Full dye or highlights?

My hair is a total mess right now lol I used to highlights all the time but I let it grow out. I don’t like my natural color on me... I look really washed out from how dark it is. I want to go lighter. Not platinum blonde but blonde again.

Anyways, I really don’t want to sit through highlights again and I am considering just coloring the whole thing lighter. Have you ever done this instead of highlights?

Pictures of my current mess below lol