Review | 90 Day Winter Hair Challenge

I CAN DO THIS

I CAN DO THIS

I believe that's where I left off about a month ago, and I'm still here, convincing myself that I can...

Who knew this was going to be such a difficult challenge. I never would have thought, or listened if there was an attempt to persuade me.  But why? What can I blame for my lack of enthusiasm and follow through on this challenge?

Has the novelty of my hair worn off?

Have I lost interest in a Health Hair Journey?

Am I not interested in hair growth?

What?!!

I'm gonna go with option 4, otherwise known as the cop-out, and blame LIFE.

This 90 day period stretched over a major holiday season, for starters.  There was also travelling.  And lastly schedule inconsistencies (fluctuations and changes).  Having these 3 intersect, meant that the time dedicated to Hair Care was minimal.

Luckily however, not eliminated.

In this same 90 day period, as a result of these apparent challenge sabotages, there were challenge gains.

Major Holiday Season

aka Christmas & New Year's
This season is synonymous with many things, but for the purpose of this challenge, Eating good food, and lots of it, supported my quest in the challenge.  What we put into our bodies determines what we get out of it.  I have been on a quest for quite some time to make better food choices and eat healthier.  Over the season I was fortunate to have an abundance of fresh produce and 'real' foods.  So while I wasn't following the challenge diet suggestions - incorporating juicing etc - I was getting the same nutritional component.
I also accepted a 2nd challenge during the 90 dys, of a 30 day Green Smoothie Challenge (completed once before).  I can say, having completed the Smoothie Challenge, now twice, that there have been improvements in my general health, with visible results in my hair and skin.

Travel

Travel can wreak havoc on hair - increasing stress levels; changes in climate/environment.  This can be prevented with proper planning and preparation.  Which I can say I did.  I chose to protective style my hair for the duration of my travel.  Protective styling has so many benefits, which are discussed in 5 Reasons to Protective Style.  The preparation for protective styling is also very pampering for hair.  Check out 6 Steps to Prepare Hair for Long-Term Protective Styling to learn how you can give your hair a full spa treatment, just as I did to prepare for my own protective style.  Doing this, has saved my hair and contributed to the challenge.
However, because my hair was (and still is) in a protective style, I was unable to finalize the challenge at the concluding date (29 Feb).

Schedule

Some people live and die by schedules.  Some people die if given a schedule to go by.  I am neither, and still I am both.  I fell into a no-schedule schedule since embarking on my natural journey.  It seemed I had all the time whenever I chose to care for my hair.  But then, seemingly suddenly, I had a schedule, and it didn't account for hair care.  Luckily, the schedule was imposed after the installation of my protective style, so that eliminated the need for as much time towards hair care (one of the reasons highlighted in 5 Reasons to Protective Style).  Having this new schedule as also forced me to become more efficient in many areas, including hair care, which is now more minimal and streamlined.  Sometimes a little rigidity is needed for results.

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And so, here I am today, at the end of the stipulated challenge neither successful nor a failure.  I didn't follow the weekly progression of the 90 day challenge.  Yet, in my own way, I adapted the notions of the challenge to the life adjustments occurring to achieve a favourable result.
I can't give a length or health update due to the protective style.  But I can say that the new growth I've had in a month, well, see below!

~ Josie Jo ~
Accepted any challenges lately?  How are they going for you?