A Journey to Authenticity Through Hair

Quite a while ago I was doing a series on being authentic. It is the only way I know to be. I am who I am and you can take me or leave me. I will not put on a show in hopes to be accepted. I will give you the shirt off my back and go above and beyond what you expect of me. Authentic. Take it or leave it I am me. 

Recently, I was going through some old pictures because I was cleaning out drawers and they were there. I was reminded how I have had every hairstyle that was popular at the time. As I looked at each picture, it brought back memories of where I was in my life and in my journey in faith and my hair seemed to signify what was going on at the time. 

This picture was taken the day Phillip and I got engaged. It was so important to impress in this stage of life. You are still trying to form yourself, discover yourself, make people like you, make sure you don't disappoint people. 

This was made right after we got married. Yes this is what I wore to get married in. Yes, we decorated our own car. This truly was an event in my life where I did it different. Much like the way I am now. We eloped. That story is for another blog post. But we got married in shorts and tshirts. I loved that. It was cool and different. Personality evolving and hair is shorter. 

Hair shorter and heavier weight. Searching for that personality to emerge. Still trying to please others and make others happy. Fill myself with food to feel like I did something I wanted to do rather than things others wanted me to do. Made sure I fit the mold of what family and friends expected of me. 

Dyed my hair blonde, and lived more freely, doing what I wanted to do. Blondes have more fun I thought. 

Loving my family and loving life. 

This picture was taken just before I got my hair cut really short. I was working at the bank and I remember talking to the people that I worked with about cuting my hair and they all said, Oh no!  You don't want to do that. Family even said Oh no!  Don't cut your hair. 

But I did cut it. And I have been cutting it like this for years now. In fact, many can't imagine my hair any other way.  When I cut my hair my "Live out Loud" personality was released with each lock that laid on the floor. I shed my hair and inhibitions about what people may think about me.  I will never have another hairdo than what I have now. It fits me. 

I don't blend well with others. I was made by God to stand out. To live out loud, to command attention. Yes, I do have beautiful, naturally curly hair that God gave me. But when I wore that hair longer I felt like I wasn't living the life God wanted me to live. I was living life to please other people. Not because of the hair but because of living within constraints of what other people wanted me to be. Once I cut my hair which was totally what I wanted to do, all that was released and I started to live as an Actor in God's drama. I started living out loud and having a commanding personality. 

I released my authentic self. My ride a roller coaster in the middle of a marathon personality. My "you may not think that's the thing to do but I think it's fun" attitude.   

What is holding you back from being your authentic self?  For me it wasn't hair, although I just realized that my hair was an outward symbol of inward release. To be myself, not what family and friends felt like I should be. But who God wanted me to be. Since then, God is doing amazing things in my life. Mainly because I am available to God 24/7 for whatever He wants to do with my life. Before, I was open to what man wanted to do with my life. That wasn't the way God intended. We should be working for God and not for man.   I am doing just that. What may be hindering you from encountering your authentic self?  

Thanks so much for reading my blog!  Please visit my website at www.funthoughtsonlife.com

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Have a wonderful day!

Jennifer