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…

With alopecia, I felt as if I didn't fit the mold. I grew uncomfortable with my appearance. I began to believe that people would assess me based on looks and my prospects for a romantic relationship would diminish. Fighting against the notion that it was acceptable to judge someone by their looks, I strived to do the opposite.

On January 16th, The Root posted a video that moved me both as a man of color and a person living with alopecia. Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley was poised, articulate, and stunning as she spoke about her journey to find peace after losing all of her hair to Alopecia. 

Too many times I've stared in the mirror and thought negatively of myself compared to "hairy" people. Too many times I was ignorant thinking I was less than others because of my appearance. Too many times I lacked the courage to grow because I wasn't confident in my sense of self. For many of us, the conference was a celebration promoting the freedom to be authentic.