Dear Girl,

At only four years old, your light is so bright. You are beautiful, kind, smart, strong, brave, thoughtful and tenacious. I consider myself lucky to be your mama and I cannot wait to watch the woman you become. As I tuck you in at night, you cut through my facade and access my raw heartbreak with your request for a baby. You have no idea I’ve begun to wrestle with the notion of dismantling our family. Already so smart, you’re not happy with my efforts to pacify you with “maybe someday” or “let’s talk about this in the morning” – my feeble attempts to buy time as I fight back tears. You are so unaware of the depth and timing of the question. “How do you get a baby?,” you probe. You are a make-it-happen kind of girl, and you love this life we’ve built for you. It only makes sense to you that another person, cut of the same cloth, would make it better. You, your older brother, your dad and me – it’s all you’ve ever known. For 15 years, it’s all I’ve known too.

The Rock Your Beauty Fashion Show is a magical night. The positive energy radiates from the event leaders, models, and every single person in the audience.  I have had the privilege to walk in the show as a model, and the bond that we form backstage can only be described as a sisterhood. There isn’t any other environment better than one in which we celebrate our unique beauty. We are women of all sizes, colors, backgrounds, and abilities, and we each have a powerful story.

Passion, independence, confidence, empathy, forgiveness, support, emotional intelligence, caring, and pride—I could go on and on about how women find the strength to embody many amazing traits that make us... well, us. We endure, we learn, and we guide, yet mental health illnesses among women are on the rise. In fact, one in five women (19%) experiences a common mental disorder such as anxiety or depression. Why?

Ladies let’s talk fashion, but not just any fashion—fashion that celebrates you and all of your wonderful curves! No matter what your shape, every body is a masterpiece, and your wardrobe is the frame. So, let’s dive into a fun guide on dressing for your body type, where the only rule is to feel fabulous!

Ah, remember the days when your friend would take a photo of you, and you had to wait for it to be developed to see how you looked? When you finally got to see the photo, it was a delightful surprise of imperfections. Perhaps your hair was in disarray, or your eyes were mid-blink, and that pose—what were you thinking? But guess what? Everyone’s pictures looked that way, and we laughed about it because that was real life, those were real people, and photos were taken merely for memories, not to boost confidence or followers.