What you can expect from your natural hair journey will probably not be the same as someone else's journey due to the fact that peoples reasons for going natural are different. You will hear many reasons for going natural and deciding to stop relaxing ones hair with chemicals or hair dyes, its just a choice that is more of a lifestyle and for some its a movement of change where woman of color start to realize they have more control over what goes in and on their bodies either with skin care products or hair care products.

Going natural is also a spiritual journey of letting go of self hatred and low self esteem, its about accepting one self in its true beauty without regard to others preconceived views of what beauty is.

• Are all natural hair journeys the same?

My natural hair journey will not be like yours, because of the struggles I may have faced that has shaped me into the person I am today, that is why it is a journey because through it all you will still have ups and downs.

• The wake up call

Now there is a natural process to a natural hair journey, starting with an awareness that something is not right about polluting the body with harmful chemicals, then it leads to research, reading about other peoples hair experiences, looking through loads of photos of hairstyles and reading about how one has transitioned from a perm or relaxer or looking at photos of what they used to look like with straight hair,

• Learning about your hair

Next you will start to experiment with your hair first with a little of resistance either continuing to wear a weave, wig or straight hair while you try and grow out the perm without fully committing to a all natural Afro.

• First love of your natural curls

Next you will probably decide to put braids in your hair while it grows out and the fascination you experience each time you take the braids down to be redone is the beauty of your natural curl pattern, its nice, its shiny, then you continue to visit hair forums and listen to other beautiful natural hair wearers talk about how happy they are that they made the change and what types of reaction they are getting from friends and family.

• Taking the step to the big chop

Then you decide its time for the big chop, you really are not ready but you say what the heck and you go for it. You have your friend or stylist chop off all the perm and now you are left with a TWA tiny little Afro. Its cute you are surprised at how much you actually like it.

• Trying natural haircare products

So you start trying different natural haircare products from Miss Jessie's, Karen's Body Beautiful, Kinky Curly and follow helpful suggestions from the many advocates of natural hairstyles on YouTube.

• Trying new natural hairstyles

Once you get some growth and length then you try some of the two strand twists hairstyles along with the braid outs and twist outs. Once you get a little braver you decide you want to actually wear a Afro puff.

• The reaction from others

The response you get at work is mixed, now you finally feel the full affect of being different, standing out and not fitting in, you even face a little criticism from your closest friends, Hey why are so many people opposed to you wearing your hair natural and kinky?. You will go through some soul searching this will test your faith and your belief in yourself,

• Questions to think about

Can you handle the pressure? Will you continue despite the odds against you? How do you feel now that the men who used to find you attractive now have lost interest? Will you just throw up your hands and say forget it and put back on the wig or start straightening your hair again?

• What it all means in the end

See that is how your natural hair journey will be different from others who experience these types of issues and setbacks, some it makes them stronger and more solid in their convictions, for others it causes them to not really want to live so boldly. Either way however you choose, just know that there is no right or wrong way, or good or bad. Its about how you feel about yourself inside and how you want to share and express that confidence to others.

Like they say "do you", whether straight, kinky, weaved, or not.

Its not about HOW you get there, its just about GETTING there! no matter what your journey is.