It felt like a slow week, last week in barbering. I caught three bald cuts with beard trim. One came in wanting short hair so I did practice a decent fade with him, only for him to then say he wanted everything off. He also changed his mind about his beard four times, ultimately asking for a straight razor... which at that point, I tapped my man, Leo, to finish up the cut because I'm not cleared yet on straight razors, even though I've been lining my beard and hair with a straight razor on myself for over 20 years.
I successfully wrapped my first attempt at a 45º haircut this week, and I'm excited that this coming week I have an opportunity to put that to use as I have a second (and third!) client home-visit this upcoming week.
Keep Doing
I came into this week wanting to keep my good, motivated energy going, because I feel like I got a lot of good things going on around me in really healthy ways. Though I certainly felt some challenges this last week in terms of disruptive thinking and anxiety, I was able to self-regulate and deal with my anxieties without making them anyone else's, and could open up and talk about it and even get myself some help with a few things. Being able to verbalize when I need something (time, help, etc), or when I need someone else to do something (like asking a client to hold their head a certain way vs. using my hands to hold or move their head without asking)... was a real noticeable improvement in active mindfulness. It wasn't that I had an amazing week or felt great all week.. that I didn't, but was able to tend to my needs before they turn rancid and feel good and see growth... this mindfulness thing is helping and I gotta keep it going.
Less Of
I wanted to be kinder to myself this week, and I think I was. Especially by the middle of the week, lots of... let's just call it seasonal bullshit started coming up. I call it seasonal because every year, this time of year, for the past few years I've really gone through some ringers. Between that and the news (especially what's happening in Minnesota), self-doubt and anxiety come creeping in. This coming week, especially, I'm bound to be dealing with all sorts of stuff coming up from the past that isn't even part of what's going on in the present... I could stand to have less of that, but in lieu of my senses cooperating with me, I'm aiming to have less bullshit this birthday week than the past however many terrible ones.
More Of
Last week I aimed to use my notebook and the processes on the daily, and I did that. I wanted to get more regular sleep, and so I focused on making sure I got to bed by 11 and at least stayed in bed until 6am every night/morning... I hit the gym once on Tuesday and got a solid workout in, felt good. I would like to hit the gym more this coming week.
I am very excited to be doing more personal client cuts this coming week: both a woman's and man's cut/styling. Feels like an appropriate level of nervous excitement to put the school stuff into practice outside of school, while also figuring out how to iterate/improve on my service delivery.
I am looking forward to learning more cuts and getting more practice on the cuts I just learned.
Stop Doing
I focused a lot on what my process/steps are this last week; I didn't catch many cuts. What cuts I did catch followed the same steps, the same rigor and detail before moving on from trimming down to skin, then box clippers by section of the head before clean-up with trimmers.
It's inevitable with what's happening in Minneapolis that it's weighing on my mind enough to collide with other overthinking and anxiety that comes up this time of year, and I need to listen to my body and take time off if I need it. No one is pushing me to be on some clock but me.
I need to stop trying to push past the point when I'm not able to learn at my best.
Start Doing
This last week I started taking notes on my clients to remember what they wanted, in terms of any specific details that I should remember for next time, and how much they tipped (or didn't). For next week, I want to focus on how I line and trim up a cut or a beard/mustache so I finish a cut that's crisp and tight. Those tiny details at the end are the difference between a meh haircut that might be done 95% great... and a mid haircut that looks, upon delivery, amazing. I need more skill confidence with finishing a look.
So I'm going to start researching haircuts to practice with the expected cuts I'm learning so I have a better eye for the end product.
I know I can be a great barber instructor because I'm a really good teacher. But I want to be a great barber that can do all manner of styling and haircare because I like taking care of people. This is an area where my mindfulness might now be a strength if I approach learning new cuts with more intention.
