52: What choosing to go grey has taught me about difficult conversations
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Have you ever made a personal decision for yourself and you are met with unexpected reactions or comments from those people closest to you?
Whether it’s a big life decision like moving to another city or – like what I’ve done – deciding to let my hair go grey, quite often people closest to you want to share their opinions about it.
Which can affect your choices, or your thoughts about decisions you’ve made.
This seemingly small decision to not dye my hair has taught me a lot about difficult conversations, conflict, context, communication boundaries, ideas of self, self-esteem, and resilience. Every decision – even small ones – can impact many areas of your life.
I realized the importance of being mindful of who and when I choose to solicit feedback or advice from. Doing so swayed my decision to stay grey – sending me back to the salon, and walking out unhappy with the changes – 3 times! Time and time again, I had to restart the process as a result of listening to others and succumbing to fear and judgment.
Meanwhile, I found a special bond with other women who were also going on a grey journey where I am encouraged.
Who knew a decision about my hair could lead to so much struggle and awareness? Difficult conversations happen all the time. And the advice in this episode can help you prepare for them and stand strong in your decisions.
What you’ll hear in this podcast:
- Be aware of your boundaries when you make big decisions
- Keep coming back to your why
- When you feel judged by others, it’s often about them not you
- The special bond between those with shared experiences
- Allowing vulnerability
- The value of being seen, validated, and encouraged
- Choose who you keep council with
- Do not solicit feedback, advice, or opinions if you do not truly want them
- You can be your own worst enemy
For a full transcript of this episode, CLICK HERE.
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Freebies:
Five ways to deal with negative comments
Resources:
Difficult Happens; How triggers, boundaries, and emotions impact you every day
Renee Vanous: The Vanous Group
Show Intro music is Whispering Through by Asura

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