Something I like to do from time to time is pick something that scares the living sh*t out of me and just do it. Like quit my job and try to make a living working freelance/on the internet, or picking up and moving to a new state. Im not trying to pat myself on the back, it’s not like I make a conscious effort to do these things for self improvement or anything noble like that. It’s more like I just get a bug up my butt and I just do it.

My most recent episode of Dosomethinggoddamnscaryitis involved chopping off over 8 inches of my hair. Not gonna lie, it was way scarier than both of those other things I mentioned.

This was my hair on Friday afternoon. I’ve had long hair since the dawn of time so I’m pretty accustomed to it. It was waist length, and honestly a bit too long …but it still looked pretty in photos.

Side note: don’t take pretty hair photos the day before you’re going to chop it off, that was a stupid thing to do. But I’ll tell you what, I’m happy with it. It’s definitely been an adjustment but I’m not even freaking out.

This was after it was cut.

It feels really good, and I think I made the right decision at the right time for me. So let’s talk about what you should consider if you’re walking around wondering “Should I cut my hair?”

• How Long Have You Been Thinking About It? Is this a passing whim, or have you been considering it for a while? I know I said I get a bug up my butt and just do these things, but I do them after that bug has been in said butt for a long time. We’re talking way too much about things in my butt, the point is: think on it for a bit. Weigh the pros and cons. If you think it through and you still want to do it, then you might want to consider it.
• Is Your Long Hair Wearing YOU? Do you feel like it takes over your whole look? Do you feel like you’re hiding in it to some degree? Do you feel like it becomes your defining feature no matter what you do? If the answer to those question is yes, you may be using your hair as a bit of a security blanket or hiding in it a bit. There’s nothing wrong with that but if that’s the case then cutting it will be a huge adjustment. It still might be a good choice, but be prepared. If you feel like the answer to those questions is “Yes and I’m over it” then you’re probably ready to cut it.
• Are You Doing It Because Your Favorite Celebrity Did It? This one is a big red flag. Being inspired by your favorite celebrity is fine, and if you still took all of the other things I already spoke about into consideration then it still could be a good choice. However, if it’s an “OMG so-and-so chopped her hair off and I’m going to do it too right NOW!” sorta situation then pump the brakes for a second. Go back to bullet points 1 & 2 and then decide.
• Is It Going To Be Super Difficult For You To Grow It Back? Do you have the type of hair that you had to baby for years to grow out? If that’s the case I would be more wary about cutting it off. For me, it’s not that big a deal. If I just don’t cut it for a while it will be down to my booty before you can say bob’s your uncle, so it’s not THAT scary. (It was still totally scary though who am I kidding?) Not everyone is like that though, some people’s hair takes a long time to grow out, and if that’s you then you should think long and hard about how long it will take (ya know in case you hate it) before you make the choice.
• Is It Super Damaged? Have you been bleaching your hair and then covering it up with boxed dye and then bleaching it again? Using hot tools without heat protectant? Is it just damaged from good old wear and tear? All of the above? Why keep around long damaged hair? I’m not saying you have to cut your hair if it’s damaged, you can do whatever your sweet little pumpkin heart desires, but if you’re already thinking about cutting it and it’s super damaged…then yeah DUH. Why the hell not right?

Obviously, this is one woman’s opinion so you don’t have to listen to me. BUT after going through this process myself and coming out the other side unscathed, this is what I would tell a friend if they asked me “Should I cut my hair?”

This may just be my crazy self talking, because you guys know I’m super into beauty stuff, but I’m also sort of excited to get a cool set of clip in extensions with a crazy color! That way if I’m itching for something different or waxing poetic about the hair I once had I can clip it in, have some fun, experiment with color sans-damage and go back to my sleek short hair the next day!

Keep in mind, even if you are totally ready to cut your hair the days following the haircut will be FULL OF FEELS! I had all the feels. I was excited, I was sad, I was second guessing myself. Then by like Monday morning, after I had styled it well and put on my favorite lipstick I looked in the mirror and thought “Yup, nailed it” and I’ve been feeling right as rain ever since. 🙂