How to stay motivated?

[JEMTheNerd]

I'm trying to stay determined and grow my hair long but I'm getting drained, I'm tired of waiting- it's been nine months and I've looked like an old mop for the past 4 months. It's really beating me down tbh. I feel like I'm never going to get where I want to be, not until I'm older and busier with life. I dont feel like myself, I feel like someone else. I want my bushy thick ponytail, my messy yet desirable braid that ran down my back. I want to be able to feel unique with my dorky fly a ways that I found endearing. I feel so stupid for even thinking like this over hair. Idk what to do, I feel so defeated. I'm so tired of waiting but I cringe at the thought of cutting it. I Have been doing my best to ignore it, but I feel nothing but anger whenever my fringe dances across my face, blocking my view of the world constantly. I love my hair, and hate it at the same time. I want it back. Back the way it was before, but that I've figured out isn't going to be for about 5 stupid long years to get to waist length (I'm 5 foot even). I dont dye, bleach, straighten, curl, or really do anything with my hair. I dont wash it on Friday's or Saturday's and on Sunday's, I use kerotin shampoo and then conditioner. When I use my kerotin soaps I hold my head down to my stomach, the inversion method I think it's called. I massage the shampoo in like that for 3mins, rinse and do the same with the conditioner. Yet still, still I am losing so much hope. I feel really tired. sorry for the rant guys, I'm just exhausted.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

What works for me is telling myself every morning that my hair is longer today than it was yesterday.

I also tell myself that it has to go through this length before it can get longer.

I also tell myself that chopping it shorter isn't going to help me reach my hair goals...

Then I usually try and find something else to do to take my mind off my hair, or if i can't do that, I give my hair a treat, like a deep conditioning treatment, and being happy that I am helping my hair become the way I want it to be.

Remember, too, that you might not be happy with your hair right now, but you can bet there are those who would really wish that they had your hair!

I'm sorry you are feeling bad about your hair, it's not a nice feeling. I hope you will feel better about it soon.

Oh, and I find that the days when I don't like my hair are usually the day before wash day. Washing it makes me like it again. :)

[JEMTheNerd]

What works for me is telling myself every morning that my hair is longer today than it was yesterday.

I also tell myself that it has to go through this length before it can get longer.

I also tell myself that chopping it shorter isn't going to help me reach my hair goals...

Then I usually try and find something else to do to take my mind off my hair, or if i can't do that, I give my hair a treat, like a deep conditioning treatment, and being happy that I am helping my hair become the way I want it to be.

Remember, too, that you might not be happy with your hair right now, but you can bet there are those who would really wish that they had your hair!

I'm sorry you are feeling bad about your hair, it's not a nice feeling. I hope you will feel better about it soon.

Oh, and I find that the days when I don't like my hair are usually the day before wash day. Washing it makes me like it again. :)


I'll try out the pelp talk tips, it just looks all the same to me every morning. I've been taking a pic of my hair every morning for the past 3 months give or take. My hair has grown, but I feel stuck. :( I know others would wish to have my hair, when I cut it all off I donated it. I'm just being whiney and am wallowing. I'm Frustrated and angered at my own situation. You're right, this is a crudy feeling and I hate feeling like this. I'm not sure what I'll do, but I am probably gonna go MIA from the community, just because I dont fit. I don't have long hair... Yet.

[Jo Ann]

Set realistic near-term goals for yourself. If your hair is, say, chin length, set your next goal as collarbone length. None of our hair got where it is overnight, and near-term goals helps ease the waiting and impatience.

For example, my avatar has what my hair looked like when I first joined. My sig pic has what my hair looked like up until two weeks ago (pardon the color difference--different Dear Sons took the pictures and different lighting was involved, even though it's the same room). It's taken patience and not stressing because my hair isn't at my next near-term goal (BCL...again), but I've learned a lot in the two or so years I've been here! And my patience WILL be rewarded!

Sarahlabyrinth has some excellent suggestions! Try them. And remember--baby steps, baby steps, baby steps! And take it easy on yourself! Work with what you have and, before you know it, you'll be able to do what you want.

[Obsidian]

Maybe you should stop the daily pics. Trying to ignore the length seems to work pretty well for some people. I don't measure or take length pics anymore. Of course, I have a pixie so checking length is moot at this point.
I hate the growing out phase and I'm going through it, again. I try to stay focused on what my hair is today, not what it will be in the future. Try to enjoy the different stages, once it gets longer, you won't get those stages again unless you cut.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Well, there are plenty of short haired people on here, you don't need long hair to be on here. Try taking a picture of your hair every three months instead of every morning - you will see good growth that way. Taking a picture every morning will just upset you because you won't be seeing any growth. Just keep on looking after your hair, and find some other activity/work/hobbies to take your mind off it. :) You'll see, it will grow! It's getting longer every day :)

[JEMTheNerd]

Well, there are plenty of short haired people on here, you don't need long hair to be on here. Try taking a picture of your hair every three months instead of every morning - you will see good growth that way. Taking a picture every morning will just upset you because you won't be seeing any growth. Just keep on looking after your hair, and find some other activity/work/hobbies to take your mind off it. :) You'll see, it will grow! It's getting longer every day :)

I've been doing the picture a day thing cause I was planning on making a time lapse video for my YouTube just so others out there finding themselves in a situation like can have an estimate on how long it'll take them to grow their hair. Do you know how long it takes to get waist length hair..? I had a buzzcuy faux hawk in January, my hair is now a mullet. I have my back length to the tips of the collar of my shirt, my sides to the tops of my jawline and my annoying fringe just under my eye.

[JEMTheNerd]

I'm also at a rather tall height of 5 feet. :,D

[Cherriezzzzz]

My hair isn't long either! What makes me love my hair is trying new products... I like hair products though. What do you like about hair? Scents? I wouldn't focus on growth but on looking or feeling good now. Cause later will come, it ALWAYS does... I'm coming up on a one year no trims... I'm amazed at the growth. Look into each year. Where will you be this time next year? How long will it be on your next birthday? How about ten birthdays from now... I want to be maintaining mid thigh length hair. I'm gunna do what it takes to make me happy.

Best thing about it is... it costs me nothing. And it costs you nothing. But the return is a billion percent vs what you put it. That's an investment I can get REAL excited about!

You get everything, for waiting :)

I look forward to your long hair!

[JEMTheNerd]

Maybe you should stop the daily pics. Trying to ignore the length seems to work pretty well for some people. I don't measure or take length pics anymore. Of course, I have a pixie so checking length is moot at this point.
I hate the growing out phase and I'm going through it, again. I try to stay focused on what my hair is today, not what it will be in the future. Try to enjoy the different stages, once it gets longer, you won't get those stages again unless you cut.

I feel you on the awkward stages, they stink I also have a gruesome time trying to measure my hair. :C I can only keep going, guess we're making our journey together.

[JEMTheNerd]

My hair isn't long either! What makes me love my hair is trying new products... I like hair products though. What do you like about hair? Scents? I wouldn't focus on growth but on looking or feeling good now. Cause later will come, it ALWAYS does... I'm coming up on a one year no trims... I'm amazed at the growth. Look into each year. Where will you be this time next year? How long will it be on your next birthday? How about ten birthdays from now... I want to be maintaining mid thigh length hair. I'm gunna do what it takes to make me happy.

Best thing about it is... it costs me nothing. And it costs you nothing. But the return is a billion percent vs what you put it. That's an investment I can get REAL excited about!

You get everything, for waiting :)

I look forward to your long hair!

My one year anniversary of my head shave will be January 5th, my bday is actually only about 70 days away, so I don't think it'll be much longer than it is currently. I like your idea though of thinking about what I like about hair. So I'm going to do the same! What I like about my hair, is the feeling of it. It isn't smooth or silky, it's thick and protective. It's poofy, and I like to twirl my finger in a strand of it while I work on my geometry. I like the way I can run my fingers through it, and when I get it wet how I can push it all back. I like when I part my hair I see a sharp defined line that is my hair part. I like the color it is, it's a nice color that reminds me of sand on the beach on a cloudy day. I like pushing all my hair above my head at night on my pillow, so I can run my fingers through the strands.

Thank you, a lot for that. I hadn't realized I had so many things I liked about my hair. I think I really needed that. :) thank you. <3

[Cherriezzzzz]

My one year anniversary of my head shave will be January 5th, my bday is actually only about 70 days away, so I don't think it'll be much longer than it is currently. I like your idea though of thinking about what I like about hair. So I'm going to do the same! What I like about my hair, is the feeling of it. It isn't smooth or silky, it's thick and protective. It's poofy, and I like to twirl my finger in a strand of it while I work on my geometry. I like the way I can run my fingers through it, and when I get it wet how I can push it all back. I like when I part my hair I see a sharp defined line that is my hair part. I like the color it is, it's a nice color that reminds me of sand on the beach on a cloudy day. I like pushing all my hair above my head at night on my pillow, so I can run my fingers through the strands.

Thank you, a lot for that. I hadn't realized I had so many things I liked about my hair. I think I really needed that. :) thank you. <3

I think you just made ME like your hair too! Hahaha

I wonder if someone could link it, but we had an uh-mazing thread about positive things we like about our hair and what we appreciate about it specifically.

It was the best thread lol

Reading other ppl's likes about their own hair made me even add to the list of what i liked about mine. I could find myself agreeing that I like "that" with my hair too!

[Corvana]

Ok, so. #1 maybe check out the Chin to Shoulder (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=96954) thread. Sure your fringe isn't long enough, but that's fine. If you average it out, that's about where you should be (since you've said the back is a bit longer).

#2: I have my hair growth spreadsheet, now that my hair is finally long enough to track (and now that I'm on LHC and care enough to do so). I made a tab labelled "Perspective" and here's what it is

https://i.gyazo.com/9ff76d305aa97185a2267ea13f9c65de.png

I started it because there are so many things about my hair that I want to change, and so I end up ignoring all of the really nice things about it. So every time something new pops up that I like about my hair, I make a point to put it in my spreadsheet. If my desk weren't in a temporary setup, I'd have it on my little bulletin board to see more often.

My hair, when I finally decided to grow all of it and not just have a very long mohawk, was at my jaw at the longest on top, and was maybe 3" in the back. That was about 16 or 17 months ago? I was lucky in that the top was generally longer than the rest and could camouflage my regrowth after a few months, but overall it was just short and in the way. So I'd braid it as best as I could away from my face, or just twist it and use a clip to pin it back. It looked cute enough, and kept me from seeing just how uuuggggggghhh my hair was at the time. As soon as it could go in a pony, it was in a ponytail aaaaaall the time. Then some of the shaved underlayers started hitting shoulder length, and I trimmed everything else to shoulder to even it out. And then more layers hit shoulder, and I trimmed back. And so on until this past June when I cut back to shoulder for the last time (until idk when, there's still a few more hidden/blended shorter layers in the middle).

So my main advice to you is to just find ways to put it back that don't make you mad, and keep putting it back until it's long enough. Sure it'll still take forever, but at least in that time you'll have a little less frustration because you're able to do something with your hair.

Get some clips (my favorite are those flat clips that snap open (https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41tEv4FnHGL.jpg)? Even though they may not be hair friendly... I was always very gentle with them and never got any hair caught), a soft headband or three, decorative bobby pins, itty bitty claw clips (butterfly clips?), whatever. Then twist/braid/pin your fringe out of your face, or the rest of your hair, or whatever you choose to do.

[JEMTheNerd]

I think you just made ME like your hair too! Hahaha

I wonder if someone could link it, but we had an uh-mazing thread about positive things we like about our hair and what we appreciate about it specifically.

It was the best thread lol

Reading other ppl's likes about their own hair made me even add to the list of what i liked about mine. I could find myself agreeing that I like "that" with my hair too!

Awe thank you!!! I feel a lot better, I just need to focus more on the positives of my hair rather than the negatives! Thank you so much!!!

[JEMTheNerd]

Ok, so. #1 maybe check out the Chin to Shoulder (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=96954) thread. Sure your fringe isn't long enough, but that's fine. If you average it out, that's about where you should be (since you've said the back is a bit longer).

#2: I have my hair growth spreadsheet, now that my hair is finally long enough to track (and now that I'm on LHC and care enough to do so). I made a tab labelled "Perspective" and here's what it is

https://i.gyazo.com/9ff76d305aa97185a2267ea13f9c65de.png

I started it because there are so many things about my hair that I want to change, and so I end up ignoring all of the really nice things about it. So every time something new pops up that I like about my hair, I make a point to put it in my spreadsheet. If my desk weren't in a temporary setup, I'd have it on my little bulletin board to see more often.

My hair, when I finally decided to grow all of it and not just have a very long mohawk, was at my jaw at the longest on top, and was maybe 3" in the back. That was about 16 or 17 months ago? I was lucky in that the top was generally longer than the rest and could camouflage my regrowth after a few months, but overall it was just short and in the way. So I'd braid it as best as I could away from my face, or just twist it and use a clip to pin it back. It looked cute enough, and kept me from seeing just how uuuggggggghhh my hair was at the time. As soon as it could go in a pony, it was in a ponytail aaaaaall the time. Then some of the shaved underlayers started hitting shoulder length, and I trimmed everything else to shoulder to even it out. And then more layers hit shoulder, and I trimmed back. And so on until this past June when I cut back to shoulder for the last time (until idk when, there's still a few more hidden/blended shorter layers in the middle).

So my main advice to you is to just find ways to put it back that don't make you mad, and keep putting it back until it's long enough. Sure it'll still take forever, but at least in that time you'll have a little less frustration because you're able to do something with your hair.

Get some clips (my favorite are those flat clips that snap open (https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41tEv4FnHGL.jpg)? Even though they may not be hair friendly... I was always very gentle with them and never got any hair caught), a soft headband or three, decorative bobby pins, itty bitty claw clips (butterfly clips?), whatever. Then twist/braid/pin your fringe out of your face, or the rest of your hair, or whatever you choose to do.

I can't really clip my hair back, I have a rather bold forehead shall we say, and a childish face. I easily pull off that I'm 12 years old all the time. 😂 also my hair is wavy I forget to mention, so if I use hairbands, it just curls all over the place and I look like Medusa. My situation sucks! But you grew out a Mohawk and that has me in awe!!! You're a good inspiration for me!! It just sucks on how long it takes for hair to grow :'( I want my waist length hair back, and then I'm going to aim for knee length!! But my first mini goal, is goin to be getting all my hair into a ponytail. I'm certain my progress will be swift from there on out!! Thanks so much for your comment!!! It means a lot to me! <3 you keep growing! It looks freaking awesome!!!

[Corvana]

I can't really clip my hair back, I have a rather bold forehead shall we say, and a childish face. I easily pull off that I'm 12 years old all the time. �� also my hair is wavy I forget to mention, so if I use hairbands, it just curls all over the place and I look like Medusa. My situation sucks! But you grew out a Mohawk and that has me in awe!!! You're a good inspiration for me!! It just sucks on how long it takes for hair to grow :'( I want my waist length hair back, and then I'm going to aim for knee length!! But my first mini goal, is goin to be getting all my hair into a ponytail. I'm certain my progress will be swift from there on out!! Thanks so much for your comment!!! It means a lot to me! <3 you keep growing! It looks freaking awesome!!!

Heh I don't look super amazing with my hair pulled fully back either, but it's better if I go across the side like this:

https://i.imgur.com/RD9P1JF.jpg

I feel like it softens my face up a bit. If I braided it, I'd do it through the same path:

https://i.imgur.com/hNKRQmA.jpg

Partly because of how it was shaved and then grew out, and partly because I prefer it to having a braid go down the middle. Also because it was easier to do :laugh: So try to find a way to pin them back that you find flattering. Or try to learn to love your bold forehead. Tyra Banks does! I started to embrace my ears (and style my hair in double buns or braids or pigtails when I'm not feeling them) because of other celebrities who do so (like Ginnifer Goodwin, who has the one-ear-sticks-out-but-the-other-doesn't thing that I've got going on, and yet she rocks a pixie). Actually, seeing Ginnifer's sticky-outy ear and her cute pixie is what gave me the courage to have a pixie myself, since I was always to scared to have my sticky-outy ear on display like that.

And thank you! It's finally long enough that I feel less annoyed by it, for sure. But I still feel annoyed by it, for other things! It's too thick (woe is me LOL) for updos I want to do without exploding, or it's too short to do them with the thickness I've got. It's growing slower than it was, so I won't hit milestones when I originally thought. Etc etc.

I think until we've reached "enough", or we've finally become at peace with our hair as it is, we'll always be annoyed or disappointed by some aspect or another!

[Deborah]

At only five feet tall, it won't take you anywhere near five years to reach waist length. That might cheer you up a little.

[Stray_mind]

Don't worry so much about your hair. It will grow on it's own. All you have to do is just take care of it while it does.
Find a way to get your fringe out of the way. Try finding a different positioning for it to match your face.

I chopped from hip to less than chin lenght, so i am in the same boat. But i just clip my hair back and leave it be as it grows, occasionally helping it with deep conditioning treatments and thorough washing. :)

You are pretty short, so your hair will definitely get to waist faster than in 5 years (unless it's Very curly).

Just don't cut again. You'll simply repeat the cycle of regret and have to wait even longer until it grows back.

[JamieN]

Don't worry so much about your hair. It will grow on it's own. All you have to do is just take care of it while it does.
Find a way to get your fringe out of the way. Try finding a different positioning for it to match your face.

I'd have to second this. I'm about a year and a half into the process of growing out from a very short (not buzz-cut, but still quite short) starting point. There have been several times along the way when it got annoying and I wanted to give up and cut it back, but I just knew that I'd be mad at myself if I did. It also wasn't possible for me to just completely forget about it and ignore it, though, so I tried to switch my focus to making sure that it stayed well cared for and healthy. That made the time I spent with it every day or couple of days less a time of frustration and more one of positive thinking. I pushed through the awkward stages along the way, and - as I mentioned in your ponytail thread - sure enough, one day I was able to make it through a day without having to take a break to re-do it. I was *elated*! That was a few months ago, and it was a real turning point for me.

Now I get to focus any of my frustration energy on the fact that I need to learn how to style/up-do all this hair that I've never really had before. :D

[spidermom]

You said you don't do anything with it, so another suggestion would be to do something to change it up sometimes. Milabu on YouTube has short hair and lots of styling ideas. You aren't stuck with same hair day after day unless you want to be.

Also, I don't remember - are you doing a no-trimming challenge? If not, trimming up the mullet a bit might make you feel better. I got haircuts every 6-to-8 weeks during the most awkward of my growing out process, and my hair always looked presentable if not good. My hair stylist was on board with my goal of long hair, so she only did the minimal amount of trimming necessary to keep my hair from looking like a shapeless mop.

[Beeboo123]

I've been doing the picture a day thing cause I was planning on making a time lapse video for my YouTube just so others out there finding themselves in a situation like can have an estimate on how long it'll take them to grow their hair. Do you know how long it takes to get waist length hair..? I had a buzzcuy faux hawk in January, my hair is now a mullet. I have my back length to the tips of the collar of my shirt, my sides to the tops of my jawline and my annoying fringe just under my eye.

I went from pixie to waist with a U-shaped hemline in 2 years, but I've been told that my hair grows freakishly fast. Yours might not grow quite as quickly, but it most likely won't take 5 years to reach waist, especially if you get a V-taper and don't mind layers.

[Hairkay]

I go for checking out different hairstyles online whilst I leave my hair to do it's own thing and grow in it's own time. Sometimes I'll get to try out my version of some of the hairstyles too.

[mira-chan]

I generally put it up and make sure I'm busy enough not to think about it. It'll grow, I check in on any changes periodically.

[Anje]

Honestly, you DON'T stay motivated. That'll just drive you bonkers. You pull your hair back, shove it under a hat or bandana or whatever, and get on with life. You ignore it. You benign-neglect it. You do the same boring thing pretty much every day because it's not worth troubling yourself about your hair, and because incremental gains in length really aren't noticeable except when your hair is super short. And then one day you realize it's long, maybe even that it has already grown past the goal you set for yourself.

[Arciela]

I go through the same things really. What helps me is just occupying myself with something else. The more that I focus on it..the more upset and frustrated I get. I avoid mirrors and taking photos of it entirely. Also when I focus on other hobbies it really helps to take my mind off it. All we can do is be patient and wait it out...I can't say enough that the first year is always the worst, after that everything just slowly falls into place.

I love the advice of thinking your hair is longer then it was yesterday..that is so true, even if its by a little bit :) Right now my hair is classic length, but for a year I bleached it 3 times (dumb of me lol) and stopped cold turkey in May. Now I am left with a flat brown color that I dyed to try to match my roots and damaged, thinner hair. I also have like..a good portion of the front of my hair short because the bleach just destroyed it..so I look really weird atm haha. Before the bleach I had a gorgeous color I loved, super shiny and thick hair. Well..now I want it back...haha but all I can do is wait it out!

Growing out hair is a true test of my patience limits..but there is nothing else we can do, we can either cut it, which is counter productive, or wait it out :flower:

[cathair]

Honestly, you DON'T stay motivated. That'll just drive you bonkers. You pull your hair back, shove it under a hat or bandana or whatever, and get on with life. You ignore it. You benign-neglect it. You do the same boring thing pretty much every day because it's not worth troubling yourself about your hair, and because incremental gains in length really aren't noticeable except when your hair is super short. And then one day you realize it's long, maybe even that it has already grown past the goal you set for yourself.

What she said.

[*Wednesday*]

My hair is at hip at the longest length. I take a photo every October (yearly) to measure visual length. Your hair will grow. It has no other alternative. That is what it does. If you don't "cut" it you will see length. I don't think it will take 5 years to get to waist. 2 1/2 to 3 yrs. tops. Keep it up.

[leayellena]

1.blog about your hair. Keep track of products you like or dislike, of fail and good Experiments and what you´ve learn; you can save your most important articles on Internet and (re)read them whenever you want; also good to share with People that may have almost the same issues as you. my saved articles are mostly from naturals. I love how naturals understand hair. they don´t come up with kitchen witchery Silicone expensive "professional" hair masks, they tell you HOW to know what your hair Needs, they compare their natural hair with curles, wavies and even stick straight hair. they write about important Things in your hair structure: porosity, elasticity, etc.: leayellena.blogspot.com/
2. I highly recommend science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/. Today I found out that the majority of my hairs are fine, it is possible to grow even stronger M hairs if I take care of my hair. (http://leayellena.blogspot.de/2017/02/texture-typing.html), but as one of lhc member said, I may be at the end of what´s called fine hair.
3. Micro trim (when you feel down, please watch her video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWRJ57j1AyI) .don´t have to be shocked of the trim or going to hairdressers that cut 10 cm instead of 3 cm. I´ve seen People that grow their super-fine hair to classic and they´re tall... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5GGpYzJW_A.
4. Condition: please don´t believe Hairstylist ******** about conditioning only the tips of your hair, as to "not weight that hair down"... those are probably the same People that still Keep the Shampoo twice and barelly condition once... a week. no. stop. it´s ok to co-wash. you should co-. your Little fine new grown Strands Need condition/moisture as much as the whole length Needs the same conditioning. it doesn´t make sence to condition "6 cm after the ponytail" and then have nape hair (breakage) in that boyscout area. then what´s next? chopping it off to bob length to hide the fail-conditioning? if you still have issues with co-washing, alternate with mild Shampoos, but try to see if you can co-wash one more day... ;) trick your hair - that´s what I call it- to accept conditioners for just one more day. it´s the same trick as with the Micro trim: it is not much, but it adds up in time.
5. Keep your hair Long and try to grow it longer: this will help you to have the Feeling of your hair. how does it behave in different situations? how do I know if my scalp likes or dislikes a product? does my length like other products than my scalp? is co-wash really good/bad for my scalp condition? what scalp do I have? (mine is dry/flaky, but my hair is oily and fragile, so go figure out the Problem with the weighted down hair...). why does my hair break so much? (at what length did it start to break really much? what does it mean for my hair? what is missing or what is too much for my hair? does it depend probably on hair type(s)- that means I should be careful with handling different Areas.).
6. Benign neglect: it rocks! <3 stop dreaming for knee length hair when you still chop your barely waist length hair back to shoulder length; stop coloring it, but you can use honey, hena, hendigo or even coffee - don´t expect of Course to go platinum blonde...; stop ripping off your hair trying to make Pinterest hairstlyles. those are the Girls that ruin their hair - probably are the same new members with so damaged hair that ask us for help (I am not against People doing whatever they want with their hair, I am just describing my own experience with People who "get bored"; bored? have Hobbies like gardening, crocheting, reading or writing (we have such threads and even groups- can´t believe myself how wonderful lhc is!). PS: when bored is probably the best Moment to take care of your hair! take it down, admire it, remember the stages you and your have have mastered together until today <3 ; let your hair down, wild and let your folicules breathe, also a massage is great for your scalp, or even oiling your hair; probably S&D a Little?
7. least but not last: look back to where you came from. I ripped off 200 Strands every single day for 3 years in a row since growing out Long hair. I am still learning today how to handle my hair in the shower (note to self: more water, less Scratching). that´s why Blogging is good.
8. I can´t thank enough to People on lhc and those who made their own blog/YouTube channel. you guys help a lot. I never found a "stupid question", but only questions where I´d take answers for granted and as Logical; no - different People, different issues to learn something from.

[JEMTheNerd]

At only five feet tall, it won't take you anywhere near five years to reach waist length. That might cheer you up a little.


Oh? How long do you suppose it'll take me? 😀
.....Imma just ignore the "only five feet" bit... 😓😢😭

[JEMTheNerd]

Don't worry so much about your hair. It will grow on it's own. All you have to do is just take care of it while it does.
Find a way to get your fringe out of the way. Try finding a different positioning for it to match your face.

I chopped from hip to less than chin lenght, so i am in the same boat. But i just clip my hair back and leave it be as it grows, occasionally helping it with deep conditioning treatments and thorough washing. :)

You are pretty short, so your hair will definitely get to waist faster than in 5 years (unless it's Very curly).

Just don't cut again. You'll simply repeat the cycle of regret and have to wait even longer until it grows back.

Dang that was harsh, I am not short. >:( and nah, my hair isn't curly it's a bit wavy but that's all. I don't think I'll cut it again either. :) and I'm rooting for you on your hair growth as well! how long do you plan to grow your hair? :D also, if you had to guess how do you think it'll take for me to get waist length hair?

[JEMTheNerd]

You said you don't do anything with it, so another suggestion would be to do something to change it up sometimes. Milabu on YouTube has short hair and lots of styling ideas. You aren't stuck with same hair day after day unless you want to be.

Also, I don't remember - are you doing a no-trimming challenge? If not, trimming up the mullet a bit might make you feel better. I got haircuts every 6-to-8 weeks during the most awkward of my growing out process, and my hair always looked presentable if not good. My hair stylist was on board with my goal of long hair, so she only did the minimal amount of trimming necessary to keep my hair from looking like a shapeless mop.

I'm not trimming it. :) I have thought about trimming the back, but call me weird I kinda like the mullet. It's wonky and weird and does its own thing so I'm pretty chill with it. Plus I feel like if I trimmed it constantly I'd end up going shorter and shorter.

[littlestarface]

Dang that was harsh, I am not short. >:( and nah, my hair isn't curly it's a bit wavy but that's all. I don't think I'll cut it again either. :) and I'm rooting for you on your hair growth as well! how long do you plan to grow your hair? :D also, if you had to guess how do you think it'll take for me to get waist length hair?

No way your not short at all, i'm 4'8 now i'm short lol.

FYI I love fma brotherhood too.

[JEMTheNerd]

My hair is at hip at the longest length. I take a photo every October (yearly) to measure visual length. Your hair will grow. It has no other alternative. That is what it does. If you don't "cut" it you will see length. I don't think it will take 5 years to get to waist. 2 1/2 to 3 yrs. tops. Keep it up.

Oh wow! I inchin towards my 1 year anniversary of my buzz/faux hawk. So it'd be really fantastic if by mid 2019 I'd have my old length again!!!! I want to look great for my graduation photos, I wanna look like me. It's weird how much weight hair holds on personal images and how others view you huh?

[lapushka]

I'm going to have to *severely* disappoint you (and gosh I hate doing that). 9 months in the whole hairgrowing scheme of things is *nothing*. It takes many years to get somewhere when you want long hair. It's not something that can be "solved" within a couple of months. :flower:

Just keep busy with other things, if you can. That is the only solution, and stop thinking of your hair; it will come with time.

And lastly, cutting it, is only going to set you back, and back, and further back.

[riphair]

I'm trying to stay determined and grow my hair long but I'm getting drained, I'm tired of waiting- it's been nine months and I've looked like an old mop for the past 4 months. It's really beating me down tbh. I feel like I'm never going to get where I want to be, not until I'm older and busier with life. I dont feel like myself, I feel like someone else. I want my bushy thick ponytail, my messy yet desirable braid that ran down my back. I want to be able to feel unique with my dorky fly a ways that I found endearing. I feel so stupid for even thinking like this over hair. Idk what to do, I feel so defeated. I'm so tired of waiting but I cringe at the thought of cutting it. I Have been doing my best to ignore it, but I feel nothing but anger whenever my fringe dances across my face, blocking my view of the world constantly. I love my hair, and hate it at the same time. I want it back. Back the way it was before, but that I've figured out isn't going to be for about 5 stupid long years to get to waist length (I'm 5 foot even). I dont dye, bleach, straighten, curl, or really do anything with my hair. I dont wash it on Friday's or Saturday's and on Sunday's, I use kerotin shampoo and then conditioner. When I use my kerotin soaps I hold my head down to my stomach, the inversion method I think it's called. I massage the shampoo in like that for 3mins, rinse and do the same with the conditioner. Yet still, still I am losing so much hope. I feel really tired. sorry for the rant guys, I'm just exhausted.

Oh, I can really relate to this. My hair used to be TL, but the last year before I cut it, I went through both hormonal and emotional problems and ended up cutting it APL. First I shed hair like crazy because of hormonal issues, and I was in a weird place emotionally with really bad self confidence, so I decided to cut my hair straight off to "renew" myself to fix my problems. Well, needless to say, it didn't work at all. It felt so nice to have short hair, but it also felt like I'd lost my identity. I have decent growth speed, so a year later my hair is starting to feel more like it did before I chopped it of, but it has been tough and demotivating. Just try to remember that it WILL eventually grow back! Treat it with love and care and do whatever you can to optimalize the process, treat yourself with deep treatments and whatever makes your hair feel nice and think that you're doing your hair a favor. There really is nothing else to do. :) Also, in the end, remind yourself that it's just hair. Your identity or whatever is NOT in your hair, even if you feel like it. Take care. :blossom:

[riphair]

Also, resist the urge to chop it all off again when you have a bad hair day! Lol

[Andthetalltrees]

I had chopped off my waist length hair into a chin length bob and kept it above shoulders for a year. I was SO over having 'neck length" hair especially because it was really uneven(I finally evened it up a full 17 months later haha). Everytime I'd get frustrated I'd ask myself "Would cutting it make it longer?" because it seemed so ridiculous to me and kept me focus that it's just a phase that has to grow out. For several months I completely ignored my hair, It was still there but I didn't come here, I didn't look at my hair at all, No hair videos or pictures. All I did was wash it and forget it existed, It might have looked bad but meh, It got me through.

It seems weird now looking back how quickly my hair grew but so slow it seemed at the time. My hair grows above average but I know I'll have waist length hair again before my 2 year anniversary of cutting it, And as it is I'm pretty happy right now.

So really I guess my advice is accept or well ignore what you have now, and think long term where you're going to be at. Even if it's only maybe shoulder or APL in a year it's still longer than it is now. Being mad at it now isn't going to change things

[spidermom]

Another thing to consider is that it's very good practice to set a goal and then achieve it. I set a goal of classic length when my hair was a grown-out pixie, and I kept reminding myself that it was good practice to keep growing until my goal no matter how much it was bothering me and getting in my way. It helps you in so many areas of your life to be able to hold on to a goal through boredom and lack of motivation.

I did achieve that goal of classic length. Now I'm happy with shoulder length.

[OhSuzi]

On average your hair grows about ½ an inch a month that’s 6 inches a year.
Some might grow a little faster / a little slower.
I started out with a pixie with shaved bits in Jul 2016 and got about 7 – 8 inches growth with no trims in a year.

The first 2 months when I conciously decided to grow it long were the worst – always checking it, always thinking about it and thinking about the really short pixie haircut that had undone any previous growth progress.
Someone on here told me – Benign Neglect – Do nothing much to it & just stop thinking about it and then when you notice it a month later, you’ll realise it’s magically grown!
Difficult at first, but you do soon stop obsessing on it for the most part - definitely the best advice I had.

For the times when you are thinking about it, make an L shape and look at the span from index finger to thumb, that’s roughly how long it will grow in a year - hold it up to your hair and go 'one year from now I can see I’ll prob be at chin / shoulder' etc. it helps you to visualise that there really will be a time when your hair is longer!

Generally hair just grows, everyday whether you want it to or not – it’s not going to shrink & it’s unlikely to stop until you reach terminal!

I still get frustrated with it now - mostly when I see a really cool long hair do that id love to try and can’t yet.
Or when I haven’t bothered to wash / style my hair and it’s looking like a hot mess.

To combat this, I treat my self to a nice hair wash & take time to style it nicely
Or look at pictures of celebs with similar hair to me right now – OK I haven’t got viking locks yet, but I have a French style bob similar to Keira Knightly or Marion Cotiard - it’s fashionable – I can do some stuff with it, scrunch it wavy / gently blow dry it straight, pin it up out my face, have a french plait fringe, just about get away with space buns & glitter parting - tres trendy at the mo!

Also watching hair growth videos – ‘Megumi Goose’ on Youtube does a very thorough job of monthly updates for 3 years. I love to look at those vids and go yup I’ve reached about her 6 month vid. Yup Im now at about her 12 month vid Length. Also there’s something really hopeful about the fact you can quickly watch 3 years hair growth in 5 minute bursts
Or look at the 1 year hair progress pics on here.

I guess if you’re gonna do a time lapse vid yourself, you’re still gonna take a pic everyday, but for now maybe stop comparing them –maybe just compare the one at the 1st of each month. You’ll soon see a difference and find markers – my fringe is above the brows, this month its at eye level, it reached the tip of my nose, now I can tie the top of my hair back etc.

Plus I come on here and read posts / write random posts – My posts change about as fast as my hair grows! So there’s a lot the same about having a pixie, then being frustrated at the different layers, currently all my posts are about my now mid neck bob and waiting for it to reach shoulder etc.

I suspect my hair is going to take 3 years before I can call it long (Somewhere towards boob/elbow) – but I’m already a year in, so only 2 years left til I’ll be happy with the length and then maybe 2 more years to keep growing to bum, we’ll see.

Lots of people here are on similar journeys to growing hair long / growing out bleach / knowing their hair is long but its curly so the visual effect of long hair will take more time - but it will just happen all by itself slowly but surely - everyday your hair is taking is a step forward in the right direction.

I like that hair growing has made me feel like that about everything else in life - want a perfectly tidy house / less debt / slimmer tum - it happens but not immediately people dont just wish for something and it happens, it takes lots of little steps that seem slow and arduous and you can barely see each little increment of change - then you look back after one year and you can see the progress!

Just keep growing / going!

[JEMTheNerd]

No way your not short at all, i'm 4'8 now i'm short lol.

FYI I love fma brotherhood too.


Ayyy!! ;) fma rocks! My favorite show

[JEMTheNerd]

I'm going to have to *severely* disappoint you (and gosh I hate doing that). 9 months in the whole hairgrowing scheme of things is *nothing*. It takes many years to get somewhere when you want long hair. It's not something that can be "solved" within a couple of months. :flower:

Just keep busy with other things, if you can. That is the only solution, and stop thinking of your hair; it will come with time.

And lastly, cutting it, is only going to set you back, and back, and further back.

:'( I know, I want to have waist length by May of 2019 Tho, hopefully that'll be achievable...

[JEMTheNerd]

I'm going to have to *severely* disappoint you (and gosh I hate doing that). 9 months in the whole hairgrowing scheme of things is *nothing*. It takes many years to get somewhere when you want long hair. It's not something that can be "solved" within a couple of months. :flower:

Just keep busy with other things, if you can. That is the only solution, and stop thinking of your hair; it will come with time.

And lastly, cutting it, is only going to set you back, and back, and further back.


Oh, I can really relate to this. My hair used to be TL, but the last year before I cut it, I went through both hormonal and emotional problems and ended up cutting it APL. First I shed hair like crazy because of hormonal issues, and I was in a weird place emotionally with really bad self confidence, so I decided to cut my hair straight off to "renew" myself to fix my problems. Well, needless to say, it didn't work at all. It felt so nice to have short hair, but it also felt like I'd lost my identity. I have decent growth speed, so a year later my hair is starting to feel more like it did before I chopped it of, but it has been tough and demotivating. Just try to remember that it WILL eventually grow back! Treat it with love and care and do whatever you can to optimalize the process, treat yourself with deep treatments and whatever makes your hair feel nice and think that you're doing your hair a favor. There really is nothing else to do. :) Also, in the end, remind yourself that it's just hair. Your identity or whatever is NOT in your hair, even if you feel like it. Take care. :blossom:

I've been noticing a lot of hair shedding of my own. I have been stressed lately, maybe that's why. :) or, maybe I'm just now noticing simply because my hair is longer now to notice it.

[JEMTheNerd]

I'm going to have to *severely* disappoint you (and gosh I hate doing that). 9 months in the whole hairgrowing scheme of things is *nothing*. It takes many years to get somewhere when you want long hair. It's not something that can be "solved" within a couple of months. :flower:

Just keep busy with other things, if you can. That is the only solution, and stop thinking of your hair; it will come with time.

And lastly, cutting it, is only going to set you back, and back, and further back.


I had chopped off my waist length hair into a chin length bob and kept it above shoulders for a year. I was SO over having 'neck length" hair especially because it was really uneven(I finally evened it up a full 17 months later haha). Everytime I'd get frustrated I'd ask myself "Would cutting it make it longer?" because it seemed so ridiculous to me and kept me focus that it's just a phase that has to grow out. For several months I completely ignored my hair, It was still there but I didn't come here, I didn't look at my hair at all, No hair videos or pictures. All I did was wash it and forget it existed, It might have looked bad but meh, It got me through.

It seems weird now looking back how quickly my hair grew but so slow it seemed at the time. My hair grows above average but I know I'll have waist length hair again before my 2 year anniversary of cutting it, And as it is I'm pretty happy right now.

So really I guess my advice is accept or well ignore what you have now, and think long term where you're going to be at. Even if it's only maybe shoulder or APL in a year it's still longer than it is now. Being mad at it now isn't going to change things

Kinda what I do too, I wash it normally during the week, don't wash it Friday and Saturday. Then on Sunday's I do a kerotin shampoo and comditioner scalp massage. My stupid finge doesn't curl up into a half pipe much anymore, so that has me celebrating!!!

[JEMTheNerd]

I'm going to have to *severely* disappoint you (and gosh I hate doing that). 9 months in the whole hairgrowing scheme of things is *nothing*. It takes many years to get somewhere when you want long hair. It's not something that can be "solved" within a couple of months. :flower:

Just keep busy with other things, if you can. That is the only solution, and stop thinking of your hair; it will come with time.

And lastly, cutting it, is only going to set you back, and back, and further back.


Another thing to consider is that it's very good practice to set a goal and then achieve it. I set a goal of classic length when my hair was a grown-out pixie, and I kept reminding myself that it was good practice to keep growing until my goal no matter how much it was bothering me and getting in my way. It helps you in so many areas of your life to be able to hold on to a goal through boredom and lack of motivation.

I did achieve that goal of classic length. Now I'm happy with shoulder length.


I've several goals laid out for me,
1.) being able to pony tail ALL of my hair back securely.
2.) Being able to braid the ponytail
3.) Waist length
4.) Tailbone length
5.) Thigh length
6.) Knee length

However I really want to hit about waist length or longer by May of 2019.

[JEMTheNerd]

On average your hair grows about ½ an inch a month that’s 6 inches a year.
Some might grow a little faster / a little slower.
I started out with a pixie with shaved bits in Jul 2016 and got about 7 – 8 inches growth with no trims in a year.

The first 2 months when I conciously decided to grow it long were the worst – always checking it, always thinking about it and thinking about the really short pixie haircut that had undone any previous growth progress.
Someone on here told me – Benign Neglect – Do nothing much to it & just stop thinking about it and then when you notice it a month later, you’ll realise it’s magically grown!
Difficult at first, but you do soon stop obsessing on it for the most part - definitely the best advice I had.

For the times when you are thinking about it, make an L shape and look at the span from index finger to thumb, that’s roughly how long it will grow in a year - hold it up to your hair and go 'one year from now I can see I’ll prob be at chin / shoulder' etc. it helps you to visualise that there really will be a time when your hair is longer!

Generally hair just grows, everyday whether you want it to or not – it’s not going to shrink & it’s unlikely to stop until you reach terminal!

I still get frustrated with it now - mostly when I see a really cool long hair do that id love to try and can’t yet.
Or when I haven’t bothered to wash / style my hair and it’s looking like a hot mess.

To combat this, I treat my self to a nice hair wash & take time to style it nicely
Or look at pictures of celebs with similar hair to me right now – OK I haven’t got viking locks yet, but I have a French style bob similar to Keira Knightly or Marion Cotiard - it’s fashionable – I can do some stuff with it, scrunch it wavy / gently blow dry it straight, pin it up out my face, have a french plait fringe, just about get away with space buns & glitter parting - tres trendy at the mo!

Also watching hair growth videos – ‘Megumi Goose’ on Youtube does a very thorough job of monthly updates for 3 years. I love to look at those vids and go yup I’ve reached about her 6 month vid. Yup Im now at about her 12 month vid Length. Also there’s something really hopeful about the fact you can quickly watch 3 years hair growth in 5 minute bursts
Or look at the 1 year hair progress pics on here.

I guess if you’re gonna do a time lapse vid yourself, you’re still gonna take a pic everyday, but for now maybe stop comparing them –maybe just compare the one at the 1st of each month. You’ll soon see a difference and find markers – my fringe is above the brows, this month its at eye level, it reached the tip of my nose, now I can tie the top of my hair back etc.

Plus I come on here and read posts / write random posts – My posts change about as fast as my hair grows! So there’s a lot the same about having a pixie, then being frustrated at the different layers, currently all my posts are about my now mid neck bob and waiting for it to reach shoulder etc.

I suspect my hair is going to take 3 years before I can call it long (Somewhere towards boob/elbow) – but I’m already a year in, so only 2 years left til I’ll be happy with the length and then maybe 2 more years to keep growing to bum, we’ll see.

Lots of people here are on similar journeys to growing hair long / growing out bleach / knowing their hair is long but its curly so the visual effect of long hair will take more time - but it will just happen all by itself slowly but surely - everyday your hair is taking is a step forward in the right direction.

I like that hair growing has made me feel like that about everything else in life - want a perfectly tidy house / less debt / slimmer tum - it happens but not immediately people dont just wish for something and it happens, it takes lots of little steps that seem slow and arduous and you can barely see each little increment of change - then you look back after one year and you can see the progress!

Just keep growing / going!


I'll check out the YouTube channel!! Thank you a lot for your words, it's strangely reassuring to know I'm not going through this hassle alone. Thank you :) I'm rooting for you to get the hair of your wildest dreams!!!

[Michiru]

Oh god I found this site in 2003 and it's still a progress.The best things is to just try and forget about your hair and let it do it's thing (grow)