have you learnt patience?

[juliaxena]

I realised that I will probably need at lest two years to get to BSL. Seems likely huh? But you know, I look at my hair every day to see how long it is. In two years I will go mad lol. Do you have any advice on how to become patient about hair growth?

[spidermom]

What worked for me when I got impatient was to stop looking at how long my hair was. I was checking about 9 times a day, and guess what? I never saw progress. Big surprise, right? Not. So then I made myself style my hair away from the mirror, with maybe a quick look to make sure it didn't look wonky, and I only checked the length about once a month. That's when I started to see progress.

[Kris Dove]

I've read a few people saying that wearing it up every day for a month or so helps stop them going mad measuring it, so I'm trying this myself. When my length was the length yours is now(?- going by your signature photo) I used to tie it back in bunches or a ponytail with big flower hairtoys.

[Roseate]

I got a lot more patient once my hair was definitely past my shoulders.

Now it just stays behind my back instead of constantly flopping around my face, reminding me of how short it is! I was pretty impatient at your length too. Hang in there!

[juliaxena]

Yes, maybe keeping mirrors away would help. Because I dye my hair I can easily see how long my roots got. I can't put my hair in a pony tale, can just do a half up.

[Gumball]

When I started growing my hair I looked at it often to see if it was growing. If I didn't get that immediate satisfaction I'd begin worrying about whether or not it was actually growing. Eventually I got to the point where the "watched pot never boils" outlook kicked into gear. Instead of "is it growing?" it turned into "it will grow" and it did.

I don't measure my hair either, which is why my profile doesn't list measurements precisely, but by landmark. If it got to a point then woo. It got to a point! Then I'd just ignore the growth rate until it reached the next point. No need to antagonize myself and go wallow somewhere when comparing myself to others in that self-depreciating kind of way.

Going crazy over my hair growth, in the simplest terms, just got too tiring. It was more fun to do other things while it grew at whatever rate it grows at. Of course I rarely wear my hair down so maybe that can help surprise myself when it grows. It's down once or twice a day before it's put back up again.

[juliaxena]

It is tiring...but I can't seem to stop lol

[free_hug]

I definitely got more patient since i have so many things on my mind that i just don't really care about hairgrowth most of my time right now. Go do something exciting, stressful and time consuming, like move to some other country :D

[amaiaisabella]

Honestly, I think when I started hennaing, I HAD to learn patience... otherwise I'd go nuts with all the prep work and the hours of dye oxidation... but that's not the patience you mean! :p I think it's easier sometimes when your hair is shorter because growth is more easily noticeable. Since you can't put it up yet, just avoid looking at it for weeks at a time and before you know it, it'll be brushing your shoulders!

[Siava]

It gets easier to have patience once you come to terms with the fact that it takes a long time. Forget about it. Find a hobby. Keep busy. Wear it up a lot. The time really does fly when you don't obssess. It took me a good year after joining this place to finally relax and just grow with the flow, but it'll happen. :) Happy growing!

[Katurday]

Patience is easy once you stop caring. Put it up, focus on stuff that makes you feel better about your looks (makeup, clothing, jewellry, facial masks, etc.) and before you know it, you'll be approaching your goals.

In the meantime, take your vitamins (biotin if it works for you), maybe try monistat, treat it gently, and trust me, your hair will surprise you big time.

[Stephichan]

I got more patience when I surrendered to the cliche of not focusing on the destination, but on the journey. Hokey, I know, but it seriously has helped me. I enjoy each length and what I can do that I can't at shorter lengths and things that will be harder as my hair gets longer. I use opportunities to try new products, ways to make my hair wavier/curlier, what have you.

I won't lie, I do sometimes gaze at the length, but I'm usually thinking a positive "almost there" instead of a pessimistic "no where close". Mini-goals can be your new best friend.

[Dreamernz]

We all had these problems early on, I still obsess but not as much as before. Focus more on health rather than length, having fun experimenting with natural treatments and styles such as curling and waving that don't take long on short hair but look really nice and different :D Once your hair is long enough definitely keep it up as much as possible and as Gumball said focus on landmarks rather than length, length made me totally depressed as it varied so much from measurement to measuerent. Good luck!:D

[friskybiznus]

I got more patience when I surrendered to the cliche of not focusing on the destination, but on the journey. Hokey, I know, but it seriously has helped me. I enjoy each length and what I can do that I can't at shorter lengths and things that will be harder as my hair gets longer. I use opportunities to try new products, ways to make my hair wavier/curlier, what have you.

I won't lie, I do sometimes gaze at the length, but I'm usually thinking a positive "almost there" instead of a pessimistic "no where close". Mini-goals can be your new best friend.

Yes! This is so well said! Enjoy your journey!

[Melisande]

Enjoy the moment. It's not that you will have to go to sleep in the deep freezer because you'll look horrible until October 2011. You will look great and every day your hair will grow! There is no reason to live for some magic date that will come anyway. As opposed to a PhD or weightloss, hairgrowth is wonderfully satisfying because IT DOES ITSELF. You dont have to do a thing. Neglect your hair benignly and voila, you will have longer hair every day!

After a while, you will notice it. Not in two years' time - in two months' time. All of a sudden, a new hairstyle works for you. The fork that fell out a mere week ago stays put. People notice. Photos look differently.

I'm on the boards for two years and I'm still far from my goal. But I don't care. I enjoy every day that I have my hair. It's longer than it was last month - and that's good enough for me.

It's not a matter of virtue like patience. It's a matter of perspective IMO.

[jivete]

No. And it drives me crazy. I have a mirror set up in my bathroom to easily check the back of my head and I use it to excess. Sometimes I put it away to keep from being able to look.

Unfortunately, being obsessive about something is part of my personality. I do have lots of hobbies, but I can't seem to find a new one to focus on.

[Speckla]

I don't know if I've learned patience or delaid gratification or if they're pretty much the same thing. But I sure have learned how to not be driven too crazy about growing out by focusing on updos and working on hair health.

[GlassEyes]

Sort of kinda?

Well, with hair like mine where you don't see results for a good, long time, you learn to stop obsessing over seeing results. I'm no less anxious for it to be long, but I don't obsess over it not being so right NOW. It's impossible, especially when my hair doesn't show length for months...and months. And months.

And yeah, I do get impatient with it at times, but there's nothing i can do about it. :p The concentration of my hair obsession is focused on trying to make it look nice or behave well rather than getting length NOW. I do want length, but I can focus on it looking good and wait. :D

[Shiva]

When I start obsessing about hair length/condition I know I have to avert my attention elsewhere, like reading or drawing or researching something that interests me.

My latest hair-ignoring project is chickens! I've had them since they were a day old and they keep me pretty busy taking care of them and preparing thier outside home has been alot of fun for me.

Right now I am enjoying my long short hairs (or my short long hairs?) and I know it will grow (as it is) and it looks really healthy now. Like someone else said previously, I am enjoying the journey back to my goal and then who knows what.

[hmmruka]

For me it was much easier once I could put it up in a ponytail and forget about it. I stopped thinking about it if it was up.

[Fethenwen]

I'd say you don't have anything to worry about. Being obsessive in the beginning is quite natural. I'm sure you will calm down as time goes by, and your hair grows a little longer and you start enjoying your hair even if it isn't your goal length :)

[aries]

I obsessed so bad in the beginning of my journey. Like so many here, I checked daily then it got to where I couldn't wait for the first of every month. I have learned patience as time has gone on, never thought I would lol, and it is paying off. Once it's to a point that you can put it up and ignore it everyday, you won't obsess quite as much. Time here also helps. Finding other things to obsess over also helps heh, at least it did me.

[Mutinous]

I don't check my length, but I do check my re-growth a lot (I'm growing out dye) but I'm kept so busy in the week, and I have 6 months left of my degree, and so much work piled on, that I don't really think about it! I've been on here a good while already, and it barely feels like 5 minutes!

That said, when I first grew mine out, it really annoyed me until it was all one length, and then, as it grew down I didn't mind as much!

[Curlsgirl]

I was very obsessive for quite some time actually. I was here a LOT. I finally guess I decided there was more to life :lol: I still love coming here but I have slowed down a lot and that helps me. I also have settled into a pretty good routine and have found what styles work best for me. I am happy with my hair and I am enjoying it to the fullest instead of worrying about every little thing. I don't worry so much if I need to use cones for example or something but just do it if my hair needs them for some reason at that time. Justgreen told me early on when I was obsessing, "Put it up, forget it, and try again tomorrow". :D You'll be able to do that soon!

[rach]

journey rather than designation defiantly.
anyway it gives you time to adjust to handling it and up-do techniques and it makes you appreciate the patience you've put into it.
personally i am entering the new lengths which i've not entered before and i'm enjoying it as it gains new millstones , seeing it progress :D give's me something to look towards.
if you had what you wanted on a platter would you respect and appreciate what you've got?

[Stubborn]

After 17 months of growth from a buzzcut I've only managed to learn a wee bit of patience.