For as long as I can remember, my hair has been an "issue" for me. When I was very young, my parents kept my hair so short that people thought I was a little boy. As I got older and my hair got longer, my mom was convinced that straight hair was "bad" and curly hair was a must. At about 11 years old, I was subjected to my first perm. What a disaster! One of my mom's friends did it at her at-home salon, and let's just say I looked like a poodle for about six months after!

As I got older, I took control of my own style, experimenting with teasing, curling irons, gel, and probably about a bazillion cans of Aqua Net hair spray. To this day I am still amazed that I have any hair left! When I went off to college, I decided it had to end. Spending 45 minutes every morning styling my hair was no longer cool. I pledged to stop perming and let my hair grow long and hopefully straighter than it had been for years.

My motto about hair styles has always been "It will always (eventually) grow out", which was really true for me. My hair did get straighter as it got longer, but unfortunately it didn't look that much better. I decided I needed a bigger change. I needed a new style, a new look.

At the very same time, I was about to enter "the real world" just after college. I considered it a perfect time for a change. My boyfriend (now husband) and I were planning a month-long driving trip from New York to California. Our travels took us all around the South, with a four day stop in New Orleans to visit a childhood friend. Where is this bit of nostalgia going, you may ask? Well, in New Orleans, I changed my life with a hair cut.

I know, that sounds terribly dramatic, but I really felt that way. My husband's friend's girlfriend worked at a hair salon in New Orleans. What a perfect coicidence! I saw it as fate and made an appointment. As I watched the stylist cut and the hair fall to the floor, it was actually liberating. My long hair was like my past, and I was freeing myself from it. Many women make this kind of change when they get a job promotion, or after they've had children. I enjoyed the change so much that I have made it a seasonal activity.

If you are looking for a change in your life, have fun with your personal style. After all, you can always change it back.