I’m sorry but I am going to have a BIG moan this week !!
I really love what I do, in fact I have had many job’s in retail, bar’s, office (yuk) a nanny, vegi van going round festivals, but I discovered my true potential whilst traveling and I have never regretted my choice of career.
Being self-employed though can be tough, for example, when I first started 15 years ago, complementary health was seen more as a fluffy, pampering experience and therefore I was lucky if I made £100 a month, which actually was worth a lot more back then!! Nowadays I have gained a huge client base and have much more experience so therefore can earn more! But, what has really been a concern from anyone who is self-employed, whether as a therapist, trades person, consultant is that when thinking of a holiday, falling ill, it is not without consequences. You see if I don’t work I don’t get paid!! I do have to think about holidays and I am lucky that I can honestly say it is rare that I get sick although have had 2 hernia ops this year and the reason for my second was because I came back to work too quickly and caused another one, because I did not rest enough and went back to massage after 10 days! Again though I had to work because I don’t get sick pay!
So, why am I telling you all this, well the last couple of weeks, I have been incensed by extremely rude people. This has happened to me as well as a lot of therapists, who still have to pay room rent for the hours they book out, yet mostly new clients, book an appointment, yet don’t show up. How rude, no phone call to apologies, no offer to pay the therapist, even though the therapist is out of pocket for having to pay for that time slot, myself included I hasten to add. Most clients are employed, get sick pay, holiday pay, paternity pay and the list goes on! I find it really discourteous and really annoying that this is happening.
I would not change my job for millions of pounds, sitting behind a desk, getting a bonus, sick pay, holiday pay because I know that I have a career that suits who I am and nor am I envious of these people, nor resent them. What I do resent is the basic rudeness of people who do not treat others how they should be treated and think it does not matter not to show up to an appointment! Please if you are reading this and you have done this, next time show more respect for the people who choose to be inventive and go it alone!
On a random note, Margaret my receptionist is always inspired by what I eat and cook. She thinks I could tell people what I will be cooking this evening. I do cook every night, I don’t have a microwave and all my food is fresh!! So, tonight, even though I think it’s quite boring to share, it’s grilled fish, steamed veg and new potatoes! With a sprinkle of home made herb salt on the veg once on the plate, yum! Claire