Here at CV Skinlabs we wish all mothers a very happy Mother’s Day!
It is with a heavy heart that I greet this holiday this year. My beautiful mother left this life last month. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to spend the day with her, but I will honor her memory and the great impact she had on my life.
My mother was full of grace, beauty and kindness. She touched everyone with her kindness and was a pillar of our family and community.
It was because of my mother, you know, that I do what I do today. She inspired me to live a life of purpose and anchored the concept of holistic wellness early on.
This Mother’s Day, I think of my mother’s care and concern for others
My mother was a self-taught naturalist. She showed me the many ways nature and science can work together to provide well-being. It was thanks to her that I became inherently interested in wellness in the first place, and in how the gifts of nature and a holistic approach (to health, beauty, well-being) can help us feel and look our best to look best.
My mother also showed me through her amazing example the beauty of providing care and concern for others. After raising four children, she became a practicing nurse and eventually a hospice nurse, following in the footsteps of her mother and other family members in the fields of health and medicine.
She was dedicated to caring for terminally ill patients with the kindness, patience and empathy that came so naturally to her. I remember watching her go to work and wondering what prompted her to serve people who needed such extra care.
It was perhaps her proudest achievement, aside from her children. She knew that creating positive experiences and participating in the well-being of others would enrich her life as well.
My mother inspired me to influence others
Most of us have experienced being in a hospital or accompanying a loved one in a hospital, and we know the difference one nurse can make. A smile, a thoughtful gesture, kind and reassuring words, or even carefully following the doctor’s instructions can help a patient recover faster, or at least feel more comfortable during treatment.
After seeing how she dedicated much of her life to caring for her patients, it was natural for me to want to make an impact for others. I initially thought my interest in the beauty industry was different than hers in the medical industry. But today, with everything I’ve learned, I realize that the two aren’t so different after all.
A Happy Mother’s Day tribute: My mother had beautiful skin
Our overall health and well-being affects the condition and appearance of our skin. That message has become clear to me several times in my life.
First, my mother always talked about how she saw her patients struggle with uncomfortable skin problems. She helped her patients deal with discolored, dull, dry, flaky, red, burning, irritated or worse skin as a result of treatments, medications or skin breakdown.
I realized that the skin is like a notice board when it comes to our inner health. If it looks radiant and vibrant, you can be sure that the person is equally vibrant in terms of health and well-being. But if the skin is bothering you, you can imagine that there is also something wrong with the body and/or mind. The skin reflects it all, like a gigantic mirror.
My mother always had healthy, beautiful skin and her natural radiance shone through.
Even at the end of her life, several hospice nurses commented on how beautiful her skin was. One of the nurses asked if Mom ever wore makeup. The answer was “no.” She never did that. She spent most of her time outside in the sun and had a very simple skin care routine that included just a few products.
Happy Mother’s Day: A minimalist skincare routine has many benefits
It makes me chuckle today when I think about it, because after all these years of piling on more and more beauty products, the trend is now towards minimalism. We realize how wise it is to choose just a few natural, safe products that have multi-functional uses in our skin care routines. It makes our daily skin care routines easier, but also simplifies our lives in so many ways.
We can spend less money on products, have fewer bottles and jars in our cupboards, and feel lighter and easier overall, all while enjoying healthy and glowing skin.
My mother’s choices were simple. She taught me that beauty is not about anti-aging. It’s about healthy skin that in turn glows, and a philosophy that embodies the whole person, including body, mind and spirit. She showed me how to use a holistic approach and how to honor your whole person with care so that your natural radiance shines through. Hers certainly did!
She was the perfect example of living the way people do in the blue zones. She unknowingly embodied holistic health and beauty practices, focusing on natural ingredients, eating non-processed foods, staying active, and sharing a loving and purposeful life.
In a sad twist of fate, her eventual demise was caused by an unfortunate fall. She was otherwise incredibly healthy and active and enjoyed a full and rewarding life.
Happy Mother’s Day: don’t forget to enjoy what you do!
When I think of my mother, I can’t help but remember one of the things she believed about life: If you are happy with what you do, you will be successful. She instilled in me a strong sense of integrity, courage, faith, kindness and a good work ethic, and has always encouraged me to stay true to my values.
Being happy was something my mother taught me that is important in life. It’s not all about money and success and accolades from the outside world. It’s about doing things that make you feel good inside.
Following in my mother’s footsteps, my compassion for people is indeed what drives and motivates me today. When I’m doing what I’m passionate about – helping people look and feel their best with products that make me feel good, advocating for a cleaner world, helping others make better wellness choices and supporting cancer research – my life feels rich and purposeful.
Nowadays I get that warm feeling when a customer tells me how one of our CV Skinlabs products soothed a rash or helped heal a wound. When nurses tell me that our products are the only ones their patients can use because they are so gentle. Or when I introduce someone to our clean formulas that I know will work well even on their sensitive skin.
I miss my mother terribly, and this year Mother’s Day will be difficult. But I am so grateful to you, our customers at CV Skinlabs, for helping me fulfill my purpose in life. I wish you all a wonderful day full of wonderful memories. I know I will cherish each one I made with my mother, imagining that somewhere out there she is still sending her love and care my way.
Happy Mother’s Day to you!
Featured image by George Dolgikh via Pexels.
