A Beautiful Place in Space

Go, girl, seek happy nights to happy days.

[brittanhere]

#tbt to ugly crying while getting the sweetest hug from @toriiigardner09 right before her walk down the aisle. I was so afraid of getting make up on that beautiful dress! 👰🏻💕🎩💌🎨💋 #bridalmakeup #mualife #whyidowhatido #beautyindustry #werkwerkwerkwerkwerk

[brittanhere]

You've got to jump off cliffs all the time and build your wings on the way down.

20 years ago, I found out I had wings. At 12 years old, I marched up to my dance instructor with a vivid idea and a tiny caboodle of hard earned MAC Cosmetics. I told her I had designed a look for the jazz section of the performance and wanted to provide makeup for the troupe. I carved sharp black contours using a plastic key card across my peers’ faces and felt so engaged in the process, I immediately fell in love. My wings stretched out for the first time. 

The 10 years directly following, I bound my wings to my ribcage. I was told that what I loved wasn’t a career, that it wasn’t even a “real choice” to make. I tried to find other outlets. Out of high school, I tried more mainstream work between my times with beauty brands. In college, I studied cosmetology AND marketing. I covered my bases in all areas to make myself “well-rounded.” The battle raged on as I kept standing on the edge, believing that if I jumped that my wings couldn’t keep me up. But even then, no matter what I was doing to pay the bills, I never put down my brushes. 

 I was in New York when I was 22, having a conversation with an incredible woman. (I was helping her daughter write her resume.) She asked some general questions about me, like a casual conversation would allow. As if she had known me for years, she summed up our moment together by asking me, “Isn’t it exhausting to live so fragmented? You’ll find a better way some day.” “Yes. It is.” I replied, without knowing there was any other way to be. Her words swirled in my mind the whole flight home, why was I just hoping it would change instead of working it out? I cut the bandages off of my wings that day, and jumped. Throughout the past 10 years, I worked in television, stage, and film, beauty, bridal, and beyond. I’ve worked with photographers, directors, models, and wedding planners. I was an artist and leader for THE powerhouse brand in cosmetics, began leading talent in medical industry beauty, and went through yoga teacher training. I have learned more, been happier, and personally grown greater than any other time in my life. I leaned in to who I was, and what I loved, and today I know that not only do I have wings, but I can fly. 

 All of this is simply to say, wings are for using. I had 10 years of life I could have enjoyed more. 10 years I could have focused on flying lessons…People sometimes say they “don’t know what to feel passionate about” when in reality they’ve already felt it, and told it to go away. You can find a way to make your passion something that works for you, if you stay diligent and open-minded. The path may not be straight, but it can be enjoyable. I love to live in beauty. I love health and wellness. I love empowering people. I love an industry that never rests. I love having my creativity be awake throughout my days, and I love to feel in love with what I have done in my life. The only thing I don’t love is how much time it took me to step off the ledge. 

 So today, I encourage you to jump. You’ll build your wings on the way down.

[brittanhere]

Halloween, Makeup, Baby Bump, and Benton. Makes sense. Here's to 2017 with less bump, more baby, and all the fun in between. #2016bestnine #mua #busybandbabyb #halloween #happynewyear #herestothenewyear 🍾🎉💜💋🥂🤰🏼

[brittanhere]

2006|2016 spent the past 10 years growing back my eyebrows, and expanding my awareness. 😂It's been a good journey. 💜 #2006vs2016 #flashbackfriday #newyearseveeve #makeupartist #yoga

[brittanhere]

💜🎄🤰🏼 William, Milo, and I hope you have a happy holiday weekend. #happyholidays #tistheseason #santasouci #notmytree #christmaseve #hellokitty #instax #thirdtrimester (at Sans Souci, South Carolina)

[brittanhere]

I'm a lover of colder weather that seems to finally be on it's way here, and yesterday I was gifted a beautiful handmade scarf that I don't want to take off. 💜 Today is a day for baking and relaxation with some body warming asana practice later. 🙏🏻🍪What are you up to with your Saturday? #saturdayvibes #restandrecovery #selfcare #yoga #bakingday

[brittanhere]

Super simple with the essentials from my @elfcosmetics VoxBox. 💋🙋🏼💜 Skin: Hydrating Bubble Mask Mineral Infused Primer (favorite piece so far) Lip Exfoliater Color: Matte Lip Color in Wine Baked Highlighter/Bronzer duo Early thoughts: Im liking the prep steps the most. They all worked well with my @iSClinical routine and my foundation. The lip color is easily flattering on lots of tones but I would say calling it matte is a stretch. The highlighter bronzer duo is a great everyday for someone who likes a natural look (not highly pigmented even on fair skin) With my light tones I would usual step up the glow with a bolder highlight and choose a contour over a bronzer. I'll let you know how they wear! #playbeautifully #influenster #spon #voxbox #sundayfunday #mua #simplemakeup

[brittanhere]

I'll be settling in for some fun with the @elfcosmetics #voxbox from @influenster soon. Skincare and color products in this one! 💅🏻💜#beautyindustry #skindustry #spon #influenster #elfcosmetics #voxbox #mua #instagood #sundayfunday

[brittanhere]

An open note to myself during this time of year and for anyone who may also appreciate the message: Being thankful is a celebration that cannot begin without first being grateful. Being grateful is a state of mind that cannot begin until you remove the demands from your life to have/be/do "more." More has no end. If you spend your whole life waiting to celebrate your thankfulness until you reach the next step, get the next task completed, gain the next possession, pay the next bill- you will never arrive at your celebration. There is no happiness in "Next" without having it now. When you tell yourself, "I'll be happy when...." you also tell yourself in that very same thought, "I am not enough." But, I am. I've always been, and I will always be. "When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky." 🙏🏻📿💜 #thankful #grateful #Thanksgiving #thingsyogataughtme #yoga #YTT #yogaeverydamnday #instamood #instagood #Buddha #quote #brittanbends

[brittanhere]

"Therefore Love Moderately. Long love doth so. Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow." Happy 20th Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet 💜 #theseareafewofmyfavoritethings #romeoandjuliet #shakespeare #capulet #montague #nerdgirl

[brittanhere]

Claire Littleton. Halloween 2016 🙋🏼🌴🌊 #lost #clairelittleton #halloween #sansspooky2016 #instagood #secondtrimester #costumeparty #peanutbutter (at Sans Souci, South Carolina)

[brittanhere]

Last costume of Halloween 2016. 1 hour. Sneak Peek. 👀☠️🎃🙋🏼🌴 #guesswho #halloween #secondtrimester #couplescostume #mualife #dirtyshirty #nerdgirl #sanspooky2016 (at Sans Souci, South Carolina)

[brittanhere]

"When the turbulence stops and the lake of the mind becomes clear and still, our true essence, our Self is reflected." Spent the afternoon at the park practicing, reading, and journaling while my mister worked on his goal shots. Life is good. 💜✨🙏🏻⚽️ #yogaeverydamnday #yogateachertraining #brittanbends #soccerpark (at Pittman Park)

[brittanhere]

There is something meditative about the ebb and flow of the ocean. There is a life lesson in rooting the body upon something as malleable as sand to salute the sun...Even more so by holding the body in plank as the sand slid away from solid hands and feet. I want to learn through my whole self what the body instinctually does with that. Without thinking, you make constant micro adjustments to feel balanced and unshakeable. I hope to always practice that not only in my body but in my mind. #yogaeverywhere #hiltonhead #yogateachertraining #brittanbends #benddontbreak #bendandbreathe (at Hilton Head Island Beach)

[brittanhere]

This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all! Even if they are a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still, treat each guest honorably. He may be clearing you out for some new delight. The dark thought, the shame, the malice. meet them at the door laughing and invite them in. Be grateful for whatever comes. because each has been sent as a guide from beyond. -Rumi

[brittanhere]

Bright &Early for the first weekend of my Yoga Teacher Training, We are studying the use of Yoga Nidra in your practice for releasing stress and past traumas to heal your body. It's amazing what your body can say to you when you slow down a few moments to listen! Make time for yourself today. I hope you find bliss in something this Sunday. (at It's Yoga Studio)

[brittanhere]

Starting #getshtdonesunday making coconut flour waffles with a few carob chips and raw honey. #glutenfree #refinedsugarfree #mealprepsunday