Tuesday, August 11, 2020

Meaningful Mondays: Your Talent Is God's Gift To You


Friday, July 10, 2020

Office Essentials On and Off the Clock

If you are looking to start your office wardrobe or are just replacing the essentials, you may be surprised at how these basics can serve as more versatile options off the clock.

1. The Blazer

Banana Republic Black Blazer
Photo: Banana Republic
This black blazer is a staple for most office environments.  However, more people are starting to wear this jacket more casually off the clock. A simple black blazer can often be seen paired with a white tank or bustier and skinny, flare, or boot-cut jeans.  My first work blazer was from Banana Republic, and it won't be my last.  They make nice structured work pieces and are one of my go to places for office blazers.


2. The Pencil Skirt


http://www.anntaylor.com/all-season-stretch-pencil-skirt/320135?skuId=15432520&defaultColor=6600&colorExplode=false&catid=cata000013
Ann Taylor Black Pencil Skirt
Photo: Ann Taylor

Ann Taylor Navy Pencil Skirt
Photo: Ann Taylor
Blue or navy pencil skirts are an essential to many office work environments and can be easily paired with a cardigan, tunic, collared shirt, or blazer.  I have several of these skirts and I really like the fit of this brand because of the wider waistband and paneling on some of them. 

3. The Cardigan

gray shawl collar cardigan
Premise Studio Gray Shawl Collar Cardigan
Photo: Stein Mart
This gray cardigan is a great office essential for more "Casual Friday" dress days. However, this cardigan can also be worn on the weekends for a day at the beach over a sundress, or with jeans and a tank.  I happen to love the Premise Studio cardigans because of the quality of the material they use.  I also feel that the shawl collars look more modern and are more versatile than a traditional fitted button down cardigan.

4. Not Just Dress Pants, Dress Pant "Yoga" Pants 


betabrand yoga dress pants
Betabrand Dress Pant Yoga Pants
Photo: Betabrand

betabrand yoga dress pants
Perfect for the office
betabrand yoga dress pants
Or the lunch time lotus
betabrand yoga dress pants
They stretch too!
These "Dress Pant Yoga Pants" by Betabrand were designed by a woman named Sarah James and have sparked my curiosity.  I have yet to try these pants, but I see them as an office outfit essential in my near future.  These pants can take you from the boardroom to the beach (that is if you do yoga at the beach) or yoga studio.  You may even be able to bike to work in these if you work local.  These pants look stylish with their sophisticated fabrics and sound super comfortable because they are built with a soft, stretchy performance knit that moves with you.  They even have plenty of styles to choose from such as: boot-cut, straight-leg, leggings, and cropped-leg.  Thank you for designing these Sarah.  I can't wait to try these pants!  If you want to see some of Betabrand's other comfy and professional looks, Betabrand's Pants Section is the place to look.

5. The Black Sheath Dress

Banana Republic Black Sheath Dress
Photo: Banana Republic

The black sheath dress is a great alternative to separates, or can be worn on those mornings when you don't know what to wear and you are in a rush to sit in LA traffic or catch the train.  Throw on a cardigan or blazer, add a scarf, or a chunky necklace and ta da! You're ready to start your day.  This dress can also be worn for most social events when accessorized accordingly.

6. White Collared Shirt

Banana Republic White Collar Shirt
Photo: Banana Republic
The white collared shirt is a timeless classic for both men and women in an office space.  You can never have enough of these for each season because white gets dirty easily and constantly needs to be refreshed in one's working wardrobe.  A white shirt is great for job interviews and adds crispness to most day or evening looks.  The white shirt is probably one of the most versatile pieces we own because of its' layering capabilities.  On weekends, this shirt can be worn with jeans and a tank, layered over a thin turtleneck with a trench or blazer, under a vest, or under a v-neck sweater

7. Shoes

Cole Haan Black Pumps
Photo: Cole Haan
The shoes are one of the most important parts of any office wardrobe because it is the basis of how you will be feeling for the next eight hours.  Cole Haan makes excellent, comfortable, and stylish work shoes.  Basic black work heels with a closed toe is always a safe choice and can pair with many outfits.  Over the course of working for many years in an office environment, I can honestly say that if you have comfortable shoes on, you will have a good attitude on as well.  Many of you may know that in any work environment, Attitude is Everything!

Hope you enjoyed this post and see how office essentials are not only useful for the boardroom, but are also versatile for life outside the office space.



XO Joanna












Tuesday, July 7, 2020

Creating a Memorable Wooden Watch with Engraving

 Jord Cora Koa watch with rose gold face Joanna Joy fashion blogger California fashion blogger petite fashion blogger white lei white dress beach

Jord Cora Koa watch with rose gold face Joanna Joy fashion blogger California fashion blogger petite fashion blogger white lei white dress beach

*This is a sponsored post and I received a Jord watch to review.


Hello!  How are you?  Today, I wanted to share a sponsored post with you about personalization with Jord watches.  Hand-crafted, Unique, Gorgeous!  These are all key elements of JORD watches.  I was looking for a watch that was both beautiful and customizable because I like options.  One of the nicest options is being able to engrave these watches for that special someone.  Engraved time pieces mean so much more when they are gifted with a message on the back.  I remember receiving a beautiful jewelry box that had a special engraved message on it.  I still have it, and I will always remember the person who gave it to me. 

Photography: Mason Hall

Photography: Mason Hall


Photography: Mason Hall


Engraving
Watch engraving is an option that can add even more personalization for a memorable Valentine’s Day gift, Anniversary, Wedding, Graduation, or Birthday gift.  A funny quote, an inside joke, or a meaningful message can make this watch a “timeless keepsake” or “heirloom piece” that can be passed down in your family for generations. 

Jord Cora Koa watch with rose gold face Joanna Joy fashion blogger California fashion blogger petite fashion blogger white lei white dress beach

Jord Cora Koa watch with rose gold face Joanna Joy fashion blogger California fashion blogger petite fashion blogger white lei white dress beach





Watch Selection
Browsing the Jord website was easy.  They carry both men’s and women’s watches with small and large faces.  When I chose my watch, my eyes quickly landed on the women’s Cora Koa wood watch with the rose gold face.  I love rose gold because it can go with just about anything.  There were so many pretty watches to choose from, but I thought this one was the prettiest.

Jord Cora Koa watch with rose gold face Joanna Joy fashion blogger California fashion blogger petite fashion blogger white lei white dress beach

Jord Cora Koa watch with rose gold face Joanna Joy fashion blogger California fashion blogger petite fashion blogger white lei white dress beach


Wood Selection
There are several types of wood to choose from.  Koa wood is actually sourced from Hawaii and “koa” is a Hawaiian word that means “brave, bold, and fearless”.  Nice!  I also have a connection to this particular type of wood because my family is from Hawaii.  That’s when I knew that this beautiful wooden watch was the one for me.  The selections of wood are: dark sandalwood, maple, zebrawood, koa, purpleheart, ebony, walnut, kosso, stacked sandalwood, rosewood, and olive.








Face Selection
There were many beautiful watch faces to choose from however, the rose gold face was a nice neutral tone that would pair nicely with so many items in my closet.  Engraving can be done on the back side of the face to make this a very special sentimental gift piece as well.  Additionally, there were also many face colors to choose from like: sable, vintage rose gold, Aegean blue, navy, turquoise, grey, ivory, rose, smoke, ash, plum, champagne, slate, emerald, khaki, maple, burl, sandalwood, and mint.  I received my watch packaged in a beautiful cedar wood box and it was even more beautiful in person! 

If you ordered one, would you get yours engraved?  Who would you give it to and what would it say? 
Jord Cora Koa watch with rose gold face Joanna Joy fashion blogger California fashion blogger petite fashion blogger white lei white dress beach

Jord Cora Koa watch with rose gold face Joanna Joy fashion blogger California fashion blogger petite fashion blogger white lei white dress beach

Photography: Kendra Blair
Watch: Jord









Saturday, July 4, 2020

The Freedom to Choose!

*This is a sponsored post and a dress was provided by eShakti.  However, all opinions are my own and I was not paid for a positive review.

eShakti Bebe Forever 21 Fourth of July red and white umbrella red shoes navy blue pin dot bustier dress red bead necklace


eShakti Bebe Forever 21 Fourth of July red and white umbrella red shoes navy blue pin dot bustier dress red bead necklace






eShakti Bebe Forever 21 Fourth of July red and white umbrella red shoes navy blue pin dot bustier dress red bead necklace

eShakti Bebe Forever 21 Fourth of July red and white umbrella red shoes navy blue pin dot bustier dress red bead necklace

eShakti Bebe Forever 21 Fourth of July red and white umbrella red shoes navy blue pin dot bustier dress red bead necklace
Dress: eShakti
Heels: Bebe
Umbrella: Forever 21
Hair: Angie Williams @ Flaunt Salon in Long Beach
Makeup: Elizabeth Jones @ No Labels Just Beauty
Photography: Franz Swantko


Happy 4th of July everyone!  What an appropriate post, just in time for the 4th!  "Freedom" is definitely a gift, and is something that we should celebrate with great joy.  What better way to celebrate, than with a dress from eShakti!

Recently, I was contacted by eShakti to write a review on a dress from their company.  However, they also offer: tops, pants, skirts, jumpsuits, shorts and special occasion dresses.  This company's slogan is  "We Design.  You Customize."  I prefer to call it "The Dream Dress Store" because only something this good could exist in your dreams right?  eShakti allows a shorty like me, the freedom to customize a dress in the perfect size and length according to my height and individual measurements.   They offer clothing from size 0-36W.  

Additionally, they offer customers the freedom to choose a customization option in regards to the length of the dress, the type of sleeves, and the necklines they desire.  Also, they have plenty of nice selections offered in classic and modern styles to suit your taste.  While scrolling through the choices, I had a difficult time deciding on which one I would pick because they had so many cute dresses to choose from!  If you have unusual sizing issues like myself, and have to get practically everything altered to fit just right, then this is definitely the online store for you.  I chose this dobby-dot print dress with a corseted top.  It arrived quickly and the material it is made out of is really soft and of high-quality fabric.  The stitching is sturdy, and as soon as I put it on, it fit my proportions perfectly!  I chose the length to the knee and kept the sleeves in the original design.  It came with a matching belt that you could tie at the waist, but I thought it looked better without it.  It also gave me the option to choose pockets with this dress, but I opted to have no pockets.  I liked having so many options in the ordering process.

I love my dress from eShakti!  It fits me perfectly:)  Thank you eShakti!  This will not be my last time ordering from here. 

I hope everyone has a fun and safe 4th of July!  Now go ahead and exercise your freedom to choose something "made perfectly just for you" from eShakti!

XO Joanna

Monday, June 1, 2020

Allyship In Honor of George Floyd

Hello! It has been quite some time since I have posted anything new.  However, I wanted to take some time to recognize black owned business and articles in support of those who are not with us anymore and to show allyship for a community that has personally shown me a ton of love in some of my lowest moments in life.  Thank you!





In memoriam and support of George Floyd's life, here are a few ways we can show allyship and support moving forward to our friends, family, coworkers, and community as a whole.  

  1. Documentary About Women Entrepreneurs "She Did That"
  2. Allyship by Inc.com
  3. Popsugar -Best Black Owned Beauty Brands
  4. Oprah Magazine - 10 Black Owned Makeup Brands
  5. Wbur.org - 10 Books From Black Authors
  6. Essence - 24 Books Written By Black Authors
  7. L.A. Times -85 black-owned food businesses in L.A.
  8. The Good Trade -Ethical and Sustainable Fashion
  9. LA Mag - Black-Owned Restaurants and Shops
  10. Etsy Market Black Owned Business
  11. Capitol Chic Designs- Stationary, stickers & planners



Friday, May 29, 2020

Firmoo.com Global Online Optical Store


*This is a sponsored post and received eyeglasses from Firmoo to review.  All opinions are my own and I was not paid for a positive review.
Firmoo Eyewear Firmoo.com Global Online Optical Store Orange H&M Jacket Armani Exchage Navy Blue Pencil Skirt Navy Vintage Heels Blue and Green Plaid Scarf Eyeglasses Reading Glasses

Firmoo Eyewear Firmoo.com Global Online Optical Store Orange H&M Jacket Armani Exchage Navy Blue Pencil Skirt Navy Vintage Heels Blue and Green Plaid Scarf Eyeglasses Reading Glasses

Firmoo Eyewear Firmoo.com Global Online Optical Store Eyeglasses Reading Glasses

Firmoo Eyewear Firmoo.com Global Online Optical Store Orange H&M Jacket Armani Exchage Navy Blue Pencil Skirt Navy Vintage Heels Blue and Green Plaid Scarf Eyeglasses Reading Glasses

Firmoo Eyewear Firmoo.com Global Online Optical Store Orange H&M Jacket Armani Exchage Navy Blue Pencil Skirt Navy Vintage Heels Blue and Green Plaid Scarf Eyeglasses Reading Glasses

Firmoo Eyewear Firmoo.com Global Online Optical Store Orange H&M Jacket Armani Exchage Navy Blue Pencil Skirt Navy Vintage Heels Blue and Green Plaid Scarf Eyeglasses Reading Glasses

Firmoo Eyewear Firmoo.com Global Online Optical Store Eyeglasses Reading Glasses

Firmoo Eyewear Firmoo.com Global Online Optical Store Orange H&M Jacket Armani Exchage Navy Blue Pencil Skirt Navy Vintage Heels Blue and Green Plaid Scarf Eyeglasses Reading Glasses

Eyeglasses: Firmoo.com
Jacket: H&M
Skirt: Armani Exchange
Scarf: Tattered Boutique
Shoes: Vintage
Hair: Loryn Ruiz-Mendoza @ Envy Beauty Studio, Long Beach, CA
Makeup: Cindy Jensen @ Envy Beauty Studio, Long Beach, CA
Photography: Franz Swantko


Happy Wednesday to you!  How have you been?  The weather has been a bit chilly, so I threw on a scarf to wear to the office.  It's been so cold here, that all I want to do is drink hot coffee and tea to stay warm.  How about you?  

Lately, I have been working so much on the computer with my full-time job and also with this blog, that I feel that it is time to get reading glasses.  Do you wear reading glasses?  Recently, Firmoo contacted me and asked me to review their glasses.  

So here it is... 

My experience with Firmoo.com has been smooth.  This company is a global online optical store that offers "vision and fashion the frugal way" according to their website.  This is true, these glasses are being offered at discounted prices compared with most prescription eyeglasses that I have seen.  My biggest fear was picking frames that would not look good on my face, but there was no need to worry about that because Firmoo.com offers a really neat virtual frame experience called "Try On".  They show samples of several different face types for both men and women with each of the style of frames that are offered.  

The other great way you can choose frames is to upload a picture of your face onto the Firmoo.com website, and it will show you virtually how you would look with that style of frame on your face! Awesome!  After that, you can enter in a prescription if you need one.  Firmoo chooses thin and light lenses with anti-reflection and anti-UV coatings automatically when you order.  My glasses were received quickly, and came with a beautiful map design case, a cleaning cloth, a small bag to carry it in, and a screw driver to adjust the sizing.  They thought of every little detail, and that boosted my level of satisfaction with this company.  Overall, I was very impressed with the quality of Firmoo.com.   

Lastly, I hope you will be able to visit this site to see what great deals you can find for all your eyewear needs.

Hope you are having a wonderful week:)

XO Joanna

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Interview with Catherine Grace O'Connell, Founder of the Forever Fierce Revolution


Hello!  Today I have a very special guest to introduce you to.  Her name is Catherine Grace O’Connell and she is the leader of the Forever Fierce Revolution and also runs her own fashion and lifestyle blog CatherineGraceO.com .  I wanted to interview Catherine for quite some time because my personal feeling about beauty and aging is that all women are beautiful regardless of what age they are.  To me beauty exists both inside and out.  I feel that the more life experience we have, the greater wisdom we have to share with the rest of the world as well, and that wisdom makes us shine even brighter. 

So, here we go…

Hi Catherine!  Thank you for spending your time with us today.




You have accomplished so much in your life!  I am super impressed.  Can you please tell us a little about your background?

Thank you so much, Joanna. I’m honored and always humbled. I’m 57 and coming back from almost losing my life to Lyme Disease just 3 and a half years ago. My voice was silenced by abuse at a young age and the abuse and trauma continued to play out throughout my life and my marriage. I left a 20 year marriage after breaking into a million pieces. I moved out to LA to get my Masters in Spiritual Psychology and to begin a new life. Not long after, I had a series of very serious and life threatening health challenges. After over a decade searching for answers, I was finally diagnosed with late stage Lyme Disease in the spring of 2014. By then, the disease had spread to my brain and within a month of treatment, I couldn’t walk for a year due to daily seizures. On 11/11/14, I went through a Near Death Experience and didn’t understand why I survived…until now. Finding my voice and launching my blog was the key to saving my life. I set an intention to use my blog as a platform and my voice to empower and inspire through my story.




How did fashion play a role in your healing from lyme disease?

My love for fashion is literally in my DNA. As a little girl, my bed would be strewn with  fashion magazines and I would dream of being in the pages. I found that fashion changed the way that I felt immediately. 3 years ago, my daughter encouraged me to start an Instagram account. Honestly, I had never heard of Instagram. She began taking photos of me and I decided to use fashion as a medium to share my message. I always say, “I’m not changing clothes, I’m changing lives.” I find that fashion is a powerful way to capture a woman’s attention. I had no idea the impact finding my voice would have on my healing. At the beginning, I was very weak and frail from the illness but I found that I got stronger and stronger each day. Finding my voice became the key to healing. Eventually, I stopped all the treatment and protocols and started living from a space of passion, purpose, joy, creativity and serving others…and I began healing rapidly. I was seeing a doctor who was a specialist in Lyme who told me she had never seen anyone so ill and she had no idea how to help me. I found that I had to help myself through personal empowerment. Today, there is no trace of the disease.



What made you decide to start the Forever Fierce Revolution group?

In February 2016, I launched a campaign called The Fierce 50 along with 3 fashion bloggers although the campaign wasn’t about fashion. The idea I had was to bring together 50 bloggers over the age of 50 on the 50th day of the year to celebrate one another and create a collaborative, supportive community for women over 50. The vision and mission was centered around a message to shift the perception of women at Midlife & Beyond and to show the world that we aren’t who you think we are. We only had a few weeks to plan the campaign and we ended up with 70 bloggers. Within a month, I launched a Facebook Community and soon after I changed the name to Forever Fierce. We had a huge demand from younger women who felt invisible. The Gen X generation was forgotten. The Forever Fierce Revolution is a global community for women at Midlife & Beyond. To us, Midlife isn’t an age but an experience when the world starts treating a woman differently or she starts seeing herself differently. We have women from 20 to 80 and from many countries around the world. We also have a few brave men who are known to support our demographic. FFR is a Movement, a Revolution to shift a paradigm and perception of women over 35. Our current culture tends to be very youth focused. We are here to show the world that we aren’t over the hill…we are conquering the hill! We have almost 6000 women and it’s grown solely by word of mouth. I have a fabulous team of about 15 women who volunteer their time to run the community and help with the mission of The Forever Fierce Revolution.




How would you describe the “Forever Fierce Revolution” group and what will we find there?

The Forever Fierce Revolution Group is intended to be unlike anything else a woman has experienced. We are changing the culture of the way women treat women. We believe in spreading kindness and uplifting one another. The team members share the same heart centered values. We had one member post in the group that she felt she had just woken up from a bad dream and landed in heaven on earth! It’s comments like those that keep us working around the clock on our mission. Women at Midlife & Beyond aren’t seen as relevant, productive and visible members of society. When they join the FFR Sisterhood, we make sure they know they are relevant and they are valued. We have many women literally springing back to life starting businesses, launching blogs and finding a new lease on life. I like to think of myself as a Cat-alyst. I have no desire to influence anyone. My greatest desire is to spark change from within a woman to allow her the space for her dreams to come true. We help her to believe in herself so she has the power to go for her dreams.


How large is this group now and how fast is it growing?

We have almost 6000 members and we are in the midst of planning a big event in LA in October that’s only for FFR members called FierceCon 2018: It’s Not a Conference, It’s a Connection. We will be celebrating love, relationships and sisterhood with the theme: Our Fiece Love Story Starts Now. Our team has worked together to launch 3 global social service campaigns over the last year and we have reached almost 10 million in following. We are spreading our message in many different ways. One of the campaigns was called Bridging the Gap and paired 100 Millennial Influencers with 100 Midlife Influencers to blur boundaries and end divisions amongst the generations. We are on a mission to grow to 10,000 members this year and our next goal is 100,000 members. We feel there is power in numbers. You may not notice 1 Midlife woman on a street corner but you can’t miss 100,000. The more women we have joining our mission and our movement, the faster this paradigm will change and we will be seen as relevant.




What do you enjoy most about being a part of this group?

Absolutely everything! When I entered the world of fashion blogging, it was hard to see the way older women were treated. We were so disconnected from one another and we didn’t have a voice or a unified presence. I created what I needed which was a true sisterhood and community. I’ve made some of my closest friends in my group. The women on the Admin team are some of the kindest and most giving women on the planet. The time they invest to change the world and ensure that we have a safe and sacred place to allow these women to open up and be their most vulnerable touches my heart every single day. The stories we hear from the women about their lives changing by believing in themselves and being truly loved, supported and accepted by other women is incredible.




Can you tell me what turning “40 years old” was like for you, what your mindset was like at that time, and what advice do you have for the rest of us who have that big birthday coming up?

40 was an interesting time in my life. I don’t like the term Midlife Crisis. I refer to it as a Midlife Awakening. When I turned 40, it was as though the Universe said…ok…you’re not going to pretend to hold it together any longer and that façade is going to come crumbling down…and it did. The wheels came off. I was a big runner for 20 years and my knees blew out. I was literally grounded and couldn’t run any longer. I began having really serious health challenges and my abusive marriage spiraled out of control. When I turned 45, I had a breakdown and my doctor looked at the stack of medical and hospital records and told me that if I didn’t leave my marriage, I wasn’t going to make it. Soon after, I filed for divorce. I thought the worst was over but it wasn’t only just beginning. Looking back, I’m grateful for what I’ve been through in my life, including almost losing my life to Lyme Disease. This time has truly been an awakening for me. I’ve been on a deeply spiritual path for over 25 years and have done a great deal of inner work with lots more ahead. I believe with all my heart that this beautiful Universe is designed to force us inwards to do the work we are meant to do. I’ve learned so much about myself through this process and that I’m a lot stronger than I ever knew. In the end, the only thing that matters in life are the lives we’ve touched along the way and leaving this world a better place. It’s a true “Heroine’s Journey,” the toughest and most rewarding journey is the one from within.

What is your mindset like now when it comes to approaching our “big birthdays”? 

Honestly, I don’t even think about it. I feel so young on the inside. I had such a different perspective on aging growing up. What I saw was so vastly different than what I’m experiencing today. Every year is a blessing. There are definitely some challenging parts of aging such as menopause and the hormonal fluctuations that come along with it that I don’t love but have to accept. The most important thing is the way that we feel. It’s so important to take care of your health so “big birthdays” can be enjoyed and celebrated rather than feared.




You look Stunning and Fit/Healthy in all of your photos!  I think we would all like to know what your diet is like, what you do to stay healthy/fit, and about any skincare secrets you can pass along to the rest of us.

It wasn’t long ago that I was under 100 lbs with daily seizures. I looked dramatically different than I do today. I’ve shared those photos openly as I feel it’s so important for women to understand that we all have challenges. My life has been a journey with some beautiful highs and some painful challenges and dark times. It’s such a mix of pain and beauty. I’ve been studying holistic healing and nutrition for over two decades. I’m an energy worker and a meditator. I use food as medicine and love Farmers Markets and natural remedies to disrupt aging. I have tried many different “diets” such as vegetarian or all raw and found that balance works best for me. I favor healthy, organic choices and grass fed chicken and and beef. I absolutely love fish. My diet is more paleo with lots of healthy fruits and greens. I start my day with a meal replacement shake that’s filled with live, raw enzymes. I add MCT oil to add some healthy fat and boost my metabolism. I also add an immune booster that’s loaded with a variety of mushrooms that help with energy. I’m a big believer in using probiotics and prebiotics. I always have raw sauerkraut in my fridge to boost healthy gut bacteria which is vital for health and well being. I use vast amounts of oils such as ghee and flaxseed oil as well. Avocados, eggs, salads, raw nuts are a big part of my nutritional plan. I also like to have fun and absolutely love dark chocolate. I work with a functional nutritionist to help me disrupt aging as naturally as possible. I’m very active physically. I start my days with meditation and yoga or the Bar Method. I do yoga for my inner world and flexibiity while Bar Method is an amazing isometric workout for toning. I just added in weight training which becomes really important for our bone health as we age. When it comes to beauty, I love trying new things. I don’t have any botox or filler in my skin. I’m definitely open to it and simply haven’t had the time. I’ve never used lasers before but would love to give them a try. I discovered a skincare system by a Korean company called “Saranghae” and it’s become the cornerstone of my skincare routine. I approached them as I had done a lot of research and tried many different lines but this one is my absolute favorite. It’s all natural and loaded with the finest ingredients including mushrooms and truffle extracts. I find that my skin has changed dramatically with menopause and this has made a huge difference by restoring moisture and radiance. I absolutely love their masks for an instant glow.




Part of my goal in starting my blog was to show the world that beauty exists in all of us regardless of our socio-economic status, ethnic background, or age.  What advice would you give to young women in their 20’s and 30’s who are afraid of aging?

I love this question as this was a big part of the mission behind The Bridging the Gap Campaign to take the fear out of aging. A lot of that fear comes due to a misperception and misunderstanding. Did you know the research shows us when someone has a fear of aging that it takes 7 years off of a woman’s life? Now, that’s crazy as that is completely in our control. What I would say is the most important thing in the world is to know yourself. Being mindful and conscious about who we are, the authentic desires in our hearts, and being real and vulnerable with ourselves and others. Letting go of our judgments, particularly the ones we have about ourselves and moving into Self Acceptance and Self Love is vital to our health and well being. Being mindful means being aware of our negative thoughts, particularly about ourselves. Every time we have a negative thought, there is a cascade of hormones sent throughout our body and that will do more damage to us than anything else. Our thoughts can feel out of our control but they are completely in our control. I’m not an enlightened being by any means and I have to work regularly on my mindset and thought process. Our culture can be very unkind to women as we age which only makes it that much more vital that we choose to be kind to ourselves. When we love ourselves, the world looks brighter.




If we are a woman in midlife and would like to join the Forever Fierce Revolution, where can we join?

We would love for you to join the kindest sisterhood on the planet. Click here to join the FB Group. We also have a fabulous newsletter where we feature women in our community and share our fierce secrets for health, well being, mindset, fashion, beauty and wanderlust. If you’re a member of the tribe, you can join us in LA this fall for FierceCon 2018!







Where can we find you?

Blog: CatherineGraceO.com

Forever Fierce Facebook Group:

Forever Fierce Show/Podcast:


Pinterest:


IG: @catherinegraceo

Thank you for your words of wisdom on beauty and aging and for sharing your health, beauty, and fitness secrets with us.  The Forever Fierce Revolution is such a wonderful group of women who have a treasure trove of knowledge to share with the rest of us.  Every time I listen to your podcasts/ radio show, read a Forever Fierce Revolution blog or Facebook post, I learn something new and feel truly inspired to grow into my own wisdom and fierceness.  Thank you for sharing this community of fierce women in midlife and beyond who are "conquering the hill!".  You are an amazing and inspiring woman!