Shaving my head is something I have always wanted to do but never did. But since the quarantine, I was thinking about it more and more. One day, I just woke up and decided to do it. It was quite the experience and I wanted to share some of the things I learned.
1. It was probably the most liberating thing I've ever done. I've had short hair in the past but never this short before. Long hair is a typical beauty standard for women and honestly? I was tired of it. I felt so free cutting my hair off. It was like saying a huge fuck you to everyone who ever tried to give their opinions on my body. I had a huge grin on my face the whole time. I felt like I was finally taking myself back.
2. It was scary. About halfway through, I looked at myself in the mirror and said "have I lost my mind???" Who knows? It was too late to turn back so I took a breath and kept going. It was also scary because I didn't really know how to use hair clippers. I'm lucky to have any hair at all!
3. There is an adjustment period. When I shaved my hair initially, I loved it. Aaand then later that day, I cried about it. It took a week or so for me to get used to the way I looked with little hair. I had never seen so much of my face before and it was pretty weird.
4. You can't hide behind your hair anymore. I think the most scary part about all of this was that I don't have anything to shield me from the world anymore. There's no more hiding for me. It's rather alarming at times but I also feel sort of brave.
5. There are many more people who will have a positive reaction than negative. Sure, people stare sometimes. But all of the people I care about were really kind about it and still called me beautiful. If you're worried about how others will react, don't be. It's your hair.
6. Long hair does not equate to femininity. I think this is the most important lesson I learned from this whole thing. I spent so much time feeling so reluctant to shave my head because I thought that others, including myself, would think I wasn't pretty anymore. I was afraid of looking like a boy. But that doesn't matter to me anymore and I hope it doesn't matter to you. I am still just as much of a woman with no hair as I was with longer hair. Long hair doesn't dictate whether I'm pretty or not. And besides, there's more to life than being pretty.
7. If you're reading this because you're debating whether or not to shave your head, do it!! The fun thing about hair is that it grows back. ;)
Shaving my head was a rollercoaster ride from start to finish. But it really was one of the most freeing things I've ever done for myself. We only get this one life. It's better to live in the moment and do weird shit on a whim instead of living the way other people want us to. This is your life. You want to shave your head? Do it. Be brave. Make this life yours.
