Gratitude & A Confession…

Hey everyone Linley here as always! With this blog I’m going to change it up a little bit! I wanted to give my gratitude and also explain some new things around the spa! So no education quite yet. I really did want to say thank you to everyone who has supported me this last year! Because of you guys I had a lot of dreams checked off my bucket list. I BOUGHT A HOUSE! Like excuse me what! I did that. It's still so surreal and shocking to me. So here I am so thankful for every ounce of support and love I’ve been given! In all the forms from buying retail, getting services done, liking my posts, subscribing to my emails I could go on, so thank you to everyone! It doesn't go unnoticed. I am forever grateful I took the leap! 

Business ownership is hard and not always sunshine and rainbows. It gets tough and frustrating and honestly it took control of me. I truly am kind of unaware of how I let it but I did. It was so fun in the beginning to own a business and felt like I was playing everyday, then things got real. I got so busy! Truly what I think set it off for me was the fire of 2021. The strip mall I'm located in had a fire one morning on June 20th unfortunately, and it just so happens to be my little brother's birthday. That day was a new level of pain, hurt, devastation, and unknown I’ve ever felt. Watching what I've known and built be damaged was surreal. It was a huge lesson to me as well. It built me and my character which I am grateful for now. At the moment I wasn't grateful, it was so gut wrenching. I did have to replace quite a bit which sucked but it is what it is. We moved to a temporary location when ours was being renovated. We just had severe smoke damage. Took 6 months, almost 7 to get back! Anywho, I think this started a stressful time in my life. I had hit a new low of sadness and uncertainty. Then once we got back to work I went in hot and heavy. The minute I could take clients I did. People were upset that it was the 4th of July and I was closed but I couldn't help it. So when I opened I took clients 7 days a week and just let myself get overworked. I kept  saying yes to new clients. I felt bad raising my prices because of the location and just me feeling guilty, but I couldn't keep being this overworked. I quit taking lunches to take clients instead. I would go all day long without food and would feel so sick at the end of every night. I would skip breakfast too because I would  wake up and start texting clients back or doing work things immediately, I never separated my home life vs work life.

This literally became so unhealthy I kind of lost myself. I was getting so angry, so sad, so emotional, a mental wreck and always sick. I had a fever every night and I knew it was from malnutrition. I wasn’t eating much protein. I preach about being healthy and eating right. But I never was. I would come home and binge eat food. If Joey had pizza I ate it, goldfish crackers a whole box at a time, poptarts, all kinds of bad things and would eat while texting, packaging orders and doing things. Then I would lose track of time and have eaten more than a serving. Then I would stop at a box of goldfish and a salad with no protein on it. Whoops.  I would wake up for the gym feeling so crappy. I started noticing my health was declining at the gym. I couldn't lift as heavy. It was a rude awakening. I knew I needed to change.

So here I am a year later and finally have worked a lunch break into my day. Guys it took me a year and just a week ago I learned just because I’m a business owner doesn't mean I can't change my schedule now and make a shift. I always feel guilty. I waited even when I knew I needed to change. I couldn't message people to move appointments for me, to have to reschedule for me. I couldn't do that to people. It was a very weird concept to learn that I can have an off day or move stuff for my betterment. 

So here I am this year learning boundaries for my health. I am putting myself first this year. It's the year of growth and happiness. This past year was one of the toughest l’ve probably come to have but greatest yet. So thanks for sticking by my side through it all. I appreciate you guys and the clientele I have has made me realize I'm human too and can take time for me and that I'm loved. Y’all are people I never want to lose. My Glisten and Glow spa gang is the best! So if you see a lot of new changes this year just know it's for my health. I have to take a lunch break and a potty break. I'm really learning how to book myself better to then not be behind as much. So thank you for always being patient. Seriously the best clients! Which brings me to my next point, I will be having a slight price increase for supplies this year. With the new year here, I've been reflecting on the past year and it is hard being a business owner to make decisions some days.  I can’t keep eating the costs so a $5-$10 increase may come about for some services. I'm working out which ones! Watch for my email January 6th 2023 for that announcement. And if you’re not subscribed to my emails, you can subscribe here! I am hoping my schedule can open up so we don't have to book as far in advance but either way book up babes! Speaking of booking, I also just want to gently remind you of my cancellation policy! I just ask out of respect to not book if you know you may need to cancel. Thank you!

Which brings me to the exciting changes for this year! I'm hoping to make more blogs for information and knowledge. I have the information why not share it with others and have it in a spot you can share and refer back to! So make sure you subscribe to my emails for reminders, sales and what's new! It's going to be the new spot to be! Instagram is great but I'm taking the pressure off myself. The image of Instagram has also altered my life. Why do we hold ourselves to a social media standard? We are human. Being behind the scenes 24/7 gives me barely any time anymore to do things for me and my house/wedding planning and it’s tough some days! We are working smarter not harder this year!

Okay so essentially I hope you enjoyed being a part of my journey this past year and continue to be. I'm learning from all the bad to make positives and it's quite cool! I never thought I'd share as much as I just did. Body image and food relationships are tough some days and you're not alone! But I did share more on episode 3 of Behind The Masque podcast as well. I co-host with Miranda Promes with MJM Beauty! Give my bestie a follow on social media. But let 2023 come in with a bang! Because it's going to be a great year I can feel it! I'm a new woman and learning from my failures to make better choices and healthier habits. Don't be afraid to reach out for help. It took me about a year or longer. But I'm ready to talk about it and hold myself to a standard to be better because I know I can. Anywho reach out if you ever need to talk! I hope this didn't trigger anyone. And I promise I'm getting the help I need! My dad's death this year was probably the last straw. I knew what I needed to do but with his death it's taught me so much too. In all the bad there's always something good. Don't forget this. Here's to the new year! Let's do this thang!