by Rebecca Turner, Age 44, London UK
I love my job. I work as a beauty advisor in a busy, well-respected health and beauty store in the centre of London. It is an incredible and great learning ground for me.
Every interaction shows me something, and can either energize me or drain me.
This has been shown to me recently in a very clear way since attending one of the Esoteric Women’s Groups hosted by Sara Williams in London. The question was put to us “What is in the Way?”. The question in this context meant:
What is in the way of us being the beautiful amazing women that we naturally are?
I shared in my group that I often feel despondent and resentful that the store where I work has become very lenient towards customers regarding a certain policy, and that when I join in with this lenience I don’t feel good about myself, or the situation at all. As well as not feeling good about myself I am aware that this lenience does not serve the customers either, in that they are left to believe that they can do whatever they like without feeling and recognizing the consequences of their actions and choices.
The policy is there for a very good reason. I have tried in the past to enforce this policy, but this is only met with more force coming back at me, which results in a fight. I have also tried saying it apologetically, which doesn’t work either, as then I am already holding myself as less than them and handing them all the power. And I have tried doing nothing at all and blaming the company for being lenient and pretending to myself that there is nothing I can do.
After attending the Esoteric Women’s Group
I was feeling more of my inner beauty and amazingness, and felt particularly graceful at work the next day. I was able to meet customers with that grace, and when presented with moments where said policy was required I found myself meeting the customer as an equal, looking them straight in the eyes, and lovingly and gracefully stating the policy without any guilt, apology or defensiveness. The result was that the customers, although obviously upset, accepted what I was saying, and left the situation without a fight and without questioning.
After these interactions I could feel a gentle but strong sense of self and a warm flow of energy throughout my body and yes, I did feel very good about myself… though not pumped up in victory, just a sense that I had simply done the true thing. Very different to the drained and resentful feeling of previous encounters which left me feeling empty and with a sense of wanting to give up.
So how did this affect my working environment?
Well, later on in the day I observed one of my colleagues do exactly the same thing. She had watched me deal with a few customers earlier on, and mirrored my approach and experienced the same results.
From this I can feel that it is possible to boost staff morale and the energy of the working environment, simply by standing for what is true by feeling what is right for me and then acting on it – not in a forceful way, but in a gentle and loving way.
By standing by myself with this love I am able to feel more of my amazing beauty, and inspire others to do the same.
This is not about demonising or demoralising customers! This is about meeting people with truth, allowing them to feel the reality of this, and giving them an opportunity to take responsibility for themselves. If I play it small and let things slide then what is the knock-on effect for everyone around me?… Probably a world where everyone remains small and is nowhere near experiencing their own inner beauty.
The Esoteric Women’s Groups constantly inspire me to be more of who I am, thereby giving others an opportunity to be inspired by me. Isn’t this how we can change the world?!