Have you heard the saying you are most like the 5 people you spend your time with? Makes you think doesn't it? What does your circle say about you?
I think throughout our journeys in business we change as people so naturally our friendship circles may shift. Firstly, this is OK! Things change, people change. It also doesn't need to be this clean & dry too. Of course a lot of us are surrounded by family too so I think the main point here is that we assess the main influences in our lives and the actual 'impact' they have on it. Whilst also checking ourselves too.
I think one thing we develop as salon professionals over our careers without knowing is a keen sense of peoples character. I think it just comes naturally because we are around people all the time and we notice similarities & differences. What we also get is an idea of what we like in people & what we also may dislike too. Which bizarrely gives us more of an insight into the people we are too. When we trust this intuition and open ourselves up to make new friends in the industry we can not only build solid connections it can open many doors for us too.
There is absolutely no question this industry is hard. No shit, its brutal (ladies, you are going to need to grow skin as thick as a rhino if you want to make a success of this) & at times we can feel alienated and lonely. Over our years to be successful we will of gained some knocks which in turn may have altered our trust for people & make us less trust-worthy and more guarded. This too is ok.
BUT, what if I told you majority of the other salon professionals are in the same boat too? Would that make us look at things in a different light realising that sometimes, maybe the hostility we have experienced towards us isn't in fact about us but more a guarded response from someone who has also been 'bit' in this industry and has trouble trusting others too? …..makes you think doesn't it?
Here's my advice. We have two options. Be guarded too & go through our entire career not making as many positive friendships and valuable business relationships because some 'idiot' for want of a better term from our past hurt us & it still bothers us? Or do we think. You know what that other persons behaviour says so much more about them than it ever will me & I deserve to not carry that around with me daily stopping me from making new friends and being happier in work?
If there is one thing you can do to not only help your business but also help your mindset and gain some amazing support in this industry it is to broaden your network. It will help you in ways you never imagined. Granted picking the wrong support can also have detrimental effect and this is why it is so important to do the internal work on ourselves to ensure we are displaying our highest selves to ensure we attract good quality people.
It doesn't even have to be anything huge. Just small steps. Engage, smile & be the one who offers support when others would judge.
In my experience I have some amazing females in my life who inspire me daily. From all walks of life, genuinely lovely females who literally just want to thrive in life and it really does make you look at life differently seeing all the possibilities. They also check me on my own bullshit & hold me to a high standard which has immensely built my belief in myself too. When you have days when we waver & need that extra support these ladies pick us up & show me who we am when at times we forget. You don't need many just a few.
My advice, we are just starting a brand new year. You have 11 months left. Why not make a goal this year to build new connections? Trust me it will lift you up & open your eyes to so many things you never even knew you were missing. You'll know who the strong ones are. They are the females lifting everyone up rather than tearing them down through their own mindless insecurities.
Mucho love my ladies, this life game is hard we seriously need to stick together xxx
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