As I got older, my hair got relentlessly, stubbornly curlier. One moment, my hair fell in waves, and the next, I had loose corkscrews going down my head.

I hated it. (At first.)

It was unruly, hard to manage, and it wasn’t straight. I spent hours on end brushing out and straightening out my curls, insisting that my curls were too messy and not put together. If I left my hair curly, it was pulled back by several clips or in a ponytail. Because my hair used to be short- not even touching my shoulders- I thought I always looked younger than I was.

I would always fuss over my hair, but I realized it wasn’t for me- it was for what other people would think about it. Would they take me seriously if I left it down, bouncing above my shoulders? Was it more unruly than everybody else’s? All the other curly-haired girls I knew at the time straightened their hair every day- and I wondered, should I do that too?

As I went through middle and high school, my curls soon became a symbol of my self-acceptance. I got involved in school and took on leadership positions that gave me the confidence I needed to be comfortable in my own skin. I cared less and less about the opinions of the people around me and focused more on improving myself for myself.

I grew my hair out longer and kept it natural much more often.

My curly hair- in all its unruliness- is a representation of who I am.

I am unruly. I don’t always follow the rules, and I can be unpredictable. I am lively and fun. I am a free, independent entity, just like every last one of my curls. I am everything my curls are. As I became more comfortable in my own skin, I became more comfortable with my curls. Those little corkscrews falling down my head are mine- they make me unique, and they make me feel powerful. There is something incredibly empowering about wearing your hair as it comes, and not giving a damn about what other people may think about it, in all its untamed wildness.

My growing lack of concern over the opinions of other people is a reflection of the acceptance of my curls, my body, my being for how it is. Now, my hair is down almost every day. I let my curls bounce freely, without any product or heat holding them down. I proudly call it my mane because it is wild and untamed, and I like it that way.

Embracing my curls was one of the most empowering things I have ever done.

Any girl who does a lot to her natural hair- be it straight, curly, or anything in between- should try keeping it natural for a week, and see if it empowers you. If not, so be it; to each her own. Regardless, going natural was an empowering step for me, and I encourage any girl to take the same steps towards empowerment if she wants.