5 Ways to Show Love to Your Girls

If you've been around here for a while, you know I take self-care very seriously. I truly believe that the way we care for ourselves directly affects everything we do- how we care for others, how we receive others, how we interact, how we love, how we heal, and essentially how we thrive. But one important factor I failed to mention in partaking in self-care actually involves those closest to us-- our girlfriends.

What do your girlfriends have to do with self-care, you ask? Actually, it has so much to do with self-care. For us women, having a tribe of women to celebrate your wins with, cry over losses with, and just share life in general is wealth to our well-being. It is essential. Not only that, it makes perfect sense that once we have taken care of ourselves we pour that love and care into our sister tribe. Am I right? The first step in self-care is always filling yourself with the utmost care and nurturing. The next is to pass that love and care on to others, whether it be your friends, family, and/or your community.

So what have you done for your friends lately? When is the last time you've shown your best girlfriends a little love? If it's been a while for you (and I'm totally not judging you, sis-- it happens to all of us) here are a few ways to get back into the groove of showing your friends a little love.

How to Find Your Tribe

Do you ever find yourself frustrated and confused by all the changes taking place in your life? You could have recently moved in pursuit of a new job/change of scenery, enrolled in school, just had a baby, are recently married, or transitioning from working in Corporate America to full-time entrepreneurship. Any of these lifestyle changes can cause major stress in your life, making you feel overwhelmed and often alienated. Many of those closest to you may raise their eyebrows at your lifestyle changes if they don't understand them or the lifestyle doesn't mirror theirs.

Sometimes in dealing with these lifestyle changes our circle of friends change and rearrange. This can leave us feeling vulnerable and alone. And while many of us retreat to ourselves and just continue on with life, the truth is nobody can make it out here alone. Every woman deserves to have a circle of friends she can depend on for love and support. Not only that, we feel better about ourselves if we are able to be all of those things and more to others. So if you've ever found yourself experiencing these feelings and in search of your own sister tribe, hopefully these tips will help you on your journey.

Memoirs of a Fashionista | Zuqueta of The Pnk Panda

Happy Fashion Friday, ladies! I've been enjoying the Memoirs of a Fashionista feature so far, and I hope you all have been as well! I've been learning so much from my fellow fashionistas. If this is your first time checking out the series, the mission of the "Memoirs of a Fashionista" series is to highlight stylish women I admire while allowing them to share the love of fashion from their unique points of view.

In today's "Memoirs," I am featuring Zuqueta Elle. From the moment I came across her Instagram feed, I was in awe of her sophisticated, polished style. She is effortlessly chic and her style shots look like they came straight from a magazine, y'all. She should really be a spokesperson for Target because her posts alone have sent me in the store more times than any celebrity collaboration has-- for serious. A wife, mother of three, and Detroit educator, this fashionista blogs to share how to dress well as a busy mom AND get the most bang for your stylish bucks with her #FlexYourFinds hashtag. Ladies, I present to you Zuqueta Elle of The Pnk Panda.

Spring Style Inspiration | Little Pink Dress

The weather has been nothing but beautiful here in the south this week. I don't know about you, but these warm temperatures here in North Carolina (and the fact that my birthday is soon approaching) make me want to get out and shop for new dresses! While everyone is grabbing new sundresses from the shelves and unpacking last years' pieces to pair with new accessories, I just want to find some cute pieces to rock for my birthday! This year my cake will be adorned with 32 candles, so I'm in the mood for something simple, sexy, and sophisticated all at the same time. And since I'm really loving the off-shoulder and cold shoulder trend this season, those are the particular types of dresses that catch my eye as of late.

I have been doing a little online browsing mixed with a little playing around on Polyvore and I think I've come up with the perfect outfit for my birthday night out. Not only have I found a cute, simple dress, I've found cute accessories and shoes to match! Check out the details of this look after the jump.

Memoirs of a Fashionista | Melanie of Pretty Brown and Chic

As a fan of fashion, I am always observing how it is interpreted and displayed by others through their personal style. Like many others, I peruse my favorite magazines, Pinterest boards, and social media timelines for personal style stories that parallel my own and fashionistas that I can relate to. And as a woman who has fallen in a style rut quite a few times in the last few years due to lifestyle changes, I find myself looking for style inspiration more often lately. 

For all of these reasons, I've decided to revamp my fashion features here on the blog. The mission of the "Memoirs of a Fashionista" series is to highlight stylish women I admire while allowing them to share the love of fashion from their unique points of view. In today's "Memoirs," I am featuring Melanie Rashay. I have been following Melanie for some time on Instagram and am inspired each week by the way she effortlessly styles her looks to perfection. She is a devout mother, wife, and Christian who loves sharing her classic style on her social media channels. Launching her blog, Pretty Brown and Chic in the summer, Melanie definitely has an impeccable style and a sweet personality to be admired. Ladies, I present to you Melanie of Pretty Brown and Chic.