Issue link: https://www.ahpindiestylist.com/i/1540979
46 AHP Indie Stylist Volume 6 Issue 2 IS: Do you mind sharing some of the emotions you experienced when your husband passed away? TJD: During that time, I was really at the height of Redken, the height of my Sam Villa career, the height of my hairdressing career in general. I had a great following on social media. I was doing so well. And it was all because of my husband—he was so supportive. He was also really active in his community. I was lucky to have him and lucky to know him and lucky to have his support. And, man, it's like, you can't even describe. It's like losing an arm. He wasn't just my husband. He was my best friend, he was my supporter, he was my rock. He was everything. I was so grateful for the community I had built in my life. I had so many people there to stand by my side and support me, and that really helped get me through. I remember sitting there and thinking, "What do I do now? Who am I?" . . . One of the things that has helped me the most is the other young women I've seen (or that somebody else knows) who also lost their spouse young and who have reached out to me. at time was so dark, and I wanted to give up on everything. If I didn't have people helping me run the business, I would have given up on it for sure. I would have walked away. IS: How have you navigated the past three years of what you describe as a rebirth? TJD: I used to be a person who was always like, more, more, more. What more could I be doing? I look at it diff erently now. When you're always in a more, more, more mindset, you're giving up other things. I look back and regret, in a lot of ways, the time I lost with my husband, with family, time that I spent doing other things that I thought were more important. e way that I choose to be in relationships with people has changed. Now, I rest in the exhale, and I try to fi nd time for so ness, fi nd time for myself, fi nd time to really connect with friends and family, and check in on people. When it comes to work, I love being able to spend more time with my staff , building our relationships as a salon, but also building my relationships with them.