Jaw Surgery - Before and After

Happy new year! 2020 is already shaping up to be quite the year locally and globally, but politics aside, I am grateful for the positive energy found within new beginnings. There is nothing like the end of a year and the dawn of a new one. 2019 was a big year for me. Among other major life changes, I underwent 2 surgeries. For many years I had been going back and forth on whether or not to have a much needed corrective jaw surgery procedure. I pushed through some pretty strong fears and doubts and had all four wisdom teeth removed in January and by the fall the time had come for the big one - triple jaw surgery (which basically means upper and lower jaw surgery + genioplasty. This was NOT a cosmetic procedure. Over 10 years ago I was in a bicycle accident in Toronto and split my chin open and broke my jaw. This caused major teeth misalignment over the years, as well as what I refer to as a "scrunched" chin and general facial asymmetry. It also caused some breathing issues and jaw pain with migraines. Needless to say, it wasn't a matter of if, but when I would be having this surgery. I will be sharing a bit more of my healing journey shortly, including tips and skincare routines (including facial massages with our sensitive facial oil) that are a must for anyone going through this procedure. Stay tuned! #jawsurgery #newyear #glowup

Longevity Inspirations

I volunteered at a seniors home and I'll never forget this one lady, whom I connected with immediately. At one point, she took my hand and whispered in my ear "I am dying, you know." She didn't seem that old, but I could feel some of her reluctance to this acknowledgement. I proceeded to sit there with her, holding her hand until it was time to leave. I wasn't sure what else I could say to her, so I just sat with her in fellowship over this difficult and sometimes confusing fact of life.

On another occasion, while I was volunteering for an age-friendly cities event, I passed a lady in the hall that I also immediately connected with. She was 95 and had the clearest sharpest eyes. She was so pretty and had this GLOW IMPACT you could just feel radiating from her skin. She was doing her thing and held herself in confidence and grace. I wanted to be her friend. She seemed really cool!

People approach the concept of ageing from various perspectives - fear and loathing, acceptance and grace and everything in between. The same can be said when it comes to beauty and ageing. Many women no longer invest in themselves - in their individuality or expression. They give up, basically. They give in to a negative ageing mindset that says "why bother, I am old" or they feel as if they don't matter anymore.

This couldn't be further from the truth.

It does matter!!!

Think about all of the women growing up looking for role models and learning about the world around them. About beauty and wisdom and intelligence. What do they see?

How we process this concept of ageing is a communal experience - what the media shows and what we learn from our families and friends, as well as societal observations, all influence how we come to our own conclusions about ageing and how to feel about it.

I'll never forget my granny. She always had her hair and nails done and dressed to impress - even in the seniors home at the very end of her life, when she died at 92. My Oma is the same - always gets her hair done and looks fabulous - at 95! This has nothing to do with wealth or status, I'm talking about true acceptance of who you are at any age and the confidence to believe that you still matter and you still have value.

Gloeiende was created to honor a sense of strength, beauty and grace in the ageing process. To look and feel your best at any age, because the world is watching and there are still a lot of misconceptions floating around about youth and beauty that are keeping us stuck from realizing our potential for GLOW IMPACT at any age.

Me with my Oma (right) and her sister - Longevity Inspirations

Role Models with Glow Impact

Glow Babe 90's Role Models

The 90's was a special decade. Looking back at some of my favorite role models, I realize how rich the scene was when it came to strong, powerful, yet sweet women with some major Glow Impact! Cher Horowitz was still a virgin. Lauryn Hill was on fire. The girls at Empire Records were cool and Swell from "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead" wasn't going to let anything get in her way as an under-aged career woman/scam artist tasked with providing for her siblings. Female's were paving the path, but they weren't angry or demanding to be treated like men. They were figuring out they're own expression in the world and it was fiercely feminine. They were hacking the system. This spirit of the 90's embodied a genuine attitude of how I define beauty - the true self expressed. These women were the real deal. I went through my teens and 20's not caring about how perfectly contoured my face was or whether I was sexy enough. Forget all of that nonsense. Be real and have fun!