Being saved by a customer with just a single word as a hairdresser

Hello, I'm just an ordinary hairdresser.

When you've been a hairdresser for a long time, you end up having long-term customers you've been seeing for over 10 or 15 years.

And because of that, I have so many memories with so many different people.

This time, I'd like to share a story about a wonderful male customer in his 30s whom I met when I was in my late 20s!

Back then, I belonged to a company with quite a lot of staff, and I thought,
I don't want to lose to anyone around me. I'm going to work harder than anyone else and become an unbelievably amazing stylist!!!
I threw myself into my work with that kind of intense, aggressive energy,
and before I knew it,
I was in a position of some responsibility, so I was living an incredibly busy life.

It's not a preferred practice these days, but I would finish the haircut and then disappear somewhere,
leaving the subsequent services like hair coloring to be passed on to someone else.
I was just spinning around, going from one customer to the next.

I had no time to eat or take a break,
working extremely hard, yet my salary didn't go up, and I was burdened with responsibilities and management tasks.
I was a typical workaholic, I suppose.
But I believed that something might come of this in the future,
and while searching for my own goals, I just kept working as a hairdresser in a frantic, headlong rush.

Even so, the communication I had with customers in those short windows of time was very enjoyable,
and as my number of repeat clients grew, I felt very fulfilled, and it was during that time that...

That wonderful man in his 30s said to me,
"I'm being transferred to a regional area starting next month, so today will be the last time."

Stories like this are common.

Moving, transfers, marriage.
In everyone's life, the places we live are always changing.
But still, I couldn't help but feel sad.

I got along well with that man, and we would talk about things like the best ways to travel,
interesting places we'd been, experiences we'd had,
and even about the various troubles he faced as a manager at work.

Everything I heard from him was a learning experience, and he was like an older brother to me.
But that was coming to an end.

But people sometimes meet again somewhere, someday,
so I worked on his hair with all my heart, thinking,
I hope we can meet again! Please take care! 🥺

As we were saying our final goodbyes, instead of the usual flow where we both end with "Thank you very much," he suddenly said,

"I know things are tough, but have confidence and keep doing your best."

Just like that.

I still feel like crying when I remember those words, and I can't express how much they saved me.

Honestly, I don't know how much meaning was packed into those words.

When you're in an organization, with pressure from above, the eyes of those below, and the need to navigate situations skillfully, you're constantly living in a state where your nerves are stretched to the breaking point every single day.

When I received those words, it was the first time I had shed tears since becoming a working adult.

Perhaps it was because I was always working in such a rush,
or maybe they had been watching me and had some thoughts about it,
or perhaps they sensed the desperation I couldn't hide on my end.
For me, at a time when I hadn't received words of encouragement from anyone,
that single word was so kind and so heartening.

I am so glad I chose this profession.
Thanks to that, I am still working as a hairdresser today!
This is one story of such a wonderful encounter and farewell.

Thank you very much 😊

It was a long piece of writing,
but thank you for reading until the end!