TAKE 5: Tabitha

Hi! I’m Tabitha, I write a blog called Craving Yellow! Yellow to me is love and sunshine. On my YouTube and Instagram pages, I share tips on how I’ve grown my natural hair to waist length over the past six years. I also share lifestyle musings on being a 20-something year old, including dating and relationships, my favourite beauty hacks and kick-starting my career.

1. What started you on your natural hair journey, and would you ever turn back to...well, your perm days?

I started my natural hair journey when I moved to the US to begin my undergraduate degree. For the first time in my life, I no longer had easy access to a stylist or salon that catered to my hair type. I discovered the natural hair community online and read up as much as I could on healthy hair practices.

I decided to chop off my relaxed ends in February 2012 and have been natural since. My natural hair journey has been a process of self-discovery and self-love, and for those reasons, I don’t think I could ever go back to using harsh chemicals on my curls and kinks.

2. What have you learned about your hair and yourself since you started this journey? What networks have you created through it?

My hair has been the gateway into loving myself a lot more consciously and holistically. I’ve had to contend with all of me: the rolls, flaws and all, and most importantly, learn healthy ways of relating with myself.

I truly believe the way you relate to yourself sets the tone for all the other relationships you may have, so I’m learning to be gentle, humble and grateful.

Aside from nurturing a healthier perception of self, natural hair has opened me up to a large online and offline community of people with similar ideals who I learn and connect with.

3. It must be a bit complicated to also talk about your relationships when you’re online, especially if they go sour. What makes you willing to share with the (90,000-plus) people who follow you?

For me, sincerity is a virtue. I use my platforms to authentically share my experiences - good and bad, with the hope that someone out there will be encouraged and inspired to live their best life. It’s not always easy. I’m human, and life isn’t always fair to me either, but I’ve come to learn that sharing my experiences with my readers and my subscribers has actually allowed me to grow a loyal following. I connect with them and they feel as if my experiences resonate with them. And trust me, it’s not a one-sided conversation. Often, I, in turn, have been encouraged and inspired by my readers.

4. What do you think is the biggest lesson you have learnt from your relationships?

I’m learning to stay authentic to my highest truth because I belong, first and foremost, to myself. I’m a person who loves to ensure that everyone around me feels loved and appreciated. Unfortunately, that has sometimes meant I put my own needs last so that I can accommodate others. I’m learning to speak up and voice my needs. And when being vocal is not sufficient, I’m learning to trust my intuition and walk away from toxic relationships.

5. What are your plans for your brand, Craving Yellow? What what’s the next mountain you intend to scale?

That’s a great question! I believe in flow, so I’m not resisting where this river is flowing.

Kenya is the third country I’ve lived in with this blog, with the first two being the US and Australia. The reception I’ve received here has been heart-warming. I’m eager to connect with my audience, create content that speaks to more than just physical beauty, and most of all, have fun while I’m at it; I have some super exciting projects that I plan to roll out in the next few months!