Empowering

Empowering

Monday, August 22, 2016

You guys, I met three of the most lovely ladies the weekend before last. We are all a part of an incredible community - Style Collective - and came together to celebrate the SC national meet-up. 

All three of the ladies standing next to me are fellow bloggers in the DFW area. There are so many bloggers in Dallas and it's easy to feel lost. I have been blogging for a couple of years now and this was my first meet-up. Can you believe that?! 

For me, it's easier said than done. I always want to meet other ladies but get intimidated or overwhelmed by the thought. Will I be what they expect? What if they don't like me? A hundred and one questions and comments running through my mind - typical over-analyzer. I did nothing short of the same for this meet-up. It was Sunday afternoon and while I was overly excited to meet the girls, I was beyond nervous! It was the longest day of my life. 

And then I arrived at Happiest Hour, formally introduced myself and immediately felt like I was having dinner and drinks with old friends. 

Maybe it was the fact that we're all bloggers and have something in common? Maybe it's that we were all in the same boat, meeting up with ladies that we've never talked to before. Either way, I had nothing to worry about. Each lady was unique in their own way, and made the night so incredible. Conversations were casual and seamless and the amount of genuine laughs and advice is more than I could have ever imagined. 

It's easy to get wrapped up into what you think blogging should be. One thing I realized walking away from that night is that we all have our own voice and we can ALL be bloggers. 

Where will we get competing with each other and dragging each other down? Nowhere! The road to success is and will be much more enjoyable if you're able to let your guard down, meet new people and support those people! 

Each lady was giving advice on what they've learned or who they have met and how we think each one of us can grow. And did I mention there was excitement for the fact that we've all landed collaborations?! That's a big deal! 

All in all, the night was a huge success and I can't wait to meet up with them again! Jennifer (first one on the left) brought her husband Justin, who hung out with us as well and got some pretty incredible shots. It's a bonus when your husband learns to work the camera and can take your pictures. It's a double bonus when you're married to a photographer. And kudos to Justin for dealing with us all night... that was a huge task! 

Take a peek into our night at the Happiest Hour and see where you can learn more about the ladies who joined me, below. 

Also, if you're in Dallas and haven't been to Happiest Hour yet, you should! The space is so cool, the drinks and food are good, and there's even a fun roof top patio, too. It's a great place for a girl's night - insert photos below! 

Top | Shorts | Sandals (similar) 

Meet Jennifer! Jennifer is the person behind Sassy Teacher Chic! She is a wife, mom and teacher, and on top of that, she is absolutely hilarious! Jennifer kept us laughing all night. She describes her style as sassy and chic (hence her blog name) and that's exactly what she is. Plus, she's a bargain shopper and we all love a good bargain, am I right?! Check out Jennifer's blog to know more about how she juggles life between blogging and teaching. Also, she shares her killer deal on those cute shorts! 

Next up is Liz from Witty N Pretty. Immediately upon meeting Liz I knew she was a spit-fire. She owns what she says and I love that! She was so fun and open and perfect for a first time meet-up. She recently moved to Dallas and is learning all things Texas. I'm not sure if the heat can be learned, but she's wingin' it! True to her style, she came dressed to impress with her bright red, classic-style dress. Head over to Witty N Pretty and show Liz some love! 

Last but definitely not least, introducing Cindy! Cindy is the great mind behind Foreign Fresh & Fierce. She took the bull by the horns and coordinated this entire event for us. In addition to setting up the location and coordinating a time, she also managed to put together a #girlboss sign. I mean what says a blogger meet-up more than GIRL BOSS?! Cindy's fashion is nothing less than fierce, I mean... who else could pull off a mustard yellow skort and blue top and shoes?! She's killin' it! She blogs about fashion as well as travel (yes!) and you can tell just how genuine she is when you start talking to her. 

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