The path to my skin care and waxing career

Me, accepting my diploma.

I celebrate my career of nine years today! I remember on March 6th, 2003, nine years ago today, when I stood to get my diploma all proud and my head held high! I worked really hard to have all my clinicals, tests, and services completed to get my diploma on graduation night. I also got an award for perfect attendance and was the only student to have completed everything on time. It was a milestone accomplishment. I had always dreamed of becoming an aesthetician and hoped some day I'd get the privilege to attend a good school. When the opportunity came for me to move to Ft. Myers to attend Florida Academy I was scared, but excited at the same time. I thought this was my chance if I wanted to go for this career.

When I was sixteen years old, I began working at a telemarketing firm. I thought this was a good way to make money given my medical circumstances. I was born with scoliosis, so waiting tables or any job that requires lifting was out of the question. I learned through working as a telemarketer that I'm fantastic with people and it taught me to not be offended by the word "no." To this day, when I hear a "no" I also know a "yes" is just around the corner! I'm persistent with my knowledge and care for what I'm doing. I have also worked in salons as a receptionist and during that time I met a super-inspiring aesthetician who I thought was the best and she fit the role to a tee. I noticed how serious she was and how being an aesthetician wasn't just a job, it was her career. I thought to myself, yes, this is a career. These people have a real job and they are making a difference in the world with their passion for service and people. I was touched in such a way that I no longer was caught up in the thinking that getting a degree from a University was the only way! In fact, trades have some of the highest paying jobs and are very important jobs at that! I knew my heart was in the right place and I just had a few more obstacles to face before I could pursue this career. 

At the age of eighteen, I had my first surgery for my scoliosis to correct the curvature of my spine. It was a very scary time and was demanding on myself to heal and recover. I thought to myself as I was prepping for surgery, I can do this! I'm going to have this surgery, get better, learn to walk again and nothing is going to get in the way of my dreams. My recovery took three years. It was a very long and taxing recovery but I made it. I can walk, jump, wear the latest fashions, work out, anything a normal girl can do! So finally, on March 6, 2003, I became a licensed aesthetician in the state of Florida.

What once was dream is now a reality! Today I teach women and men about skin care. I provide facials and peels to correct skin problems, I extract blemishes if needed, I listen, I am a friend, I do my absolute best to keep your skin as blemish free and wrinkle free (with a little attention to your hands and feet along the way). I keep bikini lines hair-free, so a woman can have a little bit better experience giving birth to her child. I give hair-free vacations to that college student who's living it up while they still can or that young couple who's going on an amazing getaway. I keep those graduates looking their best for an interview and I maintain the hygiene of career women and men.

I've been through a lot, but one thing is for certain: my career makes me happy, it gave me hope, it inspired me to recover and hope for a quality of life and I'll continue to provide outstanding aesthetic services forever. 

A few of my classmates that I worked closely with

My teacher!