If you’re lucky, at some point life throws you a serious curveball. Ideally it’s when you’re old enough to learn from it and young enough to have a lot of life to live with a new perspective.
My curveball taught me how little control I have. Over anything. I found I have two options: tighten my grip out of fear or let go completely and trust. I’ve decided trust is the better choice, although it’s definitely not my nature. “Let go” is a mantra I repeat to myself approximately 8,462 times a day.
How else would I make the crazy decision to open a spa that doesn’t sell bubble bath or smelly lotions? (In case you’re wondering, bubble bath is full of gross stuff that’s not good for your skin and traditional lotions are water based, with a bunch of emulsifiers and preservatives. Synthetic fragrances are just downright nasty).
And why in the world wouldn’t we offer aggressive anti-aging facials, when that’s CLEARLY (ahem) what everyone is looking for? (The only way to truly “regenerate” skin is to damage it until it’s forced to heal itself. I’m not okay with that and I’m not completely convinced it’s all that safe.)
And why would I think that we could create a spa (perceived as a place of image and indulgence) around the ideas of introspection, thoughtful living, and community?
I think we can because I believe that spa is meant to be more. That in the spirit of coffee shops and bookstores, spa can be a place to connect with your true self and make real connection with people who care about the same things you do. I think we can because I have an amazing and talented team that believes the same.
The Ashley before the curveball would not have been willing to put these strange ideas out there. She would’ve been too concerned with what the result might be. Scared of an outcome she couldn’t control.
But now, post-curveball, I’m okay with doing my thing…and letting go of what happens next.
Losing control can feel so, so good.
