I Started Romanticizing My Evenings—Here’s How It Changed Everything
Rethinking the hours that help you truly unwind.
Wellness
Wellness is more than just healthy habits—it’s about intentionality in all aspects of life. Here, you’ll find inspiration for nourishing routines, meaningful relationships, and authentic self-expression. Our goal is empowering you to feel aligned, energized, and fully present.
5 Signs of Perimenopause You Might Be Ignoring
Your hormone survival kit is here.
Intermittent Fasting for Women—How Your Hormones Really Respond
When it comes to fasting, women need a different playbook.
The Mood Boosting Diet: Here’s Your Feel-Good Grocery List
A science-backed stock up.
Editor's Picks
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How to Host a Vision Board Party: Your Most Intentional Night In
Not your average craft night.
When the Wellness Routine Becomes the Problem
Discipline—or obsession?
Feeling Scattered? This 10-Minute Practice Will Bring You Back to Yourself
How this simple AM ritual became my favorite way to reset.
These 7 Books Will Make You Fall in Love With Reading Again
If you’re in a reading slump, these page-turners will pull you right in.
How I Finally Stopped Measuring Myself Against Everyone Else
Simple shifts that bring real peace.
In Defense of Wanting More: Why I’m Embracing My High-Maintenance Era
Less compromise, more alignment.
How to Create a Vision Board: Ideas, Inspiration, and My Personal Process
The step-by-step guide I live by.
I’m Obsessive About My Sleep—This Experience Completely Reframed My Routine
How far would you go for the best sleep of your life?
12 Inspiring Books That Are Short Enough to Read in One Sitting
Instant gratification.
22 Novels So Good You’ll Cancel Plans Just to Stay In
Consider this your long-term relationship.
The 5 Rules of Being a Feminist At Work
In sitting down to research this piece, it wasn’t lost on me that the Career Contessa office is unlike any other when it comes to advocating for women. At the moment, we’re a 100% woman team, run by a woman CEO, and writing articles and throwing events specifically to help other women. And we’re doing […]
Do You Have to Get Your Period Every Month?
featured photo via hedvig jenning Lauren Zielinski is a Certified Nurse-Midwife, and the founder of a grassroots women’s health movement called New Moon Rising Events. New Moon Rising works in cities across the US to hold free, day-long workshops that foster discussion about reproductive health, political advocacy, natural medicine options, and community connections. The age […]
The Best (and Worst) Decisions I’ve Made Running My Business
It’s hard to believe I’ve been running a business for 10 years. Some days I still feel like a total rookie (what’s a form 1099 again?), and then I have a coffee chat with a recent college grad or speak on a panel at Create & Cultivate, and realize that I’ve learned quite a bit […]
These are the Cutest Animal Accounts on Instagram
If looking at Instagram gives you the blues, I can tell you right now that you’re not following enough puppy accounts. Scrolling through my feed always gives me good vibes (and a lot of that is because I’m getting a daily dose of love via @interspeciesfriendship.) Scroll down to discover our ten favorite animal accounts, […]
The Top Money Mistakes Women Make
featured image via block print social What woman doesn’t strive for organization in her life? The truth is, we just feel better when our beds are made, our homes are tidy, our errands are run, and our relationships are happy. But we only have so much bandwidth to accomplish our goals, and it’s easy to […]
Could you be experiencing a Quarter-Life Crisis?
Forget teenage angst, goodbye dreaded 30 — the quarter-life crisis is here and it’s so, so real. Although I remember having this exact thought when I was 25, I also remember feeling alone in thinking that this feeling was just affecting me while the majority of the population had it together. But then I was […]
How a Pro Athlete Really Eats to Stay in Shape
photo from sassy kitchen As a cyclist who used to ride 50-100 miles every weekend, I know first-hand that how you fuel on and off the bike is key to performance and recovery. However, in the past year, I’ve swapped those weekend rides for lots of travel, filled with important meetings, speaking opportunities, and shorter […]
Goat Yoga Is a Thing and We Tried It
Most yoga classes start with a call to center your focus within the four corners of your mat. To let go of anything off the mat that isn’t serving you, and to turn your attention inwards. It turns out, that proves to be difficult when there’s a baby goat nibbling on your hair, and another […]
These are the 12 Most Instagrammable Spots in Austin
image by Kristen Kilpatrick Austin is without-a-doubt Instagram worthy! Wandering the city, phone in hand, snapping everything you see . . . it’s normal in these parts. No apologies necessary for shameless selfies and silly group photos, it’s expected. Austin establishments work hard to perfectly curate and style spaces and then add music and food […]
12 Must-Follow Instagram Accounts for the Empowered Woman
No need to spend time lurking your favorite accounts to find out where they get their inspiration — we already did the work for you. Comparison really is the death of joy. Mark Twain had it right, all those years ago. At Career Contessa, we think your social media feeds shouldn’t be about comparison. They should […]
4 Powerful Ways That Your Schedule Can Impact Your Skin
images by kristen kilpatrick I’m naturally a creature of habit: it makes me genuinely happy to make my go-to green smoothie for breakfast, take the same route on our family’s neighborhood walk each day, and go to bed around the same time every night. And don’t even get me started on my morning coffee and […]
Exactly How to do SXSW, from a 20 Year Vet
Editor’s Note: Andrea McAlister is an Austinite, lover of live music, and longtime friend of the blog. She dropped in to give us her best tips for surviving SXSW before hitting the streets for her twentieth year at the festival! My first SXSW was in 1998. I was lucky enough to know Brent Grulke, the […]
What To Do With Your Life in March
So long February! We’re leaving you in the dry cleaning bag (along with this year’s sweaters and coats) and not looking back. March is always an exciting time in Austin because of SXSW, when our town population actually triples for 10 days. Okay, that’s actually an unverified rumor… but I can vouch that it feels […]
4 Non-Glamorous Jobs That Can Launch Your Career
When that dream career doesn’t just fall into your lap, sometimes you need a dramatic change of pace—and perspective. Many of us have reached a moment that feels like rock-bottom when we’re jobless, broke, and not sure where to go next. It usually goes hand-in-hand with the term “post grad”—but that’s certainly not a requisite—and […]