What’s meant to be…

If you end the above sentence with “will be,” I encourage you to keep reading. If not, perhaps anything else might be more of an interesting read.

From as early as I can remember, I understood that if you work, you make money. Money allows for all the things in life that we believe we want as young people. Work more, spend more, have more, be happy more…It all makes perfect sense…until it doesn’t.

Somewhere along the path, the idea of true fulfillment and happiness takes on a meaning outside of money, and through tough times and sadness and strife, we begin to understand that true happiness is intangible. It is a knowing, a satisfaction, a happiness, and a yearning to find value in the minutes, days, years of our lives.

After running my own successful small business in a completely unrelated field, I went on a journey to become an esthetician and help others with their skin. It was an odd thing to do so late in life, but it felt right, and something inside me felt a sense of calm and purpose that I had not had before. Don’t get me wrong: There were plenty of days that I questioned and wondered if I had fallen and hit my head, but I persevered.

In the months and years that followed, my path was literally laid out in front of me one lovely step at a time. I trained in oncology-safe esthetics, based on a recommendation from my first esthetics trainer, only to find out there was no one in my town who specialized in that type of work. Why not me? I joined a fabulous integrative oncology group in my city as part of the therapist team and, several years later, hung my own shingle to be able to see more clients. My clients are people who are batting for their health and, in some instances, their lives. The lessons I learn from them about finding value are priceless, and I am a grateful recipient.

Recently, while traveling for personal reasons, I decided to detour and visit an oncology center in Illinois. While there, I met a lovely lady who does what I do, and she gave me a wonderful tour and explained everything about the work she does for cancer patients and their skin issues. She suggested that I enter an international competition called The Skin Games, which I had heard of but was intimidated by. It is an international competition in all areas of skincare. Players compete in their areas and are assessed by a panel of expert judges for excellence in their field. They compete for a chance to win money and awards to put back into their businesses. With her guidance and support, I entered and competed in the Compassion Category 2023.

The story ends like this: I won first place in my category! It’s unimaginable, fantastic, exciting, rewarding, confirming, and overwhelming. I was given money to do more of what I love to do, which includes continuing to give back to this Austin community that has been so very supportive.

My journey has brought me full circle, and I have found the value in the minutes, days, months, and years of my professional life through this work. If you are my client, I can’t thank you enough for trusting me to provide you with safe and healing skin treatments. If we have yet to meet, I offer complimentary skin consultations in person or over zoom.

In parting, I say with confidence and awe that what’s meant to me will be…IF you let it.