Being Beautiful!

2016-12-04T17:16:00.000-05:00

I keep falling in love with this brand! Over and Over again. I am so excited to see Castor Oil join their product offering list. Castor oil works by strengthening and conditioning the eyelashes and by providing hair root nourishment that allows eyelashes to grow. Eyebrows equally benefit from this treatment. The applicator included facilitates better results for both lashes and brows. Natural vitamin E is added to this formula for additional benefits and to maintain product freshness.

http://www.naturalane.com/store/p49/Lash_Serum.html

2016-09-10T19:48:00.002-04:00

What if?

Not only is this song profound, but it can also be a catalyst to joy if you allow it to.

Before you scroll on, please hear me out. Scientists have recently uncovered interesting information with relation to singing and joy. Something those of us armature shower and car rock stars already knew. Still, it is nice to have scientist give their stamp of approval.

Recent discoveries call attention to a small organ in the inner ear called the sacculus. The sacculus is connected to the part of the brain that registers pleasure. It turns out the frequency associated with singing stimulates the sacculus, thereby, giving rise to joyful feelings. Did I mention this happens pretty much immediately? But we closet rock stars already knew that.

So go on and sing at the top of your lungs... it’s good for you, but, before you do, you might want to engage your inner scientist and inner philosopher with a few questions. Again, before you scroll on, please hear me out. Last time I swear.

What if we are singing incredibly powerful lyrics at the same time as engaging our inner joy? Does that put our feelings of joy on steroids? Does our state of joy allow us to be more understanding and become more receptive to lyrics? Or maybe the words can take on a deeper meaning? I don’t have the answers to those questions, but I can tell you that when I sing the song “What If” it feels as it if it contains the one little thing we can do to foster world peace, end suffering, and eradicate war…Simply take on another’s perspective.

Maybe this song will make you feel the same way, maybe at best it will uplift your spirit by stimulating your sacculus and that's ok. It's More than ok; it’s amazing, The only way to truly know is to listen to the words and belt out the lyrics as if no one is listening. EnJOY!

2016-06-11T14:14:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite things to do is watch beauty videos on YouTube. It is a lot of fun and I always learn a ton. While I must admit there are so many options it can feel overwhelming but in the name of beauty I persist!

Having said that, I would love to introduce you to one of my favorite YouTubers and two of my favorite subjects---facial exercise, and make-up. I hope you enjoy :)

2016-02-18T08:26:00.000-05:00

Often we overestimate how difficult or energy consuming a task will be and we procrastinate. We exaggerate and move away from what seems difficult or painful and move towards familiar and pleasurable acts. The key here is to know that we are in fact, exaggerating and the same imagination that is creating the negative exaggeration can reverse it. So next time you are struggling to get something done, start using your imagination to create a different story. It may not feel real at first but the more you embellish and imagine all the benefits--the better chance you have to start.

3 Step Standing Energy Meditation

2016-02-13T21:01:00.001-05:00

2016-02-10T09:44:00.002-05:00

This Woman Proves There Is No Such Thing As A 'Yoga Body'

2016-02-07T12:41:00.000-05:00

2015-08-28T11:03:00.000-04:00

My new Coaching Website is just about done! Please take a look and feel free to contact me with any Questions or Feedback. Thanks so much! www.coachmelori.com

coachmelori.com

2013-12-19T23:00:00.002-05:00

6 Days of Beauty!

The old expression "Fake it until you make it" comes to mind when I think of facial illuminator. The right illuminator can: give you the look of glowing healthy youthful skin, highlight your features and even camouflage your imperfections.

The trick is picking a moisturizing, realistic illuminator. I like Josie Maran's Argan Illuminator because not only is the color natural but it is also infused with argon oil. It leaves your skin feeling moisturized and hydrated (which is essential to healthy skin) and leaves skin with a long lasting subtle glow. I am also fond of Benefit Cosmetics Watt's Up! liquid to powder precision stick.

For an overall glow, I mix one 1/2 of a pump of Josie Maran's Argan Illuminator, avocado oil and my Smashbox foundation and blend well. The result is subtle all over natural looking illumination. I use Whatt's Up! under eye brows, on top of brows and to frame my upper lip. The secret with both of these applications is BLEND, BLEND, BLEND!

Illuminator also works well for body applications such as: your decollage and collar bone. I have even used it on my hands diluted with moisturizer. So why not be a bit more illuminating from head to toe?

2013-12-18T20:07:00.000-05:00

7 Days of Beauty!

If you’re searching for an instant gratification product that also yields long term results, then glycolic acid just may be right for you.

Glycolic acid is an alpha hydroxyl acid (AHA) that is naturally found in sugar and grapes. It is used in chemical peels, acne treatment and for exfoliation. Glycolic acid works its magic by breaking down substances that bond dead skin cells together allowing them to be rinsed away. This leads to “instant gratification” by exfoliation and long term results of: reduction of fine lines, skin clarity, visible improvement in scars, and lessened skin discoloration.

Over the counter glycolic acid usually contains from 3%--10% acid in a cream or lotion base. I suggest starting off VERY low at around 3% and checking skin sensitivity. An excellent option is Peter Thomas Roth’s cleanser. I like the idea of using glycolic acid in the form of a cleanser because it is not adding an additional step to your skin care routine. If you prefer cream, Reviva Labs makes an excellent 5% cream. If you choose a stronger form, try starting off using every other day and working your way up to daily use. In my experience less can be more with glycolic acid, especially if you have sensitive skin.

So, if you like instant gratification and long term results as much as I do, glycolic acid is your acid.

2013-12-17T20:55:00.001-05:00

8 Days of Beauty!

If I was stuck on a dessert island and could only take one skin product with me, hands down it would be coconut oil!

Coconut oil is one of the most versatile skin loving products in the world! So versatile that I had to take a fair amount of time actually thinking of all of the ways I use it. I think I captured most of them but I am sure there are more.
　

Eye Makeup Remover--coconut oil serves as the most gentle skin loving makeup remover. It moisturizes the area while melting away stubborn makeup. It is also a better alternative to synthetic chemical laden makeup removers.

Under Eye Moisturizer and Concealer--I mix coconut oil with my liquid concealer and the results are amazing. The coconut oil does decrease the coverage a bit but layering can add additional coverage. I also carry some of this moisturizer in my makeup case to re-hydrate my under eye. It really makes a big difference in the overall look of my under eye area.

Facial Moisturizer/Night Cream-- a little goes a long way but the payoffs are big. The natural fatty acids in coconut oil reinforce skin's natural lipid barrier.

Lip Moisturizer--I use coconut oil on my lips as much as I can. I use it under my lipstick and before bed at night. Once again, fatty acids to the rescue, creating a soft lush barrier.

Hair Moisturizer--Coconut oil works excellent as a leave in conditioner or as a treatment conditioner. To use as a leave in, simply rub a small amount in your hands to warm up and focus on ends. To use as a treatment--add a few minutes before showering and shampoo and condition as normal.

Feet Moisturizer--Coconut oil's anti fungal properties and softening fatty acids make for a superb foot moisturizer. If you add peppermint essential oil you're in for an invigorating, refreshing treat. For an exfoliating treat try mixing coconut oil with coarse brown sugar.

Frizz Tamer--once again a little goes a long way when using to combat frizz.

Deodorant--I mix coconut oil with lemon and rosemary essential oils and use as a healthy fresh underarm deodorant.

Mouth Rinse--Coconut oil is excellent for oral health. Coconut oil moisturizes gums, kills bacteria and kills germs that cause bad breath.

As if all of the above wasn't enough, coconut oil actually has health benefits when ingested orally and is a potent source of nutrients. So while I hope I will never have to choose only one dessert island treat--if I did it would be coconut oil--LOTS and LOTS of coconut oil.

2013-12-16T21:42:00.000-05:00

9 Days of Beauty!

I am especially passionate about today’s post because 2 of my best friends were deficient in Vitamin D--thankfully their progressive doctors noticed it and began immediate supplementation.

I must admit I never really paid much attention to Vitamin D. I remember hearing about it as a girl when my father would explain to me how solar ultraviolet-B radiation from sun light stimulates our body to produce Vitamin D. He was way ahead of his time, because over 30 years ago he suggested "Getting sunshine responsibly" also knowing that too much sun had negative effects. I really started to pay attention when a co-worker suddenly looked radiant and younger. I asked her what she was doing differently and her answer was "Nothing." I pressed on because I knew she had to be doing something different . Eventually, she casually said, "Well I have started taking Vitamin D." Bingo! That was it. I started researching and was blown away with the overall health and skin benefits too.

So what can Vitamin D do for your skin? For starters a number of studies have shown that vitamin D is very important in maintaining healthy skin. If levels are low your skin may become thinner, more fragile and begin to sag from lack of adequate support. Dryness and wrinkles will be accentuated due to loss of moisture. So while many people shun the sun and cover in sunscreen thinking they are protecting their skin, they are actually accelerating the aging process. The key is responsible sun bathing which doesn't take long at all, 15 to 20 minutes a day is usually enough to produce 10,000 iu's of Vitamin D.

The jury is still out about correct dosage. There are different schools of thought as to how much we need. I suggest getting your levels tested by a doctor before beginning supplementation and following your doctors advise as to proper dosage. If you have availability to sunlight it is definitely more advisable to get your daily dose of D through simple sun exposure. This way you can rest assure that you will not take too much of a good thing. Don't forget about food as a natural source. There aren't a whole lot of food sources high in Vitamin D--probably because your body was built to manufacture its own, but I have listed some below. Depending on your age, you may want to consider supplementing, eating foods high in Vitamin D and responsible sun exposure because Vitamin D production naturally declines with age. This is especially important for the elderly.

Salmon (especially wild-caught)

Mackerel (especially wild-caught; eat up to 12 ounces a week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are low in mercury)

Mushrooms exposed to ultraviolet light to increase vitamin D

Cod liver oil (warning: cod liver oil is rich in vitamin A; too much may be bad for you)

Tuna canned in water

Sardines canned in oil

Milk or yogurt -- regardless of whether it's whole, nonfat, or reduced fat -- fortified with vitamin D

Beef or calf liver

Egg yolks

Cheese

Vitamin D is implicated in many serious diseases such as: Cancer, Heart Disease, Diabetes, Rickets, Infectious Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Arthritis and the list goes on and on. Below is a link to Dr. Michael F. Holick's (the worlds leading expert on Vitamin D) book "The Vitamin D Solution". I highly suggest you consider purchasing his book or exploring other well respected experts. In the words of Christiane Northrup, MD, New York Times bestselling author of The Wisdom of Menopause--"This information can save your life. Really."
http://www.amazon.com/Vitamin-Solution-3-Step-Strategy-Problems/dp/0452296889/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1387239278&sr=1-1&keywords=the+vitamin+d+solution

10 Days of Beauty!

2013-12-15T14:32:00.000-05:00

3rd Day of Beauty!

Vitamin C increases collagen production...need I say more? Consider this your call to action or better yet, your SCREAM TO ACTION!

Most of us are familiar with the health benefits of Vitamin C and while it is essential to good health, I would like to focus on the skin care benefits. Vitamin C helps prevent and treat ultraviolet (UV)-induced photo damage and also helps to improve overall skin clarity. What many people don't realize is that skin clarity is a major factor in overall appearance and topical use of vitamin C will boost skin radiance and overall brightness.

Think of collagen as the glue that holds or supports body tissues. Collagen gives skin its strength, protecting it from wrinkling and sagging. Collagen naturally decreases with age, life style choices, sun exposure and genetics. Thankfully there are many ways to combat this natural progression, and when it comes to natural approaches vitamin C is a superstar.

Vitamin C works beautifully both topically and orally and I suggest using both methods. Vitamin C comes in many differently forms and it can get a bit confusing. I suggest Vitamin C Ester for both oral and topical application. Vitamin C Ester is a water soluble form of vitamin C and is easily absorbed into the skin. There are many high quality vitamin C supplements and skin care products on the market. I use Perricone MD, but there are also many other quality brands such as Jason C Effects Pure Natural C-Lite Skin Tone Balancer that you can expect excellent results from.

Vitamin C's skin enhancing effects can be noticed fairly quickly, so once again, consider this your SCREAM TO ACTION!

11 Days of Beauty!

2013-12-14T15:18:00.000-05:00

2nd Day of Beauty

I could not wait to write this post today because I am extremely passionate about Avocados—both the oil and the actual fruit.

Avocados are a climacteric fruit (the banana is another), which means it matures on the tree, but ripens off the tree. Avocados are an excellent source of vitamins A, D and E, high in antioxidants and are also chock full of omega-3 fatty acids. Avocado oil is able to penetrate the skin with its thin consistency; it is also thick enough to serve as a protective barrier on the skin and provides skin with deep moisture. Avocado oil contains sterolins, which are natural steroids and are effective in boosting collagen production, and treating age spots.

My love affair with avocados began as a small child and continues until today. My father loved avocados and would eat them at every meal if he could. He preferred a simple salad of avocados, olive oil, vinegar and onions. My father always had beautiful skin and I am sure that one of the reasons was his diet. While he was not a vain man, he certainly knew the health benefits of food and spoke to me about it often. As a young girl, I must admit, I really didn’t pay much attention. I started to really take him seriously in my late 20’s when I became concerned about how I would age. As I looked at my father and noticed the vibrancy, smoothness and lack of wrinkles in his skin; I knew he was on to something and began to think and act seriously about what I put in and on my body.

My Amazing Dad, Hector Abelairas

Several months ago I purchased a bottle of pure avocado oil and started using it faithfully. The difference in my skin is notable and I am now an avocado oil junkie. I use it on my face, under my eyes, all over my body, my hair and my nails and I must say I am thrilled with the results. I have even mixed it with my foundation and the results have been a soft, smooth, dewy complexion.

So far I have been writing about the amazing benefits for your skin, but there are a whole bunch of other benefits that touch your overall health. Consider purchasing avocados when they are in season and also getting year round benefits by purchasing avocado oil. I recommend picking up food grade organic cold pressed avocado oil at your local supermarket, health food store or online and separating it. Use some of it for cooking (as it can be used as both a cooking and finishing oil and has a very high smoke point) and some for personal use for head to toe beautification!

12 Days of Beauty!

2013-12-13T17:22:00.001-05:00

We are deep in the Holiday Season and I don't know about you but my skin is certainly showing the effects of this joyous season. Things like stress, cold weather, lack of sleep, overeating and holiday cocktails certainly do show up on our skin…our body’s largest organ.

As a gift to skin everywhere I am offering the 12 Days of Beauty and will blog each day offering a new skin loving scientifically backed tip for restoring and creating beautiful skin!
Today’s suggestion is Aloe Vera Gel. Not only will this healing gel moisturize your skin but did you know that aloe vera gel improves blood circulation and has properties that are harmful to certain types of bacteria and fungi? As if all that that wasn’t enough, aloe vera gel can significantly improve facial wrinkles and elasticity when taken orally! To find out more about the science visit the below link: http://www.greenmedinfo.com/article/aloe-gel-significantly-improves-wrinkles-and-elasticity-photoaged-human-skin

I have personally experienced aloe’s healing effects during my teenage years and continue to use it daily. When I was in my early teens I used an at home facial tanner improperly and burned my face very badly. Luckily, we had an aloe plant and my father told me to apply it daily. I saw relief from the angry red and purple burn on the first day of use. Within a week I was almost back to normal. For me, aloe is a miracle. I still use it daily as a conductor for my microcurrent facial toning device and I am super pleased with the way it makes my skin feel and look. So why not further explore the amazing benefits of aloe … I think you will be very pleased.

Look More Beautiful in Seconds!

2013-11-12T23:24:00.000-05:00

What if I told you that you can look more beautiful right now within seconds...would you believe me? Well you can and it is as simple as smiling! All too often we underestimate the power of a smile! We all know that a smile can do things like warm a heart, speak words of kindness without ever saying a word and tell the world you’re feeling pleased. But did you know that a simple smile makes you more beautiful, sexy and younger looking?!

When I say a smile makes you more beautiful, sexy and younger looking— I'm not just speaking metaphorically or figuratively. A smile really does increase overall attractiveness!

One study conducted by Researchers at Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Germany proved that when people looked at photos of happy faces, they guessed the person's age as younger than in photos of the same person with a neutral or angry expression. And it gets even better than that. The Journal of Nonverbal Behavior reports that people are judged more attractive and more intelligent if their eyes wrinkle around the corners when they smile, hence, crow's feet wrinkles. I was especially pleased to stumble upon this fact since my own crow's feet often discouraged me from genuinely smiling in pictures. So you can probably imagine why the idea that crow's feet can make me more attractive really makes me smile...crow's feet and all.

In another study (Walsh & Hewitt) smiling was proven to have a more powerful effect on men than eye contact. This research was conducted in a bar setting and focused on physical cues that trigger a man to approach a woman. When a woman established eye contact alone she was approached 20% of the time by a man. However, when she added a smile she was approached 60% of the time. I should note that the same did not hold true for men and smiling in this particular scenario.

Now that we have established that smiling makes you irresistibly beautiful, let's not forget that looks aren't everything and there is a lot to be said about feeling great physically. Well, once again a smile saves the day! Did you know that smiling makes you feel good by releasing endorphins, lowering blood pressure and boosting immune function? According to Psychology Today, the simple act of smiling:

1. Makes Us Attractive to others There is an automatic attraction to people who smile.

2. Changes Mood If you smile when you are not feeling good, there is a chance it might improve the way you are feeling.

3. Contagious Others will want to be with you. You will be helping others feel good.

4. Relieves Stress Stress does express itself in our faces. When we smile, it can help us look better, less tired, less worn down.

5. Boosts Immune System Smiling can actually stimulate your immune response by helping you relax.

6. Lowers Blood Pressure When you smile, there is evidence that your blood pressure can decrease.

7. Releases Endorphins and Serotonin Research has reported that smiling releases endorphins, which are natural pain relievers, along with serotonin, which is also associated with feel good properties

So, as you can see, a "simple" smile is nothing short of amazing on many levels. There is something deeply human and healing about smiling. I would even go as far to say that a smile unites us all in humanity and beauty.

Little Girl Eyes

2013-04-23T20:51:00.001-04:00

I was born and raised in New Jersey but every summer we would visit my father’s family in Miami Florida for Summer Vacation. We would stay at my Grandmother’s house or Nana as we would call her. Nana did not speak English, and I did not speak Spanish very well, yet somehow we communicated beautifully. My Nana’s home was welcoming and accented with beauty. It wasn’t overpowering, just pleasantly beautiful. There was the sparkle from the crystal teardrops hanging from her lamps and the curves on the furniture that caught ones attention. Upon entering her home, you knew that beauty was important to her.

As for her appearance, the same held true. Nana had a beautiful olive complexion and wore her dark brown hair curled up in a beehive style. She wore a flattering shade of red lipstick and not much more in the way of makeup. She loved gold jewelry and stylish clothes. Her elegant style always caught my attention. I knew as a young girl that my Nana was beautiful. My “little girl eyes” knew she was older, but after all she was a Nana and Nana’s were supposed to be older! My “little girl eyes” didn’t judge age; they simply took in the grace and beauty of my Nana.

Now I can’t talk about my Nana’s inner world because I know nothing about that, but I do know that she presented acceptance, beauty and grace to the world, and I am a better woman because of her.

Looking your personal best will change as life changes. As women we go through many phases, cycles and states of being--from young woman, mother, mature woman, pregnancy, sickness, weight gain and so on, yet we can still make a choice to look our personal best. This isn’t about letting society determine our beauty--it is about us determining our own Beauty! When it comes to determining our own beauty I can’t help but think of the beautiful Japanese philosophy of Wabi Sabi. This philosophy sees imperfection as ideal because it says that perfection doesn’t exist and flaws are seen as adding interest. So when determining your own beauty keep in mind that those beautiful laugh lines are a sign of experience and the blessing of being able to smile.

All too often we get caught up in the notion that youthful beauty is the only beauty that exists. By doing this, we not only hurt ourselves--we also deny our daughters, granddaughters, nieces and all the young girls in our lives the chance to see us as beautiful through their “little girl eyes”. Without healthy role models, we make it that much more difficult for them to accept their own beauty throughout the seasons of their lives.

Being beautiful is a lifelong decision. Please don’t fall into the trap of assigning beauty to a particular age. Make up your mind right now to Be Beautiful Always!

The Secret To Real Beauty

2012-08-04T14:55:00.000-04:00

I came across the most wonderful quote and had to share it. While I am definitely a beauty junkie and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the physical results of my potions, lotions and make-up--I really think this is the secret to Real Beauty! I hope it speaks to your mind and heart like it did to mine.

“For Attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run their fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.
People, more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself and the other for helping others.”

Sam Levenson

By the way, there are studies to back up the fact that people are judged as significantly more attractive by their positive, generous and altruistic acts. Proof that the positive qualities of our actions, and personalities are projected on the way we are perceived physically too! Definitely a Win Win.

F**kin Perfect

2011-10-04T20:14:00.002-04:00

For a change, I actually don't want to spend a lot of time writing. It is my hope that you will not only watch and enjoy the below video but also reflect on it, feel it and become it. For me, every time this song comes on the radio, it's like I hit the lottery. I feel the music and become the words. At points I am filled with compassion and understanding for myself and for the world-- then --next thing you know I singing along belting out obscenities and feeling like I can conquer anything. This is all while my mind plays a background tune of VICTORY for the perfectness in my UN-perfectness!

OK enough said--I hope you see, hear and feel the beauty of this song. While I know it is strong with the visuals and the obscenities, in my opinion, if there is ever a time to have strong visuals and strong language this is it. I have also included an all word video for those of you who prefer visually seeing words on the screen without the distraction of a themed graphic story.

Where's Your WOW?

2011-07-07T20:24:00.004-04:00

Years ago I read a book titled, "Where's Your WOW?: 16 Ways to Make Your Competitors Wish They Were You!" The book speaks of each individual's unique WOW factor--that special element only you can deliver that will delight your customers. While this is predominately a business book it really does apply to our whole life.

Sometimes when we are feeling down or life seems to have lost its pizazz, recovery can be simply a matter of finding or remembering our WOW! After all things that make us say WoW generally give us a feeling of being alive . I mean what's life without some WoW's!

For me one of my WOW's is black eyeliner! Yup, that right black eyeliner. I love it and it always makes me feel special. Not only do I get the payoff of loving the way my eyes look but I also enjoy the creative experience of applying feature enhancing make-up. I get to feel like an artist every morning.

I recently asked one of my best friends What her WOW was and she immediately responded "My Victoria's Secret Bra" (which is another one of mine too :) When I asked my sister the same question she responded "My sense of Humor." How great is that?! The point is we all have things that make feel good, special and alive. For you it might be your garden, your passion for learning or perhaps even your gold jewelry. WOW's come in many different forms but they all make us feel alive.

While I haven't figured out a magic formula for finding your WOW, I have been inspired by Howard Thurman's quote, "Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive"

So....What's your WOW?

Just try not to feel beautiful bathing in God’s Grace

2011-05-19T23:16:00.015-04:00

I like to take as many mundane everyday tasks such as walking or taking a shower and turn them into “semi sacred rituals”. Let’s take bathing for example. Water is the universal solvent and has been referred to and used as a purification method in many spiritual traditions. From holy water to the sacrament of baptism water has definite symbolic associations. For me, magic is achieved when I combine water, intention, and stimulation of my senses.

Bathing is the perfect time to “wash away” negativity and use the power of you mind to not only cleanse your body but also generate positive feelings. I like to use an amazing body wash called Pure Grace by Philosophy which smells amazing and lathers up great, the name isn’t bad either! I think a good smelling body wash is important because it stimulates our sense of smell which affects our brain chemistry and changes our mood in powerful ways. Next, I lather up full body and tap into the powerful force of my imagination. This is equally important considering that our subconscious mind is affected by our imagination and we actually physically respond to the images that we create. I visualize all negativity washing of my body with the soap acting as a negativity magnet, so to speak. As the water flows over me and the soap goes down the drain, I can’t help but feel renewed and clean both physically and mentally. Most days (dependent on time) I take it a step further and visualize God’s grace surrounding me and actually permeating every cell in my body. To do this I lather up a second time after I have already cleansed myself using the above method and go into “Grace” mode. I really love this second lather because it allows me to bring spirituality into the experience and reminds me that I am a part of something much bigger.

Why not personalize and try this method? You could visualize love surrounding you and go into “Love mode” or maybe it’s “Beauty Mode” you’re e after. For "Brownie Points" try surround yourself with white protective light once you've rinsed off. As you are visualizing this beautiful white light surrounding your body hold the intention that you are protected and that all forms of negativity simply bounce off of you. This will not only protect you energetically but it will also send a safe protective signal to your mind making you feel great. As you can see you can play with these techniques quite a bit and personalize them. The point is you really have nothing to lose and so much to gain! Have fun :)

A Beautiful Mind

2010-12-31T17:34:00.000-05:00

My father recently passed away. It was unexpected and like any other family that suffers such a devastating loss, we are grieving beyond words can say.

My nature is and has always been to strive to see, look and feel beautiful in all situations. Sometimes I fall short. This was one of those times. The day after my father died, I sat down determined to write a posting about seeing the beauty in death. I failed. Not that there isn’t beauty in death—it’s just that I wasn’t and I’m not ready to gather my thoughts and put them out there to the world yet. I’m also still working through all of the normal emotions that come with the death of a parent.

Believe it or not—I found myself feeling guilty that I could not muster up a blog entry about beauty and death. I found myself thinking thoughts like—“What’s wrong with you—you can’t even write a blog entry?” and “Wow what a disappointment you’ve turned out to be” and perhaps the cruelest one of all “What would Daddy think of you now”

Needless to say I certainly wasn’t feeling compassion towards myself. That’s the funny thing about what I call Mind Chatter (that relentless voice in your mind). It’s always going on—and most of the time it’s not very compassionate or realistic. Take some time out today to stop and listen to that chatter. I think you will be amazed at how critical and sometimes downright mean that chatter can be.

This mind chatter can sabotage more than we know. The Funny thing about this voice is that it’s not even our own! Let me explain. As babies and small children—we think we are great! We scribble on walls and marvel at our masterpieces, we make funny noises and laugh at our comical abilities, we get into our moms make-up scribble all over faces with red lipstick and blue eye shadow and think “Aren’t I beautiful!” we steal a cookie from our brother and delight in the sweetness without feeling an ounce of guilt. I bet if we listened into the mind chatter of a 2 year old pretending to be Buzz Light Year we would hear thoughts such as “To infinite and Beyond!” The point is a 2 year old doesn’t think “Who am I to pretend to be a super hero?” He or she thinks “Who am I NOT to be a Super Hero!”

So why do we struggle so much with this mind chatter and how is it possible to go from Hero to Zero? While the answer is multi-faceted and can get complex—I will offer what I believe to be the most prevalent way. We unconsciously absorb others limiting beliefs and then use our imagination to intensify them. Our subconscious mind is ALWAYS listening, absorbing and trying to protect us. This part of our mind controls all our involuntary responses such as breathing, respiration and also things like our auto pilot responses when doing things such as driving, riding a bike or even typing. In contrast to our conscious mind—we are not aware of this behind the scene power house even though it is controlling 95% of our decisions. We think we are in control with our conscious mind and why shouldn’t we? If I were to ask you what your dreams, goals or even what you want to wear today—your conscious mind would answer. Yet when you try to achieve the very things you said—your subconscious mind would be calling the shots based on previous programs. That explains the duality that can sometimes occur in our words and actions. We may consciously really want to stay on our diet or write that thesis but our subconscious mind has a different idea. As a result of this and in combination with our imagination we exaggerate our perceived shortcomings.

The majority of these negative programs are “downloaded before the age of 7 (when our brain waves are in a constant state of THETA) but we continue to download beliefs our whole life. That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to the words we use, be compassionate with ourselves when we fall short of our expectations and to look for ways to change our subconscious negative beliefs. A few of my favorite ways are; Hypnosis, Subliminal Tapes, EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) and NLP (Nuero Linguistic Programming).

If you ask me what’s the most important part of looking, feeling and experiencing beauty in your life, I would have to say or rather scream---YOUR MENTAL ATMOSPHERE. It’s really hard to experience beauty when you’re feeling despair and sadness because you are already experiencing a negative state of being. Similarly, when your thinking sad, anxiety ridden and self defeating thoughts it’s extremely hard to physically feel good. It’s just not practical considering the interconnectedness of your mind and body. Your body actually takes on the physiology of your state of mind and vice versa. For example when you’re feeling depressed , angry and so on--your facial muscles reflect that (your facial muscles are actually uniquely connected to the emotional part of your brain) your posture becomes slumped, your immune system is compromised, and of course the stress response is set off. As far as looking beautiful--in a previous blog I wrote of the skin and stress. Your skin is your body’s largest organ and immediately shows your physical and mental state. That’s why it is really easy to see the changes in someone when they are under stress or sick, hence the expression, “Written all over their face”.

While I certainly recommend changing your subconscious beliefs—I also know there is great value in simple awareness and encourage you be more compassionate with yourself. Please take a moment to listen to your mind chatter. Unless it is saying that you are the Most Beautiful and Amazing person-- know that it is wrong and for now simply tell it so!

See Through The Eyes of Beauty

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If you want to feel more beautiful yourself, notice the beauty in others!

Just for a minute think about what you consider beautiful. Do you think of a specific person? Perhaps a Hollywood star? Maybe your cousin? What does beauty look like to you?

You’re probably not surprised to hear the fact that many people have strict, critical, and unrealistic standards when it comes to defining beauty. This causes us to lose an opportunity to appreciate our fellow human being and also keeps us in a state of self judgment.

If you would like to expand your idea of beauty, feel more appreciation for yourself and LAY THE GROUND WORK FOR YOUR OWN TRANSFORMATION the below exercise will help greatly.

Your assignment is to Notice the Beauty in everyone that you come in contact with. This may seem like a hard task at first if you are not accustomed to thinking in this way but once you expand your heart and make a choice to see through the eyes of beauty it becomes easy. As much as you can-- notice what is beautiful about the people you come in contact with. It could be the sparkle in their eyes, their finely manicured nails, the graceful way someone moves their body or the beauty of their strong conviction. The point is ---Be on the lookout for beauty!

The good news is there are plenty of places and opportunities to practice this skill. Your local supermarket is a great place to start or for that matter any place where there are people.

Please be patient with yourself when first beginning and remember this is a change in perception and habit which is generally uncomfortable at first.

Now go out and notice some beautiful people and remember---The more we are able to recognize beauty in others---the more we are able to recognize beauty in ourselves.

Positively Beautiful!

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It’s really difficult to feel, look and experience beauty when you are overwhelmed with negative energy. Amongst other things ,negative energy equals stress. The stress response turns on a whole cascade of bio-chemical reactions in your body. These reactions directly influence the way we look, feel and experience life. From the inflammation response to the excessive release of the hormone cortisol our body and energy level suffer. Internally we feel the effects of stress and externally the world sees these effects. For example, our skin shows stress quickly and can become lack luster, dull, sallow, inflamed and so on.

Remember we are all made of energy and we absorb energy. What type of energy have you been absorbing lately? What skills do you have for shielding yourself from the bombardment of negativity in your daily life? Are you surrounding yourself with positive energy and making high energy choices? Please watch the below video from Dr Judith Orloff for some tips on how to tap positive energy and shield yourself from negative energy

Tap the energy of food, silence, and positive people

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