TIP OF THE WEEK #23 
THE BUBBLE By Vicki Peters

Recently I was doing some research for a massage article I wrote for Nailpro 
and I had a chance to interface with an outstanding massage therapist that 
was extremely informative about the spiritual side of providing manicuring 
and massage services for clients.

We all know that the minute our clients sit down to get their nails done 
most, not all, do what I call "dump" on us, telling us things we really don't 
want to know and sucking the energy right out of us. The reason for this is 
two fold: 1. We are touching them and that provokes an emotional safe space 
so they feel close to us and feel they can tell us anything! 2. We allow it 
to happen.

This is a difficult thing to reverse once we have gotten into the habit of 
allowing it. So how do you reverse this habit? Two ways. 1. Always bring the 
conversation back to the business of nails and some will get the hint. 
Keeping the conversation on business should direct the conversation into the 
right direction but you have to be consistent. 2. Build a bubble.

What I mean about building a bubble is this: Start your manicure off with 
your clients hands in yours. Without her really knowing what your doing say a 
little nail prayer. The prayer should be what you envision in the manicure 
and think good thoughts for the client. Then imagine a bubble surrounding you 
that puts up a barrier between you and your client that protects you from her 
conversation. This barrier allows you to hear her, talk with her but not 
absorb the conversation, especially if the conversation is negative. 

When the manicure is over and she is about to leave your station imagine the 
bubble breaking gently and going away. You can do this with a ray of light 
or an invisible wall in the middle of your manicuring table!

The unfortunate part of doing nails is that we are absorbing all the energy 
that our clients bring to us and it can be exhausting even if it is positive 
energy. I wish I had known about this simple method when I was in the salon 
working full time. I did as most of us do, is counseled my clients, became 
their friends as well as did their nails and at the end of the week I did not 
have any energy for myself at the end of the week. 

So take my advice, protect yourself silently with a bubble or a ray of light 
that beams down on you or anything else you can imagine. And at the end of 
the night be sure to wash all those clients off your hands and arms and wash 
them go down the drain!

Vicki Peters

DISCLAIMER
Any products mentioned in the "Tip Of The Week by Vicki Peters" is not an 
endorsement of any kind.

The Peters Perspective 
"When you stop learning your career ends and your job begins"
Visit my new web site: http://vickipeters.com