When one door closes...
I think that it’s safe to say that all of us are aware of how social media can be a tricky platform to navigate, right? I remember in our pre-instagram world when a couple could break up without the whole world finding out at the same time and feeling entitled to share their opinions about it. So I find that I often don't know what to share and when if I'm going through a major transition. I am sure that many of you are aware of a few changes that have been going on with me and, after an unexpected miscommunication with an event announced last week, I think it’s finally time for me to address the elephant in the room. Don’t worry, James and I are not breaking up and the puppy is still a beautiful angel that we’re so excited to call our own fur baby.
Acne without the stigma.
If you know me, you know I love movies. I especially love this time of year when all of the year’s best movies are recognized and the industry that rules the city I live in gets to showcase its most impressive talents. Each aspect of the movie-making process is honored, including the makeup department which is often overlooked as a vital part of the process unless the film includes impressive prosthetics. The film that really got me to notice their makeup departments artistic choices was Lady Bird.
A new kind of resolution
You know that feeling you have when the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve and you feel like you can start anew? That feeling can be awfully intimidating and exhilarating at the same time. To feel the pressure to shed old habits overnight can oftentimes set us up for failure which can eventually lead to shame. This year, I set a new intention. One without the shackling feeling that a resolution may previously have had. The intention was inspired by my last client of the year, Cassie of Candid Health, which is to take things one day at a time. We all have different ways of working through patterns and releasing what needs to be let go and in the past when I would find myself backtracking more than anything if I set a strict resolution up for myself. Like a lot of entrepreneurs, I march to the beat of my own drum and regardless of my work ethic where I could go about a busy schedule with no problem, it was never fulfilling and I would fall back hard to old patterns and escapism. The intention to take things one day at a time for a workaholic like me is the most freeing and self-loving act I can think of at this point in my life.
Becoming attached: Why the rules of dating often apply to my work
When it comes to my relationships with clients it feels like I often have to play by the rules of dating. Over the last decade I feel like I have experienced a non stop rotation of new, existing and returning clients. Every day I get several inquiries about how someone found me and I’m the answer to their skin prayers. I mindfully reply back and then - nothing. Since I have been with my husband for almost 6 years I missed the era of online dating, so I find that I still play a very old school part in courting someone. When a client ghosts me I get confused and think “didn’t you reach out to me?”. I also get broken up with by clients. I find that as strong as my return rate is there are many reasons why some people don’t come back. As an empathetic healer there are a lot of lessons I have to continuously learn again and again because I become heavily invested in each case. Whether a client ghosts me or gives me a very thoughtful reason why they can no longer see me, it still somehow manages to sting. There are many reasons why I think that a service providers clientele continues to evolve. I want to explore what may be holding back from taking the leap you need to trusting the process to finally achieving the skin of your dreams.
Education.
As I continue on my annual reflective journey with my birthday rapidly approaches, a common theme coming up for me in my daily work is one of education. Whether it’s because of the people who reach out to me for my expertise or the time I spend to educate myself on any of my multiple subjects of interest.I spend a lot of time applying the knowledge I have gained during my time as an esthetician that I have just recently started accepting the role of an educator. Yes, I know I don’t have a teaching degree but the basis of my work centers around education. The tricky part about my line of work is that it isn’t always valued as an esteemed profession. As I previously mentioned in my “perception” and “becoming an esthetician” pieces, I had to trust my instinct and ignore the naysayers when I chose this path.
Why I love the dentist
I am one of those people who actually likes going to the dentist. My mom worked at a dentist from when I was 10 to 28 so I basically grew up around the office. It was also my first job assisting around the office so I understood the culture of preventative care which is why I’ve never had a cavity or any oral care issues. When I moved to LA back in 2012 I didn’t have health insurance and could not find a dentist for the life of me. All of a sudden a few years had gone by and I started to notice some plaque on my teeth. I knew that proper oral hygiene is the key to overall good health but months became years and all of a sudden I blinked and found myself 6 years without my teeth getting cleaned professionally. Trust me, I barely admitted it to my mother or myself because I felt so shamed about it. I was relying on my genetically good teeth and ability to always brush my teeth and floss but I knew it wasn’t enough. That is when the incredible Dr. Karla Solis came into my life. I was introduced to her over a year ago and she has brought me back to a place of faith in my oral care because not only does sitting in a dentist chair feel oddly nostalgic and comforting to me but also she’s an incredible holistic dentist. I saw her yesterday and we got to talking about some similarities in our fields and that’s what I want to talk about today.
When the roles reversed...
Last week I had my first session with a health coach and within 10 minutes I was a sobbing mess. Many people may not make the connection of emotion and nutrition but for me the two go hand in hand. I have never really had a beautiful connection with my food even though I love food, cooking and everything about social dining. When you pretty much always feel shitty, are bloated and followed by a case of nausea or diarrhea - you start to dread your next meal. Over the last 5 or 6 years that started to change, and I thank my husband for that. James introduced me to a new style of cooking and meal prepping that I began looking forward to eating together and it’s one of our greatest past times. I finally felt a connection to food unlike I have before. And if you’ve ever eaten with me, you know that I eat well. I’m healthy and gravitate towards options that are balanced and not too heavy. It never mattered to me that my new relationship with food meant that there would be weight gain because I finally felt like I could eat and not suffer.
Sometimes, I'm just off...
Sometimes, I'm just off and this weekend was a reminder of how incredibly uncomfortable that feels. The moon in Virgo and daylight savings reminded me of how even just a simple change to our environment can throw us off in our energy fields. Luckily the solution usually presents itself and we just have to be willing to listen. So instead of spinning with my head cut off I made a few choices to change and I wanted to share them with you for it might inspire you to do the same or just understand where I'm coming from.
Last week, it hit me...
Have you seen La La land yet? Well I've seen it about 4 times now and within the first scene I'm bawling. Mostly because I'm a sucker for musicals but secondly because even though I'm not an actor, I identify with the message of the film so much. In the opening scene there is this song and dance sequence to the song "Another day of sun" that any Los Angeleno will tell you feels very relatable. This city can eat you up and spit you out but then we wake up and do it all over again the next day.
Last week, it hit me...
I was reminded that our first Skin Food Talk was a year ago and I was hit with a wave of emotions. It's not just because of the success of this past year, it's because I had a lot of memories resurface and I realized that this last year taught me how to better cope with the challenges of this life.
FP Escapes Recap; what I learned and what you didn't see
On Saturday, I landed back in LA and was greeted by a fellow passenger with a “good luck”. Though I’m sure the sentiment was very surface, I felt it on a multitude of levels as I awaited assistance to get off of the plane. I guess I should back up a little bit before you all start to worry. The previous Saturday I was on my way to Mexico with Tara for our long awaited trip to Todos Santos for a Free People Escape in which we were going to be hosting our signature Skin Food Talk, a beauty workshop, individual consultations and managing the Tara curated meals for 20+ guests and staff for the next week. We were ready, excited and open for the chance to grow individually and as a partnership. Packed with bikinis and yoga clothes, our day started in the early hours of the morning as we fly to Cabo around 8 am. Our social media feeds were flooded with our friends getting ready for the Women’s Marches in all parts of the world. The FOMO (fear of missing out) started to kick in until we realized that we would be able to hold space for our sisters marching on as we were chosen for this trip for a reason.
All my wedding look details
After my last post I was asked a lot about the specifics of my wedding look. Here is how it came together. I started the day off with 5 minutes of dry brushing with my Pursoma jute dry brush. I put a timer on and slowly worked in an upward fashion, always moving towards my heart and focusing on areas that have cellulite or rough skin. I followed up with Pursoma’s earthbound body mask covering myself completely including my face in a light layer. I meditated as I let the mask absorb for 15 minutes. When I was done I washed off with a hot and cold shower to flush out any toxins. This is a great way to wake up and energize as it gets your lymphatic system moving wonderfully. I drank a ton of water before and after as well to keep me energized.
Staying true to yourself
So I got married over the weekend...
I got engaged in an "unconventional" way and I got married in an "unconventional" way. But who is it really unconventional to? Because I stuck with what felt like the most organic way I could imagine such an important day. Yet I was still met with many questions from the get go about the "whys" of my choices. Everyone becomes an advice giver when it comes to another person's life event, and don't get me wrong, I listen. See here's the thing; I've been doing treatments for a long time and overtime I listened to the thousands of brides, bridesmaids, grooms, and in laws speak of the weddings happening in their lives and I came up with a few of my "when I get married rules". They definitely apply to many other life events as well as the day to day. Here are some tips as to how to stay true no matter what:
becoming an esthetician
When I was 18 I was in college and spiralled into a huge pit of depression. I didn’t gain the freshman 15, I actually lost a significant amount of weight because I had no appetite. No appetite for food, no appetite for socializing, no appetite for life. I struggled to find my identity after high school because I was so involved and busy that I never sat and thought about what I would be once I graduated. I took a lot of safe routes; went to the same college as my sister, became roommates with my best friend since middle school and chose the most generic major I could think of at the time ...
Giving thanks and sharing lessons...
Over the last year I have certainly gained a whole lot to be thankful for. Each individual that has reached out to me for help has taught me something in their own individual way. There is one lesson in particular that I am extremely thankful for. Since this is the season of thanks I wanted to share that lesson with all of you…