Today we’d like to introduce you to Candice Thornton.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Candice. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
MN8Beauty was created after more than ten years of learning how to overcome the challenges that I’d found myself up against. During my undergraduate studies, I experienced major sexual trauma, and that ultimately led me to therapy. For years, I sat in therapy trying to unpack the hows and whys and what to dos. I was given a series of diagnoses (and medications) that ultimately felt like prison sentences. Through that process, I was constantly having to figure out how to support myself and prioritize my wellbeing; and after a few major hospitalizations, I ended up leaving Atlanta and moving to Houston. During that transition, I decided that I wanted to treat my bipolar diagnosis as a gift, and rather than try to medicate and “fix” it, I wanted to embrace it in a way that allowed me to help myself and others. As I shifted my perspective, I met some helpful women along the journey who exposed me to meditation, crystals, the chakras, different indigenous beliefs and practices, and herbal remedies. It was so refreshing to have a new understanding of where and how my challenges had deeper origins, and that I had more power than to remain a slave to my diagnosis.
Has it been a smooth road?
The road to birthing MN8Beauty has been anything but smooth. It took me almost five years to really feel confident to share my process and to speak authentically about my challenges. I believe more often than not that experiences that seem challenging are filled with gifts, so when I experienced obstacles (like going through a divorce or being excluded from different networks); I had to consistently remind myself to identify the gift. Despite the frustrations, all of the perceived obstacles ultimately contributed to deeper awareness and greater skills.
Some of the greatest challenges have been overcoming my own limiting thoughts and feelings. Part of my daily challenge is using anxious energy constructively, which can be really hard when it’s compounded by trauma based fear. I have to work daily to affirm myself so that I can show up in wholeness and operate less from a place of survival.
My most valuable advice to anyone starting their journey would be to unlearn conditional love (of self and others) and learn how to sit with your shadow (anything that makes you feel inadequate, incapable, or uncomfortable). As you begin to identify the different elements that make up your shadow, you can the identify how you are responding or reacting in ways that are ineffective or not aligned with unconditional love. As you align more consistently with love rather than fear, you’ll be able to propel yourself and others beyond the challenges that keep you stuck.
We’d love to hear more about MN8BEAUTY.
Through my brand MN8Beauty, I combine my love of artistry to do what I love most; helping others. I help womyn to empower themselves by utilizing adornment, affirmations, astrology, and artistry to cultivate self-acceptance, awareness, and love. I think the thing that sets me apart from others is my desire to empower rather than influence. I frequently remind people that what may be medicine for me is poison for you and vice versa. I’m merely a reflection that can help you tune in to your own wholeness.
As an inner wellness beauty brand, I’m most known for my custom energetic oils and #makeupandmeditation.
I started sharing my personal oil blend (that I created for my anxiety and mood swings) about a year ago. It was so well received that I began creating custom blends for people based on my knowledge of aromatherapy, astrology, chakras, and crystals. These custom blends are made only after I’ve done a chakra reading so that I can help people mentally identify their energetic challenges. This process makes it very personal and extremely powerful. I’m most proud of how transformative my custom blends have been for each of my clients. Every time I get an update about how they’ve been able to move forward and overcome their obstacles or accomplish something we’d discussed during their reading, I feel so full and grateful.
As a brand, I’m most proud of the transformations that I get to witness and help facilitate through my transparency. A lot of these shifts happen through #makeupandmeditation, which is where I share my personal meditations and makeup looks (which are usually inspired by chakras/crystals). These conversations have been really raw, covering topics of how to work through sexual trauma, ending unhealthy familial dynamics, and rebuilding self-esteem after experiencing disappointment.
We’re interested to hear your thoughts on female leadership – in particular, what do you feel are the biggest barriers or obstacles?
The greatest barriers in female leadership on all levels is the belief that there is one right or best way to be a woman or to lead.
Far too often, I see womyn give up personal power because of the external expectations. Different institutions and groups tell us that we have to be more gentle while still being tough, confident while being more humble, sexy while still being respectful.
We often strive to be what other people have told us to become rather than who we were born to be, and because of that, we don’t operate fully in our divine power. Until we give ourselves permission to be ourselves and to not project our own expectations and fears on other womyn, our leadership won’t be authentically impactful.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mn8beauty.com/
shop - Phone: 18329944689
- Email: candice@mn8beauty.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/
candiceofmn8beauty - Other: www.instagram.com/
mn8beauty
Image Credit:
Candice
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