Every woman reaches a point in her life where she wants to make a radical change. 

Usually, reinventing ourselves comes in the form of moving to a new city, breaking up a toxic relationship (with a boyfriend of a boss), starting a new career, or simply chopping our hair. 

Coco Chanel used to say: “When a woman cuts her hair, she is about to change her life.” For Coco (who rocked short hair for the rest of her life), it represented the burial of her previous life and finally finding her true identity.

Exactly a year ago, I decided to cut my hair to the shortest I’ve ever had it in my entire life. This was around the time that the 10-year challenge was trending on social media. As I was looking for old photos to compare my old look to my recent one, I noticed it was all the same. I had had the same hairstyle for my entire life!

Every single year, I had the same look. For me, it wasn’t just about the hairstyle. I felt I had been hiding behind my hair. My long hair was my comfort zone, and little did I know, cutting my hair made me feel liberated. Here’s why you will too:

You’ll cut your morning routine by half. You’ll start standing up taller. You’ll feel sexier. You’ll look younger and be your own style icon.

When I cut my hair short, I took ownership of my life and control over my emotions. You wouldn’t think a simple haircut could do so much! 

Believe it or not, hair (especially for born and raised Latinas) has a very emotional connection to our roots. 

I’ve noticed a strong correlation: the moments I feel a little lost in life are precisely the times I start paying obsessive attention to my hair. It seems that changing my hairstyle—be it a dramatic cut or a subtle shade—is always the preamble to a personal crisis or a major life change. Sometimes, that simple act of cutting my hair marks the beginning of a completely new life.

Cutting our hair is absolutely the simplest, most satisfying way to move on—think of it as literally cutting ties with your past! You’re shedding those old emotions, draining negative patterns, and releasing limiting thoughts and memories. It’s a physical and spiritual cleanse! Chop, chop, chop! Ultimately, changing our hair in any dramatic way will always symbolize the end of one chapter and the exciting beginning of something new in our lives. Embrace that power!

Special thanks to Abel Najher Salon in New York City who took this project on (with just a little bit of convincing).