I figured since I have so many 'deep thought' blogs, I would go ahead and write this one - despite my fear of being ridiculed for writing about such frivolity. Screw it - I am tired of living in fear over stupid things!
So here is my question to you world - just how importance is appearance? Seems like a silly question in that the answer is glaringly obvious - but is it? Does a woman with a younger appearance get treated better than a woman who appears older? Is she more successful? Or is it her knowledge and how she carries herself? This is one of those things where - if I were a full-time writer - I would do a study and have my hair be different colors and write about the results. Do blonds have more fun? Reds? And what does a completely gray head of hair get you in regards to experiences and professional successes?
I am 41 years old. I have dyed my hair red for the past 2 years for the mere joy of it. My natural color is a dull, dark brown and I decided to have some fun going to red. I have loved it. It has been fun. It puts me in a good mood; it makes me happy; I have received many compliments from men and women. However, in my new effort to live and eat more naturally, I have decided I want to stop putting that dye on my head every 2 months!
As my roots are starting to grow out, I have realized that I have quite the amount of gray hairs coming through! Which, for the record, was never told to me - the fact that you actually start getting grays in your early 40s, even 30s! What the heck - I thought that happened in your 60s. But no, apparently it is, and has been for many decades, the norm for women to dye that gray out. Because God forbid we naturally age like men. Why is the norm for women to have to dye their gray out and yet it is perfectly acceptable for men to 'age naturally'? So we women are expected to subject ourselves to all kinds of toxic chemicals while men aren't? That is not fair!
Since I have been pondering this thought, I have been paying attention to the hair of those all around me. And I notice that A LOT of women dye their hair. Whether it is making it blond (when they are not blond at all) or adding blond highlights to dark hair, or dyeing it any other number of colors. There are alot of reds out there. I am really going to miss being red and feeling more youthful by looking more youthful. But it absolutely drives me crazy thinking that we can't be ourselves when we age. Unfortunately though, since it is not the societal norm, you end up being the odd man out. You end up looking way older than all your counter-parts, since they are indeed coloring their hair and are thus looking much more youthful than you! Ugh!
Back to my original question, is it a bad move professionally (and even personally) to not dye those grays? Unfortunately, I truly think that it is a bad move, professionally speaking, because I really do think appearance matters in the workplace and I think the more youthful appearance on a middle-aged person, the better chance they have at success. This may sound shallow to some, but it is my opinion (and my opinion is colored by society). Regardless, I have decided to throw caution to the wind and bravely step away from the bi-monthly habit of putting toxic chemicals on my head. Time will tell. I am not sure I want to see myself looking so aged. The thought is depressing. It is hard enough feeling aged without having to be worried about looking aged, before (what I would consider) my time.
So...Go Girl Power! Just Say No to dyeing our hair!!
*Sigh* If only it were that easy to change a very, very old societal norm.
In Search of the Fountain of Youth,
Me
Motivational Moment:
Today's moment is a shout out to a business I discovered while researching the disease, ALS, on-line. (Unfortunately, a friend of mine has this absolutely horrid disease. And, because of my research, I gained a new-found respect for Lou Gehrig and who he was. What a truly amazing man!). Anyways, the website: www.Angelsforhope.org was a link on one of the ALS sites. It is a nonprofit organization that offers free crocheted angels for anyone in need of hope. Its logo is: "Spreading Hope One Stitch at a Time". I love the logo; I love the premise of the organization. It is run by Cindy. Cindy really impressed me by her kindness as well as her passion and this shout out is for her. Keep up the great work, Cindy! You are an inspiration!!
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