Women Empowerment Archives - Page 2 of 2

What Does Being A Girl Boss Mean?

April 3, 2018 ·

#Girlboss, #Bossbabe, #LikeABoss are thrown around like candy in a social media world that’s all about image and the perception of success. What does being a Girl Boss mean? Is there pressure to be this perfect woman that #slays it like a #WomanOnTop all of the time? Are we creating more pressure to be perfect, always put together with the “perfect” life or maybe I should say showing the “perfect life?” I find myself even using these hashtags as part of my daily vocabulary and using them in my Instagram posts like they are going out of style. I even sell travel mugs in my studio that says “Like A Boss.” We all want positive images, mantras, phrases but where do trends stop and real life takes over? For the last couple of months every time I use one of these hashtags I think to myself “What does this mean?”

Photo Credit: Rick Gomez Photography

We live in a world now that is entirely run by media, social media and what people want you to believe is right. The constant need and desire to keep up the term #WomanOnTop, to post the next best image, the next best blog post, video, podcast and when you fail to fill this social media beast you have FOMO continually. Do I have enough followers? Oh, wait her massive following is fake? And I have been comparing myself/career/life to her? Listen I am also in this spin cycle of our new world just like everyone else, but I have been thinking about what a #GirlBoss is/does/lives/thinks. The most important thing to remember is that you are unique and not like everyone else. You don’t need to compare yourself to the next Instagram account, Facebook “Life” or business. The power comes from within not from a hashtag.

Photo Credit: Rick Gomez Photography

So what is a Girl Boss? Ask yourself that question, what does that mean to you?

What does a Girl Boss do? Is she a Mom that manages a household? Is she your retired neighbor that grows a garden? Is she your doctor? Is she the line cook at your daughter’s school? Is she YOU? Do you see where I am going with this?

Where does a Girl Boss live? LOL, this is getting silly because she lives everywhere in the world!

How does a Girl Boss think? Take the label off because you are a woman of power, of light, of discipline, of love. You have so much more to yourself than trying to be a Girl Boss.

Let me say there is nothing wrong with trends etc. or wanting to be a Girl Boss. I am pointing out that getting caught up in a trendy label, pushing yourself to be at some social media level of success is not something to strive for, it’s just that trendy.

Photo Credit: Rick Gomez Photography

Do I struggle with keeping up with the social media whirlwind I mean what entrepreneur doesn’t? I sometimes wish we could go back to 1988 where your phone had a cord attached to the wall, you weren’t allowed to have a phone in your room, and when you went out, NO ONE THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD IF THEY COULDN”T REACH YOU. Constant pressure to have better numbers not only with your bank account but in your social media accounts it’s almost like we don’t have a name just value by numbers. I think #Girlboss has seen its day and women are looking for more substance, more depth, more connection to not only a popular saying.

How you show up to the world is what is powerful, how you handle yourself in challenging situations is powerful. Life is not always comfortable, and with all the distractions we face now it’s incredible that we get anything done. We have apps that can deliver you anything from coffee to a driver. If you don’t get the information in a Nanosecond, the world feels like it’s coming unglued. Ask yourself what empowers you? What makes you feel powerful? I can tell you that it’s not Instagram or Facebook or a hashtag behind your name that says #Girlboss. In recent studies, one in five people say they feel depressed as a result of using social media.

Create your reality one that is real and true. Set out to impress yourself not anyone else. Reach for your goals, take that class, turn off your phone, look around, live, breathe, love, share, talk, speak, listen, hug, encourage, feel, because THAT is what counts ladies. You are what you believe and say to yourself start writing your story and live it.

Silver Sister Spotlight with Melanie

March 6, 2018 ·

Hey, beauty industry hear us ROOOOAAARRRRR! That’s right next up is our beautiful Melanie a thirty-nine-year-old retired Social Worker turned full-time wedding florist and part-time beauty YouTube guru. She is a Mother of a precious six-year-old daughter, married to her best friend and loves all things beauty, specifically makeup and skin care.

Melanie like most of us is trying to figure out how to care for her new gray hair situation. Melanie started going gray in her mid-twenties and fought it for years until in her mid-thirties she decided to finally let go and embrace the new her by letting her gray grow out. She comes from a long line of strong German women who went gray very early in life. Both her Mother and Oma have the most beautiful silver hair and they were her inspiration to finally give herself permission to “let it go.” Melanie feels it was the best decision of her life and has not looked back. She loves the journey that she is on and she is so excited to see so many Silver Sisters embracing their natural beauty when it comes to their hair.

Follow and show Melanie some love on her social media outlets here: Instagram, YouTube

1. Tell us why you made such a powerful video titled “Why is My Hair Gray on Purpose.”

For the most part, the vast majority of my regular subscriber base was really supportive of my decision to let my hair transition. They were super encouraging. But others, not so much. I decided to make a video about why I chose to embrace my gray hair because while I received a lot of support, I was also constantly getting comments on my video from people as to why I would ever even consider letting my hair go gray. People told me I looked 20-30 years old than my actual age. It honestly got to be frustrating either deleting or constantly responding to these comments that were clearly aimed at making me feel like I was making the wrong decision. Comments like “You’d be so much prettier if you didn’t have gray hair.” really started to anger me. My decision to go gray was based on a personal choice. A choice I did not feel I needed to get permission for from anyone. My gray hair actually made me feel 1000 times more confident and beautiful than my “fake blonde” hair ever did. My gray hair was me. I stopped fighting the inevitable and embraced a new version of me and I loved it. And the negativity from others surrounding that decision honestly just irritated me and I wanted to address people’s “concerns.”

2. You decided to stop covering up your gray, how did that make you feel? Were you liberated or did you feel like it was a mistake?

I felt amazing once I finally decided to take the plunge. I guess I had a little confidence boost from the fact that so many younger girls were dying their hair gray at the time. I figured, no better time than now! I went to my hairdresser and we came up with a game plan to transition my blonde to gray. There was never a single ounce of regret. As soon as I saw my hair gray in the mirror, I knew I had made the right choice. I loved the way it looked! I knew it would take time to grow everything out, but I knew I could do it. Having the help of a talented hairdresser really made the transition much easier for me.

3. As a Mom with gray hair, how do you encourage your daughter to embrace her beauty and self-confidence?

I have always encouraged my daughter Stella to be herself. I have never imposed a certain beauty norm on her. She has always naturally gravitated towards being more of a girly girl. Her style is definitely feminine. As soon as she could choose her own outfits, I let her pick her clothing. She was under the age of 2 the first time she showed me a preference in the way she wanted to dress and how she wanted her hair. She didn’t like pigtails or ponytails, so I never made her wear them. She liked accessories like necklaces and I let her style all her accessories by herself. She is always so proud of what she comes up with. While it doesn’t always “match” it makes her happy and that is all I want. I also make sure she knows that beauty is more than just someone’s outward appearance. Being beautiful on the inside by being a kind and caring person is far more important than any outfit or the lipgloss you wear. I’m proud to say that my girl is one of the kindest more generous little kids I know. I’m so so proud of her!

4. How has your personal style changed with gray hair?

Honestly not a ton. I think the season of life I am in, the mom to a super busy 6-year-old season doesn’t really allow me much focus on style. I am a classic soccer mom leggings/yoga pants and tunics kind of girl right now. Fashion is really not at the forefront of my mind at this point in time. I hope it gets to be again someday, but I’m ok with where I am at right now. I work for my job and my current lifestyle. My makeup has changed a bit. I do tend to gravitate towards cooler colors now that my hair is not blonde any longer. Warmer tones don’t always look best so I have to be careful. But I will still rock a rusty brown eyeshadow if I feel like it 😉 I don’t think your hair color should really dictate your personal style necessarily. You may need to make some tweaks to feel like you look your best, but that is 100% up to you.

5. What advice do you have for women just starting out in their gray hair journey?

My biggest piece of advice for someone starting out on their journey is to ignore the negativity that some people may throw your way. Don’t let “well-meaning compliments” like “You look so much better/younger/healthier with your blonde, brown, red hair” faze you. If you think that now is the time for you to start on your journey, then do it! And don’t look back, unless YOU want to. Do not let other’s dictate your journey in life. If you want to be gray, be gray. If you don’t because you are just not personally ready, then wait. But do it for you! It’s not necessarily easy to grow your hair out. While a good hairdresser can get you started, it’s a very different reality to wake up in the morning and see yourself with such a drastically different color. It can feel like you are having to let go of something big. But look at it as a new, exciting journey where you get to be the new you. Wiser, bolder, more adventurous. Embrace this new look and just go for it. Just don’t listen to others. No one has the right to tell you how to rock your hair. That’s up to you 😉

Welcome To Beauty Reinvented

February 28, 2018 ·

Welcome to Beauty Reinvented where women are encouraged and live a life free of beauty stigmas. I am so excited to launch this website and create a safe space for women to connect and feel empowered. This website is dedicated to YOU the woman who is going through unexpected beauty changes at any age. Dealing with aging, gray hair, hormone issues, beauty overwhelm? Maybe you have lost yourself and want to feel beautiful again. This website is for You.

If you have been following me through my life and beauty challenges from infertility to gray hair you know, I don’t sugar coat my content. I tell you how it is right from the very start because being authentic is extremely important to me especially in a time where social media makes everything look perfect which it’s not. I am a beauty expert that keeps things real; it’s not about trying to be something you are not. I got to the point where I felt so disconnected from beauty when I was going gray that I told myself I have two choices. (1) I could allow my gray hair in my thirties to dictate how I thought about myself and my self-confidence or (2) I could embrace and accept what was happening and let other women know it’s OK to be different. It’s OK to not look like everyone else. Celebrate yourself, your hair, your difference because THAT ladies is what is beautiful.

I am on a mission to break through the gray hair stereotypes, the “You will look older,” “Gray hair is not flattering,” “Gray hair ages you.” ENOUGH with the dated thinking and comments. 2018 is the year of Gray Hair according to Allure magazine, the year you take back control of your thoughts on aging and who you are inside. Beauty is subjective, and I want you ladies to celebrate yourself each and every day. Social media doesn’t tell you what’s right and wrong with beauty; YouTube doesn’t tell you what beauty is, YOU say to yourself what beauty is and means to you. I want you to empower yourself and to embrace your age. It’s essential that you support other women going through beauty changes also.

Gray hair is not a solo journey but a journey worth exploring together. No judgment, no cattiness, no negative comments, no jealousy. Try it, ladies, try complimenting another woman something authentic and meaningful that will boost her day.

Photo Credit: Rick Gomez Photography

We all get our heel stuck in the groove of the pavement from time to time, but we don’t stop. Join me in the Beauty Reinvented conversation over on my private Facebook group; this is where women get BOLD and Fearless about their beauty with no apologies. I think it’s about time ladies that we get this beauty started.

Feel The Thunder

February 28, 2018 ·

Aging and acceptance are not easy because if it were than I wouldn’t need to create a movement about it now, would I? How many times have you looked at a magazine, social media picture, cosmetic counter beauty image and thought that you were not good enough? That your beauty wasn’t good enough? Wasn’t your body good enough? Hell, your fashion sense was off? I hope you start feeling the thunder of your inner beauty rising just reading this blog post.

Photo Credit: Rick Gomez Photography

If you don’t know the song Feel The Thunder, you can listen to it here. Just put it on and continue reading. I love this song because I hear it every morning when spinning and the lyrics are on point:

Not a yes sir, not a follower
Fit the box, fit the mold
Have a seat in the foyer, take a number
I was lightning before the thunder

You don’t fit the mold ladies; you are a beauty leader, you are not one to fit into a box, a hair dye box that is. You are the lightning before the thunder. Start stripping away all the nonsense you keep telling yourself. Infuse your day with positive mantras, if you struggle with mantras I am going to give you three to write on post-its, write with lipstick on your mirror, record your voice on your phone and play or better yet my favorite is to set your mantras as a reminder on your phone so each day without thought they pop up and infuse your day with positivity.

I am beautiful and love that I don’t look like everyone else.
Gray hair is empowering; it gives me special beauty powers.
Aging is something I accept with grace and gratitude.

Reach deep down and find what makes you tick, what makes you happy about yourself. The time is now ladies, not tomorrow because we are only given today so make the best of it and don’t look back.