5 Things I Focus On While Growing Out My Natural Hair

Nike Anderson
Mar 4, 2016
3 min read

After an impromptu haircut last spring, I'm growing out my natural hair once again. What can I say, I love long hair. Not because I'm brainwashed, but because it camouflages my big head. For me, the bigger my hair, the better! But I don't obsess over the long process of growing it out again. This time around, I'm really appreciating the different stages of length. And, as a natural hair veteran, I've grown to know that there's more to the journey than reaching a specific hair goal. Here's five things I focus on that takes my mind off the ticking clock. (Impromptu length check down below)

1. Overall health. Healthy hair must be grown from within. I realized this the moment I stepped up my game and developed better eating habits. I once thought my hair was naturally weak because of its fine texture. Turns out, my hair was just starved due to nutrient deficiency. By drinking enough water, eating natural wholefoods, limiting sugar, and supplementing with multivitamins, my hair has not only gotten stronger, but more lustrous in appearance.

2. Personal growth. This is a great time to invest in good habits that encourage personal growth. For me, spirituality and emotional well-being is an extension of my overall health. I pray, meditate, resolve broken relationships, and whatever I need to do to be at peace with myself and others. When I'm at peace, I'm not stressed. And stress is my hair's worst enemy. Read about how stress affected my hair journey by clicking here.

3. Documenting. I like to document my hair journey by taking pictures and writing down my experiences. These are great ways for me to track my progress, as well as track what regimens have produced the best results. Additionally, sometimes a photo can capture what my mirror cannot. Since I see my hair every day, it's difficult to notice how well it’s growing. But when I compare two photos that are four months apart, I can easily see that my bun in the newer photo looks fuller than the bun in the previous photo. This evidence can be encouraging.

4. Regular trims. I'm not about that split-end life. I can attest to the fact that split ends will split up your hair shaft and break your hair off if not cut immediately. Talk about being counterproductive when you're on a hair growth journey! I had to cut more than three inches off my hair three times during my journey due to not staying on top of my split ends. But thanks to regular trims, where I literally only have to cut off a centimeter of hair every few months, split ends are at bay and my hair is now flourishing.

5. Fitness. Keeping my blood flowing has been one of the best ways to stimulate my hair growth. Rumor has it that hair thrives when blood is able to circulate throughout the body and carry nutrients to the scalp. Staying active is the best way to ensure proper circulation. Exercise is also known as a great way to reduce stress hormones that can stunt hair growth and even cause hair loss. Once again, I can attest to this. My hair seems to grow better during the seasons of my life when I am most active.

Well, that concludes my list. I know it can be tough growing out your natural hair, especially if your hair grows at snail speed. But, trust me, enjoy the stages of your journey when your hair is short. There are so many wonderful things you can do with your short hair that won't look as good on your longer hair. Just recently, I had to say goodbye to one of my favorite hairstyles due to gaining more length. But I embrace the fact that I can now pull my hair into a nice sizeable bun whenever I’m having a bad hair day.

Impromptu Length Check as of 3/3/2015