Creating Space for You
By: Tiffany Whitmore
As a non-traditional presenting early thirties womxn, I’ve had to navigate plenty of spaces where the level of awkward tension was palpable. Everyday activities that should never turn into a “situation” can quickly become a flurry of self-doubt and anxiety. From my experience these situations develop as part of the narrative “you don’t look like me,” and that means “you must not belong” here.
After decades of these experiences, to ease the tension, you either learn to adapt by coming up with a “talk track” you are comfortable with to move the encounter forward, avoid those spaces or create your own space where you get the set the rules.
We are here to talk about creating a space tailored for you!– this is Kush Queen after all!
Creating Your Own Space – Nail Salon Edition
Surprisingly, one of the most unexpected yet reoccurring places I’ve felt like an outsider has been at nail salons. My hopes for an afternoon of relaxation have quickly turned into situations where I wanted to leave the salon ASAP. Yes, I know I can own any space and I should be the one in control of my feelings, but sometimes ya girl doesn’t want to deal with repeated asks about nail polish, acrylics, painted designs, why I don’t want to grow my nails out (obvs), and so on.
After a string of bad experiences, I decided to create an at-home nail salon/spa experience for myself. Just recently, I upgraded my routine with a few Kush Queen products.
My Kush Queen at Home Manicure/Spa Experience
I had just come home from a long bike ride and decided to go all out on my CBD at home nail salon/spa treatment regimen. The products I incorporated each had a specific purpose and order.
Gummies RX – Mood calming and anxiety reducing. Never underestimate getting in the right mindset before any activity. Gummies RX assist me in chilling out and becoming fully present for activities, work sessions, and tasks that take concentration.
Aēsop Chamomile Concentrate Anti-Blemish Masque – Pore minimizing face mask. I discovered this mask a few months ago and have been using it twice a month since. It’s great for sensitive skin types.
Kush Queen Complete Mini Collection – Hand soak, cuticle loosening. The mini collection is perfect for this; you get all the benefits of a regular size Kush Queen bath bomb but don’t have to feel guilty about using them “just for your hands.”
Kush Premium Hemp Roll – For fun. I’ve been wanting to try this! Honestly, I had never smoked CBD before and wanted to experience the effect. 100% into this CBD Kush smokable!
The Outcome – Major Relaxation in a Judgement Free Space
Here are a few snaps from last Sunday’s nail/spa time. I invited my sister in law to join me because half of the fun of getting your nails done is doing it with a friend.
Tips for Creating Your Own Space
The most important thing to remember is this is all about you and what you want the experience to be. If you are re-creating a space as I did, you don’t have to follow any “rules” or do things the exact way you have experienced this service or event in the past.
Ask yourself what you want to get out of the experience. Starting with the outcome helps guide the process and keep you focused on the feeling you want to achieve through the activities or experiences. I wanted to feel relaxed and take care of my hands that the winter season is slowly abusing.
Keep it simple. Analysis paralysis is a real thing. If you over analyze to get something right, you can easily miss out on the fun of creating something just for you. Keeping things simple can help you ease into creating your space if this is a new ritual for you.
Invite Friends. Experiences can be enhanced when sharing them with others as part of the process. For me, my idea of going to a nail salon was rooted in the stereotype that this is an activity you do with friends. In some way, I wanted to recreate that connection. Chances are if you feel the desire to create your own version of something one of your friends is probably feeling the same way.
Creating your own space to replace what has been an awkward experience in the past can be empowering. When you are starting to plan, revisit my three tips for creating your own space and share the outcome with us! We would love to learn about your space.
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