How Hair Extensions Are Helping My Recovery

I have always wanted pink hair.  In high school I knew my parents would never allow it, and then after 18 I heard if I dyed it getting a job would be virtually impossible.  So now, I’m 34 with my own recovery coach business, showing the world how to freely be whom they really are, and I am still scared to have pink hair. “What if people think I’m not intelligent and professional enough? What if they don’t take me seriously?"  And there you have it, that very paranoid, fearful, judgmental voice that got me drinking and numbing my feelings in the first place.  What the HELL!? Why is it still there? I am so pissed off that I still have to deal with her!  The truth is, while I have made so much progress, until we are dead, we are never cured from being human. And this is where I have to remind myself of the Cherokee Legend of Two Wolves posted below.  Each day we are faced with decisions all day long.  As humans the reality of an internal battle between love and fear is inescapable.  I continued to choose fear over loving and trusting my true self and knowing that I will be all right if pink hair is how I choose to express myself. I remind myself that the people who have an issue with my pink hair is saying something about them and nothing about me.   So I will be getting my pink hair extensions despite any fearful voices.  I will feed love and I will feed recovery.

Cherokee Legend of Two Wolves
An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.” He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”