The other day, while strategizing a plan for the coming year to curate collections that would truly make a difference, I hit a wall. I was trying to think of ways to help you feel the same connection from women that I've felt from all of you. Frustrated and stuck, I did what many of us do—I began to scroll through social media, looking at what others were doing. It only made me feel worse.
So, I put my phone away and said a prayer. Then, I began to type. Miraculously, ideas started to flow. After about an hour, I looked at the plan I had written and got emotional. My mother was always a writer, but when she passed over a year ago, we lost all her writings. I had set them aside to go through one day, but now they were gone. In that moment, I felt her presence with me. Though I've sensed her throughout this boutique journey, that particular day was special, and it moved me to tears.
I’ve lost many family members over the past year, including some who were the true extroverts of our family. Without their calls, updates, and stories, days can feel very quiet. Feeling inspired, I made a quick video about my experience and posted it on my personal Facebook, where most of my connections are friends and family. I questioned whether I should even post it, but something told me to share. Maybe it was Mom guiding me.
Shortly after, I received a response from a woman I used to work with in my corporate job. She watched the video and then visited the cyou.love website to read the “About Us” section. She told me she resonated deeply with my story, having lost both a son and a daughter and subsequently raising her granddaughters as her own. Losing her daughter to cancer after losing her son years earlier was incredibly tough, and while it was a blessing to raise her granddaughters, it was also a time of profound grief.
She beautifully expressed how our mission of helping women discover their confidence and self-worth requires a community—much like raising children, caring for aging parents, or helping with grandchildren. We can’t do it alone. The first step to building a community is loving yourself. She shared a powerful quote by Eleanor Roosevelt: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent,” and encouraged me to replace "inferior" with words like sad, ugly, or mean. She was right; it all fits.I am incredibly grateful to her for sharing her story and joining our community where we see you, and we love you.
This boutique continues to deepen connections and inspire, all because of you.
With love,
Cyndi