A Love Letter to My Champagne Sisters

I am no stranger to public scrutiny. From the moment I got my first piece of press for this blog, the claws came out and people passed judgement and made snide comments, as they so often do when someone puts their work on display. 

The negative press was solicited by incorrect facts, suggesting that I was a writer who promoted drinking champagne as a quick way to drop pounds (which is hilarious and disturbing all at the same time). Sure, I talk all the time about champagne being a lower calorie drink, and it is, but there is so much more to my brand. But, people take things and run with them, and I am truly grateful for any and all press, because it brings attention to what I'm doing, and hopefully from that, someone can take the time to better understand it.

But clearly nobody posting cruel comments on websites where my brand may have been misrepresented took the time to visit my blog, find out what I am all about, and draw their own conclusions. Instead, they took a few sentences and ran with it, and ripped me to shreds.

On the other hand, I have received a lot of great press from thoughtful journalists who did take the time to interview me and write really great pieces that embodied exactly what The Champagne Diet and my blog, The Champagne Diaries, is all about - which is enjoying a glass of champagne, celebrating life, and lifting each other up.

But in a recent xoJane.com piece that I wrote myself, I seem to have caused the commotion with my very own words. In an attempt to bring my message to a new audience and continue to empower women, three sentences used to illustrate a point have caused a riot that would give the high school me nightmares. Pointed, nasty comments, riddled with judgement and bullying messages about my credibility as a human being, wife and writer plagued the comments section within hours of the post going up. Even after countless attempts to try to shed some light on what everyone seemed to be so hung up on, these women were just not getting it (which makes me even more convinced that some people are just on a mission).

Here's where it would be handy to have a publicist. Because she'd shut me the fuck up.

But I'll keep talking, because I stand strong in my words and I am damn proud of that essay no matter what anonymous commenters choose to read into. And this is my blog.

What did truly tug on my heartstrings was the outpouring of amazing and supportive women who loved the piece and rallied behind me to show their love. From friends, to random people on the internet, to my Champagne Diet girls, I was flooded with messages, tweets, comments and texts about how much they loved my story (and how horrified and confused they were by the wretched comments that followed).

It made me think about how lucky I am to be blessed with this network of women in my life. A true sisterhood, through and through, ready to kick virtual ass whenever needed, who wholeheartedly understand me and what I'm putting out there. The women I have met through this blog continue to surprise, inspire, delight, and crack me the hell up. I've had the pleasure of meeting some of them in real life, and some have become my dear friends through our emails, phone calls, skype dates and other forms of communication until we can all clink glasses together.

And my girlfriends who are always there for me, no matter how different our lives may be, or how far apart we may live, blow my mind constantly. Our friendships have evolved into a sisterhood that knows no limits. They are there for me without hesitation, without judgement, and I know I can depend on them for anything. Even (privately) calling strangers twats.

So from the whirlwind of negativity that has swept through my world comes a reminder of the love I'm surrounded by. To those who are a part of this crazy little sparkling paradise, thank you. Thank you for living, laughing, loving and toasting with me. You inspire me every single day.

Now let's go pour a fucking glass and continue to set this world on fire!

xoxo

Cara