The point of no return?

[wvgemini]

So, as I inch closer and closer to APL, I realize that my hair has never really gotten muuch past this length before I chop it all off. I WILL push through it this time :) I am very determined and have learned enough tips and tricks this time around to avoid all of the damage and fried ends that always led me to the big hack all of the other times! But I have to admit, the itch is still there!

I'm just sort of wondering if anyone else has dealt with this "point of no return" feeling? You know, the "My hair has never been this long before and I'm not quite sure how I'll handle it!" feeling. Any other tricks on how to get through it? I already wear it up all through the week, so I've got the put it up and forget it part, lol.

[Ashenputtel]

I can feel you, I'm at the same point right now. I never get much past this lenght.

I'll wear it up everyday till it's 2-3 inches longer. This way I won't snap!

[Hotrox]

Just keep looking at all the albums on here and all the beautiful long hair, imagination yourself with long hair and focus on how important it is to you now to grow it longer.

You'll get loads of advice and support here to get you through any awkward and blah stages, its not like you will wake up with waist length hair, you'll have time to adjust to each length as it comes.

You'll be so happy when you acheive your goal length, Eyes on the Prize :D

[Neneka]

I got that feeling when my hair reached BSL. Then I chopped it of. :mad: Now I want to get back there. I have done it at least three times. :brickwall

I guess we just have to do what Hotrox said. :)

[Kristamommyx3]

I think it would help if you considered why you cut at that phase, because it is said that everything you consciously do is because there is a pay off that makes it worth doing, even if the pay off is not conscious. So, if you want a change, then try a new hair product that makes your hair feel glorious, or buy a new hair toy and vow to make up some new looks and post them for us to see. :D
If it's the cleanness of the ends, go get a 1/4 inch trim and a deep conditioning treatment when you are feeling vulnerable to the scissors. Or, you could set up monthly hair rewards, to celebrate each month of growth. Keep mixing it up so that cutting doesn't look so exciting.

[littlenvy]

I think addiction and habit has a lot to do with this.
So at times like that I try to retrain my brain. I will let my hair down, brush it and let it tickle my skin. Sometimes I will tilt my head back to see how it would feel if my hair was longer. I try to remember exactly where I feel my hair on my back and try to visualize it longer and how it would feel longer. This helps in erasing that length limit you have set for yourself in your brain.
Then I think about how it feels right after 'the chop' and how I have that phantom brush syndrom where you run your bursh down your hair only to have it end before you think it ends and you end up brushing your skin. I hate that! So I try to hold on to that feeling in order to prevent me from cutting.

That is not to say that I never cut my hair. I do have regular trims, my ends need them, but I don't do the big chop anymore. :) Hold ON! Get pass that stage you think you can't get through and things will get easier.

[MonaLisa]

Im familiar with this 'point' altho not so drastic for me. Whenever I'd get past waist I'd do a big trim...because of pure habbit or some bug in my brain says 'i should'...or mother's nagging. Guess I'm trained since childhood...

I did this time too, but on my own, a much smaller trim. That was to soothe the urge and to get rid of some damage.
Perhaps try that? a small trim...and try abandon this bad habbit..
I'm on the same quest :)

Oh what also helped was a mini goal of stretching the time between trims even from usual 3 months to 4, for start...and trimming by phases of the moon stretched it some more :)

[wvgemini]

I'm getting through the blah stages slowly but surely, lol. I've taken to coconut milk and honey soaks when I feel like my ends are getting worn, and I think I'm going to get a microtrim soon.

Oh I know what caused me to chop in the past! Constant blowdrying and flat ironing did bad things to my hair :( Boredom was a factor, along with mechanical damage from too-tight ponytail holders when I bunned my hair. Fortunately (thanks to LHC), I've learned the beauty of hairpins and other gentle ways to put my hair up for work :)

If only I could wake up with waist-length hair ... oh to dream!

[HintOfMint]

I've cut and grown my hair periodically for virtually my entire life until 19. Part of what ended the cycle was the realization that I simply did not look great in short hair, at least with the maintenance that I was willing to put into a short cut (read: none).

Then once I got to a little above APL and I had layers cut in, which made it look longer than it was (and people went nuts over my hair), cemented my desire to never go back. I eventually did once, but that was out of necessity, I had to cut away a lot of damage.

Every once in a while I get the desire to do something drastic like a pixie, but at this point, I simply can't give up my long hair. It's my favorite feature, something that cements my attractiveness in my eyes.

I guess, once you get to a point in your hair growing phase where you're not necessarily at goal, but you LOVE your hair the way it is, you will barely feel like cutting at all.

[emeraldshade]

Don't give up! :)

[schweedie]

Oh, I've been there. I don't think I'd ever been past BSL before, if I'd even had it that long, and that was because I always got the urge to chop it all of again around then. This time I got through that phase by learning as many new updos/braids as possible, and buying hairtoys to use with them. It was a slightly expensive stage, heh. What also worked was looking at hairtoys I would get when my hair finally got long enough to use them. And voila, I made it to waist!