When I started my career, I was eager to learn everything, to experience it all. I put my heart and soul into every opportunity that I sourced. I loved every moment, and I wouldn’t change a thing. Now, 24 years on I can appreciate all that I learned, and how that has shaped me and my career today. I can also look back with perspective and see what I could have done better to create a balance between my professional and personal life.
I wouldn’t change a thing about my career path to date. I believe in learning not regretting and I am fortunate for all I have experienced. I would tell my younger self though to value myself more and not to be scared to say no. As creatives we often say yes because we are passionate and driven. I wouldn’t change that for the world but there have been occasions where I have put my career before my health and personal wellbeing. With age comes experience and today I take a more mindful approach to my work. I invest in eating and sleeping well, in exercising regularly and have created a morning routine that allows me to function at my best. Today work is more about quality than quantity. I’m not afraid to say no to something that either won’t benefit me or my business.
I’ve worked hard on figuring out my core beliefs and make sure that these reflect everything myself, my career and business undertake. There are numerous books available to help you work out what your beliefs are but a good way to start is by journaling. Writing down thoughts and following them to the end of the thought will help define what is important to you. My core beliefs are authenticity, creativity, kindness and sharing. Now when an opportunity comes my way, I check it sits within these beliefs.
Once you have figured out your beliefs, they will help you work out what your purpose is. Beliefs + passionate = purpose. I believe my purpose is mentoring others in our industry. This includes my salon team, the work I do with the Fellowship’s Project X team and is open to anyone that would like my support. Your purpose is not one single, static role. It will shift and reshape as you continue to grow.
I fully appreciate that when you are starting out in your career you can take every opportunity that comes your way, it is with experience that I can say this. My advice to both the new generation of hairdressers and those established is to figure out the parts that bring joy and focus on these. People talk of a work life balance but when you find your purpose in your career the balance is already there. You don’t need to chase everything, all the time. Recognise what makes you feel good about yourself, and the rest will follow.
Read: Good Vibes Good Life by Vex King,,, Ok, so this is going to take longer than five minutes to read but I believe it will be a great investment of your time. I couldn’t put this book down and it’s filled with practical and positive actions. Five minutes every day will help shift your mindset.
Watch: King Richard – This one is a bit of a curve ball, excuse the pun. One of the best films I have seen in a long time. It is the story of Venus and Serena Williams’ journey from the ghetto to industry domination and global success. My biggest take away was to always believe in yourself and that discipline, focus and connecting to your true purpose is not only a winning combination, it’s also unstoppable.
Listen: On Purpose with Jay Shetty is one of my daily podcast listening’s and seeing as it’s the New Year why not give this episode a listen ‘9 Powerful Reflection Questions for 2021
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3OpotuPrXBiSzTecU39Xoh?si=ahh2ZLO4QwOJwEYhlx9Y7g
