What's my curly hair have to do with CrossFit?

I often get the question about Girls EDGE... polite yet understanding questions about my interest, motivations and all considering, well, I don't have daughters.

I totally get that, Darcie's daughter Josie is a huge part of what and why we do what we do. But a big part of my journey to where I am today has to do with my hair.

Yep, my hair. 

No, I don't have daughters, but I was once a girl, trying desperately to blend in with those around me. 

Have you seen Dove's latest campaign: Love your curls? It is selling a product, of course, but it's also trying to encourage hair acceptance, especially for us curly girls.  It's heartbreakingly familiar when they interview young girls about how they don't like their hair.

In a story on Ad Week Roo Ciambriello spoke Rob Candelino, VP of marketing for hair care at Unilever, said in response to the campaign (summarizing), "Dove believes that every woman has the opportunity to make a difference in a girl's life and have a positive impact on her self-confidence...We have been committed to helping make beauty a source of confidence, not anxiety. [This campaign] illustrates how important it is for curly haired women to show the love they have for their beautiful, natural curls so they can pass that sentiment along to other curly girls in their lives."

Sure at age three(ish?) my hair was no big deal, accented with a cute bow to be sure this short haired youngester was a girl (thanks Mom!). It really only was a concern when my pictured (crying?) sister tried to pull it.

But as I grew up I faced years, yes YEARS of puffy, short, frizzy, yuck hair! When it wasn't straightened or pulled back with headbands and pony tails (gasp and scrunchies!). I vividly remember crying in the bathroom at age 12 or 13, pulling on my curls in an attempt to make them longer and straighter.

Then, just this past November, I hit a big milestone...

My mom and I made an appointment (shout out to DevaCurl and my friend Lynda who shared these products with me!) with a hair stylist who not only understood curly hair, but rocked a cute curly style herself. 

She taught us how to wash (no towel drying!) and apply product that's life changing... to the point where I am slowing beginning to love my curls!

I'm not saying I won't straighten it up to change thing up and I'm not saying I don't still have some lingering frizz anxiety (that's surely a real disease?), but what I'm saying is I'm no longer fighting it. 

While we always want what we don't have (my straight hair friends want curls, I always used to want the ability to run my hand through smooth hair and not cause frizz!), we can work toward a goal but I'm not going to obsess over it... and surely I've outgrown crying in the bathroom over it (fingers crossed!).

So why all this Girls EDGE stuff? What's CrossFit have to do with my hair? 

Someone is watching me. 

Whether it be my (straight haired, how is this possible?) sons, my neighbor girl, my nieces, heck even my mom...I have an impact on others with my words and actions, especially as a coach. 

As I continue my own health journey with CrossFit I know I have challenges to face (my laziness, my fear of handstands and inability to do a cartwheel!) and overcome. But that's not going to change how I feel about myself. 

I want to get better, but not at the expense of accepting myself. There's a difference between wanting to improve and fighting nature.

I wish I had this knowledge as that middle schooler in the bathroom pulling on my hair (at least the products, right?). My hair isn't going to change who I am. But I can change how I react to it. 

Just like how I can change my reaction to seeing the word "thrusters" written on the white board for the WOD... maybe!

That's what we want to do with Girls EDGE. Give girls the tools to face challenges. Let them see they are more than the obstacles they face and how others react to them. 

Every time a girl tells me in class she was proud of herself or of a teammate for doing something they were scared of... that's when I know we're building a solid foundation. 

Will doing thrusters or playing musical med balls help them overcome peer pressure and have good self esteem? It will of course take more than that... that's why we love when we end our sessions with our "bring a friend" workouts, where the Girls EDGErs can bring their moms, dads or friends and share what they've learned.

Those are the building blocks that can lead to a lifetime of health - inside and out! 

As an aside, have you seen the Super Bowl commercial from Dove about dads? Sniff, sniff... uh, that's just something in my eye, I'm busy calling my dad!