We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alyssa Swank a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alyssa , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Often the greatest growth and the biggest wins come right after a defeat. Other times the failure serves as a lesson that’s helpful later in your journey. We’d appreciate if you could open up about a time you’ve failed.
There have been many times I convinced myself that I was a failure. I have struggled with my mental health during my twenties, and it continued to get worse until I sought out correct help. I almost gave up on my business. I thought that work was the issue, but now I understand that the real issues were so far beyond my business and work life. Since that time I have been been working every single day, in many different ways, on my own personal healing journey. I can see now that my career is such a positive thing in my life- as I am able to connect with so many beautiful people and doing hair is a creative outlet for me.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I did not ever have a solid plan after highschool. During middle school and high school I would try different colors and perms on friends (probably a bad idea) and do hair for school dances, braiding for sports and of course experimenting with my own hair (again, bad idea). After I graduated from my hometown, I thought I wanted to get far away and go to a bigger city. I looked into a few different careers in criminal justice but I knew that those options would take years to get a degree. I always had cosmetology in the back of my mind but I was afraid to really take the leap. One day I decided to go tour a cosmetology school, and I enrolled that day. It was the best decision I have ever made and I am extremely proud of myself for taking the step, and completing the program. The classes were in the evenings. I would work first shift and then go straight to school afterwards. It was hard. There were many moments I questioned if the exhaustion was worth it. In the end, it was worth everything. I had worked in a few chain salons the first 4 years I was a stylist. Then I managed a salon. Managing a salon was challenging and rewarding, and also helped me dictate what I wanted from my career and what I did not. I ended up in a chair rental salon in my small hometown, and shortly after that I went on my own to start my single chair salon- Wild Honey Hair Studio. I work close to my hometown, I realized that I am not a big city girl after all. I see many familiar faces, but still meet new people almost daily. I focus on color services and bridal styling, but my salon is still full service and I enjoy trying new things.
The biggest and most important thing I want for my clients is to feel safe in my chair. Now that we are in a private space with no distraction, I feel that my clients have opened up and are able to feel relaxed during their services more than they have before. I love to make people feel beautiful. I love to hear their stories. I love everything about what I am doing, and I feel that where I am now has always been my purpose.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I shared previously that I have struggled with my mental health, which I can say undoubtedly was the worse it had ever been at the beginning of this year. After years and years of trying to cope on my own, In January I reached out for help. My anxiety was so terrible that I was having panic attacks all day every day for weeks. In turn, I was depressed. I felt like there was no way I could get better. I thought I was going to lose everything. My relationships, my business. Everything. Then comes resilience. I asked for help. Now, almost a year later, I can’t even recognize that version of myself. I have grown in every single aspect and I am not finished. My anxiety is in control. I am happy. I have started doing things I enjoy without crippling fear. Integrating self love/care has been life changing. I join yoga classes, spend time in nature, craft, read and journal. I spend time with loved ones. I have created boundaries between my personal life and work life. I feel that I show resilience every single day that I show up for myself. If I show up for myself, I can show up everyday for my family, friends, and clients.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
The biggest lesson I have had to unlearn is perfectionism. Absolutely nothing is perfect. I accept that I am a human who sometimes makes mistakes. I practice giving myself grace in those situations that I used to believe I was a failure.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/wildhoneyhairstudio?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=cf2c547e-868e-4c99-a366-5dc8091add89
- Instagram: wildhoney_hairstudio
- Facebook: Facebook.com/wildhoneyhairstudio
Image Credits
BK Photography LLC