I didn't know how to supply self-love and care for myself. Instead, I thought, who would find me attractive with alopecia?  Who would make me happier?

Parenting can have some difficult moments. When a child is diagnosed with alopecia, the whole family is swept up into a whirlwind of change. There are doctor appointments, questions, treatments, and you are just looking to assure your child will live a happy life in a world that can be very cruel. Through honest conversations, we are given a chance to provide guidance through our experiences and the lessons learned.

Living a mentally luxurious lifestyle is about protecting your time, your energy, and worrying about yourself. But how can this mantra be put into practice? Here is what it means to worry about yourself…

Along with feelings of embarrassment, I struggled with conflicted feelings of anger. I didn’t ask for alopecia. I didn't ask to be jeered at or ridiculed. It infuriated me that people couldn't be empathetic about something I have no control over. I was angry at myself, angry at my hair, and angry that I couldn't control my situation…

In life and alopecia, there are lessons and blessings. Unfortunately, some lessons are harder to swallow. Prom was one of those lessons for me. I'm still learning to let go of the anger and guilt I feel because I wasn't accepting of my appearance. But through the lesson, I…