If you’ve been around this summer, then you know about the popular phrase “hot girl summer”. For some this phrase is negative and insinuates that a “hot girl summer” is a summer where women are degrading themselves or just focused solely on partying. For others this phrase brings a sense of joy, freedom, and empowerment. Popular rap artist, Megan Thee Stallion, coined the phrase “hot girl summer” and states: “being a Hot Girl is about being unapologetically YOU, having fun, being confident, living YOUR truth, being the life of the party, etc”.
For me personally, I love the phrase hot girl summer and I love how it encourages ALL women to live for themselves unashamed and in a way that works for them. Too often we allow society, friends, lovers, and family write our narrative for us. We allow people to tell us what we should and shouldn’t do, how we should and shouldn’t dress, and ultimately how we should be living our day to day lives. However, a hot girl takes control of her narrative. A hot girl is ambitious, she’s traveling, she’s learning, she’s growing, and she is turning up whenever she feels like it; whether her turn up includes sitting at home reading a good book or going out on the town to drop down and get her eagle on!
Now I could go into people’s negative perception of this phrase, but why give attention to people who are set in their ways and ultimately want to keep women in a box. And we all know hot girls can’t be kept in a box!
Let’s talk about my hot girl summer! HONEY LISTEN WHEN I SAY I’VE BEEN DEALING WITH SOME THIIIINGS THIS SUMMER. And if I can be real, some of it is a result of my own actions, some of it is beyond my control, and some of it is due to unfortunate & unforeseen events that was present before summer even arrived. However, what makes me a hot girl this summer is my refusal to sit and dwell in discontent. I have good days and I have days that are not so good, nevertheless my desire is to keep pushing forward.
Here’s what my hot summer consisted of that wasn’t so hot:
Tears
Disappointments
Confusion
Bad behavior (real bad behavior)
& Isolation
For me being a hot girl also includes being responsible, accountable, and being real with myself first. There is no way for me to have a true hot girl summer without acknowledging the things that are not so hot. But there’s always a bright side somewhere, right?
Here’s what my hot girl summer consisted of that brought the heat:
Going to therapy to unpack all my baggage (and we still unpacking honey)
Traveling and exploring places I’ve never been
Celebrating my friends and their accomplishments
Getting rid of fruitless relationships and making space for fruitful ones
Refilling my cup by listening to inspirational podcasts, sermons, and reading empowerment books
Listening to my Glow Up Sis playlist and vibing out to Lizzo every chance that I get
Having fun when I’m feeling up to it, but at the same time honoring my body by getting the rest that I need
Taking the right steps to refocus
& Most importantly, rebuilding my relationship and foundation with God
Even while writing this blog post, I realized how the good truly outweighs the bad. Sis, not matter where you are in life give yourself space, kindness, and grace to live for you without regrets. Do not let anyone define for you who you are and what a being a hot girl looks like for you. But most importantly, do not allow anyone to shame you for claiming a hot girl summer for yourself. As hot girl summer comes to an end that doesn’t mean your hot girl season is over. Keep doing you, living for you, making mistakes, learning, growing, and glowing. My prayers are with you sis, always and forever!
With love,
Courtney Arlesia