
My life completely changed when I packed up my life in Portland, Oregon, a place I had lived since childhood, and moved across the country to Atlanta, Georgia. I threw caution to the wind, left the only “home” I had ever known, and moved to a town where I didn’t know a soul (other than my parents…they had been in Atlanta for a few years) all because my gut was telling me to go. Because I listened to that voice inside of me (that would not shut up), I have such a rich life. I have the best friends a girl could ask for. I have the amazing husband (that I never really believed existed), and I have the most incredible little boy, Finnegan.
When I held Finn for the first time, a voice inside me told me I was never going to go back to the corporate world. I had to find another way. My priorities shifted in that moment. My gut told me that I owed it to Finn…hell, I owed it to myself, to be PRESENT for his childhood. To be there for all the little things – the first word, the first step, the first time he decided that he no longer liked carrots. I wanted to take him to the park at 2pm on a Tuesday.
These are the same dreams that a lot of women have when they have a child. Unfortunately, it’s not an option for most of us. Including me! I had to find another way. To live the life I wanted to live, and for my husband and I to provide Finnegan with the life we want for him, I needed to work. I just had no idea how I was going to do it. While on maternity leave, the voice inside me grew stronger and stronger, until it was screaming from every pore in my body. Then one night, as I was feeding my child in the wee-hours of the morning, I came across a post on Facebook from a friend of mine. She was talking about some crazy new mascara that was blowing her mind. I’m a makeup junkie (and an avid online shopper…hello! Amazon Prime has revolutionized my world!) and I ordered the mascara. That was the beginning of the journey that would allow me to be home with Finn (although I didn’t know it at the time).
The mascara came and I was blown away. I could make my lashes hit my eyebrows if I wanted to! This mascara over-delivered on every promise a mascara ad has ever made. I immediately went to her website and signed up to be a presenter. I still didn’t know what was in-store for me, but I knew that this product was something special. Oh, and the presenter kit, chocked full of incredible, natural makeup for only $99 didn’t hurt either!
It wasn’t until a few weeks later that I realized I had somehow, in a sleep-induced haze, stumbled on the answer my inner-voice was screaming for. Now, a year later, I am a stay at home mom, running my own successful online business, helping other women do what I do and achieve their goals, and taking my son to the park whenever the mood strikes.
I had no idea what was in-store for me when I listened to that little voice telling me to pack up my life and move to Georgia, and I certainly had no idea what was about to change in my life when I ordered that presenter’s kit, but I am so glad I listened to her. If there’s one piece of advice I can give you, it’s TAKE THE CHANCE. You only have one life. Are you living it the way you want? If the answer is no, I can help.
Love & Lashes,
Jess