Processes & Patience - The Journey: User Results WILL vary

[Agoddessinlocs]

Fortunately for me, I got to hang out with a few fellow nappturals (LilShortRib, LBoogie, AfroGoddess, Akademics, Beaka) and our aspiring napptural Juellz (I probably spelled hers wrong, LOL). We shared hair stories about making the decision to go natural and/or loc in our efforts to coerce our aspiring nappy over the edge to a life of no more LYE.

Then this morning, the first thread I read was about the sister who was unhappy with her new sisterlocs that she just had installed and it got me to thinking about the journey into locdom and all that it really entails.

When people see my hair NOW, I get complimented and you'd think that it was always this way for me.....but it really wasn't!! I used to get the stares and the whispers and the comments <---very different from comPLIMENTS, lol! But the point is that my hair has a backstory... and without that backstory, I wouldn't have my little babies that I am quite fond of.

I remember when LilShortRib started her locs.... I was so displeased that she choose latching (no offense latchers but I just don't get it, lol). Now she did this because another napptural with drool worthy locs was doing this and as is human, I suppose she thought that she'd end up with the same "look". That was NOT the case. That was just one of the many lessons that I learned throughout my loc journey that user results WILL vary!!

We all have different hair...different textures, different lengths and different needs when it comes to maintenance. Now as it would turn out, because of my texture, my first attempt at locs was with 2-strand twists because a loctician told me that it was the only way I could start...this same loctician also told me that she doubted that I would loc and treated my hair with disdain . Those "locs" didn't last longer than 2 days and now that I think on it, I'm glad because I, literally, wouldn't have wanted someone with her attitude with a "hand in it". But that doesn't mean it was all her fault. User error played a big part in it too because I didn't know about the part that needed my "patience for the process". I ended up revisiting loc'ing 2 years later, armed with my new knowledge from scouring the boards here at Nappturality and I was much better equipped to begin the journey. Comb coils turned out to be a much better solution to loc'ing for me... Who would've known!! As for LilShortRib, palm rolling turned out to be a much better maintenance solution for her and she has a head of thick, bodacious locs!!

The moral of the story is that it is probably seldom that any new loc'er will walk out of the salon or away from their kitchen beautician or from in front of the bathroom mirror with the locs that they envision themselves having. It is probably even more rare that what looks good on or works for someone else's locs/lifestyle/maintenance will be the thing that works for you. We didn't come one-size fits all and neither did our locs... no matter how we begin them or maintain them.

Ultimately, to have the locs that you envision yourself with is going to take patience and practice and TIME. No matter what, with all of those ingredients, sooner or later we all go from comments to compliments .

HAPPY LOC'ING!!!!

[LBellatrix]

*applause*

Well said and so true!

[Huntress]

Great words - I think this should be pinned to the top of the board

[Agoddessinlocs]

Thank you ladies... and Huntress, I am BEYOND flattered that you think this is pinned-worthy!!!!

[Huntress]

Thank you ladies... and Huntress, I am BEYOND flattered that you think this is pinned-worthy!!!!

I actually think its really important that people beginning a loc journey understand this.

Maybe some experienced locers should make sure that if they have a loc diary, there should be picture of the beginning "ugly" stages. I think we really need to see the journey that created the pretty pictures we see.

[Agoddessinlocs]

I actually think its really important that people beginning a loc journey understand this.

Maybe some experienced locers should make sure that if they have a loc diary, there should be picture of the beginning "ugly" stages. I think we really need to see the journey that created the pretty pictures we see.

Very true! That is why I created a 2 year locversary album in my profile that showed my different phases and stages so far throughout my loc'ing process. I also have a fotki (the link is below but I stopped updating it after the first year since Dee was kind enough to add the feature here for us). Some of y'all were surprised to see how much hair she chopped off to start my coils... I mean we're talking like pinky NAIL length... and the scalpiness was HORRIBLE. I'm still more scalpy than I'd like to be but that is due to my texture and I don't have plump full locs that I would like, but again, my texture. Instead, I have the locs that work best for me and I LOVE them!!

[Raxxie]

I actually think its really important that people beginning a loc journey understand this.

Maybe some experienced locers should make sure that if they have a loc diary, there should be picture of the beginning "ugly" stages. I think we really need to see the journey that created the pretty pictures we see.

absolutely.. seeing those early pix will definitely help talk baby loc'ers down from the ledge

[Agoddessinlocs]

Thank you Deborah!

[QueenLocks]

Great post! I'm trying to embrace my new [2nd] lock journey [avatar is 1st set].
Even though I am in year two, I hope I will be able to keep this set as long as I did the first one which *almost* grew down to my waist! What a mistake that was to cut them! I hear lots of members think about taking their locks down, and I say think it all the way through first!!!!

[Agoddessinlocs]

Great post! I'm trying to embrace my new [2nd] lock journey [avatar is 1st set].
Even though I am in year two, I hope I will be able to keep this set as long as I did the first one which *almost* grew down to my waist! What a mistake that was to cut them! I hear lots of members think about taking their locks down, and I say think it all the way through first!!!!

Hey Queenli... WELCOME BACK!! I ALWAYS say that a Queen is still a Queen no matter how you cut the deck (or in your case, the locs, LOL)... I just reached my 2nd year as well so I am uber excited and can't wait to add some more locversary's to the count. I was really surprised when Shawnta cut her locs...but even she made her way back to the loc side