Get Glowing: You Are a Star Right Where You Are (Starshine Systems, 2005) author Ann Mincey, a Redken spokesperson who worked for the brand for 35 years, recently shared with me her advice for setting goals for the new year for our Viewpoint column in the January 2011 issue (p. 22). Mincey’s book identifies five major areas of life individuals should work to achieve harmony in: physical, mental, emotional, financial and spiritual, in which Mincey says we should make adjustments every day to shine our brightest. Here are her words of advice. I hope you’ll find them as useful as I do as you get ready to celebrate the start of 2011.
Physical
“In terms of the physical aspect, ask yourself, ‘how am I caring for my body?’ ‘What am I doing each day?’ ‘How am I feeding my body?’ ‘How am I resting my body?’ And how am I moving my body?’ Very often in our industry we focus on the ‘outer,’ like what clothes or accessories we are wearing, but this is more about internally taking care of the inner beauty of our physicality. This is about internally taking part of our bodies.”
Mental
“When thinking about the mental area of our lives ask yourself, ‘what are my thoughts?’ Someone once said that our thoughts are the only thing that we really have control over. Moment by moment, thought by thought, we have a choice to either stay in a negative a space or to shift into a positive space.”
Emotional
“Emotionally, it’s our relationships that are of key importance. One point that I make here is that very often in relationships we think of what can we do. But I want to reverse that and say, ‘What are you allowing others to do for you?’ ‘How are you allowing others to take care of you and your needs?’ Very often in our industry I see women especially who, for whatever reason, have a difficult time asking for help and have a difficult time accepting help.”
Financial
“The focus of our industry is often on how much we can earn, how many clients we can do, and how many add-on services and how much retail we can sell. There are other aspects of our finances we really need to take a look at like, ‘How much can I invest?’ ‘how much can I save,’ and ‘how much can I give?’ In giving, we really keep the financial and spiritual wealth cycle moving. As long as we horde everything that we make or spend it frivolously, we’re not Investing it back into the cycle that promises to bring more wealth to us. It also comes back in the feeling that we have contributed to another person’s life in a very real way. Find a church, temple or charity to give to.”
Spiritual
“Spirituality is knowing for each of us that there is indeed a higher source, that we’re not in this alone, and that there is a place that we can go to or a person who we can go to. Everyone will find his or her own path. I think that especially as we go into this new year, where there are still uncertainties, fears and anxieties about what’s going to happen to the economy, jobs, salons closing or family issues, we need to raise our hopes and believe in something bigger than we are, put our faith in that particular choice we make, and not be afraid to do that.”
Mincey’s parting advice:
“Change is not an easy thing. Gage where you and look at one area at a time. Look at it as, “Where do I want to strengthen myself?’ rather than, ‘Where am I weak?’ Don’t focus on the weakest area. Focus on the area where you want to be stronger.”