I'm moving out of state

I repeat, I'm moving out of state..

For a man, is the simple answer but as with everything else, for me it's deeper than that

But if you would have told me a year ago I would be looking up houses and condos to rent in northern Detroit, pivoting my whole career, and researching school districts in Michigan I would have called you crazy and said never would I ever uproot my entire life for a man.

I had zero intentions on moving when I met my boyfriend 3 years ago.

I had never done long distance before, and the back and forth, following this man to surrounding states while he finished med school wasn't easy but our relationship, quality time and the foundation we were building always made it worth it.

I knew the day would come where we would hit this fork in the road and one of us would have to move/sacrifice for the other if we wanted to sustain or we would have to go our separate ways.

I just thought it would be down the road when he was finished with residency and it would be a more long term decision we made together, as he would have more say and control over the outcome.

However incase you have no experience with how the matching system works in the medical field, it's the wild Wild West out here and is quite an intense lottery system that places them in one of their top 5 choices with the luck of the draw.

We got lucky that he was only placed 3.5 hours away and is why I always saw myself commuting the full 5 years.

I've lived in Columbus my whole life (aside from the couple college semesters I lived in Nelsonville, Oh for)

I've built a very well know salon and beauty brand in the heart of downtown Columbus that has been an education hub for 25+ stylists over the last 4 years.

My daughter is thriving in private school and everything she's ever know is here.

My family and our current co parenting schedule for her allows me to live a balanced life with so much support.

It's going to be really different, and I'm not just talking about the snow.

I won't see my friends, family, or clients as often.

My salon will stay open with the 3 stylists I currently have on my team in Columbus, but I will only be home once a month or so to take my VIP clients forcing me to pivot my income sources, and time management skills.

I will go from a part time to full time mom again, essentially. My daughter will only see her dad every other weekend during the school years, unless he decides to move in the coming years to stay close to her. Which will intern be a domino affect, impacting more that just me, my daughter or my boyfriends life. It's affecting her fathers, his families, and my parents daily routines and time they get with her.

And though I will be living with my boyfriend, his schedule only allows him 4 days off a month.

However last year was filled with lots of emotional trauma and physical changes when it came to my personal and professional life.

You don't realize how much the presence of someone is appreciated and contributing to your healing until you have to go through really hard shit without your person by your side every night.

We both realize how much the quality of our lives will improve when we live in the same city, let alone under the same roof.

Most days my boyfriend has to choose between grocery shopping, sleep or going to the gym with the minimal free time he has most evenings (and that's when he's not on nights)

It's going to be so good for our souls, and will allow my daughter to see what a happy, healthy household should feel like.

My daughter and I are really excited, and spend most of our evenings before bed looking up houses, picking what furniture we wanna take with us, and day dreaming about the puppy we're gonna get eventually.

I'm looking forward to cooking dinners, gym sessions, and making whatever place we choose our home. But mostly, that my boyfriend will finally have someone to come home to after every shift.

The hours, the emotional, physical and mental exhaustion that these doctors experience during residency (think grays anatomy) is heartbreaking most days. And the fact that he has to come home to a dark, empty apartment is only contributing to my heartbreak.

But I would be lying if I said it wasn't bitter sweet.

Columbus is my home, and I never really saw my future without it. This is going to be a big adjustment for all of us, but I already feel my nervous system shifting.

I am 4 months out from the move, and there have already been moments when I look around my apartment and tear up, or get sad looking around the salon as the girls are laughing and making tik toks. Or even now as I'm writing this my eyes are glassing over as I am posted up at one of my favorite bagel shops, working like I do most mornings after school drop off and my am gym sesh.

Different doesn't mean bad.

We as humans are the ones the label everything.

Good vs. bad.

After my divorce I worked on myself, my environments, and really manifested the love life I always dreamt of.

When writing out my wish list tho, I left out the location part lmao, so learn from me, be VERY specific sis 😅

However, sometimes (most times) God/The Universe has bigger plans for you than you can even fathom for yourself.

I think my boyfriend and I found each other at the most divine times in our lives. I think my daughter and I were brought into his world, to crack him open and been the nurturing women he needs to help him live out his ambitious dreams of becoming a doctor. I think he was brought into our world to show not only me, but her what unconditional, healthy, love looks like.

I know the best is yet to come, and like I always say "it's this or something better"

I just didn't think it would take a major falling out at my salon, a shift in my entire friend group, making me question what I am even doing in my career and life to see the new possibilities of what I could create and make space for by moving out of state...

So here's to failed endings actually becoming new beginnings

For those of you that need the deets keep reading

What does this mean for Echo? Nothing much will change for our salon + team itself Echo The Collective is built on independent principles and mentorship on demand when needed to create the ideal laud back luxe vibes we strive for! We just did a team photoshoot in our new space tomorrow to kick off 2023

What does that mean for you as my client? I currently work 4-6 day a month right now & come June it will only drop down to 2- 4 days a month, however the days & hours themselves will just look different! I’ll be opening my books 2 months at a time with my availability (mostly weekends during the school year) and you as OG clients will have first access and can even add yourself to my waitlist for VIP access. These next 4 months I will be in the salon 6+ days a month to touch base with as many of you as I can before the move so that we can get you booked out + on the best haircare regimen to ensure longevity and low maintenance in between our visits

What if my new hours don’t work for you? That’s okay! Life! I get it! That’s why I have downsized my space to increase the quality of my team members at Echo to ensure my clients and brand are left in incredible hands. This is even a good option if you are a client of mine that my services may have out grown your budget and lifestyle over the years. Claire, Kailee + Rach are some of the sweetest most talented souls I’ve had the honor to mentor. You can find all of their booking links in our instagram bio @echothecollective

Some of you have been with me since I went out on my own, saw me become a mother, watch me regain my power post divorce, encouraged me through all the business ups and downs & now are seeing me live out my next chapter as I get to take my relationship to the next level & move to Michigan with the LOML

I love you is an understatement , Molls