Sheri Bennefeld 💃 Way Beyond Ordinary

Uncovering the Authentic Me.

I feel like I’ve been living very authentically for most of my adult life. In fact, just the other day a college roommate and sorority sister said to me about a time in college, “I can picture you now, standing in the dining room with your hands on your hips saying, ‘I’m just going to say it.’” Apparently, I have always been prone to speak my mind and be me. With one really obvious exception – my hair.At 25 years old I began turning gray. And subsequently began my long standing relationship with a colorist. Over the course of 27 years I have had 300 color appointments, occupying 562 hours of my time and more than $50,000. And yet, those were not among the reasons I made the decision in April of 2018 to stop the coloring and return to my natural color – now gray. Or silver as many prefer me to say.My decision had more to do with recognizing that every 4 weeks I was putting chemicals into my scalp to change the way I was naturally supposed to look. And if I was truly being authentically me – I have gray hair.As women there is so much societal and internal pressure to look young, or fashionable, or vibrant. And society has decided that women with gray hair are none of those things.So, with the defiance that I often muster when I make a solid life-changing decision I announced to my colorist – “This is it. We are breaking up, and we are not going to be seeing each other again. I’m sorry your daughter will not be able to go to college now.” 😊 Seriously, that was the conversation we had, along with an emotional moment after 11 years of spending 2 hours together gabbing every month. And she supported my decision.Unlike many women who make this decision, I have a very supportive significant other, he has never made a negative comment about my hair, nor have my friends – with maybe one exception. I’m grateful for that. I hear horror stories of women being judged and bullied by so-called loved ones for their choice to be natural. This breaks my heart.We all have the right to make our own decision on the matter and I am not here to tell you that my decision is the right one for you or to judge those who continue to color into their 80s and 90s. That is up to you and what makes you feel good.What I do want to tell you though is this: The color of your hair, like the size of your ass does NOT determine who you are. Your heart and soul and how you bring yourself to the world does that.So, be you! Wear blue hair if you want, just own it and do it with grace and confidence. I’ll be cheering you on either way!