What Do You Do for The Fun of It? Everyone has something they do purely for the fun of doing it. Whether it’s reading, singing, running, watching your favorite sports’ teams, going to national parks, swimming, and the list goes on.
Hello friends, I’m Kati Whitledge, the founder of Be Inspired Salon. Welcome back to the Be Inspired blog where our goal is to inspire, inform, and include you.
When I was four years old, my older siblings reached an age where their sports and extracurricular activities took up a fair amount of time. My parents were taking them to either a football practice or a volleyball game. And since I was so much younger, I would stay with my grandma and grandpa.
My grandma Fran was iconic to me. She was the most stylish, generous, loving, and confident woman. I found out that when she was younger, she lived in California and was a nail technician at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Among her clients were the Gabor sisters! Once, she shared how Clark Gable used to pull up and pick up his dates from the hotel. How cool is that?! Well, needless to say, Grandma Fran had quite the impact on me.
Every Friday we would drive from their country home into Portage, Wisconsin, and we’d get our hair done at the Precision Hair Designers. Grandma Fran would either be getting a perm or a weekly roller-set and style. She would always treat me to a hairstyle service too. Because of this I’ve tried many hairstyles throughout the years. I even went through the classic 1980s perm phase!
Grandma Fran and I did this for the fun of it. It became our thing. Who knew that going to the beauty salon with her would influence my life and vocation?
Beauty Salons are Magical
The magic that happens at a beauty salon far exceeds the cool Instagram photo we get to post following a new balayage color and haircut. It transcends the superficial. There’s a unique feeling we get when we see others around us experience the joy of a fresh hairstyle. The happiness displayed on the faces of the team members who passionately perform each service with joy, love, and care. The special feeling of community where even though we don’t know the people in the stylists’ chairs around us—we feel like we’re a part of the same neighborhood. There’s truly nothing quite like it!
Grandma Fran is no longer with us but I think of her often. I remember the many life lessons she taught me. She spoke truth and life into me. I knew that I could do anything I dreamed of and anything I was willing to work hard for. Who knew I could work hard at something I used to do for the fun of it?
Stylists don’t typically choose to do hair because it’s a strategic career path that equips them with a modern skill set for our current market. No, we do it for the fun of it. And it is an honor to get compensated for our passion.
As you navigate through a new season and a new year. What is it that you do for the fun of it? What brings substantial fulfillment to your heart and soul? May this be the year you are able to more of what you love, and more—just for the fun of it.
Until next time,
Stay Strong.
