The Silver Lining

I don't know.....

It's not really a "silver lining".

It doesn't look silver at all.

Or even like a lining.

It looks more "salt and pepper", I think.

Which, I don't really love.

I mean, I like how it looks,

I just don't like the term.

For me, anyway.

I always assumed "salt and pepper"

was a term used to describe a man.

And, I am not a man.

There must be another term to describe my color.....

Besides grey.

(If you have a term beside "salt and pepper", something that's a little more feminine, I'd love to hear it. I need a super cool way to describe my hair color!)

Whatever.

It is, what it is, really.

And, honestly, I'm so not complaining! I promise! I really like how my hair is growing in.

I think I look pretty good for a grey-ing 44 year old! (My dad says I'm the best lookin' 40-something year old he knows! Awe, shucks......) And, I don't know why this is, but, I feel more confident in myself since I made the decision to let my hair grow in naturally. Perhaps it's because I no longer feel like I need to fit society's standards of beauty.

Look,

I know that there is a growing awareness of "real beauty" these days. It is becoming more and more of a "thing". There are slogans and inspirational quotes plastered all over our social media sites. Slogans and quotes like,

"Beauty is, as beauty does."

"Be your own kind of beautiful."

"Beauty comes from within."

I know them.

You know them.

We ALL KNOW them.

I'm honestly, not knocking them. They truly are good quotes. It's just that, regardless of these quotes, (many of which are used by companies as marketing propaganda) women are still constantly being bombarded by advertisements promising the perfect product to hide the wrinkles, cover the dark spots, or disguise the grey. I mean, how dare we age? You guys, you know it as well as I do. Almost every advertisement we see promotes youth........because, aging is for the weak, for the worn out, and for the used up. And, for a looong time, I bought into it. I fought the aging process. I loathed it, people. But, no more. I'm not entirely sure where the shift in my thinking changed, but, somehow, somewhere, it did. One day, I just decided that I liked who I was. I chose to see myself as beautiful...... even with my grey hair. And, you know what? I feel beautiful. I really do.

I'm Going to be my own kind of beautiful.

How about you???

Look at the beautiful Elizabeth Schroder!

Seriously, you guys! How stunning is she???

I asked her age and the reason she decide to embrace her natural hair color. Her answer?

"44....because who's to say grey isn't beautiful? And why the disdain for aging? Many people do not get the opportunity to :) "

Yes, Elizabeth!

Absolutely, a thousand times over, YES!

Many people do not get the opportunity to age.

We may not age as beautifully as you, but still! ;)

This is Lisa Marchisin.

You guys.....

Look at that beautiful grey she has! Lisa is only in her 30's, and her confidence is so darn inspiring to me! While she says she is not particularly fond of the "skunk-line" she has, I LOVE it! I really do! Plus, the red she is growing out, is fairly similar to my own boxed color, so I feel like my hair could look similar to hers as it grows out. I so cannot wait to get to this stage! Lisa, you rock on all kinds of levels!

Also, her cat.

You guys.

I love her cat.

This is Riley Surcon.

That hair! Honestly, can you even imagine how stunning it's going to look once it has all grown out???

Plus, this is what I think of when I think "silver lining". I am having a serious case of "silver lining" envy!

Riley says,

"I'm 36 and very new in my journey but pretty excited. I'm tired of fighting the grey so I'm embracing my true self."

You go, girl!!!

I think you are going to LOVE your true self!

Here is a before and after pic of the magnificent Linda Gardiner.

This is what Linda has to say....

"About 2 years ago I had a severe reaction to the ridiculous demands placed upon women who *gasp* age. [The nerve of some women!!!] I've honestly never received any negative feedback. The opposite, actually."

[Bold italics, mine.]

What an absolutely beautiful transformation!

I can only hope I look this stunning once I make it to full on grey. While she is stunning in her dark hair, she absolutely comes alive in her natural color! I love it so much!

Linda, you are one hot mama!

This is Cheryl Rybka.

"I'm recently divorced. I am working on ME... physically, emotionally, mentally... I've spent so many years of my life in worry and in fear.... so I am liberating myself, grey hair included! I am also tired of all of the money I've been spending on dying my hair over the past 20 yrs. Yes, covering up grey since my early 20s."

Cheryl chose to get highlights to help with the transitioning of going grey. Because, you guys? There are no rules! You can choose to go cold turkey, (what I'm doing, because it's go big or go home!) or you can highlight or color or whatever you decide. You are the boss of you!

Cheryl, you are AMAZING! Letting go of worry and fear is no easy feat! You got this!

My mother used to remind me that,

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

I think now, more than ever, I understand what this means.

Because now, when I look in a mirror,

I behold beauty.

I see my value.

I see my worth.

I KNOW that I am "fearfully and wonderfully made."

And that is enough.

Girls? What do you see when you look in a mirror?

I hope you see beautiful.

I hope you see beautiful like, Elizabeth, Lisa, Riley, Linda and Cheryl.

Where-ever you are on your path in life, I hope you can look in your mirror and see yourself beyond what the world tells you, you are. Whether you love putting color in your hair,

or you prefer the growing grey gracefully stage; whether you love make-up, or choose to sport the natural look; whether you live in jeans and t-shirts, or high heels and suits, I hope you see beautiful when you look in the mirror.

Because girl?