All Posts By Charlene Gonzalez

Going Back Home To New York

For those who still didn’t know this fact about me I was born and raised in Rockland, New York. To be more specific the little historic town of Haverstraw. If I’m honest, leaving NY to move to Puerto Rico was the hardest experience of my life. It’s been 15 years since, and I still feel I haven’t gotten use to the different lifestyle and culture. Don’t get me wrong but my life completely changed and was turned upside down with the transition. One of the things I remember the most was being constantly criticized for not being Puerto Rican enough.

Despite that I’ve lived amazing experiences in Puerto Rico but my heart has always belonged to NY.  One of the many reasons I created Lovely Chicas was to build an online platform where I could truly be me and express myself freely. Having this platform helped me through a lot.

Funny enough every time I wanted to go back to NY something would happen; it was either tons of work or situations would obligate me to cancel the plans, or I’d travel somewhere else. The person I missed the most in NY was my grandma. She’s very sick and I would have never forgiven myself if I didn’t visit her in time. So, even in the pandemic I made it an obligation to travel back to NY to see her. This getaway back home turned into a girl’s trip with my sister. For home improvement services, you can Get More Info from here! Zerorez can also help you out to get your carpets cleaner and keeps them cleaner longer. You can hire professional services who are going to teach to how to handle a roof replacement once its done to your home.

It was a very emotional trip. If you follow me on Instagram you know that once I arrived in my hometown I began to cry. I revisited so many special places like the house I grew up in, North Rockland High School where I graduated from, ran into a deer’s and coyote while hiking, toured all of Rockland County, went New York City, ate ice-cream at Hoyers and more.

During this special trip I reminisced on memories and made a lot of beautiful new ones. Though I’m always open and honest I’ve got to admit that for a very long time I wasn’t feeling like myself. Being back in New York I felt like myself again. On this trip I did a lot of reflecting. My perspective shifted helping me make a big decision I was prolonging to make. You learn so much in life, you make mistakes and you grow but I don’t want more years to pass by where I regret decisions that I didn’t make. Being back in NY gave me a chance to confront the shy and scared young version of Charlene which opened my eyes to how far I’ve come and all I still want to accomplish. We tend to miss so much in life when we don’t truly believe in our dreams or focus on what we haven’t accomplished. If there is one thing I’ve learned in life is that I’d rather take a risk trying and fail than to stay in a comfort zone never trying at all.

Be Lovely, Be You

Charlene Gonzalez

9th Blogiversary

It’s officially 9 years after I published Lovely Chicas after lots of overthinking and battling fear. It was uncharted territory. Being brave and not playing it safe has led me here today. It’s been a long journey, but I’ve made it all this way by being myself, being genuine, working hard, being persistent, patient and never giving up. Most importantly by never compromising my faith and integrity to reach any level of success. It’s been an incredible journey with many wins, sacrifices and losses but it’s all been worth it.

Han pasado oficialmente 9 años desde que publiqué Lovely Chicas después de pensarlo demasiado y luchar contra el miedo. Era un territorio inexplorado. Ser valiente y no jugar a lo seguro me ha traído aquí hoy. Ha sido un viaje largo, pero lo he hecho hasta aquí siendo yo misma, siendo genuina, trabajando duro, siendo persistente, paciente y sin rendirme nunca. Lo más importante es no comprometer nunca mi fe e integridad para alcanzar ningún nivel de éxito. Ha sido un viaje increíble con muchas victorias, sacrificios y pérdidas, pero valió la pena.

I am not the same shy and insecure girl who began 9 years ago. Today I’m a strong, fearless, confident, self-made and an empowered woman. Through Lovely Chicas I’ve accomplished things I would have never imagined. Lovely Chicas is a movement of empowerment, inspiration, and self-love. Creating Lovely Chicas has been the best decision of my life.

No soy la misma chica tímida e insegura que empezó hace 9 años. Hoy soy una mujer fuerte, valiente, segura de sí misma y empoderada. A través de Lovely Chicas he logrado cosas que nunca hubiera imaginado. Lovely Chicas es un movimiento de empoderamiento, inspiración y amor propio. Crear Lovely Chicas ha sido la mejor decisión de mi vida.

Friends, whatever your dreams and goals may be, work hard, don’t give up and believe in yourself. Thank you all for your constant support because of you I’m making my dreams a reality.

Amigos, sean cuales sean sus sueños y metas, trabajen duro, no se rindan y crean en ustedes mismos. Gracias a todos por su constante apoyo porque gracias a ustedes estoy haciendo realidad mis sueños.

Be Lovely, Be You-Charlene Gonzalez

Fun Getaway to St. Augustine Florida

Hello, my loves! So I’ve been in Florida visiting my family. Living in Puerto Rico and having my family so far away from me has been very difficult. Its especially harder having my sister and best friend miles away across the ocean. Even though she’s just a call away its not the same.  Don’t know if anyone will understand but my sister and I are very close. Its funny how growing up we would argue a lot and did not have much in common but as teens and adults we became inseparable. No matter what difficult situations we face we know we have each other.

When I can visit her in Florida I try to spend as much time with her as possible. On my last trip in 2019 pre-pandemic, we focused our time on visiting every Disney park but this trip was more about family time. During this trip my sister and brother-in- law took me to the beautiful and magical town of St. Augustine.

St. Augustine is known to be the oldest established town in the United States, it was founded in 1565. This little town holds a lot of culture and fabulous historical structures. The city reminded me of Old San Juan in Puerto Rico especially its iconic fort “Castillo de San Marcos” which resembles “El Morro” in PR.

If you’re ever in Florida be sure to stop by St. Augustine.

Be you, Be Lovely

Charlene Gonzalez

Embracing My Moment In Life

Hey there lovely people! I know it’s been a while since I’ve last posted. I’ve been extremely busy.  I have also been visiting family in Florida.

Holy crap, so much drama has been going on; Meghan Markle and Prince Harry spilled the royal tea in an interview with Oprah, JLo and  and Alex Rodriguez have apparently split, and unfortunately Pepe Le Pew has been canceled.  Ugh! I’m so sick of this cancel culture but I’ll leave that rant for another post.

Though, I do have a rant and it’s focused around society’s stigma of women having to be married with kids at a certain age.I have also planned to consult property settlements lawyers practicing in Gosford as I am eager to know more about the property.You can also contact attorneys to know more about setting up a conservatorship and its benefits.

I’m 35, I’m not married, I don’t have children and that’s absolutely ok.  Why must people feel the need to ask and pressure people about being in a relationship, marriage and having children? Why can’t people simply focus on their own lives and stop trying to make others feel less because of where they may be in life. For some apparent reason I constantly get asked when I plan on getting married or having children. Seriously, I don’t know?! What I do know is that I’m not ever going to settle down for anything less than what I deserve no matter the pressure I get from society.

My reality of being single and not having children does not make me any less of a woman nor does it define me. I feel complete, I’m a successful empowered woman with many goals. We all have to understand that everyone’s  life story and timeline is different. Yes, I’d love to be a wife and mother someday but my time has not arrived. Please let’s stop putting pressure on people on whether they are single, married or don’t have children. Those pressures push many to rush into things making huge life changing mistakes.

For those putting the pressure….when I get married are you going to pay for my wedding and bills? No. Are you going to pay for my children’s care and college? No. Are you going to be there for me when the struggles and difficulties come along? No.

I think it’s time society’s stigmas are broken and people can finally live their lives free as they please. I’m happily embracing where I am in life and know everything will happen when its supposed to happen. I will not be pressured into making mistakes or settling for less. No one should! I have so many goals and so much to look forward too.

When your an independent woman with many goals its hard to find a man who is secure and strong enough to be with an empowered woman. I’m not interested in momentary relationships. I want a life partner. The man who will part of my life should be someone supportive, driven, honorable, hard-working, good-hearted, compassionate, has integrity and is protective. We’d be a power couple supporting each other and growing together. He’ll be someone who will compliment me not use me or drag me down. I’ve already been in relationships where I’m treated as a competition or I’m fully used so they can accomplish success while I’m not supported. I’ve seen it all and I’m in no rush. I’m patiently praying and manifesting because I know God has the right man for me somewhere out there. 

Now enough of that rant let’s talk about fashion. I’ve been obsessively wearing minimal looks with natural tones. It’s not that I’ve been lazy to put outfits together, neutral minimal looks just seem so chic and elegant. The important element is adding staple accessories like belts and cute bags. For my look I combined a white bodysuit with high waisted skinny jeans, nude heels and for a pop of glamour a chain belt and beautiful camel toned satchel bag.

By the way I’ve seen rumors that the cancel culture wants to eliminate high waisted skinny jeans. I just want to say that I won’t give in. I love my high waisted skinny jeans. Can’t y’all just let people wear what they want to wear. Simply just let people live in peace!

Be You, Be Lovely

Charlene Gonzalez

Photos by: Nomar Rodriguez

Loving Myself / Amándome

February, the month that celebrates love and friendship. Though I’m single this past Valentines was one of the 1st I didn’t feel upset about it. On the contrary, it was the best Valentines of my life. I’m happier than ever feeling complete as a woman and completely content with my own company. When you are full of self- love and value yourself that’s one of its greatest benefits.

Febrero, mes que celebra el amor y la amistad. Aunque estoy soltera, este San Valentín pasado fue uno de los primeros, no me sentí triste por eso. Al contrario, fue el mejor San Valentín de mi vida. Estoy más feliz que nunca sintiéndome completa como mujer y completamente contenta con mi propia compañía. Cuando estás llena de amor propio y te valoras a ti misma, ese es uno de sus mayores beneficios.

I’m focused on myself, not in being in a relationship because society dictates it. I will not be pushed into settling for less. Yes, I want to get married and have children one day but there’s no rush. When God sends the right man, he is more than welcome into my life. Someone who adds to the happiness I already have. If any man wants to take any of that away I’d prefer to be single. My desire is to be in a relationship full of passion, love, loyalty and support. A true relationship where I feel secure and I can be authentically me. Ladies, don’t ever settle for less and rush into relationships with anyone because of the fear of being alone. I’ve been there and it only leads to heartbreak. I’ve made that mistake before and though I learned something from my past relationships they weren’t the right one for me. It is a proven fact that when the right person comes along, you’ll know and there won’t be a single doubt in your mind. Meanwhile I continue to enjoy life and focus on loving myself.

Estoy concentrada en mí misma, no en estar en una relación porque la sociedad lo dicta. No seré empujada a conformarme con menos. Sí, quiero casarme y tener hijos algún día, pero no tengo prisa. Cuando Dios envíe al hombre adecuado, es más que bienvenido en mi vida. Alguien que se suma a la felicidad que ya tengo no que me reste. Para eso preferiría estar soltera. Mi deseo es estar en una relación llena de pasión, amor, lealtad y apoyo. Una verdadera relación en la que me sienta segura y pueda ser auténticamente yo. Chicas, nunca se conformen con menos o se apresuren a entablar relaciones con alguien por temor a estar solas. He estado ahí y solo me llevo a desilusiones. Cometí ese error antes y, aunque aprendí algo de mis relaciones pasadas, no eran las adecuadas para mí. Es un hecho comprobado que cuando llegue la persona correcta, usted lo sabrá y no habrá una sola duda en su mente. Mientras tanto, sigo disfrutando de la vida y enfocada en amarme a mí misma. 

Now onto a more important topic. In case you did not know, I’m obsessed with organizing and decluttering. During a recent closet declutter I found this cute pale pink suede jumpsuit I hadn’t worn in years. The last time I wore it was for a brand event in February 2017 and its one of my favorite pieces. I’ve officially made it a rule to use clothes I haven’t worn in a while. Instead of checking my closet I assume I have nothing to wear and buy new things, accumulating more clothes. Does this happen to you as well?

Pasemos ahora a un tema más importante. En caso de que no lo supieras, estoy obsesionada con organizar y resaca. Durante una limpieza reciente del armario, encontré este lindo “jumpsuit” rosa pálido que no me había puesto en años. La última vez que lo usé fue para un evento de marca en febrero de 2017 y es una de mis piezas favoritas. He establecido oficialmente como regla el uso de ropa que no he usado en un tiempo. En lugar de revisar mi armario, asumo que no tengo nada que ponerme y compro cosas nuevas, acumulando más ropa. ¿Esto también te pasa a ti?

Be you, Be Lovely
Charlene Gonzalez

Photos by: Nomar Rodríguez

Life Update: Anxiety, Social Media and More

Hello my loves! I hope everyone’s doing great. ¡Hola mis amores! Espero que a todos estén bien.

I wanted to give you a life update of everything that has been going on, promise not to bore you. So, this year, I’m going to get a little more personal with my blog posts because I’ve been through a lot of life experiences, I know will help you all. Now onto that; no one’s perfect. We all have personal situations and battles we face every day. Though everyday may not be 100% perfect each day contains its share of blessings.

Quería darles una actualización de mi vida sobre todo lo que ha estado sucediendo, prometo no aburrirlos. Este año, voy a ser un poco más personal con las publicaciones de mi blog porque he pasado por muchas experiencias de vida, sé que los ayudará a todos. Ahora en eso; nadie es perfecto. Todos tenemos situaciones personales y batallas que enfrentamos todos los días. Aunque todos los días no son 100% perfectos, cada día contiene bendiciones.

One of my main goals this year is to put myself first and practice more self-love. I’m focused on working harder towards my dreams, making the most of every moment, taking more risks and fully taking care of myself mentally and physically. For my mental health I’ll be spending less time on social media. Now this can be hard as I am a blogger, content creator, influencer and social media strategist. It’s basically my job to be online but I had to put a control on timing. That doesn’t mean I won’t be posting my usual content, not at all. I simply won’t be spending as much time consuming social media. All the data we consume on social media can be overwhelming, stressful and produces lots of anxiety. I’m focused on creating and posting the content I need to share and quickly exiting the platform for my own personal health.

Uno de mis principales objetivos este año es ponerme en primer lugar y practicar más el amor propio. Estoy enfocada en trabajar más duro para lograr mis sueños, aprovechar al máximo cada momento, tomar más riesgos y cuidarme por completo mental y físicamente. Por mi salud mental, pasaré menos tiempo en las redes sociales. Ahora bien, esto puede ser difícil ya que soy bloguero, creadora de contenido, “influencer” y estratega de redes sociales. Básicamente, mi trabajo es estar en línea, pero tuve que poner un control de tiempo. Eso no significa que no voy a publicar mi contenido habitual, en absoluto. Simplemente no gastaré tanto tiempo consumiendo las redes sociales. Todos los datos que consumimos en las redes sociales pueden ser abrumadores, estresantes y producen mucha ansiedad. Estoy enfocada en crear y publicar el contenido que necesito compartir y salir rápidamente de la plataforma por mi propia salud personal.

Like many, I suffer from anxiety. My last panic attack was during the beginning of the pandemic. I’m not going to describe my anxiety nor complain about it because I consider myself a very strong woman but I will share how I conquer it. I don’t take any medications for it, but I have changed a lot in my lifestyle to better my condition from taking omega 3 capsules, exercising more, practicing more positivity and affirmations, relaxation techniques and limiting my caffeine intake. Yes, I love coffee. I’ll admit that excluding it from my life has been hard but my extreme addiction to coffee was making my anxiety worse and giving me heart palpitations. So, I replaced my coffee with iced matcha latte and I have to say it’s made a big difference in my health. Matcha has many benefits like boosting energy and brain function, it’s a stress reliever, prevents cancer, helps lose weight and is great for anti-aging. Yes, the perks of drinking matcha are life changing and those are just a few. Since its flavor is a bit earthy, I like to combine mine with soy milk and vanilla. If your also looking for something to help your stress and anxiety I recommend you try matcha.

Como muchos, sufro de ansiedad. Mi último ataque de pánico fue durante el comienzo de la pandemia. No voy a describir mi ansiedad ni a quejarme porque me considero una mujer muy fuerte pero compartiré como la supero. No tomo ningún medicamento para eso, pero he cambiado mucho en mi estilo de vida para mejorar mi condición, desde tomar cápsulas de omega 3, hacer más ejercicio, practicar más positividad y afirmaciones, técnicas de relajación y limitar mi consumo de cafeína. Sí, me encanta el café. Debo admitir que excluirlo de mi vida ha sido difícil, pero mi extrema adicción al café empeoraba mi ansiedad y me producía palpitaciones. Entonces, reemplacé mi café con matcha latte y debo decir que ha marcado una gran diferencia en mi salud. Matcha tiene muchos beneficios como aumentar la energía y la función cerebral, es un calmante para el estrés, previene el cáncer, ayuda a perder peso y es excelente para combatir el envejecimiento. Sí, las ventajas de beber matcha cambian la vida y esas son solo algunas. Como su sabor es un poco fuerte, me gusta combinar el mío con leche de soya y vainilla. Si también estás buscando algo que te ayude con el estrés y la ansiedad, te recomiendo que pruebes el matcha.

Onto another update, if you follow me on Instagram you already know I started taking boxing classes. It’s always been a goal of mine to learn. It’s a great sport for reducing stress, self- defense, improving your focus, better endurance, it’s a confidence builder and it totally makes me feel bad ass. Building my self-defense skills has been something that peeked my attention for a while. I’m an independent and busy woman. Unfortunately, in Puerto Rico there has been a rise in robbery and abductions so learning to protect yourself is a must. I wanted to learn real skills because let’s face it carrying pepper spray on my keys isn’t enough.

En otra actualización, si me siguen en Instagram ya saben que comencé a tomar clases de boxeo. Siempre ha sido una de mis metas aprender. Es un gran deporte para reducir el estrés, la autodefensa, mejorar la concentración, mejorar la resistencia, genera confianza y me hace sentir “bad ass”. Desarrollar mis habilidades de autodefensa ha sido algo que me llamó la atención por un tiempo. Soy una mujer independiente y ocupada. Desafortunadamente, en Puerto Rico ha habido un aumento en robos y secuestros, por lo que aprender a protegerse es imprescindible. Quería aprender habilidades reales porque seamos sinceros, llevar spray de pimienta en las llaves no es suficiente.

Moving onto other gossip I fully binge watched Cobra Kai on Netflix. During my adolescent years I was a huge fan of Karate Kid and the original Cobra Kai. The series is really good, can’t wait for season 4.  I have also been obsessed with WandaVision on Disney+. At first I wasn’t to wowed with the show but then it got better. The fifth episode left me speechless. The only problem is that Disney launching an episode a week. Fun fact I use to collect comic books as a kid. It’s funny how I love fashion but I’m also a huge fan of superheroes any action movies or series.  Though you’ll never catch watching anything that’s thriller or horror. Nope that’s not for me, they fully terrify me.

En otro chisme, ya vi Cobra Kai en Netflix. Durante mi adolescencia fui un gran admirador de Karate Kid y el Cobra Kai original. La serie esta bien  buena, estoy ansiosa de ver la cuarta temporada.  También he estado obsesionado con WandaVision en Disney +.  Al principio no me cautivó, pero luego mejoró. El quinto episodio me dejó sin palabras. El único problema es que Disney lanza un episodio a la semana. Dato curioso yo coleccionaba comics de nena. Es chistoso como amo la moda pero también soy fan de los superhéroes y toda película o serie de acción. Jamás me verás  ver algo de terror y miedo. No esas tramas no son para mi, me dan pánico.

Before finishing this life update post I wanted to discuss my fashion look in the photos. I’ve been obsessed with bodysuits, jeans and basic natural colors. This 2021 you’re going to see a lot of white, beige, black, grey and brown in my style. Bodysuits are a girls best friend. They are versatile, hug your body like a glove and have a flattering fit. I own different styles but this white sweater thong bodysuit is my recent fav. It combines the characteristics I loo for in my fashion pieces feminine, sexy, classy and chic.

Antes de terminar esta publicación, quería hablar sobre mi look de moda en las fotos. Estoy obsesionada con los bodys, los jeans y los colores neutrales e básicos. Este 2021 verán mucho blanco, beige, negro, gris y marrón en mi estilo. Los bodysuits son la mejor amiga de las chicas. Son versátiles, abrazan tu cuerpo como un guante y tienen un ajuste favorecedor. Tengo diferentes estilos, pero este body de tanga de suéter blanco es mi favorito. Combina las características que busco en mis piezas de moda femeninas, sexys, con clase y chic.

Finishing up, there’s a lot of great things coming up. I’m super excited, so stay tuned for my blog post and social media platforms.

Para terminar, se avecinan muchas cosas buenas. Estoy muy emocionado, así que estén atentos a la publicación de mi blog y las plataformas de redes sociales.

Be You, Be Lovely
Charlene Gonzalez

Photos by: Nomar Rodriguez