Morocco was like no other. I know I have shared a lot from here but it was a eye opener for me. Mexico, Peru, and many other places I have gone were all different in so many different ways, but this one came at a time in my life that I needed it most. Through the challenges of my everyday as a single mother to 4 kids, to pushing the limits in design and and growing a company, I found myself at a crossroad. I am working 100 plus hours a week in start up mode, I am in a road of finding myself with almost grown kids and where am I? Not married still? Working massive amounts of hours? So there I was....packing my clothes to go to Morocco, and couldn't even keep my eyes open. My hair was about 4 days not washed (thank goodness for dry shampoo) and I was packing brand new underwear because I didn't even have time to wash my clothes. I was leaving my kids in a not clean house. My counter tops cracked. My washer and dryer broke, and crap I was tired. I walked onto that plane, and worked on spreadsheets for pricing and inventory for our Fall 2018 catalog. Never stopping. Never sleeping.....and it hit me. Crap, I am tired!

So here I am today. With my website. To say what I want to say, to hopefully teach and share some insight of what I have gone through in my life. So many will read this and be a bit shocked. Some won't. But I am going to be as transparent as I can. I walked into Morocco understanding I would be meeting a new culture. New people. New Artisans. But nothing prepared me for this time where I would be just so empowered by these women.

I have been abused on and off since my first boyfriend at age 14. I was with him for 3 years, until my parents moved me away from him finally. When I walked into our Artisan community, nothing prepared me for these stories going through the same things, except this time they can't just move away. Some of these women have a very hard living situation. The only place they can find peace is in Dorine's creative design Studio where they come work daily. I loved meeting them, I loved designing with them, and I hope to design and create so many other products with them to give them the money they need to support their families. I really want to go back and visit as often as I can because their stories changed me. Made me realize so much. Here are some thoughts that I wrote from my Morocco Journal

You are important to someone

Your smile can affect so many, so smile more often even if you are hurting

You can survive anywhere and at anytime, just believe you can.

Something so small to you isn't to someone else, so share and do more for others

You will be ok (on repeat)

You deserve someone who will allow you to be you no matter what

You should want to learn and grow daily, so what are you taking away from this day?

Those are my insights for the day! These are things I wrote in my daily journal and I hope these life affirmations can help your day somehow. Thanks for reading. Here are some more pics where I sat and reflected daily when I got back to my Riad, where I was staying in Morocco.

Where I would journal everyday in Morocco on what I expereniced to take home with me.

Finding Self Love In Morocco