Perfectly Posh Starter Kit Unboxing

You may have seen my post earlier in the week about a new company I recently discovered called Perfectly Posh. I've been using a few of their products for a couple of weeks and I'm totally hooked so for me, the next step was joining the company!

*Quick disclaimer...this is not sponsored and I'm not trying to sell you on joining a business opportunity. This is more of a personal post about something I decided to do in addition to blogging. And, since it's beauty-related, I really wanted to share it with you because the products are awesome and I'm so excited about them.

To join Posh, it costs $99 for a starter kit. It includes over $250+ worth of products (so you can try them for yourself and also be able to give samples), business supplies (samples, sample jars, catalogs, order forms (if you decide to do parties- but you don't have to though!), a t-shirt, and a tote bag. Plus, when you start, you'll have online access to the Posh Academy, which is a series of courses that teach you how to get started and more about the brand. Of course, you can also just order the kit to get the products for less if you don't really want to start a business.

Happy Mother's Day!

I just wanted to wish all the mamas out there a Happy Mother's Day! I can't imagine life without this little guy, he brings me so much joy and laughter...more than I ever would have thought possible. I'm so proud of the sweet, loving kid he is...even at such a young age, he is already so thoughtful and caring toward people and loves animals more than anything else on the planet. I can't wait to see how he changes and grows over the years to come!

Pretty On The Inside

I just rediscovered my 7th grade diary at my parents' house, and while I had a lot of fun reading it, there were certain parts that made me cringe and even more parts that made me sad...like this quote for example: 

What I would like to change about myself this year: "Get prettier and have more people like me".

My goal for that year wasn't to get better at a sport, or try something new, or do something good. It was to "get prettier" so that more people would like me. Seeing this just makes me want to cry and hug my 13 year old self. I was such an awkward pre-teen... not just physically but socially as well. I was a little on the shy side and once the mean girls were through having fun at my expense, I became more withdrawn, burying my nose in my Sweet Valley High books after school. I had one best friend that I could talk to and hang out with but looking back, I think I took her for granted a lot of the time. I was so focused on being part of that popular crowd and I can't for the life of me understand why because they weren't nice to me. 

Later, in high school the bullying stopped but it changed into something that's almost as bad but isn't talked about as often...being ignored completely. I remember being at Field Hockey practice during summer break in August, a few weeks before school started. It was brutally hot outside and during our lunch break, this popular girl invited the whole team (except for me and one other girl) over to her house to swim in her pool. All I wanted to do was call my Mom and ask her to come and get me but I didn't want to leave the other girl by herself. So I stayed and had lunch with her and we ended up becoming good friends.

I sometimes wonder if my love of beauty products started with my desire to "get prettier", but I honestly don't know. Probably.
I guess when you feel like you're ugly, you become more focused on looks than most people. Lord knows I was! Of course, I don't feel that way anymore and now makeup is just a fun hobby. I leave the house without it all the time and couldn't care less what people think. But years ago, I would spend entire dates with a guy or time at a party worrying about how I looked rather than letting loose and having a good time, all the while I was afraid that if I didn't look good, people wouldn't like me.

My wish is that girls will learn to be kind to each other and support one another so that we can focus on our actual lives, our true passions, and who we want to become, rather than trying to make other people like us on the outside.

It has taken me until my 30's to feel confident about myself and in many ways, I feel like I missed out on life in my teens and twenties because I was too afraid to meet new people, try new things, or to speak my mind for fear of being mocked or ridiculed. 

So please, remember to be kind to others. Bullying has more of an impact on a person's soul than anyone realizes...the effects go way beyond just that moment or that day.