I once spent a night as a New Orleans shot girl.
Here’s why I didn't finish my first shift.
It was Spring 2006, a few months after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city.
I had just finished my first job at a DC think tank. And while I knew I wanted to make a difference, I had no idea what I wanted to do in life. The only thing I knew for sure was that I craved adventure. So I volunteered to help with the cleanup.
That's how I ended up working at the Famous Door, a bar on Bourbon Street.
My goal was to earn some money and meet new people. Bars aren’t my usual scene, but I wanted an adventure, and this opportunity seemed like a fun experience to try.
As a shot girl, my job was simple:
Serve cheap, watered-down drinks to semi-drunk guys. Truthfully, we weren’t selling booze, but flirtation. It was a world of fleeting connections, fueled by liquid courage.
As the music filled the air, I felt a growing sense of unease.
Deep down, I knew something wasn't right. But I ignored it and told myself it was just part of the experience. So I danced, flirted, and sold a lot of alcohol.
Two hours into my shift, a customer pulled me aside.
"What are you doing here?" he asked. I shrugged and offered him a shot. But he persisted, looking straight into my eyes, he said, "Seriously, what are you doing here? This isn't where you belong."
His words hit me hard and sent a chill up my spine. It was as if he embodied my own intuition, speaking directly to me. I promptly went upstairs and quit.
***
Reflecting on the experience, I learned an important spiritual principle:
Contrast.
You see, we have the power to shape our realities. Our thoughts play a crucial role in creating our worlds. Sometimes, life gives us situations different from what we actually want, to help us refine what we truly desire.
Before working at the bar, I wasn't really sure what adventure meant.
But the experience helped me discover its personal meaning to me. It showed me something totally different from what I wanted. It helped me see that adventure isn't just about fleeting, flirty connections. Instead, I could find warmth, meaning, and purpose in it.
Experiencing contrast helps us make choices with awareness.
When we recognize what doesn't resonate, we can focus more on things that match our values and goals better.
So, if you ever find yourself in an uncomfortable situation, remember that there is a purpose behind it. It may be a gentle nudge to point you toward greater clarity and focus.
Should we work together?
Hi, I’m Tiffany May Yan Chan, and I work with extraordinary leaders on the spiritual path. When I’m not writing, I teach visionaries how to trust their intuition and take courageous action. If you’re interested, apply to work 1:1 and we’ll jump on a call and see if we’re a good fit.