@dimakrivleva | BULGARIA

curlshadalmost straightened I havealsofought withhair lossmany times

I waswonderinghow I couldmakemy lifeeasier inthis regard,whilenot neglectingmy appearanceandlooking likeanunkempt woman(I cansay that I amquitevainin general) I hadheardthat inWesternEuropeandtheUS,it wasbecomingmoreandmorepopular for womenof all agestowear their hair dye-free,togoback totheir natural look,toaccept themselvesintheir natural form.I searched for material onthesubject ontheinternet (hereinBulgaria andfor EasternEuropepeoplemostly donot accept this kindof alook for women,especially if sheisyoung)

I cameacrossseveral groupsonsocial networks,whereI joined"GoingGray Gracefully" andthereI enrichedmyself by meetingmany womenwiththeir personal storiesand photos I followedthegroupfor over ayear without having any appearancethere,just beingan observer I madesense of everythingI heardandsaw,without realizingthat ona subconsciouslevel I hadalsochosentochangesomething radical inmy life.

I madeadecisionfor myself that I wantedtobemyself I wastiredof racingagainst time,hidinggray hairs,running every monthandwastingtimeandmoney inbeauty salons,I waswonderingwhat would I look likeif I wereoneof themany womeninthegroup,what shadeswouldmy natural hair be? I saw such interestingcombinationsandamazing,unique transitionsof black andwhite,gray andwhite(I had forgottenthecolour of my natural hair for somany years)

I embracedthat thought withloveandgratitudeand THEREITISmy journey,whichhasbeenmuch,much longer inthought thaninpractice

Andinpractice,beinganimpatient person,I decided for myself that I would not beabletowait for my natural hair togradually grow out andperiodically trimthedyedendsuntil it grew out completely,so I solvedtheissueradicallywithasinglehaircut.

I hadlet my hair grow about 2 cm(after thelast dyeing,whichwason10 11 2021)andtwomonths later, I cut off all my dyedhair (buzzcut)andleft my hair nolonger than2 cm.But this hair wasmine, there wasnot a drop of chemicalsor poison on it, it wassoft and alive!

Immediately after my external change,I alsofelt a changefromtheinside- my energy increased,I becamemoreproactive,I hadadesirefor many activities,bothnew for me,andtoreturntoa number of thosethat I hadabandoned.

I'mstill quiteunsuresometimesof my new look even thoughit'sbeenayear sincethen(I'mkeepingmy hair short for now)andI know it will taketimeand patiencetofully accept it becausetheroadback to myself islong,but I madethedecisiontoaccept myself asI amtoday,andtolovemyself,because regardlessof somenegativecommentsfrompeople aroundmethat thislook makesmeold,I personally likemyself verymuch andI think thevisionisquite unique.

I admit that thechangeitself wasshockingfor meat first,but I don't regret it at all.I believethat aperson shouldbeaccepted,respectedandlovedasheis.I don't think that hair color definesusasyoungor old Onthecontrary,it'samatter of inner feeling. Ona spiritual level,I eventhink that,what I did bycutting my hair rejuvenatedmefor many years,becauseI felt relieved,full of energy,eager for other changes after thisone- likeI hadtakenoff ahugeburdenthat hadbeenaccumulatedfor years

Iwant toespecially thank thecreatorsof thegroup ?GoingGrey Gracefully?andall itsmembersover the years,whohavebeen(andstill are)for mea motivationandanexampleof how toaccept andlove ourselves,asweall are- real,uniqueandbeautiful!

Andintheend,I wouldliketowisheachof you,who readtheselinesnow,tofollow yourself andyour inner voice,tofeel yourself,toaccept andlove yourself truly,without hidingbehindartificial things, but alsotonever forget totakecareof yourself with responsibility andawarenessof aestheticsand beauty

I hit the RESTART button for myself, and since you're here, you can do it too!

Stay healthy,natural andbeautiful insideandout

GreetingsfromBulgaria!

Many may think most 50+womenareeasinginto transitioningout of their careers,but I?mfindingmore andmorewomeninthesilver community suddenly beingbit bytheentrepreneur bugandexcitedly jumpingheadfirst intonew career adventuresin midlife

We?rejoiningthelikesof MarthaStewart,Betsey Johnson,Kathy Bates,andmany otherswhosecareers really hit their primeinmidlife.I?mmeetingwomen suchasMireyaOlmosandKat Garzacreating modelingcareers,ReginaYounghostingapodcast aroundmidlife,MinaWardauthoringseveral books basedonher journey tohealththroughplant based livingwithGravesDiseasetoBossaBar?sFounder JulieGordonWhitecreatingabusinessaroundan energy bar specifically for womeninmenopause! All thesewomenhaveacommonspark among them?midlifeisnot slowingthemdown

But,I want totakethat evendeeper.Wisdomissaid to comewithage,yet thereseemstobeanastounding confidenceandenergy that comesfromwomen embracingtheir natural selves It?sadiscovery of courage,risk,grit,joy,confusion,self confidenceand finally comingtoaplaceof not givingaflipabout how othersperceiveus Wenolonger needtheapproval or definitionsset out onthetablebeforeus.Thisnew understandingof ourselvesmakesmidlifesomething tobecelebrated,rather thanhidden

It?sthisnew spirit withinthat hasusleaningout of our comfort zonesanddefiningour next chapters If you?d toldmein2012 that I?dbepublishingamagazineby 2021 for silver hairedwomen,I probably wouldhave thought youwerecrazy.

Full disclosure,theentrepreneur bughit meearly in lifeasI havesupportedmy family andself through variousversionsof what that lookedlikefor me I wouldn? t changemy journey towhereI amtoday,but I look back now andseethat I spent alot of timeand money inthoseventureswithout really understanding thewhysor whatsof how I wasdefiningmyself

I spent muchof thoseyearsdoingit ?all?andfeeling worndownandfeelinglikeI wasnever quitegetting whereI wantedtobe I?vefelt adifferent passionand energy inbringingtolifethismagazine,but alongthe way I?vealsonoticedthegnawingfeelinginmy gut that I neededtomakesomechangesinmy patternsof my businesslife,but wasn't quitesurewheretostart

By 2022 I knew I needed tochangethingsupand invest inmyself inaway I hadbeenhesitant todo basedonpast experiences I decided tolook for a coachwithanemphasisonbusinesscoaching.I?ddone somecoachinginthepast that I perceivedasnot very successful,sothethought of tryingagainwasout of my comfort zone I hadtotakeahardlook at my past experienceandrealizethat I hadput toomuch expectationonthecoach?fixing?things,instead of questioningmy commitment todoingthework.Doing thework wouldbekey thistimearound.

Midlife

developingyour skillsasaquarterback Ask yourself what youreally arelookingfor andthen goout and findthecoachwhospeaksyour language

Thoseof usinbusinessor startingupanew venture shouldlook for acoachwith emphasisonhelpingyou grow your business.If it'smoreabout your lifestuyle choicesfor healthandwell being,thenlook for someonewhosefocusismorealignedwiththat need It'snot hardtofindcoachesout there,but youneed to bediscerning whenit comestoworkingwithone We don't just buy thefirst housewelook at becausethisis oneof our biggest investments Think of coachingas oneof your biggest investmentsinyourself.Youmay evenfind youneed several coachesinspecificareasin order toget your gameof lifeonspot for you.

I actuallyfound several coacheswhospokemy languageandstarted withDr Kelly Schuhafter hearingher at aluncheontalkingabout money blocks andlivingabundantly I joinedoneof her group coachingprogramswiththirteenother business ownersfromaroundtheUSA andCanada.It wassome of themost empoweringconversationsthat led meto anew understandingaroundhow I makedecisions It ledmetolook at thingswithfresheyesandrealize thingsI neededtokeep,changeor let goof tomove forwardinmy business.

Entrepreneur Musings

Findingtheright coach(s)isalsokey,regardlessof how muchexperienceyoubringtothetable. I liketo usefootball asanexampleastherearenumerous coachesonateam,each withalaser focus A quarterback coach?swholepurposeistomakethat player thebest damnquarterback Whilehemay think it?sgreat youcanalsoplay tight end,hisfocusison

I didn't realizeI still hadsomeoldstoriesplaying aroundinmy head that weren't necessarily my stories, but storiesthat weretoldtome. Storiesthat we're blockingmefrommovingintowhoI really amtoday Whilemy silver journey gavemenew confidence,I wasstill fallingintooldpatterns that felt like I was takingonestepforwardandtwostepsback in my businesslife. But ,how canthat be.I'mboldly telling theworldthat #iamsilver beautyand workingto changethenarrativeonagingandgoinggray by by creatingaspacetocelebratemineandother women'sstories.

Coachingbrought upquestionsandanswersthat I may not havebeenabletocometoonmy own.Havingthat extra perspectivethat Dr.Kelly andtheother ladies brought tothetablegot methinkinginnew directions andrewritingthestoriesthat wereblockingme

It alsobrought meover toteampro-coachinginthat investinginourselvesthroughcoachingissomething every womeninbusinessshould dofor herself

I can't wait towatchthingsunfoldbothpersonally and professionally asI implement thethingsI'velearned from thisrecent experienceandfutureexperiences,as this wasjust thebeginningof my coachingjourney

Idecided toshareabit of my story about coaching becauseI think it?sempoweringfor womentoknow that wedon? t havetohaveall theanswersinmidlife And,if you?returningapassionintoabusiness,know youdon? t havetogoit alone Findapeer groupand surroundyourself withwomenwhowill uplift you. Coachinghasbeenjust oneof thewaysI?vediscovered how tofindmy flow inmidlife!!