I recently was promoted which is very exciting. How is this relevant to the blog you ask? (Thank you for asking as otherwise I would not have a topic). Well since you asked, one of the concerns I had with letting my gray hair grow out was if my hair color would have an impact on how I am viewed at work. Having reverted to the tried and true method of letting my gray grow out, somewhat naturally yet blended well by my stylist, this process has been very public. Being prone to a little whining - I am still not happy with how long this is taking and would have preferred a more instant change but there it is, one more example of how I do not always get my way - hmmm.
With the new role I needed to update my professional photo which only seemed to exaggerate the gray in the front that is not fully blended into the rest. To get over the shock, I have convinced myself it was the lighting and in real life it does not look quite so dramatic - makes me feel better anyway. I do believe that appearance is very important in portraying oneself in particular during an initial meeting. Feeling that dressing appropriately for any given situation, being groomed, and clean are essential to my self confidence and interacting socially I try to pay attention to how I look. Appropriate appearance provides an approachable and positive first impression which could set up how well each new relationship can go. What I think happens is that once someone sees you in a certain way that gets somehow locked in. For those that know me, in particular at work, they see me as a professional who is capable to perform her role and do it well. In letting my hair grow out I am not damaging this reputation. Others who are meeting me for the first time may notice my hair but due to my confidence at work it quickly fades to the back ground.
What I find amazing about the process of letting my gray hair grow out is that I have really had to humble myself and look deep into who I am, my perspective on things, and really challenge my reality. We each see the world from our vantage point and that is not typically the full reality. The full reality comes clear when we see things from multiple vantage points, taking an honest assessment of what is truly important, and setting our priorities straight. The color of my hair has not defined me, the quality of my character has. We may sometimes hide behind physical appearance as an excuse for others not treating us in a particular way or we alter our personal appearance to assure people treat us in a particular way - not always to our benefit. When we break down what is really important and what others value in us, the color of our hair is not it. What makes me feel young, what others find attractive about me, why I thrive at work, and any number of topics has never been the color of my hair. These thoughts were grounded in my reality and not the full picture. Yes, there will always be the haters that pass judgement on our imperfections but those are not the kind of people we need in our lives. Each of us needs to understand what our reality is and if the color is the driving factor in our success or if we need to find other areas to improve to allow us to be the person we want to be.