When you cut your own BANGs

So, for the past week I've been mussing, I've been swiping, I've been tucking and I've been unhappy. My bangs needed a change.

Recently my mother has been going through old photo albums and I found a lot of pictures of me as a kid with bangs. And maybe it's just cause I'm a kid, but they're pretty cute. So the decision was easy. Especially since bangs are the biggest change one can make and yet also hide very easy.

Anyways, it didn't take me long to decide that I wanted to cut them myself (I've always been a bit of a control freak). Well, SPOILER, it worked out pretty well, but the whole thing got me thinking about the crazy times in your life when you just have to jump. Everyone goes through big changes in their life, whether voluntary or not, and adjusting to these changes is pretty much the basis of happiness.

If you can't cope, then you start to mope. I'm pretty sure Confucius said that. (No, he really didn't).

Bangs (How I Did It): 

Figure out how long you want your bangs, and then cut about an inch longer than that. You want to leave room for error (especially if you're not using actual cosmetology scissors).

Part your hair in a triangle shape, starting at a point near the center to front of your forehead. Pin back any excess hair so you can focus on the triangle of hair.

Cut vertically so that you don't have big chops of hair. Cutting a little at a time lets amateurs like us make our hair look professional.

 

Release hair from pins, then using a very sharp angle, cut downward. The sharper the angle, the better. Make sure to stop the cut before reaching the edge of your face.

 

Repeat on other side. Beware! This side is MUCH harder because it's your unskilled hand. You may need to ask for help on this side. If you have no friends (ha), cut in small sections but remember to keep the angle of your scissors sharp.

Finally, shaping the wisps on the very edge of your face is very important. These make the bangs work in my opinion. If you want more of a "mod" cut, then you probably won't want these. But for me, these framing pieces along your face really help make the cut. Remember to cut a little at a time and really use the angle. You can even move further down along the hair to make the wisps longer than the actual "bang" section.

And there you have it! You might need a few touch-ups at the end, but don't go too overboard. You can't get the hair back immediately after you chop.

I guess it's because summer is coming up, but I'm trying to find other ways to better myself. Body, mind, soul. I'm lower portions, upping my novel intake, and trying to figure out what makes me happy. I try things (like grabbing hair and hacking) and I'm learning. Not everything works, but it's keeping life exciting by seeing what things I'll do next. Stay tuned! :)

Alicia Breaks Through

Lately, well, I've been a little... lost on what my next step is. I have a fluctuation of many different goals and things I want to do with my life (centered around writing of course). In the past year, I've been trying to weed through what really matters to me and what I can do to accomplish those aspirations. And to be honest, it's hard. I don't have an easy laid-out path that will tell me exactly what my next step is. But that's always why life excites me.

I have opportunity galore.

One of the main reasons I love writing is because it gives me the chance to be many different people and think through many different perspectives. I've always considered myself a jack of all trades, I've always known I have an insatiable curiosity, and I've always had a wide array of varied interests. I want to experience life to the fullest, and for me this is only achievable by doing many things, meeting a variety of characters, and writing.

The most life-altering step I've taken recently is finally accepting that plans have to change. I have to be flexible and roll with the punches. It's a lesson I've had to learn over and over, and I feel like I'm finally at a point in my life where I understand. Life is tough. Nothing worth it ever came easy though.

What I do know is that I have to work everyday to appropriately balance work with writing with experiences. It's a constant struggle, but one I'm going to push myself to accomplish. I don't just want this, I need this. I want to show the world what I'm made of.