Social evolution you say? Why yes there is, or I should say, as we all know too well there are many societal shifts actually occurring simultaneously right before our very eyes. The transformation I am most interested in exploring has many facets but focuses on what happens when a woman accepts and expresses their authentic self.
It was the Summer of 2016 and I could not help but notice the Silver Hair trend. This piqued my curiosity as I happened to be seriously considering ditching the hair dye for my own self. I thought, “well if this is a trend, I have it naturally”! It did not take much to convince myself to explore this new possibility. Not being held captive by the process of covering my roots was inviting. Determined I went to the salon, I left with an adorable pixie cut.
A journey began of self-exploration and growth. I immediately felt a sense of relief, no more fearing what was underneath the dye. This fueled me. One day I caught the sunshine just right as I brushed my hair in the mirror, sparkling silvers literally glistened. I was in love. Curating my wardrobe, jewelry and makeup followed. This reinvention and transformation of outward appearance permeated my mind and spirit. It infused me with a newfound freedom and strength I had no idea existed. Four years later I have arrived at a place of understanding.
Besides being a personal transformation, it has been a study of Society’s views and stereotypes relative to Women. Self-improvement has been a lifelong interest, but this was no easy task. Family members told me to go back to dyeing my hair, I was too “young” to have gray hair. Ups and downs, I toggled between thinking was this a good decision or a mistake. I persevered, something deep within my heart and soul told me to embrace my natural self with its” entirety. Letting the natural color of my hair shine through was one of the most liberating decisions I have ever made in my life. It was the impetus I needed to come full circle with total self-acceptance. I was tired of going with the flow of what society was dictating to be my self worth. No more double standards. Letting my natural hair be seen by all spoke volumes, it said, “this is me, take it or leave it, I am happy with myself”. A sense of inner peace and strength was my new anchor.
Lori Fields is a “High Performance Coach For Driven Women”. Upon meeting her we instantly bonded and so began our exchange of ideas and concepts relative to being strong and confident women. Lori told me, “People may choose all kinds of changes that speak to them on a personal level. A significant amount of our power comes from the moment to moment practice of deliberately deciding to own our choices. I call this radical ownership. What it means is that we pause before we make our choices, we firm up our stance with ourselves. We take our own temperature FIRST and intentionally decide if we can love the choice we’re about to make. A huge amount of power comes from no longer saying yes when we mean no. Most women are in the habit of making choices they don’t love or making the choice they want and then feeling bad or guilt about it. Radical ownership is our way out of the roller coaster ride of feeling bad, second guessing or thinking our choices still aren’t good enough. The practice is quite simple. The results; what it does for your mood, energy, outlook and future decision making is profound.” I have to say I totally understand what Lori is talking about! Look her up at https:// www.yourworthyself.com/
Women choose to stop or not dye their hair for various reasons. For some it is financial, others health reasons. It could be a time issue, or they are tired of the double standard
that it is acceptable for men to show their “distinguished” grays but for women it meant they were getting “old”. Personally, I was tired of the whole Anti-aging messages given to women from the Advertising Industry. What is this saying to our youth? We want our young men and women to understand that we all should age gracefully and equally.
In my second interview I had the absolute pleasure of speaking to Victoria Marie, Producer/Director of “Gray is the The New Blonde,” an award-winning documentary about the outdated views and attitudes towards women with gray hair. I learned this is the first and only documentary feature ever produced that focuses on this exact subject. One night as I watched this comprehensive film I noticed and related to all the aspects of this societal movement. According to Victoria, “Most women discover it’s way more than just about their hair when they embrace their gorgeous grays. Many of the women interviewed for the film had similar, life changing experiences with one of the best comments being towards the end of the film.” “There is something really deep going on here”. I highly suggest viewing this award-winning documentary which can be found at GrayistheNewBlonde.com.
My final conversation was with one of the top Female Beauty Innovators, Gail Federici of Color Wow hair products. She graciously took time out of her busy day to answer my questions about haircare, specifically for natural manes. I was curious to know if Gail noticed any change in the industry since the pandemic. According to her the biggest shift has been that “more people seem to be embracing their natural texture”. Naturally, “honing in on specific products that cater to the different hair types allowing for less upkeep”, would follow. She explained to me that she treats gray, silver and white hair the same as she approaches blondes. The two best products she suggested for natural hair were Dream Filter and Color Control Foam. https://www.colorwowhair.com/us/. Experimenting with different products that help infuse moisture and shine is helpful. Personally, my hair is healthier and easier to manage. Ironically my observation has been that women actually look younger with natural hair that looks chic. It matches their skin tone and ladies exude a confidence that is palpable.
Any person, man or woman, who chooses to try to make healthy decisions will feel empowered to be the best version of themselves. Express yourself through authentic individuality in mind, body and spirit. Striving for balance and inner peace is right at our fingertips. Reach out and grab it! Wearing a smile and sending out true positive vibes is contagious. Let’s spread that around…peace.