Henna: My Experience As a Transitioner!

The back of my henna'd head!

                                                

   So I have stated before that I am going  natural and that I was going to do a henna post, well here it is! I heard of hennaing natural hair before, and the purpose of it for natural hair is to naturally dye hair is (only works if your hair is not black or dark brown), give shine,  stronger and thicker hair, and some believe it can loosen the hair texture. I wanted all of the above but was hesitant to do henna because, like most natural hair blogs I researched henna from, the "henna experiment" was done on fully natural hair and not on transitioning hair. 

   So I went on youtube and I found one transitioner who henna'd and it's pretty much the same thing! Also everyone can henna their hair no matter what race. So I went to my local Indian store which is an hour away, and I got whatever henna there was 'cause I trust the store to bring me the good stuff. The henna I bought is called Reshma Henna, and it looks like this:

                                                   

  Yep, anyway the henna process is a long one that's why I'm planning on doing it once a month to see the benefits. I tried the application after Christmas and my hair kind of had a looser texture but not really, and it was softer, but what I like the most was that my hair was easier to detangle and I could literally put my fingers through my hair after being out of the shower which never happened before. The cons of the henna application is that it is a long process ( I would say from setting the henna before applying to rinsing out the henna it is about a total of 12 hours!), and it is very hard to rinse out so don't expect it all to rinse out after washing it once.

   I was also warned of the application being messy, but there really wasn't too much of a mess when applying, just that when I slept overnight with it in my hair my bedsheets were stained (oops!). I also didn't get to play much with my hair this month to fully embrace my newly henna'd hair. The reason was beacuse my hair was in cornrows and under a wig for protective styling. Overall, I like it so far and will continue applying it once a month to see better results. Here's me rocking the henna:

My hair now at seven months of transitioning (no product):

  P.S - Henna can be drying to your hair, so I wouldn't suggest using lemons or ACV when mixing in the henna.I instead  used brewed tea and olive oil!

Pamper Yourself, Dahling!

  
                                  


     Now that Christmas break is over, and I am instantly swamped with a butt load of coursework, I have to remember to pace myself while making sure to get things done. In our ever-changing fast world we find ourselves to be cramped up with so much work, like doing errands, homework, whatever people do at jobs ('cause I wouldn't know in this economy), cleaning, volunteering, and so forth. It is very important to just take a break and to not overdo these requirements  because you may end up in the hospital with IV fluids running through your veins (no joke). Seriously, when we pamper ourselves we acknowledge the fact that we care about ourselves more than anyone else, which isn't as bad as it sounds, because in the end every single choice we make should benefit us in some way.

   You don't have to go to some five-star hotel and order the most expensive spa package  there is, it would be nice though, but it could just be going to the beach, reading a good book, painting your nails, writing a good story, writing a bad story, eating your favorite dish, basically anything that you like to do for fun. You see today while I was running around and doing my errands, I stopped by at Red Mango and you know I got me a nice, tasty Mango Mandarin smoothie. I also decided to paint my nails my favorite color: purple!

Ignore the bad paint job.

 

 

 

       Honestly, doing these simple pleasures makes me feel a lot better and takes a whole load of stress weighing on top of my shoulder blades. Also, it only takes about five minutes to do some of the things I like to do to pamper myself. In addition, let's just all breathe in and then breathe out whenever we feel stressed, just to know that we are still alive  and how much of a blessing that really is.

Eating Healthy Plus Healthy Sites!

Mmmm...!

                               
                            

                I am doing weekly posts now that school is back on. Anyway, we all have heard that beauty is in the inside. Well then it is important to put good things inside our body, and eating healthy  is  the key. Having sickle cell it is important for me to eat fresh foods to help my body produce healthy blood cells. However, you don't have to have an illness, or be overweight to start eating healthier. When I eat healthy I notice that I have a better attitude, I am more alert and happy about going on with my day.

                    Healthy is NOT eating junk food.
                
                    Healthy is NOT overeating.

                    Healthy is NOT under-eating.

                    Healthy is NOT fad dieting.

             Healthy is eating fresh produce, more cooking instead of buying, eating less of packaged foods. Also eating healthy is not suppose to be stressful,yes,  it is easier to go to McDonalds and order a Big Mac but if you went home and made some rice and beans doused with Tilapia fish and some vegetables on the side  or something that would be more satisfying and make you feel less sluggish at the end of the day.

     Anyway, this info is not new to anyone. Everyone knows you have to eat healthy because when you do it shows, from physical traits like hair, and skin to confidence as well.You don't have to become a vegan, or exercise every single minute of the day, just start with a few vegetables a day and go from there. I don't really go on a lot of  healthy sites honestly, but here is the top two that win first place in my heart!

Heyfranhey.com- Franchesca is the real deal when it comes to being healthy. Her website is full of How-to's on healthy dishes, exercising, and natural beauty remedies. However, she does show more of a  vegan-strict diet when giving out recipes which, trust me, isn't always easy to follow. Nevertheless, when reading her blog you get a sense that she really wants to help you, as she was in a similar state of being unhealthy and curing her kidney dialysis with eating more organic foods.

Greatist.com- This site is great for when you are starving from a disastrously long day and you find yourself screaming at the fridge for betraying you. This site makes you apologize to that fridge, so you can make some easy but satisfying healthy meals. The site also provides meat, vegetarian, and vegan meals to satisfy your appetite. It also has fitness tutorials that range from cardio to yoga!

Getting Help!

                                        
            This is not a PSA for depression...unless you want it to be.
         
         Wow! We're a week into the new year, and that usually means that people are working on their
 resolutions (if they haven't already). Mine is obviously talking to more people this year, but I think this  a year to work on yourself. Whether you want to get healthy, learn a skill, change careers, get a career, more friends, whatever!

    Sometimes those things can't be done on our own, therefore it is always great to seek help when you need it. I was severly depressed for a large amount of time, and when I finally had a break down that almost cost me my college career I knew that I couldn't battle this out on my own. I went through four psychologists to  until I finally found the right one to help me with my problems, but when you find the right one it is well worth it. It doesn't need to be a psychologist, but can be a friend, a relative, a teacher, a blog--whatever!

   I know I am sounding like a corny school guidance counselor, but sometimes we take on a lot of stress or try something that we have no idea how to do! Then we let our egos tell us that we don't need help and, for someone who likes to be independent like myself, it's hard to hear that we need an extra hand. If you still don't have a new year's resolution vow that you will do your hardest to make a better life for yourself, even if it's changing old habits.  Even if at the end of the year things don't go as plan (because sometimes they don't) you will know that you did something different than the year before and that's all that matters.

 

Here's some motivation from Iyanla Vanzant!

Books to Read!

   Hey everyone! I have been a little down for a couple of days, but I hope you all had a Merry Christmas or Chanukah or Kwanzaa! Christmas isn't the same like before when I was little kid staying up all night waiting for Santa to bring me presents. However, I still love to sing Christmas songs and make desserts, and ven though it's too late to gift anyone with a Christmas gift the new year is still approaching. For the new year I would love to change my outlook on life to be more positive, and I would also love to change some of the bad habits in life.

  I have been reading two books that are actually helping me do that. These books can ensure that for the new year you can have more results in regards to living a more confident life.

                                          The Self-Esteem Workbook by Glenn R. Schiraldi
                                       

     Sometimes, or most likely shyness comes from the lack of self-esteem and I feel like everyone (shy or not), should have this if they have been feeling down about themselves, and if they are suffocating their mind with  negative affirmations. Having self-esteem to me is like when superman wears his cape, it is the final thing we need to make it in life to know that we all have something special and unique that will benefit others. I am not finish with this book yet, but so far it has been helping me with taking care of my self from the inside and out. Also it has fun-filled activities that keep anyone interested in reading. I am not working for this company, just a happy reader and you can get it here on Amazon.


    One Day My Soul Just Opened Up: 40 Days and 40 Nights Toward Spiritual Strength and Personal Growth by Iyanla Vanzant


                          
     Some of you may know Miss Iyanla from the OWN' s series Iyanla: Fix My Life, well this is  the same remarkable woman who wrote this inspirational book. I have never seen an episode of her show, but this book was requested for me and I am glad it was. I have mention this book before, and it is a book that is suppose to be read in 40 days. I think you will find that each day you read it you soul will in fact open up more an more each time. It is for those who are stuck in whatever trouble they are in and substantial help, which this does. I was skeptical at first because I have read books similar to this, and while I feel better after reading it over the course of time I tend to lose that uppity spirit and become my old negative self. However, this book is different because although it is there to help you, it reminds you that you are the one that needs to put in the effort to feel better about yourself. Also the author has felt the way her readers felt, and I can truly tell when I read this her methods has helped her and it will help me.


     So those are the books to read now, and I will leave you with a healthy brownie recipe that is made with sweet potatoes!!! It actualy tastes good!

The last one!

 The recipe

Natural Hair: Transitioning



That's my hair guys!



           I am transitioning to natural hair from relaxed hair. I wanted to transtition since I watched that "special" episode of The Trya Show about natural hair. Does anyone remember the theme song? "I'm coming out! Tyra! Tyra!" Anyway, that was when I was in high school but I was too scared to go natural because I thought that if  I were to go natural I would have to chop all my hair off! I don't know about anyone else, but I don't look good with  short hair--I think.  You see I was the girl with "good hair" my hair has always been long since I could remember ( even reaching to my butt) and I remember when I was in the fourth grade, and some ghetto child argued with me about my hair on the school bus.

    She turned around and opened her big mouth "Yah hair is a weave! That can't be yah hair!" I was peeved then, but I laugh at it now because although it was the hair growing out of my head it wasn't the texture God gave me. And since my hair was relaxed at a very young age (since 5) I could understand her confusion now. But anyway, that is why I am transitionining because I think it's weird that I am in college now and I do not even remember my own texture. And growing up in the late 90s and early 00s I realize that this is the case for a lot of African-American woman.



Me as a kid

                       
                                                  
   Now six months earlier I was looking at the website blackgirllonghair.com and I was amazed at all the glorious crowns that the natural-haired woman were wearing and I wanted my own glorious crown. So, without hesitation I decided to just not relax my hair that week like I was supposed to and now fast-forward to today, I am still happy about my decision. I can't stop touching the different ringlets of coils, kinks, and curls that are my hair. I wish I was always natural but this experiece, although hard at times, has made me appreciate my own set of curls.

   What other race can say they have African-American hair? So why, should we be ashamed of it? Because of what the media depicts as beautiful? Please! I dont care what anyone says my hair is unique and I rather have this hair then any of  those models in the before-and-after hair commercials. Now, I have been transitioning for six months now, and I would like to make it to a year at least.

    I used to think transitioning meant cutting inches off every month, but some don't and even transition for three years and don't cut off any of it until the "big chop".  I'm not saying that's the correct way but instead of cutting off as I go, I am trimming my hair. So far my only problem is that my hair has different textures all over, and my hair in the sides seem longer than the hair in the back. Hopefully, I will henna my hair tomorrow for the first time and see if it will my make my hair stronger and promote more hair growth. Now, let me go back to my nasty habit of feeling my kinks, coils, and curls.

Thanks for reading, and share please!


    

What is Beauty?

                                      
    Hello, guess what? The Mayans were wrong, which is  spectacular depending on who you ask. I just recently read an article on The Frisky titled "Mirror, Mirror: You ARE Pretty Enough to Find Love". It is all about accepting yourself and not worrying about being "beautiful" because there is a type of love for everyone. You know, all the stuff our elders try to teach us. However, I have been reading Iyanla Vanzant's book "One Day My Soul Just Opened Up" and it is a daily self-help book that is meant to be read in 40 days. I am on my sixth day, and the day is titled Creativity.I don't want to give you too much details, but   in this chapter I learned that I can always change my mind.

         I have always had a very negative way of thinking, maybe I inherited that from my dad. Anyway, this negative thinking stems mostly from my physical looks. You see I have sickle-cell anemia, which is a serious illness. It  can cause me to get physically weak,  have excruciating pain and has caused me to spend most nights in the hospital as a child.

      Besides the frequent hospitalizations I received, I had a creepy,green, slimy appearance that used to make me shudder whenever I saw it. It was in the whites of my eyes, you know, the ones that people first notice in other and it's called jaundice. Jaundice appeared right in middle school ( not a good place to start), and I remembered the guy I had a crush on back then make fun of my  eyes and it caused me to cry severely in front of him. I also remembered  in my last years of high school some kid would always ask me if I had drugs. It wasn't in a nice way, but very harsh and taunting. Those weren't the only two, for other followed suit and made sure I always new my eyes were a yellow greenish color.

                                    
      I never understood why people made fun of me, I was shy (still am)  but very nice to others. However, in those years of bullying I stood up for myself once, which resulted in a fight. But other times I just stood there taking my parents advice, which was ignoring them, but it did not help at all. So I thought that I soon as a graduated from high school that there would be more mature people and bullying will have no avail.

     I was wrong in fact the first year of college was spent worrying about what others were thinking of me. I still get teased and bullied, in fact the other day I was at Walmart and someone busted out laughing saying that "I look like a stick" . But guess what? It doesn't bother me now. Because I have a positive mind that loves every inch of me. It's hard, and it is not overnight that you will wake up loving yourself like that. I still struggle from time to time, but I just pray to God to hinder my negative thoughts and to love everyone instead of hating everyone and everything like before, and it helps.