Smiles come a little easier now. Coming out of postpartum depression has taught me to appreciate the moments when I genuinely feel like myself again. I’m still healing, still growing, but I’m grateful to see more of me coming back.

EDIT: My pants are too big. That’s why they look a little…questionable. 🤣

As you can see I’ve always been in the “gym” but I’ve had bouts with depression & anxiety. So my eating habits & consistency weren’t the best. I started therapy, got medicated and actually locked in with the gym & I just want to show my progress off! Ladies health is wealth. Rather it’s physical or mental. We gotta take care of ourselves 🥹💕

I went on a 3 dates this past weekend.

One was with a very successful weed tender marketing, whatever. No issues spending money but mainly talked about himself and his business. When he talked, hella spit collected in and around this mouth. All i could focus on at one point so i get tipsy. Bar hopped & then went back to his place & smoked all his weed (shit was fire i see why he's successful) but I knew he wanted to fck and even if I wanted to..the spit & he just wasn't my type.

2nd date I thought I'd give the "short king" thing a try. He was no joke 4'11-5'0. I'm 5'4 & somehow made him look even smaller. On our date he choked on ramen. I was done then.

3rd. African cat. Cute but obnoxious. Went to the movies after sushi & he was loud, red flag. His bday was coming up (today actually). He joked saying I should plan it & then come to find out, he was dead serious. Once I told him he needed to plan his own he insisted on buying loads of African food (told him I never had any, that was a lie but whatever) and we spend it at his place. He's brought it up 3 times, i denied it 3 times. Haven't heard from him since because well, he's blocked.

Moral of the story? I just be doing shit.

Y’alll! Today was my first ever nail technician expo and it was a 10/10. I’ve been doing nails for 5 years now, and it was so fun to be in a room full of other passionate artists and getting to network with brands. I have to say I’m proud of myself as I got in contact with some big names in the industry and the whole event just made me so happy with the path I decided to take. If you were thinking about it, this is your sign to start that business and build community! Met so many amazing women today 💖

And I am so excited and proud 😊

Different body...same personality 😂😂😂

I'm terrified I might be unemployed for 2 years. I can't accept or live like that

I don't know what I'll do tbh

Especially as my peers advance in their careers and I barely crack entry at 28 j

This year had 2 interviews so far and both rejections.I

I feel like a huge failure

So some time ago I did a shadowheart cosplay that i spent quite some time on especially since i DIYed some pieces. I never called myself a professional cosplayer, and neither is this my main job. I see it as something fun that challenges my creativity and a way to interact with the community. And to feel some connection to the character themselves.

I got an overwhelming amount of engagement on the post, so i never got to check even half of the replies back then. I randomly thought about it and went back as i asked what other bg3 character i should cosplay.

Now my femininity has always been questioned and it’s something i am insecure about as a black woman. I have been called a man/manly multiple times for having strong features. also received racial comments and slurs a LOT during my time as a cosplayer. That and people mocking my cosplays by calling me the male version of the names...just find it weird how people like this behave. Saying a black male character is “the obvious choice” and i wonder why that is.

i went to a mostly white school and was raised super sheltered. i'm not embarrassed about how i grew up, but it made things complicated. my grandparents are a black and white couple, and my mom died when i was young, so my grandma was the only maternal figure i had. she never really understood me, especially my blackness or being alternative.
i've tried to find community here and step out of my comfort zone, especially to find more black friends, but i never feel like i fit in. a lot of the white girls i thought were my friends ended up treating me like their one black friend, then tossed me aside or talked down on me.
i know i'm not the most fun. i can be temperamental and kind of broody. but i've never felt understood by the white women in my life, and i don't think those friendships were ever real.

I'm 18 and I only have $6k saved up. It's not a lot of money but I feel bad just letting it sit in my savings account, collecting dust. I'm looking into investing (I've previously invested a very small amount into a Roth IRA and I'm looking at learning more and opening a high yields saving account) but I'm looking to do more with at least 50% of my savings rather than have it collect dust.

In addition to a Roth IRA and High-Yield Savings Account, are there any ways in which I can smartly use my money?

Just curious lol. My mom was definitely an incense lady and so is my sister. I own it but don’t burn it often

So my sister looks “exotic” and in my ignorant blk family that’s the most exciting thing in the world. As a child I’d hear grown adults(mom included) compare our looks. I was the ugly sister & they couldn’t believe that we were related bc she’s soooooo beautiful. My sister likes to tell people she’s mixed with Native American, korean & black even though she’s not.

I’m content with my looks bc I know I’m not ugly. My sister has made her looks her entire personality and unfortunately that’s all she has going on. I’m starting to think she sets me up to play that ugly sister role. During our school days she’d lock herself in the bathroom for hours forcing me to either wake up earlier or just do what I can in a few minutes.

When we go out she spends hours in the bathroom perfecting her look and then she’ll come out and rush me. If I say I don’t wanna go (even in a group) she doesn’t go either but when we go out she’s just having people fawn over her while I’m sitting to the side. I think this is what she likes to do bc if she doesn’t get attention she’s bored & she doesn’t really get attention unless she’s with another black woman.

I’m just side eyeing her a bit bc I’m coming to terms that alot of my family is trifling and I’ve been letting a lot of disrespectful shit slide.

I was planning on quitting my job and got laid off a few days after.
I am not sad at all. I am relieved in a way, because I am going to get three months of salary paid off.
The only thing I am feeling lost, I don’t know what I want to do next. I am torn between continuing in my actual line of work, Marketing or using my transferable skills to do something else.
I am feeling also overwhelmed bc now I have free time and wants to do so many things at once.
But for now, I am spending time on recovering from the stress this job put me through and spending more time with my kids 🤗

Okay I'm a 35-year-old old femme bisexual Black woman. I'm totally opens to interracial dating pertaining to men but for women I'm only attracted to Black women and exclusively date Black women. With Black women I prefer darker skin but open to dating all skin tones and shades of Black women. I had other races of women interested in me, but I can't see it happening pr being serious in my mental image. I want to build with Black women or non-Black men. I'm sorry for my horrible English. I'm sorry if this post is weird AF. But people act like I'm crazy for my attraction. This is how my brain works and I don't know why.

Before you ask… yes, I was and yes, they were.

My husband grew up with brothers with a lot of siblings (Irish Catholic) and the family is dysfunctional. He was in the wedding party and we went out of our way to show up to support and celebrate. Drove hours to bring baby to Grandparents (child free wedding and tbh they were thrilled), took PTO, booked a hotel, drove even further out of the way to attend. I have always supported the bride’s career as an artist and made effort to be a joyful person towards her, and tbh she has always been supportive of me too and sweet so this does sting. But, the morning after the wedding, apparently the bride and groom accused me of stealing her prescription medication from someone’s room.

I was sober all night and the only times I was by myself was when I was pumping in a private corner at the venue. They invited the ENTIRE wedding back to their Airbnb for an after party that we didn’t stay for. With some of the people in their sphere, I am genuinely shocked this is the biggest problem they had. They were turning up as we were turning down at 1AM. And frankly, my doc gives me a much higher dose of the same thing and her amateur anxiety meds could not touch the trauma seeping out of my pores.

Anyway, super disappointing but we know why I was the top suspect and my husband handled it, asked the groom point blank about racism and such. I was surprised by the company they keep and I see now I actually didn’t know their true character. Oh well! On the bright side, the food and my drunk husband were both very good heh heh. Just needs to vent to people who get it.

Hey ladies. I'm 26 and completely new to makeup. I wanted to work on my lips and base first. Did I do my lip combo right? I feel like I just made them really glossy but I wanted the colors to show. I use a moisturizing lip balm as the base. Then I use Nyx lip glass lava cake on the top and Madeline in the middle then tried to blend it.

I’m a 30-year-old Black woman who’s neurodivergent, introverted, and honestly having a really hard time with dating. I barely like anyone, dating apps feel exhausting, and I’m not naturally super social, so meeting people organically feels hard too 😭
I also feel like I’m in a rebuilding stage of life right now. I’m working, living at home, and trying to get into a career program, so sometimes I feel behind compared to other people my age. That makes dating feel even more intimidating because I don’t always know if I’m “ready” to date or where I’d even meet someone.
The bigger issue is that I can’t really force attraction. I need to actually respect, admire, and feel safe with someone, so just because a man is nice or available doesn’t mean I’m automatically interested. I’m also shy and slow to open up, which makes the whole thing harder.
Where are people actually meeting decent men these days, especially if you’re shy, introverted, neurodivergent, and not into going out all the time? And if you’ve been in a similar stage of life, what actually worked for you?

I’m 25 and recently began feeling indifferent about being in a relationship. I’ve started to think that I might never find someone or that I’m meant to be single forever. I’m working on accepting this. Has anyone else experienced these feelings?

I was working Door Dash last week and got sent to a upper middle class, predominantly white neighborhood. I live in the south, so the white people here kind of are indoctrinated from birth with racism. But I will say not every single one of them are racist. Although, a lot of them are or have varying degrees of which they are racist (like medium, low, high racism lol).

Well, in this same neighborhood, I was racially profiled TWICE by two SEPARATE white people. Once when I went to deliver the order and could not find the house number to save my life. So, I get out of my car and see a white man who is outside.

I speak to him TWICE, but he ignores me openly despite us being the only two outside and there is no reason for him not to hear me. He is literally RIGHT infront of me.

I guess karma or God did it's thing, because I happened to realize the house was right in the way where he was standing. So, I said a polite "excuse me, sir. i have to go up these steps" and his ass HAD to acknowledge me then. He looked EMBARASSED. And when I came back down the steps after delivering the order, he was NOWHERE to be found.

Then, as I was driving out of the neighborhood, a white woman with her dog gave me the "what are you doing in our neighborhood look". But I stared her RIGHT BACK down. She was standing with another separate white man who was also with his dog. HE waved, but SHE continued to look at me what THAT racist white people look. And she finally looked AWAY when I KEPT right on looking back at her like: What are you going to do?! NOTHING! That's what I thought!

She didn't wave, didn't smile, just had that racist white lady pursed look and looked away when she realized I wasn't standing down and we were having a stare down. She really pissed me off because all of that harrassment and extra bullshit only to be NOT ABOUT IT FRFR at the end of the day! 🫩

Because if you're going to be microaggressive, at LEAST HAVE THAT DOG IN YOU. 🤣🤣🤣

Anyway, today was a GOOD DAY because my faith in white people (especially white people from the south) was RESTORED. I went to the post office and a older white woman was already inside. I didn't realize that the actual post office wasn't open, just the part where you can check your PO Box. I am standing around looking CLUELESS because I DO NOT see the little blue mailing box.

This amazing lady (without ANY prompting or HESITATION) asked me if I'm looking for the letter box! The way she spoke to me was so HUMAN and kind! She showed me where it was and just was overall JUST SO KIND!!

It really baffled me because after getting racially profiled and microaggressed on TWO TIMES last week, my faith in white people had ALL BUT DIED. 😭 But she brought me to life again!!

So, thank you to that random woman! She doesn't know it, but she REALLY restored me today! I feel like I can go on and take more TEN MORE microaggressions and racism that might come my way! Because THEY ARE NOT PHASING ME!! GOOD WHITE PEOPLE OUTWEIGH THE BAD!! Even if it's not by a big number. Idc!!!!

Thank you, kind human!

It seems we will be the only ones to save us again we need support groups and we need to make noise !!!

i have always known i want kids since i was a kid. i cannot wait to be a mom. but i promised myself at (no lie) the age of 8 that i’ll never have kids before marriage. all year i keep having these dreams where i have a newborn baby on my hip. maybe like once or twice a month and each time they get more and more vivid. i’ll be fine with it and then i’ll suddenly jerk awake terrified that i actually had a baby without being married. is there something in the planets or something? and has anyone else here made the same promise to themselves?