i give up~~~~~~~

[hairlover]

i have come to the conclusion that my hair will not grow to waistlength. i'm finally all natural that was my first goal. i made it, but now, it seems as though my hair has been at a standstill for 6 months. so i give up. good-luck to all the ladies here on their journey's. mine is officially over. thanks for all of the support along the way. i've lost all hope.

 

[Isis]

It sounds like you are a success--you reached your goal of having natural hair. Give yourself a big hug for that!

This is a hair journey, meaning it doesn't have to end. The fun is in the process, all of the learning along the way. If you can reach your first goal, you can reach any goal.

 

[gradygirl]

Hairlover dont give up. Im sorry you are so discouraged. Waistlength is a big milestone and it takes time. Maybe you should start with mini goals first. I dont know how long your hair is but if you have not reached shoulder, armpit, or brastrap length yet then maybe should make them your goals first. I get frustrated at times because my hair seems to not be growing as fast as I want it to and when I feel that way I usually hide it with braids or half wigs so I dont worry about it so much. Hang in there and please dont give up.

 

[Mom23]

It sounds like you are a success--you reached your goal of having natural hair. Give yourself a big hug for that!

This is a hair journey, meaning it doesn't have to end. The fun is in the process, all of the learning along the way. If you can reach your first goal, you can reach any goal.

I agree. You can do it.

 

[Naphy]

Noooo Don't give up !!!! I think You can reach waistlenght hair with your natural hair! If you have determination and a good regimen you definitely can !
And think about the time you will spend doing nothing on your hair (a few years later for example) : it would be wasting time !
Please don't give up ! You just gotta get through this moment of doubt to be more confident ^_____^

 

[Royal Glory]

Keep the faith, Hairlover! Your own Fotki says, and I quote, "HAPPY HAIR GROWING AND STAY ENCOURAGED." So you have to follow your own advice. You can't give up now! You can do it.

 

[LocksOfLuV]

It sounds like you are a success--you reached your goal of having natural hair. Give yourself a big hug for that!

This is a hair journey, meaning it doesn't have to end. The fun is in the process, all of the learning along the way. If you can reach your first goal, you can reach any goal.

Exactly. I remember a while back someone said "this is a journey not a race" and it really stuck with me. It sounds to me like you are frustrated and becoming impatient, which is okay and completely normal. Just try and evaluate WHY you wanted long hair in the first place and how much it will mean to you. You put all this hard work in so far, don't settle here.

 

[hairlover]

thanks for the encouragement. i needed that. right now my hair is shoulder length(which was my third goal). it's just frutrating to think that i'm not getting anywhere. here's my goals in order:
1. natural (accomplished)
2. necklength (accomplished)
3. shoulder length (accomplished)
4. apl
5. bsl
6. 4" below bsl
7. waistlength
it just seems like i'm losing more hair than i'm growing. i just took out my sew in weave (had in for 2 1/2 weeks) and it seems like i took out half of my hair with it. although, i guess i do see some growth. i'm debating on getting another sew-in done.

 

[hairlover]

Keep the faith, Hairlover! Your own Fotki says, and I quote, "HAPPY HAIR GROWING AND STAY ENCOURAGED." So you have to follow your own advice. You can't give up now! You can do it.

good comeback.

 

[LynnieB]

how can you really tell your hair's not growing at all?

napps can't be measured the same way 'laxed hair can - girl it grows out or up, not down and unless you straighten it with some heat, you won't really know how much growth ya got!

2.5 weeks isn't alot of time but it's plenty of time to build up a ton of shed hair. Look at the shed hair i brush out every week when i wash and detangle: http://public.fotki.com/IsItOnlyHair/textureshair-typing-/typical-shed-hair/
trust me, i'm not going bald!!

i bet if you start doing a few twists or braids in various parts of your head, were taking some photos of where the twists land on different parts of your head/body, you'd see some growth.

girl don't give up your goals and don't give up on patience. hair takes it's own lazy time growing but grow it does.

 

[Blackoutzangel05]

Keep the faith, Hairlover! Your own Fotki says, and I quote, "HAPPY HAIR GROWING AND STAY ENCOURAGED." So you have to follow your own advice. You can't give up now! You can do it.

Funny I was going to use her signature quote that she said..."Let Go and Let God"...sometimes we are the ones that sit in the way of our own blessings and goals. Just continue to take care of your hair and your goal will be reached. For me, my ultimate goal is to reach waist length hair. However, my first goal is to reach healthy arm pit length hair. You have to break it down into mini goals and go from there. It would honestly be unreasonable for someone to think that it would take them 1 year to go from neck length to waist length. So set reasonable goals. Something like wearing protective styles for a set of time or not using heat. Aim for healthy hair and the growth is bound to come.

 

[Choklatekiss79]

If I can have faith that my hair will on day reach MBL (and I'm only chin/jaw length now), then you can have faith that you will reach waist length! Anything worth having is worth working and waiting for. Be patient. It will happen!!! The only way it won't happen is if you give up.

 

[Shaniquah]

I know what you mean, Hairlover! I just recently got so frustrated with my hair, thinking that it will never get to that length! Seems like it just stops at bra strap. But don't be discouraged! Just like the ladies said...hair just takes time, that's all. You are an inspiration!!!

 

[Desert Skye]

Wait, your not going to leave the hairboard are you?

Dont give up!

 

[sholly6]

there's no such thing as giving up, keep the faith maybe the weave thing isn't for you. maybe you should try something else different. and hair always grow slower in the winters months. also, your hair regimen might need to be tweak a little for the spring and summer.

 

[mscocoface]

how can you really tell your hair's not growing at all?

napps can't be measured the same way 'laxed hair can - girl it grows out or up, not down and unless you straighten it with some heat, you won't really know how much growth ya got!

2.5 weeks isn't alot of time but it's plenty of time to build up a ton of shed hair. Look at the shed hair i brush out every week when i wash and detangle: http://public.fotki.com/IsItOnlyHair/textureshair-typing-/typical-shed-hair/
trust me, i'm not going bald!!

i bet if you start doing a few twists or braids in various parts of your head, were taking some photos of where the twists land on different parts of your head/body, you'd see some growth.

girl don't give up your goals and don't give up on patience. hair takes it's own lazy time growing but grow it does.

Lynnie B is so on point Hairlover.

Look at my signature photos. I keep these in front of my face because if I ever try to mesure my growth by some of you guys standards, I would have quit months ago. When I first started out natural I was going to buy one of the Tshirts that has the lines down the back to show you length. Now I would have been one seriously frustrated woman if I had bought that now knowing that my hair grows out not down.

I have to accept that this is my hair and in the immortal words of Jamie in Ray Charles "I'm gon let it do what it do baby". If I am going for natural then I am in for all kinds of twists, turns, ups and downs, lows and highs.

I told my 11 year old neice this one time and I have taken it to heart with my hair. She asked about dating and I told her honey you have only been on this earth for 11 short years, what in the world do you think you know about dating or could handle?

The same things goes for my natural hair. It has only been on this earth for a short amount of time what on earth do I think I really know about my natural hair yet and can I handle it? I am not educated enough yet to understand my hair at waist length, which by the way is one of my goals, I won't know that information until I get to bra length, mid back length, then waist length.

It truly is a journey not a race I don't know when the journey ends but what I know right now is that I don't know I that I can know about my natural hair and I need for it to tell me what it wants and needs and if it says I am sitting at a certain length for a spell...then guess what I have no other recourse but to sit and listen and wait.

This is also to me a serious maturing process for me emotionally and a time to reflect and understand some things about my beliefs about hair, other peoples hair and my own hair.

Hang in there lady, the journey isn't over yet! Here is something I do when I get frustrated, I do my best to focus on something or someone else. I have adopted 3 ladies who have TWA's and are newbies to the process I check in with them, ask them about what is going on in their lives and with their hair. It is very helpful to them and to me. They want what I have and I then ask others to mentor me who have what I want.

It is a wonderful process. Stay in there. Oh and by the way, when and if I say I am giving up (it could happen), you have my complete permission to keep this and copy it back to me!

 

[hairlover]

I know what you mean, Hairlover! I just recently got so frustrated with my hair, thinking that it will never get to that length! Seems like it just stops at bra strap. But don't be discouraged! Just like the ladies said...hair just takes time, that's all. You are an inspiration!!!

thank you, that's sweet.

 

[hairlover]

Wait, your not going to leave the hairboard are you?

Dont give up!

no, i'm not leaving the hair board.just a little frustrated.

 

[hairlover]

thanks to all you ladies for the responses and encouragement. it's good to know that so many people are ready to give you inspiration. i really appreciate that. thanks so much. good lookin' out! :notworthy

 

[Missi]

i have come to the conclusion that my hair will not grow to waistlength. i'm finally all natural that was my first goal. i made it, but now, it seems as though my hair has been at a standstill for 6 months. so i give up. good-luck to all the ladies here on their journey's. mine is officially over. thanks for all of the support along the way. i've lost all hope.

you have had major success......have you ever read Cathy Howse Book on hair she says that hair at one point takes a rest....it doesn't grow for awhile...it just stays at its current length...hope this helps

 

[bLackButtaFly]

thanks to all you ladies for the responses and encouragement. it's good to know that so many people are ready to give you inspiration. i really appreciate that. thanks so much. good lookin' out! :notworthy

Yeh you gotta stick in there. Your hitting your goals, just remember hair grows on it's time. It just works on it's own time. You only just did your bc less than a year ago, but I think you're getting some great results so far!

 

[senimoni]

I'm not natural but I def understand your frustration. I say continue to take care of your hair but don't focus on it soo much. That is what I do when I feel like I'm not where I should be. Ex. In december I thought...jeez these pics don't look much different than 6 months ago....so I went into ignore mode.....until recently and I'm happy again with my progress.

You can dooooo ittttt!!!!

 

[tkj25]

i'm glad you're not giving up! your hair is gorgeous i definitely feel you on getting frustrated though ... especially when you're starting from a bc, it just seems like it'll take forever. but be patient and keep taking care of it, and in time your hair will reward you with results ... but you already know this, you've got mid-back hair pics in your fotki! don't let your present frustration blind you to reality -- you've done it before. you'll do it again. your hair is healthy and growing. appreciate your mini goals, and enjoy life, and you'll be there before you know it.

 

[Nice & Wavy]

I can understand your frustration. It's not easy. However, being a natural head too, our hair is just different than it used to be, that's all. Treat it differently and don't expect to much so soon.

Maybe you need to do more with your natural hair besides weaves. Maybe just seeing the hair coming out (shedding) is making you feel this way. At least your hair is shoulder length now...some people have been natural for some time and they haven't gotten to where you are yet. They are doing their thing and you are going to do your thing as well.

Remember....after you've done alll to stand, stand!

Blessings.

 

[hairlover]

thanks ladies for the nice and encouraging words.

 

[Arcadian]

I'm glad you're not giving up. Growing hair is hard work. so much that can go wrong.

But really don't look at it as a race, its not. Its a journey. Sometimes along that road you have to stop and smell the flowers a lil.

I just let my hair do what it wants these days and I've been rewarded. I think most of use have hair anorexia from time to time, I mean seriously I would love for it to get longer, but I also realize that my hair grows at its rate, not the rate "I" want it too. So, Il let it do it in its own time. In the meantime, I take care of it and do the best I can do for retention.

I can't say thats the best approach but it really has worked in my favor.

Enjoy your hair! its pretty and you've worked hard for it. And don't feel like you've failed. You made a goal to get natural and you did that. You're at shoulder length now and thats awesome so don't be so hard on yourself!

When I started this journey I decided I was going to do what I can to not make it a JOB but something that was fun and exciting.

When I get frustrated with my hair, I get paranoid it isn't growing or, I feel like its too thin,etc, I just go out and buy hair toys. Ok so thats not the best way to deal with it, but it helps me to feel pretty again. I guess I'm just simple cause thats all it takes.

All of us will feel that frustration at one time or another, so vent it out, we can take it

Just don't quit.

-A

 

[hairlover]

you gals are all so great. i can feel the love.

 

[Sistaslick]

Just wanted to say, hang in there. And I need to be telling myself the same thing, girl Sometimes I just look in the mirror and just feel like "UGH! I should be ________ length by now." It got even worse once I started back college this year-- I had no time to do anything and my hair took a hit. This year, 2007, I just resolved to start fresh. I've been cutting and clipping off the neglect like a madwoman and I can see my hair starting to return back to its glory days. Imagine getting to your goals and then having to backtrack and start over? Story of my life, man. We have to stay positive no matter what though. Like LOL , said-- this is not a race, it's a journey

 

[LocksOfLuV]

Just wanted to say, hang in there. And I need to be telling myself the same thing, girl Sometimes I just look in the mirror and just feel like "UGH! I should be ________ length by now." It got even worse once I started back college this year-- I had no time to do anything and my hair took a hit. This year, 2007, I just resolved to start fresh. I've been cutting and clipping off the neglect like a madwoman and I can see my hair starting to return back to its glory days. Imagine getting to your goals and then having to backtrack and start over? Story of my life, man. We have to stay positive no matter what though. Like LOL , said-- this is not a race, it's a journey

Oh Gawd no, please tell me she didn't...*runs to the fotki*

 

[Sistaslick]

Ain't nothin' in there, siggy is all you get I won't be postin' anymore pics until my hair gets back to where it was. I just can't bear it, but I had too man! It'll grow back... I hope College has been the kiss of death.