Hair Day Economics

Wash day always tell the truth.

I stand in the bathroom, conditioner in my hair, fingers detanglin’ slow. Natural hair teach patience whether you want the lesson or not. Folks think hair is just style, but it’s labor. Time. Product. Decisions.

Money come into it quick.

I learned to budget by my hair before anything else. One bottle gotta last the month. Too much product weigh my curls down; too little leave ‘em dry. Same with money. You overspend, you feel it later. You underspend on what matter, you pay in frustration.

Acceptance ain’t givin’ up on lookin’ good. It’s understandin’ what works. My hair don’t do shortcuts. Neither does my life. Motivation come when I stop comparin’ my progress to folks with different textures, different incomes, different support.

I twist my hair section by section. Repetition calm my mind. That’s real. Rhythmic hand movements help reduce stress because they give your brain a predictable pattern to follow—same reason folks crochet or pace when thinkin’. I ain’t read that nowhere first; I felt it.

I check my mirror and remind myself:
Growth don’t always show daily.
Shrinkage ain’t failure.
Neither is takin’ your time.

Money slow right now. That don’t mean I’m stuck. I’m learnin’. Just like my hair taught me how to listen instead of force. Motivation ain’t hype. It’s discipline with kindness.

When I finish, my twists neat. Not flashy. Healthy.

I step back and smile a little.
This head full of curls survived heat, breakage, impatience.
So did I.