So last Thursday I cut my dreads off. I guess this is sort of a therapy post to vent and stop feeling sorry about it.

I enjoyed having them and was really looking forward to them getting even longer and gnarly, and I was proud to have them, even though even close family and friends never liked or got used to them. I had them about a year and 6 months and not having them is very strange and kind of sad.

It's been a few days now, and I really regret cutting them off. It wasn't something I wanted to do, but I really need to find a job in my field, and over the past year it proved too difficult to manage both, and with so much on the line now, I had to choose. I have I guess a quieter personality and that mixed with my dreads and appearance gave the wrong impression to employers, not to mention family where there is a ton of pressure to succeed.

Cutting them off was a sacrifice I maybe didn't have to make, but decided on to to improve my chances at success professionally. I am in my mid 20s now and i noticed my hairline is starting to recede a little, and having short hair does make me look more professional for sure, so to an outsider it seems like I made the best choice for what I want to do.

I have waves of feeling like I let myself down, but I try to move past losses. Writing about it helps. In a positive light, I am still myself, I can always say I had them, and unless I go bald, they will grow back soon enough. It was only a year and 6 months of waiting and washing, I can do that again. To be technical, the second I cut them, I started growing them back.

If you're ever thinking about cutting yours off, really think about the reasons and what kind of personality you have to deal with the change.. I feel like I made a responsible decision for myself and that feeling is good, but I do feel like I cut part of my identity away with it, one that I will have to grow back slowly. Here's to success, though!

before

after

Also, I guess some tips for starters and things I won't do next time;Do not crochet hook, don't latch hook or back-comb either. I started my dreads by back combing and latch hooking, and even though I didn't over-do it, by the end, i noticed certain hairs were broken because those methods force your hair into dreading too tight. Let your dreads decide where they want to be on your head and don't rush it- it's a long term thing so you don't want them to break or look crappy down the road. Also, the baking soda/peppermint/tea tree wash works, when I cut them they were very clean. I was a little surprised haha, but there was nothing in there but hair.

So yea, in the end, don't cut if you don't have to, even if you think you feel like a little change will help. It's a big change you can't really take back, so make sure you know why you want to do it, and that it's really for the better. Looking forward to having both dreads and success in my life