idea of what I wanted. Luckily, I had an amazing hairstylist who took amazing care of me. The first cut felt like a stab in my stomach but there was no going back. The entire time I wanted to cry out of fear, anxiety and excitement. Almost an hour later, nearly a foot of hair gone, I was a new person. I felt like crying — good and bad tears. I didn't even recognize myself, but I couldn't have pictured a better outcome!
Sometimes what you are most scared of doing will be one of the best things you've ever done, whether that be cutting your hair or taking on that difficult job. Fear prevents success, so jump for what scares you. Who knows, it maybe the best thing you have ever done!
Here are the before and after pictures below:
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