Good morning! The past couple of days, I was at a hair show. Being the professional that I am, it is required to go to continuing education classes in order to keep my license. Hair shows (for those that never went to one) are a combination of technical education and flair of a fashion show. There is a sales floor for purchasing necessities in our field and a look into the newest tools for our profession. While most see a hair dryer not being revolutionary, there is a huge selection (according to performance, power, and mechanics) that appeal to various people. Kind of like a pen is a pen to someone that uses one occasionally, but every pen is different in its performance and feel to someone that needs to use one all the time.
While hair shows are filled with hairdressers, there is representation from all fields in the beauty genre. Experience levels vary from students to people that have been in the field for almost their whole lives. With a little over 25 years in the profession... I am not the newest, nor am I the oldest there. It is just a sea of professionals looking to learn just a little more in this ever-so-changing world. We learn new techniques, revisit old ones, and get introduced to new products that benefit both the client and the professional.
Now, not all of this experience is technical. There are business classes that help us professionals build a stronger business as well as business owners. This career choice has taken a huge hit the past 4 years. Especially the salons that offered more than a quick in and out cheap haircut. The quality is in the price. Think about it.... Would you rather have a person pay attention to you for longer than 15 minutes when it comes to a look you will be seeing in the mirror every day or would you just accept impersonal service and potential huge errors? Cut rate salons work more on a quantity over quality environment because that $8 haircut is sure not going to pay much when it comes to keeping the lights on, the water running, and it sure is not all going to the stylist. Being a hairdresser is not as glamorous as some people think.... Long hours on your feet, hair in your clothes, cuts on your hands, no insurance, no paid vacations, and if you get sick.... You sure don't get a paid day off. We are the therapists to the people in our chairs and are the first to take the hit when there is a complaint. Through the muck and mire of being the humble servant, there is reward that does not have a price tag.... it is the client that leaves with a smile on their face, a skip in their step, and the assurance that they are choosing to see you again for their hair services. While the tip is nice for a job well done, it is the feeling we get from seeing a smiling face that seems to do it for me. Well, I have to admit... I do like getting a tip. Kind of tells me the level of how happy they are beyond the smile and the thanks I get for a job well done. Some people do choose to not smile at all (the very serious ones) and that is one way to figure how happy they are. At least my wit and charm does get them to crack a smile from time to time.
With being in this business for a little over 25 years, I have worked at various capacities. From full time to part time, I have seen it all. I have worked at various salons and spas. I have worked with various personalities of professionals and even when it seemed that I hit the toxic stage of a work environment... I still manage to love my job. This is where I was shown something that I have managed to lose sight upon. You see, I blog to share my feelings about things that happen to me or around me. I try to show appreciation for everything that comes my way. No matter how difficult it can become, I silently appreciate the experience. Well, not exactly silently if I blog about it, but you get my drift, right? There are times when appreciation should be shown to the person that offers you something. Like the job you have. While I appreciate my part time job at the salon, I managed to forget to thank my boss for all that she does for me. While she is not perfect, nor am I, I need to appreciate all those little things. Just being offered the chance to shine every time I am there should get a "thank you". If she did not believe or appreciate me as a person... I would no longer be there. When I offer something free to a client, she is not slamming me for an explanation. She looks out for the bottom line because she wants to keep me there. While a toxic tendency to look at someone always looking at the bottom line is thinking that you don't matter is completely wrong. It is all in how you look at it. If everything is all about you, you cannot see the efforts of others and you hold no appreciation for those efforts.
Just finding that little act of kindness in a sea of disappointment can make a world of difference. All it takes is for someone to shine that light upon it and your expectations will change.
I got that light at this year's hair show. All it took was for one person to do that this past weekend. Just think about it.... if every person seeks out the good in the sea of disappointment... chances are... you will end up seeing more good than disappointment. While not everything is good and right... there will be times it is far better to walk away. It is what you see beyond what you feel that points you in the direction that you need to go. Kind of like balancing a checklist of pros and cons to decide. You just have to dig deep and really find all of the pros... no matter how little they are... and believe. Also, judging people upon what is on the surface does not let you fully understand the choices they make. Sometimes you need to walk a mile in someone else's shoes to know. Hearing that story of a client that never sought out change, got the same look every month, brought their rambunctious children in tow, wearing outdated clothes and tipped poorly does not reflect upon the person if you knew that the reason they wore outdated clothes was because they chose you for their hair over a new wardrobe, or that their demon-spawn kids coming along all the time was about not paying a babysitter so they can see you, or tipping poorly because that is all they can afford because they chose you for their hair. On the surface.... that client may be a total nightmare, but if you really knew their reasons... You just might see this person in a different light. I see that being pretty easy to apply that to everyone I come across.... Looking for the shred of light should be the start of one awesome journey that most people miss because they choose to not take on the effort. Those that choose to not try do lose out on some really wonderful things. I just do not want to lose out anymore.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!! May you all seek out some light in your day...
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