Healthy hair growth thrives on motivation. When times are rough, motivation keeps you going. When others try to damage your self esteem, motivation keeps you going. When the finishing line seems far, FAR away, motivation keeps you going.

Here are 7 ways to motivate yourself.

Notes around the home
This involves sticking helpful notes around your house, work area, in the car, or anywhere else where temptation arises. For example, stick a note which says, “Watching hair grow is a waste of time” on your hair growth chart.

Diary entries
Start a diary. This could be on the internet in the form of a blog or in a notebook. The benefits of a blog is that you can share your story worldwide, which will inspire others. The benefit of a notebook diary is that you can write anything and never fear who will read it.

Goal list
Celebrating reaching a goal is a GREAT motivator. To keep yourself pumped and motivated, it’s great to have many goals; for example, instead of aiming to gain twenty inches of growth, celebrate every inch gained. Smaller goals are much easier to manage so you’re less likely to quit. Which one would you rather say, ‘I’ve got thirty inches before I’m waist length’ OR ‘I’ve got five inches until I’m neck length’?

Buddy system
Some people need buddies to help keep them on track. When you feel low, your buddy can give you good advice because they know exactly what you are going through. In return, you’re there for them when their hair growth falls off the wagon.

Progress reports
To compile a report for each stage of your hair growth journey, you should:
1. Take photos of your hair.
2. Measure different areas of your hair e.g. nape, kitchen, fringe, etc.
3. Write down the measurements and put your measuring tape away.
4. Document your hair growth every 3-6 months.
5. Reward yourself with a new hair product every time you meet a goal.

When you’ve reached your next goal, look back at your old reports and you’ll be amazed at the progress you’ve made. I love taking out my measuring tape to compare how short my hair used to be to how long it is today. Photos show the changes even better!

Success stories
You can find so many success stories across the internet, in magazines, at fitness classes, and from family and friends. Hearing what others have battled against is great for boosting your morale when you feel that your goals are beyond your reach. Success stories can always give good ideas that you haven’t considered before.

Motivation Collage (MC)
To create your own motivation collage:
1. Take a sheet of paper OR an empty notebook (they can be big or small).
2. Find photographs/words which push you towards healthier hair e.g. flowing locks, sexy afros, Halle Berry cuts, etc.
3. Stick them down on your paper/in your notebook.
4. You could also fill your MC with healthy tips, diary entries, and the rest of the topics I have discussed on this page. The decision is yours.
5. Refer to the book on a regular basis. Try not to wait until you’re feeling really low because ‘prevention is better than cure’. It’s easier to keep your mood/motivation level high than it is to raise it from the doldrums.