Getting discouraged

[HaiirPEACE]

so lets see my hair right now is about 19" or 20" My goal isn't really a number its more like i want it to hit a certain part. my goal is to have it be that when i put my head down it reaches my belly button. I just feel like it won't ever happen. i think it's just one of those days because i KNOW we all have them.

i mentioned in the hair envy thread this girl i'm sooo jealous of she has the exact length i want and her hair has been that long since forever. it just sucks to think my hair probably wont be that long for another 2 years.. :(

Seriously what was i thinking when i cut my hair off last time, the time before that and the time before that?!
heres a picture from 8th grade I didnt even take care of it and it grew faster than it does now? what gives

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v281/StephanieMarie/phpPz9HYRAM.jpg

[Curlsgirl]

I know when I focused on my hair SO much at one point it was very discouraging. I found that it helps to go along and sort of TRY to forget about it, baby it and wear it up a lot, learn new styles you can do as you go along (which I know may be hard for you now). But my hair seems to grow PAINFULLY slow and I do really know what you mean. BUT the alternative is cutting right? And then you will NEVER achieve what you want. The other girl got her reward with patience. That is unfortunately the only way I know! That and well coming here for encouragement!!! HUGSSSSSSSSSSSS you WILL get there!!!

[Saranne772]

Stick in there :)

[darl_in1]

Best thing you can do is try to forget about it. It's amazing how much growing hair can do when you're not waiting for it to grow!!

[paper]

I know it feels like it takes forever for your hair to grow! I've been waiting and cutting off layers since Sept 07. My next trim, I will be cutting off the last of my layers in the back, I can't wait! You will get there! ;)

[lilalong]

Sending you some patience through the net!!

[HaiirPEACE]

i wish i could hug all of you :)

[Tekakwitha]

Best thing you can do is try to forget about it. It's amazing how much growing hair can do when you're not waiting for it to grow!!

I second that. Just don't think about it :-).

[tiny_teesha]

just write "don't cut your hair" on your mirror, and wait :)
I wanted knee length hair and that was going to take me about 6-7 years to reach without trims and another 5 years on top of that to have virgin knee length hair, i was so discouraged i wanted to chop my hair off to my sholders. I have now decided i will aim for TB and then it isn't so daunting, and only 2 years away.
:) (HUGS)

[spidermom]

What helps me the most during those impatient times is to put my hair up very quickly without looking at it. The more you evaluate the length, the less the length changes. But don't look at the length for an entire month, and I guarantee you will see a difference when you look.

[lora410]

We all know the impatience to reach our goals, but once we hit them it makes it that much more enjoyable. Trust me I wish I could wake up with hip length hair, but it's not gonna happen. If I got impatient and cut off my hair now it is about 2yrs of wasted growth that I would have to start over again. I finally came to a point where I don't let my hair keep me obsessed with watching it (which is normal when you really want it long in the beginning). Just toss it up and pretend it doesn't exist. I now put all my energy into eating right, cutting out coffee and working out and guess what? It grew an inch without me even realizing it ;)

[tiny_teesha]

just write "don't cut your hair" on your mirror, and wait :)
I wanted knee length hair and that was going to take me about 6-7 years to reach without trims and another 5 years on top of that to have virgin knee length hair, i was so discouraged i wanted to chop my hair off to my sholders. I have now decided i will aim for TB and then it isn't so daunting, and only 2 years away.
:) (HUGS)

[FrannyG]

I think we all get impatient from time to time. I gave myself big trims twice in the past year in order to remove pre-LHC damage(6" last July, and 5" a month ago).

If I were to really think about it, I would realize that I would be very close to tailbone right now without the cuts. Yet then I think about how ratty that hair will be. Knowing that my hair is as healthy as I can get it goes a long way toward reminding me to be patient.

Just remember that you're not alone. There are many people here who have achieved their goal, but there are far more of us who are on the same journey as you.

Don't regret past cuts. It serves no purpose. Just try to enjoy and embrace each stage of your growth. Try out new hairstyles as your hair grows into them. You'll see; that will make the time go so much faster.

You'll get there. You really will. We all will. :flowers:

[tiny_teesha]

just write "don't cut your hair" on your mirror, and wait :)
I wanted knee length hair and that was going to take me about 6-7 years to reach without trims and another 5 years on top of that to have virgin knee length hair, i was so discouraged i wanted to chop my hair off to my sholders. I have now decided i will aim for TB and then it isn't so daunting, and only 2 years away.
:) (HUGS)

[Islandgrrl]

Unfortunately, patience is the only solution. I have only the same suggestion that others have made - wear your hair up, take good care of it, and try not to pay too much attention. Make the best of it at whatever length you happen to have. Good growing!

[Kirin]

At some point or another, we're all on the same bus! I occassionally have fleeting thoughts of shaving my head bald and just let the grey come out and not deal with it.

I reailze how unhappy that would make me, and I return to the henna mud and time. Its taken nearly a year to get from inch long in the nape area to past shoulders, and it feels like my hair is growing soooooooooooooo slow...... ugh.

But I know if I cut it, i'd be really unhappy in the long run.

[neenerbabe]

I found that taking a multivitamin and exercising a few times a week (this has been since the beginning of the year, my new years' resolutions) have made my hair grow faster, and I know since I henna and it's getting annoying to have to henna roots twice a month rather than once! It would make you feel like you're doing something too, instead of just waiting. It really is working for me, my hair is growing probably 30 percent faster at least.

[morgwn]

I think we all get impatient from time to time. I gave myself big trims twice in the past year in order to remove pre-LHC damage(6" last July, and 5" a month ago).

If I were to really think about it, I would realize that I would be very close to tailbone right now without the cuts. Yet then I think about how ratty that hair will be. Knowing that my hair is as healthy as I can get it goes a long way toward reminding me to be patient.

Just remember that you're not alone. There are many people here who have achieved their goal, but there are far more of us who are on the same journey as you.

Don't regret past cuts. It serves no purpose. Just try to enjoy and embrace each stage of your growth. Try out new hairstyles as your hair grows into them. You'll see; that will make the time go so much faster.

You'll get there. You really will. We all will. :flowers:

You're so encouraging, Franny. Your words are the type of encouragement that I think all of us need from time to time. :flowers:

I used to always get too impatient and just do something very damaging to my hair because I wanted a change and then be forced to cut it. I was above my shoulders for YEARS because of all the cuts I had to get and all of the breakage I had. Three years ago I was just having my hair brush past my shoulders and yet it still couldn't get very far past them until the past year or so. I've just now really started to get some growth and it's because I've been both ignoring my hair by putting it up every day and also been babying it with all of the new tips that I've learned since joining the LHC. The advice you've been given so far is great: forget about your hair's length for a while and suddenly you'll realise that you're just so much closer to your goal. :)

[squiggyflop]

hmmm you are about shoulder length right? *beams you patience via state of the art mind laser*

um i think i actually started off at your length 10 months ago.. i didnt always have the best patience with my hair and have cut off 4 inches during those 10 months.. some trimming was necissary for me but i shouldnt have cut off so much at a time..

i dont know what my point was going to be.. i just woke up like 4 minutes ago so my brain isnt in tip top shape.. well um just make sure you get good nutrition.. maybe take some multi vitamins?

oh and get a hobby or something.. i swear my crafts have kept me from chopping many times..

its a long road.. but enjoy the ride.. maybe your hair will pick up speed in the hot weather.. i thought it would take me 2-3 years to get to waist but it only took me 7 months.. however i ended up cutting back to bsl.. now i have to be patient again..

oh goodness what was my point.. it was a good point too..

[chelles2kids]

Yep, I've had those days. Still do.

I think sometimes it's when we begin to compare ourselves to others that makes it the worse.
Especially for me. She's skinnier than I am, she has longer hair than I do, she has a better wardrobe that me, etc., etc., etc., you get the picture.

I would suggest:
Keep yourself busier with other non-hair related things, whether it's getting interested in a class, or even a new book, maybe even beginning a walking routine, visiting with a relative you don't see much.
Anything to get the focus and thoughts off of your hair.

Sometimes whenever I'm letting myself fall to the wayside, is when I start noticing other people more.
If I keep busy, and focus more on my family and what's going on in my life it seems to help re-center me and I forget to obsess over it.

But know you are among friends here.
I think we've all gone through those days or sometimes in my case, weeks of wondering if it will ever get to the length I'm hoping for.



Michelle

[HaiirPEACE]

i dont have a desire to cut. i just hate waiting..
booo