Very frightened and out of my depth

[redhead]

could anyone please tell me if they felt like packing it all in at any point? I have recently moved colleges as the one I was at wasnt very organised, although I did really enjoy the social side, some absolutely ace people there. I didnt go to make friends as such I went to learn to cut hair. I now feel as though I have just stared the course as everyone else seems to know wha they are doing and are working on clients. I think I am actually suffering from something like stage fright. When I was asked to do a client i literally froze and thought I was going to be sick. I really want to finish the course, but I dont feel like I will ever be able to do a client. I actually broke down today and cried. Has anyone out there suffered this badly with nerves, or should I just give it up as a lost cause. :cry::cry:

 

[hartey]

Hi, Cant comment on your situation, but will give you mine.

Many moons ago i was part of the artistic team for the N.H.F, we were doing shows all over the country from glasgow to newport, any way it came around to the local event, 5 miles from where i live, the shows were running slick, we all new what to do, when to do it, and when to improvise, right up untill the opening show in my area, where i get on stage and then get presented and about to start my cut, which i had done hundreds of times over numerous public shows, and just froze, didnt no where to start the cut, how to start the script even!!

All I could do, in front of hundreds of Professional hairdressers, was say, ERMMM, ERMMM, and after a long wait, my boss stepped in!

So if I can get over that................


Just BELEIVE in yourself...

P.S I have gone on to work with Lee Stafford and Stacy Broughton, and run a successful salon of my own!

 

[LindaHR]

What a lovely response from hartey. I have never experienced what you two have but I would echo her advice to believe in yourself and push through. I have a background in counselling and helping people get through issues and problems.
Barriers are meant to be crashed through and you can ask for help from others to support you in doing that. Remember that however bad you feel it IS only feelings and not actually life threatening! Lol.
Regarding the 'freeze' one of the best ways of dealing with such things I believe is to face it down. Inside your head just speak out 'No matter what happens I'm doing this cut and I'm doing it now and I'm doing it well so BRING IT ON!'
You will be surprised at how this can release the stress situation and free you to carry on as normal.
Blessings on your efforts and let us know how things progress.

And hey....I'm from Leeds. Well Morley and Gildersome just outside. So remember you're a Yorkshire lass and we've all got some good old Yorkshire grit in us. Makes us tough.
I've gone over to the other side and am living with the soft southerners (just joking) but I've still got that habit of frankness ...calling a spade a spade, you know....and it sometimes disconcerts my southern friends and colleagues. Lol.

xx

 

[sarahpoppy24]

Hello. No you are not a lost cause, you are obviously getting into a panic. Have you got a good relationship with your tutor. Maby ask if you can have a quiet word with her, to re assure you. Another think is are you in a salon at all? Maby you could go and do a day in one even if its just as a volunteer ever other saturday or something, so you can get confident with the clients, if you are doing shampoos, for example, you will get to know the feel of working on the public with out doing a challenging thing like a cut. Also you can watch and learn from the other stylists, a great way to learn! Then you can get a realy feel for the work with people and become confident. Hope this helps you x

 

[blush09]

it took me several months to get over my fear of doing bridal makeup .. i used to feel sick when i woke on the morning of the wedding, i think it was the pressure of knowing the bride was relying on me to make her look her best - then i just had to remind myself why i did the training in the first place, took myself back to the time i worked in a boring office day dreaming of becoming a mua, just got on with it in the end .. you'll get there, and the more compliments you get the more your confidence will grow, and the fear will eventually disappear x

 

[coops]

I remember very clearly the fear you described. When I was an apprentice and I knew I had people booked in I was ok as I had time to prepare myself but if there was walk-ins I would be so, so scared, many times I had to make them wait while I was throwing up in the toilet and most days I would walk to work crying at the thought of a last minute client. I used to look at the stylists in awe at how relaxed they were with clients and how easy they seemed to make it all look. And my boss wasn't very sympathetic, she literally told me to get over myself and get on with it! Turned out that was the best advice I received, I wanted to do hair so much I knew I just had to push past the fear. It was so difficult but I made myself approach people, before if someone came into the salon I would hide doing the towels, or decide the toilet needed cleaning or something ridiculous but once I realised how responsive people are to a big smile and a nice welcome my confidence grew. I've also found that all those people who seem so confident have had to work at it too. I think you asking about this just shows how committed you are to improving and with a bit of practice you'll be fine. Xx

 

[Aiden]

A few years ago one of my young trainees went home crying because she was struggling to master a certain haircut. I knew that she would learn it and do it well because she cared that much, she had passion, interest, the will to achieve and succeed. She certainly did master it and although she has moved on I think of her still as my best trainee ever. One of the trickiest things within a salon is to introduce newly qualified stylists to your clients. They have seen her as an assistant for so long. This particular trainee was accepted remarkably quickly.
So what I am saying is your fear shows that you care and have the drive to want to succeed, you want to do well. It is not a bad thing to be afraid. Keep on striving to do your best.