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alamaya
January 26th, 2010, 12:15 PM
Hi all,

Just wondering how do you ladies/gents keep your sanity waiting for the length. Esp those who started from pixie length.

Mines at chin length and i dont really do anything with it. I am praying for the day i can try some styles.

So heres the question what do you focus on instead whilst waiting for your length.

MandyBeth
January 26th, 2010, 12:27 PM
Mine is just a bit shorter probably than yours. I really hate it some days, too long to leave alone, too short to put up.

I think what has helped me is my hair cutting rule. S&D is ok. A trim/cut is ok ONLY after I wait 7 days and want that cut for the 7 days. Yes, I may hate my hair and want to cut it off for 3 days, I haven't gotten past the 7 yet, so I haven't cut my hair off yet. Which has always been what I've done before is I get sick of it one day and get rid of it.

Also, practice. Ok, so I can't do a full cinnabun yet - but I can give it an attempt in a half-up, so I learn how to do a style and no one really blinks if it looks weird because my hair isn't anything great yet. So by the time I can actually do something, I'll know how to do it and it will look right.

elina333
January 26th, 2010, 12:31 PM
Well, I have a bit longer hair than you but Im still growing it out and I just want it long NOOOOW! :pray:

But in the meantime, I amuse myself with taking really really good care of it. Giving it treats often, S&D:ing... Kind of fun too actually :) Im not into updos, Im more of a ponytail kinda gal ;)

Xandergrammy
January 26th, 2010, 12:33 PM
While I was growing my hair, I moved, got married, worked full time, mothered my son, went on trips, took care of my mother and sister, became a grandmother.... in other words, I lived my life and before I knew it, my hair was almost to my waist! Just do what you do, take good care of your hair and try not to think about it too much. It will grow. :flowers:

Clarisse
January 26th, 2010, 12:46 PM
The best thing to do, if you start obsessing about the growth (and boy, I do that sometimes...), is to simply stop thinking about hair. It is very hard to do, but it is easier, if you are busy doing other things... :)

LadyVictoria
January 26th, 2010, 12:49 PM
I just wear mine up a lot when I am feeling impatient.

alamaya
January 26th, 2010, 01:04 PM
I try to wear my hair up everyday but since i had it cut to my chin its so static. i thought it was using 2 in 1 shampoos but not using them anymore and its crazy. My fringe is so fluffy and sticky out. I look so unkept :(

Finoriel
January 26th, 2010, 01:04 PM
I think the key to long hair and keeping ones sanity while growing is:
Donīt watch it growing, enjoy the journey and get a busy live for the next decade :silly:

Seriously, I have no idea how anyone manages to survive with measuring monthly or even more often and a set goal length which is years of growth away. I couldnīt do that.
I am growing from pixie and came pretty far already, but I never set another goal than: "long", since I know Iīm just not good in waiting :p and am much happier with making the journey my goal.

juliaxena
January 26th, 2010, 01:23 PM
I suppose by looking at the big picture. In the grand plan of things hair growth really does not matter. There are real problems I`m more concerned about.

SunshineHair
January 26th, 2010, 01:49 PM
Try finding some cute hats, scarves and anything fun! Take pics of it, that might help keep you having fun with your hair!

Liss
January 26th, 2010, 02:00 PM
When my hair was cut short (profile pic) I measure the length to my waist and realised that at an average of 0.5" growth a month, it would take about 2.5 years to get there. Noticing that this was a long time to spend stressing about the cut, I just stopped thinking and got on with living. Now looking back 18 months, it seems to have passed quite quickly & my hair is looking like I'll reach that initial goal within the next 12 months.

So basically, accepting that it will take time and just calmly looking after it while you get on with your life is all you really can do.

XJawbreaker
January 26th, 2010, 02:04 PM
My hair is at BSL, but my shortest layer is chin length. So I can barely do anything with it. I just throw it in a pony tail and deal. Sometimes I'll do a side pony to change things up. I'll also use headbands and stuff to make it look less blahhh.

bumblebums
January 26th, 2010, 02:21 PM
Whenever I get annoyed with my hair, I put it up or hide it. If your hair is too short for a peacock twist, you can do two ponytails, or try a french braid. Or wear a headband. Anything that distracts you from obsessing with it.

Right now I wear my hair up every single day, even after a wash... I am thinking of that as practice for when it will actually be long and I'll have to wear it up almost every day.

Nae
January 26th, 2010, 02:47 PM
:meditate: Just breathe.........

Hair grows, time goes on, it will happen for you. I have made a lot of progress since my pixie cut in Jan 09, I can just pony it now!! (It would have been sooner if the layers hadn't been so wonky.)

Kaijah
January 26th, 2010, 03:10 PM
...get a busy live for the next decade :silly:

Exactly. *rofl*

I think just putting it up and leaving it be most the time is the best route. Do DTs, fawn over it when you wash, get addicted to hairtoys (if you can afford it ;)), try some new products, and spend a lot of time on the forum.

RocketDog
January 26th, 2010, 03:24 PM
I focus on the condition of my hair, not the length. Obsessing isn't gonna make it grow faster, after all, and for me the quality is more important than the quantity anyways.

Sammich
January 26th, 2010, 04:12 PM
S&Ding is actually quite fun! I'm glad someone agrees. Ahem, lol! :D
I spend my time learning updos, even if I can't do them... yeah.. maybe that's not good coping but still, gets me happy to what I COULD achieve! :) I take super good care of my hair, oiling and etc, learning new washing techniques and experimenting with conditioners and oils.
I also just put my hair up alot nowadays... to forget about it. At least I'm trying to, I love it free way too much. @_@

dmitri
January 26th, 2010, 04:16 PM
I guess the best way to wait for length is to just wait, and try not to think about it. I know... not what you want to hear.

I'm growing out from a pretty short length too. Sometimes fantasizing helps. And you can help that along by reading about hair (but you probably do that already :P) But then I try to focus on my hair in the moment. How can I take care of it right now? What toy or treatment can I buy/make to use in my hair right now?

I guess what I'm saying is this: Look toward the future, but keep busy in the present. But like someone else said, try not to get obsessive.

--D

akilina
January 26th, 2010, 04:47 PM
I started at a chin length A line. Summer 08. Now im a few inches past apl. I feel like my hair is growing so slowly and it just sucks. The past few days though I've just been wearing it up in a bun. Nothing fancy. It helps me not worry or think about it. I started CO lastnight too and im oiling with jojoba oil.

Kristin
January 26th, 2010, 05:02 PM
I obsess about growing, too. It helps to try new, fun stuff with your hair. Not just hairstyles, but oils, conditioners, shampoos, and treatments. It's fun to buy new hair toys, too. Treat your hair well now and it'll pay off when your hair is your goal length.

Felix_D
January 26th, 2010, 05:13 PM
I focus on the condition of my hair, not the length. Obsessing isn't gonna make it grow faster, after all, and for me the quality is more important than the quantity anyways.
What a great idea! This is something I can obsess over, without going nuts while I wait for it to grow. :)

redneckprincess
January 26th, 2010, 05:23 PM
read up and try out several diffrent hair care styles, you have years of growth ahead of you, it might take that long to find your perfect haircare routine...that is, if it dosent change on you, lol

try starting off with shampooing everyother shower only and in between try washing with conditioner only, then change conditioners (back and forth between cone & cone free) see which one your hair likes better, then spread out shampoos farther (if you can/like) do a SMT, read up on hair styles you will be doing soon, think of something (non-hair related) coming up this year, and look forward to that..(ei..my youngest starts middle school this fall)
read up on all routines, poo bars, co, wo, cwc, oiling...see what works best for you.mix and match...try each one out for a month, then change one thing at a time

but im still no master of paitence when it comes to this subject:cheese:

you should search information about, BIOTIN, MSM, monistat
and make some new friends here at LHC while your at it ☺

Good Luck

jojo
January 26th, 2010, 05:24 PM
Me I visulise what hopefully my hair will look like in years time and either ignore it or spoil it with a good DC!

FrannyG
January 26th, 2010, 05:33 PM
When I had a pixie cut about 13 years ago, I just had fun with it as it grew out, and before I knew it, I had hair that was below my shoulders.

Since joining LHC, I'm on my 3rd attempt toward reaching my goal (due to crazy stunts I've pulled on my hair which required cutting :o), so I know the drill.

What keeps me going is trying new styles for each new length that I go through. Some styles you will grow out of, so enjoy them as you go along. At your current length, you can start to clip the sides back for a different look, try some twists--just experiment.

Soon you'll be able to do a French Twist, Gibson Tuck and other styles.

Most importantly, don't obsess and look at the length too frequently. Don't look at the final goal, just look forward to the next milestone, and there are many. Time has a way of marching on, and you'll be hitting new milestones before you know it! :happydance:

Keildra
January 26th, 2010, 05:42 PM
I started from pixie almost 5 years ago and I got all the way to Bra Strap Length by wearing my hair in a form of pony tail for three years, it took bobby pins and hairspray at first but before I knew it I didn't need all that. I was happy

PhillyGirl1978@
January 26th, 2010, 05:58 PM
Well...this place helps a lot. Having others to talk to an obsess about hair when anyone else would look at me like I sprouted another head. I always allow myself daydreaming time, about whatever in my life that I want at the time, new job, new man whatever. And in these little movies in my head my hair is always perfect...that helps! And just enjoying whatever length you are at. I always remind myself that my hair will be more difficult to take care of when it gets to the length I want...so I try to enjoy it now. Not to mention to everyone else...my hair is already really long, we all know different!lol

PorcelainHorror
January 26th, 2010, 06:26 PM
I just put it up and try to forget about it.

MsBubbles
January 26th, 2010, 07:24 PM
I measure the length to my waist and realised that at an average of 0.5" growth a month, it would take about 2.5 years to get there. Noticing that this was a long time to spend stressing about the cut, I just stopped thinking and got on with living.

This is what I do. Pick a point of time in the future to revisit my hair length/goals, and get busy living.

I still read up on the various treatments and methods that might save my ends that much more, so I don't have to keep losing my length to damage. But I have quit length-checking in the mirror.

Ursula
January 26th, 2010, 07:31 PM
The best thing to do is something else. Take a class. Start a hobby. Study something interesting. Knit a sweater. Read your way through the public library.

Long hair happens while you're busy with other things.

BonnyJ
January 26th, 2010, 07:35 PM
Like xandergrammy, I was just living my busy life. I never measured until I found LHC.

camirra555
January 26th, 2010, 08:27 PM
Me I visulise what hopefully my hair will look like in years time and either ignore it or spoil it with a good DC!

I do this too! Also lately I've been on a personal two week straight bunning challenge and I find that's helping. It's up and out of my face and off my back...out of sight out of mind

rapunzhell13
January 26th, 2010, 09:00 PM
I had to stop obsessing over not just length, but also quality. It'll never be perfect, there is no such thing as a perfect head of hair (unless you're in a Pantene commercial and have access to all that "magic" :rolleyes:). I do make an effort to take care of it, but I also force myself not to stress over every little split; This stops me from doing unnecessary trims. As others have already said, get busy with life and the length will follow. :)

Twil
January 26th, 2010, 09:20 PM
Until I was long enough to do some pretty styles (just reaching that length) I'd experiment with different hair treatments. Like 'This weekend I'm going to try Olive Oil and Shea Butter! A lot of the recipes are cheap and house-hold items, so they're a good way to distract from my less that long length. I was at chin length two years ago (I got my hair cut on Jan 1st 08 )

peachrose
January 26th, 2010, 09:33 PM
Visualizing your goal helps. I got a tattoo in the small of my back on my 21st birthday. At that point my hair was just past shoulder length, I had yet to discover LHC and I was under the impression that I would never have nice hair .

I remember looking at my new tattoo in the mirror and thinking "wouldn't it be incredible if my hair reached my tattoo?!" Now here I am just over 2 years later and my hair is pretty darn close to waist. It will happen. Just think long term and either obsess about it positively (ie treatments ect) or just try to ignore it whatever works better for you. You will get there, it's only a matter of time! :flower:

AnitaThorn
January 27th, 2010, 12:10 AM
I put it up. That way, when I take it down, I'm not used to the length, even if it hasn't grown all that much. :) And, if it has grown, I'm surprised by the growth! I also don't measure it too often, because I don't want to disappoint myself if I see that it hasn't grown as much as I would have liked it to. I hope this helped!

Kris Dove
January 27th, 2010, 12:29 AM
Find some toys that work for your current length- if that's still pixie then little hairslides annd bands will work, as well as experimenting with different earrings and make-up- I found different styles worked better with different lengths. And busy yourself with other things in the meantime.

julya
January 27th, 2010, 12:32 AM
Growing your hair longer is like a long trip. I've tried to enjoy the different lengths as I go along, including the short ones.

silentwanderer
January 27th, 2010, 03:55 AM
I either get my mind of it by doing something else like art, sports or I just hang around in the LHC Forum checking out all who have reached their goals already.;)

LILBERT
January 27th, 2010, 04:08 AM
i enjoy taking care of it! and apart from that, put it up and ignore it, sucks i know. But if you get distracted with life it will grow before you know it.

I dont measure either. I can track well enough by seeing where it falls on my body, i think if i started measuring i would get really frustrated and obsessed.

FrannyG
January 27th, 2010, 04:31 AM
Another thing that has helped me in the past is to take a monthly length photo. Don't compare it to the previous month, because there will be little difference.

However, once you've taken 3 or 4 months' worth of photos, you will be astounded by the difference between the 1st photo and the 3rd or 4th. I've found comparing my length from 3 months ago to be very helpful indeed, when I have those rare "My hair isn't growing days".

Monsterkitti
January 27th, 2010, 04:48 AM
I measure very infrequently, Id totally obsess if I did often :)

Also im a big fan of doing updo challenges and keeping it up. If its out of my way im less likely to fret about it not growing as im watching :)

If your feeling frustrated just smother it in a treatment so even though you cant change the speed its growing you feel like your doing something positive for your hairs health :)

Rotemska
January 27th, 2010, 05:12 AM
for me it actually grows quite fast... i have bangs that i dont maintain and just leave as it is- so i can pretty much see how fast it grows... i had it nose length on mid august, now its already pass my chin (about 6.5cm)
i read a few good tips that suppose to help your hair grow faster, i remember two!
the first- cut garlic in 2 and rub the juicy part to your scalp, leave it for a few moments then wash off. do it every time before you wash you hair. the problem is it stinks really bad and sometimes it burns...
the other is nicer! spread tea oil on you scalp and rub with your fingers until its absorbed. its healthy for the roots and skin, and it feels pretty refreshing (i gave this one a try because of too short bangs i had a few years ago, it was pretty effective). you can leave it, or wash you hair after. i rather wash it because the smell, though nice, is very strong. also, do this repeatedly like 2-3 times a week or more.

there are tons of ways you can find online.. check it out, you might come across something worth trying :)

Pixna
January 27th, 2010, 07:28 AM
There really isn't a lot you can do except engage in activities that are NOT hair related to take your mind off the growth process. I started from a 1-inch pixie in 2007. I am now midway between shoulder length and APL. Every time I would pass a mirror or get depressed about my hair, I would tell myself that I have no other option but to wait it out. Cutting it again would only be a setback.

Some people like to get creative. When my hair was much shorter, I used gel and scrunched it to get some curl going. I also bought cute headbands, and they helped get me through some tough stages. I bought some dangly earrings to feel more feminine and attractive. And then I just ignored it. :whistle: Before I knew it (well, a couple of years later), it was down to my shoulders.

There really is nothing we can do to make our hair grow faster. I guess that's one of the many reasons we (at LHC) treasure long hair so much -- beautiful long hair is an investment in time (not OF time, but IN time). If everyone could have it (though I guess they could, with extensions), it wouldn't be the treasure that it is.

Having been through hell and back with my hair length, I appreciate it every single day. Try looking at your hair with gratitude for whatever length it may be. That helps us both (me AND my hair!).

Also, I don't measure except by body parts. Measuring makes me get obsessed about my hair, and for me, that's not a good or healthful thing. I also take length shots only every four months. That way, I can see some real progress, and again, it keeps me from being obsessed.

Good luck!! Many of us here have made the journey from pixie to long -- you're in good company! :grouphug: