It’s resolution time: a month filled with pledges and promises of better diet, more exercise – and even loftier goals like switching careers, or finally taking the kids to Disney World!
Big, beautiful dreams keep you moving forward, breathing life into your efforts, and splashing fresh new color onto the canvas of your life.
But those dreams also look a little… perfect in your mind, don’t they? They probably don't come with any difficulties or setbacks – and the timeline is probably a little unrealistic, like… tomorrow!
So, when that ‘perfect’ picture inevitably shifts, it can be hard to accept and adapt – it can even feel like failure. Unfortunately, it’s these unrealistic ideas about resolutions that so often result in them getting abandoned.
That’s why, whether you’re shooting for the moon or just trying to grow healthier hair, you need to set realistic milestones around your goals.
4 steps to help you achieve your hair goals this year
Whether you’ve resolved to grow your hair past your shoulders, or you’re looking to increase thickness and decrease shedding, there are 4 steps to turning your dreams into reality:
- Choose one goal
- Create a plan
- Set milestones
- Take action every day
Step 1: Choose one goal
Looking for silkier locks? Want to supercharge hair growth? Sick of excess shedding in your sink?
Get specific in your wants and ask yourself,
“What is my main hair health goal this year?”
Concentrating on one, clear goal at a time will help you stay on track, gain momentum and keep your efforts more manageable.
Once you focus your goal, check in with your hair stylist – or perhaps a trichologist (a specialist in hair and scalp health) – to learn more about your hair type, texture, and if there are any potential issues that may affect your progress.
This will help you set realistic expectations around the changes you want to see over the next year.
TAKEAWAY: Focus your effort on ONE main goal
Step 2: Create a plan
Shooting for the moon is exciting, but every goal begins on the ground – and needs a solid plan to get lift-off.
The key to better hair is harnessing health, inside and out, so incorporate these tips into your plan:
- Eat a vitamin & mineral-rich diet
- Take clean, quality hair growth supplements
- Drink 8, 8 oz glasses of water each day
- Deep condition frequently with masks & scalp treatments
- Go for regular trims to stop split ends from getting worse
- Get between 7 – 9 hours of sleep
- Consider meditation to relieve daily stress
- Get your body moving and your blood pumping every day
TAKEAWAY: Consider ways to harness health in every part of your plan
Step 3: Set milestones
To help you gain (and maintain) momentum with your plan, it’s essential to check in on your progress – keeping realistic time frames in mind of course.
Let’s say your goal is to grow out your hair this year.
Taking into account that hair grows about ½ inch each month, let’s run the numbers on a 3-month milestone check in:
- 3 months: You should see at least 1.5 inches of new hair growth
- 6 months: You should see 3 inches of new hair growth
- 9 months: You should see 4.5 inches of new hair growth
- 12 months: You should see at least 6 inches of new hair growth
The key here is to document your progress.
It’s tough to see incremental daily growth, so, documenting your progress through photos will help you see how you’re crushing your hair growth goals!
At each milestone, be sure to document your progress in a way you can look back on and see how you’re improving (or where you can adjust your strategy to keep moving toward your goal).
TAKEAWAY: Document each milestone (and celebrate small wins!)
Step 4: Take action every day
Real change happens with small steps, over time. That’s why consistent, daily action is key in helping you reach your goals and see real benefits!
As well as your daily actions, keep in mind how to protect your hair from what NOT to do, including:
- Overwashing (which will deplete your hair’s natural oil)
- Heat styling tools without a heat protectant
- Freezing hair while while wet (we see you, winter hot tubbers!)
- Chlorine damage from swimming pools
Be patient and persistent. It takes time to reach any healthy hair goal, and more than likely, changes will take time to take shape, and for you to notice.
As you push to make your plan a part of your daily habit, try to keep realistic expectations in your head. This is your journey, and it’s your own to make. So encourage yourself – you’re doing hard work!
TAKEAWAY: Consistency is key. Strive for daily action and be kind and patient with yourself as you shoot for the moon!
