When I look back, I realize something important:
the easiest thing in the world was to avoid looking at myself. It was easier to stay busy.
Easier to focus on everyone else.
Easier to pretend that the things weighing on me would somehow fix themselves if I just pushed through one more season. I wasn’t falling apart… but I wasn’t really living either.
My body hurt. My sleep was garbage. My finances were always on edge. My relationships stayed in this weird “fine but not great” zone. I felt stuck — not rock bottom, but hovering dangerously close. And the hardest part to admit is I told myself it was normal, just because everyone around me seemed to be going trough the same motions…

In the salon world, smoke breaks are part of the culture — but I didn’t realize how much they were costing me until I quit. From rising anxiety to poor sleep and constant burnout, I share what finally made me stop, how I did it, and what I’ve gained since. This isn’t a guilt trip — it’s a breath of fresh air for any beauty pro who’s ready to feel better behind the chair.

Running on caffeine and fumes? Same—until I started eating more protein. As a beauty pro, I didn’t realize how much I was neglecting my own body until I made one small shift that changed everything. In this post, I’m sharing how prioritizing protein helped me feel more energized, focused, and physically strong behind the chair—and why it might be the missing piece in your daily routine too.