Do you like your natural hair? Or do you do everything you can to make your hair look perfectly silky straight, just like everyone else's hair? I wish we didn't have the mindset that we must meet social norms, which really takes hold when we're adolescents. Think back to your preteen years. Did you fall into this cliche? It's a shame that so many of us spend years altering our appearance to impress others. We need to teach the younger generation to give up on conforming to that social norm and embrace their natural beauty. Young people experience far too much pressure to look and act a certain way, and I believe that those pressures are ultimately devastating for their foundations of self-esteem and confidence. Supporting something as simple as embracing one's natural beauty can do wonders for someone's current and future confidence.

Unfortunately, this mindset often follows people, mostly ladies, far beyond the halls of a middle school. If you have naturally voluptuous and curly hair, why would you ever try to hide it? So, why do we feel like we have to cover up our natural hair? Society puts a pressure on us to always look our most beautiful, and for some reason, we forget that our natural hair is beautiful on its own. Our natural beauty is a weapon, and I believe in embracing that. Don't get me wrong, I love fixing my hair and wearing makeup, but it's so refreshing and liberating to feel confident wearing your naked face and natural hair.

I hate that it took me so long to appreciate my natural hair. There are so many pros to wearing your hair naturally. For starters, it's healthy. Blow drying, straightening, curling, etc. your hair daily definitely, as we all know, takes a toll on the well-being of your hair. Give yourself a break! Let your hair dry on its own and do what it's supposed to do. I know that's easy for me to say because I have naturally wavy hair, but I believe all types of hair are naturally beautiful. Straight hair, curly hair, wavy hair, course hair, fine hair, and I can go on, are all beautiful!

Please don't hide your amazing natural hair. Cut yourself some slack. You don't have to mold yourself into what others perceive is beautiful. Embracing your natural self is beautiful. Give your hair, and yourself, some freedom, and embrace your God-given beauty!