Archive | March 2012

Ten important life lessons I’ve learned in my 30’s

Mar19

Lesson #1: You cannot give what you don’t have.

You cannot claim to know or understand yourself or your actions fully. I doubt if you ever will. However, your promise to yourself is to be eternally curious,  to always love and forgive YOU! That way, it becomes easier to love and forgive others.

Lesson #2 : Embrace your challenges and pain.

Look back on periods in life when you experienced tremendous growth, they were invariably associated with overcoming a huge challenge or the loss of a loved one. Know that pain, loss and heartbreak do not break us down rather they break down the walls that imprison our humanity and allow us to see the world in a brand new light; To feel empathy for others around us, to cherish every tender moment and to live passionately.

Lesson #3: The secret of inner beauty.

A sense of true beauty and self-worth is not in your makeup or clothes or shoes or bags (these are merely external manifestations of beauty). Rather, it is a function of how we relate to others around us. The greatest source of beauty is a fountain within that allows each of us to treat all people with respect and kindness. We feel our best when we give others dignity, support and love. It is our light, our energy that radiates our beauty. Also, know that you cannot stop time. So be careful not to become too preoccupied with lotions, potions, nips and tucks as a pathway to eternal youth. Gravity is real, ladies! At some point in your life, some body parts WILL go south, shrink or wrinkle. Know when to give up the fight and embrace ageing gracefully or you risk looking ridiculous!

Lesson #4: Develop a discerning spirit.

Life is filled with many amazing and positive people BUT there will always be negative people who think the worst, seek the worst, plan the worst and do the worst….learn to disarm them with wisdom and grace. If you find that their energy drains you or overpowers you, then learn to gracefully avoid them.

Lesson #5: Avoid the trap called ‘the rat race’.

We sometimes focus the best part of our years on the rat race rather than a race for our souls, we focus on acquiring possessions rather than on garnering goodwill, we build mansions rather than create memories. People matter because they love you back. A good job never loves you back and even if you ‘win’ the rat race, you’re still a rat! Don’t try to keep up with the ‘Joneses’. There’s a reason why your name is different! Be original and authentic. OWN who you are and others will try to copy or capture your essence.

Lesson #6: Know and understand your big ‘WHY’.

Your ‘why’ should be big enough to make you cry. That goal that’s so dear to your heart, you tear up just thinking about it. It is at the core of who you are.  It may be your family, a good cause….(Hint: Your ‘why’ is not to pay bills, service a mortgage payment or loans etc). Your ‘why’ is not about you, it has to be something other than you and it gives meaning to your existence. You become alive just thinking about it!

Lesson #7: Every woman should have a little mystery.

Have a little secret, that aura that lights you up from within. Dance to your own music. Walk with a sexy swing and a hidden sexier smile. ‘Wear the clothes and never let the clothes wear you’. You are Eve’s daughter after all…. learn new skills, discover new hobbies. Tap into your passions and light your fires from the inside. Constantly surprise yourself and the world with elements of your mystery. You owe it to yourself to EVOLVE!

Lesson #8: Learn to simply LET GO!

You need to take a moment for yourself and let it all out. Forget the rules (who made them anyway?). So let go of big stuff-bad relationships, terrible confrontations, abuse, neglect and let go of even the small stuff: Go bra-less; laugh, curse and fart out loud; eat with your bare hands and walk bare-feet; say ‘yes’ cos you feel like it and say ‘no’ just beacuse….

Lesson #9: Don’t sweat the small or big stuff!

Life happens. Things can’t always be perfect all the time, how boring will that be? If you hit a crossroad, do absolutely nothing or just sleep on it. The best answers always come sublimely in our dreams anyway….Just live your best life NOW and focus on only what you can control!

Lesson #10: God has a fantastic sense of humor!

I arrive at this conclusion every single day. Too many ironic events in life buttress this and I get a chuckle every time I think of how we get worked up and geared up to conquer the world and bammmm! that may be the day we get called to the other side….

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Remember, you are not ordinary, you are divinely unique.

You are WOW (Wonderful One-of-a-kind Woman)!

w(H)olistically Yours,

 © Whole Woman Network

BLOGGER BIO: The preceding blog entry is from Juliet Ume, MBA –Wealth Management Consultant & Lifestyle Coach at Whole Woman Network. Juliet is an avid Life Connoisseur and a passionate advocate of WomEntrepreneurship, Investment & Financial Literacy for women. Follow her on Twitter: @julietumeinc

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‘Eating’ your way to beautiful skin!!

Mar12

Maiolica Basket of Fruit

One of the key requests we got from an informal survey of the Whole Woman Network community at the beginning of the year was more information on how to have flawless, radiant skin (the challenge was of course to find solutions that were holistic, inexpensive and do-able)!

In line with our philosophy of  ‘Beauty from the inside out’, we’ve decided NOT to focus on external things such as spa treatments, moisturisers, lotions … rather on what we actually put inside our bodies. Yes, ladies, our mothers were right again! The road to beautiful skin starts with the right diet.

After speaking with 3 different  Doctors, one Dermatologist and an Aesthetician, and reading countless books and studies on the subject, here are the some great tips on eating your way to healthy, radiant and beautiful skin!

Group A: The Exfoliators

These fruits help to scrub dead skin cells away, giving you a natural healthy glow! They are rich in vitamin A and include Papaya, Apples (which are great for preventing acne). Cucumbers are also a great recipe for puffy eyes and prevents/reduces dark circles. Avocados can also be used as a fantastic face mask.

Group B: The Rejuvenators 

This category of fruits are wonderful for overall health because they are rich in anti-oxidants. Most plums and berries fall under this group: Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries  and pomegranate. The help prevent wrinkles too! Note that strawberries are good sources of salicyclic acids , a natural brightener, which rids the skin of dead cells.

Group C: The Moisturisers

Want to say goodbye to dry, flaky skin? They say a big ‘Yes’ to moisture rich Peaches, Mangoes and Bananas. Did you know that Bananas are rich in natural fats and complex proteins that help to soften the skin? They are also rich in vitamins A, B, C, E and potassium which nourishes the skin.

Group D: The Natural Cleansers

This group of  fruits are rich in pectin and fibre and help to cleanse your digestive track. The list includes kiwis, carrots, prunes, most citrus (oranges, lemon,  grape fruit). They are a rich source of vitamin C and beta-carotene and they are great for promoting collagen (which helps with skin tone and elasticity).

So ladies, next time you want to grab a snack, skip the cookies and potatoes chips! Instead,  munch on an apple or carrot. In a few months, your glowing skin will thank you for it. The golden rule of healthy eating: ‘If you really don’t want to eat it, then do NOT have it on your grocery list!’ However, give yourself a break and eat what you want, simply choose to do it in moderation.

Interested in including healthy, organic supplements to your diet that will enable weight loss/gain/maintenance? Then, visit http://www.takeaction.got10days.com

 

Live your best life NOW; Live beautifully, live freely, live passionately.

———————————————————————————————————————–

Remember, you are not ordinary, you are divinely unique.

You are WOW (Wonderful One-of-a-kind Woman)!

w(H)olistically Yours,

 © Whole Woman Network

                                                                                                    

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Rotman Initiative for Women in Business Expert Speakers Series proudly presents “Beauty Pays: Why Attractive People are More Successful”

Mar1

The Rotman Initiative for Women in Business Expert Speakers Series proudly presents Daniel Hamermesh, Prof. Sue Killam Professor in the Foundations of Economics at the University of Texas at Austin; Professor of Labor Economics, Maastricht University (Netherlands).

Topic: “Beauty Pays: Why Attractive People are More Successful”

SYNOPSIS: Prof. Hamermesh will discuss how beauty pays off in jobs, in dating and marriage, and in borrowing, and why. He will highlight the differences in the payoffs by gender, and examines whether these effects reflect discrimination or differences in productivity. He will consider whether bad looks should be a protected category in the job market, and offers suggestions to help the “looks-challenged” succeed.

Date: Monday, April 2, 2012

Time: 5:00pm to 6:00pm (Discussion and Q&A)

Place: Fleck Atrium (ground floor), Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, 105 St. George Street, Toronto (ON)

Fee: $49 plus HST per person (includes the session and 1 copy of the book ‘Beauty Pays: Why Attractive People are More Successful’)

To Register: Click Here
Further Details: www.rotman.utoronto.ca/events 

Cancellation Policy:

Cancellations received in writing prior to 5:00 pm on March 29 will receive a refund less a $10.00 administration fee per person. If we do not receive written notice of your cancellation, you will be charged the full amount for this session. Substitutions are always welcome.
Questions: jennifer.dietrich@rotman.utoronto.ca or call 416-946-7555

Speaker Biography: 
Daniel Hamermesh earned his B.A. from the University of Chicago (1965) and a Ph.D. from Yale (1969). He taught from 1969-73 at Princeton, from 1973-93 at Michigan State, and has held visiting professorships at universities in the United States, Europe, Australia and Asia. He is a Fellow of the Econometric Society, a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research, and was President of the Society of Labor Economists in 2000-01. He authored Labor Demand, The Economics of Work and Pay, and a wide array of articles in labor economics in the leading general and specialized economics journals. His research concentrates on labor demand, time use, social insurance programs (particularly unemployment insurance) and unusual applications of labor economics (to suicide, sleep and beauty). He is widely quoted in the major print media and has appeared on such national television programs as Good Morning, America, and PBS Evening News Hour.