I turned 45 today.

How is that even possible when I still feel 12 on the inside?!

Getting older is wild. Our outsides don't always match how we feel on the inside, and the older I get, the more I realize just how much truth there is in that.In numerology, 4 + 5 = 9, a number that represents completion, letting go, and making space for new beginnings. I can't think of a more fitting way to describe this chapter of my life.One thing I've learned as a business owner is that so many things can be true at once.

This year, I've struggled tremendously on a personal level while simultaneously watching my business thrive.

For most of my career, I was a solo entrepreneur. Three years ago, I felt a nudge to do things differently. THANK GOD I listened, because without that decision, I genuinely don't know if Sunny Bunny would still exist today.In the hair industry, our bodies are our livelihood. Our hands, our backs, our feet, our energy. We depend on them to make a living.

Until one day, things change.

We live in a world that tells us if we eat clean, exercise, prioritize sleep, don't drink, and do all the "right" things, we'll somehow be in control of our health. I'm living proof that isn't always true.

Some things are entirely out of our control. What we can control is how we adapt, evolve, and respond when life asks us to change. I'm sharing this not to scare anyone, but to encourage you to listen to that little nudge when you feel it. Especially my fellow hairstylists and independent stylists.

If you're still double or triple booking, running yourself into the ground, and burning the candle at both ends, please ask yourself what that's costing you. I waited far too long to make changes. I wholeheartedly believe that hourly pricing, gratuity-free appointments, and creating a more sustainable work environment are the future of our industry. Not just for our clients. For US.

Because a thriving business shouldn't require a depleted human being to keep it alive.

So, as I step into 45, I'm reminding myself (and maybe you, too) to thank our bodies for carrying us this far. To listen when they're asking for something different. And to remember that evolving isn't failing. Sometimes it's the very thing that saves us.

I walk into this next chapter with my eyes wide open, immense gratitude for the incredible team beside me, and a deeper understanding of what truly matters.

Here's to 45. To letting go of what no longer serves us. And to making room for whatever comes next.

Xo,Meghan 🤍