Lost in Life…Found In Passion

I was in a really bad place in my life. On the outside I smiled and gave award-winning performances characterized as a woman who was happy and fulfilled. I had a flourishing career as a critical care nurse, a loving husband, a grown son with a family of his own and tons of fabulous friends. In reality, I spent most of my time at home balled up on my closet floor crying. I was a vibrant pretender who was miserable and hollow inside. Somewhere along the way my life had lost all joy. I no longer felt happiness in my heart. I was no longer excited to wake up in the morning eager to experience all of life’s possibilities during a brand new day. Somewhere along the way in my life of never ending duties and details, I had lost ME.

During a casual conversation with a childhood girlfriend, she reminded me how I taught her how to care for her skin when we were ten years old.  I revisited an innocent place where I felt creative and powerful. My subjects were only ten-year-old little girls but I remembered the joy I had felt. I loved mixing raw materials from my mother’s kitchen. Recently, I was forced back into the cupboards in search of healthy oils and butters to soften and soothe my (maturing) dry skin. It wasn’t long after that I picked myself up off the floor and experienced the most profound AHA moment of my life!  I realized that I had gotten lost in raising a family, building a career, buying houses and cars and doing things that only scratched the surface of making me happy. My passion got sidetracked but it was still there, alive, waiting for me to make the first move. I had to first make some very difficult personal choices. I did it and made the first move.

I harnessed all of my knowledge as a critical care nurse and my desire to create healthy, luxurious skin care products. I believed it was my responsibility to support the social and economical needs of women and girls. I dug out the old beakers and scales, ordered a king’s ransom of certified organic raw materials and supplies. Suzie Orman would be appalled. I robbed my retirement account and Me & The Girls Alternative Skin Care, L.L.C. was born.

My company produces a lush collection of waterless, vegan moisturizers formulated with 98-99 percent certified organic ingredients. Our business model is based on social accountability standards and practices. The Hope Bag Mission is the social entity of the enterprise. Every purchase made by our consumers buys a bag that generous volunteers and our corporate partners fill with emergency personal care products for women and girls that are rescued from human trafficking.

I aspire to be the “Tom’s Shoes” of the beauty industry. I want Me &The Girls to be the premier organic beauty company promoting the value in women and girls, in all ways, throughout their life journey. True beauty is found in the generosity of our hearts and in the compassion that we show others.  We want our products to enhance the outer beauty of every woman and girl as they express their inner beauty through the way they live.

We make women look beautiful with our skincare line. Their inner beauty shines through those purchases with Me & The Girls because they in turn are helping women, young and old, rescued from the devastation of human trafficking.

Eight short years ago, I was face down in tears with little joy in my heart and not much life in my stride. Today, I have Me & The Girls and Hope all around me. I think the rest of my life will be just fine.

Sharon
www.meandthegirls.com