As mentioned previously in this post, I chopped my hair off just after Christmas! I had been planning on doing it for months so I couldn't wait when the day finally arrived!!! I mostly had to get Gordy on board for a few months because he loved my mane. Yep, you read that right. He referred to my hair like a horse's mane. Actually I think he especially liked my "mane" because it was the same color as his horse Bond's...and quite literally. While we were dating he always told me that he would marry someone when he loved her more than his horse. True cowboy right there! Well, I felt incredibly lucky when he proposed because I knew he must love me a whole lot! And then one day I was brushing Bond's mane and someone snapped a pic and wow you couldn't tell where my hair began and Bond's ended! And that's when it hit me....G married me because I reminded him of his horse. ;)
But back to my haircut...I've learned quite a few things in retrospect. This sounds so silly to be learning lessons from a simple haircut but I did! So I want to write them down and remember them.
- People get oddly attached to other people's hair. haha. I remember growing up how some of my friends moms wouldn't let their daughters get haircuts and I thought that was crazy. I can't count the number of people who said, "No, you can't cut your hair!" when I told them my plans. Why can't I? It's not like it won't grow back...it's already grown 2 inches since I cut it 2 months ago...
- With short hair (and mine wasn't even that short, just in comparison to how long it was before) you all of a sudden have nothing to hide behind. I never even felt like I was "hiding" behind anything until it was gone. But once it was gone, I felt so vulnerable and self-aware. This has been a great wake-up call for me. Now I feel like everywhere I go I present this "Hi, it's me, Brielle" person rather than a curtain of hair. It's beyond refreshing.
- Going along with that, all of a sudden people notice your facial features more than your hair. People keep saying to me, "You look so young with shorter hair!" And I think to myself, "Are you sure? I'm pretty sure that my face actually looks the same. The difference is that with my long hair you noticed my hair and now that it's gone you are actually looking at my face and features. And yes, I'm 22....do you expect me to look 30 for some reason?" I guess because I was never that attached to my hair, I appreciate people noticing things about me other than my hair. Do you ever get the same compliment over and over and soon start to wonder if there is anything more that people realize about you? Or sometimes I feel like compliments that I give and take are centered so much around physical things and not balanced by emotional or personal things or attributes that really matter. I think a balance of these compliments is necessary, and that both are good. This has taught me to be a lot more genuine with my compliments.
- People are generally super supportive after the fact! And I so appreciated everyone's positive feedback! Thank you!
- That quote above is real. Looking back, I think part of the reason I was wanting so badly to cut my hair was because I am ready for a change of pace. With college graduation and moving to a different state soon, I am excited to start something new and to work and move forward from my life experiences so far. I feel in many ways that I am ready to become and to work on the woman that I want to be, instead of only holding onto the traits and qualities I've developed so far. I don't know. I don't really feel like I'm ready to change my life in any drastic ways (besides graduating and moving which I guess are pretty big, haha), but I've just really been struck lately with the importance of continually changing and growing and becoming. I think this is huge in life and I'm feeling motivated to become.
- I really really loved doing something that I could give as an anonymous Christmas gift. I think I want to start incorporating that into G and mine's traditions. I was so freeing to know that I helped someone, but I don't need to know any more details than that. Service is just everything and it softens the heart!
In case you were wondering, I have loved my haircut! It's definitely an adjustment (I can almost put my hair in a top knot without the back slipping out!), but I don't regret it at all. Life is just fun! I especially loved bundling up in my coat and giving our families a "gift" that had my ponytail in it and seeing them process and react! Priceless!
Some before and after pics:
^^ Gordy was more nervous than I was at the salon! haha! I felt like I
had my personal paparazzi. He is a cutie.
Oh, ps Salon K in Provo, UT is absolutely fabulous! I highly recommend it! ^^
^^ IS THIS REAL LIFE?! I can't even believe it and it was my own hair! ^^
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