It’s been 6 months since the last update on my journey through growing my hair. I’ve been growing my hair for 16 months and the awkward stage is now nothing more than a distant memory. Before I began, my hair was very short, so I had a lot of growing to do!
To find out about the first stages of my hair growing journey, you can read this article.
Quite a lot has changed since then.
No More Stoooopid Hair
In the last 6 months my hair has gone from still looking fairly stoopid, to a length that I’m now happy with. I still want to grow it longer, but I’m ok with how it looks on a daily basis.
Here’s the last 6 months of growth.
It’s been a struggle to get this far, with some really awful hair days, as you can see. Some days I looked liked an idiot, but the longer my hair has grown, the better it’s looking.
Bad hair 🙁
Better hair 🙂
I stuck with it through the hair horrors and liked the idea that it wasn’t instant gratification. I was going to need to be patient, and that’s why there are so few guys who have long hair. Anyone can have short hair. It takes commitment to have long hair.
Cutting Loose And Going My Own Way
Other things have changed in my life too.
Growing my hair is only part of what’s been going on. I think I realised that I wanted to do my own thing, create my own path. Growing my hair was part of that journey.
Over the last 6 months, I’ve quit my job and decided to get a part-time position so I can focus on growing my own business. See, it’s not just my hair that’s growing!
So I’m now working 3 days each week, heading up the marketing strategy for an ecommerce agency, and using the other 2 days to do my own thing. I’m running a marketing consultancy and I have four of my own websites, which keep me busy.
Getting The Music
Also, about 6 months ago I got into playing the guitar and teaching myself how to sing. I bought myself an electro-acoustic guitar and a vocal workout CD.
Open Mic Session
3 months ago I did my first open mic and then last weekend I played my first festival! It was a local beer festival with 400 or so people attending. It was a blast and hopefully a stepping stone to bigger things.
Playing My First Festival, May 2017
Big Shout Out To The Longhairs
Throughout the process of growing my hair I’ve been reading and watching all the great info that The Longhairs have been firing out over the internet.
Those dudes continue to be a huge help. I subscribed to their newsletter way back and keep getting a whole load of hope, determination, tips and regular words of wisdom delivered into my inbox on a regular basis.
If you’re growing your hair, then you have to hunt these guys down and read their stuff.
Getting Easier
I’ve been pretty lucky on my journey so far. Nobody’s given me any real crap for growing my hair. One guy I know jokingly told me to get my hair cut and that’s all I’ve had.
Over the last 6 months I’ve never once been on the brink of getting it chopped either. Once the awkward stage is out of the way it’s game on.
I love the fact that I’m growing my hair. I like that it makes me look different from most guys and it’s now part of my personality.
Earlier on, every time I felt like I was going to crack, I reminded myself of the long game, the goal of having kickass long hair. Not a lot of dudes grow their hair long and there’s a reason for it. It is hard to power through the awkward phase. I’m glad I stuck with it.
Now I get my hair tidied up every 5 months and that’s it.
I’ve switched out the barber for a hairdresser now, which is a bit weird, but worth it!
At 16 months in, I’m still a long way out from being a Longhair, but the awkward phase is way behind me now and I can see where I want to be.
I’ll keep you up to date with my progress. And remember, if you’re stepping out on the long hair journey, make a pact with yourself. Dig deep and avoid the barber’s chair. Enlist the help of The Longhairs, el Rubio, el Moreno and all the posse. It will be hella worth it.