Why Mon + Ash?
What a year 2020 was. It was certainly a challenging year for a lot of people, to say the least. The pandemic changed so many aspects in people’s lives.
At a personal level, my soul was under a turmoil of emotions which had left me with an existential void. The future of my company was uncertain. I had to make a decision. Since quarantine affected in-person interactions, my options were somewhat limited. The first option was to close my company outright, it would certainly have been the easiest decision. However, just the thought of not having my company made me feel empty and sad. I felt uneasy with the realization that my company meant that much to me.
Why did that affect me so much? Was I being selfish or ungrateful for giving so much importance to something material? Afterall, I had my family, my dog Rosie, and a home. Make no mistake, these are powerful reasons for my existence. However, something was clearly missing. It was time to reflect and rethink about the meaning and the direction my company and my life were going to take.
Monash had been keeping me busy. I was having fun making blends and products and participating in different kinds of events. As memories of my experiences with Monash kept flooding back to me, I began to analyze the pros and cons of closing down shop. What stuck with me the most during this time of reflection was the simple fact that this company makes me happy.
Soon after that, a series of unexpected and fantastic opportunities came along. Some of these transformative events were working with mentors that guided me with their expertise, small business grants and an interview with a fantastic Milwaukee journalist, just to name a few. After these experiences I had no doubt that a new beginning was in the works! Monash transformed into Mon + Ash.
This led to readjusting, reinventing and redesigning Monash. With the help of my rebranding mentor, Jay, I embarked on the process of rediscovering my being; not just for the sake of my company but most importantly of myself. During the quest of finding My WHYs. I began writing about my memories which evoked a variety of emotions. It was an emotionally intense time, but it resulted in a spiritual awakening.
The realization of understanding, loving, and embracing myself and those around me was very liberating and transforming. I received the gift of accepting and learning from my struggles. Afterall, they have shaped me to be the person I am today. I choose to turn them into positive and goodness and I want to share that. I want to make a difference in the lives of the people I care about by showing them empathy, understanding and love.
I want to build relationships at every opportunity. I want to share creative expressions to handle adversity with hope and courage. I want to be fearless even when I have little control over the outcome because no setback is too big. Always keep memories alive because they stir up emotions from deep in the heart.
Why?
To make meaningful connections with people so that they feel nurtured, loved, and empowered when coping with adversity.
Love always,
Monica
