An idea occurred to me two years ago when I was living and taking care of my son on my own. That idea was to create some form of "business" to help generate some extra income. I was lucky enough to have a reliable job in teaching, but living in New York City and with all of the extra expenses in having a child, money was very tight. I thought about what came most natural to me, and that was teaching. I thought about what part of that I was most passionate about, and that was writing (curriculum). So, that is what I focused on. I looked for free-lance writing jobs that I could do from home, but never found anything that seemed to fit. I found some interesting part-time jobs, but I would need to pay a sitter (which would defeat the whole purpose) so I passed on those. I realized that the best scenario would be for me to be my own boss and that sounded like such a wonderful, invigorating idea! What would I offer? Lesson plans that aligned with the newly released Common Core Standards. I read up on how to create my own website and I began to rewrite old lessons and create new ones worthy of selling to other teachers. It didn't take long before I just became... uninspired. I was redoing what I already did and do and it just didn't stimulate my mind. Deep down, I was looking for something new, something different, but I had no idea what that was, so this desire became dormant.
I've had some thoughts come to me in the past couple of years. I've wondered if I should use my love for writing to write a book based on my experiences. But I wasn't sure what my angle would be. What would be it's true purpose and whom would it be written for (audience)? The thought was fascinating, but the reality was uncomfortable. I started to dabble into photography. I got a new camera and even took some classes. It's fun and I plan on pursuing this even more, but... I didn't see it becoming the kind of purpose that I was searching for. So it took me completely by surprise when what I was looking for was found in a place I never, ever would have envisioned for myself.
A couple of weeks ago I was invited to a skin care “party.” A friend that I used to work with was venturing into this business and I went to support her. I was completely taken aback when the business angle that the ladies pitched actually appealed to me. Another friend, whom I brought, was also quite persuasive encouraging “us” to go into business together. So, I thought about it, so much so that I began to do research on the company. It was in the midst of my research that I stumbled across Lemongrass Spa. Lemongrass Spa is a small company and one that I had never heard of before. But as I read more and more about it, ideas started to grow and oddly enough, becoming a natural skin care consultant seemed to be the piece that linked everything together.
I am not one who is very much into skin care and makeup. Yes, I use both, but my skin care regiment usually consists of washing my face with regular bar soap with an occasional eye cream application. I do wear makeup, but am not very good at applying it. I’ve sought help with a Sephora consultant once and bought a whole lot of makeup from her. However, I found that I replaced most of it with pharmacy offered makeup lines, my usual. I am also not one who pays much attention to organic and gluten-free products or even natural cleaning products for that matter. However, all of these things that are not so much me, are what appeal to me most about Lemongrass. So, I decided to give it a try. I bought some products, and I loved them! Their scent is fresh and natural. They feel fresh and clean too! Perhaps it is more psychological than anything, but using their products makes me feel healthier too, like I am taking better care of my body more for choosing to put chemical and toxic free products onto my skin. Not only that, but I have found that I am paying attention more to other products that I am buying, like environmentally safer cleaning products, even tree-free toilet paper!
So, I decided to step outside of my knowledge base and my comfort zone to become a Lemongrass Spa consultant. After thorough research, this is a company that I feel comfortable stepping outside of my box for. I am not a sales person by nature and this will be the most difficult aspect of this new endeavor for me. But believing in the products that I will be selling and the integrity of the company will make it easier.
However, one thing that I am painfully aware of is how what matters most is the way that one feels on the inside. That is where this blog comes into place. This is where I can use my love of writing to serve a purpose and hopefully one that matters and can make a difference in someone else’s life. I also learned though, after finding my own self and learning to love my self again during these past few years, is that how you do look on the outside does matter too. It is a reflection of how one feels about themselves on the inside. It is important to take care of your body on the outside… that includes loving the skin you're in, literally. Promoting natural products seems more authentic to me rather than promoting products full of chemicals and toxins.
Everything has seemingly come together. I am now my own boss. I can use my writing for a greater purpose. I can even use my own photography :). The best part in it taking more than two years for it to all come together is that I am no longer a single mom taking care of my son on my own. (I have an amazing boyfriend who is completely supportive of me in all that I do.) And my desire to do this is no longer based on finding a way to produce more income. I am doing this in hopes of being able to help others. I am doing this to feel what it is like to be in the business world, since I won’t ever leave my job as a teacher. I am doing this for fun and to try something completely new to expand myself. I am also doing this so that I can donate a portion of what I do earn to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. As the 4 year mark of my husband’s own death quickly approaches, I am happy to have finally found a way to honor his memory and to give to an agency with the hope of being able to help prevent the tragedy of someone else taking their own life and the devastation that leaves behind.
