What’s Next for LBG?

With all that has happened in 2021, there is so much to discuss.

Like everyone else in the world, I was adjusting to life in a pandemic. Went from going into an office 5 days a week to working in sweatpants or pajama bottoms on Zoom. That pivot along had me feeling not quite like myself so I had to find ways to get more like myself. So putting on an actual top, styling my hair and earrings were things that made me feel closer to myself. I’m sure there were lots of people that felt like this and had to find ways to add some sort of normalcy to their day-to-day.

But the pandemic was only one part of my year, some things went well in 2021! For starters, we celebrated a few one-year anniversaries like our new house purchase and a wedding anniversary. The first year of being married is a huge accomplishment but one year in the middle of a pandemic is something to celebrate.

Additionally, I was even promoted to Marketing Director. Something that I have worked towards over the past 4 years and was able to accomplish. But if I am being honest, the promotion made created a new perspective that I was not prepared for. Before the promotion, I knew that I was the top Senior Associates without question. I was clear on the expectations and what I need to do to thrive but getting promoted did something to my confidence. I went from being the top in my current role to legit being the newest in the Director role. I was used to being the person to answer the questions and not the one asking them so that required some adjustments and a shift in my confidence. But I realized that it was all a part of growth! That with anything new or challenging, it comes with growing pains, and once I realized that I begin to get out of my head and look at it for what it was worth. I worked hard to get that promotion, I deserved it and leaders on my team knew it too. So with that, I created post-it notes to remind me of it and a few with scriptures about faith to give myself daily reminders that it's all a part of God’s plan!

Last, but most exciting news - I decided to revamp and repurpose this site for something that has been lingering in my mind softly for a few months. When chatting with a friend that started her online shoe boutique, I mentioned that I was interested in doing a clothing boutique and she was super supportive and said that it naturally made sense. I have always had a natural interest in clothing trends and have always had a unique eye for pairing pieces together so I decided to go for it.

Starting in the Spring of 2022, I will transform this site into a online clothing boutique (that’s cute and affordable) and has blogs related to fashioned beauty trends.

I appreciate everyone rocking with LBG over the years and look forward to bringing you all cute finds in 2022!

Love,

Brown Girl Boutique

I’m Tired... But Hopeful!

Like most people, I am simply tired. Not the tired that we all experience on a normal basis from either work, school, kids, adult chores, working out, cooking, etc. But tired from all of the events that have happened over the past 3 months. Like others, my life has legit changed in ways that I would have never imagined. I am not working from home and had to pivot my home/relaxing/refueling space to my office/Zoom meetings/planning space and that along was not a simple task. I have always been the type of person that I will stay in the office late and get all items done vs taking things home. I have worked hard to make my space relaxing and one that I can take the stress of the day off of me, so to have work now be in that space is tiring.

COVID-19 is tiring and so is watching the racism and injustice being done to Black people in this county is tiring! I do find it ironic that it took COVID-19 to stop people from moving to really focus in on the treatment of Black people when it comes to police brutality and racism. Don’t get me wrong, I am not happy that COVID-19 happened by any means, it has caused a shift in the way we used to do normal activities (like grocery shop, dinner dates, sporting events and even attend weddings) and has caused so many deaths and sickness around the world, but what I have done is forced people to stop and see how Black people are treated in this country (& for that I am grateful). For the first time in history, all states have all protested against police brutality and standing up for George Floyd and so many others.

But it is tiring. Tired of seeing the hundreds of vides surface about George Floyd, Ahmaud Aubrey, and Breonna Taylor. Tired of having to protest for the same things our Parents, Grandparents, and Great-Grandparents protested for. Tired of seeing racist comments, remarks, videos from people (not just White people) about how we are all ni**ers and thugs. Tired of White People getting upset about #BlackLivesMatter. Tired of companies now realizing that they have an issue with racism. Tired of organizations like NFL now back peddling. Tired of it always being Black vs. every other race. Tired of always having to tone down who I am so that I do not offend others. Tired of having to explain that the way Black people are treated in this country is not ok. Tired of having to cater to Police to avoid getting killed. Tired of not being able to live life as the White people do in this country.

If you can’t tell, I’m simply tired.

But what's interesting is that I am also hopeful. Hopeful that all of the companies that have posted and donated to Black communities and injustices are in it for the long run and not just a short term fix. I am hopeful that we have gained several new allies in the fight for Civil Rights. I am hopeful that the world has finally seen Trump for who he is and will make the right decision in November. I am hopeful that this is the wake-up call that all police officers needed that we will no longer accept injustice. I am hopeful that we will actually see change. Hopeful that my children will no longer have to fight for things that should be every human right.

I’m tired, yet I have hope. Faith. Those things will in fact change.

I guess for now all we can do is be a part of the change. Do our part by protesting, signing petitions, donating to causes, and refusing to buy from businesses who are not a part of bettering this nation. Remember it took Rosa Park and the Bus Protest took 381 days and I am willing to do whatever I can for however long it takes to see real change happen. I hope that you are too!

Love,

Brown Girl

Quarantine Chronicles: Planning a Wedding

Listen, playing a wedding during normal circumstances is already a full-time job but baby planning a wedding during a pandemic is something else!

Ok, before I get into what I am doing now, let me tell you all that we have done so far. Luckily, we have already nailed down a venue, a photographer, a caterer, and a planner/decorator. Luckily the things that we need to see in person, for the most part, are done & paid for (by the grace of God)!

Now, what we still need to nail down is bridesmaid dresses, decor for the venue, hair for the bridal party, order groomsman suits, find a cake, rehearsal dinner venue and invitations. For those that don’t know me - I am a visual person. I like to see things live, be able to touch them and make an opinion based on what I can see. Now that everything is digital, I am having a hard time.

For instance, I want to nail down the bridesmaid dresses sooner rather than later. But I want to see shading and texture in person. I’m finding a few dresses I like but scared to pull the trigger without being able to hold the dresses and compare them to the suits. Yes, I know we can always order swatches but that is another step in the process that honestly I don’t want to add. But at this point, it looks like that is the only option I have to keep the process going.

Another pain point we have is the decor for the venue. Our planner, Tabby Lane Events, needs to view our venue and map out the floor plan and nail down items that we want to include. But with our current state, they are no longer able to go to the venue. So that means all of the planning that would normally take place for us is at a standstill. Items that would normally be in the process of getting purchased are not. I pray that the vision we have for our day is still able to be upheld but we are living in an uncertain time and this is not an exception.

Also, let's not forget the overwhelming thought that is lingering in the back of my head - that there is a potential for my wedding to be canceled like so many others. Everyone is encouraging me since my wedding is not until November that I have nothing to worry about and I appreciate that, but we all have no idea the impacts that COVID-19 will have on life in the upcoming months.

If I’m being honest, COVID-19 has knocked my fiancé and I off track and we are slowing pushing ourselves to get back on it! If ya’ll are like us and have any tips, tricks or vendors that you can share, please do (in the comments below)! We can use all help & motivation at this point.

Even slow progress is progress, none the less. So we will continue to power through and knock things off one item at a time.

Love,

Brown Girl

Quarantine Chronicles: Appearance Edition

One thing that I am learning is that the saying, “If you look good, then you feel good” is very true for me. During quarantine, there were days when I felt like what I looked like was not important since I was not going anywhere so I put no effort into putting myself together. Although this may be true, that I am not physically going anywhere (like most people in the world), I am however still working and often times have to log in to meetings with my camera on. There were times last week when cutting my camera on was absolutely not an option!

I have always been known as the girl that will go to an event or place overdressed (vs. underdressed) so going days without earrings or even taming my eyebrows was really having an impact on my mood without me even realizing it. I noticed that I was very cranky and annoyed at basically everything and that made me sit back and really think about what has changed in my life due to quarantine. With me being an introvert, I am often at home the majority of the time so sitting still was not an issue for me. But what was, was the thought that I had no real reason to get dressed and feel/look like myself. I know this might be extremely minor in comparison to what other people are going through at this time but me protecting my mental health is important for me. So although I will not walk around my house in 6-inch heels, I have decided to make sure my hair was presentable, a nice blouse on, light make up on and a grateful attitude.

Things in the world are wild beyond imagination but I am appreciative of the little things. The fact that I am still able to work and be financially stable. The fact that no one I know personally has COVID-19. The fact that God has given me grace and common sense to keep myself safe. The fact that I can even write a blog post about this topic, which is light and completely within my control. The fact that you are even reading this is just a few things that I thank God for each night.

Like I mentioned in my last post, do whatever you need to do to keep your sanity. For me, that is getting dressed and being able to still be myself even during a pandemic. If you decide to not get dressed, work out, eat a whole pizza, catch up on tv or write a book - pat yourself on the back for doing that and staying alive. Being aware of when you suddenly don’t feel like yourself can be instrumental in staying sane and protecting your mental space. If you notice mood changes like I did, I hope you stop and think about what is the cause and course correct. I mean, this is the perfect time to do self-reflection since distractions are limited.

Praying that this season will soon be past us and will soon be a distant memory.

Love,

Brown Girl

Don't Tell me What to do During Quarantine!

I’ve seen these posts at least 100x already that all pretty much say the same thing, after surviving COVID-19, you should have a new business, new hustle, new idea, something to level you up for the 2nd half of the year. I understand the thought and the reason behind it. As black people, we have always been taught to always be one step ahead of the game, to be better or to remember to work harder and be smarter than everyone else - so I definitely get why there has been a surge of comments/posts made. But let’s face it, we are dealing with something that is unknown and terrifying and people deal with things differently. 

There are some people who have not been able to just take a moment and breathe. People who have been working multiple jobs, helping their families, in school and managing a household with kids. This can be used as a moment to regroup, spend time with family and figure out what is really important for them. There are also people who are using this time to nail down that business plan, start a podcast, clothing line, etc. and that is fine too. However you decide to deal with the anxiety and stress that this pandemic is causing, you should be able to without feeling judged and called out by others. 

For me, I have decided to spend this time getting back into shape and being healthier. This time for me is about resetting and aligning on my personal goals. I’m back into celery juicing every morning, taking natural supplements to boost my immune system like Black Seed Oil and Elderberry Syrup, and working out 5-6x a week. Channeling my energy into something positive has helped me not let the updates on COVID-19 take over my life. It's important to know what's going on in the world and around you, but not let it consume you. 

This blog post is not to tell you what you should do or should not do during this time. It was more about giving you the grace to do what feels right for you. To not let others, friends, family or media tell you what you should do for you. 

Right now, our primary focus should be remaining healthy and surviving this pandemic. Praying that anyone that reads this post, remains healthy and Corona free! In the words of Monique, “I love us for real!” 

Love, 

Brown Girl