You ARE Beyoncé- Imposter Syndrome

A simple Google reveals the following:
NOUN
imposter syndrome (noun)
1. the persistent inability to believe that one's success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one's own efforts or skills.
"people suffering from impostor syndrome may be at increased risk of anxiety

Scrolling through my Facebook and Instagram feed late at night I can’t help but feel down, there are so many salons and amazingly talented people out there, doing perfect work, in beautifully styled salons, with stunningly attractive clients who send perfect selfies for a shout-out and tag. Everything is so highly stylised and on-brand these days you can’t help but feel inadequate. We don’t see the 79 photos that were deleted to get that one perfect shot! Or the technician huffing and puffing angrily as they play with lighting angles trying to get that perfect shadow for a moody pic to go with their monochrome Instagram feed.

All this is happening while I run an award-winning Russian Volume Salon, well know in my area and all of Melbourne as one of the premier Russian Volume locations, offer accredited online and in-salon Russian Volume Training, run a highly successful team, and Im making profits after years of working very hard to reap the rewards.
So why am I NOT the only lash artists in Australia, (and all the world) united in lying awake at night scrolling and comparing ourselves to others while we ourselves are out there smashing goals too?
You ARE Beyoncé dammit!
The answer is “Imposters Syndrome” and the trend is growing.
This is the feeling that you are somehow below others in the field, or maybe don’t have much to bring to the table. “I don’t know that much, no one should listen to me” is something I often hear from my students or budding lash artists I mentor, I myself often think this too.
The fact of the matter is everyone has something to bring to the table. The reason for that is because we all have our own experience and pre-conceived ideals which affect what we see. I have used my past to help greatly educate my students at the Lashes On Point Academy and fellow lash technicians on my IGTV on Instagram with free educational content (shameless plug).

An example is years ago I was lashing 24/7 (as we all tend to do when we are young and dumb trying to grow a company), my back/shoulders was the first thing to go, due to improper posture, lack of self-care and exercise, coupled basically sticking my head in the sand thinking I was young and could do EVERYTHING. What happened was a series of cluster migraines so bad that it nearly ended my career before it had even really begun.

I didn’t see this blip on the radar as anything much to mention, until I took part in the recent 24hr Lash Conference as one of 48 lash leaders around the world, each of us giving a 30minute talk about one aspect of the lash industry. Mine was “Posture- The Killer of a Lash Artist”, I used my experience and knowledge to help educate and inspire. I have had many technicians reach out to me since with similar stories, this was a topic I didn’t even realise needed addressing until I was asked to speak.

But was this hard, painful time of cluster migraines, drug cocktails and darkened rooms seen on my Instagram and Facebook feed? No of course not, all you see is my shiny salon, with myself and my amazing team pumping out high quality boutique sets of Russian Volume. Not the fact that I now see an Osteopath weekly, train 5 out of 7 days to strengthen and support my back, and stretch for about 15min every night before bed- let’s not mention the large box of migraine specific “just-in-case” meds hidden in my bathroom at home.

So remember next time you look through a highly stylised feed of colour co-ordinated, on-brand lash perfection- that Facebook and Instagram is the highlight real of our businesses. We all have something to offer and our input is valuable. Don’t think that you are an Imposter trying to sneak in through the back door because you have just started out.
Too many lash companies to list have stunning feeds that we all drool over, but there are people behind those feeds just like you. Don’t ever feel like you don’t fit in- simply create your own category and shine bright there! We will all cheer you on.

Love Nina Andrews from Lashes On Point Salon xx