In 1978 the movie musical Grease came out and it was the hottest movie around. It is the only movie I have ever seen more than 3 times (I think I saw it at least 10 times while it was still in the theater – and yes, I still know the words to every song… #DontJudge) It was a story of teen romance, mistakes and missing the mark, all while having the time of their lives. I don’t know if you saw it then, or have seen it now, but #NationalBeauticiansDay, reminded me of a muscial scene in the movie called Beauty School Dropout.

Frenchie, who dropped out of high school to go to Beauty School, now has to admit to her friends, that she also dropped out of Beauty School. In honor of National Beautician’s Day, and to honor Frenchie and her misguided passion of the week, I thought I would share a little about my background and how I was a Beauty School Dropout too…

Without going into all the details, I will say there were some challenges in my relationship with my parents. I knew I wasn’t who they wanted me to be and although I had tried really hard in the past, I didn’t feel like I measured up. I always felt like I was Not Good Enough. The one thing I knew is that having me at home wasn’t making any of us closer, or happier. It was just easier on all of us if I stayed away as often as I could. After I got my drivers license, I came up with a plan.

I was going to Beauty School…

Probably not for the reason you think. Yes, there was the fact that knowing how to do hair and makeup had advantages plus the opportunity for me to make some extra money if I needed it. But, the real reason for me meant freedom. It was part of the ROP – Regional Occupational Program, which provides technical job training for juniors and seniors. That meant the hours counted as an elective for high school credit and I could graduate early. Graduating early meant, moving out, and that was where my focus was.

The program was 1600 hours to get your cosmetology license and after the first six weeks or so, I realized that completing this program in 3-4-hour increments, it was going to take me more than a year to finish! That was not part of my master plan and, like Frenchie, I became a Beauty School Dropout…

Well, kind of… I will explain the rest in a minute.

When people don’t believe in us, we are afraid they will judge us if we take the leap, and it doesn’t work out as planned. We get embarrassed or ashamed having to admit that “they were right”, we were Not Enough. That is a lie that the Bully wants you to believe (read Evict the Bully in Your Head if you want the simple solution to kick ‘em to the curb!) Frenchie felt Shame about sharing this with her friends and it’s no wonder when you hear the lyrics of Beauty School Dropout that Frankie Avalon sang to Frenchie. (Click here to watch the video) Here is an excerpt to give you the idea:

Your future’s so unclear now, what’s left of your career now,
can’t even get a trade in on your smile… (that’s inspiring)

Beauty School dropout, no graduation day for you,
Beauty School dropout, missed your midterms and flunked shampoo… (Wow!)

(and then my personal favorite slam…)
Baby get movin, why keep your feeble hopes alive.
What are you provin, you’ve got the dream but not the drive. (Ouch!)

In all fairness, Frankie was trying to get Frenchie to go back to high school, but with encouragement like that, is it any wonder that people are afraid to reach for their Dreams? Are we surprised that people hide behind FEAR instead of stepping out and giving something a try? Don’t get me wrong, I think everyone needs to finish high school. It teaches you stamina, problem solving skills, communication skills and to be strong in the face of adversity. But, living your Dreams should never be criticized or demeaned. On the flip side, if you are mature enough to live the life of your Dreams, you need to be able to accept rational questions from well-meaning people.

In this case, for Frenchie, her original plan of dropping out of high school for Beauty School hadn’t panned out. But that doesn’t mean she should crawl back to her family and friends with her tail between her legs. Better to give it a go and realize you need to Course Correct, than it is to find yourself at 40 or 50 or 60 in a career you’ve always hated.

So, let’s get back to me…

I didn’t actually drop out. I made what I call in Direct Selling 201, A Course Correction. I spoke to my teachers about my goals and came up with an alternative plan. Getting a manicuring license would only take 400 hours and the time I had already invested would count towards that new goal. I could still graduate early with a skill that I would use, could make money at if I needed to and I didn’t quit. I was brave enough not to be prideful and torture myself, but I made the informed decision to change direction.

The point is that when we want something, we will look for ways to make it happen. When you use the HCI (How Can I) Method, it opens windows to possibilities that your mind was previously closed to. I went to Beauty School on the way to getting what I wanted… what about you? What did you do, or could you do, to move yourself forward toward your goals? There are always going to be obstacles in your way, or people trying to derail your Dreams, but when you believe in yourself and are committed to success… watch out world!

If you’ve read my books, you know it all turned out pretty well for me… but I also had to make plenty more Course Corrections and I am not embarrassed or ashamed of them. So National Beautician’s Day is a day to take a tip from Frenchie… reach for your Dreams, but don’t be afraid to Course Correct. Honor yourself by staying committed to what you want in life. Use your Dreams to fuel your progress. They are precious and valuable and should never be taken for granted!

If you haven’t checked out the #12Books12Months series, I hope you do. It is my passion project on helping people become the best version of themselves. Book #8 comes out on July 12, 2019, OWN IT! How to Step Up and Stand Out! I hope you will join us here for the launch party!

Until next week,

Dream it, Believe it, Achieve it – Vicki