This world has been through so much in the last year—2020 altered many perspectives on what is essential in life. Before 2020, I was a thriving manager for a fantastic brunch restaurant. I was also a workaholic and lived for my career. While also being a wife and a mother of two incredible young children.
So, to summarize, I was a workaholic pushing for best mom and wife of the year, still somehow coming up short. I never took care of myself. I only took care of others. Post-2020, I am still committed to my job and spending more time with my family and taking some time to myself. Balance, who would have thought it's possible. I didn't, and many others in the world are guilty of lack of self-care. Sometimes, you cannot get to the spa. So, let's bring the relaxation home to you. Lock yourself in the bathroom away from the significant other and kids. While leaving your phone in the living room, unwind with a pore-clearing face masque. Indulge with a luxurious bath bar or inhale the calming benefits of an essential oil shower steamer. Whichever you choose, this time is for you to relax and unwind. Any demands you must face later, you will be able to conquer them with ease. This is why I do this. To bring you a break. I am here to say yes, that day was hard, now let's relax and recover.
One silent killer of the world is Stress, and if I can lower the amount of Stress, you feel even just a little, then I am doing my job.
I concentrated on Bath Bars to start because I have always wanted to make soap. My grandmother, a massage therapist, really was the one that first introduced me to both self-care and entrepreneurship. She was able to live entirely off her income from her self-made career. It never really stood out to me until I was must older. She would always tell me, ok, today we are taking a break from life and having some "us" time. We would go to the movies, go out to lunch, Universal Studios, or get a pedicure and spend a day at the beach. I never thought that these moments would mean so much to me now, looking back. She knew her value, and my grandmother knew what she needed to perform her best... self-care. She also learned a lot about essential oils (which also come in handy now). She showed me that regardless of who you are and what you do, it is hard to take care of others if you do not take care of yourself first.
As the years continue to pass, some of the vital information we learn as a child seems to fall to the sidelines. The constant need to please, the need to be the best, and stand out replaces any need for self-care. I only say this because it was my own experience. It took a pandemic to smack me in the face and say, "Wake up! Self-care helps with mental, emotional, and physical health. A healthier you equal a happier boss, a more energetic mother, and a more compassionate wife."
It is what I needed to survive. At the end of 2020, I called my mother and said, " I want to create my own company.
Love Bug Luv was just an idea. I had soap and a name, and that was it. The name came first. My mother always called me Lovebug when I was a child. It was her term for endearment. When I had children, I decided to continue this trend. Lovebug is in its second generation, and maybe when my children grow up, they will use the nickname Lovebug for their children. That is when it came to me. This isn't my company. It is our company, and it is our story of learning to love ourselves and teaching it to others. Love Bug Luv is the love from us to you. We see you; we know you are doing your best, and we want to help you re-center yourself so you can conquer the world: My Grandmother, My Mother, Myself, my children, and all the generations to come, love you and want you to excel in this thing called life!