A #girlboss is...

Sounds pretty epic, right? In this blog, I'll walk you through the steps that bring your #girlboss inside to the forefront of your life and you'll fall in love with her in the process. 

-Discover Her-

Letting your #girlboss shine takes some work in self-discovery. One exercise you can do is to create a mood board. A mood board is a visual representation that evokes a feeling or mood from the viewers perspective. You can make a mood board for yourself, your brand, or anything else you want. But our primary focus will be to create a mood board for yourself, and this will allow your #girlboss inside to shine! 

First, you'll need to make a list. List the words that come to mind when you think about who you are and what you want to be. Focus on the positive. For example, some descriptive words you may use could be: fierce, focused, sexy, empowered, humble, etc. Only you know the names for the #girlboss inside, so ask her, and the words will come. 

Second, you'll need to make your board. To make the board you'll need a stack of magazines, a poster board, scissors and a glue stick. Keep your words in mind as you look through the magazines. Rip out the pages that speak to your #girlboss. Cut the images and words out of the pages then assemble and glue them to your board. 

Place your board in your office, bathroom, or anywhere else where you'll see it every day. However, if it stays stagnant, it will start to lose its luster, so once a month put it somewhere else in your daily view to keep the #girlboss inside inspired! 

-Understand her-

Have you heard of the Myers-Briggs test? It is a personality test developed to help you make sense of how you perceive yourself and the world around you. As well, the results help you understand how and why you make the decisions that you do. What's more, it's creepily accurate. The most thorough test and results that I have found is from 16personalities.com. The test is free and takes about 10 minutes. The results are a little more in depth and are broken up into a general description of your type, as well as workplace and relationship habits. This test is a small but impactful way to understand the #girlboss inside you better and learn how to love her more. You may also learn your weaknesses and where you can target your energy to grow in the ways you need to become a more well-rounded individual.

-Nourish her-

Once you've discovered your #girlboss and understand her better, you'll need to feed her. She will not be nourished with food but through knowledge. One of my mentors gave an analogy that has stuck in my mind to this day. He said that people are like cups with little holes on the bottom. Once we fill up, we are constantly dripping and must always replenish, so we never run dry. 

A good example of this is the need for sleep. When we sleep, we get filled up with energy, but as our day goes on our energy seems to disappear until nighttime when we are empty and must go back to sleep to get filled up again. Take a good look at your life; you'll see multiple examples of this leaky cup analogy. The same analogy can be applied to knowledge. Have you ever read an inspiring quote in the morning, then completely forgot about it when evening came? One inspirational quote is not enough to feed your inner #girlboss. You need to be in constant search of fresh content to challenge her, feed her, and inspire her. Read books and blogs, listen to podcasts, and watch videos that inspire her. If you are feeling blah, ask yourself if your #girlboss is nourished, cause chances are she's been neglected and underfed.

-Give her rest-

Lash artists and business owners tend to neglect themselves for the needs and happiness of others. This tendency can be a powerful tool to carry-on through tough situations, but can ultimately lead to adrenal fatigue, physical stress, and pessimism. Like I said in the point above, we are like cups with little holes on the bottom. Our bodies, minds, and souls need rest. If you push yourself to the limits, you can cause damage that will never be repaired. 

Take for example the all-star football player. If he pulls a muscle and neglects his doctor's advice to rest, he may cause further damage and maybe even end up tearing something, which could be an end to his career in sports. Meditation and self-reflection is a powerful tool to use that will give you a better understanding of what your inner #girlboss needs. You can start with this simple exercise to get you going on your path to self-awareness and inner rest.

-Find her friends-

You may have heard the term "misery loves company." Well, guess what, every emotion loves company! People are designed to be in relationships with one another. That's why people feed off other people's energies. When you are around someone who is always complaining or full of anxiety, it usually rubs off on you. The #girlboss inside you is no different. Have you ever spent a lot of time around an individual and noticed that you start using similar words, tones, or even physical gestures as them. 

I discovered this at one of my first jobs; I had a manager who would pinch her nose at random times. After a couple of weeks of training with her, I realized that I had begun to pick up her habit! I wasn't thinking about it; I just started doing it. According to the old proverb, "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." So since we are going to imitate people subconsciously, you may as well surround yourself with people that you want to emulate. Look for people who are killing it in life, relationships, and business. Is there a really successful lash artist in your area that you look up to? Reach out and offer to buy them a coffee to pick their brain. Head to Meetup.com or Chicks Connect and look for other #girlbosses in your area that are searching to get together and share knowledge for personal and professional growth. Your #girlboss inside will know when she's found the connection she's looking for.

Are you inspired yet? I hope you are and that you have fallen more deeply in love with the #girlboss inside of you. For more great content check out our other posts on the Lash Artist Blog and direct your clients over to the Client Blog for info tailored just for them.

Another great opportunity to find support for the #girlboss inside is in our lash extension training classes. Each class is taught by a handpicked #girlboss in the lash world. Once you've completed your eyelash extension training, you will have continued access to your instructor and ability to take free lash refresher courses in the future. Check out our upcoming eyelash extension classes and set up a payment option that works for you and your budget. You can also email training@lashaffair.com for more info.