Hair Styles For Women 40 and Over
When choosing a hairstyle for women forty years of age and over, we must first consider what the factors will be that has lead to the consideration of changing a hair style. Throughout a woman’s life, she has travelled through her teenage years, young adult years to her mature years. I would like to refer these years as chapters in a woman’s life.
A young teenage girl will have vibrant healthy hair that holds its natural color and wave. As we get older cell re-generation slows causing the hair to become dull and lifeless, even the pigment whitens leading to grey hair. When we hit forty years of age there will be several other factors such as, greying and hair thinning.
If it does not get any worse we will also have to consider why we want to change our hair style and where in our life will the hair style fit in. Is the hair cut because we have had enough of the same style or is it because we are re-entering the workforce after we have raised our family.
Hair Braids – Four Life Lessons
Braided hair has both aesthetic and historical significance. Interwoven strands bound together in elegant formations, being beautifully practical. Functionally, braids keep hairs out of our face, so we are able to carry on the work of the day. Aesthetically, braids are an accessory to frame the face and accessorize the head. Many cultures throughout history have created braids that hold special significance relating to age, religion, status, etc. However, today we seem to have lost these meanings. Instead we focus specifically on the pleasing design.
I love the braid, but I prefer to go beyond merely its beauty. I want to share with you four lessons that the braid has taught me about life.
First Lesson: Community. With the braid, many strands are brought together as one. We as individuals are many and have our own minds, do our own things. Generally, we go our own way-not to the benefit anyone else. But when we come together, there is strength of mind, a singularity of purpose, with the same goal.
For Mid-Life Women – The First Step to Taking Long-Held Dreams Out Into the World
It happened again while I was on a return flight from a conference I had attended. I had taken a seat next to a woman about my age and we struck up a conversation before take-off. We chatted throughout the flight and eventually she asked me what I did for a living. I told her that I helped mid-life women finally take their dreams out into reality and into the marketplace. I continued on that no matter whether they wanted to start a business or write a book, many of the women I worked with had held on to their dreams for a long time and felt unsure about how to realize them.
My seat mate expressed how wonderful that sounded and then said the words I’ve heard many times over my years of working with women – I’ve wanted to write a book for years. (In place of write a book, you could substitute any number of ambitions or dreams.) She then proceeded to outline her vision for the book, to the point of mentioning how she always wanted to write in the style of one of her favorite authors. This woman even had plans for a second book on another topic about which she was passionate.
When I asked her why she had not yet written her books, the reasons for not doing so were among the ones I’ve also heard many times: I’ve been busy taking care of (insert family member here); I wouldn’t know where to begin; I don’t think anyone would actually read my book or buy my product; I worry that my family and friends wouldn’t take me seriously. In other words, what I usually hear when a mid-life woman expresses why she has not taken her idea out into the world is an expression of doubt, fear, a lack of entitlement, a lack of support or guidance, or a lack of belief in herself.