We’ve all heard the advice, “Just be yourself.” But what do those three little words really mean? While I do believe this statement holds a good sentiment, it lacks depth.

I recently read Kat Timpf’s book, I Used to Like You Until…, where she says: “self-expression is the key not only to personal happiness but also to connection with those around us.”

That quote resonated with me more than “just be yourself” ever has. Being yourself isn’t something that you just do. It’s who you are, the way you live, what you believe, and how you express yourself.

I agree with Kat: living authentically is key to personal happiness! And, it’s absolutely vital to express yourself in a way that’s true to you. The most meaningful connections come from you showing up as you.

So, how do you show up in a way that’s true to you? Here are a few pieces of advice I’ve found helpful:

Think for yourself. Forget the noise, and think critically to form your own opinions/ideas. This applies to many things, big and small.

Here’s a basic example: When I’m planning content, I think to myself – am I creating based on a trend, or am I creating based on my unique perspective?

Guess what? Creating from my unique perspective always starts more conversation and allows for more connection than simply following the crowd.

Understand what’s none of your business. Others’ non-constructive opinions are not worth your time. It may sound harsh to say, “it’s none of your business,” but it is a good way to separate yourself from unnecessary stress.

Get the piercing or tattoo (or whatever you want). Everyone can make choices for their own appearances that enhance confidence. For example, I consider my Monroe piercing to be a signature element of my personal style. But, obviously, who you are is deeper than how you look. Your style is simply an additional layer to your self-expression.

In summary: Don’t just be yourself. Know who you are and act accordingly.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram. Let’s chat!

We’ve passed the halfway point of 2025, and many of us are reflecting on (and potentially resetting) resolutions we began the year with. I know I’m currently working to re-focus my energy on certain resolutions that fell a little off the radar. For example, my goal to stop snoozing my alarm hasn’t been the easiest for me to stay true to.

With mid-year reflection and planning on the mind, I recently attended a Caffeinated Conversation, hosted by the Schreiber Institute for Women’s Leadership, which focused on the topic of goal setting. I found this session to be very informative, and it re-energized me to take a look at my goals and progress.

Before the event, we were sent a couple of articles to read and Simon Sinek’s “Start with Why” TED Talk to watch. These resources set the stage for the session and discussion.

Here are my key takeaways:

Don’t just define your goals, define the types

One of the articles explained the three types of goals: outcome, performance, and process. Outcome goals are the big picture things that you want to accomplish. Performance goals have to do with how well you are able to do something. Process goals are more tactical; they are the day-to-day goals you have that help you accomplish performance goals and outcome goals.

My goal of waking up when my alarm first goes off (and not snoozing) is a process goal. It’s a “procedural behavior” and completely in my control to do (although, I don’t always like to admit that).

It’s ideal to have a mix of outcome, performance, and process goals. If you only have outcome goals, they can be difficult to obtain without the “baby steps” or behaviors implemented with process goals. If you only have process goals, then you aren’t looking at the bigger picture. And, I see performance goals as very beneficial for ongoing motivation and development! Each goal type plays an important role in helping you get to where you want to be.

Goals and habits work together

When you know what you want, it’s easy to figure out what’s going to help you and what’s going to hinder you. Define the right choices to make and make them habitually.

During the session, we talked about how you won’t enjoy 100% of the process when working towards your goals. But that doesn’t mean the process is incorrect. It can be hard work to break bad habits and build better ones!

Start with why

So, how do you stay motivated to accomplish your goals? Return to your “why”! When we are clear on our “why,” we find motivation for our “how.” Simon Sinek has a great way of explaining this in his TED Talk. I highly recommend giving it a watch if you haven’t seen it before.

But, you may be wondering, “how do I find my why?”. This is a unique experience for each individual, but here are some questions we discussed to consider:

• What’s your one-word purpose?
• What lights you up?
• What brings you joy?
• What gets you in a flow state?

Enjoy your current season

While talking about goal setting, it’s easy to fall into a “hustle” mentality. But you can be grounded and ambitious. You can set goals and create a vision for the future while still appreciating and enjoying everything you have now. You know the saying: “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

What’s a goal you want to accomplish before the end of 2025? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram. Let’s chat!

This week, I attended the Schreiber Institute for Women’s Leadership annual event: Celebrate! You may remember that I shared my experience attending in 2023 and 2024. Celebrate is an event focused on women’s leadership and career development. It was exciting to be back at The Weidner, this past Thursday, to hear new perspectives and advice.

During the event’s opening remarks, something was said that really stuck with me: “You can walk into any room with confidence if you know who you are, what your values are, and what your purpose is.” I’m paraphrasing, but this was impactful to hear. It was a beautiful reminder to show up authenticity.

Alicia Pelton‘s keynote speech also gave me a lot to think about. While sharing her personal story, she shared her three C’s of leading for change: Commitment, Choices, and Compassion.

Commitment: Simply put, you need to be committed to whatever you hope to accomplish. Consider what your values are and what your purpose is.

Choices: Based on your purpose and values, you have choices to make. Alicia reminded us that all choices do have consequences. It’s important to consider the impact of your actions.

Compassion: If you don’t consider the needs or well-being of others (or of yourself), you may be met with unnecessary friction and burnout. It’s important to have empathy and understanding as a leader.

Alicia also shared these thoughtful questions for all of us to ask ourselves:

• What is your mission in this life?
• Do you have values you live by?
• Do you make choices that align with them?
• How can you take one step?

I’m still thinking through how I’d concisely answer each of these questions. But, I will say, I find it especially important to align values and choices. Consistency in what you believe and the way you live will bring the most fulfillment. Each time you act according to your values, it’s like you’re keeping a promise to yourself.

Shoutout to the Schreiber Institute for Women’s Leadership for organizing another excellent event this year. I look forward to Celebrate 2026!

What’s your mission? What do you value? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram. Let’s chat!

Did you know that if you comment on other users’ posts before you post on LinkedIn, it can increase your engagement?

I learned this algorithm tip and more during Jess Lambrecht‘s course: Utilizing LinkedIn as an Effective Relationship Building Tool. You may remember the UW-Green Bay Institute for Women’s Leadership from previous blog posts (like this one) – This course was an offering of the Institute.

I had the opportunity to participate in the session with my workplace membership, and I’m happy I did! As someone who is passionate about content creation and social media marketing, I was very interested in the topic. I used LinkedIn here and there prior to the session. Post-session, I’ve been challenging myself to engage on the platform and create more original content.

Here’s a look at my page analytics before taking the course (on October 9th) compared to now (October 20th):

• Post impressions went from 141 to 1,297
• Followers went from 722 to 741
• Profile viewers went from 45 to 66
• Search appearances went from 31 to 66

Quite the difference, right?!

So, how was I able to boost my numbers? Well, I put a lot of Jess’s advice into practice. I highly recommend you take one of her courses if the opportunity arises! Below are a few key takeaways I’ve found to be especially impactful.

Make It Personal

While LinkedIn is a professional platform, you can still share what makes you unique. Your profile headline and bio don’t have to be bland. Spice it up and showcase your personality! It’s even appropriate to use emojis (within reason, of course). On LinkedIn, you want to stand out and differentiate yourself from others in your niche.

Consider Your Offer

What value are you providing for connections and followers? Talk about what you offer and how it benefits your audience, and deliver on it! People will be more likely to connect and follow when they see a benefit for themselves.

Quality Over Quantity

The LinkedIn algorithm loves quality content. It favors posts that are easy to read, use proper grammar, and elicit engagement. For example, if you ask a question in your post and users reply in the comments section, LinkedIn will reward you. The algorithm also tends to favor posts that have a visual attached, whether it’s a photo or video. Take the time to put together posts that tell a story.

Consistency

As with many things, consistency is key. If you are actively posting on a consistent basis, your analytics will likely trend positively.

Whether you want to get more active on LinkedIn to promote your business or enhance your personal brand, I hope these tips help!

How active are you on LinkedIn? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on LinkedIn. Let’s chat!

Copina Co. is a brand that I’ve been following (and enjoying) for years, so I’m very excited to bring you this #sponsored blog post. 

I first became a fan of Copina Co. because of their plant-based collagen products. It was very appealing to me to have a plant-based product that could deliver collagen benefits! As a morning coffee drinker, blends like Vanilla Beauty and Cacao Beauty made it easy for me to add collagen to my morning routine. If you follow me on the ‘gram, you’ve seen me share my favorite homemade lattes made with Copina Co. products.

Also, if you’ve been a reader since 2020 (yes, way back then!), you may remember this blog post where I shared my Copina Co. Matcha routine and plant-based collagen benefits.

It has been great to see Copina Co. grow over the years and even add exciting new products to their shop. Most recently, Sea Moss Refreshers were launched! These are tasty drink blends that are packed with essential minerals and nutrients.

I enjoy sipping on Sea Moss Refreshers on hot days to refresh and in the evenings as a cocktail substitute. I am “that person” who constantly has more than just one drink. I love to have a cup for water, a cup for energy, and a cup for fun. Copina Co. fills my fun cup!

When you hear “sea moss,” you may think, “Is it fishy?.” But Copina Co. does a great job creating a flavorful/fruity blend that doesn’t taste like the sea. The two flavor options are Passionfruit and Citrus Blossom. I enjoy both, but my favorite is Passionfruit.

Enjoy Some Mermaid Water!

Mermaid Water aka Sea Moss Refreshers can enhance your routines. Copina Co. provided me with this link to share with you for 20% off of your first purchase. Don’t forget a whisk to mix up your sips! Enjoy!

Are you a sea moss fan? Which refresher will you try? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram. Let’s chat!

On the ‘gram, you’ve likely seen aesthetic and candid photos with the texture and grain you can only get from film. So, how do influencers get those trendy film photos to translate digitally?

If you’ve ever tried to take a picture of a picture on paper, you know that it rarely turns out okay. Usually, there’s an awkward glare from lighting or the angle isn’t quite right.

But, have you ever tried scanning photos? Similar to how you’d scan a signed document on your iPhone, you can scan pictures! I recently did this with a few music festival photos I took on Fujifilm Instax cameras.

At Summerfest, Fujifilm had this awesome activation that you could walk through and test a variety of Instax cameras. I had a blast snapping pictures and checking out the different models. I’ve had an Instax Mini for a while, so it was cool to see what’s new.

I wanted a way to save the pictures I took digitally and share them with others. So, that’s how I stumbled upon this photo-scanning hack!

If you have an iPhone, you can follow these simple steps:

1. Open your notes app.
2. Open a new note.
3. Click on the camera icon.
4. Select “scan documents.”
5. Position your camera straight down at the photo you want to scan.
6. Click the circle to snap the scan.
7. Adjust the box to your photo borders if needed.
8. Select “keep scan” and select “save.”
9. Take a screenshot of the document and crop it as needed.

That’s all you need to do to digitize your film pics!

Of course, higher-quality scanners are out there if you’d like a better digital copy of your film photos. But, if you’re looking for a quick and easy method to post a picture you like, try an iPhone scan!

Are you an instant photo fan? Do you love the film photo aesthetic? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram. Let’s chat!

Thursday night, the girls and I went to Hamlet Creek for the BOLD Fashion Show. It’s not every day that there’s a fashion show in Green Bay. So, as soon as I saw that this event was happening, I marked my calendar and planned an outfit accordingly.

When we arrived, we were greeted with lights, music, and charcuterie cocktails. We grabbed drinks and snapped some pics before the runway show began. There was a fun and upbeat energy all around. I loved seeing everyone’s outfits and getting inspired by how they styled their looks.

On the runway, everyone looked amazing, of course. We saw pieces from Amanda Miceli, Gents, Chaps, and Blokes, and The Wild Goose Exchange. I loved to see the goose make his runway debut (or maybe this wasn’t the first catwalk of the goose…who knows?!).

Post-show, we enjoyed treats and cigars (shoutout to Prohibition) and snapped more pics on the patio. It was a beautiful night, so it felt good to be outside under the glowing lights.

Since this is a fashion-focused blog post, I feel like it’s only right to conclude with my outfit details. This event gave me the perfect excuse to look through my closet and put something unique together.

The dress and shoes are Target finds from a couple of seasons ago. I feel like you can never go wrong with a long black dress and black heels. I love having basics in my wardrobe that I can enhance with accessories. For jewelry, I wore thick silver hoops and a ball chain necklace. My favorite piece of the look is my custom Edie Parker Bodega Bag. The bag was a gift which just makes it even more special.

Cheers to a gorgeous night!

Have you ever been to a fashion show? What was your experience? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram. Let’s chat!

This past week, I attended Celebrate 2024. It’s an annual women’s leadership event with themes of professional development and empowerment presented by the Schreiber Institute for Women’s Leadership. It also happens to be affiliated with UW-Green Bay, my alma mater.

In 2023, I also had the opportunity to attend and hear a great keynote speech. You may remember the blog post I shared that discussed Mariana Atencio‘s Control Framework for living authentically. In case you missed it, check it out here!

This year, the event began with a performance art presentation from The Art-Hop Collective. In just a few hours, a huge wall of art was painted along to the beat of DjRgs. It was really cool to see the vibrant colors and words come together.

I couldn’t resist letting my phone eat first by snapping pictures of the delicious treats available before and after the main program. Certainly, the food wasn’t the most important part of the event (we’ll get into the takeaways shortly!). But, as a UWGB grad, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t geek out a bit for the phoenix-shaped chocolate.

The core of the event featured a panel of four community leaders and a keynote speech from Jeffery Tobias Halter. Between the panel and keynote, there were a few great reminders that I jotted down:

• Lean into your strengths – Determine how you can best contribute, and focus on the things you are great at.
• You deserve to be where you are – Imposter syndrome can get to all of us. Know that you are where you are for a reason and act with confidence.
• Say “yes” to opportunities – When presented with opportunities to advance, take them! Prepare and do the work so you can shine when you have the chance.

Throughout the event, the theme of allyship was very prominent. It’s good to be mindful of how you can support others professionally and otherwise. When I think of this topic, I think of the quote, “Choose people who will say your name in a room full of opportunities.” You can choose to be the person who advocates for others too!

Have you attended Celebrate or an event like it? What did you take away? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram. Let’s chat!

A little while back, I had the opportunity to hear Mariana Atencio speak during a women’s leadership event at my alma mater. She’s an award-winning journalist, best-selling author, and she has a lot to say about the topic of authenticity. Something that stuck with me the most from her speech was a series of 7 steps that she explained as “the control framework.” She designed it to help deal with uncertainty and take control of authenticity.

I think many of us find ourselves in situations where it may seem easier to just bend to fit a mold than to be our authentic selves. Her speech served as a great reminder of why “faking it” doesn’t actually benefit anyone. So, if you’re ready to take control, here are some steps to consider:

Covering

Mariana describes this first step as identifying what you’re leaving at the door. If you aren’t being your whole self when you walk into a room, what’s missing? What parts of yourself are you covering up or hiding? Think about what you can do to let these parts of yourself shine.

Outlook

When you’re not being your authentic self, are you giving in to some type of external or internal pressure? It’s important to identify your frame of reference and whose lens you’re choosing to view yourself through.

Network

Consider the people that you surround yourself with. Personally, I find this step to be a big one. There’s a saying that you are the average of the 5 people that you spend the most time with. To some extent, I do believe this to be true. I think it’s important to surround yourself with individuals that make you happy, that motivate you, and that embrace who you are.

Time

As Mariana says, being inauthentic is hard work. It can waste a lot of your time trying to be someone that you’re not. Instead, invest time into yourself and develop who you actually are.

Ritual

Think about your habits and your routines. Do they serve you well? If not, make adjustments. If so, think about how you can enhance them.

Opportunity

I view opportunity as finding the spaces where you can thrive. Look for opportunities that align with who you are and what you care about. These are things that will make you feel electric.

Love

Last but certainly not least, you gotta love the authenticity journey and your true self. Taking control of your authenticity is all about caring for yourself in all aspects of your life.

How will you take control of your authenticity? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram. Let’s chat!