Embody What You Desire to Attract at a Higher Level.

Every so often, I like to go for a long walk in nature while doing some reflection on my life.  From time to time, I receive a burst of inspiration on what I can do to impact my future.  Since I've recently entered a new decade, I wanted create a theme for the next 10 or so years.  Ultimately, I decided that my current focus for the years to come would be to manifest like crazy.

I've known about the law of attraction for quite some time and I've had plenty of opportunities to practice it.  Now is the time to really expand my ability and level of manifestation.  So far this year, I've come to realize how much impact my level of vibration has on my ability to attract.  I still set a daily intention of trying to feel good as much as possible and it has served me well.

This weekend I decided to take things to the next level by embodying what I wish to attract.

Here's How I'm Transforming My Lemon Water into the Ultimate Beauty Tonic

During the winter time, I make sure to drink multiple cups of tea a day.  When summer rolls around, I like to transition to lemon water.  Not only is it totally refreshing, there are a multitude of health benefits associated with drinking lemon infused water.

This year, I asked myself "is there anything I can add to my lemon water to make even more nutritious?"  It wasn't long before a bunch of ideas started running through my mind.  He's what I've come up with so far.

Monday Mood.

I love Mondays. 

This wasn't always the case.  Once upon a time, Mondays were the bane of my existence.  Fridays & Saturdays were always so amazing but by Sunday afternoon, a feeling of dread started to creep in.  I remember staying up late on Sunday nights in over to avoid the inevitable.  Eventually, the amount of anxiety that invaded my body on Sundays became unbearable. So I decided to implement a plan of action to turn the entire situation around.

Major Hairstyle Inspo for Your Neck Length Bob. Courtesy of Tamia Styles

One of my fantasy hairstyles is to one day have the perfect neck length bob.  It's flattering, chic, modern, and feminine.  The reason why I haven't quite taken the plunge is because I had this limiting belief that a neck length is pretty boring with few styling options.

The other day I stumbled on an Instagram page of a young lady who completely challenged my incorrect notion about short hair.  Although she's a makeup artist who predominantly posts beauty looks, the first thing that stood out to me was how gorgeous her hair was.  More importantly, she demonstrated the versatility of shorter length hair.

#SaladsAllSummer // The Mantra that will Change Your Life this Summer

These last few months I've had a really busy schedule.  Typically this means weeks of takeout and unhealthy eating.  Thankfully, all of my digressions haven't resulted in extra weight gain.  But, it has taken a toll in a different way.  I feel like there's something missing on the inside.  Like the food is taking care of hunger but not much else. 

Typically, I reserve healthy eating for when the pounds start to accumulate but I realize that eating healthy has benefits beyond what's on the surface.  Sometimes we just need a reminder of all the reasons why eating a ton of fruits and veggies is a winning strategy for summer.

[trending.] The Crossbody Mini Bag

Several months ago, I sent a direct message to a friend on Instagram expressing my desire for a designer fanny pack.  She encouraged me to treat myself to one if that was what I wanted.  I then informed her of the hesitations that stopped me from moving forward.

I grew up in the 80's when the fanny pack made its first appearance.  Back then, they were loud, ugly and were the accessory of choice for overweight tourists.  There was nothing fashionable or desirable about them.  But times have changed and fanny packs/belt bags are making a comeback in a major way.

  Several luxury designers have released belt bags that are the modern, trendy version of the fanny pack.  I'm interested but still hesitant. One concern I have is that they're meant to be worn around the waist.  My body often fluctuates and when I gain weight, it often settles on my midsection.  The worst thing one can do is wear a fanny pack or belt bag with a bloated tummy.  That's a huge no-no cause it'll draw too much attention to a problem area.

I thought I would have to give up on my dream of rocking a cute trendy bag this summer until I came across the perfect alternative.

Simone Reminds Us to Step Our Lash Game Up.

In a perfect world, I'd execute a multistep beauty routine every night to ensure that I wake up flawless every morning.  Most days, I do the bare minimum required to keep my face from breaking out.  But this strategy is passive in nature and doesn't create new results.  I need to remember to include steps that not only maintain but also add value.

Thankfully, I was given a timely reminder that cleansing and moisturizing isn't enough.  And if I were to include one additional step, I could be enjoying the lashes of my dreams.

House Smelling Like Luxury! I found the Perfect (Low Cost) Dupe for Jo Malone's Candles.

Just the other day, I visited my local Aldi's grocery store.  It was supposed to be another uneventful trip where I picked up some avocados, leafy greens and maybe a few specialty food items.  Little did I know that this routine stop would land me the biggest find of 2018.

Aldi's is a cross between a low-cost Whole Foods and Big Lots.  Since they're affiliated with Trader Joe's, they often carry organic, healthy food options at a really affordable price. They also have this neat home goods section that stocks random household items on closeout.  Their inventory rotates quite a bit so if you find something you like, it's best to grab it.

Upon entering the store, I made a beeline for the home goods section to see if I'd run into something special.  Within moments, my eyes landed on a display of candles with cute little black bows on the lids. Instinctively, I picked one up to check out the branding.  I thought my eyes were deceiving me because, at first glance, it appeared as if I was holding a Jo Malone candle.  I inhaled the scent of the candle and confirmed that it was indeed the same fragrance of my favorite Jo Malone candle from years ago.  But the price was only $6.99!

What on earth was happening?

America's Next Top Model Runner-Up Reveals Her Favorite Beauty Supply Store Lip Gloss

My favorite Instagram lives are the ones where we tag along for an impromptu get ready with me.  Often, the person is just chit chatting while they execute their entire makeup routine.  Most of the time, we are given a glimpse into the raw, unsponsored, look into their makeup stash.  I've come across a few gems from jumping on these random lives.  One of my favorite mascara's, L'Oreal Telescopic was introduced to me via Kendra Bailey's live.  I talked about it in a previous Instagram Beauty Secrets Post.

Today, I want to share another product that I might pick up thanks to the recommmendation of former America's Next Top Model Runner Up, Tatiana Elizabeth.

How to Create The Glass Skin Effect for Summer

It wasn't long ago that I stumbled on a genius hack that allows us to instantly create a DIY shimmering body oil not unlike Fenty's Body Lava.  I've been known to make impulsive beauty purchases from time to time. But lately, I've been so impatient that I often resort to making a quick at home version compiled from what I already own.

Just this past week, I was introduced to a new skin enhancing product that I absolutely had to have.  It all started when I was tagged in the comments of a post on Instagram.  Little did I know that I was about to discover my newest favorite summer skin essential.

Ciara & Kenya Moore used the Law of Attraction Principles to Attract Their Mates. Here's How.

Recently, I came across two articles where celebrity women have mentioned using Law of Attraction techniques to find their husbands.  I'm going to try to tackle this topic in case someone came across their sound bite and wanted to know more about the process.

I'm no expert on using the law of attraction to attract one's ideal partner.  I was already married by the time The Secret movie came out.  But, I've studied the law of attraction over the years and thought I could provide some extra commentary on how to apply this law in dating and courtship.

Staring at a Screen Causes Weight Gain. Here's How.

One habit that I would absolutely love to change is my nightly routine of scrolling through timelines on my cell phone until I drift off to sleep.  And, every so often, I wake up and immediately grab my phone and catch up on what I missed during slumber.  When I do this, I'm guaranteed to stay up another 2-3 hours before dozing off again.   Even if I total 8 hours of sleep, I still don't feel as rested as I could because of the interruption.

I've heard a few sound bites here and there that we shouldn't check our phones before bed but I never quite listened.  I never paid much attention because I didn't fully understand why this habit was so damaging.  I'm one of those people who are motivated by avoiding negative consequences. Now that I have a better understanding of why screen light is so damaging, I'm fully committed to adjusting my behavior accordingly.

If you care about managing your weight, getting enough beauty sleep, and achieving optimal health, you definitely want to keep reading.

Let's Talk About The Ways to Treat Stretch Marks

I received a request to cover the topic of addressing stretch marks.  Since summer is on its way, I thought it now would be a great time to discuss.  Summer is all about being confident and, sometimes, visible stretch marks can interfere our confidence.  I believe that stretch mark management requires a comprehensive approach.

So let's talk about all the ways to avoid and treat them.

The Most Effective Life Hacking Experiments that Really Changed My Life

Over the years I've conducted a series of mini experiments that have served me very well.  Although some of them were meant to become life long habits, I still enjoyed the benefits of incorporating a new behavior even for a short period of time.  We're constantly receiving advice to incorporate various habits into our lives because of the potential benefits.

Sometimes, it makes sense to carry out an activity on a daily basis for a short period of time to accurately measure the impact of the new behavior.  This is what I'm referring to when I talk about carrying out an experiment. Once you realize the immediate impact of your behavior change, you can decide if the impact is enough to continue the activity.

I thought it would be a good idea to take a look back at my most amazing mini-experiments and share which ones had the most impact. Of all the life enhancing mini-experiments I've conducted over the years, these are my all-time favorites.

Abundance Spending// How to Spend Money in a way that Creates More Financial Abundance

Last weekend, my brother and I had a conversation that inspired this article.   He planned to withdraw a specified amount of money from his bank account to spend in a manner that created additional abundance.  As he talked about his strategy, I grinned from ear to ear.  I am not stranger to this method. In fact, I have been implementing the "spending for greater abundance" technique for nearly a decade and it has served me well.

Today, I'll share examples of how I implemented this strategy over the years along with the pitfalls to avoid whenever doing so.

Weekend Beauty // How To Turn Your Sheet Mask Routine into a Hydrating Facial

The weekend is here.  Saturdays are the perfect time to incorporate beauty related activities that we didn't have time to squeeze in during the week.  This week I came across a tip that I can't wait to try today.  It's a simple tweak to the way I traditionally sheet mask that can really pay off big time.

I stumbled on this idea after reading about someone's beauty ritual online.  The woman stated that she utilizes sheet masks specifically after a shower.

Why?

Sephora Stores Are Giving Out Free Hydra Facials!

Just weeks ago, I talked about how the Hydra Facial was, in my opinion, one of the most effective facials on the market.  Why? Because it's like getting two skin treatments in one.  First, your skin is manually exfoliated with the help of a powerful pen like suction tool. Once all of the dead skin cells are magically whisked away, your bare skin is primed and ready for the hydrating serums which seem to penetrate deep within the surface.

Days after a Hydra Facial, you'll stop randomly upon seeing the reflection of yourself in the mirror and wonder "what have I done differently to my skin?" Then you'll remember that you made the wise decision of treating yourself to a Hydra Facial and now you're reaping the wonderful benefits.

The only drawback to the Hydra Facial is the price.  A session can set you back around $100.00.  If you're not a celebrity, that's quite a lot of money.  You can slip that $100.00 back in your walled because today, I learned a way that we can enjoy this skin transforming facial free of charge.

This Smoothie Ingredient also Gives You Strong, Shinier Hair

A couple of years ago, I was really passionate about making my morning smoothies.  I saw it as the perfect opportunity to layer in a bunch of nutrient dense ingredients into one, easy to consume, beverage.  In my quest to make the most powerful smoothie imaginable, I was always in search of the next super-ingredient.  One of my favorites was hydrolized gelatin. 

Initially, I bought this gelatin because it provided so many beauty benefits. Plumper skin, thicker hair, longer nails, less cellulite to name a few.  When I incorporated gelatin in my smoothies, I realized that it kept me fuller, longer.  This is part of the reason why many claim that gelatin helps with weight loss.  But that's not the only reason.  Apparently, gelatin helps boost metabolism while activating hormones that suppress our appetite.

I could go on and on about the wonders of consuming gelatin. But today, I want to discuss how to incorporate it into our healthy hair routine.

3 Lessons I Learned from Hannah Bronfman's Night Time Skin Routine

I need to put some serious attention to my evening skin routine.  Now that I no longer deal with sporadic breakouts, I just don't feel the need to work as hard.  But this way of thinking is highly flawed.  Currently, my skin is doing ok.  But if I maintain a disciplined skin routine, I could take it from good to great!

Luckily for me, I stumbled on a video that provided some serious inspiration.  Beauty & lifestyle influencer, Hannah Bronfman gave Harper's Bazaar a glimpse of her current evening routine and I picked up a few tricks.  Let's discuss.

Alter Your Thinking, Alter the Course of Your Life.

I've been on a journey for personal development for many years.  Over time, I've learned quite a bit about how to motivate myself, set goals, and attract what I want.  But there's still one area that I wish to develop even more.  

What I'm referring to is having the ability to alter my way of thinking in order to create new realities.  Let me explain further what I'm referring to....