Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley’s recent unveiling of herself as bald gave me deep joy, yet resurfaced past pains of insecurities I fought hard to overcome. My journey, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley’s journey, and countless women suffering from alopecia is a journey of pain, frustration, and isolation that many women battle with, until finding their own unique healing path to embracing alopecia.
My path to healing collided with my business path. As a business owner a key part of attracting clients is having confidence, not only confidence in your business services but confidence of yourself.
Can you imagine promoting confidence while struggling with building and maintaining it yourself? Well, I can. After over 10 years of battling with pretending to be confident while secretly insecure of my alopecia, my business world and personal world collided, causing me to face my condition or face failure in my business life. I couldn’t keep up the façade any longer. The untreated insecurities was growing unbearable. In order to heal I had to go back to the start, where it all started.
A year after having my daughter, my hair started to fall out. I distinctly remember sitting in my stylist chair, depressed, embarrassed and petrified of how I would look after she shaved my head. She was consoling me, telling me I have the face to wear the shaved look. All I could think of was “my hair is my crown and glory, now I have no glory.” It is all gone. How do I move pass this and live my life?
It was hard getting out of my head and wondering what others thought of me and my look. I even said, I am glad I’m married and don’t have to deal with dating because I felt so unattractive. I was an emotional wreck. And this was right at the time I embarked on my venture as owner of Harris & Harris Wealth Management. It was my aunt who encouraged me to wear my look with pride, she said “when you feel confident, people will notice, so wear your style with pride.”
My aunt was to me what Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley is to countless women. Today I’m sharing my story as a part of my continued healing journey and most importantly to inspire other women to heal.
Please share to empower women to own their truth.
Tags: African American Finance Blogger, African American Financial Advisor, African American Women, Alopecia, Ayanna Pressley, Black Woman Finance Blogger, black woman financial advisor, Fearless, Inspiration, Ricki Lake, Women Leaders
4 Comments
Hey Z,
You know I can relate and have had this discussion with you over several years.
I strongly believe that “beauty is as beauty does” and your personality, your attitude and your overall vibe is beautiful!
I truly appreciate your comment and beautiful compliment! This is a journey that I know I’m not on by myself and I’m glad I have women in my life like you to support me along my journey!
My sister is currently having the same battle and I am trying to be who your Aunt was for you. Telling her she is still beautiful and competent and awesome inside and out. Thanks for sharing your story!
Are you on Facebook Zaneilia – I like what you do. Glad even in the midst of your trial you started H&H Wealth Management because it is so needed in our community.
Thank you Eilene! Please continue to encourage her because if she is like me, she needs a good support system reminding her that beauty comes from the inside. But, I do understand the journey and how hard it can be.
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