A cup of Calura
It’s amazing to think how much we take for granted such as the simple act of having a cup of coffee. We rush through our mornings, grabbing a cup to go and gulping it down, hoping for a jolt of energy to get our ‘day started’. Only a few years ago, I was just like that; barely tasting my coffee, just swigging it, and looking for another one…
The ‘slow art of making coffee’ never registered with me. That is until I met someone who taught me to slow down and make a proper cup of coffee (a wonderfully slow, pour over style).
With this newfound joy of making my morning coffee, I also learned what it meant to truly sit down and enjoy a good old cup of coffee to start your day. I have also allowed myself to take more time to enjoy my work and my workdays. With this new insight, I’ve been able to see things about my work that I hadn’t noticed before, and that I have come to appreciate so much more!
1) Always Be Learning is an absolute lesson in humility and passion. I have always loved education, the connection it brings to my craft and to my joy of doing hair. Online, live or in person education and classes will always make you feel good: after 16 years, I still learn something about hair every time!
2) Take time to celebrate what you are good at, AND what you need to work on. Whether it be patting yourself on the back after a long day, having a “nailed it!” balayage moment or simply color matching a new grey coverage client it’s important to celebrate the small victories. It’s also okay to admit and celebrate when you make a mistake; you will learn from it and it will make you a better stylist! I ruminate on my mistakes, sometimes too long, but I always feel better for it as it helps me earn and come up with new solutions.
3) Don’t judge other people’s work, only praise it! Our online world has made it very easy to be critical and criticize work that other people have done. However, instead of passing judgement, I’ve learned to sympathize with them in hopes of helping them become a better stylist in the future. I think that sharing tips and tools of our trade will make our community so much better! I don’t think that all people have access to training and education so instead of criticizing them, we should be embracing them and want to help them on their career path instead of shaming them. As the saying goes…. ‘Positivity Creates Possibility’.
So, I’ll have my very strong cup of decaf (yup I switched to full decaf 18 months ago!) and I’ll keep enjoying my time and my craft every day. I am so grateful to all my amazing clients, mentors, coworkers and loved ones that surround me every day. I’ll keep sipping and appreciating every moment. I encourage you to take a few moments today to let this positivity pour over you.