Today, I want to talk about how we uplift one another and I’m going to use an analogy. I LOVE analogies, and my friends poke a bit of fun at me with them. I probably use them a little too much and run with them when they don’t quite work. But this one works. I promise.

Listen, we’ve got to stop uplifting people by their titles. It’s like telling a rainbow they are great because they are a rainbow.

This is when you think, “And now I see why your friends say that…“

But when we uplift people by their titles, we neglect what makes them unique. We ignore their differences and almost diminish those lights in them that make them stronger, bolder, braver, and stronger. We don’t do this intentionally- in fact, it is the opposite. Titles are great, they are comfortable and create a sense of confidence. Of course, you want to tell your strong girlfriend she is a fabulous nurse, law student, or mother. However, today, I hope to change your mind on that!

When your girlfriend is telling you she has a lot on her plate and you say, “Oh, Sarah! You’re a fabulous mother, teacher, wife, and friend. Don’t feel stressed, you’ve got this!“

I do this all the time, thinking I’m helping. But then when it is done to me, I smile and say, “Thank you” but inwardly I feel, “Yeah…that’s why I’m exhausted. What if I stop? What if I stopped hosting this or doing that? Would you still think I’m great?“

I think to empower one another as women, we’ve got to dig a little deeper and look to those unique lights. Why is a rainbow stunning? It is stunning because of the circumstances that created it. It is breathtaking because we can see each unique hue. The dispersion of light comes together to create something that is so beautiful, we stand in awe as children and as adults.

I rarely discuss fragrance on the blog. A fragrance is personal, not always universal. That is until I smelled one diamond-inspired fragrance.

I partnered with Bloomingdales to chat about fragrance, and I selected a scent even I was surprised by, Cartier Carat.

Cartier’s new scent is inspired by the seven colors of a rainbow shown through a diamond, hence the name “Carat.” Fitting for Cartier, no? Mathilde Laurent, Cartier’s in-house perfumer said, “When the light enters the prism of the diamond, it makes the light explode in seven colors of the rainbow. It’s kind of magic. This is what is so wonderful. In fact, diamonds create a rainbow just for you.”

Each hue from the rainbow represents a flower: ylang-ylang for green, honeysuckle for orange, violet for violet. You get the idea. I assumed it might be overpowering, as I’m not always keen on a floral scent. Instead? It’s absolutely brilliant. I hate to call a fragrance perfected, but that’s what I would do in this instance. It’s not overpowering for work, yet mysterious enough for date night.

But despite the fact it smells like the most divine bouquet {or diamond  😉 } your guy might never dream of ordering you, the message behind the fragrance is why I chose this scent, and it’s why I wanted to share it with you all.

It’s about celebrating your inner light. Because all of those inner strengths we have, when woven together, create beautiful titles. Mentor. Doctor. CEO. Boutique owner. Book-Club Host. Volunteer Coordinator. But the heart of these people behind the title?  The hearts are filled with so many different spectrums we must acknowledge, too. And when we look to our groups of friends and we see these diverse titles, it makes pretty great circles. But, the titles aren’t what empowers us- our inner lights do.

So, I want to give you a challenge today. Look to a friend that needs to be uplifted. Take 5 minutes and tell her exactly why she is the coolest, sweetest, boldest, girl you know. Look at each ray which makes up her rainbow. Tell her she has a sense of compassion you’ve yet to ever find in another person, tell her she’s got a bravery you admire and tell her that her laugh is infectious. Take away the tasks and the titles and the things we typically spot like a rainbow. Find those rays, I promise they are so easy when you look!

And if you pop in Bloomingdales for a fun afternoon, try a bit of Cartier Carat on your wrist. If you’re like me, you’ll keep it in your purse 24/7 because it is so lovely. And if you are a better woman than I, you’ll gift it to a friend you know deserves to hear why she’s got the most beautiful light within!