#ProjectWomanKIND

Plus size model, Jessica Vander Leahy recently released her new web series entitled #ProjectWomanKIND. 

Vander Leahy, according to Cosmopolitan, told reporters that she was "inspired to launch the series after receiving emails from young girls asking for body-image advice. She recruited her fellow plus side models to help launch the series broadcasting one on one interviews where each woman speaks of personal body image issues, the fashion industry, and gives advice. 

"Body image is something that is obsessed over." Leahy said. "I wanted to create something where women could talk about the natural highs and the lows they might go through on the journey to accepting themselves - physically, emotionally, everything." 

According to Cosmo the campaign is paying off and that it has been proving to help encourage other girls to accept their bodies and learn to love themselves. 

I love campaigns like these. #ProjectWomanKIND and all the other body image love campaigns are so important for women living in today's grueling and judgmental society. In order to be confident we all must believe in ourselves and believe in the beauty of our bodies. 

I think that it is important to understand that you should accept yourself no matter what your body type is. There are many campaigns out there now to promote the acceptance of plus sized woman and that is wonderful but you should be accepting yourself whether you're a size 14 or a size 0. Although this campaign by Vander Leahy is promoting love for bigger woman, if you are a petite girl or naturally skin and bones that is beautiful too. There are many body types that don't receive the attention that they also deserve. 

Keep in mind the beauty of all shapes and sizes, heights, widths, etc. Big is beautiful, but small is beautiful too. I often hear so many girls putting down women for being tiny and skinny. 

"She must be anorexic." "She must be bulimic." 

"Real women have curves." So does this imply that if a women doesn't have curves that she is not real? 

Someone needs to stand up for the naturally skinny women out there who are put down for their genes. That is my goal here. To say yes big girls are beautiful but bones are beautiful too. Why is it okay for women to say, "you're so skinny you should eat a burger." This is body shaming. What if the skinny girl turned around and said "you're so fat you shouldn't eat that burger." Either way, BOTH of these statements are unacceptable. It is not okay to put down women who are more than a size six, and not okay to put down woman who are less than a size six. 

Although, again I am in complete support of this campaign #ProjectWomenKIND, where is the campaign that promotes every single body type? Keep this in mind when going out and seeing different body ad's and promotions everywhere. Every woman, big, small, wide, thick, boney, is awesome. Respect them. Love them. Encourage them. 

We will never rise up by bringing each other down.

XOXO

Koming out Konfident

Beep. Beep. Beep. That noise you dreaded all night long goes off and you find yourself stumbling out of bed to the bathroom. You tiredly look in the mirror and what runs through your head? Most likely you're thinking of all the work you're about to put in to your appearance for the next 45 minutes. 

Maybe straightening your naturally bouncy, big curls is your first step. Next you find yourself layering on foundation to cover one tiny imperfection and swiping coats of bronzer onto your cheekbones. Before you know it you've been awake for an hour and you still don't feel perfect enough to begin your day. 

If this isn't you then you're one of the lucky ones. More specifically, you would be apart of the mere four percent of women in the world who call themselves "beautiful," according to Dove.  

Dove says a shocking 72  percent of girls feel "tremendous pressure" to look beautiful everyday yet 80 percent agree that every woman has something about her that is beautiful but that they do not see their own beauty.

This is our problem.

We believe in the beauty of other women but not ourselves. We must believe in our own beauty. We mustn't wake up at the first sign of sunshine to start changing everything about ourselves. We should rock our natural beauty. A little bit of makeup to brighten up your mood is A Ok! But use the makeup to enhance your natural beauty, don't cover it up. 

So instead of looking at yourself every morning and groaning about the "work" that needs to be done. Tell yourself you're beautiful. Enhance yourself a little, and walk out your door ready to conquer your day. 

**Below are quick tips to help you wake up feeling even more beautiful

• Jergens Natural Glow Face Tanner - Tans your face naturally while moisturizing! Who needs bronzer now?
• Brazilian Even Straight Keratin Treatment - Minimize your straightening time with this silkening and natural straightening oil
• Sleep on your back! According to experiments sleeping on your stomach can lead to unwanted facial lines & bags
• Eye cream - any brand of brightening eye cream will minimize the look of tiredness in the morning
• Leave in conditioner - smooth on a nickel size amount of leave in conditioner to wake up with silky soft hair

Most importantly, wake up and tell yourself how great you look. You deserve it.

Till next time ~~

Konfident Spotlight

We all need someone to look up too, and who better than the Queen B herself, Beyonce.

She is the perfect modern day example of a driven, successful, talented woman. She "runs the world" with her 16 grammy awards and record breaking albums, while being a devoted wife and mother all at the same time.

According to Biography.com she has won multiple performance awards, has the record for the fastest selling album on iTunes, and has performed at the Super Bowl. She even made Forbes top 10 list of entertainment's highest earning women and has produced 5 albums. All of this and I can't even find time to go to the gym?!

Most importantly, Beyonce deserves this recognition because she is able to balance all of these achievements and successes while having a husband and daughter, and keeping her head on straight! (As we know most celebrities struggle to do)

Beyonce is one of my favorite inspiring women because of her many quotes about confidence and success. Here are some of my favorites!

"I don't like to gamble, but if there's one thing I'm willing to bet on it's myself."

"I don't have to prove anything to anyone. I only have to follow my heart and concentrate on what I want to say to the world. I run my world."

"The most alluring thing a woman can have is confidence."

"I'm not bossy. I'm the boss."

"Power is not given to you. You have to take it."

Let's all strive to bring out a little inner Beyonce each and every day.

XO

Kasual Makeup

Like most women, makeup is my best friend and worst enemy. We hate that we love it so much. I would never say makeup is a necessity or that it is essential to confidence, but on a day you need a little pick me up or a boost of extra confidence there are hundreds of quick and simple ways to get the job done.

If you're looking for a natural and easy makeup routine here is what I recommend!

(Image from Popsugar Inc)

1. Mascara - I could literally put this for every other number because it takes about 30 seconds to apply and makes a world of a difference. Swipe on a few coats of your favorite mascara  and you will feel a world of a difference. Wake up your eyes with my favorite brand Maybelline Colossal for only $7.49!
2. Concealer - Dabbing on a few drops of concealer here and there will cover up pimples and dark spots, so you can quit worrying about them and focus on bigger and better things!
3. White eyeliner - Adding a couple dabs of white eyeliner in the corner of your eyes by your nose will make your eyes like 10x bigger and 10x brighter! Look, even Blake Lively does it! 

   

   Picture by Cosmopolitan 

4. Blush - Purchase a bright shade of blush and sweep it across your cheekbones with a fluffy brush before scrambling out the door. It'll add a pop of color to your face and make people notice you. 
5. Did i say Mascara? 

Tyra Banks once said, "I love the confidence makeup gives me." 

See for yourself 

Xo 

Kockiness Vs. Konfidence

"Nothing Makes a Woman More Beautiful than the Belief that She is Beautiful"

This quote from Sophia Loren is one to remember.

Now what exactly does this mean? I can tell you that it does not mean having a self absorbed attitude. It does not mean walking around thinking that you are the best looking thing on this planet. But it does mean that you are comfortable in your own skin. It means believing that how you look and who you are, is utterly and completely beautiful.

It is important to understand the huge difference between cockiness and confidence. The definition of cockiness is arrogant; pertly self assertive; conceited. The definition of confidence on the other hand is full trust; belief in the powers; belief in oneself; self-reliance.

Distinguishing between the two is extremely important. People who are cocky obtain confidence but it derives from a different place than true belief in oneself. Cocky people brag and boast in search of attention and praise. They try to go above and beyond the norm, and flaunt it. Confident people do not need the reassurance in the things they do. If you take away the praising support system of a cocky person they are left with nothing. You've got confidence but no praise? Not a problem.

There are many ways to spot the difference between cockiness and confidence and steer clear of it. The most important way to establish the difference is to accept that you are a human being. You are not Queen Bee. We make mistakes and we fail and we crumble and we sometimes break down. BUT if you believe in yourself it doesn't matter.  Failure equals success and if you want to be confident you must understand that. We accept defeat and learn from our mistakes. Arrogance is never admitting to failures. Cockiness is going to extremes to try to prove you're superior and perfect 25/7. Don't do that! So, believe in the bad, dark days. Strive through your failures because the confident person knows that is where you will find the light. 

Always stay humble & stay kind.

Believe in your abilities because you are capable of so much. Believe that you're intelligent. Believe that you are courageous. Strong. Independent. Funny. Believe in yourself. Believe in your beauty.

Remember, "nothing makes a woman more beautiful than the belief, that she is beautiful."

P.S Click here to read four different ways you can differentiate arrogance and self assurance, and learn to stray from that dark side.

Till next time~

Killing the Konfidence Game

What do women want? To look good and feel even better. We want to walk with our heads held high and without a care in the world. To feel pretty in a new dress with tall high heels and beautiful in oversized sweatpants and a pony.

But there's a problem here. How many girls do we actually know that have the total confidence in who they are to act and feel this way? Not many.

My wish is for women everywhere to know their worth and own it. Too many of us hide behind men. Too many of us stray from our dreams in fear. Too many feel unqualified. Unequal. Underestimated. What is the answer to our problem? Take a guess. 

Confidence. 
Therefore, I have compiled a list of tips on how to be confident. 

1. Stand up tall 
Nothing makes you look like a scared little puppy more than standing hunched over and small. Push your shoulders back and lift your chin up. Act like you know what you're doing because you do.

2. Smile
Don't fly under the radar. Instead, flash your big smile and people will notice you. It's the best accessory a girl can wear. Additionally, keep 'em pearly white! Use these once every few months to brighten them up. (The CVS/Rite Aid brand works A ok too!)

3. Embrace your superstitions
If wearing lucky underwear or a special bracelet from your second grade best friend will you help you do better on that test or kill your interview, do it! It's not silly or childish, in fact studies show that obtaining an object like this leads to better performance and setting higher goals.

4. Strap on your sneakers
Yeah yeah, laying in bed makes me feel pretty awesome too, but according to Science Daily getting in a work out can lead to higher levels of confidence and less stress. (Bonus, you can usually spot some good looking guys at the gym!)

5. Fake it till you make it
Lots of us have been placed in situations that make us feel weird, awkward, and uncomfortable, (Literally me everyday) but flashing that smile I mentioned earlier and speaking up will actually help you become more confident. Once you learn that you can fake it through almost any situation it will help boost your confidence the next time you're placed in that uncomfortable awkwardness.

6. Be kind to yourself
Your body is beautiful, keep your mind beautiful too. No one has the perfect body, perfect hair, and perfect eyes, but you are the perfect YOU. Keep reminding yourself that and if you don't believe it now, one day you will.

7. Sleep
If you're anything like me, convincing you to get a little extra sleep each night won't be a difficult task. This article explains how a lack of sleep causes stress and over sensitivity. If your craving a skinny Starbs latte and your friend isn't, chances are you're going to get more upset than if you just hit the sack a little earlier. The article explains that this leads to feelings of disconnect, frustration, and self doubt. So ladies hit the hay!

8. Keep a happy crew
If your friends are depressing you're probably depressing :( Surround yourself with happy and positive people with goals and ambitions. Don't hang out with the lazy crowd and the junkies. Positivity spreads like wildfire. Feed from it.

Stay tuned for more on how to boost your confidence. Till then!

Kaptivating Good Information

I don't know about you, but with the internet being an overwhelming splurge of information I find it difficult to get exactly what I want when I want it. (& trust me, I'm good at that) With News, Facebook, Wikipedia, blogs, campaigns, advertisements around every click how are we suppose to pick, chose, and discover what we need?

When it comes down to news and advice on confidence, women, and success, I've got your back. Below I've listed five websites that will help you find what you're looking for, starting with lucky number one,

POPSUGAR Inc. 
If you're looking for fitness, food, shopping, and entertainment this is the site for you. I can't express how many times I've seen links on Facebook or Pinterest that look super interesting and every time they bring me to POPSUGAR. Here I find all my workout tips, (that boost confidence) recipes, and helpful life tricks/hacks. This site is the #1 independent media & technology company for women and I highly recommend it to all of you!
Link: POPSUGAR Inc.
Audience: Women searching for everyday lifestyle information

The Huffington Post Women
With the Huffington Post being a massive site full of current and breaking news stories 24/7, it is next to impossible to come across stories specifically on women in the news. With tabs reading, "Women's Health" and "Powerful Women" this site will to keep you educated and up to date with women's issues and advice as well as teaching you about powerful role models and much more. Advancing this page even further is the empowering and motivating quotes found when scrolling the site. Staying up to date with news, getting women's advice, and reading about inspirational people, what could be better?
Link: Huffington Post Women
Audience: Anyone interested in news focusing on women

Glamour
What do women like? (Besides being super independent & intelligent of course) Fashion. Love. Health. Sex. Weddings. Beauty. Celebs. Politics. Must I continue? Follow it all on Glamour. "5 Minute Healthy Snacks," 3 Things You Can Do to Keep Your Brain Healthy," and "Skin Care 101" and just a few of the article titles that you can find. Boost up your confidence by taking a peak at some of their great links and articles.
Link:Glamour
Audience: Women looking for health and lifestyle articles

Success
Ladies, I may love all the sites about health, fashion, and beauty, but something I find even more important is success. In a world where women are still facing wage discrepancies and inequality, I can't think of anything more exciting than showing men what we really can do. The website Success is a great tool loaded with information on businesses, personal development, professionalism, and more. Use this website when landing that new job, when trying for a new promotion, or just because you want to be damn awesome. "4 Simple Steps to Live Your Dreams." "Secret to Getting What you Want in Life." I sure know what I'm reading after I post this!
Link: Success
Audience: Anyone striving to advance themselves and learn to be more successful

Last but not least,
Forbes Woman
Another site all about you guys. A site where the women are the writers. The horizon of information is not strictly limited to women in the news, instead the information is vast, breaking, and useful; simply created by women authors. Need I say more?
Link: Forbes Woman
Audience: Anyone looking for news & information, especially news written by women