Have The Hair You Want: Step 2 Uncover Your Limiting Beliefs

The next step in having the hair you want is to uncover your negative beliefs, so that you can open yourself up to more positive beliefs. Again, you can use this on all areas of your life. Use hair care literally or figuratively.

What are all the beliefs that you have about hair? Make a list.

Here are some examples of prevalent beliefs that some women have:

• I have difficult to manage hair.
• I need to trim my hair a lot and often in order for it to grow
• I can't transition because my hair will shed excessively.
• I will have to cut off all of my hair to go natural.
• I won't be confident with natural hair.
• My hair will grow fast because everyone in my family has fast-growing hair.
• I need a stylist to help me transition.
• My hair will always be frizzy.
• My hair is always dry.
• I know my hair will be healthy because I take care of it.
• I control my hair, my hair doesn't control me.
• It takes a long time to grow long hair.

Now, decide which of these beliefs are conducive to your progress. Mark positive beliefs with a P for positive and L for limiting. For example, someone with medium length relaxed hair who wants to grow waist length natural hair might have a list that looks like this...

• L  -  I have difficult to manage hair.
• L  -  I need to trim my hair a lot and often in order for it to grow.
• L  -  I can't transition because my hair will shed excessively.
• L  -  I will have to cut off all of my hair to go natural.
• L  -  I won't be confident with natural hair.
• P  -  My hair will grow fast because everyone in my family has fast-growing hair.
• L  -  I need a stylist to help me transition.
• L  -  My hair will always be frizzy.
• L  -  My hair is always dry.
• P  -  I know my hair will be healthy because I take care of it.
• P  -  I control my hair, my hair doesn't control me.

Keep the list and review as often as you can. Try to overcome the limiting beliefs by finding examples to the contrary. Cross of the beliefs when you no longer believe them. This can take months or maybe years for some people.

• L  -  I have difficult to manage hair.
• L  -  I need to trim my hair a lot and often in order for it to grow.
• L  -  I can't transition because my hair will shed excessively.
• L  -  I will have to cut off all of my hair to go natural.
• L  -  I won't be confident with natural hair.
• P  -  My hair will grow fast because everyone in my family has fast-growing hair.
• L  -  I need a stylist to help me transition.
• L  -  My hair will always be frizzy.
• L  -  My hair is always dry.
• P  -  I know my hair will be healthy because I take care of it.
• P  -  I control my hair, my hair doesn't control me.

Be conscious of who and what you're surrounding yourself with. Are the people or things you're around perpetuating your limiting beliefs? Are you still going to that scissor-happy stylist? Are you listening to your friends complain about their hair all the time, never saying anything positive? Are you surrounding yourself with positive images of women with your hair type? Are you learning and practicing better hair care techniques? Are you reading books that cater to your hair type? All of these things will affect your progress.