I want to share a bit of reflection from last week's nail artist retreat. I have to admit one of the reasons I signed up was to be in the same company of top nail educators. We are who we surround ourselves with and this was an opportunity to soak up some amazing inspiration. Both Paula and Adriana are amazing techs with outstanding techniques to share. Julie's presentation was so inspiring. She shared how she achieved her goal of moving to New York to become a celebrity manicurist and all the struggles along the way. But something Maisie said during her entrepreneur presentation really hit home with me. She asked attendees to define what success looks like to them. What does you success look like, feel like? So often we compare ourselves and our success to others. But our success is truly only defined by ourselves. It's so easy to compare these days when there is a constant feed online through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. I have to admit I follow a few high profile techs and I think sometimes their world looks so much more exciting than mine. But Maisie so eloquently stated don't chase after another's successes. She said, "I'm not supposed to be doing what Julie is doing or what Millie is doing. I am here to be Maisie and follow my God given gifts and be true to my dreams. "
I struggle with this myself. I would see what someone else was doing and think, gee I would like to do that. I might even spend a few months caught up in researching it, daydreaming about it. But I have my own unique gifts that may not be suited to that specific work. At these times I dig deep, go back to earlier days and remember what brought me joy? what did I love to do? What were people always encouraging me toward? I had a 4th grade teacher tell me to never stop writing. She Also nicknamed me Motor-mouth Morgan, a title that took years to embrace the positive spin. Now I'm happy to say people fly me all over the country to hear me speak.
I was always a self help junkie too. From Napoleon Hills Think and Grow Rich to Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People I am always reading about improving myself. I just read a really great book called The Gift of Imperfection. A great read for A+ type personalities, but that's another topic for another time. I am just beginning, at over 50 to understand and embrace my true talents and gifts. I guess I'm just a slow learner, or discoverer. After reading all the how tos I guess I needed to add life experience to give my knowledge authenticity. I'm not sure I needed quite as many lessons as I was given, but I did go through some really challenging times and discovered I am stronger than I ever imagined. This I now know. I am at my best self when helping others, motivating and encouraging their spirit. Sharing some of my failures to help another understand we have all been there. I heard a great story about a woman that fell in a hole. Many people passed by her not able to help her. Finally another woman passing by jumped in the hole. Taken by surprise the woman in the hole said Oh my goodness, why did you do that? She simply answered I have been here before, I know the way out. So I encourage each of you to put your blinders on, focus on your true gifts and talents. You will never be better than when you are in this zone, embracing what it is that brings you joy. Once you discover your gifts, sharing and giving back will open new pathways to success. If you are alive on this earth right now there is something only you can do, that no one else can do. Find what that is, and market the heck out of it.
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