31 Days of October: A Photo + Writing Challenge
Today’s Photo Prompt: Your Scalp/Hair
Today’s Writing Prompt: What’s one part of self-care you’re trying to get better about?
Sometimes Self-Care Means Leaving Things Alone
For as long as I can remember, my hair has been colored, highlighted, bleached, or changed in some way.
My mom actually started bleaching my hair when I was in seventh grade. SEVENTH GRADE!
And honestly? I just never stopped.
Over the years, I’ve dyed it, bleached it, highlighted it, and experimented with different looks. Having my hair done became such a normal part of my routine that I never really gave much thought to what my natural hair even looked like anymore.
Until recently.
Giving My Hair a Fresh Start
The last time I had my hair professionally done was at the beginning of April 2025.
Since then, I’ve been letting it grow out.
No more salon appointments. No more bleach. No more constantly changing the color.
Just letting my hair do its thing.
Recently, I even chopped off about SEVEN inches!
Seven inches of hair that had been through years of coloring and processing. It was a big change, but it brought me so much closer to having a full head of my natural, grown-out hair.
I’ve also started trimming my own hair at home.
My goal isn’t necessarily to have the longest hair or the trendiest hairstyle. Right now, I just want healthy, natural hair that hasn’t been chemically altered.
For the first time in a very, very long time.
And Then There’s the Gray Hair…
Oh, the gray hair!
Let’s just say there’s plenty of it making an appearance these days.
And while I’m not necessarily ready to embrace being gray forever, I’m also not in a hurry to cover it up.
There will probably come a day when I decide to color my hair again. Maybe I’ll want highlights. Maybe I’ll want something completely different.
Who knows?
But right now, I’m enjoying the process of seeing what my hair looks like naturally.
It’s actually kind of fascinating when you think about it.
I’ve spent so many years changing my hair that I’m finally getting reacquainted with something that’s been mine all along.
Self-Care Doesn’t Always Mean Adding Something
We hear so much about self-care routines.
Hair masks. Expensive products. Salon treatments. Beauty appointments. The latest must-have products promising healthier, shinier, more beautiful hair.
And while there’s absolutely nothing wrong with any of those things, sometimes self-care can be as simple as doing less.
For me, that means giving my hair a break from chemical processing, being gentle with it, and allowing it time to grow.
It also means practicing a little patience.
Because healthy hair doesn’t happen overnight.
And neither does learning to appreciate the things about ourselves that we’ve spent years trying to change.
A Little Reminder to Myself
I don’t have to have perfectly styled hair.
I don’t have to cover every gray strand.
I don’t have to keep up with every beauty trend.
And I certainly don’t have to change something about myself just because I’ve always done it that way.
Maybe one day I’ll sit in a salon chair again and walk out with a brand-new color.
But today?
I’m going back to my roots. Literally.
And for now, that feels like exactly the kind of self-care I need.
A Little LexTalk Question: Have you ever decided to stop coloring your hair and embrace your natural color? Or is there another beauty routine you’ve stepped away from to give yourself a fresh start?
I’d love to hear your experience!
Until next time, keep finding the magic in the everyday. 
— LexTalk
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