SHIFTING, GROWING, BECOMING…. Iʼm not sure which adjective you would like to use, but there comes a moment in our lives when we arrive at our place of self. The place where we accept and appreciate our true selves. How we get to this place is as unique as our own beings. Some of us arrive here very early in our lives, while others of us need a little more time.
My journey to self began in January of 2020 when after over 20-plus years of colouring my hair to hide my greys, I decided to stop colouring it to see what it would become. This was a terrifying thought to me. I asked myself why I was so scarred to allow my hair to grow in at its natural state. I truly believe that it is because from a very young age we are programmed through the television, magazines and now social media that we need to fight the aging process!
Terms like anti-ageing, age diminishing, rejuvenation and age defying have all been used for so long and so often that we believe that we need to hide our age and forever look like a 20 something year old. But I had had enough and by the end of that January (the week of my 48th birthday) I decided that I was going to begin to learn how to truly embrace my age. I will add that discovering that hair dyes have over 9 toxic ingredients in them also aided in my decision.
Now that I am over 18 months from the time that I stopped colouring my hair, I canʼt believe I every hesitated and especially for so long! This journey of stepping forward into the magic of an ageing women has offered my so many unexpected gifts… like learning a deeper understanding of patience, becoming more confident and comfortable with who I am and understanding that Iʼm not everyone’s cup of tea and thatʼs ok! Iʼve connected with so many women from all over the world and from every walk of life. All on this same journey with the same destination but taking different paths.
Allowing myself to become what I am meant to be… to flow instead of fight and resist has been the greatest gift I have gave to myself. Also discovering that under all those years of hair colour awaited the most unique and beautiful silver hair … this was the cherry on top!
I believe the more we continue to live an unapologetic life, the more we will see a shift in how ageing is viewed. There is power in allowing yourself to become what you are meant to be. The growth that occurs is as much inward as it is outward. With this shift, growth, becoming (choose your adjective) comes an understanding of self and because of this, pro-ageing will look different from one person to the next.
Please… I encourage you, do not hid your magic!!! Because thatʼs what we are… pure magic! Every year of life is to be celebrated, but especially these older (silver) years when we offer so much wisdom and experience. We are the example for generations to come… let’s be a good one!
Jennifer Lee
Instagram @jens_going_gray.zy
