THE IMPORTANCE OF INTEGRITY

In a world where chaos continuously permeates society (ex: corona apocalypse 2020), integrity is the thread that helps us maintain hope while inspiring change and building trust. Having integrity doesn’t make you perfect or better than anyone else, but it does inspire empathy and kindness which I believe we all appreciate. Only through honesty, loyalty, and personal conviction to our epistemic beliefs can we build and provide a solid foundation for growth for ourselves and others.

When I began my barber journey, it was because I wanted to break free and embrace who I was and how I wanted to connect with and impact others in a positive way. I needed and sought out a setting where I had the freedom to explore my personal truth as well as my creativity to materialize my goals and as I began to cultivate my higher self. Holding myself accountable was the first step in ensuring that the services I provide my clients and the impact I have on them is a direct reflection of who I am as a person. I must uphold and maintain those standards and lead by example. You must be the change you want to see, and people will begin to see, experience, and adapt to the environment you’ve created; These are the things you have power over. People will feel & appreciate what you’ve created and if your position is one of integrity your passion and trustworthiness will serve as a reflection of that integrity.

As a barber, how can I provide what’s best for my clients? This is such a powerful question. Show them the growth you’ve accomplished through exercising your integrity, do your best to consistently provide a safe, welcoming environment where you can build trust with your clients, and they can express themselves freely? I want my clients to feel excited about their visit and confident when they leave my chair, I want the whole experience to set the tone for the rest of their day. Creating an environment that allows others the freedom to express and explore who they are and what they want to reflect to the world helps them remember that the reflection in the mirror was always the same. I just came along to help it shine in high resolution like an impressionist painter.

Only through integrity can we be molded into the best and brightest versions of ourselves. Life happens in real time, and duality is part of the human condition. None of us are 100% of the time, but you have the power in deciding how you inspire others to feel when they’re sitting in your chair. Nurture those around you and remind them through your actions that they are safe, give them the gifts of respect, honesty, and dependability to create loyalty and support good judgment. Use your integrity to change conflicts and hardships into breakthroughs and make others feel seen through open mindedness. It’s how you carry yourself and what you present to the world, but to do that you must become the person you want to experience in your chair.