I Dare You: Empowering Women (Especially Moms) to Be More Than a Housewife

May 9, 2018

A good friend called one morning and expressed her desire to produce a play, mind you she has been a part of a theater playgroup for a few years and wanted to bring light to her community theater.

I encouraged her to do so, yet she was still uncertain. As fellow mom, where would she find the time and was it even worth it? She expressed interest in wanting to do something outside of her comfort zone. I continued to encourage her and say, “do it, you have a passion, pursue it.” Little did I know she would soon take me out of my own comfort zone.

Josie, my friend, asked if I would be in her play if she produced it. My response… No, No & NO!

Okay, let’s back up for a minute, first off I have zero acting experience, second I have stage fright and third, I have the worst memory! Even if I agreed, my kids and husband dominated my life, where would I find the time to rehearse?

Another friend, Serene, was also asked to be in this play and promised that this experience would not only empower me, but also be something that I would be glad to cross off my bucket list. True, the thought of being on stage once crossed my mind growing up, but the fear of stage fright made me think twice. Despite my anxiety, I decided to go for it, for myself and also to show my children that I had other interests and roles outside of Mom and wife.

Two weeks and a million rehearsals later, I finally learned my lines and understood my character. I realized that I experienced more than just memorizing lines and relating to my character; I experienced the bond with other characters that I would be sharing a stage with. I discovered that I had found a new and different type of confidence after a long time. To act like someone else was a release that I needed from my day-to-day life. I felt alive and felt lighter like I hadn’t before.

Showtime

Three months later it was show time! For the first time I felt a rush and adrenaline that was like no other. The connection I felt with both the cast and audience was priceless! The show was called Smalls Talk and we performed it at the Parker Playhouse.

The truth is we are all scared to try something outside of our comfort zone. Had I not been pushed I wouldn’t have experienced something so fun and break that stage fright out of me.

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Its not too late to take on a challenge and make it a goal, do something different and encourage your friends to do the same. Experience something outside of your daily routine. Go ahead I DARE YOU!

Read more about what is means to be a #MomOffDuty here!

Your Chick,

Avani

Lifestyle, Motherhood

Dear Mom, You Kept Us Close To Your Heart When You Did This

May 2, 2018

There is not a day that goes by without the thought that everything I do and feel for my children, my Mom most likely felt for me at some point. It is such an overwhelming realization when you squeeze your child and smother them with kisses to know that the intensity of that moment was once felt towards me by my own mother.

Small Gestures and The Circle of Life

As I look back, and appreciate, all the “little things“ my mom did for my siblings and I, the one “thing” that stands out was when she would reach back and grab my hand while driving. It was the smallest gesture that literally meant the world to me! I am tearing up as I am writing this because I’ve carried this tradition on with my own children. It wasn’t always fun and games with my Mom. Just like most mothers, there were good days and there were bad bad days, but every time my mom would reach back for my hand, it was our reminder that she, and I, were going to be okay. I can feel that same energy when I reach back for my own children’s hands.

Let’s be honest chicks, the reality is that one day our kids will grow up, go to school, get married and then settle into lives of their own. With each stepping stone in life, a Mom begins to miss their child a just little more. I recall how hard the first day of school was for me, I can only imagine what an emotional mess I will be when they move out.

Keep The Kids Close To Your Heart

For Mother’s Day I wanted to find a way to be with my kids all the time and I came across a personalized collection by Landon Lacey jewelry. I love the idea of keeping my kids close to my heart when they are away at school by wearing this adorable necklace. The necklaces from Landon Lacey look good when layered or make a statement all by themselves.

The designers at Landon Lacey jewelry also use their pieces to inspire adventure by weaving travels of their own into each piece. These Chicago based ladies hand make all their jewelry and are super affordable (the set I am wearing is on sale for less than $20 right now and it is 14k gold)! They even use colors and stones from around the world to inspire their customers. Their minimalist designs make the perfect addition to any event day or night. I am personally obsessing over my kids first initials on this necklace.

To all the Mothers out there – you are amazing, you can do anything, and you will find a way to do it right. Don’t second guess yourself, trust your instincts, and always believe that the glass is half full. I’m hopeful that the little “things” that I have carried on from my Mom will be just as meaningful to my kids.

Happy Mother’s Day to you all! Keep your kids close to your heart this Mother’s Day with these adorable personalized pieces!

Your chick,

Sonia

**Thank you Landon Lacey for this beautiful and heartfelt collaboration.**

Fashion

5 Ways to Resurface from Hibernation : Is it Officially Spring Yet?

March 8, 2018

I look forward to “spring cleaning” every year! It’s my chance to be “out with the old and in with the new!” A fun place for me to start is always my closet. Every year I’m reminded of how I’ve been in rotation of the same clothes throughout the winter… especially since us Chicago folks have the ability to hide behind our parka jackets. With nice weather creeping up on us (hopefully ??) I wanted to think about how to re-surface out of my hibernation and back into the balance of life, fitness and just being ME and I have come up with 5 ways to do it!

Put away your leggings!

I have finally come to terms with the fact that summer is around the corner. My recent harsh reminder to put my leggings away was when I tried to squeeze into my jeans from last summer – not gonna lie, my fly kept falling down! Come on chicks, I can’t be the only one who has leggings as their go to piece in the fall and winter. Leggings can be a dangerous “go to” item because it’s easy to expand and not notice. Also, it doesn’t help that the temptation to grab for Spanx leggings is real since they help squeeze in the extra pounds! With March finally here, it’s time to kick back into gear and work towards getting back into shape…bye bye leggings….hello jeans, dresses, and skirts!

(For the Pink Top – Size Down- I exchanged my Medium for a Small)

Consider a Change of Hair Style or Color

The winters in Chicago can be brutal! The wind chill in the city will make you feel like you never want to leave the house. I don’t know about you, but going for a cut and color has fallen by the wayside over the last couple of months. My split ends need to be gone…pronto! I am so looking forward to a fresh change. Perhaps cutting off a few inches and going a little lighter in my highlights would be fun. Change it up and be bold! It’s amazing how the way we look can influence the way we feel about ourselves.

My biolage was done by Anna George Salon at the Illinois Center – Ivana is amazing!

Add a Pop of Color to Your Spring Wardrobe

My husband always tells me that he’s tired of seeing me in grays, whites and blacks. When I look at my wardrobe I definitely fall into a sea of similar colors, cuts and styles. There is something about spring….the flowers, the sun, and getting out of the house that gives me an extra pep in my step. When Spring shopping, I am usually looking for something with a pop of color that makes me feel like I want to smile and spread the positivity. I recently bought this really fun white blazer that is making me feel springy! A couple bright pieces is all you need. Don’t try to buy a new wardrobe — otherwise you’ll end up with several items that you don’t even wear.

Grab a Buddy and Join a Fitness Program

Over the years I have yo-yoed in my dieting and exercise routine. To be honest, I used to avoid having a workout buddy when going to the gym for fear of letting them down when falling off the bandwagon. What I’ve learned is that the accountability helps when committing to a fitness program. I recently joined ClassPass which had helped me work out with an array of different people who enjoy different styles of exercise. I’m not only getting in shape, but I am also able to socialize and hopefully work towards fitting into those jeans from last summer!

Start Planning Your Next Chick Trip with Your Tribe

I can’t believe it’s already been 8 months since my last chick trip with my chicks! If you haven’t seen it, check out our vlog to Miami on YouTube. When I take the time to focus on myself with the people I love most, coming back to home-life feels so much more refreshing. With the weather warming up, I’m really looking forward to coming together with my chicks and seeing where we are headed next (hint hint: DC and Charleston are on the horizon)!

Any ideas?

Your Chick,
Sonia

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Lifestyle, Parenting

Mean Mommies – Stop The Bullying!

March 7, 2018

Oftentimes, when we think of the word “bully,” we picture a small, sweet, little kid getting beaten up by a group of much bigger kids. He is outnumbered and not really looking for a fight. He looks fearful and doesn’t fight back much.

Bullying has changed these days — and I’m not referring to the trending topic amongst school moms hurdled around whispering during after-school pick-up. I’m talking about the type that not a whole lot of people talk about…mainly because it sounds pretty silly. I’m talking about the mom bullies. Mom bullies are the ones that are usually telling her own kid to not bully others, or are telling someone else’s kid to not bully — but she is the worst offender of them all. She talks the talk about “inclusion” and “kindness” but she’s the one spreading the toxicity.

She’s the one who intentionally organizes play-dates, birthday parties, and outings excluding others. Her intent is never to really target the kid involved, but the mom…she somehow excludes the kid to get to the mom. She has made her intentions a sport and will go out of her way to exclude the moms she doesn’t want around. She rotates friends — or best friends in almost a “flavor of the month” type fashion. She will approach another mom about an issue her kid is having with her kid in probably the most one-sided manner. She will accuse other kids of being mean while she’s blind to her own kid’s ways.

You would think I have a personal anecdote or an agenda in writing this…I don’t! In fact, I’m the wallflower that watches this all go down. I’m the observer — the one people don’t think that’s paying attention, but sadly I am. I see things others don’t. I see the pain and impact it makes on the kids. I see the concern on a kid’s face when they realize that everyone was invited but them. I see the mom’s that feel excluded, but hold their heads up so their kids don’t see her embarrassment.

Raising a child these days is hard enough — do we really need to bully each other to make ourselves feel better? Do we really need to use the little amount of time and energy we have left in our day dealing with the drama? Do we really need to show our kids that this is what adulting is all about? To one up another or put others down? NO!

Stop The Hate

Stop the hate — stop the mom bullies. Call them out and exclude them until they come around and show them what inclusion means by befriending her. More-often than not, these moms have been hurt themselves and this is their coping mechanism to shield herself from the potential haters out there. She needs the extra TLC and some time, but eventually she will come around. And if not…let it be and move on. Life is way too short for the nonsense — make it count!

And with that…cheers!

Komi

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