1.   Stop focusing on what you don’t want to happen – Focus on what you do want to happen.  Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story.  If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right.

2.   Stop spending time with the wrong people – Life is too short to spend with “anyone” who sucks the happiness out of you.  You shouldn’t have to fight for a spot. You should be their priority. Never, ever insist yourself to someone who continuously overlooks your worth.  Your worth is priceless, if someone does not recognize it, they are the wrong person in your life.

3.   Stop trying to be everything to everyone – Doing so is impossible and trying will only burn you out.  But making one person smile – your spouse/children – CAN change the world.  Maybe not the whole world, but their world.  So narrow your focus.

4.   Stop thinking you’re not ready – Nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity arises.  Because most great opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones, which means we won’t feel totally comfortable at first. You are ready for a new opportunity – career – relocating – relationship!  Do not hold onto the past.  You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading your last chapter.

5.   Stop loosing sight of your relationship – Relationships must be chosen wisely.  It’s better to be alone than to be in bad company with someone who does not see your worth.  Fall in love when you’re ready, not when you’re lonely.  In life you’ll realize that there is a purpose for everyone you meet.  Some will test you, some will use you and some will teach you.  But most importantly, your spouse will bring out the best in you.

6.   Stop letting others bring you down to their level – Refuse to lower your standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.  Stop wasting time explaining you to others. Your spouse and friends don’t need it and your enemies won’t believe it anyway.  Just do what you know in your heart is right.

7.   Stop trying to compete against everyone else – Don’t worry about what others may be doing.  Concentrate on beating your own records every day.  Success is a battle between YOU and YOURSELF only.  Concentrating on what others are doing is counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own.  Ask yourself this:  “What’s something I have that everyone wants?”

8.   Stop worrying so much – Worry will not strip tomorrow of its burdens, it will strip today of its joy.  One way to check if something is worth mulling over is to ask yourself this question: “Will this matter in one year’s time?  Three years?  Five years?”  If not, then it’s not worth worrying about. Most times, it’s not worrying about, Life is too short, enjoy your life today.

9.   Stop overlooking the beauty of small moments – Enjoy the little things, because one day you may look back and discover they were the big things.  The best portion of your life will be the small, nameless moments you spend smiling with someone who matters to you.  Start with a smile and watch its ripple effect.

10.  Stop berating yourself for old mistakes - We may love the wrong person and cry about the wrong things, but no matter how things go wrong, one thing is for sure, mistakes help us find the person and things that are right for us.  We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past.  But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future.  Life’s curveballs are thrown for a reason – to shift your path in a direction that is meant for you.  You may not see or understand everything the moment it happens, and it may be tough.  But reflect back on those negative curveballs thrown at you in the past.  You’ll often see that eventually they led you to a better place, person, state of mind, or situation.  So smile!  Let everyone know that today you are a lot stronger than you were yesterday, and challenges that have happened in your life are preparing you for a moment that is yet to come.

11.  Stop running from your problems – Face them head on. It won’t easy. We are made to instantly solve problems. We are made to get upset, sad, hurt, stumble and fall. That is part of the process of living. We have to face problems, learn, adapt and a problem over the course of tine. This process is what molds us into the person which we become.

12.  Stop being ungrateful – No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life.  Someone somewhere is desperately fighting for theirs.  Instead of thinking about what you’re missing, try thinking about what you have, that someone else is missing. Start at home! Be grateful for your spouse or loved ones.

13.  Stop lying to you – Our lives improve only when we take chances and the first and most difficult chance we can take is to be honest with ourselves and certainly to our loved ones.  Everyone benefits from honesty.

14.  Stop holding grudges – Don’t live your life with hate in your heart.  You will end up hurting yourself more than the people you hate.  Forgiveness is not saying, “What you did to me is okay.”  It is saying, “I’m not going to let what you did to me ruin my happiness forever.”  Forgiveness is the answer… let go, find peace, liberate yourself and remember, forgiveness is not just for other people, it’s for you too.  If you must, forgive yourself, move on and try to do better next time.

15.  Stop putting your own needs on the back burner – The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much and forgetting that you are special too.  Be cautious of someone who cannot express how special you are. Yes, help others; but help yourself, as well.  If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.

16.  Stop trying to be someone you’re not – One of the greatest challenges in life is being yourself in a world that’s trying to make you like everyone else.  Someone will always be better looking, smarter and younger, but they will never be you.  Don’t change so people will like you.  Be yourself and the right people will love the real you.

17.  Stop being scared to make a mistake – Doing something and getting it wrong is at least ten times more productive than doing nothing.  Take chances…make the move, relocate, start a new career, take a class.  You end up regretting the things you did NOT do far more than the things you did. Every success has a trail of failures behind it and every failure is leading towards success.

18.  Stop trying to buy happiness – Many of the things we desire are expensive.  But the truth is, the things that really satisfy us are totally free – love, laughter, good health and working on our passions.  You have to create stability in your own life first before you can share it with someone else.

19.  Stop being idle – Don’t think too much or you’ll create a problem that wasn’t even there in the first place.  Evaluate situations and take decisive action.  You cannot change what you refuse to confront.  Making progress involves risk.  Period!  You can’t make it to second base with your foot stuck on first.

20.  Stop trying to make things perfect – The real world doesn’t reward perfectionists, it rewards people who get things done.  Simply stop following the path of the least resistance. Life is not easy, especially when you plan on achieving something worthwhile.  Don’t take the easy way out.  Do something extraordinary.

More useful tips can be found at marcandangel.com. Cheers to 2012!

Another year is about to come to an end and the celebrations are about to begin. Its time to kick off the string office parties, fundraisers, and family gatherings which all can be a lot of fun but also a time or overindulgence. What can you do during this time of year to contribute to your healthy lifestyle while also enjoying the atmosphere during holidays?

K.Nicole of Shirley’s Angel Foundation has a few tips to help you stay in line and keep your waistline in check.

• Be creative when preparing meals. Try steaming or grilling instead of frying your food for a healthier approach. Consuming excessive amounts of fried foods has been linked to obesity. By modifying your cooking techniques, you can help reduce those extra calories.

• Eat healthy meals consistently through out the day. By doing so, you will be less likely to overindulge when it’s time to go to that special event in the evening.

• Don’t forget to fill your plate with an array of colorful salads.

• Treat yourself to that favorite food item, cookies, cake, pie etc, but know your limits. You shouldn’t deprive yourself; it’s all about balance.

• Drink plenty of water and stay hydrated, and keep alcohol consumption in moderation.

• Stock up on healthy snacks while grocery shopping. Keep plenty around so there are no excuses!

• Set a fitness goal and stick with it. If you have extra time off from work during the holidays, why not use some of it to exercise? Make a schedule of the days you will be available and set aside time to be active. 30 minutes here, 45 minutes there can aid in helping burn those extra calories.

• Grab a friend and go! Sometimes that extra push is what you need to stay focused. Sign up for a class, go walking or hit the gym, Whatever you decide, make sure it is something you enjoy!

Have a Safe and Happy Holiday Season Everyone.

-K.Nicole
www.k-nicole4u.com

Strawberry-Banana Smoothie (Makes 2 servings)

Ingredients:

-Orange Juice (2cups) Note: For a thicker smoothie use less liquid.

-Frozen Strawberries (2 cups)

-Ripe Banana (1 1/2) frozen and cut into slices

-Splash of raw honey (optional)

-Pour orange juice into the blender.

-Place strawberries and banana slices in the blender.

-Add honey (optional)

-Blend at a low setting for 30 seconds then set blender to high for another minute. Make sure the strawberries and banana are completely blended.

-Pour and Enjoy.

We all acknowledge that we live in a fast paced world. Wake up, take the kids to school, sit in traffic, go to work, sit in more traffic, cook dinner, help the kids with homework, walk the dog then prepare to repeat the cycle over and over again. Between that 24-hour time-span we make it a priority to do many things and one of those priorities should be engaging in physical activity. Now I know what you are thinking, ”I don’t have time in my busy schedule to go to the gym and work out.” But in reality you rush home to catch the latest episode of the newest reality show everyone is talking about. If you have time to watch your favorite television show, then you have time to add some physical activity into your daily routine. Try some of these exercises at home and eliminate the excuses:

1. Resistance Bands- These flexible lightweight bands can be used for a total body workout.  Start with completing 3 sets of 10-12 reps for each exercise and build your way up.  Since resistance bands come in variety of resistance levels you will never get bored. Bonus- They can be packed in a suitcase when you are on the go.
2. Jump rope- Remember back in school how you would jump for fun, well jumping rope is an excellent cardio tool. Mix up different techniques and footwork to keep it exiting.
3. Basic pushups- Set a goal on how many you can complete in 30 seconds, then 1 minute and so forth. Once you are more comfortable with this exercise you can try different angles. For beginners, make try completing push ups on your knees until you feel more comfortable. Using your own body weight as a tool will help increase your overall strength and stamina.
4. Crunches- In proper form, crunches can help build a strong and stable core. Be sure to breath through the entire exercise and move slowly. The key isn’t to rush through the exercise. Keep your neck steady and don’t force your head up. Keep all of the tension on your mid section. Set a goal starting with 15-20 reps then building your way up.

Special Thanks to K. Nicole for providing us with the tips!

Our friends over at Kmart Design have created a cool new online shopping tool called Spring Smart Mixology. The new feature takes the viewer behind the scenes of a Kmart advertisement photo shoots. Kmart designers show how they mix and match looks on the set and allow the consumer to shop for specific looks right from the video.

The concept of Spring Smart Mixology is about remixing styles in unexpected ways to create fresh looks that reflect an individual personality. Take a look HERE.

In addition to this great interactive feature, Kmart Design have created a separate shop online for their Home Country Living line, which can be viewed HERE.

Kathy, who is the VP of Women’s Apparel over at Kmart Design was nice enough to provide us with Kmart Design’s Smart Mixology Tips. Just in time for the Spring season!

1. Stripes Ahoy – “A nautical note is a must-have in everyone’s spring wardrobe. Get the look with a casual stripe tee- Spring style doesn’t have to break the bank.”
2. Shorts on the Rise – “Shorts are winning this season. Dress them up with a chic blazer and heels or pair them with a sporty windbreaker and flats for a casual cool feel”
3. Military Issue – “Enlist these Route 66 cargoes into your wardrobe this spring. They have an adjustable length so you can get a few different looks- wear them long paired with cute flats to run around town or rolled-up with heels and sequins for a night out. Cargo pants are back in action. – Seen here
4. Sport Story – “Sporty yet stylish is a great way to brave the unpredictable spring weather. Relax in a nylon jacket with modern fit and fun colors- bright yellow or a grey ombre.”
5. In-Vested – “Vests are a great way to update your wardrobe. Paired with a feminine blouse or a boyfriend shirt creates an unexpected style remix.”
6. Statement Necklace- “Make your own must-have ‘statement necklace’ by layering strands of pearls with mixed metal chains.”
7. Fedora- “The Fedora is a must-have accessory right now. A stylish fedora can instantly update any outfit to create a cool new look”
8. Dresses – “While the maxi-dress will still take you through this summer, look for shorter styles like the t-shirt dress or tunics. Versatility in one easy piece – paired with leggings, jeans or alone with boots – it can easily take you from day to night.”
9. Frill Seeker – “Look for ruffles on anything and everything, but be sure to only build the volume in one area. We like pairing two ruffled blouses together for a romantic look.” (Which is showcased here)
10. Slimline – “The new pant silhouette is slim, slim, slim. Be it skinny jeans, leggings or the new combo- “the jegging”, they allow you to build volume on the top and create a thoroughly modern shape.”

Health:

1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants..
4. Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games
7. Read more books than you did in 2009 .
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:
11. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don’t have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don’t over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..
18. Forget issues of the past. Don’t remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don’t hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade awaylike algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree…

Society:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything.
28. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. GOD heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change..
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come..
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.