Take Care of Yourself
By A good hairstyle (or cut) is the gateway to a positive self-image. Your self-image is the armor needed to battle the ups and downs in the workplace and in life. At times, what you see in the mirror, your hands, face, legs and other body parts, is shaped by outsider comments that influence how you think, feel and react. In those times, you feel the most vulnerable about your appearance.
Your hair is no exception. You feel pressure to acquiesce to demands from family, friends, and society. “Is that the best color for your hair type?” “You didn’t ask me if you could cut/color/change your hair.” “I’m surprised that you cut your bangs.”
It must be hard for Jennifer Aniston, Halle Berry and Jamie Lee Curtis. These ladies exemplified pop culture’s gold standard of the iconic hairstyle: Jennifer’s “The Rachel,” Halle Berry’s pixie cut and Jamie Lee’s senior silver strands. Their immortal faces were stationed on every magazine cover. They were famous because of their hair. They inspired young and old. They inspired me, especially Halle. My first college haircut was straight from Ebony magazine, which featured a photo of Halle. I liked the pixie hairdo, and I thought it would look good on me. I said bye-bye to my shoulder-length hair and hello to stardom. I felt like an Oscar winner. I had to manage expectations from outsiders. I had to manage my internal voice.
Overall, a new hairstyle or a new haircut is the best way to boost your body image. It is a major building block in your self-image armor. Recently, I took a major step and colored my hair. I am glad I did it. Kendra Cherry of the Very Well Mind website says that all people deserve a positive body image, regardless of how society and popular culture view ideal shape, size and appearance. It involves loving your body and feeling good about how it looks.
Here are some quotes to add to your vision board.
“That you can be whatever size you are and you can be beautiful inside and out. We’re always told what’s beautiful, and what’s not, and that’s not right.” — Serena Williams
“You just have to accept your body. You may not love it all the time, but you can respect it.” — Rihanna
“I’m not going to sacrifice my mental health to have the perfect body.” — Demi Lovato