When I started skating early on my Mom and Dad focused on Ice Dancing. Each session they would go to I would sit and watch the couples skate patterns on the ice over and over. At the time I thought this form of skating was set aside for "older" people due to the fact not many kids my age ice danced. Most kids started single or pair skating and either due to injury or not cutting it in the other discipline's they turned to dancing. I tried it a few times but for me it just wasn't my thing. Ice Dancing now is one of the premier forms and much more interesting than it was then.
Many kids today look sometimes toward the wrong types of people too get inspiration from. Song lyrics and actions can often times give the wrong message. Studies have shown that video games are good for some individuals to get their brains working in a way that traditional teachings maybe won't work for them. Some will try most anything to get young minds involved or engaged.
When I was in high school I had several great teacher's. One stood out among the rest though. I knew pretty much from a very young age that I was meant to work in business. I can remember going with my mom and grandma to the Podiatrist office and often the office staff would let me play on the machines in the office. For some it would have been just to keep me busy but I truly think I knew then what my path would be.
Throughout high school I always knew who Mrs. Dixon was. She was the young, snappy dresser with the Dorothy Hamill haircut, always a smile on her suntan face. I never heard a negative comment when her name was mentioned. When I decided to go in the direction of business I hoped I would have her as a teacher. My junior year I was lucky enough to do so. Always the positive and energetic soul she mentored all her "young ladies" to the best of her abilities. Always being positive, engaging, and willing to go the extra mile for you if you produced great work abilities. She recommended me for my first job during high school and motivated every young lady to take civil service exams. Many of her girls went on to big things.
Several years ago I read an article about mentoring and those who influenced you in your life. The first person who came to mind was Mrs. Dixon (I still can't call her by her first name even after all these years). I contacted someone through, surprise Facebook that until that time had not been aware that she also attended our high school. She has since retired and enjoys retirement, family and grandchildren. I asked this contact if she saw her to pass along my address so that I could "thank her". To this day we keep in contact each year. I always enjoy hearing from her and remember my days being mentored by her fondly.
I recently took on a project to help an organization on social media engage more with other generations. My first contact was a young girl who had an interesting new idea to start a mobile hair salon. We conversed back and forth on Facebook and I was as enthusiastic as she was about getting a business like this started in our town. She is motivated, kind, and although she has went through struggles just like any other young person, she doesn't let it get her down. She is definitely a breath of fresh air. I admire that she is trying to do something different in a town that doesn't often except differences.
We talk, and keep in contact and I hope that her dreams become realities. As I have told her every business goes through trials and tribulations. Even though other than being in salons and having friends who have been stylists that is as far as my knowledge of hair goes. Other than right now as I get older it does things I don't often want it to do. I have told her some experiences that any business can go through and hope that she will be able to feel she can ask me anything and I will be honest with her.
Time will tell but I hope I can say someday that I may have had a little bit to do with mentoring her in a Long Lasting Career!
New Member, Sedalia Business Women Nicole Vallery and myself. (Photo courtesy of Linda Fisher)
2 comments:
Love this post for a couple of different reasons. First, I used to not care for ice dancing at all. When I was watching nationals, I realized that I appreciate and enjoy it much more than I ever did. It made me think of Aunt Nita who adored ice dancing. Second, I want to commend you on mentoring our young members that you found via Facebook. Nichole's idea is so innovative and I hope she has great success with it.
Yes Ice Dancing has changed probably the most in all the skating disciplines and sometimes hard to see the difference between it and pair skating. Do many of the same lifts and moves now more than ever. I hope she succeeds too. Told her it won't be easy but business isn't easy, no matter what avenue you go down.
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