We are approaching that time of year when we all start scrambling to prepare for the busiest season of the year. You’re probably already implementing the marketing tools you invested in to promote your business. However, do you offer products and services that are an extension of your beauty philosophy? Do they speak to who you are at your core? As skin therapists, we are typically givers, committed to helping others learn to love the skin they’re in and find self-acceptance. However, to accomplish this, we often neglect ourselves. Over time, this can cause us to forget why we entered this field in the first place.
REFLECT ON “WHY”
Before jumping into the holiday rush, let’s take a moment to reflect on our “why.” Why did you choose this profession? Surely it was more than the joy of getting paid to slap on lotions and potions. There was some purpose you felt driven to realize. That impulse is what I call the calling. It’s that slight tug we feel when we are introduced to a new modality or the satisfaction of seeing clients examine their new glow in the mirror. Somehow, we just intuitively knew that the skin care industry offered a vehicle for us to leave our mark on the planet.
One of my spiritual mentors says that, ultimately, we all have the same life purpose, which is to be a beneficial presence on the planet. For those of us who have chosen to work with skin, the calling can get a little muffled by the clamor of running a business.
When we get still, this message becomes clearer and it starts to show up in a myriad of ways. Experts Academy founder, Brendan Bruchard, says it’s important to embody the wins. Far too often we finish a task and then charge forward into the next great idea. This is the downfall of the entrepreneur. We always have to be forward thinking, always innovating our next move. However, creativity happens when the mind is at peace. So, I like to propose an activity we can all do to help us get back to center. Before jumping into the holiday rush, sit down and take a moment to reflect on the following three steps.
COMPILE A LIST OF EXPERIENCES
Find a quiet place where you can journal uninterrupted. Take a moment to compile a list of those experiences that you have attracted easily and effortlessly. These are the experiences that didn’t take a lot of marketing. The moments in your life where you seem to just coast for a moment. You’ll probably find that these are also the moments that bring you the most joy – this is your sweet spot.
LOOK FOR THE COMMON THEME
Examining the list in front of you, look for the common theme tying all of these experiences together. This is the essence of your purpose. For example, you might find that all of your clients have pigmentation issues or that you tend to attract people who are preparing for a big event. This is your tribe, the type of people who are longing to connect with you. You’ll find that this is the demographic to whom you can best be of service.
This process will also reveal certain qualities of being. Now, while this may seem like something I’m making up, it’s actually part of a spiritual tradition called Divine Science. There are certain attributes that are present in the universe. Our job is merely to zero in on these qualities and learn to consciously apply them in our lives. For example, the first time I went through this process, I found that, as a makeup artist, I was attracting young celebrities who were just learning to navigate the entertainment world. This helped me realize that my purpose is to help people create their own unique definition of beauty.
ENVISION THE FUTURE YOU DESIRE
Now, it’s time to envision the future you truly desire by invoking your imagination. Just like the caterpillar invokes its imaginal cells within the chrysalis to metamorphosize from goop into a butterfly, we too have the ability to transform. By activating dormant concepts, we implement our own imaginal cell-like process to manifest our dreams. Let your ideas fly. Start by looking at your list of accomplishments. What elements of those experiences would you like to carry with you into the future? Which of these reoccurring qualities bring you joy?
Complete this process by examining how this new found understanding might guide you and your business going forward. If our mission is to be a beneficial presence, our most important job is to stay grounded and connected throughout the holiday season.
Aliesh Pierce, L.E., is the author of Milady’s “Treating Diverse Pigmentation.” She currently creates training content for new and established personal care brands interested in serving a multi-ethnic market. She is also the founder of Ask Aliesh, an e-learning platform for skin care professionals.