Processes & Patience - The Journey: User Results WILL vary

**Himmy** · 03-09-2010, 08:09 PM

I love this posting, sis. I took my loc'ing journey like I did my "getting to know and love self journey"...one day at a time. Both were and still are a work in progress....

Blessings and Tranquility

**Agoddessinlocs** · 03-09-2010, 08:56 PM

@Sandstorm - 2 months is a HUGE deal!! Congrats and keep your eye on the prize!

@ KoilyGirl - Thank you!! I have no clue how threads get pinned and who decides.... maybe you guys should petition Dee, LOL!! ... but weren't those fotki's helpful in the early stages?? I know I got a lot of courage and hope from a lot of them!

@HimmysLocz - Indeed!! Who you telling??!! One day at a TIME!!

**LilShortRib** · 03-10-2010, 11:41 PM

i think this topic should be pinned because a large part of it is about ME!!! :P

Just kidding. On the real, though, this is so true. Even before I loc'ed I was always an advocate of people appreciating their natural hair journey at any stage, and learning what they could from it. I think it just makes for a better experience and understanding of natural hair overall.

Many times, even on this board, sometimes I see that folks feel that this train of thought is overrated. It kinds bums me out though, but I guess to each his own. However, I can totally agree with your post, sis! Good work!

feepee · 03-11-2010, 12:04 AM

Yes indeed, every journey is going to be different. And time and time again people who have been loc'd for years try to tell folks this. New locers and just people new to natural hair often times look for the "holy grail" or "fail safe" way to achieve a certain look with their hair or locs. In my mind I see them as doomed from the start. We all really should be approaching this from the stand point of experimentation with lots of patience. And take every bit of advice and info we recieve here (and other places) as just that. Advice. None are absolute when it comes to our hair. only our hair can determine that.

**Agoddessinlocs** · 03-11-2010, 03:03 AM

Originally Posted by feepee

Yes indeed, every journey is going to be different. And time and time again people who have been loc'd for years try to tell folks this. New locers and just people new to natural hair often times look for the "holy grail" or "fail safe" way to achieve a certain look with their hair or locs. In my mind I see them as doomed from the start. We all really should be approaching this from the stand point of experimentation with lots of patience. And take every bit of advice and info we recieve here (and other places) as just that. Advice. None are absolute when it comes to our hair. only our hair can determine that.

AMEN TO THE ABOVE PORTION IN BOLD!!!

@LilShortRib - Girl, you know you crazy, right? . Again, I don't know who or how the "pinned" decision is made. Maybe you'll spearhead the movement

HAPPY LOC'ING!!!!

**2nappy** · 03-11-2010, 09:58 PM

girl, you ain't nutthin but da truth!!!!

go 'head wit your bad self!!!

**LilShortRib** · 03-12-2010, 12:06 AM

Originally Posted by Agoddessinlocs

@LilShortRib - Girl, you know you crazy, right? . Again, I don't know who or how the "pinned" decision is made. Maybe you'll spearhead the movement

Even moi, in all of my chocolate, nappy fabulousness will do no such thing... What will be will be...

**MzHoneyLocs** · 03-12-2010, 01:12 AM

I would have loved to have read something like this when I was in the baby stages of locing....you're a very talented writer, your words have a natural flow to them.

The word 'patience' is cannot be repeated enough. You really have to be able to embrace the whole 'patience' concept when you're standing in the mirror with a pair of scissors in your hands, eyeballing your baby locs. You have to be able to love, or at the very least, appreciate your locs at every stage, and know that what they look like today, especially in the first year or two, is NOT what they will be when they reach full maturity.

My locs were a hot mess for the first 6 or 7 months. I started with finger coils, then went to latching, then went back to retwisting. My hair was very short (maybe an inch and half) so they stuck up EVERYWHERE. I had to wear a headband or headwrap everyday for the first 5 months. When I tell you there were literally WEEKS I was ready to give up...boy oh boy LOL.
But I'm glad I stuck it out and kept my eye on the prize, so to speak.

**Agoddessinlocs** · 03-12-2010, 06:31 AM

Originally Posted by CurlieBoo

I would have loved to have read something like this when I was in the baby stages of locing....you're a very talented writer, your words have a natural flow to them.

The word 'patience' is cannot be repeated enough. You really have to be able to embrace the whole 'patience' concept when you're standing in the mirror with a pair of scissors in your hands, eyeballing your baby locs. You have to be able to love, or at the very least, appreciate your locs at every stage, and know that what they look like today, especially in the first year or two, is NOT what they will be when they reach full maturity.

My locs were a hot mess for the first 6 or 7 months. I started with finger coils, then went to latching, then went back to retwisting. My hair was very short (maybe an inch and half) so they stuck up EVERYWHERE. I had to wear a headband or headwrap everyday for the first 5 months. When I tell you there were literally WEEKS I was ready to give up...boy oh boy LOL.
But I'm glad I stuck it out and kept my eye on the prize, so to speak.

Thank you very much, you're far too kind! But yup, my first 6 months were the HARDEST! I had LOTS of those "giving up" moments as I scoured fotki's and developed some serious loc envy. All I could think was when, when, WHEN will my locs look like THAT?!

To be honest, I still see plenty of heads of locs that still make my head turn but I am accepting mine for what they are day by day and I can't wait to see how they continue to develop. I think that, overall, it was the best decision for my hair and I appreciate where I am now in my journey because I know where I've been and I've come a mighty long way.

**bware517** · 03-12-2010, 06:55 AM

Thank you soooo much for this thread! As everyone else said, it is very well written, and inspirational. I'm exactly one month in today, and I'm definitely noticing my tendency to count the days. It feels more like 6 months, because I just can't wait for them to be fully mature. Fortunately I was a loose nappy for almost 5 years, and I was fully aware of the "ugly stage" before I began my journey. While I can't wait for that stage to be over, I am intrigued almost everyday by the progress of my TSTs/baby locs. I plan to fully appreciate every stage because I know that once it is gone I will realize/remember the good things about it.

Thanks for bringing this part of the locing process front and center, not to discourage anyone, but to prepare us all for what's ahead and , most importantly, remind us that it's all worth it in the end!