If you’ve ever started down a path towards a personal goal and then found yourself lost in the details or oddly dissatisfied once you reach your intended destination, then you’ll appreciate Sharon Hwang’s journey from college, to Nepal, and finally to The Wellness Center right here in Glendale. The story starts at CU-Boulder where Hwang earned her degree in Architecture and Urban Planning. Following graduation she accepted an internship with the City of Louisville, CO and promptly realized that it just wasn’t for her.
After years of academic discipline and a well thought out plan, her new found freedom left her a bit stymied. She knew she wanted to travel so decided her next move would be to join the Peace Corps. She headed to Nepal and threw herself into the challenging and sometimes grueling responsibilities that await volunteers living in isolation. After a year or so, she started to become sensitive to her weight, a common phenomenon with women in the Peace Corps.
“I thought of myself as a self-confident young woman but then realized after months in 
relative isolation that this was true only when I could control my environment.” A visit from her family helped set her to rights and after completing her two year tour in the Peace Corps she spent an additional two months traveling through India. During her travels she got an idea for a wellness center and, says Hwang “I wrote out my entire vision and then headed back to the States. I felt compelled to go home and help others like me.’
Once back in the states a serendipitous moment led her to the front door of The Wild Oats Wellness Center which surprisingly mirrored her own vision for a wellness center. She applied for a job and learned the business from the inside out. In fact, says Hwang, “This is my number one piece of advice to anyone with a dream of owning your own business. It all sounds great from the outside until you get into the trenches. You want to own a restaurant? Go get a job in one.”
Her second piece of advice is to work with a mentor. She also read books and attended seminars. One particular seminar was especially impactful. “The key note speaker had this advice, “As an entrepreneur, you have to be comfortable with the uncomfortable.” Hwang explains, “His point was that you have to not just think outside the box but do things that are outside the box.”
Hwang heeded his advice which led to her decision to open The Wellness Center in Glendale. It is located in the Whole Foods in the heart of Glendale offering “therapeutic massage, acupuncture, chiropractic care, and naturopathic medicine.” According to Hwang a good place to start your wellness journey is to create “spaciousness” in your life. Clear your calendar of anything that doesn’t serve you and say “no” to things that drain you.
Hwang’s story offers many lessons and insights into jumping on your own path and going for it. Hopefully your journey will also lead you to The Wellness Center which offers gift cards, memberships, and promotions which can bring wellness and balance to your life and to the lives of those you love.
Visit them at www.wellnessdenver.com or call for an appointment at 303-357-9355.
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