SELF CARE
WITH BOBBI FOSTER KELLY
The thought of life after cosmetology school can be exhilarating… and scary at the same time! So much to process… and manage…and so many decisions to make!
I had the good fortune to make a life- long career in the beauty industry- from student, to stylist, to artist, to trainer, to manager and ultimately to 20+ years working for a manufacturer - in training and education.
My greatest take away on how to be successful and earn a great living is to always keep learning and to ALWAYS take care of yourself! It’s hard work to stand behind a chair (or table) all day and take care of clients. It takes lots of stamina - physically, mentally and emotionally. I’ve been there… and I’m super excited for this opportunity to share some ideas on how you can make it from here… to ‘there’. Wherever you dream your "there" will be!
The professional salon industry is amazing and your opportunities are endless! It’s been my experience, that everything leads back to personal development. Take care of yourself first and the rest will take care of itself.
A healthy, happy YOU will ensure your dreams and career aspirations come to be! You’ll have great earnings. You’ll make enough money to do the things you want. And you’ll live the kind of life you’re dreaming about!
Fall in Love with Taking Care of Yourself
It’s like the instruction you get on an airplane when preparing for take-off. “Put your own oxygen mask on before helping others”! If you don’t, your energy drains and you simply don’t have enough to give others. And let’s face it - one of the reasons you chose this career is to help others!
Intuitively we know this. In fact, our own heart gives us a lesson on this! Body, Mind, & Spirit Self-care is taking care of and honoring your mind, body and spirit in a way that activates your best self. Self-care choices are those that improve your physical, mental, and emotional health, and move you towards your desired outcome.
SELF-CARE HELPS YOU:
- Create work/life balance.
- Beat emotional fatigue.
- Find sustainable inner peace.
- And be HAPPY!
LESSON OF THE HEART:
- Our own hearts actually gives us a lesson in how to serve.
- The first oxygenated blood that comes into the heart is taken in and used by the heart itself.
- The heart is intuitive enough to know that it must take care of itself first.
- And then the heart pumps blood out to feed the rest of the body So take this metaphor to heart (pun intended) and keep your cup (or bucket) full so you are able to sustain your energy and help others. Put on your own oxygen mask first!
Let’s begin this journey with an understanding of who we are!
ENERGY SYSTEMS
We as humans, are energy systems - that expend and renew energy. When you keep your energy body in balance naturally, everything else begins to fall into place.
Our energy systems are known as: the Body, Mind, & Spirit, these are not separate. What affects one, affects the other. Each system needs to be tended to and taken care of.
WHAT IF WE RECHARGED OURSELVES, AS OFTEN AS WE DO OUR PHONES?! What if we didn’t wait until there was only one bar left? Think about how a low battery affects your phone… it’s the same with us. Keeping our batteries charged (our energy) helps us perform at our peak!
Make a list of 5 things that drain your energy. Make a list of 5 things that boost your energy. Do more of what boost your energy!
Although our energy systems (Body, Mind, Spirit) are not separate, it’s helpful to look into them individually so that we can begin to become of aware of each and how they contribute to our overall well-being.
Take this guide with you wherever you go and be stress-free all the time! Download beow!
THE BODY
"The minds’s first step to self-awareness must be through the body." -George A. Sheehan
“And I said to my body, softly, ‘I want to be your friend.’ It took a long breath and replied, ‘I have been waiting my whole life for this’” - Nayyirah Waheed
Pay attention to your body. Be mindful of any stress in your body.
According to the Global Organization for Stress:
- 75% of adults report experiencing moderate to high levels of stress.
- ½ report that their stress has increased in the past year.
- 1 out of 75 people experience panic disorder.
- 60%-80% of primary care doctor visits are related to stress, yet only 3% of patients receive stress management help!
We’re so used to being stressed that we don’t even know we are!
Here are a some of the ways stress affects our physical body:
- Shallow breathing.
- Back, shoulder, neck or jaw tension/pain.
- Increased blood pressure.
- Tension or migraine headaches.
- Gastrointestinal discomfort/symptoms.
- Increased susceptibility to colds, flu, etc.
- Skin rashes.
- Cold hands and/ or feet.
- General feeling of fatigue.
Stress also clouds our thinking and makes it harder to make decisions. It can increase our emotional reactions, impulse, paranoia and fear.
So how do we reduce or manage stress?
The first step is awareness - noticing how you’re feeling. The opposite of stress is calm… so if you’re not feeling calm, you’re probably experiencing some level of stress. The key is to notice it as soon as possible then take action!
Stress in the body for extended periods of time can lead to physical symptoms like back, knee and leg pain. As well as, wrist and hand issues that can lead to carpal tunnel. And in your line of work could be detrimental to your performance.
FULL BODY ASSESSMENT
You can’t control everything in your life, but you can control what you put in your body.
Ask yourself these questions:
If you answered yes to any of those questions, ask yourself why? What is keeping you from making choices that will help you reach your highest level of success, joy, health and happiness?
Pick even just one of those self-sabotaging behaviors and commit to curbing it. Try it- It might not be easy… but I promise you can do it if you just choose to!
And the benefits will be profound! If you don’t take care of your body, where are you going to live?!
THE MIND
Pay attention to your thoughts and be mindful of the quality of your thoughts.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Avoid drama queens and chronic complainers. Try to limit your time with the “misery loves company” crowd. It’s ok to say, no thanks, to being a receptacle for someone else’s compulsive negativity!
THE SPIRIT
THAT’S YOU! YOUR TRUE SELF. Pay attention to your spirit. Be mindful of what it wants… and what it doesn’t want.
Feed your soul with pleasure, joy, happiness, compassion, creativity, hope, optimism.
Remember… It’s hard work to stand behind a chair (or the table) all day and take care of clients. It’s takes strength and courage, being grounded and practice.
Ask Yourself These Questions
The easiest promises to break are the ones we make to ourselves. Try some of these practices. Follow the rules. Or don’t. Bend them. Play with them. Make your own practice - find the ones that work just right for you, so that you’ll WANT to make it a practice, instead of feeling like you ‘should’!
Take care of yourself first and the rest l take care of itself. Put on your own oxygen mask first and enjoy the journey!
My best wishes to you as you embark on a career in this wonderful, one of a kind industry. If I can be of assistance to you in any way, give me a call.
MEET BOBBI FOSTER-KELLY
A hairstylist by trade, Bobbi has been in the beauty and wellness industry for over 35 years and has been a driving force forward. Bobbi was a Redken Artist for 15 years, then over the next 20 years served as a team leader in various positions overseeing Education and Training for Redken and Pureology.
Her background in this industry and life experiences have provided her with a unique and diverse skill set, allowing her to offer a wide variety of services and personal development programs. In 2010 Bobbi was diagnosed with breast cancer. During treatments, she went weekly for reiki, oncology and cupping massage, acupuncture, guided imagery, reflexology, naturopathic medicine and immersed herself in the world of healing and wellness practices. Her experience was profound and she found reiki to be so beneficial, she studied to become a practitioner.
For Bobbi, mindfulness is more than just a practice, it’s a way of life.
Elite Beauty Society is a passionate community of hair stylists and beauty professionals upgrading their career to elite status.
Because we believe in the work that you do, Elite Beauty Society offers professional liability insurance to protect and provide our professionals with the confidence and coverage they need during their career. Offering niche insurance for almost all beauty specialties including estheticians liability insurance. We want to be there for our customers through the best of times and protect them in the challenging ones.