This is dedicated to all the girls out there who are simply afraid to let go of their long locks. I used to be that girl. I used to have long hair all the time and I didn’t want to cut it short. EVER.

I was a ballet dancer for most of my growing years and dancers need to have hair long enough to keep in a neat bun. So I was used to long hair. It was the norm among the girls I was with and in the environment I grew up in.

It was also during my teen years that hair re-bonding became a real big thing. Everyone was doing it and all the shampoo and conditioner commercials promoted long, straight hair. Today, we already have commercials that talk about hair having body and nice waves. But back then, waves weren’t cool. Everyone wanted straight, silky, and smooth long hair. I did too.

So for the longest time I had long hair and never considered cutting it short. It was what I was used to and it was what was “beautiful”. Until one day, I wanted change. I had just started working and I felt I needed to look, well, different. As they say, “new life, new hair” (HAHA!). I also wanted to look more mature because according to a lot of people, I still looked like a student. Finally, after a lot of encouragement from my then officemates, I took the risk. And you know what, I loved it! So allow me to share 5 reasons why I love short hair. True, it’s not for everyone, but you’ll never really know unless you try. And hey, some of the benefits are real winners! So here goes.

1. No more headaches. Since my hair is thick, I’d get really bad headaches when I’d tie my hair in a ponytail. The longest I could keep my hair tied was about 3 hours maximum or else a major migraine would ensue. With short hair, no need for ponytails. No more migraines.
2. Mahangin sa labas? No problem! If the wind blows, whip your hair back in place. That easy.
3. The back of your neck can breathe. The Philippines is HOT. If you’re not in a ponytail, your nape sweats almost instantaneously. No need to worry about this with short hair.
4. Bad hair day? No such thing. If you wake up and your hair looks a bit out of place, congratulations, you’re rocking out-of-bed hair without even having to do anything!
5. Last, and my favorite. Wash and wear. Literally. No need to blow dry. Your hair will dry so fast, you’ll be surprised. No need to comb. Run your fingers through your hair and it’s ready!

Photos: @happyfingers