Pray for California

Please Pray for California...

Other ways you can help are by donating through one of these organizations:

The American Red Cross

American Red Cross Online Safety Tool To Find Loved Ones

California Community Foundation's Wildfire Relief Fund Offering Aid To Those Affected By Wildfires

Always Do Research Before You Donate Try Charity Navigator

Thank You for Your Service

The Greatest Gift someone could ever give us is the gift of life. 

Let Us Take Some Time to Stop and say a prayer or give a message of thanks today to all those who serve and have served in our military to keep our country safe and to protect our lives by laying down their lives. 

Let Us Remember all of our loved ones that we have lost who laid down their lives to keep all of us safe and protected from losing our lives.

Fierce Con 2018 - It's Not A Conference, It's A Connection

Cathy Williamson from The Middle Page,
Joanna Joy from A Stylish Love Story,
and Nancy Hoogenboom from The Daily Etiquette

Illustration by Beth Briggs

Hello!  How are you? Last weekend I had the great pleasure of attending Forever Fierce Con 2018. Catherine Grace O’Connell, founder of the Forever Fierce Revolution is the mastermind behind this group of supportive and empowered women in midlife.  Fierce Con was a 2-day event that was more of a connection than a conference featuring midlife bloggers and panel speakers. Women from all over the globe flew in to support, learn from one another, share blogging and style tips, and make face to face friendships.  Meeting these women in person was so inspiring!  The sense of freedom that they felt to break the rules of style and life expectations that the world had placed upon us made a lasting impact on me.  We are Loving midlife, Leading in midlife, and Defying the preconceived notions of what it means to be a woman in midlife.   In one word, we are “Fierce”J  

 

Fierce Con 2018
at
The Crowne Plaza in Redondo Beach, California

I met so many beautiful and fascinating women who weren’t afraid to speak up and say how they felt shunned by most of the marketing these days.  We want to see ourselves depicted in the mainstream media, we want anti-aging creams to be modeled on women our age (not on younger something models who aren’t the target market).  We want to be “Visible”.  I heard others saying how excluded they felt, but how they still wished to be included in beauty and style campaigns.  I see what they are saying.  After all, the midlife generation is one of the largest populations now and have a huge amount of purchasing power nationally and control 80% of the nations disposable income, so it makes sense that we want to see marketing campaigns that reflect ourselves. 

However, we are not letting anything stop us from living Forever Fierce, we are taking to social media and blogging up a storm showing other women how to look and feel their best at 35+ and beyond.  This sense of confidence was something that I wish I had in my twenties.  I’m not quite there yet, but I’m getting there.  Hopefully, one day we will all be able to feel like “Forever Fierce” women and be able to break through the stigma of aging, to live without fear of judgement, to live with confidence in our inner beauty, and to love ourselves unconditionally at whatever age we are.

Check out the Forever Fierce Revolution campaigns here and the Forever Fierce Revolution website here!

#ForeverFierce
#AgeIsJustANumber

Wonder Women Tech Diversity & Inclusion Conference-Innovate, Empower, & Ignite

Hello!  Hope everyone’s week is going well.  Lately, I've been attending conferences and making a lot of connections, which is one of my favorite things to do!  Do you enjoy learning and meeting new people? I sure do.  Last month I attended one of the most incredible conferences called “Wonder Women Tech”. 

Lisa Mae Brunson,
Founder of Wonder Women Tech

WONDER WOMEN TECH

This conference was started by founder Lisa Mae Brunson and is centered around celebrating women and the underrepresented in the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) industries, innovation, and entrepreneurialism.  This conference is all inclusive, offering panel discussions about real-life scenarios on what it is like to work in the STEAM fields. It presents a variety of diverse speakers, coding classes, workshops, hackathons, a diversity career fair, STEAM camps, community inclusion activities, thought leadership, and other programming geared towards empowering women and girls, people of color, and the LGBTQ community. 

Merora Clothing and Accessories by Meeta Roy

PleaseNotes #Hustlekit by Cheryl Sutherland

As soon as I drove up I saw a sign that said “Wonder Woman Parking”…that was awesome!  When I walked into the doors to this conference, I saw so many smiling faces greeting me at the entrance and inspirational message boards staring me in the face.  Everyone was super friendly!  It was then that I knew that I was in the right place, this was the conference that understood me.  If you are a woman or in an underrepresented group within the STEAM fields, this is the place where you can feel welcomed, understood, and at home. 

PleaseNotes by Cheryl Sutherland

#itwasneveradress When we see women
differently...we see the world differently! Empowered by Axosoft.

PleaseNotes by Cheryl Sutherland

What I enjoyed most about this exceptional conference was that it allowed me to hear their stories of real life experiences in regards to what it is like to work in the STEAM fields, their challenges, their feelings, and perspectives on how they wish to create change within the industry towards more positive outcomes and inclusivity...not just research.  At Wonder Women Tech, I was also able to connect with female founders of brands that are inspiring the next generation of young women and girls in the STEAM fields and you can see some of their pics on my Instagram.  Also, if you are looking for career opportunities in the tech field, there is a Resume Review Corner with professionals from the tech industry dedicated to helping you understand what employers are looking for, and they’d be happy to critique your resume for you too!  Additionally, Google sponsors an interactive STEAM camp for youth through Wonder Women Tech.  This year, Long Beach youth participated in a Junior Innovation camp sponsored by the Long Beach Public Libraries and learned the basics of electronic circuitry to build a light up sketchbook.  Nice!

Merora Clothing and Accessories by Meeta Roy

Please put this conference on your calendar for 2019!  You can even bring your little ones because they offer a Mommy Lounge Daycare hosted by those who have passed a criminal background check and have completed CPR and First Aid training.  Upcoming conferences for next year are in:

• ·        Long Beach, CA
• ·        Washington DC
• ·        London
• ·        Brazil

See you there!  Also, if you’d like to volunteer for this conference, please visit their website @ wonderwomentech.com.

Beautiful architecture at the Long Beach
Convention Center in California

Merora Clothing and Accessories by Meeta Roy

Merora Clothing and Accessories by Meeta Roy

Some of my favorite quotes from the conference were:

“All the hardship in life brings out the best in you.” –Alexa Fleur, Founder, Critiquelt

“You’re not always going to be on time or have all the answers, but you’ll have persistence and that is what it takes.” –Lisa Mae Brunson, Founder of Wonder Woman Tech

“I started with a laptop and a dream.” –Carolyn Rush, VP Worn Creative

The Hivery Booth Fostering Kindness and Connection -a shared coworking space #womendoingcoolstuff

Favorite Hashtags from the Conference: 
#WonderWomanTech #WWT2018 #WeAreInnovators #youmatter #representationmatters #supportingusmatters

My Instagram photo at Wonder Women Tech

Some topics from the conference were:

Be Fearless Over Flawless by Lydia Bettegoni, Sr. VP of Story and Franchise Development, Blizzard Entertainment Inc.

Empathy In Tech-The Need for Humanity at the Heart of Innovation by Maelle Gavet

Become A Negotiate Her-by Lauren Hasson, Founder of Develop [Her]

Panel Discussion: Building an Airplane While in the Air: Deep Confessions from Female Founders 

Lisa Mae Brunson, Founder, Wonder omen Tech Alexa Fleur, Founder, Critiquelt

Jay Pryor, Speaker and Executive Consultant, Opening Keynote Talk: Woman in Man Skin: A narrative on Gender Consciousness

Panel Discussion: Beyond Coding: The Other Tech Skills

Keynote Speaker: Aiko Bethea, Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Principal of RARE Coaching and Consulting, #Representation Matters

Keynote Speaker: Michael Greene, Vice President and General Manager, System Technologies & Optimization, Software and Services Group at Intel, Innovation Requires Inclusion—Inclusion Involves ME(N)

Panel Discussion: From Gen Z to Baby Boomers: Generations of Innovators Who Make an Impact

Oracle: Top 10 Ways to Ally for Women

Panel Discussion: Down the Rabbit Hole: How Immersive Tech is Changing the World

Understanding Unconscious Bias to Create Powerfully Diverse Teams

Using Creativity and Kindness to Empower On and Offline Communities

The Pulse of Immersive Technology: How AI Is Making “Smart” Technology Smarter

The Hivery Lounge-A community of women entrepreneurs


There was so much more amazing content than what I listed here!!!  I wish I could have gone to all of the workshops and panel discussions.  There was so much to see and do, I couldn't do it all. I can't wait to see what the next conference will be like. I hope to see you there!

Remember, "You are Capable of Doing Wondrous Things"
PleaseNotes Journal By Cheryl Sutherland  

Interview with Veronica Padilla of Gentle Mentals - Shining A Playful Light On Mental Illness to Soften the Stigma

Hello! Today I have creative genius Veronica Padilla on the blog to talk about how she helps soften the stigma through her whimsical characters which she lovingly calls her Animals With Issues.  Did you know that according to the World Health Organization that mental illness affects 1 in 5 people.  However, talking about mental health issues can be challenging, so when I saw these cute little characters, I immediately thought, what a great way to help teach children about mental health or about how to educate others on their family’s mental health diagnosis in a more lighthearted manner.  Although mental health is a serious topic and should be taken seriously, there are other creative ways to introduce and educate others about it to help break down the stigma around it.

So, here we go…

Hi Veronica!  Thank you for your time. 

Tell me about yourself.

What is Gentle Mentals?

Gentle Mentals is a Chicago-based grassroots initiative aimed at shining a playful light on mental illness to soften its stigma and get people talking. We mix hyper-friendly, minimalist design and a little dark truthful humor to address this heavy topic. Laughter is healing and a powerful ice-breaker into a conversation. If we can speak more openly about something that touches so many, we'd all be better for it.

How did you come up with the idea of animals with mental health issues?

The idea came came by accident. I misheard my step-daughter say something that I swear sounded like “bipolar bear.” We thought the absurdity of this was hilarious and quickly came up with a few more characters. That day I decided to make a book. They always say write about what you know and I knew all these characters very well. Between my father, myself, my husband, step-kids, and co-workers we can check off almost every major mental illness. As I got deeper into the project, it became more and more apparent that this was bigger than a book and had much deeper meaning to me as well. A perfect example of turning pain into purpose.   

I like your hashtag #TakesOneToLoveOne can you explain what that means?

There was a saying that we used as kids, a come-back when someone would tease you. And it was “takes one to know one.” Knowing that there is a stigma with mental illness, I wanted to riff off of that but to put a positive spin on it. And now it has a double meaning for me. It only takes one person to love another, to change perspective and to be the light for someone else when things are dark. But also, “takes one to know one” as in I’ve been there on both sides of the coin – as someone who’s suffered through it and as the loved one for the person who is suffering. Both sides are difficult. Both sides need love and support.

On your website you say that labels are used to ignite a dialogue about real stuff and you explain this in a very positive way, can you tell me more about why you feel this way?

We like to say that labels are the P.I.T.S. (Provocative Invitations to Talk Sincerely.) Gentle Mentals are fictional animals with very real issues. And each character is named according to the illness they deal with – Bipolar Bear, Borderline Collie, ADHD’eer, etc. These labels are shorthand for understanding a bit of their story and are the gateway into a larger discussion. We aren’t using the labels to name-call or offend, but instead as a tool to inspire dialogue. I designed the characters in an innocent, child-like fashion to diffuse the taboo topic of mental illness. It’s a bit of a Jedi mind trick. Rather than talking about the stigma and how we need to stop it, we have characters embody a specific illness trait. The characters themselves do the heavy lifting for us. And people relate to the characters instantly—I often get responses like, “I love OCD Otter!” or “Hypochondriac Hippo is my favorite!” or “I can so relate to PTSDingo and Anxiety Allie!” Suddenly people find themselves talking about it without even realizing it and not making it into a big deal. It normalizes and neutralizes something that is typically very touchy – which is really cool and exactly the point.

There is some depersonalization of labels and stigma through the use of animals instead of people.  Personally, I think this is a genius idea however, have you ever faced any controversy over your approach?

I think that the depersonalization of the animals with labels is what makes the idea work. Many people have embraced it, love it and get what we’re doing. We’ve had a lot of initial conversations with big mental health organizations that love our idea and want to partner with us, but who got cold feet. My assumption is that most of these organizations have spent a lot of time, money and effort to train people to approach the topic in a very specific, careful way. And our approach might appear to go against the grain of what they’ve been preaching. So I understand why they’re hesitant to take a risk with us. We aren’t taking a traditional route and it might make some people nervous. But it’s also why I think that it has the potential to change the current norm and really make a difference.    

Can you tell me about how you helped change someone’s life through Gentle Mentals?

My dream is to make some impact and change people’s lives – to get people talking so that they can get the help and support they need before things get too dark. I know that I’ve achieved that based on the feedback and the small successes we’ve had. People telling me how refreshing this is and that they feel a weight has been lifted because it’s ok to laugh a little. Not to make fun, but to take some of the pressure off. People that are strangers as well as people I’ve known for years, unloading a life-time of mental weight that they have been carrying.

How are you giving back to the community through your organization?

Beyond enabling conversation, we also carry a small line of products which we call Mental Goods. We sell the book, a journal (Mental Notes), prints and t-shirts. And we donate a portion of the proceeds to mental health and suicide prevention organizations.  

What do you see for the future of Gentle Mentals?

More Mental Goods – Plushies!! How cool would it be to have fuzzy tangible softies that we can hug when times get tough or punch instead of beating ourselves up? I’m planning on starting a Kickstarter campaign to help make this happen. But first I’m focusing on building our community to make sure the campaign won’t die before it’s been given a chance. So if you want to see plushies too, please follow us on social and share our project!  

I’m also planning to have a pop-up shop/art installation in May 2019 to honor mental health month. And hoping to create a non-profit organization that promotes mental health awareness through the lens of entertainment, educating without being preachy.

And a bit farther down the line I dream of having a theater production of the book produced. With comedians giving monologues about each character. So to anyone interested in helping to make this happen, please reach out! I’d love to hear from you.J

Where can we find you?

Website: https://www.gentlementals.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gentlementals/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gentlementals/?hl=en

Thank you for sharing your time with us today Veronica!

World Mental Health Day

Work Party Event By Create and Cultivate at We Work

A few weeks ago, I attended the Work Party Event by Create and Cultivate at We Work to hear a panel of women entrepreneurs give advice and talk about their lessons learned through entrepreneurship.  When I walked in I was immediately greeted and given a fabulous gift bag!

Everything is themed "so pretty in pink".

They even had a pretty pink bar.

One of the most helpful things I learned from this event was that feedback is a gift...so listen.

They gave us this cute little notebook and I'm definitely going to be using this to jot down all of my creative ideas.

Since I was driving, I had water and a slice of lime:)  Never drink and drive.

This is a quote from Jaclyn Johnson and she has a new book out called Work Party for women who want to create and cultivate the career of their dreams.

Networking of course!

They have conferences coming up and you can get tix here