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Wow...I just love looking back at old posts to see where my head was at that time. The original post below was in January of 2020. Full of optimism, goals, and plans for the future. Here's what I would say to past me, 4 years later:
Hey there past me,
First of all...YOU GO, GIRL!! I mean, look at what you've accomplished in one short year. You are tenacious and full of will to survive. I'm so proud of you and what you've managed to overcome.
Speaking of overcoming obstacles...strap in sis because 2020 is gonna be a bumpy ride. That little virus overtaking Asia at the time you wrote this is going to make its way here and shut down everything (yes, even the salon). You're going to be stressed, you'll cry, you'll get angry, and you'll wonder what on earth you're going to do next. The plans you've put in motion are going to come to an abrupt halt. BUT you will pivot and end up doing something you hadn't even thought of yet.
Over the next four years you'll have Covid twice, with some really interesting long covid symptoms. You'll survive this and more. Better still, you will have opportunities presented to you that you never dreamed possible. You'll work for the top scissor company in the country. Your educator status will change from independent educator to National Educator. And you'll go back to school to finally pursue something you have been thinking about for decades now.
The future may not work out as you thought it would, but it will be so much better than you could have imagined. So, take a breath, buckle up, and get ready for a wild ride. You don't want to miss this.
Sincerely,
Future You
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Originally published 1/21/2020
As 2019 ended and 2020 began I noticed so many lamenting about the year behind them and looking forward to the year ahead. I'll admit, I was excited to get on to another year, mostly because I know I have some exciting things coming up this year (more on that in another post). However, I'm not the kind to live with regret. I do firmly believe all things happen for a reason, even the not so fun things. So, rather than dreading my past events, I wanted to take a moment and reflect on all of the amazing things that happened.
January 2019 marked the beginning of my first FULL year back behind the chair. And that, to me, meant possibility. I set some giant goals for myself, both professionally and personally, and I'm proud to say I accomplished most of them!
For starters, my financial goal. This industry allows endless income potential - one of the reasons I love it. I set out to nearly double my salon income from the previous year (which was only a partial year). I didn't make it, but I was really damn close, and I am so proud of myself for making that happen.
I also focused on building my clientele the way that I wanted. To have guests in my chair that I genuinely love seeing, both for their personality and the services they get. When I left the industry a few years ago, some of that was because I didn't feel inspired or challenged with the services I was providing. Today, I can confidently say that when I see the names and services on my book, I look forward to my day.
In January I started the journey to becoming a Master Color Expert. And in June, I got that official certification. It was so much more challenging than I could have ever anticipated. I am so proud of myself for leveling up and making it through with the help of my amazing mentor and incredible group of hairstylists taking the course alongside me.
Extensions were always on my radar. I struggled with finding the right brand, the right method, and affording the education to get certified. Well, in October I officially crossed that off my list!!
Speaking of education....in the late summer of 2019 I officially launched Hair Rebel Academy. As an educator who previously taught for a brand, I felt it was time to get back into the game, except this time as an independent educator. While I didn't book any classes for 2019, the efforts I put forth have paid off and I will be teaching in salons again this year. I can't wait!!
Some say that while your professional life succeeds, your personal life will take a hit. I went into my goal-filled 2019 prepared for this challenge. I started reading and listening to books that inspire me, help me, coach me, and challenge me. I shared my feelings with my husband. I introduced techniques to my son for dealing with his emotions. It's taking some time, but I can see how we are starting to shift and grow as a family. That, to me, is priceless.
And how about that Hurricane Honeymoon?!? If you follow me on IG, then you saw it unfold in my stories. My husband and I were headed to Vero Beach, FL - the exact week that Hurricane Dorian was churning and growing....and headed right smack towards Vero Beach. We had to reroute ourselves 3 times to get away from the storm, and landed in Ocean City, MD (our home state). It wasn't what we planned, but we made it work.
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