This past week I did something I never thought I would have the courage to do. I got a pixie cut, and it was liberating.

Last week, a friend and I scheduled the hair appointment spontaneously. We had both been wanting short hair for a while but felt nervous to actually follow through with it.

Strolling into the small shop, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but excitement raced through my fingertips. I sat quietly as I watched my locks of hair fall to the ground, and my head became lighter. The sensation of the shaver vibrating behind my ears felt relaxing, unexpectedly.

Walking out after, I felt a sense of satisfaction, pleased with the freedom that accompanied my new style. It felt good to do something for myself, something I had wanted to do for a long time, despite my fears of what other people would think.

Changing the idea to an action, for me, symbolized a liberating journey, a quest that I am still on. A journey to express myself in a care-free and simple way, a way unique to me. Though chopping hair is such a small, simple action, it had a deeper meaning for me, as many little things do.

It, in a way, symbolized a coming of age, a time of independence. It also was a commitment to myself, a commitment to love and express myself, without filtering the outcomes for acceptance from others. I will no longer choose to be someone I am not. I will choose to do what makes me happy, within reasonable measures. I will choose to create a new self-image, a grown-up one, instead of relentlessly attempting to maintain this old one that no longer fits.

My new hair came with many perks, confidence being one of them. Our hair doesn’t define who we are. Whether my hair is long, short, blonde, or brown, none of that matters. What truly matters is me as a person, and what I choose to do with the days I have been given. Changing my hair so often has enabled me to come to that realization. The fact that our actions define us, rather than appearances, has given me a burst of hope and confidence.

My pixie cut has helped me feel beautiful and confident through my developing understanding that various people have different perceptions of beauty. Though other people may not perceive my appearance as beautiful, or feminine, I do. By feeling self-confident, I am happy. Chopping off all my hair was one of the best decisions I could have made at this point in my life, and I am in the process of learning many lessons from it.