Hair Stylists and Colorists everywhere, my staff and myself included, know that we provide our clients with services well beyond what our titles imply. We are sounding boards, cheerleaders, and therapists. Our clients share their dreams and obstacles with us, and we love them for that!
But sometimes we need a little help as well. We may need to improve our listening and guidance skills for our clients' sake, or we may need help identifying and defining our own dreams and obstacles.
That is where my friend and client Dr. Samantha Sutton excels. You may remember Samantha from my first post of 2014, The Year of You. I find Samantha's approach to Life Coaching so refreshing and inspiring that I invited her to speak with my staff. I always stress the importance of communication between team members when consulting with clients, but extending the conversation to include professional aspirations helps everyone grow and find common ground - which ultimately benefits the business and the clientele.
We had such an illuminating session that I felt I must share my takeaway with all of you - stylists, colorists, and clients alike!
Samantha instructs, first and foremost, to write your dreams down. And when you write it, Samantha warns agianst resorting to a dull, passive, or conditional voice. This is your life's mission statement and it must be written in the present tense. It must be descriptive, colorful, and in the realm between what you believe to be possible and the impossible. Writing your dream down - seeing the actual words - should be not only revealing, but a little scary and uncomfortable.
The next step is to read it to yourself every morning before starting your day. This is something Samantha has done for years, and I have begun to put it into practice as well. Reminding myself of my dream first thing every day puts me in the right mindset and motivates me to take all the little steps that are necessary to get to the big milestones. I highly recommend working this into your daily routine.
Whether you are a Salon client with your sights set on becoming the President, or a Colorist whose greatest aspiration is to keep the next President from going gray, begin writing and reciting your dreams in their most imaginative form today. You will not only accomplish your goals with greater gusto, you will be able to help others cultivate their dreams as well!
