Empowering Femmes - Gasoline on the Fire.
 

Let's put a little gasoline on the Femme fire and post our favorite empowering quotes, songs, stories, appreciations, photos, etc. for other Femmes here.

I've been craving a space for the universal Femme to give and receive love from the universe so instead of waiting on it to appear, let's make it happen.




One of my favorite quotes lately (and maybe forever) comes from Beyonce's Lemonade album. The song "Don't Hurt Yourself" says:

"When you hurt me, you hurt yourself
Don't hurt yourself
When you diss me, you diss yourself
Don't hurt yourself
When you hurt me, you hurt yourself
Don't hurt yourself, don't hurt yourself
When you love me, you love yourself
Love God herself"


I LOVE the expression of how feeling negatively about ourselves or others really damages us all...and consequently how showing ourselves love allows us to love everyone else.
That all feeds into the Divine Femme in the form of "when you love yourself, you love God herself".

And even if you don't believe in a traditional God, I think we can all feel the sentiment behind seeing ourselves as a Divine Goddess worthy of all the worship and reverence we can demand for ourselves.

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Today
 

I love this and will always associate it with you!

:bouquet:

❤❤❤❤❤
 

I got one of the best compliments today and I wasn't even supposed to hear it.

Went to my nephew's birthday party and had to be around some folks I haven't seen in a while and who I generally avoid. It was fine but this is what I overheard:


Someone: "Angie really just does what she wants! She truly doesn't care what people think of her!"

My Sister: "Angie does what she wants because she is brave, not because she doesn't care what people think. It's true she doesn't care what people think and all, but if there was a burning building that needed running into, she would be the first one through the door".

Someone: "Yeah, I see what you mean..."

My Sister: "My sister is the kind of brave that most people really want to be. Me included."


I was a little embarrassed and teary when I heard it and also shaking my head about my Sister not thinking she is that kind of brave, because she is. She's pretty damned fearless. And magical.

We survived a lot of the same shit, I was just technically through the door first because I am older.

Still, it felt so powerful to be seen that way. To be reminded of who I am at my core by someone who shares my blood.

*magical*

<3 Brene’ Brown
 

Doing a little "best life" project for myself over the next few weeks.
I've been feeling tired and a little disconnected from my sparkle for the past month or so and I realized it's because I'm not taking care of myself in the way I really want to.


I'm still doing my long, scalding baths and random beauty treatments but I want to do more enriching things too so here is what I'm focusing on to throw a little gas back on my fire:


* Learning a couple of new recipes that feel decadent and interesting!
-I have accomplished one already and made a super delicious pesto alfredo sauce over wheat pasta with some huge pan-seared shrimp. It was SO easy but not something I ever eat at home so it felt really sparkly to treat myself.

* Reading an actual book in the tub or before bed instead of playing on my phone.
- I started "Autobiography of a Geisha" by Masuda last night during a long soak in the tub. And you know what? I've missed holding a book. I used to read a couple of paper books a week while also having an audiobook for the car or house-cleaning and somewhere it dwindled to audiobooks only and I'm only able to get through one about every 10 days now. So, no more of that because my brain is starving for stories.

* Wearing the "cute" clothes more often.
- I have a lot of super cute clothes and accessories that I really love but in the past month I've been going to work in my trusty jeans and tennis shoes without a lot of to accessories or being extra cute. And I don't dress for other people, it's for me...so it's important to get back to my pencil skirts and heels for work because that's what makes me feel extra cute.

* Moving my body consistently again.
- I have a goal to lose another 20 pounds and I need to move my body to do that. I am committing to getting my 10k steps or more per day and doing yoga on a more regular basis.

* Making more time for creativity.
- One of my favorite things in the world is to brew up some delicious tea in my very cute Japanese Tesubin cast iron pot and treat myself to some time with hot tea, good music, and writing. More of that is needed. For sure.

* Time outside
- This seems like an easy one since I want to get more exercise but I've been walking indoors mostly and I'd like to change that to more fresh-air environments. Hell, I'd be happy just to go sit at the park with my headphones and my "Ideas that will change my world" journal (yes, I really have one)

* Continuing to cut loose of the things that no longer serve me.
- I have gotten rid of an enormous amount of clothing, books, household ephemera, and even furniture over the last couple of years. I am not a minimalist by any means but I do see things around here that need to go live elsewhere. I want to open my close and see only things I really love. I want to walk through my rooms and see only things I love or use regularly. Let it be so.


Mostly, I want the most plugged-in version of my life that doesnt involve stressful lists of "one day" or moments where I wish I was doing something different.
I still feel super fiery and sparkly because I have SO MUCH happiness going on that I can barely keep from exploding so this is about streamlining and taking it to the next level.
I'm ready to slay it all.


Now for a little inspiration music:

That is the most awesome video I have seen in years!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Smooches,
Keri


Now for a little inspiration music:

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so nice to see you and your smooches Keri!

Today's empowering playlist is:

Beyonce's entire Lemonade album
Mary J Blige - "Just Fine"
Lizzo - "Good as Hell"
Jill Scott - "Hate on Me"
Pink - "Try"
Chaka Kahn - "I'm Every Woman"
Aretha Franklin - "A Rose is Still a Rose"
Des'Ree - "You Gotta Be"
Beyonce - "Run the World"
Beyonce - "Diva"
Christina Aguilera - "Beautiful"
Alicia Keys - "Superwoman"
Hailee Steinfeld - "I Love Me"
Mary J Blige - "Good Woman Down"
Whitney Houston - "I Didn't Know my own Strength"
Dolly Parton - "Eagle When She Flies"
Pat Benatar - "Invincible"
Florence + The Machine - "Shake it Out"
Niki Minaj - "Feelin' Myself"
Janelle Monet - "QUEEN"
Queen Latifah - UNITY
Pussy Riot - "Kill the Sexist"
The Ting Tings - "That's Not My Name"
Solange - "Dont Touch my Hair"
Whitney Houston - "It's Not Right But It's Ok"
Rihanna - "Hard"
Cardi B - "Bodak Yellow"
Salt n Pepa - "She Thing"
Miranda Lambert - "Bathroom Sink"
Miranda Lambert - "Kerosene"
Miranda Lambert - "Baggage Claim"
Robyn - "Fembot"
Brandi Carlisle - "Raise Hell"
India Arie - "Video"
Bikini Kill - "Rebel Girl"
Joan Jett - "Bad Reputation"
Hole - "Miss World"
Liz Phair - "Fuck and Run"
Ani Difranco - "My IQ"
Tori Amos - "Cornflake Girl"
Alanah Davis - "32 Flavors"
Neko Case - "Pretty Girls"
Fiona Apple's entire "Tidal" album


Have any favorites? The songs I listed above are all on a playlist called "You're a Bad Bitch and You Know It" that I put on repeat when I need a little pep in my step.

A little reminder to do YOU regardless of what other people say:




Let ‘em say what they gonna say
They gon' feel how they gonna feel
And I love it
I love it and baby
Hey, you should too
So let ‘em say what they gonna say
They gonna feel how they gonna feel
But I love it
I love it, baby
Hey, you should too
I'm just as thick as my skin is
I feel the water rolling down my back
Precipitation's so repetitive
I read this all before
Interrogation to my hometown
Your comments leave me such a nasty taste
Can't feel the sound
Swish all around
A palette-cleanser for your salty mouth
I know they'll never get enough
They don't get it, they don't get it
But if you're giving in then don't you change
Cause living was the best revenge
Let ‘em say what they gonna say
They gon' feel how they gonna feel
And I love it
I love it and baby
Hey, you should too
So let ‘em say what they gonna say
They gonna feel how they gonna feel
But I love it
I love it, baby
Hey, you should too
Don't pay them no mind
I'm not as thick as my skin is
Trying to stay strong
Stay tuned out of the dark but
When you're running the business
I wish it was easy
Trying to work like a boss but
They keep shaking my patience
Don't wanna think like a man
Or look like a model
I wanna look like my momma
Five foot two and a natural woman
I know they'll never get enough
They don't get it, they don't get it
But if you're giving in then don't you change
Cause living was the best revenge
Let ‘em say what they gonna say
They gon' feel how they gonna feel
And I love it
I love it and baby
Hey, you should too
So let ‘em say what they gonna say
They gonna feel how they gonna feel
But I love it
I love it, baby
Hey, you should too

OMG. I'm totally that person quoting themselves right now.

So, just to report back on my little listy-loo of "Angie is fanning the flames on her groove", I have been doing the things!

Made something delicious tonight that I haven't made before and it is DEFINITELY going into the permanent rotation!

I'm also working on reading not one, but TWO, paper books in the tub and in bed and wherever else it strikes my fancy.

AND, I totally dressed super cute at work every day this week. I busted out a couple of my favorite pencil skirts and dusted off the very high, very pointing heels and rocked that shit out (and felt super sassy doing it)

I'm still donating and decluttering and have someone coming to pick up a large-ish piece of furniture this coming week.

Still need to get my body movement up a little more but I'm feeling my groove again and it feels amazing!!
This was a good reminder to myself that sometimes we need to light our own pilot lights again. :blueheels: