We are at a time of great divisiveness, and one of the most important resources we have right now is EACH OTHER.
And since it is Women’s History Month, I want to just take some time to celebrate women who come together.
It isn’t always easy to find the time and resources to go to a party and socialize, and yet, so many of you make the time to do that.
This past Saturday, March 1, was one such time, and probably one of my favorite events thus far: The Sisterhood Soiree.
We spent the evening at a private home on the water courtesy of Jessica Barnett, snacking, chatting, shopping, dreaming, laughing, and will donate a portion of tickets back to Girls Inc Pinellas (as well as the raffle proceeds from the baskets at coffee all month long).
Special thanks to our sponsor, Creating Smiles Dental (the unofficial Girl Boss dental practice, because it is GB owned and operated, and we love them!), and to our Girl Boss vendors:
Picnic Under the Moon (love you, Erza) for setting the vibe +
Sugar South (love you, Mo!) for the big movie screen
Fishy Face Photography for the MOST FUN photo booth, every time…seriously, Tiffany is the BEST.
Bronze Fox Beauty for Gua Sha and mini facials (Brenda is my esthetician y’all, and I ADORE her. Between Brenda and Mandy Neumann at Sunshine CIty Med Spa = changed skin.)
Holistic Harmony Massage for chair massage
Wine on Wheels for our custom beverages…with flowers harvested just for us
Devin Dollface for makeup and face paint
Our marketplace Bosses: Bombyx Regalia (I love my new anklet!), Hello Myrrh, Pure Romance with Brena Dee and Moodz Candles
Rev Dr. Angela Yarber and Tehom Publishing, for her books and her inspirational writing
Butterfly Life Design Workshops for the vision boards of our perfect morning
The Obsidian Corona for tarot reads, and of course, desserts:
JDC Experience for the s’mores and apple bar, and Chez Cole for the cutest personalized cookies!
Take a look at the gallery and see all of the excitement. Because there was a lot!
Now this may seem like just a party to you. And it was a party. But every time women take the time to be together, something magical happens: we feel more creative, stronger, healthier and more resilient.
A close community of women has been of tremendous value since the beginning of, well… people… but in the digital age, we are increasingly isolated. It’s less common even leave the house to go to the store, let alone to rely on others for much of anything. Combine that with the “American Way” (which is doing it ALL ALONE and actually really not okay) as well as the persistent persecution/devaluation of women and you can see why it can be so hard for us, as business women, to achieve our goals and maintain a healthy mental state. But getting together actually helps fix much of that.
How so? Community is what is known as a “protective factor”. If you’re familiar with “risk factors”, these are basically the counterbalance of those. Protective factors are characteristics or resources that can help people avoid negative outcomes. They help us deal with stressful situations and build resilience, and can also help us seek out resources or coping strategies when we need them.
The social connections and support a community provides its members is one of the five main protective factors that help mitigate frequent the psychological distress which we all feel: if not from your personal life, then perhaps on a collective level or as a business owner navigating any of the given tricky situations that come at us every day.
You are exposed to psychological stress time and again, and your community holds resources, advice, and even a safe space so you feel less isolated– never underestimate that small sense of belonging in helping you feel like you can carry on.
Events like our coffees and this Sisterhood Soiree are designed to give you one more tool in your arsenal to navigate life as an intelligent and ambitious woman, looking to create her own path and meaning in the world. You don’t have to do it alone. Have some fun with other women like you, and watch what happens.
