Keeping the Do Professional

I, like many natural-haired women, believe natural hair can definitely be considered professional. I've never had a problem working in a corporate scene with a fluffy side swept bang and a tailored bun sitting at the base of my nape and quite frankly, many of my corporate bosses have shown their fascination in my ...ethnic do's. I mean, I've even gotten the "wear it in an afro one day" comment once or twice but that's a different story for a different day. Point blank, there has been a triple standard against black women and themselves for some time now.

We ask ourselves questions like:

• How will I do my hair for work tomorrow after I leave the gym?
• Can I even go to the gym?
• Maybe if I....but that's not professional... =/

And because of these struggles between work, exercise, and being true to oneself we've, in an immense way, thrown the one important aspect to the waste side; exercise and health. I can vouch for myself when I say that while interning at a corporate-styled office, I threw out a few good exercise days I knew I needed just so that I could keep my hairstyle. Yes, it did give me that feeling of shame, but in worse light, during that time that I was caring for my hair more, I managed to gain back a week's worth of weight that I had managed to lose some months ago. 

Ashamed, I was and it didn't help when I also decided to rationalize it all.

• Well maybe if I just eat better, I'll lose weight the same way
• Toning can always come later (after this internship)
• I have a presentation tomorrow so a good night's sleep and a fierce do is way more important!

Once more, after I ended the stupid rationalizations, I thought back to when I had finally embraced my natural hair. All the good thoughts running through my mind. How I would never have to be that woman worried about her hair while free-styling on the elliptical. How I could always reach for my go-to bun style. How professionalism and exercise would never clash because I knew within myself that professionalism didn't just consist of a hair do but also a demeanor. But now look where I was.... acting like that same stereotype of "I can't sweat out my style"....and becoming unhealthy because of it. And it wasn't just me. I mean, the video below explains it all and so does BGG2WL  

Ladies! Long story short, I had to literally find my way back to sanity where it concerned my hair and it's healthiness as well as my body's healthiness. I didn't promise myself I'd never stray off track again but I try to be realistic about my situations on a consistent basis. I don't want to be the next stereotypical black women who is unhealthy and in no shape to get healthy because of something as small as keeping my hair do professional.

Balance is always key. As long as you confess to yourself that you can keep it professional while you work out!