Getting Your Hair Goals For 2013 Right

Happy New Year Everyone! The Mayans were wrong and now we can go about our lives and talk about genuine threats like crazy people with guns going into our kids schools. I’m not going to comment too much on that situation except to SMH in disgust and move on to happier tidings.

The new year is traditionally a time for resolutions that range from losing 10 pounds (more like 50 for some of us!) to trying not to be late for work too often. Resolutions however have a terrible reputation for being abandoned by the 9th of January so for me, goals are a much more elegant approach to getting something done in the next 12 months.

For instance, if you want to change something about your hair, instead of having a vague resolution like ‘I want long hair in 2013’ or ‘I want to retain length this year’ you can have a definite goal that could say ‘I will reach mid back length by the end of December 2013’.

A precise goal does something wonderful to your mindset, it not only gets your brain into gear in preparation for the effort that you will have to put it, it also subconsciously implants the steps that you will have to take in order to achieve your goal.

I won’t bore you with a list post on new years eve but I do have a few points to share that I hope with help you when the time comes for you to create your own hair goals for 2013.

1. Don’t assume that you know it all just because you’ve read a couple of hair books and follow a blog or two. In the first couple of years of my hair journey, although I never once doubted that my hair would grow long, I didn’t really have definite goals.

The first goal I had was in the third year when I was pushing to get to bra strap length. It was only then that I realized that I hadn’t quite given up some very basic bad hair habits. Believe it or not it took me a over 2 years to automatically comb my hair from tip to root and not the other way around. I knew the right way to do it on a conscious level but I would occasionally catch myself about to rip into my hair at the roots without thinking!

2. Length is not everything. When I was growing out my hair, I saw plenty of women with long but very thin hair and honestly I wouldn’t have swapped my 6 inch afro with their thin scraggly BSL for anything. We all know that the sheer number of follicles on your head is hereditary and can’t be changed but there are a few things you can do to get thicker hair. If you are relaxed then texlaxing instead of relaxing bone straight is a no-brainer. Not only will your hair be thicker, it will also be less prone to breakage. As a natural with fine strands myself, I know that flat ironing at a lower temperatures will leave a bit more texture in the hair. For you this means straight but thick hair!

3. Make your goals achievable. I know they say that  you should reach for the stars but a bit of realism is also necessary. If you are currently at shoulder length, aiming for mid back length in 12 months would involve a growth of 10-12 inches which is highly improbable! You would be better off aiming for bra strap length which is more within your reach.

There is nothing more satisfying than crossing off an achieved goal from a list at the end of year. Welll that’s it for 2012, have a happy new year!