It's been good minute since I've written on my blog (6 years) but as you can see, I'm back. So much has happened, I have no idea on where to begin. Life has been life-ing and honestly, I've been riding the wave. I've fallen off a few times but needless to say, I'm still here. As a Pisces Rising, I have no choice but to swim. It's a SNOW DAY and I had to cancel a full day's work, looks like tomorrow is done as well. Grab your teacup ladies. It's cold outside and the tea is "Freshly Brewed".
I guess I can start with the closing of my Salon Elliptical Naturals back in 2021. And I'm not talking about the "surface reason" I've publicly shared. I'm talking about the reasons within the reason. It's a real responsibility when trying to hold down a commission salon, be a mom, wife and see about your own health and well-being. It wasn't easy however I will say those 10 years were action packed! I learned so much in those years. Perfecting my craft, learning how to actually operate a commission salon in compliance with IRS, state board, etc. Creating an environment for me, my clients and the stylist was challenge but I think I pulled it off pretty good. The statistics have shown most new businesses don't last past the first 2 years. I worked so hard to make sure this would not be the fate of my salon. Did I have something to prove...YES! I had to prove to myself that no matter what you are going to live the dream I've had since I was a child, and I did it!! Now the behind the scenes was a different kind of "something". My "behind the chair" tea blend is packed with crazy clients, sneaky stylists, car break-ins, backstabbing, sexual misconduct and more. It will have you shaking your damn head at how salon ownership is not for the weak. Setting boundaries especially in business, started to become easy until I realized as I built one, others were falling.
I was so excited to give being a salon owner a rest and try my hand in something new. So, when I closed December 2021, I was ready to start a new journey in the area of my Spiritual Boutique. Make no mistake and don't confuse this with religion. I unsubscribed from organized religion back in 2016, or somewhere around there and I haven't viewed the world in the same way since. And no, it had nothing to do with my ex-husband cheating on me with my friend in the church. You'll need the big cup for that blend but any who. The boutique was born out of the desire to further my journey and help others along the way. I've always had good conversations with my clients. Sharing information and pouring into others comes naturally for me but BABY!!!! I didn't have the mental capacity to keep it up. Some days I would leave completely depleted and I saw myself back in the same mental space I knew too well. Trying to learn a new industry, learn my new self, heal, rest, pivot, you name it, AND market a new business, chile please. Hell, I remember thinking, "if I'm about to do all this, I should have stayed ass behind the chair." Little did I know that in mist of all that, I was getting what I didn't know I needed which was another piece to the puzzle that I am currently still working on. I have a special bond with the Lotus Flower, I see all women as their own lotus. I named my boutique Lotus Moon Retreat. I sold supplies needed to help the newly awaked, however I looked forward to the monthly events I held for women, the Sacred Sundays were amazing. I sent a lot of alone time in the boutique organizing, learning, creating, and healing. Of course, when I wasn't engaged in holding space for someone. I created a Tub Tea that I couldn't keep in stock that smelled absolutely amazing. I connected with herbs on a level that I never thought was possible. I met pivotal people that are currently assisting me with my journey, directly and indirectly. I didn't realize it when I named it, but Lotus (Me) Moon (the feminine) Retreat (need rest) was the pit stop to the next phase. I needed a moment to restore the relationship with my feminine energy and all things that were out of alignment in that season. The boutique allowed me a moment to reflect and re-establish an understanding, I had lost. There was a great imbalance there and I had no idea about masculine and feminine energy and how the balance of the two made such a difference in an individual, especially a woman. I closed my boutique 14 months later. Do I miss it? No! The two things I would like to continue to share from that season are the women's gatherings and the Tub Tea's, those are in the works. I got what I needed, which was a plan, and got my ass out of there.
Moving right along, we sold the house (first house bought as a full-time entrepreneur) and immediately went into grind mode to get our Body Art Studio off the ground. My husband had taken up tattooing and was running a chair out of the house. We were at a point where in order to get the ball rolling with momentum we had to market and advertise him. That couldn't happen from the house to we needed to consider getting a studio storefront situation. Finances looked really different after closing the salon, and boutique. My husband was still new in the tattoo industry, so some moves had to be made. We sold the house, got the studio and started making some things pop. I had a bright idea to merge beauty and tattooing to create my own niche within the studio. After all we named the studio Balance Body Art Studio in representation the balance between the masculine and feminine. I started to learn how to do brows with ink and build this new brand, technique, skill and clientele in the new studio. If it doesn't sound like much, charge it to my inability to elaborate because baby when I tell you this season was extremely stressful. The Jonesboro Road Freshly Brewed Blend has earned its own post. Disclaimer, I can't make this shit up.
Long story short, I ended up dropping the plan to becoming an Ink Beauty Professional and jumped back behind the chair. Hell, why not. I had already known this business like the back of my hand we had 2 rents, overhead, and everything else life requires to take care of. Play time was over. The best thing about having a trade, when you need it, it will deliver.
Opps...looks like this brew has run dry. Which blend would you like to sip on next? Vote below.
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Loc'd Lotus
Which Freshly Brewed Blend would you like to partake in?
Closed the salon in 2021 Blend *Exclusive Entry*
Ex-husband cheated on me with friend Blend *Exclusive Entry*
Unsubscribed from organized religion Blend
Masculine & Feminine Energy Blend
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