Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Giving Thanks!

It's easy to remember to give thanks when things are going well. However, it's also important to have an attitude of gratitude even in the darkest of times. Whether your life is going extremely well or you're facing many challenges, take a moment to focus on the many people, things, and experiences that you've been blessed with through the years. Your list might include:


family and friends
just being alive
spirituality
your talents
your career
your home
your possessions
your pets
past vacations
favorite foods
nature
your physical abilities
music
art
beauty
chocolate
home movies
happy memories
great books
whatever else you can think of . . .

Sunday, November 16, 2008

The WOW Factor

Weekend Dressing - 5 Fashionable Ways to Make You Look Wow!

By Deborah E Boland

Just because you enjoy having a lazy weekend, doesn't mean you should get lazy about your style. If you're stuck in a style slump during your precious days off, then it's time for a little inspiration. Whether you wan to go out to dinner, see movie, or just hang out with friends, you deserve to look and feel fabulous, turn heads and get compliments! So here are 5 ideas for weekend dressing that are sure to make you look Wow!

1. Swap your jeans for a skirt
Yes it's the weekend, but why hide behind jeans just because they're easy and familiar? Instead try wearing something that will put a little swing into rest and relaxation time like a feminine flat yoke skirt with soft pleats. Pair your skirt with a cozy cashmere sweater to feel comfy, but still look chic. A pretty solid scarf in one of your favorite colors tied at the neck will punch up the look, or you can add some smart ballet flats by day, or sexy heels by night.

2. Be Bold in a Bright Jacket
Weekends are play time and what better way to send that message than to add a shot of color. The simplest, most up to the moment way to do that, is to wear a jacket bursting with color. This season we're seeing jackets in a deep rich rainbow of colors from burnt orange to plum, ruby red, teal blue and saffron. These emerald colors work really well with all neutrals, especially the new Grey which can be difficult and draining to wear. The key to making this look work is to buy a jacket that fits you absolutely perfectly. Fit is everything especially after 40 to help add structure to a softening body.

3. Play with Scarves
Wait, aren't scarves for old ladies? Depends on how you wear them. Scarves can be a great way to jazz up an otherwise ordinary outfit. Start with a crisp white blouse, unbutton the first few buttons and tie a long thin scarf a few times around your neck and knot it. Keep your blouse untucked and team it up with a pair of slim fit pants or jeans. Or, you can even try draping a large colorful scarf across a neutral top for a more dramatic weekend dressing look!

4. Knock'em Out in a Knit
If you don't have a knit top and matching pant or skirt in your weekend wardrobe, then fly out the door and pick one up! These outfits are casual but smart and are the perfect thing to wear shopping, to dinner or on a weekend getaway. Pair a knit skirt with opaque hose , boots or a pair of shoes with one of the new chunky heels.

5. Have Fun with Flat Boots
As the weather turns and the leaves begin to fall, flat riding boots are a great weekend dressing footwear choice. Rugged and Strong they look best paired with jeans or knit dresses plus opaque stockings. Be aware that your daughter's heavy Frye boots (yes they're back) can sometimes look too heavy on 40+ legs if so you may want to opt for a slightly finer version to achieve this look.

Deborah Boland and JoJami Tyler (The Glam Gals) are Image and Style Experts specializing in helping women 40 plus look and feel fabulous. They are the authors of the e-book, The Glam Plan~ 12 Simple Steps to Take You From Frumpy to Fabulous, as well as coaches for their Tweak Your Chic, Image make-over program. For more tips go to http://www.fabulousafter40.com and sign up for their bi-weekly newsletter. You can also contact them at: info@fabulousafter40.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Deborah_E_Boland
http://EzineArticles.com/?Weekend-Dressing---5-Fashionable-Ways-to-Make-You-Look-Wow!&id=1659749

Moments of Decision

Anthony Robbins once said, "It is in our moments of decision that our destinies are shaped." For me, these decisive moments make up the fabric of my days. When the alarm goes off, I can decide to hit snooze and roll over, or I can get out of bed and have a little more
time to get ready each morning. On the way to work, I can relax in quiet solitude, play my ipod music, or listen to personal growth audiobooks. The choice is mine. When I feel like eating emotionally in response to a "bad" day, I can remind myself that I want to nourish my body in a healthy way, or I can give in to the temptation of chips and dip. The quality of my future life depends on the decisions I make each and every day.

In order to shape my destiny, I must stay conscious of each tiny decision I face. Taking total ownership of my choices puts me in the driver's seat of my life. It's not always easy, but it's definitely worthwhile!

Copyright 2008 by Holly Cox, L.C.P.C., C.D.C.

Friday, November 14, 2008

I've been slacking!

Wow! I just noticed that my last post was on October 26th. The only justification I have is that my 90-year-old mother has been very sick. She just got out of the hospital, and since she lives with me I have been staying home taking care of her this past week. Watching her suffer rips my heart apart, and yet despite my own feelings of powerlessness I am in awe. She has been through so much this past year: shingles, kidney stones, several blood transfusions, congestive heart failure, weekly procrit shots, more kidney stones, lung problems, knees that don't work, reactions to medications, and so on. Despite her never-ending medical problems and her advanced years, she was still driving her car around town up until this past summer. At one point, she left the hospital after a week's stay due to a systemic infection prompted by her kidney stones and insisted on going with me to visit her grandson in Kentucky. Even now, as sick as she is, she lifts her tired head up to talk to me about plans (she loves to plan!) for my son and daughter-in-law's baby shower in March. She's so proud that she will be a great grandmother in April!

I have much to learn from her inner strength and resilience!

INDULGE YOURSELF WITH THESE BATHBOMBS FROM LUSH!

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