Many years ago, I came across the concept of lotion masking while researching Japanese beauty secrets on Youtube. This was well before the current sheet mask craze. The technique was pioneered by beauty expert Chizu Saeki, author of The Japanese Skin Care Revolution.

Th technique is simple, you create do-it-yourself sheet masks using products of your choice and special cotton squares.  At the time, I didn't pay much attention, but I finally purchased the infamous Japanese cotton squares and had a chance to experience them for myself.  Now I regret not getting them sooner and I'll tell you exactly why.

Yesterday, I visited the doctor for a first time in a while. This was just a routine wellness checkup. This year I turned 40 and I realize that I have to take precautions to protect my body against age-related diseases.

After completing my intake form and first-time visitor information, the nurse took me to a room to await the doctor.  A few minute later, the physician walked in.  My first impression of her was that she was younger than expected.  Maybe in her mid 30's.  When she looked at me, she seemed a bit surprised.  After confirming my name, the first words she said to me were "You don't look 40! What are you doing to look like that?  You look like you're 30!"

I smiled graciously at her comment then told her that I write about beauty and anti-aging topics. But since time was limited, I couldn't go into detail about what I think is contributing to my healthy appearance.  Since I'll probably go back to see her again in the future, I thought I'd write the post to refer her to.

Here we go.

We're in the final stretch of 2017.  Have you accepted any invites to any end of year vision board parties yet?  One of my friends mentioned hosting one this year and, unlike times past, I noticed a little internal hesitancy.  Don't get me wrong, vision board parties are great, but I feel that most of them aren't as powerful as they could be.

It's exciting to daydream about all the lavish experiences you want to enjoy someday. But how do you transform them into reality?  Vision boards are perfect for inspiration. But once we have a vision in place, we need to utilize tools to make our vision come alive.  The most practical tool available is a planner.

I've used a planner on, and off, for over a decade.  But in 2018, I want to tweak my methodology a bit.  Instead of using it as a time management tool, I want it to be the secret weapon that helps me achieve results like never before.

Not long ago I had the pleasure of experience cryotherapy for the first time.  After the lady at the cryo center explained all the details of the treatment, she asked if I had any questions.  "Yes.....uh, do you do cryo facials also?"  Sadly, they didn't offer cryo facials so I made a mental note to search for spas in my city that offered the service.

Not long after, I watched a beauty video on Youtube from a Victoria's Secret model featuring her celebrity facialist. One of the pre-runway tricks shared was to fill a bucket with ice cubes and splash the ice repeatedly on the face.  The alternative was to purchase a set of super expensive cryo-sticks which are basically hand-held tools that you put in the freezer and place on the skin. They're a decent option, but they cost over $100 and I knew they couldn't create the same impact as ice directly on the skin.

Should I pay $50 or more for a single facial cryo facial session or do I buy the fancy stainless steel ice facial sticks?

The answer is neither! Because I've come up with a nifty little hack so that we all can enjoy cryofacials for just pennies a day.

I don't write a ton on the topic of relationships because of my limited dating experience.  Although my dating life was short-lived, it was very intentional.  Looking back, I think there was value in my dating methodology.

The reason I'm writing about this out now is that I'm hearing more and more women provide dating advice that I experienced first hand.  Basically, my "dating strategy" was to friend zone every one who was interested in me.  Every last one of them. This approach had so many advantages and I'll tell you why.

As I plan for 2018, my two main intentions include experiencing additional travel along and making various improvements to my home environment.  Accomplishing both in the same year will require a substantial financial investment.  Without a defined plan, the year could slip by without accomplishing exactly what I set out to do. 

@spiritedpursuit

Whenever December rolls around, I always make a bold declaration that the upcoming year will be even more incredible than the last.  So far, I've done a pretty decent job at meeting my expectations.

How?

I place much of the credit to my annual end of the year ritual that sets me up for an amazing year ahead.

Last night, after showering, I made a bee-line to my stash of facial masks.  My husband, always curious, asks the obvious question.

What are you doing?
I'm about to do a face mask. 
 "Now," he asks.
Yes, now.

Even though we were going to bed shortly, I felt it was the most opportune time to indulge in a facial mask. This idea was partially inspired by a series of Instastories that flashed through my screen earlier that day.

Back when I read a bunch of business-related books. One subject that I wanted to constantly learn about was time management.  My mind runs at 100 miles an hour. This means that I'm constantly jumping from task to task without making much progress.

I'll never forget the time when I landed my first professional job.  The girl training me would teach me a few tasks than observe me while I worked.  After a few moments of observation, the asked me to stop jumping from one task to another so I could actually finish what I was doing.  Being all over the place feels like I'm busy but, in the end, I found myself rarely getting the most important things done.

To solve this problem, I tested out a variety of time management strategies.  Most of them produced positive outcomes. But one strategy, in particular, improved my results by leaps and bounds.

The year is quickly coming to a close.  How was 2017 for you? Was it amazing? Are you confident in what lays ahead for you in 2018? If you're fully certain that 2018 is geared exceed your expectations, may I offer some advice on how to change your life's direction?

Perhaps there are some goals on your list that you struggle to reach.  Have you ever considered that part of the reason why things aren't falling into place is because of who we are "being."

A couple of months ago, I traveled to another state to visit a friend for her birthday.  Before leaving, I was doing pretty well with my eating habits so I set an intention to return home without gaining any extra weight.

At one point a group of us went out for breakfast.  Instead of ordering fresh squeezed orange juice, I requested a cup of hot water and several lemon slices.  This warm lemon tea helped keep me from polishing off the home fries on my plate.  A friend sitting beside me was happy to lend a helping hand and take the rest.

I was proud of my self for choosing warm lemon water in hopes that it would help curb my appetite. But little did I know that this one act could also help prevent junk food related fat gain.

In the early days of this blog, one of my guilty pleasures what trying out little-known beauty and hair care brands.  I stumbled on some fine gems simply by stepping outside of my comfort zone.  It's been a while since I found a brand that inspired me to try something new.

Somehow, I stumbled on a brand that I had never heard of in my life. Then I learned that they incorporated a unique ingredient not commonly found in other hair conditioners.  Combine that with the countless positive reviews and I was sold.

The subject of healthy hair will always be a topic of conversation among women of color.  Recently, I was contacted by the editor of Un_Ruly.com  about an exciting, upcoming project.  They're currently hosting a casting call for women with relaxed hair living in New York or Los Angeles.

Those selected will participate in a video series on the topic of our hair.  I'm excited about the project and look forward to seeing the open dialogue featuring diverse women of all hair types textures.

 Previous Hair Story articles have highlighted the journeys of Naomi Campbell, Taraji P Henson, Viola Davis and many more.

The casting is open from now until December 22, 2017.  Let's help spread the word.  They're seeking women with relaxed hair to add diversity to the conversation. If you or anyone you know live in  NY or LA, and would like to be a part of this project, head over to un_ruly.com  to sign up.

The biggest challenge we have, when it comes to reaching our goals, is opposition that comes in the form of resistance.  Recently, I shared a tactic that provides an easy way to get out a rut. But what should you do if your resistance is fear-driven?

Fear & resistance go hand in hand.  You want to step into a new direction, but all of these limiting thoughts pour in, causing you to remain stuck.  I've coached quite a few people over the years and the biggest factor (I found) that keeps people from taking action is focusing on what could go wrong.