You Hanging Out or Not? : CIAA

When life hands you lemons, swap it out for limes and squeeze that ish into a cup of Patron. Yep, that's exactly how I wanted to start off this post. Because not everyday, every event, every situation will go as planned. 

This weekend I decided to travel to Charlotte, NC to one of the biggest events called CIAA. I left on Saturday morning to meet up at my friend house and hang out a day party. Because I don't get out much I was super excited to let my hair down for a few hours. 

Once I arrived, my friend welcomed me with open arms and delicious drinks. We began to get dressed and wait for my cousin to arrive. 

Okay, so the next few hours went like this... 

My friend had us in laughter and me over the top because while being a great hostess she was at her mostest. Her drinks caught up to her. After we got everything together, and my cousin leaving her ID in her city, we headed out to the EpicCentre. 

The Epic Centre is located downtown/uptown. It consists of an area with sports bars, restaurants, hotels and so much more. We decided to hang out a party there for awhile, have a few drinks and kick back. And my night was over from there, I couldn't wait to get back to her house, wash my face and throw on my pjs. 

 It's so much fun to gather with friends and family when your life literally revolves around home and work. 

It's bad when you don't enjoy yourself because you are use to just being a homebody and standing around a crowd for long hours does nothing at all for you. 

Does this happen to you all at times? Where you are so excited to hang out but you are so ready to get back in your comfort zone? How do you deal with this? 

Hair Deets: 

Curled with InStyler/ Styled in a Messy Ponytail. 

Fashion Deets: 

Shirt: H&M 

Pants: BCBG 

Shoes: Shoedazzle

Bag: BeBe (from my friends closet) 

Necklace: unknown (top) 

Faux Fur: Target 

HANDS IN THE AIR: FRIENDSHIP

HANDS IN THE AIR *WAVE THEM SIDE TO SIDE**


Over the weekend my friends & I got together for my son's Big birthday party at the Skating Rink. We had lots of fun WATCHING the kids skate, play games, and really enjoy one another. It was pleasant being able to be with my friends and family for an enjoyable day. We all have grown into beautiful women. Nowadays we have so many responsibilities that we don't get together as often. We love to group chat, but sometimes in our busy schedules we don't have much time for that as well.

After the skate party, we all got together for some drinks and laughter. It's an understatement to say how much of a blast we had. I'm the BOSSY friend which my friends make fun of. We all have similarities and we all are different in our own ways. We fuss and fight but in the end, that's what friends are for. One thing I can say is we work our butts off.

Friendship isn't valued like it use to be. People fall out everyday. Not to say that sometimes friendships are just outgrown, but when you can hold tight to the true friends, KEEP THEM BY YOUR SIDE. This circle is over 10 years and I love them dearly. I've lost friends and some days I want to mend those friendships but I push past them and say Oh well! I don't want to be that girl who says I wish I could have told them this or that before it's too late. Enjoy your friends, make time for them, and treat them well.

Lipspiration: Uplift

Around the holidays, many people are down and depressed. A contribution of many factors could be the cause of the feelings. They are away from their loved ones, they have lost loved ones, money situations, and so much more. We see individuals stressed because they aren't able to afford to have many presents under the Christmas tree for their kids, they didn't have any meals to place on their table for Thanksgiving, and they are bringing in the New Year with a pile of bills and debt from last year. It happens year after year.

As I'm writing this post I had to stop and pray and worship GOD. Why? Because so many people are trying to fight a battle when they should just BE STILL. PRAY! PRAY! PRAY!!! No matter what the situation feels or seems like, Keep Praying. Break Chains, Destroy Yokes, GOD is on your side!! :)

If you are down right now just know that you are not the one because there are others out there feeling the same way that you are. I just pray that I can Inspire someone today or any day. If you are having any negative thoughts start to speak positive in your life. I am BLESSED, I am here to SERVE a PURPOSE another day, I am SANE, I speak CLARITY and PEACE in my/your LIFE. Just replace those words with betterment. Go around others who are happy and smiling to uplift your spirit. Speak with someone about your thoughts and feelings.

I wish you all AMAZING HAPPY HOLIDAYS!! KNOW THAT YOU ARE WORTHY AND BLESSED NO MATTER WHAT YOUR SITUATION FEELS LIKE AT THE MOMENT!

My Lipstick Chronicles

 

Well Hello, Monday. We meet again. It's been awhile since my last post but I have been busy with my work and personal life. So I got great news and I'm taking a leap of faith into a new job role and I'm both very nervous and equally excited. I've realized that you have to take yourself out of your comfort zone and be uncomfortable at times in order to grow. While they say the grass isn't greener on the other side, we won't know until we shift ourselves to see. 

Life is a juggle, a struggle but it has beauty and lessons in each of those. We have to be willing to let go of our comfortable ways. Each day, each mistake is an opportunity to become better. Faith of a mustard seed is all you need. Sometimes we feel we need more confirmation from others or we need this and that when it all could be so simple at times. Believe in you!! 

Honestly, I slack more often than I should and one of my goals has been to push myself even when I don't feel like doing something. I'm trying to be consistent in so many areas of my life because I know it's very beneficial to me. I have been trying on the weekends to get out of bed and make it up when I do so that I don't become confined and have a lazy weekend. What are some steps you take to jump start your days or weekends off? 

This weekend I went to a friends housewarming party and I must say that I enjoyed myself. I hardly get out or hang with friends donut felt good to do so. 

 

What goals do you have in mind this week? I wish you all love, laughter, and lipstick!! 

XOXO,

Erica 

Empower: Who is in your Circle?

Photo Credit: Google Images

Today I was thinking what should I write about that could motivate us or fuel our mind and this topic came to me quickly. Last night I had a group chat with my friends and we talked about great things, motivation, buying homes, and our accomplishments and such. I said to them I look at what I have achieved and the things that I have accomplished and yet the things I still have to do. You know you can either look at the glass half empty or half full, or you can just be grateful that you even have a glass. 

But the main question to this is WHO IS IN YOUR CIRCLE? Your circle consists of the people that you are around, that can add or subtract into your life. Remember the saying birds of a feather flock together? At one point I would say that was not true, you don't have to be like the people you hang around but you know what, the people that you closely associate yourself with can have an impact on your actions and lifestyle just as well as the surroundings you sit in. Keep business minded, positive people in your circle and you are likely to set goals, learn new things to embrace into your future, and reach your highest potential. Keep shallow minded people, gossip, negative thinking, negative acting individuals around and you are likely to drown in your own misery and theirs as well. One message that I keep posted up around me so that I can always reflect back on it is from Colin Powell. Let these words sink in, and you know what before the new year comes go ahead and CLEAN HOUSE! You have no more time for people who can't push you to soar to newer levels, to the TOP we go!! 

The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve. Any time you tolerate mediocrity in others, it increases your mediocrity. An important attribute in successful people is their impatience with negative thinking and negative acting people. 

As you grow, your associates will change. Some of your friends will not want you to go on. They will want you to stay where they are... Friends that don't help you climb will want you to crawl. Your friends will stretch your vision or choke your dream. Those that don't increase you will eventually decrease you. 

Consider this: 
Never receive counsel from unproductive people. Never discuss your problems with someone incapable of contributing to the solution, because those who never succeed themselves are always first to tell you how. Not everyone has a right to speak into your life. You are certain to get the worst of the bargain when you exchange ideas with the wrong person. Don't follow anyone who's not going anywhere... 

With some people you spend an evening: with others you invest it. Be careful where you stop to inquire for directions along the road of life. Wise is the person who fortifies his life with the right friendships. If you run with wolves, you will learn how to howl. But, if you associate with eagles, you will learn how to soar to great heights. 

"A mirror reflects a man's face, but what he is really like is shown by the kind of friends he chooses." 

The simple but true fact of life is that you become like those with whom you closely associate - for the good and the bad. 

Note: 
Be not mistaken. This is applicable to family as well as friends. Yes...do love, appreciate and be thankful for your family, for they will always be your family no matter what. Just know that they are human first and though they are family to you, they may be a friend to someone else and will fit somewhere in the criteria above. 

"In Prosperity Our Friends Know Us. In Adversity We Know Our friends." 
"Never make someone a priority when you are only an option for them." 
"If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters." 

“Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude..".. 

Colin Powell 

Lipstick & Love XOXO