Thelma Ekezie is a Registered Nurse based in Houston, Texas who dedicates her time outside work to other women by composing heartfelt blog posts on withlovethelms.com with the aim of inspiring creativity and discussing lifestyle issues that women share to bolster their self confidence.
Thelma is devoted to each of her passions and embodies a feminine fashion style complemented with minimalism and comfiness as a priority.
Thelma's dedication to helping people and connecting with a larger community of women enables her social media presence to flourish with creative multimedia content from reels, to IGTV videos, fashion inspo, and motivational quotes.
Check out the welcoming community she has built on Instagram @withlovethelms and her new platform for people with a passion for nursing and developing their professional life @nursethelms.
Thelma shares the inspiration behind her professional journey and creative career and discusses tips for nurses, bloggers, and fashion-forward women and content creators.
WBI: Tell us about your blog, withlovethelms.com
Thelma: Withlovethelms was created about six years ago. The basis behind my website is to reach out to the millennial girl who loves fashion, clothing, beauty, makeup, everything that comes with being a millennial.
But at the same token, I also wanted to get into the real things that I experienced on a day to day basis, and the things that I've seen my friends experience. And in such a way, reach out to other people who may be experiencing mental health issues, boyfriend issues and significant other problems, and create a platform to make others understand that I'm just like you. I experience things the same way you experience things, and I know other people who experience things just like yourself.
WBI: Where do you draw inspiration from for your blog posts?
Thelma: I watched this video a couple years ago and they were talking about finding a champion, finding someone that inspires you and makes whatever you are wanting to pursuit attainable and something that you can actually grasp. Finding a champion doesn't mean copying this person, but it means drawing inspiration from them.
One of my champions is Marianna Hewitt, she is [one of the] bloggers who created the skin care line, Summer Fridays. Even before I had a blog, I loved her content, her values and her consistency. As a viewer, watching her mold herself into what she is now inspired me.
I draw inspiration from people like her based off of how she orchestrates her content and I personalize it to me and my circumstance. That's why I say there's a difference between copying someone and having someone as a champion, because no two people are alike.
I also draw inspiration from things that I may be personally going through. Things that I feel need to be talked about or are not shared often enough. Or, I may have seen conversations through TV shows or documentaries that I see or conversations that I have with my friends.
WBI: How are you able to balance being a Registered Nurse, blogger and content creator?
Having a checklist, making plans and seeing things through.
Thelma: I am a very checklist oriented person, I've always been that way, and I like to find a balance in things. With being a registered nurse, there are days that I have a lot to do when I go to work. But as far as my blog and my website go, I make plans and I write lists, then I figure out different content to create and different things to talk about that would be appealing to my readers and that are appealing to me as well. Having a checklist, making plans and seeing things through.
With anything in life, when you're trying to produce more than one thing, it takes a level of accountability, holding your feet to the fire and having organization and some sort of planning in order to merge the two successfully without neglecting one thing. And that's something I'm still learning.
WBI: How would you describe your fashion style?
My fashion style is three words: feminine, minimalistic and comfortable.
Thelma: My fashion style is three words: feminine, minimalistic and comfortable.
I like to wear things that make me feel feminine and confident and help me embody everything that I feel that it is to be a woman.
As far as minimalism, I don't like a lot. I'm not someone who's really into the whoops and hollers and loud stuff. I like simplicity. Sometimes when we don't think too hard about an outfit, that's when you find you look the best.
Comfortable, I don't like clothes that are too tight, I don't like clothes that don't fit.
WBI: Are there any places that the girls should absolutely shop for summer fits this year?
Thelma: I love Pretty Little Thing. With PLT, you have to be mindful what it is that you're looking for because they are a fast fashion brand. You have to be mindful of quality and sizing, but they have amazing clothes.
I'm obsessed with Zara. Go to Zara if you want quality clothing, though it's a little bit more expensive.
I love ASOS, they have quality clothing and things that are appropriate and versatile.
WBI: Any advise for people interested in nursing, blogging and fashion?
Nursing is not a job for the weak and weary ... You have to have a real passion for helping others and being a source of refuge for them
Thelma: For nursing, make sure that you're passionate about it. Nursing is not a job for the weak and weary, because there is so much that goes into being a nurse. You're dealing with people who are hurting, who are in pain, who, at times are at their worst. You have to have a real passion for helping others and being a source of refuge for them in so many ways. And if you don't like the idea of doing so, and you're not a selfless person, and you're not someone who can empathize with people, then it's not the career for you.
If it is your true passion, if you are in school, it may be challenging. Don't ever give up because it will be so worth it in the end. If you are done with school and you are looking for a job, show that you are passionate about working with others and helping other people who may be at their worst and let that passion shine through to whoever the employer is that you're hoping to get employed with.
If you're already in school, don't give up. Don't feel defeated if you may not be catching on to some of the material easily. Instead, seek out additional resources in order to find your way.
I've gotten so many questions about nursing and I'm creating another Instagram page that I will be posting content specifically for people who are interested in nursing or finding the professional in themselves (@nursethelms).
As far as blogging goes, what has proven successful is consistency and passion
As far as blogging goes, for me, what has proven successful is consistency and passion behind it and actually having the desire to communicate with people and wanting to help people. I'm not consistent all the time, but it's something you have to be honest with yourself about. Some days you'll be consistent and other days you need to take a little break just for yourself.
As far as fashion goes, I don't think anyone needs help with fashion, I think people just need to find their inner fashionista. You've got to figure out what makes you feel confident when you put certain clothing on. What causes a flutter in you? My platform is to help you find the fashionista in you.
WBI: What do you see in the future of withlovethelms.com?
To ultimately make every woman feel confident in themselves and who they are
Thelma: I believe it is going to be bright. Ultimately, I just want to reach so many different women and speak to the things that are important to me. Maintenance of the mind, having inner confidence, self love, being aware of who you are and be accepting with that.
As far as her website goes, another champion of mine is Kourtney Kardashian. I love her blog, poosh.com and everything that it stands for. Poosh.com is what I hope withlovethelms to be, but on a grander scale, because it reaches out to so many different people. I ultimately hope to continue being the sole writer because it's from my personal experience.
I love talking to people about my life experiences and that of other people's and in doing so, sharing my fashion and hoping to ultimately make every woman feel confident in themselves and who they are and what they represent and not backing down or putting themselves aside and the things that they require to be happy for another person.
If talking about mental health and speaking about God's love, His word and discussing fashion, being a nurse and the things that I experience and the things that my friends and those that I know and love experience, helps a single woman, then I believe that I've done my job.
WBI: I look forward to seeing what withlovethelms evolves into, and I wish you all the best on your journey. Thank you so much!