The New Normal

By: Jherica Burgess

Now that the New Year has arrived, I could not help but think back on how this year has treated me while on my journey to becoming natural.  As I

pursued my journey to self-discovery, I have learned many lessons in the area of self-fulfillment.  Going “natural” and staying committed to my coils have helped to liberate me.  I say that I am liberated because I no longer care to blend into the depiction of what society deems as “normal”.  I find that I have more flair and I have found my new “Sassy”.  Don’t get me wrong, I have always had a confidence about myself but, my confidence has grown by leaps and bounds, and as a natural, I feel that I will never blend into the crowd.

I find that truly being comfortable in the skin that I am wrapped in begins from the top of my beautiful head to the bottom of my beautiful feet.

Now that 2012 has concluded, I am excited by the fact that so many have considered going natural. I am consistently running into someone who has stopped to ask me about my journey and by the end of the discussion, have decided to strongly consider going natural. Some have even started their journey this month.  For those of you who are still contemplating consider this…we are doctors, lawyers, professionals, entrepreneurs, students, and individuals making strides in today’s society. I find myself wondering why we should feel the need to hide the beauty that we have in our natural hair. We should be standing out and encouraging others to feel comfortable in our own skin.  No matter where you are in life, the most important thing to remember is to be true to yourself.
So as we begin this 2013, I feel the need to show off my new normal. The new normal for me is this one of a kind fro that I have become overwhelmingly proud of. I want for people to see me and know that I am strong and confident, but most of all that I am still me. That I am still Jherica, and maybe by doing this I can actively increase others to feel that it is not their hair that defines them as a person. Perhaps seeing me like this will help those who have made the decision to start their journey for the first time, or those who are hair revivals like me to stay steady on the path of natural-hood. So what words of wisdom can I pass down to those who are walking the line between what society accepts and what you know to be true… I’ve said it many times, but I believe it to be as true as it was from the first time I said to now when I reiterate it. Going natural is the best decision I have made for myself. It is completely worth it.

In 2013, I believe that I am most curious about what resolutions will you come up with? How many will you complete? And  finally, which one will you be genuinely feel most proud of by the eve of 2014?  I know what the answer is for me. I have transitioned into the new normal and I will continue to thrive in my natural journey. So I pose the question to you, “Why not exemplify the true you from head to toe”?  We are all strong, beautiful and radiant…just the as we are, so why not step into the new normal and show off that natural beauty in 2013. As for me, I will be showing off my natural fro all year. So get ready world for Jherica’s New Normal.