Use this method and take your affirmations to the next level

MOTIVATION MONDAY!

For a while now, I've tried to make a habit of including affirmations as part of my daily routine.  Sometimes I'm consistent, sometimes I'm not. Part of the issue is that I viewed the process of saying "positive" things to myself as a task.  The affirmations didn't feel real to me and, most often, I found it difficult to incorporate the "positive feelings" which are a vital part of the affirmation process.

Affirmations, for those who aren't familiar, are simply words that one repeats to themselves which are positive and "affirm" the things we want in our lives.  If we actually listen to the incessant rambling of our minds, one thing that stands out is the overwhelmingly negative nature of our thoughts.  When we recite affirmations, we are making a conscious choice to insert positive messages into our thought cycle.  The whole point of the process is so we can begin to think new thoughts, take on new actions, which will ultimately lead to new results (reality) that support the words we affirmed.

For me, affirmations have sorta been a "hit and miss".  Sometimes I achieve great results, sometimes I don't.  Like I said earlier, sometimes I would feel like it was just a task when I said words in front of the mirror, and once I did it, I was done for the day.

But then something happened.  Last week, before I started my day, I recited a simple affirmation.  "Today is better than I expected."  Then I headed to the airport.  What I decided to do differently this time is raise my awareness of things turned out better than I expected it do that day.  So when I timed my airport arrival at 5:30 am but I arrived at 5:15 am, I said to myself "better than I expected!"  When the rental car location ran out of compact cars and upgraded me for free to a mid size, I repeated "better than I expected!"    When I pulled up to a toll booth and realized I had no cash which meant I had to leave my car and run over to the booth with a person in it who gave me the I money needed, I gratefully said "better than I expected!"  I could go on but I hope you get the picture I'm painting.

From that day, I realized how important it is to actually AFFIRM my affirmations as I see glimpses of them in real life.  If, early in the morning, I say to myself that "I am fully comfortable speaking to a group of people," every time I speak to a group, even a small group of three people during lunch break, I can affirm to myself, "I am comfortable speaking to a group of people."  If my morning affirmation is "I love eating healthy foods,"  then I affirm that again when I eat a tomato or an apple.  The point of the process isn't just about saying empty words in front of a mirror, but to make it real by acknowledging when you see glimpses of your affirmation occurring in your real life.  When you do, you are able to include one of the most powerful aspects of affirmations and attraction--the feelings.  They say that in order to attract powerfully, I need to feel the feelings of having already accomplished or received my desires.  This can be hard to do when I'm reciting words to a reflection of myself.  Once I began affirming my affirmations as they happened, suddenly I couldn't help but to feel good about what was manifesting in the moment.

Oh, and one more thing, part two of this process is to not affirm when your actions, or the events of the day, DO NOT align with your daily intention.  If you  affirmed that "I am in control of my emotions" then suddenly you find yourself wanting to throw the nearest object at your co-worker, don't keep repeating in your mind about how much you want to punch this person, instead find something you can affirm in the situation. Perhaps it's something like "I am in control of my emotions, I could have reacted by doing ABC, but instead I chose to XYZ."  I am in control of my emotions."  The less energy you give to something, the weaker it becomes.  My not affirming the results that don't align with what you want to create, you are allowing it to become weaker.

My desire is that this post helps some of you who would like to see your intentions begin to materialize.  Sometimes what we say we want starts to happen but we miss out on them because we focus so much on negative.  Try using this re-affirmation process throughout your day today and see what possibilities you create for yourself.

Going low carb: "Wonder if my hair will fall out."

Several weeks ago I started really looking into the idea of managing my carb intake. I thought this would help me address the stubborn belly fat I've been dealing with. A co-worker of mine curbed her intake of rice, pasta and the like and experienced some dramatic benefits. I was really excited about embarking on this new journey until another co-worker shared his low carb horror story. Apparently he was in some "Biggest Loser" type contest. Full of excitement about this contest, he went all in and lost a large amount of weight in a short period of time. Unfortunately, he also started losing his hair in the process. Apparently, his hair was coming out in clumps. You can imagine my dismay when I heard of the side effects he experienced.

Fast forward a couple of weeks and I find myself sitting at a table eavesdropping on a conversation where a guy is discussing his low carb eating in preparation of a Cross Fit competition. After finding my way into the conversation, I learned that he wasn't just going low carb but was actually following the Paleo diet. That's when he started sharing more about the Paleo way of eating and how it included avoiding rice and grains, not because of the carbs, but because these types of foods weren't part of the natural diet of early man. He went on to tell me that wheat wasn't really good for us to consume.

(my typical breakfast-veggie omelette, avocado, organic leafy greens)

After our conversation, I sought out to learn more. The things I learned, in the days that followed, stunned me. Instead of focusing on a low carb diet, my search lead me to gluten and how I might possibly have gluten sensitivities. Let me first start out by saying that I haven't taken any tests nor have I been diagnosed with gluten intolerances. This is something I'm playing around with in my head based on what I've learned so far. Allow me to list out why I feel that gluten has been a negative influence in my life.

Seborrheic dermatitis
If you've followed my blog for a while, you know that I've suffered from seborrheic dermatitis for many years. SB is essentially a skin condition the causes excessive flacking dry itchy scalp. These symptoms can also appear on the face, in the ears and behind the ears of those who suffer from the condition. Thanks to using apple cider vinegar daily as a toner, I've been able to manage the peeling on my face (thank God). My poor scalp has been through so much peeling and flaking. What concerns me most about the SB is that when it gets out of control, it impacts hair growth (especially in my edges). When I treat areas that have major flaking, it never fails, that the hair in that area has thinned out big time. Thinned out edges are "not the business." So of course I'm highly interested in finding something that can actually address the root cause of my dermatitis. Then I stumbled across this article which states as plainly as day, that "the main foods to watch out for in the case of seborrheic dermatitis are wheat (gluten) and dairy. I eat dairy so rarely that I'm almost positive that it's not the main culprit in my case. Wheat, on the other hand, is something I take in on the regular.

Acne
Not long ago, I stood in front of the mirror and thought to myself "seriously, I still have acne even though I'm well past my teens and 20's!" How much longer will I have to suffer through these random, embarrassing breakouts? Well I think I may have found my answer. It took no time at all to find resources online that link acne to food intolerances such to wheat, dairy and the like. I think it was this video that sealed the deal for me after watching another video where this woman shared her acne journey and having resolved it after learning that food allergies were the source of her heartache. Additional research only solidified my theory that perhaps my acne is linked to the food I've been eating. I tend to eat dairy with my wheat (on sandwiches) so if dairy is also a root cause eliminating gluten may take care of the dairy issue as well.

Abdominal distention
Do you guys remember my post with pics of Melyssa Ford getting her workout on? In it I mentioned my "lady gut." For as long as I can remember, I've always had this small gut even during the times when I considered my self fit and in shape. Now I'm wondering if my round little belly is a form of abdominal distention which is basically swelling and bloating linked to food intolerances. After reading several accounts of people who were able to have a flat stomach again after removing gluten from their diets, I was more than hopeful about (possibly) looking like Melyssa Ford by summer time. Oh and of course, a diet with minimal to no gluten can also contribute to weight loss overall.

Grey Hair & Hair Growth
I have a few grey hairs. I figured that since most of my other woes could be linked to gluten, could the few greys I've seen popping up also be triggered by my food intolerance? A Google search was conducted on whim and wouldn't you know it, this thread came up where some folks claimed to have their hair color reversed after taking on a gluten free diet. That alone got me excited but what really wet my whistle was finding a couple of other threads where folks were signing the praises of their new found hair growth after removing gluten from their diets. This is attributed to better absorption of nutrients by the body. Folks who are gluten sensitive have difficulties absorbing the nutrients from the food digested because the small intestines are not functioning at 100%. So what about my friend who lost a lot of hair while on Atkins? One theory I read was that because Atkins followers tend to consume extremely low amounts of carbs (around 20 grams per day) which can lead to the person avoiding consuming certain fruits and veggies which provide essential nutrients needed for healthy hair.

I'm not 100% certain if I'll notice any difference in the symptoms above after removing gluten from my diet, but with everything I learned so far, I feel like I have nothing to lose and everything to gain. So I'm going all in with great optimism because I would be elated if I experienced improvements in my energy levels, my hair, scalp, skin and body. Although my symptoms aren't severe, I would love to see noticeable improvements in each of these areas. I'll keep you all posted as time goes on.

Motivation Monday: Create an "every time I" list

I'm in the midst of a personal transformation. Which means that I'm constantly using my so-called "will power" to take actions that align with my newfound goals. Let me be the first one to tell you that this is not easy. It reminds me of a saying I heard once from a wise man. He was leading a seminar session when he asked the group a question. "When is a seed most vulnerable?" he asked. The audience, not sure of the right answer, decided to remain quiet. Finally the man answered, "when it first sprouts!" A seedling is susceptible to all kinds of external factors that can easily bring about its demise. Too much rain and it could die, not enough rain and the sprout withers. Bugs and other animals may eat the sprout and one person's weight is enough to trample the poor thing.

The lesson I learned that day was to do all I can to protect all new habits from the factors that can destroy it until I'm certain my habits have grown a deeply grounded root system. One of the methods I'm testing to bring me through the "habit infancy stage" is creating an "Every time I"... list. "What in the world is an every time I list," you ask. This is a list you can create (either written down or mentally) of the results you get every time you do something. For every action we take, a myriad of results are created. Typically the results are available to us long term so, more often then not, we quit (and our poor little seedling is trampled) before we see those results. But what we need to remember is we are creating those results even if we don't see them now.

So an every time I list is an inventory of results we [will] get every time we do something. For example, I'm working on creating a long-term habit of regular exercise. As you probably know, it's not that easy to get up on the regular and work out. So in order to get me to do it, I run down my every time I list which will go something like this: "Every time I exercise"

• My heart gets stronger
• I burn calories efficiently all day long
• My muscles are more toned
• Clothes fit better
• I love looking in the mirror
• I make better eating choices
• My energy skyrockets
• I feel so good about myself
• My flat stomach emerges
• My skin glows

The list goes on. Notice how the list is stuff I already know but I can't help but to take action after reciting the list to myself. How could I not exercise after acknowledging all these wonderful benefits I'll receive if I just take this one simple step.

Another way to swing this list is to create an "every time I don't list." I use this list for habits I want to break. For instance, I have this habit of checking my email first thing in the morning. There's nothing wrong with this except that there are other (more powerful) actions I could be doing in the morning (like exercising). Also when I start the morning on the computer, hours later I notice I'm browsing various websites while wondering were the time went. So in this case my "every time I don't" list would look like:

"Every time time I don't check my email first in the morning":

• I can plan my day.
• I can mediate and visualize
• I can start my day by going to the gym.
• I can invest 20 minutes cleaning my home.

Before writing this post, I put this method to the test while standing in line at Big Lots. There I was unloading my items at the checkout line when I noticed that I picked up a bag of Doritos Spicy Sweet Chili chips. Casually including a bag of chips with my purchase had become a newly acquired habit. As I stared at the bag of chips I silently began saying "every time I chose not to buy chips I......

Next thing you know, I'm leaving the line, chips in hand, placing it back into the display from whence it came. I felt so good about myself afterwards. Since then, this technique has worked for me quite well. Sometimes I can do the list silently, sometimes I gotta say it out loud in order to motivate me. Either way, it works.

Try it and let me know your experience.

Motivation Monday: "What gets measured, gets managed."

I don't know about you but I want to start this year off with a plan that'll support this year's success. What I'd like to share with you today is a tool that I chose to get serious about my finances. I set up a challenging savings goal and decided to accelerate paying off some debt. It was around that time I was reading Peter Druker's the Effective Executive. Peter's famous quote "what gets measured, gets managed" really struck a chord with me. That's when I decided to measure my financial progress until I reached my goals.

The next action I took was to create an Excel spreadsheet which listed all of my debts and my (liquid) assets. I faithfully updated that spreadsheet monthly for two years making incredible progress during that time. Once I reached my savings goal I slacked off a little bit and my focus hasn't been the same ever since. So now I'm back in the swing of things and there's no time like the present to get started. This time I'm applying this tracker technique to various aspects of my life. I plan on updating on a weekly basis so I can view my progress and stay motivated. Too often, we think we're not making progress so we give up on our efforts way prematurely. I know I do this all the time, only to kick myself mentally later on, for not sticking to my plan. Can't tell you how many times I've asked myself "how far would I be by now if I would have kept going?" My new tracker will now serve as my accountability partner. As backup, I created a weekly electronic reminder so there's no excuse.


If I miss a week or two here and there, I won't get discouraged and I won't give up. I'll simply pick up where I left off. This isn't about perfection, it's about progress. No longer will I wonder if progress is being made or if I'm backsliding, it's all there in black and white.

As you can see from the screenshot above, this tool is not yet complete. I still have to include my written goals in the area next to "2012 Intentions." By doing this, I'll have my written goals in front of me on a weekly basis which will propel my progress. Notice that I'm tracking both results and actions. So in the case of statistical measurements (like my weight or how many fans on Facebook) I track the result, but in other instances, My focus is on taking consistent action. Now you might be saying to yourself, "why is she tracking things like "self-love" or "relationship nourished?" I do this because those areas of my life tend to be the first things that fall on the back burner when life happens. Adding them on the tracker keeps them top of mind for me. This list is by far incomplete as there are other areas I'd like to track my progress. Whenever something comes up that I'd like to include, I'll simply add to my list.

The tool itself is a work in progress. I know that if I'm consistent, I'll make huge progress in the year to come.

So what are some things you'll be trying to stay focused on your intentions for 2012?

Four hair related crazes I have yet to try (until now).

I've been through many fads and phases during this wonderful hair journey of mine. Over the years I've amassed numerous products and techniques. Some have stayed with me, some a long gone. Although it seems like I've tried just about everything, there are some things I admit I've never tried.

The Long Term Stretch is a powerful pathway to healthier hair for those of us who relax. If you didn't know already, stretching helps preserve health and thickness by reducing the amount of time we have to touch up a year. By minimizing the number of times were are relaxing, we are promoting the integrity of the strands and reducing breakage in the long run. Those who are successful at the long term stretch reap bountiful benefits of gloriously thick hair. Sounds wonderful right? So why haven't I stretched for 6 months or longer? Well in order to stretch successfully, one must overcome the hidden dangers along the way. It's kinda like playing a video game with multiple levels where the "bad guys" get stronger at each level. The "bad guys" of long term stretching include tangles, shedding, and breakage cause by the battling textures. In a couple of weeks, I'll be four months into my stretch. Based on my past experience, four months tends to be my limit. I desperately want to last to six months because I know that once I've done it once or twice, it could become the norm for me. I just have to make sure the reward is greater than the risks. Thanks to the increase moisture levels I've been experiencing from my new deep conditioner, I finally feel as if a six month stretch could actually be possible.

I'm almost ashamed to say that I've never experimented with henna on my hair. This is partially because I heard that quality henna makes all the difference in the results and some women with relaxed hair experienced dryness following application. I remember having dry hair after a tea rinse some time ago. Once that happened, I gave up tea rinses just as quickly as I started. My hair is always searching for moisture so henna was not all that appealing for me to look into much further. Since I first heard of henna, many pioneers have worked to improve the process and end results by adding oils and other goodies to the mix. Now that I have steamers and more powerful moisture creating/promoting products, I can let my henna guard down and actually try it. Of course I'll post a review once I get to experimenting.

I'll never forget the day, several years ago, when a Dominican stylist recommended a keratin treatment to me as I was getting my hair done. After doing a quick search online, I learned that this process would add much needed keratin to my chemically processed hair. Overcome with excitement I posted about my desire to have this process done asap. Then someone posted a comment about the potential dangers of this process because of the use of formaldehyde. After further research I learned of the possible cancer risks associate with this ingredient. Since then, there have been advances in formulation and there are now brands on the market that claim to be formaldehyde free. Luckily for us, the whole keratin treatment phase has created a whole new genre of keratin containing, over the counter, products. It's a 10 Keratin Miracle Leave-In plus Keratin is one of my faves. I've also fallen in love with Coppola Keratin product as well. So ultimately, I haven't felt the need to have this service done. If I ever feel the need to infuse strength into my strands with a heat source, I think I will purchase the Fibre Architecte from Kerastase.

I have to confess and let you know that I had weave sewed in when I was like 19. Back then "wet and wavy" hair was the shiznit. A friend of mine knew this girl who was a "professional dancer" and could install a full head of hair in no time. If memory serves me right, she braided the hair but glued in the tracks versus sewing it in. Peer pressure got the best of me so I caved. Soon I was walking around with a pack & a half of wet and wavy. Let me tell you that I felt like my whole life had changed when I had my new hair. Guys were hollerin' and I got so many compliments from girls on how great "my hair" looked. All was right with the world....that is until it was time to remove it. I don't remember all the details, but what I do remember was having cutting out a partial braid in order to remove the track that was glued to my cornrow instead of my scalp. You should have seen the look on my face when I saw my own braid in my hand. I was mortified. From that day on, I've sworn off all forms of extensions with the exception of synthetic braided hair.

It's kind of sad that I've had this aversion to weaves ever since this once incident because proper use of weaves/wigs can really help protect the hair. How many women have made huge progress on their hair journey from the use of weaves in their protective styling? Nowadays I've seen weaves that look amazing. Girls are even able to pull their extensions into ponytails. It's incredible how natural looking some of these installs look. Honestly, I would love to get a professional (not street professional) install especially in the summer time when humidity and my hair go into all out war against each other.

What I'd like to do is become more open minded to these four things that I've avoided for so long. Or at the very least, I'd like to find alternatives that provide similar benefits without the negative side effects.

Kelly Rowland, Will Smith and my daily habits

This past week, I've been really present to something that I'd like to share with you today. As you may or may not know, I'm currently focusing on my fitness routine with the intention of bringing my old body back. For most of my life, I lived under the assumption that when a person enjoyed beautiful skin, a toned body, or gorgeous hair, they were naturally gifted with these fabulous results. Little did I know how wrong I was in this way of thinking.

It all became real for me when I read the fitness routine of a Victoria's Secret model prior to her runway appearance. She worked out 2 times a day for hours and went on a liquid diet a week or two before the actual event. Although her workout and diet was a little extreme, I learned that actual work was put into achieving the result she desired. My guess is that this model was a naturally thin person in general, so exercising and shifting her eating habits is a way of taking her fitness results to the next level.

Take a look at this quick video featuring Kelly Rowland.



Hideous looking wig aside, how many of us have looked at Kelly Rowland's tone figure in a bikini and thought to ourselves "I wish I looked like that." Since Kelly was a teen, she's always been on the slim side. Why would Kelly Rowland need to do 200 sit ups each night? If I looked like Kelly Rowland, would I ever do a sit up? (Could I even look like Kelly Rowland without ever doing a sit up)
Another amazing attribute of Kelly's is her gorgeous, flawless skin. I will never forget a Destiny's Child special I watched many years ago featuring the behind the scenes lives of the all-star girl group. Honestly, I can't remember hardly any of it except for one scene where Kelly was in a spa receiving a treatment. While sitting in the chair, she went on and on about how much she loves getting pampered and receiving skin treatments. Once again I ask myself, if my skin looked like Kelly's, would I feel the need to get skin treatments? One might say to themself, "she's got gorgeous skin, she doesn't need to get skin/spa treatments", but now I wonder, if her perfect skin is the result of how well she's taken care of herself for years.

Yesterday, I spent a few moments watching skin care regimen videos on YouTube. I chose which videos I would watch by selecting the thumbnail pics of the most flawless faces. Secretly, I hoped those glowing faced ladies would say something like "I don't really do much to my face, this comes naturally." Reason why I hoped to hear them say this is because it would give me an excuse to say "oh well, I wasn't born with perfect skin like her so I might as well accept my results." But instead, I listened to intricate daily and weekly regimens geared toward creating perfectly healthy skin and suddenly I was faced with the grim reality of how my inaction has lead to the results that I now experience.

Seriously, this week has been so clear to me how little effort I've been putting into getting what I say I want. It's like I think either it will happen naturally or it wasn't meant to be. Now I realize that I've been horribly mistaken. For me this reality is most obvious in the area of my physical maintenance but I could also see where this type of thinking also applies to any and every area of my life. Will Smith is likely the most highest paid African-American actor in the U.S. One could look at his acting career from the Fresh Prince days and think, "wow, he got a big break with Independence Day, he's one lucky guy." But that thinking is completely inaccurate. That man has a work ethic like you wouldn't believe.



He created his success.

So, I'm now in the creation business. One by one, I'm reviewing the goals/results I say I want and I ask myself "do I think this will magically appear for me or am I willing to put in the work to get there?" As I searched the web for inspiration, one commonality that emerged was that most folks had a daily action they took to get their results. I don't even do 200 sit ups a week, imagine how different my abs would be if I did them nightly? One thing I won't kid myself about is the fact that mastery of anything takes time. Doing anything for a couple of weeks won't create the results I want. Time is required achieve the level of mastery. It has to become a part of my life.

Even in my hair care routine I can do better. Sure, I'm willing to invest in quality products and I'm constantly tweaking my weekly deep conditioning routine to take it to the next level but I don't have a strong daily regimen to support my overall hair goals. What am I doing every day to get what I want?

More thought and planning will go into this and when I create/perfect my optimal daily hair regimen, I will certainly share.

Let the Games Begin! Wanna play?

This post is a little off topic but I want to share something with you. Several weeks ago when these images of Melyssa Ford surfaced on the net, my reaction was no different than anyone else's. Her body is spectacular. That goes without saying. Even when I clicked out of the web page displaying those pics, several thoughts continued to run through my mind.



My thoughts went beyond just what has happening in those pictures at that moment. I pondered on how amazing Melyssa felt about herself because of her level of fitness and the body that was a result of it. Think about it, every time she puts on clothes, or takes them off, she's probably holding a positive internal conversation with herself. How do I know? Simply because all of us are constantly holding internal conversations whereby we make comments, good or bad, about what we are experiencing at the moment or what we experienced in the past or what we think we might experience in the future. I reckon, that her internal talk about her body is empowering. And by creating those empowering conversations, she produces positive emotions, which, in turn, help her take inspiring actions.



Then I got to thinking about myself and my lady gut. I flashed back to how I felt the other night when my husband started rubbing it in his sleep as if he were rubbing a lucky buddha. Memories of back in the day, when he used to give me props for my abs flooded my mind. That's when I decided at that my belly has to go. No more excuses. Next came the million dollar question. How?

I've decided to make a game of it. Remember as children when we would craft games out of thin air and our vast imaginations? Games relieved us of boredom and brought excitement to our day. Games made our lives fun. Let me tell you more about this new game I created.

The object of the game: To create a flat stomach, toned legs, thighs and arms.
My winning strategy: Engage in physical activity daily, adjust eating habits, improve digestion.

The Rules:

No less than 15 minutes of daily exercise in the morning. Otherwise, no shower.
An apple a day. 1.5 liters of H20 daily.
Transverse abdominal exercises.

Strengths:

My membership to 24 Hour Fitness.
There's a large park near my neighborhood.
Access to hotel gyms while traveling.

Weaknesses:

My travel schedule which makes difficult to plan meals, exercise regularly and promotes unhealthy eating.
Work related dinners with co-workers occurring after a long day's work.

On the weekend of December 3rd, 2011. My husband and I are planning to head down to Miami for a mini-vacay. I have every intention of having won the game by then. The last thing I want to do is walk around South Beach feeling down about myself. Not when I have a choice. And I do have a choice.
I can already see it now. The warm, low humidity air feeling divine on my skin as I stand in the Miami sun. For the first time in months, I feel spectacular. Maybe my body doesn't look exactly like Melyssa's but I feel as good a she did when on that faithful day when the above pictures were taken. By making a game out of it, I essentially change my outlook on creating my new body. In the past, I viewed making these changes as something difficult and unpleasant. Now that it's a game. I plan to have fun and I plan to win.

#winning

Cleaning out my product closet: My way of achieving waist length hair

It all started when I decided to do a quick protein treatment one day via Aphogee's 2 Minute Reconstructor. I rarely do protein treatments but since I recently touched up my hair, I figured now would be a great time to break out my bottle. So there I am standing in front of my hair product closet scanning the contents over and over again in search of the Aphogee. Nothing. I move a few bottles around, take some and put on the floor for easier viewing, and still I can't find it. Weary from looking, I decide to move on with another protein heavy conditioner that I'm able to easily locate. I know that I haven't ran out of my Aphogee. Which makes this experience that much more frustrating. It's in there buried among years worth of collected hair products stemming from various crazes and numerous product junky relapses. Fed up with the collosal mess I've created, I decided to take an action to clear out this massive clutter disguising itself as my hair product closet.

For a while now, whenever I visited the closet on wash day, I would stand there staring at it blankly as my eyes glazed over. After several moments I'd collect various products into my arms not knowing if there was another, more appropriate, product I should be using that was lurking just behind my 1 liter bottle of conditioner.

I'm a strong believer that if one wants results they've never experienced before, they must take an action (or a series of actions) that signify the belief and desire to get there. I call this "building the ark." When Noah was told that a flood would appear and he began to act on it years before the rains came down. When I wanted to land a job where I could work from home, I decided to create a home office space to symbolize my strong intentions to work from home. That, coupled with other actions, led me to realizing this intention. For me this idea of "building the ark" could also apply to my goal of reaching waist length. Waist length hair is a lofty goal for a constant manipulator like myself. And if I continue to maintain the same habits I have today, waist length may elude me or take much longer than it would otherwise. So I wanted to take an action to signify my desire for longer lengths. My hair product closet was in disarray. Could this chaos also be leaking into my hair regimen and routine?

So I went to work, pulling out years worth of products and laying them on the floor before me. Then I grouped them in order by their similarities. Oils were together in one area, conditioners in another, shampoos in another. When I pulled everything out, wouldn't you know it, my Aphogee 2 minute reconstructer was lurking in the background waiting to be discovered once again. I also found some "oldie but goodies" like my Biolage Cera Repair Pro, my pH strips, and various leave-in products that I haven't used in quite a while.

(The picture below doesn't show all the products I owned at the time of the closet cleaning).

In the end, I threw away numerous bottles of product, both full and empty, that I knew I'd never use again. My end in mind was to create space so I could organize what I would keep. An organized closet gives off a different kind of energy than an over-cluttered, disorganized one. That energy will translate to good feelings for me. Every time I stood in front of my overstuffed closet, I would zone out. Now, when I open the closet, I feel good. I am now present when I'm standing there and I'm making better choices of which products I'll be using. By organizing my closet, and throwing out unproductive hair products, I'm creating a butterfly effect that will hopefully lead to a series of events leading to waist length length tresses.

Since writing this post, I've stumbled on a couple sites that talk of the minimalist lifestyle. I love the idea of everything in my home having a purpose. This way of living is so contrary to who I've been in the past. I'm one of those people who buys 3 of something if I like it. The result of such actions is a plethora of stuff. Don't get me wrong, with the exception of my hair product closet, my house doesn't look like an episode of hoarders, but I would love to deplete my belongs to really owning things that I know I will use.


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Bronner Brothers Hair Show: COLOR

Continuing with my photo journal of the event. Below are some snap shots I took of some of the most colorful hair styles I observed while casually people watching. Color was definitely a theme in this year's hair show.





















































Stay tuned for more pics including natural hair, celebrities, shoes, and some of the most creative styles entered into the hair competition.

Bronner Brothers Hair Show 2011

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend the Bronner Brothers hair show in Atlanta. Since it was my first time attending, I didn't know what to expect. Overall, I would describe the experience as " visually stimulating." If you're a people watcher like I am, you're going to love my upcoming posts. So join me as I present my photo diary of the Bronner Brothers hair show 2011.





After arriving on day one, I walked the expo floor where the vendors were located. They were mostly selling weaves, feathered "Basketball Wives" type earrings, styling tools and such. Since none of that really interested me, I decided to take a step back from all of the festivities, break out my camera, and capture the moments...







































There's plenty more where that came from. I also shot some video as well so hopefully I can edit and get that posted on the youtube page. I can't wait to share the show with you from my perspective.

Living my life like it's Golden!

The other day a thought came to me suddenly while I was pumping gas. There I was doing something that was routine and mundane when all of the sudden, some young guy pulls up in his flashy car with music blaring. I observed him from my pump and as I watched him complete his transaction I thought to myself, "this guy is probably in his 20's and I'm sure he's living his life like he wants." Would I do anything different if I were able to go back to my early 20's?"

The answer to that question is YES! There are quite a few things I would do differently. I'm not one who likes to dwell in the past so I immediately turned the question into my present experience and asked myself. "When I'm in my 40's & 50's, is there anything about my life now that I would have wished I'd done differently?"

Once again the answer to that question is YES! So immediately I began to rattle off a list of things that I have total control over that I would have wished I done if I looked back 10-15 years from now. We only have 1 life to live and it would be a shame to live under our fullest potential. Especially if we have a choice not to. With that said, I thought I'd share some of these "do differently" things with you all. I'm gonna pretend that it's 15 years into the future and I'm looking back to my life as it is today. What would I wish I had done?

• Looking back I would wish that I took more pride in my appearance. I'm sure that as the signs of aging begin to show I will look back at the days when my face was wrinkle free and would have regretted not taking better care of it.
• I would wish that I was more diligent in my work out regimen and focused on creating more muscle tone.
• I would have regretted not spending more time with my friends and family.
• I'd wonder why I wasn't obsessed with growing my business.
• I would kick myself for continuing to trade hours for dollars.
• I would go back in time and operate with a fearless attitude.
• I'd wonder why I didn't make the effort to make sure my hair looked beautiful every day.
• If I could go back, I'd be more creative with my fashion choices.
• I'd wished I bought by dream car.
• I'd be purposeful in not living the same day twice.
• I would wish I traveled much, much more.
• I would be punishing myself for not expressing more creativity in my daily life.
• I would have wished that I prayed and meditated daily.
• I would kick myself for spending so much time mindlessly surfing the internet.
• I'd wonder why I haven't given more to others.

The list would go on. This is a huge wake up call for me. I could be doing so much more. I don't want any regrets 10 years from now so I'm committed to doing what I can to make some of these things a reality for me. Talking about it is only half the battle. Now I'm ready to put some of these wishes into real action. I learned from one of my co-workers that whenever there is a list of things to tackle, I should look for "levers." Levers are things that I can do that make an impact on several other things on my list. Glancing back over my list of "should haves" I would say that levers include having a fearless attitude and creating passive income steams. This will allow me more time to travel, spend time with my family, become more creative, give more, etc.

Now that I've thought this out. I can now create my next set of goals. I believe that this is the first step to something big. I have a choice in how I want my life to be and I chose to live without regrets. I know what I need to do and I know what my focus should be. There's a clarity that I'm feeling that I haven't had in a while. I will continue to ask myself this question of what would I regret doing (or not doing) 5 or 10 years from now. This will help me keep my priorities in order and keep me focused on living the life I want to live. So now the work begins. Most gurus who tell you about achieving your goals will ask you to start with your why. I've had my why's in the past but somehow I feel like it wasn't strong enough to compel me into consistent action. Knowing that I could possibly regret the choices I am making today is a strong enough WHY to get me into real action.

I know that this entry is a bit off-topic but I felt some strongly about this revelation that I felt I had to share. My intention is that the levers I pull are powerful enough to also make a great impact on this blog as well.

Take a moment to identify you'd do differently in your life if you were looking back. It's not too late to make a difference. Now's the time! No regrets.

Show off your fabulous mane & become a Pantene Hair Model

If any of you ladies plan to attend the upcoming Essence Music Festival, go visit the folks from Pantene as they host a casting call for their next round of hair models. You guys may remember Brooke, who won a chance to represent Pantene in their previous champaign. Now it's your turn!

MEDIA ALERT

WHAT: PANTENE PRO-V CASTING CALL AT ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL

Pantene, known for providing women with healthy, beautiful hair for more than 60 years, is seeking five African-American women to star in its upcoming 2012 print advertising. The search will take place at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans.

WHEN: FRIDAY & SATURDAY, JULY 1-2, 2011, 11:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.

Sign-ups begin at 10:00 A.M. and are limited to the first 200 people

Callbacks will be held on Sunday, July 3, 2011

WHERE: MORIAL CONVENTION CENTER

2^ND FLOOR- ROOM 226

900 CONVENTION CENTER BLVD

WHY: Pantene aims to provide women with healthy, beautiful hair and offers a variety of products for every hair structure, including the Pantene Pro-V Relaxed and Natural collection, designed to help keep African-American hair strong against damage, shiny and moisturized. As part of “My Black is Beautiful,” a campaign that celebrates African-American beauty, Pantene hopes to encourage African-American women to let their beauty shine inside and out. To find out more, women can visit www.pantene.com/womenofcolor.

MORE: Women with relaxed and/or natural hair are able to participate, however those with extensions or weave will not be considered. The winners will be featured in Pantene’s print advertisements beginning in 2012 and will receive an all expense paid trip to the print shoot location. Winners will be announced at a later date.

*If anyone needs more info. Contact me and I can get your questions over to the folks in charge of the event.*

Curly Nikki Mizani Meet Up event Part Deux

The Curly Nikki/Mizani natural hair meet up was in full force. This fabulous event was hosted at the Blue Martini and there were tons of ladies in attendance.

I got there a little late. When I wandered in the place was pretty much packed. The folks from Mizani and Michelle, from naturallycurly.com were on stage educating the audience on Mizani's new line of products made for curly textures.

At that moment, I looked around and realized that pretty much everyone in the room had a cute little gift back containing samples and product information. Since I was running behind schedule, there were no gift bags left.

That's when my pouting session began. I was like "how come I didn't get a gift bag?" How am I going to sample these potentially amazing products?"

Just then Michelle began announcing winners and lo and behold, my name was announced! Instead of itty bitty samples, I won full sized bottles of the entire line!

Once my taste for hair products had been satisfied, that's when I decided to do what I do best....hair stalking.

Nikki was such a gracious hostess! She made time to take pics and chat with the fabulous ladies in attendance.

For the remainder of the night, I pretty much worked the room asking perfect strangers if I could take pics of their hair. So now I'll step back and allow you to indulge in the barrage of beautiful natural hair porn. Enjoy!

Yeah! Someone recognized me from the blog! She also won a full sized gift back (and so did her mom).

Now back to the glorious hair gazing........

Will definitely do this again! Thanks Nikki/Mizani/Naturally Curly for hosting such a wonderful event. I'm trying to partner with the Mizani folks to host a giveaway. Once it's set I'll share the details.