It kind of just hit me today. And by "IT," I mean the fact that I am about to turn 30. As in, 30 years old. Seriously. When did this happen?? I feel like just the other day (or year) I was only blowing out a mid-twenties number of candles on my birthday cake. This relevation has lead me to think about what has changed in the past five or so years...
First, the obvious. I am MUCH more wiser. I've been through some major life lessons in the past couple years. Everything from losing lovers to losing loved ones. Not to mention my decision to change careers and move closer to my family in Orlando. Every so often I miss being a social worker. Well, actually I just miss the clients. I have had the privilege to work with some amazing people. I hope that I was able to impact their lives as much as they have impacted mine. I know I made the right decision to leave social work behind and pursue my passion for makeup artistry though. There isn't a day that goes by where I wish I wasn't do makeup or that I feel I've learned all there is to know about makeup artistry. I especially love days when I feel I have empowered someone to show their inner beauty through enhancing their outward appearance with makeup. And let's face it. You can take the girl out of social work, but you can't take the social work out of the girl. I am still being impacted by amazing people. I can only hope that I do the same...
Second, my overall skill as a makeup artist has vastly improved! It blows my mind to think that my first wedding was over seven years ago!!! I started out with just a small, one-bag kit and an ad on craigslist. It's important to me to be an eternal student of makeup artistry though. With trends and techniques changing all the time, it definitely keeps me on my toes. And as an FYI (or shameless plug), this is something to consider when hiring a makeup artist. You don't want to end up with a makeup look that is dated. Especially for wedding makeup. The look should be a timeless reflection of YOU.
Third, I no longer sweat the small stuff (most of the time). It's no secret that I've battled my weight/image demons in the past. I used to have major anxiety about a lot of different things though. And really, at the end of the day what does it all matter?! Perhaps one of the most important life lessons I've learned is that the only person who really matters is the one who looks back at you in the mirror everyday. As long as you are OK with that person, the rest is just gravy. I mean think about it. Wrinkles are earned from a lifetime of laughter. I would much rather have that than a face that is void of all emotion. But that doesn't mean that I will continue to treat my skin with kindness (i.e., moisturizer, moisturizer...)
I'm certain this list can go on and on about how much I've changed but I'm happy to be at this point in my life and to have over SEVEN years experience in makeup artistry under my belt. I did promise myself that I would be a full-time makeup artist before my 30th birthday. And that is exactly what I got...
I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
-Maya Angelou