In this episode of Go Find Less, I’m sharing the story of being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult — and how that diagnosis made so many pieces of my life finally click into place.

I talk about what I was like as a kid: constantly talking, getting in trouble at school, feeling like I was always “too much,” and growing up believing that parts of my personality were things I needed to tone down or fix. I share how that followed me into beauty school, my career behind the chair, motherhood, business ownership, and even the way I’ve learned to cope with everyday life.

I also get into the moment a friend casually told me, “It’s because we both have ADHD,” and how that one conversation sent me down the path of finally getting evaluated after years of therapy, anxiety, stress, overwhelm, insomnia, and feeling like my brain never shut off.

I talk honestly about what the diagnosis has meant for me, why I’m not currently choosing medication, the coping systems I use now — including my “open tabs” notes list — and how much relief I’ve felt simply understanding that my brain works differently.

This episode also gets into motherhood in a really vulnerable way. I talk about emotional regulation, seeing parts of myself reflected in my daughters, wanting to advocate for them if they ever struggle in the same ways I did, and learning how to apologize, regulate, and grow alongside my kids instead of expecting myself to be perfect.

More than anything, this diagnosis has helped me stop trying to shrink myself to fit into rooms that were never made for me. I’m learning to work with my brain instead of constantly fighting against it — and to give myself a little more grace in the process.

If you’ve ever felt scattered, overwhelmed, overly emotional, too loud, too talkative, like your brain has 10 tabs open at once, or simply like you’ve spent your life wondering why certain things seem harder for you than they do for everyone else, this episode is for you.

Because maybe you were never “too much.”

Maybe you just needed to understand yourself better.

And if you are too much for someone? They can go find less. 🤍

Support the show

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If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs to hear it.

Follow along with your host Carmen Herges:

Instagram: @createdbyCarmenH

https://www.instagram.com/createdbycarmenh/

Book your hair appointment with Carmen + friends:

HOUSE OF HAIR | Mahomet IL.

https://www.houseofhairbeautylounge.com/

Book your next self-care appointment with Michelle & her team:

BENJAMIN & CO ESTHETIQUE | Mahomet + Champaign IL.

https://benjamincoesthetique.com/

Want to join us for a Girls Night Out?

Follow @Illuminate.studios.fisher for upcoming events, pop-ups,

workshops, and all the fun happening at the studio!

https://www.instagram.com/illuminate.studios.fisher

Thank you for being here, for listening, and for embracing the fact that sometimes... we're just too much

and thats perfectly fine!

In this episode of Go Find Less, I sit down with someone who has been a part of my life for years and has influenced me both personally and professionally - Michelle Benjamin, the original "spa mama."

Michelle has spent more than 30 years in the aesthetics and spa industry, and I've had the privilege of watching her build businesses, mentor women, raise a family, reinvent herself, and continue evolving through every season of her career.

We talk about what she would tell her younger self, learning to stop rushing the process, trusting your gut, and understanding that sometimes the redirections in life are exactly what lead you where you're supposed to be. We also talk about the people who believe in us before we fully believe in ourselves and how much that support can shape the direction of our lives.

Michelle opens up about her journey from working for other people to owning businesses and eventually becoming independent, as well as why mentorship has always been such an important part of who she is. We also get into motherhood, watching her daughter enter the aesthetics industry, and how she encourages her to create her own path rather than feeling like she has to follow directly in her footsteps.

We talk about marriage, family, having a supportive partner through different seasons of business, and the adjustments that come with balancing it all. Michelle also shares her experience with aging, perimenopause, changing skin, confidence, and why she feels so passionate about helping women feel good about themselves through every stage of life.

And of course, we talk business. Michelle built a successful clientele long before social media existed, so we get into old-school marketing, referrals, networking, community involvement, putting yourself out there, and the reminder that whether you market online or offline, growing a business still takes work.

This conversation is such a good reminder that your path doesn't have to be perfectly planned or linear to be successful. You're allowed to change, grow, reinvent yourself, and take a completely different direction when something no longer feels right.

If you're a business owner, beauty professional, mom, mentor, or just a woman figuring out your next season, I think you're going to get so much out of this one.

Support the show

-

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs to hear it.

Follow along with your host Carmen Herges:

Instagram: @createdbyCarmenH

https://www.instagram.com/createdbycarmenh/

Book your hair appointment with Carmen + friends:

HOUSE OF HAIR | Mahomet IL.

https://www.houseofhairbeautylounge.com/

Book your next self-care appointment with Michelle & her team:

BENJAMIN & CO ESTHETIQUE | Mahomet + Champaign IL.

https://benjamincoesthetique.com/

Want to join us for a Girls Night Out?

Follow @Illuminate.studios.fisher for upcoming events, pop-ups,

workshops, and all the fun happening at the studio!

https://www.instagram.com/illuminate.studios.fisher

Thank you for being here, for listening, and for embracing the fact that sometimes... we're just too much

and thats perfectly fine!

What really goes on behind the scenes of the beauty industry?

In this episode of Go Find Less, I'm spilling 10 of the craziest things l've experienced in more than a decade as a hairstylist - including some things that are completely normal to us in the industry but might sound WILD to everyone else.

We're talking salon retail and luxury product exclusivity, commission vs. booth rental, who actually owns your client information, how social media completely changed the way stylists build their books, workplace culture, industry red flags, and why the salon you work in can make or break your career.

I'm also sharing what I wish more new stylists knew: you don't have to change who you are to fit into a salon, no one business holds the key to your success, and sometimes the best career move you can make is choosing a place where you can actually thrive.

Whether you work in the beauty industry or you've always wondered what happens behind the chair, this one is JUICY.

Support the show

-

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs to hear it.

Follow along with your host Carmen Herges:

Instagram: @createdbyCarmenH

https://www.instagram.com/createdbycarmenh/

Book your hair appointment with Carmen + friends:

HOUSE OF HAIR | Mahomet IL.

https://www.houseofhairbeautylounge.com/

Book your next self-care appointment with Michelle & her team:

BENJAMIN & CO ESTHETIQUE | Mahomet + Champaign IL.

https://benjamincoesthetique.com/

Want to join us for a Girls Night Out?

Follow @Illuminate.studios.fisher for upcoming events, pop-ups,

workshops, and all the fun happening at the studio!

https://www.instagram.com/illuminate.studios.fisher

Thank you for being here, for listening, and for embracing the fact that sometimes... we're just too much

and thats perfectly fine!