My journey of going natural was actually not intentional, I didn't realize what I was doing at first. A little before my birthday in April 2012, I started watching tons of youtube videos about girls who were either transitioning or they were fully natural, they seemed so empowered and wonderful. Natural hair became an obsession to me. Being in the finding my self phase, I thought wow, going natural would be a great idea, I could stop hiding behind my gorgeous thick processed hair and start finding out who Kandice is under all that and the fact that I was never happy with my hair after leaving the salon, helped. So, I started off at the end of April with some braids, using my final exams as an excuse to my mother, because she wouldn't at all like the idea of me going natural (for the third time), and she would think i'm crazy about trying to find myself.
Anyway, she went away for the whole summer so I didn't have to constantly go to the salon and I was happy, I went through summer getting protective styles such as braids and sew ins while still stalking youtube for tips on going natural. I felt like I had a hobby, a hobby that could give me a new life. Somehow, someway, during that summer I started to change somethings about myself other than my hair, I started to listen to different music, eat healthier (not really) and I even started thinking more positively and I didn't feel pretentious one bit, I felt like ME. Then and there I decided this wasn't going to only be about my hair anymore, it was going to be about Kandice on a whole. I was going to love her for who she is, even if that was a confused young lady with crazy hair, I was going to give her my all and anything else she needed to make her happy and then in turn a healthier woman.
I got teased by many people about going natural, stereotyping me as "rasta" or making rude comments about me being crazy for changing, but I was happy and that's all that mattered. My mom on the other hand after coming back, has tried many times to get me to go to the salon, but I've refused and rushed immediately to get my braids done. Currently I have crochet braids in and I must say, they are my favorite protective style, my mom loves it and now after months of arguing has just left me alone to do whatever I want, i'm guessing she understands that its my hair and not hers? Either way, it doesn't matter, i'm going on my natural lifestyle journey by myself and i'm enjoying it.