The Big Chop: From Highlights to Healing

Okay, so I cut my hair today.

Usually, when someone says that, it’s a minor trim or a change in layers. But for me, today was different. To understand what happened today, we have to go back to 2023.

That year, my hair was flourishing. It was thick, healthy, and strong. But I wanted something new, something fresh, so I added highlights. And let me tell you, they looked AH-MAZING. My regular stylist didn’t do the color because she avoids chemicals, but I was so excited that I went to someone else. I thought it was no big deal. I was wrong.

After the highlights, my hair slowly started breaking. My stylist trimmed it where she could and kept it looking decent, but the damage was done. I told her I would never put highlights in again. We made peace with that, and moved forward.

Then came 2024. My stylist got pregnant, and we both knew she’d have to take a break. I needed someone to care for my hair while she was out. I wasn’t going back to the colorist, so I chose someone new. Wrong choice.

This new stylist didn’t agree with the slow cut approach my original stylist used. She wanted to remove all the colored pieces immediately. I thought I was fine with that. But when my original stylist returned and washed my hair, she immediately noticed something was wrong. My curls were limp. My hair didn’t bounce back. It wasn’t responding to blowouts like it used to.

When she asked what was used, the temporary stylist couldn’t remember. And just like that, my natural hair—something I had cared for without chemicals—was compromised.

We tried to restore it. We had a plan. We used good treatments and gave it time. But instead of improving, my hair thinned at the line of demarcation where the two textures met. So on June 14, 2025, I made the decision. I booked the appointment and made the big chop.

Everyone loved it. And I felt free. As it began to grow again, I felt the pull to go shorter once more. That brings us to today.

As I sit under the dryer, looking at the strands on the ground, my spirit starts stirring. This wasn’t just about hair. This was about life. God was teaching me something in every stage.

1. Just because it looks good doesn’t mean it’s good for you.

My hair wasn’t meant to handle highlights, but I wanted them. I chased beauty over health. How many times do we desire things God never intended for us? They may shine on the outside but bring damage within. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” (Proverbs 14:12)

2. God always provides a way back.

Even when we step out of alignment, God has a redemptive plan. If we stick to it, healing can happen. But sometimes the healing requires cutting off what caused the damage in the first place. And that’s where we resist. We cling to what feels familiar, even if it’s broken. “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away.” (John 15:2)

3. Don’t detour your healing with outside voices.

I was on track. I had a rhythm. But I got distracted. How often do we leave a God-ordained process because of a new technique, a social media tip, or someone else’s testimony? It’s not for us. And it causes more harm. “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27)

4. Dead weight will always have to go.

You’ll have to let it go eventually. The damaged parts, the old mindsets, the parts that no longer serve you. It’s scary, yes. But it’s freeing. It’s beautiful. It’s a new start. “Forget the former things. Do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing.” (Isaiah 43:18-19)

5. It’s time to live again.

In this new state. With less hair but more faith. With fewer distractions but more clarity. You’re not defined by what was lost. You are being refined. The shedding was necessary.

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So here I am. From 2023 to now. Less hair, more faith. Less weight, more insight. More me.