INSPIRING WOMEN: Latasha Kinnard

Latasha Kinnard is my financial coach. She’s a recent addition to my circle and has provided a great deal of education and support to me – especially with my finances and growing small business. Tasha is a really special person and I am happy to have her in my circle. She is driven, smart, positive, realistic, and committed to empowering others. 

Tasha is the CEO and Financial Freedom Fighter at Start Young Financial Group and the Amazon best-selling author of 20-Something & Rich. She currently works as a financial coach and revenue strategist to Millennials and women entrepreneurs.

I initially connected with Tasha over social media. (She and I have a mutual friend – my sister!) I was drawn to her financial insight and advice as well as her commitment to social justice and racial justice. In getting to know her and her business more, it is clear that she is deeply invested in dissolving wealth disparities through education and empowerment. Her programs at Start Young Financial are very “meet you where you’re at” in their nature. She is so smart but able to explain sometimes complex issues in an easy-to-understand and interesting way. (This is a gift!)

 I am making significant strides toward achieving my financial goals since I’ve been working with Tasha. It really is helpful to work with a coach. It’s odd – I am a success coach for students in my current full-time job and am planning to start providing life coaching soon, myself, but I sometimes forget the huge impact a coach can have. Because of her support I am more focused, positive, and optimistic. Plus, I am working harder to pay off debt and grow my savings than I ever have before.

 I’ve been recommending her to lots of folks who are looking for support in achieving their financial goals. (Related – if you’re reading this and that is something you’re looking for, seriously get in touch with Tasha!)

 Tasha has also been very helpful as I pursue my entrepreneurial passions and plans. She’s both realistic and optimistic! As I begin to make some more major moves in this area, she is definitely someone I want in my corner. Before I even launched my blog, Tasha featured me on her Start Young Financial blog. (You can read the piece about looking fab on a budget here.)

 In addition to being a great financial coach and amazing resource, Tasha is clearly committed to improving her community and the lives of others. One way I have seen this is through her engagement with others around race-related injustices. She has a strong voice and doesn’t hold back as she asks questions, challenges others, and engages in conversation. 

 I am so fortunate to have Tasha in my circle. I admire her in many ways and look forward continuing my work with her as my financial health and wealth continue to grow. Read about what and who inspires Tasha, as well as her advice, below. . .

What inspired you? And, what do you care about deeply?

“This question was much harder for me to answer than I imagined it would be. But I suppose that I am inspired by pain and suffering. I hate to see people struggle and it inspires me to find ways to alleviate wealth disparities.”

 “Honestly, the thing I care most deeply about is family. I enjoy working on my business, I love helping people achieve financial freedom, but it is family that I care most deeply about.”

 

Who are women in your life or throughout history that inspire you? 

“I don’t know what women inspire me the most but I know that my mother has influenced me tremendously. When I was younger she would tell me that I should never wait on a man to do anything and that whatever needed to be done, I could do for myself. And while her words were powerful, it was her actions that made a huge impact on me. While I don’t mind accepting chivalry from men, I can thank my mom for empowering me to believe that I can do anything.”

 

If you had one piece of advice to your younger self what would it be and why? 

“I would tell my former self that the sun always comes out tomorrow. Things might get bad, times get dark, and sometimes you will feel burdened and alone but the sun always comes out eventually.”

 

This March, I am celebrating all the amazing women around me! Sharing women who have influenced me and make up my personal history. As the month goes on, you can see all my Inspiring Women posts here!

INSPIRING WOMEN: Rachel Summers

Rachel Summers is one of the powerful women in my circle from Hamline University. Our paths crossed in a variety of ways throughout college and Rachel has been sharing art, beauty, and inspiration with me since we connected.  She is creative, talented, supportive, deep, and a social justice hustler.   

In Rachel’s words, she’s “a 90’s baby, a poet, an avid Daria watcher, a one-time skydiver, black grrrl, who hails from the land of 10,000 lakes”.  We spent several years at Hamline together. My favorite college memories with Rachel include our NCORE team moments, photoshoots and lots of talks about things that matter.  

NCORE is the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education. Both Rachel and I, along with a few other dedicated students, staff, and faculty, were part of the 2009 team that attended the conference and then put on racial justice focused programming for the academic year to follow. (I still remain close to many of the folks in that crew – especially Susun, Michael, and Jozie!) Our work with NCORE, along with the discussion and conversations that followed the conference, stayed with us throughout our time at Hamline and continue to be part of my life and work today.

Rachel is a skilled photographer and indulged me in several photo shoots throughout our time together in school. Her photos still are some of my favorite images of myself.  (I show them off for #ThrowBackThursday sometimes on Instagram. You’ll have to look out for them!) Rachel’s artistic nature and eye extend far beyond photography. She is talented in a variety of art forms including writing, music, theatre, and film. Not to mention her personal style – which is always eclectic perfection.

Committed to social justice, Rachel’s work has led her to pursue her MFA at the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts in the Film and Television Production program.  As a black woman filmmaker, Rachel seeks to re-center the narratives of people who are too often overlooked, and transform the culture of consumption and distribution. She aims to curate celluloid & digital experiences bound in worlds featuring dynamic, complex, and diverse narratives while spotlighting characters with multifaceted identities. This is powerful work and exactly what we need to alter the monolithic stories that fill our TV screens.

This woman is going places! I really feel like in years to come I’m going to be reposting articles about Rachel like “I know this woman!! Look at her gooooooo!” She is brilliant, passionate, capable, and talented – a fierce combination. And, Rachel has a spirit I admire.

Another reason I value Rachel is that she has been so supportive of my hustles and Cat Inspired projects! You’d be surprised how many folks and friends simply aren’t really interested in your personal projects - or don’t let on that they are. (Y’all, I am probably just as guilty of overlooking the awesome moves of my peers as the next woman. This is something I’m working on.) It is really flattering and wonderful when friends look up to notice your hustle and support your mission. I am thankful to Rachel and others who have done this for me.  I was able to see Rachel this past fall in LA and hope that our paths cross again soon.

Below, read about Rachel’s inspiration, advice, and wisdom. . .

What inspired you? And, what do you care about deeply?

“I find myself seeking inspiration constantly. Whether it's the new Drake mixtape or Broods album, escaping everyday chatter to explore new sonic landscapes is essential. Singing is the most therapeutic thing I can do within a day, so I sing in the car, and the shower, and in my apartment. I'm attracted to people who are spontaneous and creative and have a deep knowledge of history. Poetry in the middle of night is a ritual. I live for style: bold colors, artfully mix-matched patterns, simplicity, and chaos. People that are crazy enough to do the thing they love, and smart enough to know when it's time to move on.”

“I care deeply about connectedness. I care about equality, inclusivity, and empowerment. It is more lucrative to me to begin demolishing oppressive systems and paradigms by enabling people with marginalized identities to use their voices to begin delivering alternative and innovative narratives. My family's livelihood is something that always weighs heavily on my heart and mind and whether they are simply just surviving or thriving in doing what they want to be doing.”

 

Who are women that inspire you?

“The homegrrrlz that are in my life are ride or die. I am lucky to have so many women in my life that lead, teach, create, love, collaborate, and challenge and support me that I'm forever spilling with gratitude for them. bell hooks is my cultural studies mama, Maya Angelou is the matriarch of the written word, Angela Davis' radical activism inspires me, and Ava DuVernay’s groundbreaking films and distribution company, AFFRM, really instill an ideology of no excuses, and a practice of making the things you want to see on screen and unapologetically carving out the spaces for them to be seen.”

If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be and why?

“In between being an emo screamo, free movie kid, and basketball player at the age of 15, I would remind myself that although the general teeny boppers won't necessarily understand you, ultimately it's still okay to like and be all kinds of things at the same time. Your worldview can be extensive; you can listen to Dashboard Confessional and Ja Rule and Ashanti on the same playlist and give no fucks. I would remind myself that although suburban whiteness tells you aren't beautiful or worthy, you have more inside of you than you'll ever know and you'll go places they'll never go. I would tell myself to stand up for what I believe in even if it doesn't fit with normative hegemonic bullshit.”

More wisdom from Rachel:

“Women should love themselves, love their bodies, support each other, don't expect others to participate in self-hating practices, they should be loud, and be listeners, and be unapologetic, and be thoughtful, and do whatever the fuck they want to do if it makes them feel good and doesn't hurt anyone else. Women should visualize, create testimony, and manifest anything and everything that helps them grow.” [Yes, yes, yes!]

 
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This March, I am celebrating all the amazing women around me! Sharing women who have influenced me and make up my personal history. As the month goes on, you can see all my Inspiring Women posts here!

INSPIRING WOMEN: Jennifer Buckingham

Jennifer Buckingham is new to my circle. I have been following her on social media for some time and recently got to know her in person.  I’m fortunate to have this beautiful, body positive woman in my circle!

Jennifer is vibrant, bold, supportive and body-positive.

Jennifer is an actress, body positive personal style blogger, and plus size model.  She believes that great style knows no size and started her blog www.modelradical.com in hopes of inspiring a radical new way of looking at the role models in our lives. And, to spread the message that everyone is beautiful and enough – just the way they are.

Jennifer is on an ever progressive journey to love and accept her body. Her goal is to inspire other women to bravely embrace their bodies and if they so choose, to have amazing clothing options in the process. 

I’ve been following Jennifer on social media for some time. On a trip to Los Angeles last year, I was able to connect with her in person because of our mutual friend, Rachel Summers. (Rachel will be featured in an upcoming post!) Jennifer and I met for lunch and it was as if we had known each other for years. We immediately connected.

We have a lot in common and share many passions including plus-size fashion, body positivity, self-love, and women’s empowerment. Jennifer also ascribes to the “women supporting women” philosophy that’s so important to me! She says “it is vital that we raise each other up and if we stand by one another there is enough success for all of us”. Yes! I could not agree more!

Jennifer has great style and an excellent eye. Her photos on Model Radical professional, artistic, and fun. Her looks are fab and her Instagram game is so strong! (@Model.Radical) Love this girl’s fashion!

As I grow my Cat Inspired brand, I am appreciative of women who are willing to add me to their networks and circles! I am so fortunate to be connected with Jennifer – both in terms of our fashion and self-acceptance endeavors but also as a like-minded, positive and supportive woman in my circle! I look forward to staying connected to Jennifer so we can support each other in our respective projects and goals.

Read about what and who inspire Jennifer, as well as advice to her younger self, below. . . 

What inspires you? And, what do you care about deeply?

“I am constantly inspired by a variety of different outlets.  Professionally I am very inspired by my acting studio Anthony Meindl Actor's Workshop which not only is incredible for practicing my craft but as well as life growth and work.  I feel compelled and inspired by seeing people live in a genuine open way and operating through love.”  

“What do you care deeply about?  I care deeply about all the people who love and support me. It keeps me motivated, humbled, and grateful to know that my message is embraced.  I also care deeply about spreading positivity and equality in our world.  We need more kindness and compassion. I greatly admire people who put that in the forefront of their lives.”

Who are the women in your life and throughout history who inspire you? 

“Directly in my life my Great- Grandmother and Grandmother are both huge inspirations to me.  My Great- Grandmother was the first prima ballerina to dance Swan Lake in the US so I greatly admire her drive and artistic endeavors. My Grandmother is the most caring woman I know and whatever differences we have I will always appreciate her willingness to be there for me.”

If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be and why?           

“Wow, it is truly crazy to think back to that time [10+ years ago]. At 15 I really was going through a lot of complex issues including a parent being extremely sick to bullying and self-harm.  I would tell myself that I am beautiful, enough, worthy, and strong.  That self-love and care is the basis of everything healthy and that there is nothing wrong with you.” 

 
 

 This March, I am celebrating all the amazing women around me! Sharing women who have influenced me and make up my personal history. As the month goes on, you can see all my Inspiring Women posts here!

INSPIRING WOMEN: Megan Dingfelder

Megan Susanne Dingfelder is my long time best friend from high school. We both made the absolute most of our high school experience and became very close along the way.  She is a positive presence in my life and a reminder of where I come from!  (Also, I refer to her exclusively as “Megan Susanne” or “Ding”, so it’s odd to be writing Megan throughout this piece!)

Megan is dedicated, smart, hard-working, positive, and joyful.

Megan is from an itty-bitty town in south east Minnesota - even smaller than my home town, LaCrescent.  We were young women on a mission, even then, holding almost every possible student leadership or elected position at LaCrescent High School. Student Council all four years, almost every homecoming and prom court, class officers – junior year I was President and she was VP while senior year it was vice versa.  

(I was so weird in high school- Ding can attest - but, somehow, people kept voting me in for things. I still don’t quite know how that happened. “But how weird were you?”. . .well, my style was so eccentric that, during dress up weeks, mismatch day was also referred to as “dress like Cat day”. Mmm hmmm.)

Although we were always friendly, we got very close toward the end of high school and have done a good job keeping connected to each other since then. Megan is always on my list to visit when I’m in Minnesota. Our relationship has truly withstood the test of time and I am sure she will be in my life always.

Megan is the only daughter of three children. She loves her encouraging and supportive family so much! Megan attended the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and then the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry. She’s a Registered Dental Hygienist and, oh, does she love teeth. Smiles and teeth! On her wall she has a large quote that reads “You’re never fully dressed without a smile.” – too perfect for her!

Megan is engaged to a great guy named Corey and I am thrilled to be a bridesmaid in their wedding this upcoming May. (I’ll be honest, as a close friend, I was obviously skeptical of Corey before I met him. I mean, that’s a bff’s job, right? Well, he is wonderful and I couldn't imagine anyone more perfect for Megan. I think they complement each other beautifully.) I am really looking forward to their wedding as it is my first experience being a bridesmaid. I’m truly honored to be part of their celebration.

Megan loves Minnesota so much! Like, every part of MN. Exploring the state, attending and/or watching all MN sports teams, wearing jewelry, clothing, and accessories that rep MN – anything and everything MN! She loves shopping and has a taste for dark chocolate, sushi and visiting neighborhood restaurants that support locally gown food and drinks. She’s also deep into wedding planning so is frequently on Etsy, Pinterest, and looking at wedding magazines!

I admire Megan’s spirit and positive nature. Y’all think I’m a positive person? You need to meet this girl! (She talks about this in her thoughts at the bottom!) I mean, there’s a reason this woman has attended or been in like 10 weddings each of the last few summers – she is a joy to be around and, therefore, keeps a large friend group. Her energy and joy is contagious and people want her in their lives! I certainly do!

Read what and who inspire Megan and her words of wisdom below. . .

What inspires you?  

"Making other people smile.  I enjoy being a "day maker."  My career allows for me to visit with people and crack jokes as often as possible and I really love to see other people happy/smiling.  Life is too short to not be happy."

Who are women in your life that inspire you?  

"It's so cliché, but MY MOM!  She's so STRONG-WILLED and works so hard to make sure that my family is happy, healthy, and cared for and I love her so much for it."

If you had one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be and why?

"Be true to yourself.  Don't be a "people pleaser" and bend over backwards and compromise your VALUES and BELIEFS to make others happy.  I have learned over the years that stronger individuals recognize that and capitalize on your weakness. I demand to be considered an equal and tell people what I want now rather than do whatever I can to convenience those around me. "

This March, I am celebrating all the amazing women around me! Sharing women who have influenced me and make up my personal history. As the month goes on, you can see all my Inspiring Women posts here!

INSPIRING WOMEN: Matrika Bailey-Turner

Matrika Bailey-Turner was a close friend at Hamline University.  My first full year of college was Matrika’s last, so we were not at Hamline together for very long. But, the time we shared was just what my young, budding feminist and increasingly socially aware heart needed! Matrika has been an inspiring woman in my life since we connected in 2007.

Matrika is bold, smart, deeply committed to women’s and social justice issues, and unapologetic.

Matrika received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Justice and Women’s Studies from Hamline University in St. Paul, MN, but found her true passion in international relations when she spent a semester in Fiji months after the 2006 coup d’état. Although she hails from Hanover, NH, Matrika considers herself a dual citizen of both Minnesota and New Hampshire. She is also a fellow Green Bay Packer fan! ;)

Although we were pretty similar in age, I started college much later than Matrika because of my exchange year in Germany and an additional semester off. So, it felt like I was coming in to Hamline just as Matrika was going.  Like it is for many young people, college was truly a time of momentous growth for me.  Of course, it was much more than classroom experiences that created this time of change. It related, in large part, to the people that came in to my life– like Matrika.

I loved Matrika’s presence and took note of what she said as she was able to put things into words what I was still exploring or grappling with. She took me under her wing and helped me connect to students, staff, faculty, and organizations that became huge parts of my college experience.

The biggest piece of advice I took from Matrika was to be unapologetic. On her bathroom mirror in the Hamline University apartments, Matrika often had post-its and quotes to live by. I remember, distinctly, one post-it that read “do not apologize”. This troubled me at the time. My Minnesota nice, naïve self didn’t quite get that living and speaking unapologetically is a revolutionary act.  Those with marginalized identities are often silenced, asked to explain, made to feel bad for speaking the truth. Realizing this blew my quickly-developing, young feminist, socially-critical mind!

Now, of course, I see the beauty in this and ascribe to the same sentiments. Do not apologize for your thoughts and feelings. Do not apologize if your truth makes someone uncomfortable.  As women, we’re taught to quickly apologize if we might have offended or “overstepped”. And, I’m as guilty of this as anyone, how often do we say “sorry” as a reflex or start a statement with “sorry, but. . .”? No! Sorry, not sorry! 

Matrika just recently took a new position as a Speaker Management Coordinator at Orate – an online marketplace that helps event organizers and public speakers more easily find one another. She is the first employee in this fast-growing start up. (How exciting!)

Before this new position, Matrika worked with the United Nations Foundation to weave entrepreneurship and innovation across its campaigns and initiatives, building partnerships with entrepreneurs and private sector champions that positively impact the United Nations. She believes that entrepreneurs help drive global change, and are critical players in helping create solutions to the word’s most pressing humanitarian challenges.

Prior to Orate and the United Nations Foundation, Matrika was also doing important work centered on empowering and supporting women and girls through Girl Up and the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. I admire Matrika’s professional dedication to women-centered causes. I’m inspired by her career moves.

Below, read what and who inspire Matrika, advice, and words to live by. . .

What inspires you? What do you care about deeply? 

“I was adopted from Kerala, India when I was 2.5 months old, and I know that my life has turned out very differently than if I had stayed in Kerala, so I am constantly thinking about the improvement of women and girls around the world and in the U.S. to have the same opportunities I have been afforded."

“I am fortunate to have worked alongside passionate global leaders who are driving global progress through entrepreneurship, innovation, and long lasting partnerships. I have truly internalized that empowering women and girls is one thread throughout global development that really underscores and elevates change, but also impacts women at the local and national level here in the U.S.  Groups like NOW, Girls Who Code, Girl Up, Women for Women International, and Girl Scouts help create a platform for women and girls to succeed and are entities that I support.”

Who are women in your life or throughout history that inspire you? 

“My mother and grandmother are certainly trailblazers that stick out in my mind. They have both busted through stereotypes, disproved assumptions, and mastered the art of juggling the home and work life. They were the first women in my life to display what it looks like to go after what you want and still be able to have a family and tick off those awesome life milestones.”

“Lately, I’ve been inspired by South Asian women doing bad ass things, because growing up I didn’t really see women who looked like me in the media. Right now, I’m deeply in love with Mindy Kaling, Kamala Harris, Maya Harris, and Mira Nair. All South Asian women but different in their self-expression and demonstration of ‘what it means to be a South Asian woman’.”

“My close friends in D.C. and college friends and high school friends throughout the country inspire me. I feel honored to be surrounded (both physically and digitally) by women doing amazing kickass shit that makes them feel powerful and excited about life.”

If you had one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be and why? 

“I wish I could tell myself that, despite the pressure from high school/college/external influences to pursue certain career paths and how to obtain those careers, I should always trust my gut and keep moving in the direction that makes me feel excited, happy, and powerful. I am happy to say that I eventually found my way to these opportunities that made me excited, happy, and feel powerful, but I was dubious and unsure of myself when I really should have just jumped in.”

“There are far too many assumptions and expectations of how to craft your personal and professional trajectories as women, millennials, women of color, women of certain educational backgrounds…if I could go back 10 years, I would shut out the external noise and just put one foot in front of the other without pausing.”

Matrika also shared a few mantras that she incorporates into her everyday life: 

Don’t second-guess your gut instincts, because 99.9% of the time they’re on point.
Only do it if it makes you happy even if your friend/significant other/family member will get annoyed if you pass it up…no reason to torture yourself for someone else.
Do something that takes you out of your comfort zone, even if it’s just a few steps.
 
 

This March, I am celebrating all the amazing women around me! Sharing women who have influenced me and make up my personal history. As the month goes on, you can see all my Inspiring Women posts here!


INSPIRING WOMEN: Karyn Cave

Karyn Cave is one of my best college friends. She is a strong women that’s part of my circle by way of Hamline University. For a while in college we were basically inseparable.  Oh, the laughs, important talks, snacks, and side eyes we’ve shared. . . . I have so much love for this amazing woman.

Karyn is warm, creative, fun, compassionate, thoughtful, and body-positive.

Karyn is from Colorado and came to MN for college where she majored in English and Sociology. (Another sociology major - or minors - in my life!) After college, she worked for Playworks and, then, as a Special Education Assistant for Minneapolis Public Schools.  Now, she’s a full time grad student getting her Masters in Social Work at the University of Minnesota.  

Karyn lives in Minneapolis with her finance, Margot, and their cat, Socks. I haven’t seen their new home yet – I cannot wait to see it this summer! Karyn loves Zumba, natural hair, laughing fits, biking, and bubbly water.

Oh, the memories I have made with Karyn. . .At Hamline we were involved in some of the typical leadership gigs together - Orientation Leaders, working for the McVay Youth Partnership, Women’s Leadership retreats, and working at the Student Center Front Desk.  Some highlights of our college antics include seeing the amazing India.Arie in concert together, attending Women’s Leadership Retreats (yes, mentioned twice – it’s that important), some amazing but epic fails of nights out, day drinking, spending time on our fav 3rd floor library couch during finals, and working on our fitness. 

To this day, Karyn is my favorite work out buddy. For a while, we would work out several times a week early in the morning. (Ok, like 7AM!) We had a system- She would call me to make sure I was up. I would walk from my place to her’s and then we would groggily make our way across campus to the gym. Our workouts were mostly just chatting while we walked the track and then doing dorky partner stretches (the cutest, right?), but it as a great excuse to move our bods and enjoy quality time together. For a brief time we also went to the local LA Fitness which just resulted in lots of amazing and awkward incidents including an aquafit class where another participant thought that Karyn was my daughter. (I know. . .what?!)

And, “the people”! Karyn and I always joke about how people are wonderful and amazing but sometimes, when they are in crowds or there are lots of them around, we’d prefer to just avoid them and be at home eating taco dip instead. 

Whenever I’m back in Minnesota I always see Karyn and Margot. Trips home wouldn’t be the same without catching up with them. They welcome me into their home every time and I always feel so comfortable at their place. (And, not just because I get to cuddle with Socks on their ultra-comfy futon.) And, in between visits, I love our facetime catch-ups!

Karyn is one of the folks in my life who is deeply committed to social justice. I admire her path to pursuing her Masters in Social Work as I am sure she will use that position to continue making positive impacts on the lives of others. I also admire Karyn’s creativity and artistic eye. Two collages she has made decorate my office at work.

I also love that two of my closest friends have become partners. They are role models of a healthy and happy relationship – and I couldn’t be happier for them. They’re getting married this summer and I am excited for their beautiful, joyous occasion. Related, I also daydream about us both having babies around the same time so they can hang out together (or, I guess that’s called play dates?) and we can have the most radical children surrounded by amazing, strong women in their lives.  

Read what and who inspire Karyn as well as her advice below. . .

What inspires you & what do you care about deeply?

“Being around and feeling connected to people I love and admire inspires me.  This includes friends, family, mentors, communities of color, queer communities and so on.  Also, working with youth and witnessing their resilience and potential inspires me.  On the flip side, investing in my health and practicing self-care inspires me to keep doing the work I do.  Moving my body to music, biking around the cities and journaling keeps me sane.”

“I’m fiercely passionate about social justice.  I am committed to enriching lives by empowering people in efforts to create a just society. This is why I am studying social work.  Social work aims to create a safe environment to hone knowledge and life skills of individuals.  It’s a field that’s grounded in community, action, dialogue and other values that ultimately guide people’s successes.  This is what I want to do.”

Who are women in your life or through history that inspire you?

“My fiancé is a woman who deeply inspires me to be my best self everyday.  Her support and encouragement means the world to me.  Her loving spirit and sense of humor inspires me everyday.”

“My mother inspires me to care deeply about loved ones through compassionate actions.  This is the kind of love she shows me.  Every now and then I see a bit of my mother pop up in my words or thoughts.  It used to freak me out but now I embrace it.”

“And of course there is Auntie, in all her stubbornness and quirky idiosyncrasies.  She inspires to me never apologize for who I am.”

What advice would you give your younger self? 


“Embrace your natural curls and curves!  Your hair is perfect.  Back away from the relaxer.  Your thighs are beautiful.  Yes, your butt is big and that's okay!  If you wanna shave, then shave.  If you don't, then don't!  After years of self-deprecation, I learned to love myself the way I am.”

 

This March, I am celebrating all the amazing women around me! Sharing women who have influenced me and make up my personal history. As the month goes on, you can see all my Inspiring Women posts here!

INSPIRING WOMEN: Krissy Norgaard

Krissy Norgaard is one of my very best friends. Krissy was my ride or die bff in high school. (And, I do NOT throw around a very eloquent and intellectual term like “ride or die” loosely, folks!) The majority of my great high school memories have Krissy and I in the starring roles!

Krissy is caring, kind, fun, smart, determined, driven, and musically gifted.          

Krissy grew up in La Crescent, MN and went to college at UW-Superior to study elementary education. After school, she moved back to the La Crosse area and got a job at Chileda where she found her passion for working with children and young adults with disabilities.  (Chileda supports children and young adults with cognitive and behavioral challenges who come from local communities, as well as from across the country.) She’s been a special education teacher at Chileda for almost 5 years.

Krissy recently completed her licensure in special education with an emphasis in cognitive disabilities. She currently lives in La Crosse, WI in her beautiful home with her sweet dogs – Chloe and Georgie. She’s also involved in the Pet Therapy Program though the Humane Society with her dog Chloe.

I loved high school. Unlike many people, I thought it an awesome time in my life. Granted, at the time, I thought it was as good as it would get. Whoa, was I wrong! But, the kind of silly fun I had in high school has never been matched at any other point in my life thus far.  When I reflect me and Krissy’s antics, all I can think of is good, clean fun, lots of singing, and the deepest of belly laughs.

During high school, I was really involved in my church. I’ve since realized that I am not a religious person. It was the incredible community and opportunity to engage with music that was the real draw for me. And, in terms of church related opportunities for music and fun, Krissy and I did it ALLL – church choir (with a group of mostly older folks), praise and worship band (with all of our hilarious church and school bffs) lefse bakes, teaching Vacation Bible School, youth group, committees, projects, and we even lead a little kids choir for a bit.

We were also involved in basically every singing opportunity in which high school choir (and theatre) would allow us to participate. This included musicals, madrigal group, singing the national anthem at sporting events, caroling, and basically the largest number of Solo & Ensemble performances we were allowed to participate in each year. Not to mention, what I like to call one of our claims to fame – La Crescent Idol! We didn’t sing in this competition but organized it all including the initial try-outs complete with teachers serving as judges and a student who videotaped it so we could show the blooper reel at the event before the 10 finalists performed.

And, we didn’t limit our singing to just school and church. . . We wrote and sang songs for everything – contests we didn’t win, Mother’s Day (twice–both tunes fittingly entitled “The Mom Song” and “The Mom Song 2”), Diversity Week, class projects, and a bucket list level performance on a mission trip. We even recorded a Christmas Carol CD for our families (with the help of two boys from our church band). Krissy was more musical than me – she can play piano and guitar as well as sing beautifully. And, still does in her church to this day.

I am truly fortunate to have had Krissy in my life growing up in La Crescent. There are so many opportunities and excitements that I wouldn’t have known about or had the courage to pursue on my own, had it not been for our connection. I admire Krissy’s dedication to her family, faith and community. And, her dedication to working with and advocating for her students is immensely valuable! We need more people like Krissy in our world. 

Whenever I see Krissy when I’m home it’s like nothing has changed. Our updates are more grown up. . . like homeownership (her) or job changes and moves (me), but our connection always runs deep. Also, most holidays, me, my sister and Krissy still get together to play monopoly! Lilly and Krissy always gang up on me. . .ahem. . .always win! ;)

Read about what inspires Krissy and her words of wisdom below. . .

What inspires you & what do you care deeply about?

“I am most passionate about working with and advocating for people with disabilities. The past five years I have been working with children and young adults whose behavioral needs exceed the scope of services within the public school system and/or typical home environments. My students have taught me to see the fun and beauty in everyday situations. They show me how to live without too much worry and stress. It is beautiful to truly see people live in the moment. Even though many of my students struggle with basic care needs, independence, or uncontrollable behaviors, they are very inspiring. Unfortunately many people with disabilities are unable to advocate for themselves so they don’t get the services, resources, and dignity that they deserve. I am passionate about preparing my students for their future and giving them the tools they need to find success in adulthood. I strive to spread awareness about people with disabilities and to inform people about how to show respect to those with disabilities.”

“I have also recently found a passion in pet therapy. I have seen first-hand the joy and healing that a dog or other therapy animal can bring to those in pain, crisis, or the stress of everyday life. Animals give indiscriminate and unconditional love. They bring peace and companionship. I work to share the value of pet therapy in my community and share the love of my dog with those who need it.”

Who are women in your life that inspire you? 

“The woman who has inspired me most in my life is my mom. She was always an example of the teacher I wanted to be – someone who is passionate about her job, her students, and their success. She always went above and beyond to make school fun and interesting for her students. She also instilled in me the joy of serving. My mom is always willing to help those in need, whether it be bringing mittens for a student at school or serving at church. Even in her retirement, she is continually busy volunteering her time in a variety of ways. I believe, because of her example, I have a passion for helping and serving people in need.” [I love Barb, too! She is a really special lady!]

 If you had one piece of advice to give your former self, what would it be?

“One piece of advice I’d give my former self is let go of expectations. Life never turns out how you expect it to be, but it is still fantastic! Do what you love and care about, not what others expect you to do. Comparison is the thief of joy, so love the life you live and find happiness in what you do.”

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This March, I am celebrating all the amazing women around me! Sharing women who have influenced me and make up my personal history. As the month goes on, you can see all my Inspiring Women posts here!

LOVE YOUR BODY: Make Healthy Choices Because You Love Your Body

 



I've been feeling mysteriously tired and kind of run down the last two weeks. I described it to someone as "pre-burned-out feeling". Like, I'm fine - not sick, not too overwhelmed, not too busy. . .but it seems like just a little bit more and I would get there.

Acknowledging that "pre-burn-out feeling" is important! Last week I made several conscious choices to benefit my physical and metal health! I ate more veggies, drank more water, went to yoga, and cancelled some evening commitments. 

I chose to do these things because I love myself and I love my body. It is counterproductive to make "healthy" choices out of punishment or judgement of yourself. (How "healthy" can something be if you are pressuring or shaming yourself into doing it?!) 

When mid-March comes (like, next week), things get even busier for me. So, I'm taking a few moments now to get back into my groove and prioritize my health. 

Hope you liked the quick video excerpt above reminding us to make healthy choices because we love our bodies! You can see the full video from a few months ago here

 

INSPIRING WOMEN: Jess Gamez

Jess Gamez is my former supervisor and friend from Texas A&M-Commerce in Commerce, TX.  Although I didn’t always feel this way at the time, I look back on my experience in Commerce with so many fond memories. Jess plays a big role in lots of those memories!

Jess is thoughtful, caring, humble, creative, and dependable. (Also, as my friend Lelia would say, Jess GSDs – gets shit done!)

Jess Gamez, originally Jessica Bryan, grew up in a small, rural town - Blair, Nebraska. She attended Wayne State College and majored in Counseling. In college, she was an RA which inspired her to stay in higher education. She worked at a rural community college for a few years and then moved to Commerce, TX to work at Texas A&M University-Commerce.

At Texas A&M-Commerce, Jess was my supervisor in Residential Living & Learning while I was a Graduate Hall Director for several apartment communities on campus. I loved working for Jess! She treated me like a capable professional – which isn’t always the case in graduate student positions. Many of Jess’s skillsets are different than my own, so it allowed me to see other ways of doing things – and it was really good for me. Additionally, I loved how she left work every day at 5PM to pick up her kid (now kids) at the university’s Children’s Learning Center in order to make the most of every minute with them before they went to bed. Leaving on time is not something typical of Student Affairs Professionals. This was excellent, excellent role modeling! Plus, I always knew Jess cared about me and had my back.

Family is extremely important to Jess. And, she has a beautiful family! She says she is married to the love of her life, Jeremy, and they have two children, Sam and Sky.  They love to play outside, have family dance parties in the living room, and attend community events.  Jess’s commitment to her family and her role as a mom is something I admire very much. She is so intentional and thoughtful with how she raises her children. (She talks about this in her comments below!) When I reflect about the kind of mom I want to be, I think about Jess.

Jess says that making something from nothing is what gets her most excited.  Whether it is putting together a complex schedule, creating a program, or making some type of craft project, she absolutely loves to use her creativity to make things for others.  Jess is always sharing cute and thoughtful gifts with those around her - from sweet gift basket surprises to clever Valentine’s Day treats. (I observed via Facebook that one of this year’s valentines was bananas with “’I’m bananas about you!” notes attached! The cutest!)

Jess is an amazing woman. As a professional, as a mom, as a friend – Jess embodies qualities that I admire.  I am impressed by her thoughtfulness in all parts of life and openness to thinking about things in new or different ways. I am so happy Jess is in the circle of powerful women around me.  

Jess’s inspiration relates, in large part, to her beautiful children and family. She also has some lovely advice that she shares below.

 What inspires you & what do I care deeply about...

"I want my children to have happy childhoods.  I want them to be able to look back and see how hard we worked to create experiences to teach them how to love and care for others. There are a few experiences that I hope they have that I was not provided: 1) I want them to see happily married parents that are passionately in love with each other.  I want them to see Jer and I take care of each other, work as a team to accomplish our goals together, and be there for each other in the tough times.  2) I want them to be exposed to and excited about meeting different people.  I absolutely love that we live on a college campus where we are able to take the kids to cultural events several times a month.  Beyond that, I love that they get to see the deep relationships that I have been able to form with our diverse student population."

If I had one piece of advice for your younger self, what would it be and why?

“I am still working on this, but I would tell myself not to take so many things personally. For the longest time, every time someone did anything that impacted my day negatively, in even the tiniest bit, I took it personally. I thought that person was out to hurt me.  I have learned that people are just people, they make mistakes, they have bad days.  If I just take a few seconds to breathe, let things go, and extend grace, my relationships with others are significantly better.”

“I have changed in a lot of ways over the years, but my faith is what has changed the most.  I used to be a very legalistic Christian.  For so many years, it made me feel like I had some type of control and power over people and situations.  As I have matured and learned more about Jesus, I have learned that forgiveness, love, grace, generosity, acceptance and inclusion is really what Christianity is about.”

 “Also, listen to your inner voice. 99% of the time it will lead you towards a decision that aligns with your values, goals, and passions. Your inner voice will tell you when a person is good in your life. It will tell you when to hold on tight during the hard times and when to walk away and not look back. Now, of course there is that 1% of the time that I look back and think, "what the hell was I thinking".”

This March, I am celebrating all the amazing women around me! Sharing women who have influenced me and make up my personal history. As the month goes on, you can see all my Inspiring Women posts here!

INSPIRING WOMEN: Alysse Dalessandro

Alysse Dalessandro is new to my circle. As women in small business, we’ve connected over the last year. Through our communication, I have really enjoyed my interactions with Alysse. Not only is she kind and supportive, she is truly someone who aligns herself with a “women supporting women” philosophy.

Alysse is bold, brave, creative, and powerful.  She is the owner of Cleveland-based fashion brand Ready to Stare. A jewelry designer, trained metalsmith, creator and self-empowerment advocate, she handcrafts statement jewelry and bold plus size apparel with an unapologetic confident attitude. Ready to Stare is designed for those who believe in following their passion, loving themselves and inspiring others to do the same. 

 Alysse is talented designer and entrepreneur! And, she recently released a new line that is just amazing. (I have my eye on that fab floral skirt she’s wearing in her photo.)

I haven’t officially announced it yet, so I’ll take this opportunity to do so! On April 19th, Alysse, and I will be doing a trunk show at Blair - a plus-size boutique in Chicago! (Find out more about our event here!)  I cannot wait for this in-person shopping event! It is so wonderful to be able to work on new projects like this in collaboration with other powerful, entrepreneurial women.

 I admire Alysse’s drive, business savvy, body positive passion, and collaborative spirit.  As I expand my networks, I feel very fortunate each time I make a valuable connection with a strong women in small business.  I am thankful that Alysse has taken the time to engage with me and my growing brand.   

 Alysse is a woman full of inspiration! Read about what and who inspire her as well as advice she would share with her younger self. . .

 What inspires you?  

“I think both in my designs and in my everyday life, I am inspired by powerful women. I have always rejected the idea there is one way to be a woman. I believe that gender is a social construction. I find so much inspiration from people who choose to reject society's idea of who they should be and have the strength to live, dress, act, talk etc in the way that comes naturally to them. As a designer, I am constantly looking for ideas and inspirations that challenge the status quo in their own way. I have always looked up to drag culture. Paris is Burning is my favorite movie and RuPaul's books are like my life guides. I also have always loved older stylish women such as those captured by the blog (now book and movie) Advanced Style. And of course, I love powerful women in pop culture such as Beyonce who uses her mainstream platform to subtly challenge norms. I mean that's an obvious one for me.”

“Someone told me once "speaking your mind is like breathing for you; you need it to survive."  I'm not afraid to be a voice for the voiceless.  I've heard some people say that confidence is quiet and I don't agree with that. I think confidence is never silent. Confidence is the ability to speak loudly and clearly who you are and what you care about. I think there's something so powerful about being publicly vulnerable. I don't subscribe to the idea that power means that you hide you feelings and emotions. We associate power with masculinity so power is often also linked to being emotionally guarded as men are taught to be. I want to show people that vulnerability is powerful. I also want to remove the negative connotation of the word fat. We still give so much power to that word. And there's an association that fat equals ugly which also needs to be challenged. Basically I want to challenge societal gender and beauty norms. And I also care deeply about using my platform and voice to encourage self-love. We need to learn to look at ourselves and each other in a loving way. Hate towards others starts from a lack of self-love.”

Who are women in your life or throughout history that inspire you? 

“I am really lucky that I grew up with two powerhouse women in my life. My mom has ran three small businesses and my aunt owned a salon by the age of 30 and now works for the federal government. The women in my life taught me that if I wanted something, I possessed everything within myself to make it happen. They taught me to never rely on anyone else for what you want. Through their example, I really gained the attitude that anything was possible through hard work, persistence and patience. My mom is a beast in sales -- she refuses to take no for an answer. She taught me to never give up, but if you don't succeed the first time, try again and again.  And my aunt is a dreamer -- she believes in the power of learning and that anything is possible. I've never once told her something and had her tell me I couldn't do it. She actually helped me make my first business plan and is still my mentor.”

Some of the other women in my life that inspire me and have been super influential in my own journey as a entrepreneur are my mentor Nikki Halgren who owns the brand, Gleeful Peacock, style and business consultant, Aaja Corinne, author and journalist Jonnita Condra, nail artist and designer Spifster Sutton, and boutique owner Jessica Blair. There's a million people in the plus size industry that I look up to also. This list could go on and on!”

If you had one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be and why? 

“If I could tell my former self one thing it would be that confidence does not concern itself with acceptance. I think self-doubt, insecurity, and not feeling worthy affected my ability to get close to people and for me to reach my full potential. I wasted so much of my teenage years and early 20s hiding behind a front and acting like everything was okay. I believed that pain was weakness. And the front prevented me from really seeing myself clearly. One of the biggest things that has inspired myself love journey is that something that one of my favorite fellow entrepreneurs Myleik Teele said in one of her podcasts: "Your deepest wounds reveal your great gifts." I can confidently say that speaking out about my sexual assault and being upfront about having anxiety has changed my life and been hugely impactful on the work that I do with Ready to Stare.”

Check out Alysse’s brand, Ready to Stare, at www.ReadyToStare.com! And, on Instagram at @ReadyToStare!

This March, I am celebrating all the amazing women around me! Sharing women who have influenced me and make up my personal history. As the month goes on, you can see all my Inspiring Women posts here!


 

INSPIRING WOMEN: Saraya Boghani

Saraya Boghani is another beautiful friend from Hamline University. Our paths connected in many ways during college – friends in common, Residential Life, Spring Break Service Learning, White Privilege Conference and plus-size clothing.  Saraya is reflective, creative, kind, strong, and has a lovely grace and style about her.

Saraya a 25 year old Minnesota native currently residing in CARAG neighborhood of Minneapolis. She is interested in the immersive experience of pop culture exploration with intersecting identities. Saraya self-identifies as biracial and has family from Hutchinson, MN to Sydney, Australia and everywhere in between.

Coming from a long line of educators, Saraya engages in every opportunity to learn about the world. She developed a love for learning about people while managing two coffee shops – along with a serious coffee habit and respect for the entire bean process. Currently working in higher education myself, I was excited to learn that Saraya is embarking on a new career path - recently starting a position in higher education advising. She says she’s loving it so far!

Saraya attended my first ever plus-size clothing swap. (I would argue that it was the start of all of this.  ("This" being Cat’s Closet, Cat Inspired, my world take over, etc.). It was the first event that allowed me to celebrate women around me, exchange plus-size clothing, and share body positivity – all at one time.

One of my favorite memories with Saraya was a wonderful and eventful week visiting White Earth Reservation in Northern Minnesota. My last semester at Hamline I was technically graduated and taking some grad classes to keep my Assistant Area Coordinator position while applying for jobs and making plans for the future. My grad student status allowed me to be the staff advisor for a spring break service learning trip to White Earth where students and I worked with the White Earth Land Recovery Project. (I remember I specifically helped to organize their library, sort seeds for their seed catalogs, and worked in a greenhouse.) We also explored Itasca State Park (where the mighty Mississippi River begins), played with farm animals, and attended a moving and ground-breaking day conference on Historical Trauma in the Native American community. There were some amazing women on that trip. And, if it had not already been solidified, my fondness for Saraya was further confirmed during our time together at White Earth.  

Saraya (and Maum) were also the only folks who showed up to my graduation party (besides my mom and sis). Heavy rains, flooding, and strong winds didn’t stop them and allowed us some great bonding time while taking shelter in the park restrooms. ;) (See photo below.)

Saraya has a fierce love for social justice and the many forms it takes. Her specific areas of interest include: food justice, indigenous rights, civil rights within racial and LGBTQA communities, as well as general and personal feminism. She also is always looking to stride forward in her personal journey. I admire this in Saraya. These are traits I truly value in others.

Saraya is certainly an inspiring woman in my circle! Read about what and who inspire her as well as some words of wisdom below. . .

What inspires you?

The creative process and seeing people fully engaged and enthusiastic with their lives.  Music!  I have an incredibly strong love for music, don't participate but am an enthusiastic listener and supporter.  The circle of friends and family that support me and give me life.  The written and spoken word - the way language can diffuse and create meaning is so powerful. 

What women inspire you? 

“My mother:  she cares so deeply and has been so supportive of anything I've wanted to do.  She has never conformed to others expectations and hasn't expected me to either.  My views are very radical, in my opinion, from the household I've grown up in but at the same time my mother (and father by extension) have been completely open to dialogues and creating shared mindsets.  She's given me a lot of autonomy.  Also, a woman named Kerry who is a Judge within MN.  I knew her through Girl Scouts (an incredibly empowering and important organization) and she dedicated a lot of her work and spirit to me in a way I still don't fully understand.  There are so many others and I know there will continue to be more."

If you had one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be and why?

“I feel like I didn't participate in a lot of the dramatics of high school and did what I wanted most of the time but I would've asked myself to question authority more.  Not in an angst driven way but at that point in my life I trusted wholly in the discretion and certainty of adults.  Also I would've told myself to cool my jets and not be stressed.  I mean when you've only lived for so long everything seems "do or die" but it's not.  It's not worth that energy.”

A few more thoughts from Saraya:

“I was very fortunate to come into a loving family and a good, albeit closed minded, education.  Girl Scouts provided me with a long term demonstration of a community of women.  I think that created a social pattern for me to reach out and connect with strong women.  Many of my closest friends are women and everyone else I'm close with knows how important it is to have autonomous women in their lives as well.  I'm pretty darn happy with who I am and where my life is headed. It hasn't always been that way but there have been so many people to help me become who I am. Also, hooray for Cat putting together this marvelous project.  This is a sustaining and celebrating testimonial to power and love and the future.” [Thank you, Saraya!!]



This March, I am celebrating all the amazing women around me! Sharing women who have influenced me and make up my personal history. As the month goes on, you can see all my Inspiring Women posts here!

INSPIRING WOMEN: Iman Hassan

Iman Hassan will always be “Lena” to me. In the summer of 2008, we were camp counselors at Concordia Language Villages. Both speaking German, we were in the German immersion camp – Waldsee. Staff and campers all choose German names. She was Lena. I was Heike. So, that’s why it still feels odd thinking of her as Iman.

Being new camp counselors made for one interesting summer! Neither she nor I had even been to Waldsee as campers like most of the other counselors, so it was a lot to get used to! I was happy to be placed in a cabin with Lena for most of the summer.

There were so many fun and silly memories at Waldsee. A highly dramatic encounter with a Fledermaus, an educational reenactment of a divided East and West Germany that must have been a terrible way to spend the 4th of July if you were a camper stuck in Ostdeutschland, silly but sentimental songs and skits (including a German “remix” to “We’re All in This Together’ from High School Musical – which wildly popular that year), late night convos among counselors once kids went to bed, weekends out at the (only) local country bar. And, one of my fondest memories – an epic camper and counselor version of “The Dating Game” where our cabin won (I think!) but likely because I mouthed the answers to Iman. I was kind of sad but mostly happy to return home to civilization after my 6 week session. Iman stayed much longer – she certainly caught more of a Waldsee bug than I did ;)!

Iman is incredibly smart, stylish, beautiful, brilliant, classy, strong, and warm.

I’ll be honest - Iman always seemed like my missed connection BFF. There aren't a whole lot of social justice centered, German & Global Studies major, fashion forward, world traveling women in Minnesota. We have quite a bit in common. Although – Iman beats me in the style category all day…every day. And, I pride myself on my sense of style so that’s saying a lot about this lady’s fashion!

I admire Iman’s commitment to social issues, her language skills (both in writing – example below) and her ability to speak multiple languages, as well as her commitment to her family and sisters. Although she’s on and off social media, when she’s on all I see are the beautiful and brilliant Hassan women popping up on my newsfeed.

 I look forward to staying connected with Iman. I am inspired by her style, brilliance, and grace.

Iman shared her responses about what inspires her in different way. I love her poetic and dynamic words so I wanted to leave them be. . .

What inspires you?

I come from a lineage of poets, nomads, and survivors of droughts. The multifaceted identity that I live today is a byproduct of my unintended and unwanted international nomadic life as a refugee. The refugee experience is at the epicenter of my identity. War, famine, and terror penetrated the first half of my childhood due to the unstable conditions of my birthplace.

This fortuitous constellation of events led me to the largest somali diaspora in the United States. Normative notions of national identity and feeling of home and safety were quickly revoked from my family. My grandfather was a nomad, yet this type of journey and displacement felt unnatural to my family.

In middle school I quickly became aware of my painful alien existence in the post-911 era. I lost myself in the world of academia. This formed an invisible layer that created an absence of annoyance at school. At the time, I had no words for racism and xenophobia. I hardly acquired words for mundane objects such as ruler, or pen due to my novice ESL status. Everyday a new word, concept, and cultural experience distracted me from the strenuous racist discourse of my peers. It was exciting to me, all of it. I loved the process of learning a new language and connecting to a foreign culture. The arduous potpourri of conditions and struggles as a foreigner faded away due to my love for school and the education that seemed like a constant gift to me. I eagerly threw myself on every assignment and challenge that the American school system presented to me.

Being black, foreign, and Muslim made for a particular kind of academic determination. I possessed an arrogant gentleness in the classroom that later developed into charismatic eagerness. The power behind my voice grew stronger with every book that I devoured.

Later, I stumbled upon my first love; the great writers of Sturm und Drang, and continued a tumultuous, painful relationship with my German enlightenment philosophers. My great loves were eventually deconstructed, and heavily questioned in my postmodern feminist reading of Horkheimer and Adorno’s Dialectic of Enlightenment. However, I still credit Novalis, Brecht, and Kant for my initial attraction to German philosophical discourse. As a first-generation college student I began my journey as a German and Global studies major at the University of Minnesota.

Every classroom nourished my deep concerns for gender equality, inclusiveness, and the systematic deconstruction of the oppressive forces I personally felt in my community. The essence of my identity has always been a political formation never absent of global and local activism. My studies allowed me to make sense of what I lived. Instead of suffering from the political abhorrence that undocumented immigrants face, I became a benefactor and product of international law. My past, my present, and my future are in direct connection to the political succor that the legal construction of the refugee status provides. The international legal community created a very thin membrane between asylum-seeker and undocumented immigrant. This socio-political legal construction of the refugee fascinates me on multiple levels because of my personal experience with the ubuesque minefield that one has to overcome to reach this status.
— Iman Hassan

This March, I am celebrating all the amazing women around me! Sharing women who have influenced me and make up my personal history. As the month goes on, you can see all my Inspiring Women posts here!

INSPIRING WOMEN: Noora Pajari

Noora Pajari and I studied together for a semester at the Universität Trier in Trier, Germany. Noora, who is from Finland, was also studying abroad in spring/summer of 2010. Through our adventures in Germany and now, as I stay connected with her online, I really appreciate Noora as a global citizen working for good and as an awesome lady to have in my circle!

When I studied in Trier, it was my second time in Germany. My exchange year in Frankfurt between high school and college (2005-2006) was a difficult and wonderful journey full of new experiences, challenges, and interactions. When I returned to Germany the second time to study abroad while I was in college, all that transitional stuff was old news. I’d been there. . . done that. I went in already very comfortable in conversational German, had knowledge of basic German systems (transportation, bureaucracy, recycling, etc), and, generally, felt really quite at home. For that reason, I wasn’t all about clinging to other Americans, going out every night, and trying to be besties with all of the other international students. From the beginning, I knew I just wanted to find a few quality folks to spend my time with! Well, I did find some quality ladies to hang with and, naturally, Noora was in that group.

Noora is warm, independent, chic, concerned about world issues, open, and really fun!

Noora is a 28 year old gal, living and working In Tampere, Finland. She graduated from university a year ago and says that she’s currently getting used to "adult life" - working full-time, living in the apartment she actually owns, waking up early almost every morning & balancing between busy work weeks, doing sports and spending time with friends. 

Noora is interested in politics and development issues.  She hopes for world peace (all beauty contest clichés aside ;)!). At the Finnish Red Cross, where she is currently employed, Noora helps volunteers engage in dialogue between different generations. In the future, she hopes to work abroad. Noora also looooves traveling! Her next travel destination is Florida for her first visit to the United States! I’m excited to meet up with her while she is here!

Noora is very active and often spends time doing sport activities like soccer and working out.  Noora has got into kayaking and Cross Fit – she says that doing sports keeps her mind and body active!

Like I mentioned, Noora was part of my close friend group while studying in Trier. Noora, Angie from the US and, often, Eftehyia from Greece made up our crew. We had a lot of fun together – partying, of course, but also taking trips, going to work-out classes in the university’s sport hall, dining together, and Noora and I also took a terribly challenging political science course about American foreign politics under President Obama. (Which I studied extra hard for because Noora and all of the other poli sci brainic Germans knew way more about my county’s government and history than I did!)

Before I flew home from my semester in Trier, I did some traveling! One place I traveled was to Tampere, Finland to visit Noora! It was THE best trip. I just felt instantly at home in Tampere.

Maybe I was feeling nostalgic for Minnesota, but Finland reminded me of home! (In fact, Finland is referred to as the “Land of a Thousand Lakes” and Minnesota’s state nickname is “The Land of 10,000 Lakes!” Crazy, huh?) Plus, Noora and her family made me feel so welcome! That short trip to Finland was a highlight of my semester in Europe in 2010.

I can’t wait to reconnect with Noora when she visits Florida this summer! And, I hope to remain connected to her as I know she will always be traveling and living in fabulous places while making a positive on our world. 

What inspires you?

I get inspired by helping other people. I really admire people doing humanitarian aid work both in their home countries and abroad. I feel that I have been so lucky being born in Finland into a family with loving parents and two brothers. Even though we haven´t been rich, I got everything I ever wanted, which taught me that happiness isn´t anything material. We didn´t have any spare money but I got into university and graduated with a master’s degree in social sciences. Free education and health care are the things I´m most grateful for. These are the reasons why I want to work for helping others - I want other people to feel the same happiness and to have the same opportunities as I did.”

Who are women in your life or throughout history who inspire you?

The women who inspire me are the ones who are brave and willing to break boundaries. Women, who are strong but still have the courage to show empathy. It´s hard to name just one, but, for example, I admire the first Finnish female president, Tarja Halonen. She held the office 12 years while concentrating on human rights, democracy and civil society. “

If you had one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be and why?

“10 years ago I was 18 years old. If I could, I would say to myself that be brave enough to be yourself. Don´t try to please everybody. You don´t have to be friends with everyone. Cherish friendships that empower you. And I also would like to say that take more chances, it doesn´t matter if you fail. You learn from mistakes. Life happens now, live in the moment.”

And, a few brilliant words of advice from Noora:

“The most important thing in life is being happy. When YOU are happy, the people around you become happy. Don´t expect a guy or money to solve your problems. The solution lies in YOU. So do things you really like, take chances, show up more often. As my favorite author Paulo Coelho has said: "The only thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure." When you allow yourself to shine, it shows.” [I couldn’t agree more!]


(The photo above was taken at almost 11PM in Finland - before we went out. In the summer, they have crazy long days! When we returned, around 3AM, the sun was rising!) 


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This March, I am celebrating all the amazing women around me! Sharing women who have influenced me and make up my personal history. As the month goes on, you can see all my Inspiring Women posts here!

INSPIRING WOMEN: Anusha Goud

Anusha Goud is part of my circle through our connections at Texas A&M University-Commerce (TAMUC).  Anusha was an undergraduate student at TAMUC while I was working there and earning my master’s degree. She was always one of my favorite people in Commerce and, throughout my two years there, I was fortunate to spend a lot of time with her.  Anusha was a dependable student worker, a strong leader on campus, and THE best person to get caught up in conversation with!

 Anusha is dependable, strategic, socially conscious, capable, supportive, and savvy.

Anusha is 23 and lives in San Antonio, Texas. She works as a Patient Advocate for a growing healthcare group while furthering her education. She was born and raised in the United States by philanthropic, Indian parents who do charity work around the world while running their own medical business. She also has an older brother named Adarsh who is finishing up his residency to become a doctor of medicine.

Medicine was sort of Anusha’s “intended path”. She went to Health Careers High School in San Antonio, Texas under the assumption that she would become a doctor and what she describes as following the dreams of her parents and adhering to societal norms for an Asian American in the US.

Although initially attending TAMUC on a pre-med track, Anusha got very involved with various student organizations and decided to add a second major of Sociology. (Sociology majors are ALWAYS my fav, y’all!) Unlike many folks in rural North East Texas, Anusha had a lot of strong feelings about social issues that aligned with my own. And, I love Anusha’s energy! We had some of the BEST talks in the Family & West Halls Office! I miss those days!

 I didn’t really have traditional friends in Commerce. I was in an odd situation living so far from an actual city, attending a mostly online graduate program, working 50+ hour weeks, and not being able to cultivate normal friendships with those around me because almost everyone I was close with either worked with me, worked for me, or lived in my buildings. So, out of this strange space came some wonderful supervisor/friend hybrid relationships with a few special students in my life. Anusha was one of those students!

Anusha was a Front Desk Assistant and, then, manager in my various buildings while I worked as a Graduate Hall Director. Not every student you supervise simply “gets it” – “gets” professionalism, “gets” how to complete a task fully, “gets” how to properly answer a phone and take a message. I know this stuff sounds silly, but because Anusha “got it” from day one, I was able to spend lots of time in friendly conversation because she was so well-prepared and efficient. I also got to get to know Anusha through her leadership in campus organizations – some with which I worked closely.

Although we don’t stay in close touch, Anusha and I stay connected through social media. She is so supportive of my aspirations and hustles. I truly appreciate her! And, I look forward to staying in contact so I can see the amazing things she will do.

Anusha graduated in 2013 and is now focusing on obtaining her Masters in Organizational Development/Leadership with a medical business emphasis. With this course of study, she is creatively combining “the best of two worlds” to please both her parents and herself!

Oh, and this bio would not be complete without mentioning that Anusha loves basketball! I am not a big sports fan but I love this girl’s passion for her San Antonio Spurs! She also has a thirst for knowledge and passion for social issues and international affairs.

Anusha says that her life has always been the best of two worlds; i.e. blending the western lifestyle of the United States along with the traditional, ancient customs of India. She says, “I can’t fathom my life in any other way but it definitely is a unique mix that I’m continuously learning more about as I continue on this path of life”.

Anusha is inspired by people creating positive change and independent women. Read more about what and who inspires Anusha and some great advice to her younger self below.  

 What Inspires You?

“I enjoy reading or hearing about individuals or events around the world where people are standing up for themselves or causing positive changes to society and ultimately just getting a different perspective on various topics and how people live their lives in general.”

Who are women in your life or throughout history who inspire you?

“My mom is the woman I look up to the most. She didn’t have a traditional higher education and grew up in a small village in India but she has the biggest heart in the world and treats every individual with equal respect and kindness.”

“Any independent woman who is working hard and doing what they need to do to be happy and live their lives to the fullest. From Hillary Clinton for shining light on various issues effecting women in the developing world, Indira Gandhi the longest serving female prime minister of India who immensely changed the way women were treated in India, random women that are featured on blogs like Humans of New York that are positively living their lives to their heart’s content and even you, Cat, for your strong hustle in accomplishing your goals and realistic outlook and perspective on the world around us!” [Thanks, Anusha!]

If you had one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be and why?

“Create and follow your own dreams and stop trying to please your parents and societal/cultural norms of an Indian American female. Life is short and if you aren't living every day happily and striving to accomplish your own goals then you aren't living up to your potential and what you in your heart know to be true. Don’t worry what others think and do you!”

 

This March, I am celebrating all the amazing women around me! Sharing women who have influenced me and make up my personal history. As the month goes on, you can see all my Inspiring Women posts here!

INSPIRING WOMEN: Susun Xiong

Susun Xiong is one of my closest friends. I love our deep conversations, travel adventures, and empowering exchanges! I was fortunate to forge the most amazing friendships while in college at Hamline University. Susun is part of that friend group for me! (Spoiler alert, about a third of women I’ve included in this project are connected to my Hamline experience.)  

Susun is ambitious, persistent, unapologetic, kind, caring, dependable, and an incredibly thoughtful friend.

We became close toward the end of our college years having spent time together working for the McVay Youth Partnership, being part of Hamline’s NCORE team, and sitting next to each other in our Biology of Women course. It is certainly our experiences educating ourselves about and advocating for racial justice with NCORE that solidified our friendship. Susun and I attended NCORE (the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education) twice together. First in 2009 as part of Hamline’s NCORE team and then in 2011 where we presented a Pre-Conference Institute. This experience, the May after I graduated, was the perfect endcap to my time at Hamline.

Susun and I both value travel and we subscribe to the notion that you make time for what and who is important to you. In 2012, I traveled to South Korea to visit Susun on JeJu Island where she was working as an English teacher. Since then, she’s visited me in Commerce, TX and here in New Orleans, LA. In April, I’m excited to be visiting her in Chicago! Those of you who have done a lot of traveling know that sometimes even the best of friends don’t make the best travel buddies. This is not the case with Susun! I would travel the world with this woman!

As you’ll see in her responses in the second half of this post, Susun is mindful, conscious and critical. Our conversations are always on another level. I admire her thoughtfulness and commitment to self-care. Susun is always checking in with quick notes, messages, or texts and also sends the most thoughtful gifts. I value her love and support in my life.

Susun currently lives in Chicago with her wonderful boyfriend and is pursuing her master’s and PhD in Disability Studies at UIC. She has a strong passion for community organizing and dismantling injustices. And, she says she is still learning.  I’m impressed by Susun’s dedication to her academic pursuits and know that her field is incredibly fortunate to have a scholar and practitioner like Susun.

Susun is inspired by moments in life – both big and small—and improving the world and lives around her. Read her thoughts on inspiration, empowering women, and words of wisdom below:

 What inspires you? What do you care about deeply?

"Life is inspiring. Moments of connection, deep/long/conscious conversations, learning and hearing about people’s passions, seeing people make positive changes, traveling, music, sunshine, self awareness, crafts, and the reality of injustice. There are so many things that I find inspiring and it is always a pleasant surprise to let moments be the inspiration. I feel that experiences (i.e., life) is contextual so what inspired me yesterday, may not be what inspires me tomorrow. Rather than seeking out inspiration, be open to it, try various things such as “Shots of Awe” youtube videos, TED Talks, journaling, dancing spontaneously at an art gallery, smiling and laughing more, taking a moment to be present, take time to appreciate those around you, etc…

 I care about connection, bettering the world and lives around me. I care about becoming the best version of myself and ensuring that I help create a space for others to do the same. Contributing to better lives is sometimes thought of as “too ambitious, too big of a task” however, I like to think about it in ways that are realistic and achievable for where I am at presently. An example would be a writing a thoughtful letter to a loved one to express what you admire about them or sharing resources such as wellness books, podcasts, etc."

Who are women in your life or throughout history who inspire you?

"I have so many women in my life and throughout history that I admire and am inspired by. My mother, sisters, friends, and mentors are women in my life that inspire me. My mother was a very serious woman when I was growing up but often showed her love through lectures on life, acts of kindness, and by expecting my siblings and me to be responsible/ respectful. It’s wonderful to now see her smiling and laughing more since she’s more trusting of us as adults. The conversations I’ve had with my sisters, friends and mentors inspire me because they are honest conversations. We talk about our struggles, we ask one another for help, there is often lack of judgment, we laugh, we teach, and celebrate one another’s successes."

If you had one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be and why?

"Practice radical self-love, self-care and self-awareness regularly (and sooner). Remember self-love (i.e., intentionally investing in yourself) is not a selfish act. It is necessary! In the past (and at times now), I’ve neglected my own needs for others’ or other things such as school, organizations and work. I worked myself so hard during undergrad that I nearly burnt out by my senior year and became bitter. Learning to listen to yourself and your needs is essential and allows you to fully love and invest in others and in passions. I find that when I practice self-care regularly, I am less stressed out and better able to respond proactively to frustrating experiences (i.e., I am happier!!!). Self-love and self-care can be as simple as taking ten minutes to meditate, or compiling a short list of highlights from the day or a bath with candles. Self-love and self-care are intentional acts and require self-awareness."

This March, I am celebrating all the amazing women around me! Sharing women who have influenced me and make up my personal history. As the month goes on, you can see all my Inspiring Women posts here!

INSPIRING WOMEN: Lilly Polivoda

As I start off the month of March, the first woman I want to celebrate is one of the original women in my circle – my sister, Lilly. She’s my sister so, obviously she’s amazing! And, as she likes to say, is a legend!

When Lilly was in elementary school she told our mom that when she grew up she wanted to be a legend. Even then she knew she would make a mark on the world. At the time she says she was probably thinking more along the lines of the first woman to play in the NFL - clearly that didn't work out ;). Although her path is perhaps different than what she initially envisioned, she is appreciating the journey rather than the destination. Lilly is smart, stylish, driven, strong, funny, and the best little sister!

I have loved growing up with a sister. I literally can’t imagine life without her. Our sisterhood grew to friendship as a direct result of our parent’s divorce. Long weekend’s at Dad’s meant lots of cable TV and sister bonding time. Honestly, most of my sisterly memories relate to giggle attacks and inside jokes. So. Many. Inside jokes. . . My senior year of high school, Lilly was a freshman and we shared my locker together in the senior hallway. It was fun having a little sister who was so cool and got along with all of my people.

I love how Lilly and I turned out having lots of similar ideas and beliefs about life. Somehow our conservative, religious, and loving parents concocted the perfect parenting blend to create incredibly open, socially conscious and critical ladies with true entrepreneurial spirits and “create your own opportunities” attitudes.

I love that my sister always has my back. I think we both subscribe to the typical sibling “I might complain about my sister sometimes but no one is allowed to utter any kind of disrespect toward her in my presence” – policy. And, although it’s been known to bug me sometimes, I love how Lilly simply gives no fucks about things she gives no fucks about. And, consequently, cares immensely and deeply about what she does care about. Related. . .don’t mess with and/or underestimate the Polivoda sisters.

Lilly is currently in Montana continuing her education to eventually earn a PhD in Neuroscience. I am happy about this for many reasons and only one is selfish – potential trips to Glacier National Park which is quite possibly the most beautiful place in the United States. I am proud that Lilly is pursuing her passions and dreams in an environment that is perfect for her. I have no doubt she will create opportunities and achieve wild success as she lives her passions.

What inspires Lilly?

Lilly is inspired by people following their dreams!

"People following their goals, passions and dreams regardless of what anyone else has to say about it. 
I care deeply about following your intuition and not going against what you feel is right for yourself.
"
 

What advice would you give your younger self?

"I honestly wouldn't give myself any advice. I'd be too stubborn to take it. Even if 35 year old Lilly came to me and gave me advice I would still need to learn through experience."
 

Lilly’s final advice is simply golden. Read this and then reread it! I couldn’t agree more:

Go do what you love to do. The thing that you can’t shut up about and you word-vomit all over people about. If you don’t know what that thing is, try new things. Stop worrying, worrying is pointless. When you’re out in the world not holding back and doing what you’re supposed to be doing everything will magically fall into place. It might not work out exactly the way you had envisioned but it WILL work out. The fun part about life is that it happens for you and not to you, YOU CREATE YOUR LIFE.
— Lilly Polivoda

Here’s how you can find my sis on social media:
Blog: www.lillythelegend.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LillyTheLegend
Instagram: http://instagram.com/lillythelegend

This March, I am celebrating all the amazing women around me! It’s only fitting that my beautiful sister starts off the celebration! As the month goes on, you can see all my Inspiring Women posts here!

IN A FUNK? 10 Small Ways To Kick Crabbiness

Last week I was in a funk. And, this week has been dangerous funk territory. For me, being in a funk means feeling crabby and unmotivated for no apparent reason.  I’ve compiled a short list of things I do to jolt myself out of a funk and work to kick crabbiness. Use this list when you're having a crab attack! ;) 

  1. Blast music and sing along.
    I usually do this in the car. And, I drive an old, crappy car with no other music capabilities than the radio. So, sometimes this means belting out mumble singing to pop songs I don't know the words to.

     

  2. Exercise.
    Take a walk! Go to Zumba. Swim. Stretch. Have a personal dance party. Endorphins are real, folks. Very, very real.

     

  3. Drink water.
    And maybe a coffee or diet coke. But then, more water! I feel like over 50% of problems in life are probably because we’re somewhat dehydrated. (This is not real science but, what I like to call, “Cat Science” - meaning, a mixture things I’ve heard but cannot site and my intuition.)

     

  4. Make sure you've eaten.
    Related – make sure you’ve eaten the most recent meal. And, if not, fix that quick!

     

  5. Put a deadline on your crabby.
    One of my friends taught me this. If you’re going to feel an emotion let yourself feel it intensely but give it a deadline. When the deadline comes – honor it and move on!

     

  6. Journal.
    You can write to vent about what’s going on in your world and/or list the things you are be grateful for.

     

  7. Reminder: negative just brings more negative.
    Remind yourself that positive brings positive & negative brings negative. When I am crabby EVERYTHING goes wrong. For instance, first I’m stubbing my toe, then I’m out of almond milk, then my eye pencil is dull and there is no sharpener in sight, then I get in the car to go to work and forget that I’m on E. Right? Bad energy just brings more bad stuff! So, it's good to remind ourselves of this as a push in the right direction.

     

  8.  Watch a funny show or standup on Netflix.
    My personal recommendations include Parks & Recreation and Aziz Ansari stand up. I also recommend “Dads dancing to Uptown Funk” videos on YouTube. I have no idea why but they just crack me up. . .every single time. (I watched it again while linking it here and am currently laughing out loud.)

     

  9.  Go to bed.
    And, vow that you’ll let your pissed-off attitude go by morning.   

     

  10. Clean or organize.
    Clean your apartment/office/room and listen to music or a podcast while you do it!

 

What kinds of things do you do to get yourself out of a funk? Let me know in the comments below!

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: My Three Favorite Online Resources for Budding Entrepreneurs

I have been on my hustle working to cultivate my passion projects into sustaining entrepreneurial endeavors. At this point, I have relied almost exclusively on free content from some amazing movers and shakers. I have been learning so much and continue to do so each time I engage with these quality content providers.  

I am absorbing (almost) all of their content for free and I acknowledge that I should be providing more in return. I’m not at a point where I can do so monetarily, so I am sharing the love with them and y’all by highlighting their resources.

I am sharing them with you for two main reasons: 1) because I believe knowledge is power and 2) I want to encourage you to check out their helpful and informative content.

Currently, my three favorite online resources for budding entrepreneurs are: Marie Forleo, The $100 MBA, and ByRegina.

Marie Forleo

Marie Forleo is the essence of a “woman on a mission”! She is one of the first resources I found as I started cultivating my business and thinking about expanding my brand. She is positive and empowering from every piece of information she shares to her female-centered and socially conscious business practices.

Marie offers content to help others “create a business and life you love”. She shares videos on MarieTV that are full of helpful and relevant info for entrepreneurs. Marie’s content is on another level; it’s so put together and polished while still remaining fun!  Marie also runs an amazing program called B-School – an online business school for modern entrepreneurs.

Ooo, and I haven’t gotten through this yet, but Marie just shared this really helpful post about free info for entrepreneurs and startups!

$100 MBA

The $100 MBA is an online course and community as well as a podcast. Omar Zenhom and Nicole Baldinu run this informative enterprise.  I got hooked through the podcast which shares quick business lessons in a way that’s very easy to understand! Most podcasts are around 10 -15 minutes long – so they’re in really digestible segments. And, the sponsors they pub are also really helpful! For instance, Squarespace was the sponsor of several episodes and they offered a 10% discount for $100 MBA listeners! As you may realize, my blog is hosted through Squarespace which has enabled me to have a beautiful website – even with my low tech skills!

Recently, Nicole and Omar announced that they are releasing a webinar platform and a new podcast dedicated to webinars called Webinar Ninja. I could not be more excited! I would love to share webinars with y’all and am very interested in learning about their platform as a possible way to do so!

Finally, both Omar and Nicole have responded to my tweets or Facebook posts.  It’s cool to see entrepreneurs who are “practicing what they preach” in this way! And, it’s really helpful!

ByRegina

ByRegina is run by Regina Anaejionu. Through her blog, she provides a wealth of information about blogging and running a creative business. Her posts were really influential as I put together my blog. She shares high level information in a way that is conversational and easy to understand! I LOVE how she shares reports on how much revenue she has generated from her blog and related entrepreneurial endeavors. It’s so honest and really helps me see how I can get where I want to go.

Out of these three, Regina is the only one from whom I’ve purchased materials. I purchased her Epic Blog Planner – still working through to it and making plans. I also purchased her Small Business Manual & Workbook. I recommend both books –especially the Epic Blog Planner! Ooo, and Regina has also responded to me over Twitter and Instagram!

Grateful for These Opportunities

For any of you who are also working on your side hustles and entrepreneurial game, I highly recommend each of these resources! If you know of any other great content providers, please share in the comments below!

 

 

PINK & GOLD DRESS: Cat's Closet Comment Auction

Didn't y'all love that dress I was wearing in my recent Cat's Closet birthday post? Well, it can be yours! 

A few times on my Cat's Closet Facebook Fanpage, I have hosted a "Comment Auction". The name pretty much explains how it works - I post a clothing items and folks can bid on it by posting a dollar amount in the comments. My Facebook-less Instagram followers always complained about not having access. So now that I have a blog, I'm hosting it here! 

The "Comment Auction" goes till tomorrow evening and I can even ship Monday - so you will likely receive the dress in time to wear for Valentine's Day!  (This dress would work for many occasions! But, it does shout Valentine's Day to me!) Check out the description and fine print. . . .and, let the bidding begin! 

Dress Description 

This dress is soooo great! It's a size 20W. Roomy on me. (In one picture you can see me holding the extra material at the top.) Sheer, flowy top fabric with lining. Thrifted. Adrianna Papell Evening brand. (Through a quick google search, I found it here!) 

The dress has gold shimmery "polka dots" throughout. I love the color because it is a more muted/natural pink. Flattering cut with gathering at the waist and in the one sleeve. Zipper at side. Definite stretch to the garment. A line of that nice "grippy" material (that I find most often on strapless bras) lines the inside of the top. Some wear and tear on the skirt fabric - slight snags - but only noticeable if you're looking close/inspecting it. Other than that, great condition! 

The Fine Print
Comment Auction Guidelines

  1. "Comment Auction" starts when this blog post goes live and extends till tomorrow - Sunday, February 8th at 8PM (CST). 
  2. Bidding starts at $12. To bid, just comment on this post with your dollar amount. (Full dollar amounts, please!) 
  3. Shortly after 8PM, I will respond to the winning comment! You're responsible for getting me your email address. I will send you an invoice through PayPal. You must complete this within 12 hours or I will move on to the next highest bid. 
  4. Shipping - $6 for US shipping or $16 for International Shipping. (Shipping is through USPS. US shipping is tracked and insured and sent with 3 day priority. International shipping is not tracked or insured and can take several weeks.) If the winning bid is over $36, then the US shipping is on me! ;) 
  5. Any questions?! Just comment below! 

ONE MONTH IN: Welcoming 2015 With Intention Recap

I hope your year is off to a great start! We're one month in and I wanted to give a quick recap of my Welcoming 2015 With Intention series. I have videos and blog posts about topics on my heart and mind as we begin this new year. 

If you didn't have a chance to watch this series earlier or would like a little positive reminder,  you can check out all four parts here. Just click on each image to go to that particular blog post. 

Wow, January has flown by! And, I am sure February will too. Not only is it a short month, it's Mardi Gras and in New Orleans that means there's lots going on - which always makes time pass quickly. I hope your January was positive and productive - and that the rest of your year will be the same! 

Thank you so much for reading my blog posts! It was exciting to see my audience numbers grow throughout January. Please continue reading and I hope you will share my posts if you know folks who might enjoy them!

Also, let me know how 2015 is going so far in the comments below!