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Natalie Ousby

Hairdresser / Colourist / Entrepreneur / Dog lover

2020: You have been very strange indeed. None of us in our lifetime have experienced a pandemic before. Now every day we are using these extreme words, ‘lockdown’ and ‘quarantine’, to describe our everyday life.

At first it felt like a surreal dream for me. I am a hairdresser. Being told salons had to close was shocking because our days are full up and booked weeks in advance. I am approaching my third year of independent business, so I really didn’t need this! But, like everyone, I had to take it on the chin and just pray for this all to be over.

Then, when lockdown became the new reality, I started to reflect on what was happening. To accept this for what it is. Acceptance is what I am focused on now. I have been living with alopecia for the last ten years. I have found this really upsetting, particularly in my profession. But I changed my mindset during lockdown. I took the opportunity of this quiet time to reflect. I have truly accepted my hair ‘problems’ for what they are. I accept myself and I am growing in this.

I wonder if I would have dealt with this so clearly if I had not been thrown into this new life. I decided to quiet my mind and take time for myself and my personal growth. I now meditate daily and I am focused on my wellbeing in a whole new way. We are so used to the convenience of having absolutely everything at our fingertips. Up until life had to change...

I believe every life matters, no matter what race or gender you are. I feel we as a world, the individual nations, need to pull together to protect our planet. With the whole world being up against climate change we really need to be aware of this for our future generations. They are our future, we are their future hope.