How did you change your life?

[RB1]

Evening geeks!
I'm sat here, going back to work next week after being off unwell. And I am already dreading stepping foot back in my workplace ( non beauty related) we are treated so poorly and I just feel my mood take a nose dive before I've even stepped food inside the building! Not good for my anxiety :-(
I have been trained in beauty for the past few years and currently do nails and am trying to slowly build up a business from home. I'd love to hear your experiences as to how you managed to change your life, from being in a job you hated to turning it all around and now having a job you adore! I need some inspiration and a kick up the bum! I fee like I'm forever going to be hating Monday mornings :-(

 

[Cindy2021]

I didn't hate my job but I had a huge change.
I worked for HMRC for all of my career and took a 5 year career break that lasted approx 13 years.
I'm a single parent with 3 kids and no childcare so had to fit around them. Retrained and now have a nail and tan salon in my home for the last 11 months.
I love it and work part time but if you rely on that income you'd need to build up your home business first. Almost all of my clients are regular but it does take time to build it up.
Good luck

 

[blossom]

I worked in estate agency for 12 years, loved it, but had a break to have my 2 daughters, during which time I was a stay home mum and loved that too (although we were skint)

Like most Mums I wanted something to fit round the family and I hit on nails, re-trained and became totally hooked. So starting my business was easier because I'd been earning nothing (apart from Sunday's at waitrose)

I can honestly say it was the best thing I ever did career wise, I love my job and my clients and it never really feels like I'm working, we sit there drinking tea and chatting and laughing and they pay me as well

It took awhile to build up the clientele, I'm not full time out of choice but could be

Good luck!

 

[x Fee x]

Evening geeks!
I'm sat here, going back to work next week after being off unwell. And I am already dreading stepping foot back in my workplace ( non beauty related) we are treated so poorly and I just feel my mood take a nose dive before I've even stepped food inside the building! Not good for my anxiety :-(
I have been trained in beauty for the past few years and currently do nails and am trying to slowly build up a business from home. I'd love to hear your experiences as to how you managed to change your life, from being in a job you hated to turning it all around and now having a job you adore! I need some inspiration and a kick up the bum! I fee like I'm forever going to be hating Monday mornings :-(

I remember back in the day we had blogs on the old platform of SG. And I'll never forget the day I wrote my first blog post after being too scared for a year, because I was very new to the industry and just starting as a Shellac tech around a full time job. The day I wrote that blog was the most liberating and exciting day ever, because I changed my life. I so wish I could still access it to share with you.

Here is my story- it's very long!!

I gave birth at 18 the week before my A Levels at college, to much consternation from my parents, especially as my then partner walked out on us just before the birth and wasn't heard from again for a year. Still did my exams but couldn't provide for my son as a single parent if I went into beauty, I felt, so allowed myself to be pushed into my mother's career and went straight to Uni and did a degree in Youth Work.

I worked in training and education for 8 years with Young Offenders, and did very much like and enjoy it, but my heart was never there.

At 25, I did a few courses with CND for my own purposes really, as I'd never lost my love of nails. I never intended to work in beauty professionally, as I had too much to lose stability wise. But I was hooked and couldn't stop thinking about beauty again.

At 26, after growing disheartened with the education industry and working with young people, and hating my job every day for a year, the government cut funding for youth service across the country and my entire department was made redundant.

I took the biggest risk I could ever imagine and booked my L3 Nail Services at college that same week. Full time for a year. I gave up my home and packed up my things to put in storage, which my mum thankfully paid for. My son and I moved in to my Dad's with one box of clothes between us and lived on his couch. I worked Saturday jobs just to cover the train fair to college each day. For a whole year.
There was no doubt in my mind that I had no choice but to be successful at this point. I worked my backside off as a mature student in a class of six 17 year old girls
2 months before finishing the course, a job came up in a new nail bar in my town and I was lucky enough that the manager offered me to start before I got my certificate.

I stayed in that God Forsaken place, which I thought was gonna be all sunshine and rainbows, for 3 long years despite the awful conditions and terrible practises. I was depressed every day. I'd managed to move from Dad's couch to his dining room that we stuck a bed in.
But I stuck at it, because I always had a plan in mind, and we needed to eat.

Last year I opened a small salon and my son and I no longer live in Dad's dining room! Every client I had serviced in my previous job came with me. I go to work every day with a smile and love spending time in my second home. It's everything I wanted it to be, and I can finally see the benefits of the sacrifices I made. My 12 year old will be proudly holding balloons on our salon's 1st Anniversary next month, and our lives are 10x better (despite the long hours I work!)

Not every one can, or needs, to take the drastic steps I did, but anything is possible if you work at it! x

 

[RB1]

So lovely to hear your stories [emoji5]️.

 

[CocoAllure]

I'm dying to tell you all my story but I can't [emoji20][emoji20]

 

[PolishedAnGEL]

Here is my story- it's very long!!

I gave birth at 18 the week before my A Levels at college, to much consternation from my parents, especially as my then partner walked out on us just before the birth and wasn't heard from again for a year. Still did my exams but couldn't provide for my son as a single parent if I went into beauty, I felt, so allowed myself to be pushed into my mother's career and went straight to Uni and did a degree in Youth Work.

I worked in training and education for 8 years with Young Offenders, and did very much like and enjoy it, but my heart was never there.

At 25, I did a few courses with CND for my own purposes really, as I'd never lost my love of nails. I never intended to work in beauty professionally, as I had too much to lose stability wise. But I was hooked and couldn't stop thinking about beauty again.

At 26, after growing disheartened with the education industry and working with young people, and hating my job every day for a year, the government cut funding for youth service across the country and my entire department was made redundant.

I took the biggest risk I could ever imagine and booked my L3 Nail Services at college that same week. Full time for a year. I gave up my home and packed up my things to put in storage, which my mum thankfully paid for. My son and I moved in to my Dad's with one box of clothes between us and lived on his couch. I worked Saturday jobs just to cover the train fair to college each day. For a whole year.
There was no doubt in my mind that I had no choice but to be successful at this point. I worked my backside off as a mature student in a class of six 17 year old girls
2 months before finishing the course, a job came up in a new nail bar in my town and I was lucky enough that the manager offered me to start before I got my certificate.

I stayed in that God Forsaken place, which I thought was gonna be all sunshine and rainbows, for 3 long years despite the awful conditions and terrible practises. I was depressed every day. I'd managed to move from Dad's couch to his dining room that we stuck a bed in.
But I stuck at it, because I always had a plan in mind, and we needed to eat.

Last year I opened a small salon and my son and I no longer live in Dad's dining room! Every client I had serviced in my previous job came with me. I go to work every day with a smile and love spending time in my second home. It's everything I wanted it to be, and I can finally see the benefits of the sacrifices I made. My 12 year old will be proudly holding balloons on our salon's 1st Anniversary next month, and our lives are 10x better (despite the long hours I work!)

Not every one can, or needs, to take the drastic steps I did, but anything is possible if you work at it! x

WOW. Could not read without commenting. What an inspiration! - you deserve every success that comes your way.

 

[x Fee x]

I'm dying to tell you all my story but I can't [emoji20][emoji20]

That's very sad Coco, I'm sorry [emoji27] x

 

[x Fee x]

WOW. Could not read without commenting. What an inspiration! - you deserve every success that comes your way.

Thank you, that's very kind xx

 

[CocoAllure]

I remember back in the day we had blogs on the old platform of SG. And I'll never forget the day I wrote my first blog post after being too scared for a year, because I was very new to the industry and just starting as a Shellac tech around a full time job. The day I wrote that blog was the most liberating and exciting day ever, because I changed my life. I so wish I could still access it to share with you.

Here is my story- it's very long!!

I gave birth at 18 the week before my A Levels at college, to much consternation from my parents, especially as my then partner walked out on us just before the birth and wasn't heard from again for a year. Still did my exams but couldn't provide for my son as a single parent if I went into beauty, I felt, so allowed myself to be pushed into my mother's career and went straight to Uni and did a degree in Youth Work.

I worked in training and education for 8 years with Young Offenders, and did very much like and enjoy it, but my heart was never there.

At 25, I did a few courses with CND for my own purposes really, as I'd never lost my love of nails. I never intended to work in beauty professionally, as I had too much to lose stability wise. But I was hooked and couldn't stop thinking about beauty again.

At 26, after growing disheartened with the education industry and working with young people, and hating my job every day for a year, the government cut funding for youth service across the country and my entire department was made redundant.

I took the biggest risk I could ever imagine and booked my L3 Nail Services at college that same week. Full time for a year. I gave up my home and packed up my things to put in storage, which my mum thankfully paid for. My son and I moved in to my Dad's with one box of clothes between us and lived on his couch. I worked Saturday jobs just to cover the train fair to college each day. For a whole year.
There was no doubt in my mind that I had no choice but to be successful at this point. I worked my backside off as a mature student in a class of six 17 year old girls
2 months before finishing the course, a job came up in a new nail bar in my town and I was lucky enough that the manager offered me to start before I got my certificate.

I stayed in that God Forsaken place, which I thought was gonna be all sunshine and rainbows, for 3 long years despite the awful conditions and terrible practises. I was depressed every day. I'd managed to move from Dad's couch to his dining room that we stuck a bed in.
But I stuck at it, because I always had a plan in mind, and we needed to eat.

Last year I opened a small salon and my son and I no longer live in Dad's dining room! Every client I had serviced in my previous job came with me. I go to work every day with a smile and love spending time in my second home. It's everything I wanted it to be, and I can finally see the benefits of the sacrifices I made. My 12 year old will be proudly holding balloons on our salon's 1st Anniversary next month, and our lives are 10x better (despite the long hours I work!)

Not every one can, or needs, to take the drastic steps I did, but anything is possible if you work at it! x

Awww fee this is lovely u deserve your success

 

[Jordon]

I remember back in the day we had blogs on the old platform of SG. And I'll never forget the day I wrote my first blog post after being too scared for a year, because I was very new to the industry and just starting as a Shellac tech around a full time job. The day I wrote that blog was the most liberating and exciting day ever, because I changed my life. I so wish I could still access it to share with you.

Here is my story- it's very long!!

I gave birth at 18 the week before my A Levels at college, to much consternation from my parents, especially as my then partner walked out on us just before the birth and wasn't heard from again for a year. Still did my exams but couldn't provide for my son as a single parent if I went into beauty, I felt, so allowed myself to be pushed into my mother's career and went straight to Uni and did a degree in Youth Work.

I worked in training and education for 8 years with Young Offenders, and did very much like and enjoy it, but my heart was never there.

At 25, I did a few courses with CND for my own purposes really, as I'd never lost my love of nails. I never intended to work in beauty professionally, as I had too much to lose stability wise. But I was hooked and couldn't stop thinking about beauty again.

At 26, after growing disheartened with the education industry and working with young people, and hating my job every day for a year, the government cut funding for youth service across the country and my entire department was made redundant.

I took the biggest risk I could ever imagine and booked my L3 Nail Services at college that same week. Full time for a year. I gave up my home and packed up my things to put in storage, which my mum thankfully paid for. My son and I moved in to my Dad's with one box of clothes between us and lived on his couch. I worked Saturday jobs just to cover the train fair to college each day. For a whole year.
There was no doubt in my mind that I had no choice but to be successful at this point. I worked my backside off as a mature student in a class of six 17 year old girls
2 months before finishing the course, a job came up in a new nail bar in my town and I was lucky enough that the manager offered me to start before I got my certificate.

I stayed in that God Forsaken place, which I thought was gonna be all sunshine and rainbows, for 3 long years despite the awful conditions and terrible practises. I was depressed every day. I'd managed to move from Dad's couch to his dining room that we stuck a bed in.
But I stuck at it, because I always had a plan in mind, and we needed to eat.

Last year I opened a small salon and my son and I no longer live in Dad's dining room! Every client I had serviced in my previous job came with me. I go to work every day with a smile and love spending time in my second home. It's everything I wanted it to be, and I can finally see the benefits of the sacrifices I made. My 12 year old will be proudly holding balloons on our salon's 1st Anniversary next month, and our lives are 10x better (despite the long hours I work!)

Not every one can, or needs, to take the drastic steps I did, but anything is possible if you work at it! x

I just want to say I'm glad you found your way and you should be proud [emoji5]️ x

 

[RB1]

Thought I would BUMP up this post as I would love to hear some more inspirational replies

 

[JanVenus]

I always kind of resented every job I ever had because I always felt I had to take the roles out of necessity, I never trained for a specific 'career' - I just had 'a job'. Almost 2 years ago, I had a breakdown. I've always been a stress-addled anxiety bunny but I've never had a proper "can't even think about leaving the house without a panic attack rendering me useless" moment.

In the 5 months I was signed off from my work, I underwent 3 different types of counselling with 3 different counsellors and it turns out I have, not only, General Anxiety Disorder but Complex PTSD into the bargain. While I was off I realised that I had to change - I had to stop letting things happen that I didn't really care about and start making things that I wanted to happen come to a reality. In all my decades of working, I had always had a dream of going back to college and getting properly trained in something but the only thing I could think of that I wanted to do was Beauty Therapy - and in my anxiety ridden low self esteem, I figured that was a path for someone younger, prettier, more vivacious.

I developed an interest in makeup during my 'down time', how to apply it properly, what all the different brushes were for, what colours suited my skin tone etc. and posted a couple of photos of myself all dolled up on my FB timeline. One of my friends was impressed enough that she asked me to do her makeup for a night out. So I did. Then I promptly came home and applied for a Bridal and Evening makeup course at a local college.

The feeling of doing that one, tiny thing for me was incredible and I never set out to make it into a career but as we were coming up to our assessments, the instructor mentioned that our certificate would allow us to get public liability insurance and work as Occasion makeup artists. I carried on with my job, working almost 30 hours a week as well as advertising my services as a MUA. Then I wanted more.

I trained in Manicure, Gel overlay, facial treatments and brow treatments. I have regular clients and sometimes (with the job as well as my own business) don't get a day off for weeks at a time. So, after a bit of a hoo ha in my job pissed me off and made my anxiety rocket back up to the levels I was at about a year or so ago, I handed in my notice and will be pursuing my business full time.

Money will be tight for a while, but I'll finally have the time to promote my business properly and won't have to put clients off because I'm doing a shift. I can book clients around my schedule to ensure I'm there to get the kids from school, easing some of the pressure on my 72 yr old mother, I feel very liberated. August 12th can't come quick enough ... I just hope my anxiety doesn't relapse to the point I can't enjoy it :/

 

[Rachael.V]

I was in a job that was making me miserable and after sitting in a layby crying my eyes out I handed my notice in. It was the best thing I ever did and so out of character for me. I'm normally so cautious (although I did save up enough not to need to worry about money for several months) but I couldn't stand to be in that environment any longer and just told myself I would get a job doing anything if I had to but I couldn't keep doing something that was making me so unhappy. I know it's a cliche but 'Life's too short'. Best of luck to you lovely

 

[JanVenus]

It's been a while since I posted my story, rather than jumping into my business full time I decided to apply for a college course. I've been doing Level 6 Beauty Therapy since mid-August and I love it! I'm meeting new people, learning new things and can't wait to pass my assessments so I can add new services to my business! It's a hard course, a lot of theory to cover and closed book papers for someone who has been out of education for 23 years but I'm handling it

 

[linzi]

I don't even know where to start!

I was on track to go to university to study languages with the intention of becoming a translator/teacher of languages. Then my school became a 4-year school rather than the previous 6 years. It transpired that we'd need to be bussed (bused? lol) to a school an hour away to finish our studies and, being from a little village, the students at the new school looked down their noses at us country folk as though we were nothing. I hated every minute of it so, at 16 and in my infinite wisdom, I decided to leave.

Only I had no back up plan or ideas as to what to do. I'd always loved painting my own nails but didn't know I could do that as an actual job! Because I had been supposed to go back to school, I hadn't applied to college or anything.

The local council started offering evening classes for unemployed adults and my mum tried to enrol me, but the advisor said I couldn't. She asked me what I wanted to do, and then helped me to apply to college for beauty. I got an interview with the head of the department later that afternoon and started the next day!

I did three years at college and then met my ex. He was normal for the first little while but, as soon as we had our daughter, he began to cut me off and I wasn't allowed to work. When I eventually got the confidence to kick him out, he took EVERYTHING - hoover, washing machine, tumble dryer, freezer - and wanted to even take all the food I had bought and made! He even sold my sofas!

My mum looked after my daughter while I tried to build back up and took whatever job would take me, while working my nails on the side. I hated the day job - well, j hated one of my colleagues. So sneaky and horrid. So I literally walked out and didn't return. My sister got me a temp job to start the next day - it was supposed to be a 2 week gig, and I ended up there for 18 months. Again, all the whole working my nails on the side.

I've been mobile, selfemployed, employed, working on the side, fully in beauty. Pretty much every configuration you can think of.

Then I moved 400 miles for my partner and have started from scratch again. We have a 4-month old son and the business is growing well. Don't get me wrong, it was really difficult moving - I knew no one else here and missmy family like mad. But it's worth everything.

Never give up, and be positive. You will get there. And it's worth it.

 

[deanosnana]

Not every one can, or needs, to take the drastic steps I did, but anything is possible if you work at it! x

Fee, you are truly an inspiration! Thank you for sharing your amazing story!