Vacation for Education

Like most self-employed groomers, I don't take many "real" vacations - almost all trips are somehow business or dog related.  But that's okay!  Not that I don't enjoy time away from it all, but I am also more than happy to spend a few weekends here and there to learn more about my trade.  I'm all about continuing education!  It's so important for professionals to keep up to date with new developments in their fields, and there is always more to learn.  Grooming is an especially high burnout career, so taking time to refresh your knowledge and network with other pet pros is preventative medicine.  Conventions can stimulate the mind, rest the body, and soothe the soul.

Now, much as I love going to the trade shows and seminars, I do unfortunately have tendencies towards being a homebody, along with that definite shy streak, which subsequently gets worse the more I stay home. :-p  It has also become more difficult to travel now with all my allergies; packing food & supplements, finding acceptable restaurants, not to mention dealing with flareups - not fun away from home.  Plus the fact that all this travel costs money.  Hey, believe me, I could keep coming up with excuses!  But the truth is, valid as they are, there is no excuse good enough to get out of it.  Continuing education is simply necessary for the conscientious professional.  There are several forms of it, but conventions remain the best.  So I deal with it all - I designate funds for education & travel expenses (all tax deductible), I deal with the hassle of living with allergies, and I suck up social anxiety and make myself deal with that.  Besides, the enjoyment of learning new things outweighs all of those.  Oh, I still stress out, but it's worth it! :-)

Every year I make it a point to attend the New England Pet Grooming Professionals convention, along with any other seminars I can get to.  Last year was fairly busy for me, with a total of five (mostly local) workshops/seminars/conventions, up from four in '06, and previous averages of two or three per year.  And it looks like I may beat my record once again in 2008...  at the NEPGP 2007 Fall Festival, I won the door prize - a package of free entry to seven grooming shows!  Wow!  I was in total shock.  The entire memory remains hazy.  But it definitely was not a dream - I have the certificates to prove it! LOL  What an incredible opportunity.  I hope I prove myself worthy of such a gift.  While I won't be able to make it to every show (a couple are just too far or have conflicting schedules) I'll still be traveling more and further than ever before.  And quite likely getting on a plane for the first time in my life!  I'll tell you what, I'll be putting Rescue Remedy to the test on that trip! ;-)

So begins the year of new experiences and higher learning...