Hey Everyone! I am hoping for some inspiration, support and maybe advice. This week I am feeling very self-conscious about my hair. I notice other people's thick long hair and wish mine were thick and long too. I feel my hair is very fine and not all that pretty. Growing it is taking so long and my hair is at an awkward stage right now where it is neither long nor short, and really seems lifeless. I have done an ACV rinse and taken extra good care of it, but I'm feeling the urge to cut it. I've had almost two inches of new growth since Thanksgiving and I don't want to sacrifice length, but the ends are feeling kind of ragged. How do all of you get through this growing process? Maybe I should just wear my hair up more, but everyone says that they like my hair better when I wear it down (people don't lack an opinion about your hair, do they?) Anyway, I'm just extremely frustrated with my hair and want to find a way to be happy with what I have. Thanks in advance for your help!

Hey SpecialKitty

I started putting my hair up for a while and suddenly realised one day it had grown about 6 inches .  As for ragged ends I was convinced I'd have to cut off about 3" but with oiling and deep conditioning they are back to being soft and lovely somehow!

Don't let it get you down, your hair is part of you and will never be exactly the same as anyone else's and this is part of what makes it so beautiful.

SpecialKitty, I remember seeing pictures and your hair is very beautiful indeed. One of the things that helps me is meditational combing (for lack of a better term). If you have a favorite comb, go through your hair section by section in a slow 30-60-minute-long detangling session with scalp massage. Throughout the past 2-3 years, this kind of meditational combing has helped me focus on my hair's texture and normally-unnoticeable details, and helped me love my hair more.

Hope you feel better.

(((SpecialKitty)))

Anais 

SK a  for you.  I know EXACTLY how you feel.  I've pretty much decided not to look at my hair for a few months.  I know, I know, that is probably not the best solution as I should be "enjoying the journey" and appreciating my hair in the here and now....but quite frankly it's at a BAD BAD stage   I figure the less I look at it, the better.  One day (in a few months) when I take it down from an upstyle I will marvel at how much it's grown and how lovely it looks! hehe  But until then, it's upstyles for me.  Don't get me wrong, I am still taking GREAT care of it and it's really in the best shape of it's life, but I just don't want to see it right now.

If the ends are the main thing that bothers you, then give them a little trim. It may make the world of difference and you won't be sacrificing much length.

And whatever you do.....don't covet other peoples hair!!! It's really just torturing yourself. There is no way that you can actually have their hair, so just admire and say "oooh...pretty!" and move on.  Wanting someone elses hair is just going to make you feel worse about yours    So buy yourself a pretty hair toy and concentrate on looking after yourself and while you are doing all this......your hair will be growing. All by itself.

Chin up girl

Oh, THANK YOU ALL. Such great advice and support from you. I truly appreciate it. All of what you say has helped a great deal. I am still having difficulties with loving my hair at the moment, but hearing your experiences and guidance definitely helps me through the tough spots. I can't thank you enough.

Hey Dude20,

Nope nothing special happened, just that I wasn't always looking at the length   Watched kettle boiling and all that!

I was doing the same thing then I do now; oil (left on for an hour or overnight) then wash (about twice a week) then comb through, apply a little oil (again) then plait or bun it.  I can't leave it in a pony tail as it is naturally curly and I live somewhere very wet and windy so it would get in an awful state!

I've never measured growth as I'm too lazy and can never find anything to emasure it with.