Authentic Kindness. It's That Simple.

Be authentic. Be kind. These two things will get you far in life, in any given situation.

Last weekend, I attended my first Fashion Blogger & Beauty conference, Simply Stylist in New York. Hosted by the lovely Catt Sadler from E! News and theCATTWALK, the day was full of inspiration from beginning to end. The panelists all had great stories to tell and I felt a instant surge of motivation.

Full of trendy and fun people, I made connections with some like-minded women who share the same interests. It seems everyone is working a day job to make that money, and hustling at night to do what we’re passionate about.

Of course I couldn’t help but introduce myself to fellow Latina, the super beautiful and sweet, Lilliana Vazquez. She’s founder of The LV Guide, and recently became a regular contributor on the Today Show. I love seeing Latinas rise to the top! Go Lilliana! Seeing her do her thing, and hearing her story just makes me want to hustle harder.

Remember, this was a fashion and beauty conference, so I guess it’s somewhat ironic that the biggest message I walked away with was this: always remain authentic, and always be kind. So simple, right?

My goal is for readers to feel my authenticity and want to connect with me on some level. Lately, I’ve been starting to sense the need to use this outlet to be more personal, so you’ll start seeing more of that in my posts. This isn’t just about fashion, which I of course love, but when I started this blog, my intention was always to make it about lifestyle. I hope that you guys can hear my voice when you read my words, and somehow relate when I share my stories.

You don’t have to look at the next person and try to do what they’re doing. Do things your own way and be exactly who you are – be authentic! But most importantly, please always remember to be kind while doing it. Not to go on a tangent, but after this election, I wasn’t trying to pretend like I was ok. I was immensely disappointed like a lot of people I know, and I’m working on coming out of my funk. But despite the letdown, we gotta keep it moving. For our kids, for our health and happiness. Just love each other and be kind. What a nice place the world would be right? We’re gonna be okay, guys. We have to keep our faith in that.

Thanks for stopping by. And, hey…pssst…don’t forget to keep it real!

xo Karen

Here I’m sharing some pictures from the Simply Stylist event here, including what I wore and links to where you can get the look!

Off the shoulder sweater dress: Flying Tomato. Available here.

Over the knee boots: Sam Edelman. Similar ones available here.

Cable knit sweater: Free People. Available here.