What it's about.

It's not just about self esteem. It's about being grounded too. Deliciously living in the balance.

Enjoy your Sunday evening.
xoxo.

New Logo!

I'm so excited I can hardly stand it.

Girls just want to have fun..

I saw this photograph and it made me giggle. Don't you just want to be those girls? I'm not quite sure if there is anything more delightful than good girlfriends. They are your bodyguards, your back-up dancers, your biggest fans. I have been blessed with unbelievable circles of female friends since childhood. As you know, it's sometimes challenging to maintain meaningful friendships. Feelings like jealousy, envy, self-interest often rear their ugly heads. It's natural, we all deal with those emotions whether your 12 or 52. But you get beyond them, realizing your friendships are more important. And they are, I assure you.

And cliques? Don't get me started. Why exclude a potentially brilliant friendship because of some silly agreement you have with other girls? Ladies, let's make a deal--start INCLUDING, make the effort. It's amazing what a new friend can bring to your "sundae". You'll only be better for it.

I didn't always think this way.

I learned this the hard way when my "Best Friends Forever" club was closed down in Kindergarten. I had created a club of my nearest and dearest and wouldn't let others join. I know, horrible, isn't it? We had badges and everything-I still have the 3-ring binder for it. Looking back, I'm so glad my teachers had the insight to stop the madness. Now I regret not making it a huge, school-wide alliance for all the girls. Think of how cool that would have been! All of us, wearing our own badges, joining forces rather than breaking down. It would have been so amazing! It's one of my biggest regrets in the world. It must be why I'm so passionate about this movement. I refuse to let another opportunity to unite pass me by.

Any stories on new friendships? I'd love to hear them.

ISN'T IT GREAT TO BE A PART OF SOMETHING MAGNIFICENT?

THANK YOU! THANK YOU LADIES!

I am so excited to get your "flavors" and explanations! I can't wait to begin featuring one of you every day! Thank you for your contributions, but KEEP 'EM COMING!

Get together in groups--start conversations. who's chocolate? who's mint chocolate chip? who's peach sorbet? and why?

They're all awesome!

Send your emails to me @ 1000flavors@gmail.com and send pictures too!

Let's highlight the faces of a new generation of young women who refuse to be vanilla!

Letting Go...

So I'm sitting in the orthodontist chair this morning and was immediately transported back to my "tween" years. The smell of braces never leaves you. Now as adult I'm answering the same questions and promising to wear my retainer as I did when I was 13. This time, however, it's clear aligners and not braces; and it's my money and not my parents. So on some levels I feel mature, but mostly I feel like a kid, dreading the foreboding toothaches.

It got me thinking, though. As the woman filled my mouth with this expanding foam/goo stuff--I could do nothing but sit there and breathe, consciously making the choice not to throw up.

A lesson in letting go.

I just felt helpless. A feeling I distinctly remember having as a young girl and battle to this day. If I can't control this situation--where is my strength? The longer I sat there and the more I breathed, the more humor and freedom I felt. I kept thinking how silly I probably looked and how not fighting it and choosing the high road (not gagging) was making the whole experience so much easier! I chose not to fight the situation. It is a lesson I am constantly re-teaching myself.

A fantastic quality in us "Rocky Road" type of women is our refusal to be part of the status quo (the norm)-to question what we don't understand and to stand up for what we do. Our fire and zest for life is contagious. But what I'm learning with age is that my real power, my real strength comes from the ability to take a sit back, breathe, and let go when necessary.

Calling All 1000 Flavors!

Ladies,
It is time to send me your flavor!!
Email me with: YOUR Flavor and WHY and be featured on this blog.

Example:
"I've always thought of myself as coffee ice cream. I might not be your typical girl next door, but I have something in me--that extra bite, that edge that separates me from the rest. Also, you either love me or hate me--there's not much in between."

See how easy that was? And the fun thing is that we might have 3000 coffee ice creams and I can guarantee every reason will be different.

I'm so excited to hear what you ladies have to say. Your responses are going to be the inspiration behind our daily discussions and conversations. Finding our flavors is the heart of my purpose. It's the foundation from which we can grow in this community. And more importantly, it's going to be a blast to see what everyone is! I have a hunch it will be more meaningful than we think.

My dream is to honor a different young lady (in heart or actual age) everyday from all over the world. Ask your daughters and friends to also be a part of this. Let's surprise ourselves with our overwhelming response.


Let's have fun with this!
I look forward to hearing from all of you.
1000flavors@gmail.com

Too Cool for School

So today the skies have opened up and rain is pouring. Hearing it on my roof makes me want to hunker down, make some hot chocolate and cuddle under a blanket for the rest of the day. But no, I'm too excited to start a movement. In my life I've found it is in these moments, these vanilla moments, that challenge me to be something more. It is my time to consciously decide to be the best version of me. This is how I see it:

VANILLA = lack of care

lack of investment

lack of passion

As I see it, it's never to early (or late-for those of you readers who are late bloomers) to start creating the woman you want to become. Now let me clarify, even for the most impressive women, there are times of necessary "vanilla-dom". Times when you have to take a step back, withdraw and retreat. I am scared, however, that vanilla behavior is becoming the status quo. Following and not leading. Fear of individuality. Rude and "sassy" behavior becoming acceptable. I think we all need to stand up and scream to our fellow ladies, young and old, "WAKE UP"! Let's make a point to become interesting! Let's make a point to reach out, rather than bully-to be proud of ourselves in public and in our private lives.

THIS IS OUR ONLY LIFE - MAKE IT WORTH SOMETHING.

Life really is like ice cream flavors. You and your friends will all adopt certain roles (flavors) without even knowing it. Once you realize that and start loving each other for exactly who you are, you will begin to create the sundae of your dreams. All the individual flavors contribute something UNIQUE and SPECIAL. Your sundae wouldn't exist without the unmatched contributions of each person. Age has granted me clarity in the role I play in my life. Knowing my flavor has given me the freedom to be who I am, fully, without self-doubt or insecurity.

To figure out my flavor? Read on, my friends. Read on.

Let's Call it a "Character Education".

Let me explain:

There's nothing wrong with vanilla--it's fine, it's safe, it doesn't make a fuss. Now Rocky Road on the other hand, has a little bit of everything in it--a taste explosion, if you will. This is what I want in women. In a society where young girls associate self confidence to a swollen ego and "sassy" behavior, my intention is to create a space for young women and their parents, teachers, and mentors to re-instill the ethics we already know. To start conversations, debates, and sharing of stories that will will help us become the women we want to become or know we already are. Like I said, there is nothing wrong with vanilla, but there is something wrong with being vanilla and being fine with it, not wanting more. There are a million different flavors out there. Go! Explore! Find out what you want to be. Let's grab a spoon and dig in!