All Posts By Charlene Gonzalez

Hello 2023

What a rollercoaster these last 365 days have been. 2022 has been a life-changing transitional year full of many surprises, plot twists, closed doors, new opportunities and so much more. No matter what has happened this year I am grateful God has given me victory over everything. This year has been one where I found a lot of peace and happiness. Trusting God has been essential.

As 2022 ends, we’re called to reflect and set intentions for the new chapter ahead. The arrival of another year provides an opportunity to reinvent ourselves and reevaluate the ways in which we move through the world. Take the time to consider what you want to release in 2022 and what you want to bring into 2023. If you believe in “New Year, New Me”, this is the time to analyze who you are now and who you want to be in this new year. Set your desires and intentions to be the protagonist for the rest of the year.

Most importantly for this new year, trust God and make him the center of everything you do! Make working on your mindset a priority as well. Always remember that life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react. If you change your mindset, you change your life.  Set negativity aside and focus on positivity. Changing your mindset is life-changing and it’s attached to your journey of becoming a better version of you. Remember that you are powerful and can accomplish any goal if you work hard.

My life goal has always been to live with purpose and intention, so I plan to continue working toward that goal this new year.

These are a few of my personal intentions for 2023:

Have a more intimate relationship with God

To be a better version of me

Lead with love

Do more of the things I love

Experience more peace and happiness

Continue living with purpose

Embrace change in all forms

Be present in the moment

Invite joy into everyday life

Stay focused and work even harder for my career & business goals

Be open to new opportunities and possibilities

Make those around me smile

Focus on wellness caring for my body with healthy choices

Whatever your personal intentions and goals may be for this new year I claim that 2023 will be a year full of blessings, amazing opportunities, where all your goals are accomplished.

Be Lovely, Be You

Charlene Gonzalez

Christmas Reflection

Christmas is the perfect time for reflection. This season has had me thinking so much about what I truly wanted. None of my desires were surrounded around material things; I could care less about fancy expensive gifts. Only God knows my desires and only he can provide them. My life is completely different in this chapter of my life. This is officially my second Christmas in New York and though it has not been easy, its been one full of happiness, peace, and healing. This past year I’ve confronted difficulties where only the strength of God pulled me through. Facing the reality of my mother’s sickness has been hard, within those circumstances difficult decisions had to be made. Family is everything to me and one of my biggest desires was to have a better relationship with mine. That has been something God has gifted me with this Christmas; to me that’s the most precious gift of all.

A funny highlight of this season: When you think you have control of your life and future but then you’re faced with an epic plot twist. That plot twist and surprising shocker was losing my social media platforms. Other than having lost over 10 years of content it was one of my main sources of income.  Though it was something difficult I found peace through the situation and know greater and better things are coming.

Within the past years I’ve been caught up in the busyness of Christmas giving priority to other things like gifts or influencer parties but this year I made it may goal to focus on the real reason for the season, Jesus.

The holiday season is not easy for many. Today more than ever I want to send my love to all who are depressed or feeling lonely, battling through any illness, to those missing a loved one or to anyone who’s lacking Christmas spirit.

The birth of Jesus is an occasion to remind us about God’s redemptive plan. We can find comfort that God, who has the power to create from nothing and has the power to bring about a miraculous birth in Mary can also do miraculous things in our lives

On this special holiday when we celebrate the birth of Jesus know that you are greatly loved and very special. No matter what you are facing God will give you the strength and help you through. I pray the love of Jesus which is the most perfect gift fills you with peace and happiness. Merry Christmas! 

Be Lovely, Be You

Charlene Gonzalez

Chapter 37 Of My Life

I’m officially at chapter 37 of my life. This past year has been one of the most challenging years of my life but at the same time it is when I’ve felt most blessed and happy. Let me add that I’m especially thankful that through these 37 years of life I’ve only found 2 grey hairs and I look like a 25-year-old…. I have lucky genes.

If I could put a title to this year, it would be “The Year of Transitions and New Beginnings.” This past year I risked it all leaving my life in Puerto Rico behind and moving to New York. It’s a decision I don’t regret because I’ve grown and progressed in so many areas of my life. Within my family the challenges were great from even having to confront my mother’s difficult health situation.  My mother’s physical and mental health has been in very bad condition and a very difficult decision was made for her own well-belling. Another struggle faced this year was having my instagram, facebook and even whatsapp hacked and disabled which led me to lose years of hard work, tons of content, past and even current brand sponsorships. If I’m honest, I know there is a bigger purpose in what happened and something better is coming. Starting over doesn’t scare me. As I mentioned before, social media doesn’t define me or my accomplishments. I know my value and nothing will break me down. In life you must accept what is and let go of what you can’t control.

As you gain experience and wisdom you see things differently. I used to compare my life to others and frustrate myself because I wasn’t where I wanted to be in life. Letting go of that way of thinking helped me grow and appreciate the moment I was living in my life. Everyone’s timeline is different, unique, and special. I am embracing and loving where I am in life.

I’ve experienced so many things in life and have accomplished goals I never imagined possible. With my long list of goals, I know there is much more to accomplish. There are a few tips I want to share to give others some of the wisdom I’ve gained.  

First of all, don’t ever settle! No matter what the world thinks or says don’t ever settle for anything less than what you deserve. Don’t settle for a guy, don’t settle for a job, don’t settle for anything.

Don’t be afraid and take risks! Holding onto fear is a waste of time. Go after what you want, even if you fail, it’s ok and just try again.

Step out of your comfort zone! There is nothing I hate more than a comfort zone. There are so many amazing things waiting for you outside of that zone you are so afraid to come out of. Be brave and experience Life!

No matter where you are in life or your age you can reinvent yourself. The world is full of endless opportunities and possibilities. Just because it has taken you longer or because something hasn’t happened to you yet, it doesn’t mean that it won’t. Don’t give up.

Remember that you are special, you are amazing, you are loved and you have an amazing purpose in life.

Thank you all for being part of my life and journey. I’m very excited and looking forward to this next year of life. There is so much more for me to experience. I will continue my mission to inspire and empower.

Be Lovely, Be You

Charlene Gonzalez

The Rumors Are True

The rumors are true, I recently lost my Instagram account. Yes, I was upset because I’ve put so much work and effort into that account especially when it displayed my trajectory as an influencer and content creator for over 10 years displaying projects, sponsorships with over 100 brands and more but I won’t let it frustrate me.  Is it unfair? of course, but I can’t focus or cry over what was lost. Instagram doesn’t define me nor my accomplishments. There’s no other option but to continue. I’m not starting from zero but rebuilding on sturdier ground.  I must live what I’ve always preached about not trusting social media or maintaining it as your focus whether you’re an influencer, entrepreneur, or business owner. Your business can access funds more quickly by using merchant services, improving cash flow and financial management. Trust the reliability and security of the Top 20 Merchant Services for small business in processing transactions.

This experience of losing my main accounts is a living testimony as to why I believe in having a landing page (webpage) and not depending on social media. As a blogger and influencer for over ten years it feels a bit frustrating, but I feel confident all will be ok. I have faith my new Instagram platform will grow and be more successful than the old account. Nothing can take away my accomplishments, experience, and knowledge.

I want to thank everyone who’s been reaching out because they are genuinely worried, but I promise I am ok. I’ve been through many difficult situations in life and losing my social media accounts is something simple I will overcome. Though it was a source of income for me I believe better things are coming. As long as I have God, health and a supportive community by my side it’ll all be good….even better than before. I know my life has a great purpose to do good and be light in this world. Nothing will stop me from spreading love, inspiration, and empowerment!

Here’s to new beginnings and embracing new changes because everything happens for your own good.

I’m embracing this new journey with a peaceful and grateful heart! Follow my new Instagram account charlene_lovelychicas

Be Lovely, Be You

Charlene Gonzalez

Life Update: Transition, K-Dramas & Secret Project

So, here’s another life update. I enjoy sharing these life update posts. I have always been outspoken about being real, authentic, and honest so, creating this special content allows me to share more about the blogger behind the screen. Superficiality is something I have always condemned and though I share many fashion and beauty tips, celebrating self-love and empowerment have always been my main priorities. Though it may be difficult I also like being vulnerable by sharing my own struggles, experiences, and stories.  

That being said, within a few weeks it will be my 37th birthday and the 1 full year of having moved back to New York. Those two factors have truly had me deep inside my feelings. I won’t deny that I’ve cried a lot. Being back in New York has brought me so much peace and happiness though it hasn’t been an easy process. Let’s be real, nothing really is, especially when you leave the life you built in another place to start over somewhere else. It’s a slow transitional process but it has been a great one.

Moving back to New York I decided to start over and it is what I’ve done and really needed. In a previous post I had mentioned that this past year my family and I had been facing a very difficult situation. That situation truly broke me down and I was losing myself in overwhelming stress, anxiety, and depression. Life started to get blurry and I needed to find myself. Being in New York I was able to reconnect with myself again but above all I found peace.

A friend of mine recently told me, “I can’t believe you literally left your life in Puerto Rico behind; you were a famous blogger over there, with many brand deals and contracts.” Though that may be true I’d make the same decision again in a heartbeat. My life needed a change from that chaos it was in, and I know that God has so many greater things in store for me here in New York. If I’m even more honest Puerto Rico was a very difficult place to find progress though I have had success and great opportunities there. Having been born and raised in New York I could never truly adapt to the lifestyle in Puerto Rico. Let’s be real, life is kind of chaotic over there with the corrupted government, minimal opportunities, constant electrical outages, hurricane threats ( I still have major PTSD because of hurricane Maria). If there is one thing about me is that I’m not a conformist, I have big goals and I wanted to strive for more. I’m very focused on growing my business and I knew I had to spread my wings and come back to my hometown in NY.

Whew……., that was a lot. Now on to another topic, so being in New York I began to get obsessed with K-dramas. It’s literally all I watch. I currently finished Navillera, 20th Century Girl, Move To Heaven and I’m rewatching Start Up. I highly recommend them. A non K-Drama series that’s a must see is “From Scratch”…..now this series had me crying in every episode.

The fall weather this season has been amazing. In New York we’ve been enjoying upper 60-degree weather which has allowed me to wear a lot of cute outfits. I was literally packing away my summer clothes, but this weather has let me continue to wear short denim skirts. I’ll be enjoying this weather to the maximum because I am not a fan of the cold winter.

Can’t forget to mention I’m working on a secret project which I’m taking my time on. I hope to share it soon but I want to put my entire dedication on it and make it very special so I’m flowing with inspiration and creativity. It will be worth the wait, I promise.

I’m going to end this post here. I’m looking forward to sharing more updates with you all.

Be Lovely, Be You

Charlene Gonzalez

Pumpkin Patch Fun

Autumn is my favorite season for so many reasons including fashion, pumpkin spice, chilly weather, and the beautiful changing colors of the leaves. It was something I truly missed having lived in Puerto Rico the past 16 years where summer weather thrived all year long. One of my favorite parts of this season is the celebration of gratitude, though it is something that should be done every day. No matter the difficult circumstances we face in life we have a lot to be thankful for. Just waking up every morning is a blessing that should never be taken for granted.

As I continue to embark on my new life back in New York I’m incorporating new traditions. This being my first fall season in NY in a while I created a special fall bucket list. Something I’ve been wanting to do for a very long time is apple picking and visiting a pumpkin patch.

So, I recently visited Apple Ridge Orchards in Warwick, New York; it has the most magical, picture -perfect scenic views. Exploring this orchard was such a dreamy experience by simply walking through the rows of pumpkins, picking apples and taking in all the sights, sounds and tastes.

I truly had a memorable day with friends. Yes, I’m a 36-year-old who enjoys apple picking and pumpkin patches. This will be a new tradition I’ll celebrate every year.

What special traditions do you celebrate during this fall season?

Be Lovely, Be You

Charlene Gonzalez