Lessons From The Tattoo Parlour

As you may have noticed, I have a nose ring. At first, I wasn’t sure how it would come across in a professional setting, so I chose a subtle wink to my unconventional side—just a tiny dot of jewelry.

But while we were all home during 2020, I decided to get a full ring—and go bold! It was fun while it lasted; however, over the holidays I was ready for another change. I went back to the tiny dot and…I got a tattoo.

While at the parlor to change out the ring, I noticed that one of the guys getting inked glanced my way and let out a chuckle. I asked him to let me in on the joke, and he confessed that he didn’t think I looked like someone who would have a tattoo.

Well, joke’s on him. I am someone with a tattoo now, and I reminded him that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. After all, this guy was covered in art. When I pushed back, he conceded that he doesn’t appreciate judgment from strangers based on his looks either. And we shared a good laugh.

My next appointment was about the tattoo I wanted that had some serious meaning behind it.

As a student of A Course in Miracles, I came to understand that we essentially only have two thoughts: love or fear. So I wanted a permanent reminder to choose love in every decision, conversation, and action. Because the truth is, I’m not naturally wired that way. With a milestone birthday coming up, I no longer want fear to get in my way. The message is deeply meaningful for me.??

Unfortunately, the tattoo artist wasn’t taking me seriously.?

I noticed he was being rude and dismissive of me and my vision for the tattoo. Frankly, he was treating me like a pain in the ass. And when I called him out on it, he doubled down by mocking me.?

So I asked him…

‘Should we not do this? This is something I wanted to have fun with, but if the vibe’s not right, we don’t have to work together.’?

From my perspective, the guy had an attitude problem.?

Well, from his perspective, he thought I was the one with an attitude problem. “You came in hot,” he said.?

Clearly, our energy was off. So I asked for a ‘do over’ and we both decided to press the reset button

When he started again, he was gentle, educational, and we ended up having a great time together. It was an interesting experience.?

In the end, I walked away with some key takeaways from these two tattoo parlor exchanges:?

1. Don’t judge a book by its cover; watch your assumptions!
2. Read the energy in the room. What are you picking up from a person? What are you giving off?
3. Be willing to walk away. If the energy isn’t right, it’s not going to be a good client experience. What are you willing to give up? How are you willing to shift?
4. Don’t let your feelings fester. If the energy is off, call it out as it’s happening.?
5. Avoid projecting. For example, say, “I’m feeling judged,” not “you’re judging me.” People are more open to feedback when you’re not pointing fingers.

Remember, there’s something to learn in every experience if you pay attention. I hope you will put these lessons to good use in your business and leadership this year.?

AREER CLARITY REBOOT is the week of March 6th. Save your SEAT (LINK)