B woman magazine jan feb 2014

Jan/Feb 2014

Phyllis brooks

magazine Get the Latest

Home Decor Trends

founder of

Nucci Salon & Spa Diva Advice from Hello Diva K. Lee Rice

natalie jobity, image consultant

CONTENTS 3 Letter from the Editor 5 Finances 6 Spotlight 8 Inspiration 10 Fashion 12 Parenting 14 Relationships 16 Taxes 18 Real Estate 20 Wellness 22 Hello Diva 24 Event Planning 26 Giving 27 Wellness 28 Tie the Knot 30 Happenings

06 COVER STORY Natalie Jobity, Image Consultant tells you how to dress to impress!

Phyllis Brooks, founder of Nucci Salon & Spa Learn the Benefits of Indulging in Massage

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Get the Latest Home Decor Trends

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B Woman Magazine Jan/Feb 2014

Hello Diva!

Baltimore Woman Magazine’s Monthly Girl Talk Column

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Photo by Titorian Richardson for IZIS Inc.

Letter from the EDITOR

Happy New Year to a better you!

After holiday happenings end and a new year begins, it is time for a fresh start. If you are looking to jumpstart your new year and create a new you, this issue of B Woman Magazine is a must read! We are starting 2014 with our biggest online movement to date. Our goal has always been to create an environment for women to share experiences and give advice among each other, and this month, our online content is bigger than ever. Our newly launched online platform allows you to connect with other readers, comment on topics and allows anyone to write about women, for women and to women. Our different monthly membership levels allows you to sign up for premium content, exculsive invites to events and best of all, our VIP Pass for major savings to shopping, restaurants and more!

Coincidentally, as B Woman Magazine is undergoing change, so are you! Although New Years is a great time to make resolutions and create change in your life, we are actually always changing. As life goes on and you create more experiences and learn more, you change. That’s why I love what I do. I allow women to share experiences among each other to learn and grow from one another. It is how we build ourselves and become even better women today, than yesterday.

Change is good. It allows us to be challenged and achieve things we haven’t achieved before. It allows us to learn and grow. What are your new years resolutions? Since so many of them are so difficult to achieve, this year, focus on the WHY. Why are you setting new goals? How will it make you a better woman? Maybe you are trying to loose weight to be more active with your kids, or you are trying to eat healthier to live a longer life fillled of wellnes. Now matter what it is, always remind yourself why you have to get on the tredmill today, or why you have to eat your veggies! It’s because you want to become a better you!

If that’s not inspiration enough, I don’t know what is. May your New Year be filled with success and hope you’ll join B Woman to become a better you!

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Inspiring you to live your life with your eyes and heart wide open – a true authentic life.

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Publisher & Editor in Chief BETH KURTZ Creative Director Titorian Richardson: Photographer Creative Team Ari Santiago Lewis: Makeup Artist Schnelle Jefferson: Makeup Artist Krystal Morant: Hair Stylist Titorian Richardson for IZIS Inc. www.izisonline.com Ari Santiago Lewis for Airbrush Makeup by Ariel www.ariellewis.com Schnelle Jefferson for Glam Elise Cosmetics www.glamelisecosmetics.com Krystal Morant for Bridal Beauty Associates www.bridalbeautytogo.com

Contributing Writers

Titorian Richardson for IZIS Inc. (Cover, 2, 4-11, 20-23, 26), Val Englert (2, 24-25), Harriet Dopkin (21), Maria Linz Photography (28-29), and Charles Martin (30).

• Certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR)

• Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Practitioner

PO Box 1774, Baltimore, MD 21203 Phone: (443) 278-3823 info@BWomanMagazine.com

Contributing Photographers:

Cowens@InfinityCoaching.net www.InfinityCoaching.net

• Federal Job Search Trainer (CFJST)

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Maria James, Anne Kurtz, Dave Elliott, Suzann D. Medicus, Jennifer Bayne, Glenn Ferrugiari, Harriet Dopkin, K. Lee Rice, Val Englert, and Heather P. Shreve.

Carolyn R. Owens

• Federal Career Coach (CFCC)

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Co-host of “Let’s Coach with Mark and Carolyn” Wednesday at Noon EDT Listen at: http://www. blogtalkradio.com/ perfectworldnetworktoo Call in and listen at 602-753-1726 Like Infinity Coaching on Facebook at: infinitycoaching.co Follow on twitter: @CarolROwens

B Woman Magazine Jan/Feb 2014

From Shut­terstock: Syda Productions (5), Goodluz (14, 18), michaeljung (16), and Andy Dean Photography (27).

From iStock: ValuaVitaly (12).

Advertising Inquiries Contact Beth: info@BWomanMagazine.com Subscribe www.BWomanMagazine.com/Subscribe Free Distribution for Businesses www.BWomanMagazine.com/Distribution Copyright 2013 by B Woman Magazine, owned by B Woman Magazine LLC. All rights reserved. B Woman Magazine is published monthly and is distributed to businesses all over the Baltimore Metropolitan area. B WOMAN Magazine and its affiliates, contributors, writers, editor, and publisher accepts no responsibility for inaccuracies, errors or omissions with information and/or advertisements contained herein. The publisher has neither investigated nor endorsed companies and/or products that advertise in the publication or that are mentioned editorially. The publisher assumes no responsibility for the claims made by the advertisers or the merits of their respective products or services advertised or promoted in B WOMAN Magazine. The publisher does not assume liability for any damages whatsoever that may be suffered by any purchaser or user for any product or services advertised or mentioned editorially herein. Opinions expressed in the magazine and/or its advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher.

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Phyllis Brooks founder of

Nucci Salon & Spa

P

hyllis Brooks, a mother, wife and entrepreneur, is the owner of Nucci Salon and Spa, located in Parkville, Maryland. She has been married for 21 years and has a loving daughter and son. She has worked in the hair industry for over 26 years. Her love for people and fashion is what keeps her loving the business of hair.

Phyllis began her career working for a young lady at a local salon.

After fifteen years working at the same salon, the owner was closing her location and moving further outside of Baltimore City. Phyllis tried to make it work, but with her young children and the longer commute, it was

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B Woman Magazine / December 2013

difficult. She decided to take a year off, but still met clients at their homes to be able to do what she loved - cutting and styling hair.

Although Phyllis loved the salon that she had worked in and the people she worked with, she wanted something more. She had a vision of something more upscale. Phyllis often had ideas that she wanted to integrate into her current location, but she did not own it and there were also strict guidelines at the mall location that did not allow for certain updates. She wanted to take her passion to the next level and open a high-end salon of her own. Before she knew it, the right opportunity came available, and she pushed forward with her dream of a luxury salon and spa.

“My children were now in school and a new shopping center was opening in the area.

The timing was perfect,” say Phyllis. “Everything was falling in to place all at once. I had to go for it.” She knew a place like this was missing in her home town, “The area needed it. With my vision of a luxury salon and spa, and my pride for providing high quality customer service, I knew I could make any salon successful. Plus the economy was great at the time. It was meant to be.”

Phyllis took the next six months to really research what it took to open her own salon. She attended several in-state and outof-state business seminars, summits and other business programs that would prepare her for business ownership. When asked if she ever saw herself as an entrepreneur, she responded “I’ve always wanted to be able to help stylists develop and grow. I’ve also wanted to grow myself. I enjoy continuing to be educated and never like to become complacent. This gave me that opportunity to strive for more, something I’ve always wanted.”

So where does Phyllis get her passion and hardworking charisma? “My parents are my biggest mentors. My mother is the hardest working person I know. No matter what the situation was, she always managed to excel in what she did. They taught me to always strive for the best and that’s what I do.”

The Nucci Team is built around team “driven, passionate and fashionable” employees. “When I hire, I look for someone who is able to take care of the clients. The need to have a pride for themselves and their work.

The should also know how to carry themselves and make a fashion statement. I build

SPOTLIGHT

my team around ambitious, desirable and dedicated employees. If they have these traits, I can teach the rest,” says Phyllis. She has a system in place where the first week, her new team members work in the salon, with Phyllis, who is always on the floor. “I am very hands-on. Here they are able to learn the salon and what they do. I even have them sit at the front desk, so they can learn all ends of the business. They learn how to give a ‘spa tour’ and know how to interact with clients. Then they work directly under me.” Phyllis is constantly giving her employees reinforcement, encouragement

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and evaluations. “It is a way to check their pulse, both for me and for them. I have to know who they are feeling, as well as them, get feedback from me.” To reward her employees, Phyllis holds an annual crab feast in the summer and a gift exchange/house party in the winter. It is a way to build team comradely and feel like they are essential to Nucci Salon and Spa. “They way my employees feel reflects in the service they provide to our customers. It is essential to the success of Nucci.”

So what’s next for Nucci Salon and Spa? “I plan on expanding and opening a second location. I’d also like to hire someone to take my place on the floor. I love being hands on with my current team, but I’ll need more time to really focus on expanding. I am so booked right now, I can’t take any new clients, so I know another location is what is needed.” ■

Phyllis Brooks is the owner of Nucci Salon and Spa in Parkville, Maryland. The services she provides includes custom hair coloring, Brazilian Blowout Professional Smoothing Treatments, Ombra and Customized perms, massages, body scrubs, blow drys and make-up and everything you need for nails. They also have a wide selection of facials and prides themselves in a unique blend of lavender and botanical waxes that leave your skin less likely to be red or irritated. Phyllis specializes in wedding hair for that perfect up-do or any elegant event. She can help your daughter on that oh so important prom day.

Check out the Nucci Salon and Spa website for ongoing promotions and specials and like us on Face Book for more offers. Call them today to schedule an appointment 410-6616500. Nucci is always looking for positive, motivated professionals who are interested in joining their team. They offer on the job training on going education, insurance, bonuses and much more!!! Check out the Nucci Salon and Spa website for ongoing promotions and specials: nuccisalonspa.com. Ready to treat yourself to a luxury experience at Nucci? Call them today to schedule an appointment or to join their growing team by contacting them: nuccisalon@verizon.net or by calling (410) 661-6500.

POSITIONING YOUR PERSONAL BRAND for Maximum Impact

by Natalie Jobity

W

e are all familiar with the branding of a product or a company. If I say “Apple” what images come to your awareness? Because of its strong positive brand associations, Apple products are extremely successful, so much so that people will pay a premium just for the privilege of owning an iPhone or iPad. The company has a clearly differentiated brand that hinges on innovation and top notch quality which is communicated at every touch point with the consumer, so that there is no mistaking an iPad from another tablet.

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B Woman Magazine Jan/Feb 2014

Brand positioning is as important for individuals as it is for Fortune 100 companies. Strong public personal brands, including Oprah, Michelle Obama, Martha Stewart, Serena Williams and Lady Gaga all have a unique expression that makes them distinct from any other woman. These women are household names worldwide because of their unique talent/expertise/platform, but also due to how distinctly they present themselves.

Therein lies the power of personal branding.

So what exactly is personal branding? It is your unique value proposition of what you will deliver as an individual. It is what differentiates you from other women in your sphere of influence so that your authenticity and originality shines through. It’s a

promise of what others can expect from your performance, whether you are an executive, employee, entrepreneur, artist, celebrity, or performer. Personal branding is every detail about you and how you manage others’ perceptions about you. At its core, it is based on your image. But it is also built upon establishing a reputation for yourself, standing up for what you believe in, showcasing what differentiates you from others, and performing above par (regardless of what you do), on a consistent basis.

Your image or visual presentation is fundamental because of the link people make between what something looks like on the outside compared to what is on the inside. The visual representation of your brand is essential, particularly when you consider that first impressions about you are formed within 30 seconds or less of someone meeting you for the first time. So how does your image stack up? Is it conveying the message you need it to convey to be successful in your

INSPIRATION

“If you’re honest with yourself, you’ll discover that you have some work to do to position your brand for power and influence.”

field of influence?

Here’s a quick way to tell if your personal brand has power. On a scale of 1-10 are you?

• Memorable?

• Well differentiated?

• Reputable?

• Credible • Authentic?

• Influential?

• Relevant?

If you’re honest with yourself, you’ll discover that you have some work to do to position your brand for power and influence.

Take the time to reflect on your unique personal brand. Think about what the people you want to influence need and expect from you. How do you deliver against that in a way that delights them?

How do you want people to experience your brand? What images does your brand personify? Do you know your perceived brand value?

These are important questions to ask yourself as you position your brand for success.

It’s important to understand that your personal brand is ubiquitous. Every interaction a person has with you is an opportunity for you to build or undermine your personal

brand. In today’s social media culture, your online personas need to be managed as well. Once you have crafted your brand, you need to make every effort to reinforce its message in everything you say and do, offline and online.

This includes inperson interactions, e-mail exchanges, phone calls, social media posts, texts, etc.

Here are a few more tips to consider as you start to build your personal brand for impact: • Your image needs to be consistent with your business’s brand, your lifestyle, personal style, goals and personality.

• Your image includes not just the clothes, hair, makeup and accessories you wear, but also your poise, the way you communicate, your vocabulary, articulation, body language and behavior.

•

Every situation is an opportunity to market yourself.

• Be passionate about what you do. Passion has energy that people can feel and respond to.

• Strive to make a positive and lasting first impression. Smile.

Make eye contact. Be engaging and approachable.

• Be authentic. Be you. Do you.

At the very heart of your brand message is you—the personal manifestation of your brand.

Are you working it for maximum impact?

Here’s to a brand with P.O.PTM (Presence on Purpose)!

Need coaching on building your personal brand so you soar to success? Natalie Jobity is the President of Elan Image Management, an image and style consulting firm based in Columbia MD, servicing women over the world. Natalie coaches women on ways to express their unique style and personal brand so they project “Presence with a Purpose”. Natalie is also the author of the Amazon bestseller; Frumpy to Fabulous: Flaunting It. Your Ultimate Guide to Effortless Style. Need a speaker for your next event or company meeting? Contact Natalie for information on how she can tailor one of her core presentations for your group or firm.

Visit her site at: www.ElanImageManagement.com.

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Finding Your “Now is Your Time” Look Advice by Judy Pressman, Image Consultant Expert

F

inding a “Now is Your Time” look, is a new look you can have with very little effort. We are moving past the phrase, “New Year, New You,” because “You” are already amazing! Let’s use the same “You” and find your “Now is Your Time” look. Many women feel that the New Year is a time to start all over again. It is instilled in our minds that January is the time to start a new diet, get a fresh look and find wellness in our lives. There’s something about January that screams “Let’s start again.” While it is great to make New Year’s resolutions, they are difficult to stick with.

Building a brand new wardrobe every year is costly. The good news is: it’s unnecessary. Your goal to look great doesn’t have to be expensive. You can easily take the items that you have and create a whole new look with little effort and little cash.

I am going to show you that it is possible to get a brand new look without going out and splurging on a brand new wardrobe. There are so many temptations with the New Year. Every January there are new sales that give you an extra 20% or 50% off. However, “a bargain is not what you pay, it’s what you receive,” advice from a good friend of mine - Robert Panté. You can use what you already have and “shop in your closet.” To create your “Now is your TIME” look, I’ve come up with the following steps.

The first step is to get organized and see what you 10

B Woman Magazine Jan/Feb 2014

already have. You don’t want “memory clutter,” (Mary Larson). This is when you’ve forgotten what you’ve had because you can’t find anything in your closet. Usually, you can find what you need to create your complete outfit at the bottom of your closet; it’s just buried under everything else. If you are always buying a new pair of shoes, you probably don’t need to anymore, you need to unbury the ones you already have.

You can do this buy purchasing a great organizing system.

There are different systems for every woman’s needs. Using a closet system will make use of all of your closet space and allow you to stay organized and be able to actually find things that you already have.

Once you have a more organized system in place, you want to “unclutter the clutter.” Go through your items.

If you haven’t worn it in a year, donate it or give it to a friend.

Repurpose your items. Got a sweater as a gift that you can’t stand? Return it. If you do not have a gift receipt, chances are, the tags are still on the item. Go back to the store and get what it’s worth in a gift card. You can then reuse that gift card for an item you can really get use out of. You also want to make sure what you put back in your closet is of the season.

You can put the rest into storage bins or space saver bags.

Only keep a range of what’s needed for the current season and plus or minus 10 degrees. This will save space in your closet and every time you pull out your items in storage, you will feel like you get to shop and see what you have all over again to create a brand new look.

The next step is to put your outfits together. Make sure every item has a partner. Get a friend or a professional to help you to piece different looks together. Chance are, there are combinations that you haven’t thought of yourself.

Getting someone from the outside looking in, can bring new ideas to what you already own. Your “Now is your Time” look is probably already in your closet, you just need some-

FASHION

one to help you see a fresh new look.

The third step is to look at what kind of upcoming events you might have. With Valentines Day coming up, you want to make sure you keep out that special dress or outfit that you plan to wear. Keep items out for big occasions and essential pieces to go with them. These are your year around outfits that can easily have leggings or a cardigan added to them. You can wear your main piece when it’s warm outside and add layers when it gets cold. This is how you make multiple looks out of one single piece. Keep items that say “this is who I am.” You bought certain items because they scream YOU. They fit your personality and who you are. These are important pieces to your look.

Once you have your outfits together, the final step is to figure out what’s missing. You may just need to add a scarf or accent jewelry. If you are missing something that will help create your new look and you’ve gone through all that you have, you can now hit the stores to find what you need to fill in the gaps. Use your coupons, gift cards and returns, and buy something that will complete your outfit. The bottom line is, stay organized and create new looks by mixing and matching pieces you already have.

When you do buy, purchase universal pieces that can work together multiple ways and create your “Now is your Time” timeless look. ■ Want more expert advice from Judy? She provides one on one services for finding the perfect outfit, closet fashion clean-out, creating a whole new look, and sprucing up your existing wardrobe with a few key items. Judy’s presentations are lively, energetic and filled with practical insights into how individuals can express their unique personalities and understand the role that appearance plays in achieving goals. www.JudyPressman.com

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T’was the season to be jolly and now...

by Carolyn R. Owens

T

he holiday season has come to a close and we are at the start of a fresh new year. People have made New Year’s resolutions, set goals and designed and updated vision boards to guide them through the year. We took time to reflect on the coulda, shoulda, woulda of the previous year regretting things we didn’t do or blaming ourselves and others for the “bad” decisions we made. A few weeks go by and the thrill and excitement of the holiday season has faded, resolutions are broken and diets have failed. Back to real life hum drum. Companies are doing so much more with less; we are working longer hours for either the same pay or less. Failed attempts, loss of focus, life happenings, stress is kicking up a notch. We don’t slow down though, we keep going, taking on new projects, adding to the list of things we want to do, putting pressure on ourselves to get more, to be more. Stress levels are now climbing higher and higher. Again we still keep on going, and going – are we related to the Energizer Bunny?

Stress has become an accepted way of life, something we all experience everyday. Stress is a reaction to a stimulus, something that takes us off our equilibrium, taking us off balance and possibly off course.

I like to say there are the big stressors in life the traumatic events such as job loss, death in a family, being a victim of a crime and there are little stressors such as 12 B Woman Magazine Jan/Feb 2014

a cluttered home, worrying about grades in school and for me, having to do yard work. Yes, some people find yard work as a way to relieve stress but for me it is in no way pleasurable. Foods we eat and environmental toxins can also cause stress on our bodies. When you experience multiple little stressors at the same time or back to back they can become a very big stressor.

Stress can affect us in many different ways and because we are all unique we all respond differently.

Stress can weaken your immune system making your body vulnerable to diseases and accelerate the rate of any disease one may have. Stress can increase tension, lead to frequent headaches, high blood pressure, obesity and depression. The difference becomes how we react to the stress we are experiencing. How should we respond to stress and how can we reduce it?

My number one stress reducer is prayer, my relationship with my higher power which for me is Jesus Christ. Another effective way of reducing stress is meditation. If you have not tried it before or are still a novice, there are many free resources online and at your local library that can guide you through the process and get you started. Start with just a few minutes each day, at whatever time works best for you. You can also start each day with a positive affirmation, beginning the morning with warm, positive energy. Be

WELLNESS

aware of how you are mentally bringing energy into the start of the day.

Do the dirty word – EXERCISE. Make time to exercise. Often people will say they are to tired to exercise but exercise will increase your energy levels.

Try starting with a ten minute walk, then gradually increase it to 15, 20, 30, 45 and before you know it you will be getting in a 60 minute walk.

Have fun. With such much do, we have stopped having fun. If you have to start by scheduling fun on your calender – do it! Put music on, play it loud and dance around the house. Dance as if no one is watching – let go and release.

I would be remiss if I did not mention some of the unhealthy habits and

actions individuals turn to when feeling the pressure of stress. These unhealthy habits include drugs, alcoholism, smoking, physical/mental abuse and infidelity. These behaviors are seen as solutions to the problems causing the stress but in reality all it does is add more stress to ones life. If someone is exhibiting these behaviors they need to consider getting professional help. Do not wait until the breaking point is reached, seek help right away.

The activities mentioned above won’t take away what caused the stress but it will effect the way you respond to the big and little stressors of life. In the end you will have more balance, more control and higher levels of anabolic energy leaving you healthier and happier. ■

Carolyn R. Owens is a Speaker, Career, Transition and Life Coach. She is the owner and President of Infinity Coaching Inc. and co-host on the blogtalk internet radio show “Let’s Coach with Mark and Carolyn”. She works with her clients to help them take command of their lives and live a life like never before imagined. www.infinitycoaching.net, www.facebook.com/infinitycoaching.co

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Relationship Resolutions for 2014

Five C.L.U.E.S.™ To Resolve Your Relationship Struggles Written by Dave Elliott

A

s we start off a new year with a clean slate, this is a great opportunity to either get really clear on the relationship you want to create – or improve the one you already have. In an effort to help you, I’ve studied the best of the best in the field of relationships and isolated the top five traits that can help make your relationship Legendary. Plus, in order to make it even more memorable – and actionable – I’ve even developed a simple acronym for success in the key word C.L.U.E.S.™.

Here’s something else to remember when it comes to manifesting true love; while attracting the “right” match is important...WHO YOU BECOME in the process is every bit as important.

Communication Is The First Of The C.L.U.E.S.™

Mastering the art of communication is a critical skill to develop. It starts with doing the inner work and self inquiry to identify what you want and need but if you can’t communicate that information effectively to your partner, it’s worthless. It’s about learning to communicate in the form of a request – rather than as a demand or a complaint – that will make all the difference in the world. Plus you’ll need to be able to highlight benefits and mitigate challenges if you want to create win/win scenarios. The bottom line is that using the right words is only 7% of your communication – while the other 93% of your effectiveness is predicated on your ability to master the tonality of HOW you say it and WHAT your body language ‘says’ when delivering the message. In other words, your partner will feel you even more than they’ll hear you. This is the foundation of effective partnership and that’s why you will never build ANYTHING that withstands the effects of time on a weak foundation.

Love Is The Second Of The C.L.U.E.S.™

While it may seem obvious, the formula for long-lasting and legendary partnership starts with love. I’m not talking about an emotional high that comes from chemical attraction. I’m talking about the kind of unconditional and ever-lasting love that finds a way to love no matter what – regardless of what you may feel you’re getting in return, in the moment. This requires a wholly different level of commitment and a compelling reason WHY you MUST love that is tied to your very identity. That’s because the strongest force in the human personality is the need to stay in alignment with WHO YOU BELIEVE YOU ARE at the deepest level. Simply put, if you don’t believe in loving no matter what...then you probably won’t...

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B Woman Magazine Jan/Feb 2014

RELATIONSHIPS

Understanding Is The Third Of The C.L.U.E.S.™ In any relationship, there are going to be disagreements or misunderstandings ... sometimes, when you least expect it. All human beings have their own version of it; maybe it’s their limiting beliefs, fears of loss, a lack of self worth, a wound from the past, or even a need for certainty. Whatever the issue is, simply BEING in a relationship will trigger your “stuff” and bring your wounds into view. Some people fear that vulnerability more than anything else and it becomes a signal to run. My belief is that’s what relationships are for; to bring out those “rough spots” so they CAN BE healed for your highest and best good. Think of it this way: the only way to discover a “rough spot” is when you brush up against it. The key to freedom is to embrace that discovery with compassion and gratitude so you can actually heal it and let it go.

Empathy Is The Fourth Of The C.L.U.E.S.™

When you have the ability to “get out of you, and into your partner,” you’ll be able to navigate any misunderstanding more effectively – especially if you can combine empathy WITH the prior trait in the formula, understanding. In any event, it’s a powerful combination of gifts and a total game-changer when you apply it with compassion and patience. If you can do that for your partner...freedom awaits on the other side...

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Sensory Acuity Is The Last Of The C.L.U.E.S.™ Sensory acuity is the ability to “feel” or notice when things aren’t quite right with your partner. It’s not so much a mind-read. It’s more like recognizing when there is a break in the emotional or psychic connection between you and your partner. It’s about noticing when they are evasive, reading their body language, or picking up on the “clues” when they are short-tempered or avoiding eye contact. In short, it’s about developing your ability to know your partner even better than they occasionally know themselves.

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15

M oney R esolutions

You Need in the New Year Written By Maria James

C

reating a list of New Year’s resolutions is a tradition a lot of people partake in once January comes. It’s really a list of goals that you plan to stick to in the upcoming year. However, people are notoriously bad at sticking to their New Year’s resolutions. According to a study conducted by the University of Scranton, only eight percent of people actually follow through and achieve their New Year’s resolutions. Money and health or fitness are usually two topics that can be found on New Year’s resolutions lists and are topics where people fail to achieve their goal.

Below are three money resolutions you need in 2014 and how to stick to them.

1) Design a monthly spending plan.

Many people vow to spend less and save more money. The first step is to decide to do it, but in order to reach success you must make a plan. Plan out where your money will go every month. Designing a monthly spending plan will allow you to put the appropriate amount of money towards each financial goal while properly preparing for fixed and irregular expenses (expenses that do not occur every month).

Motivation alone may help you stick to your spending plan for the first month or two, but then motivation may wane or there may be an unexpected expensive life event. As the months continue you will be able to tweak your plan to make it accurate, realistic and effective to cut

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B Woman Magazine Jan/Feb 2014

costs and reach your goals. In order to stick to your budget, have part of your savings go towards savings for rewards. Incorporating a rewards system will help you stay motivated to reach financial success.

2) Pay down debt.

According to government data, the average American family has over $15, 000 in credit card debt, close to $150,000 in mortgage and over $32,000 in student loans. It will be difficult to reach financial success while carrying around debt. Get serious about paying down any debt that you have. Start with the smallest amount of debt that you have, this will likely be a consumer credit card such as a department store. Pay the minimum on your other debt and aggressively work on eliminating the debt with the smallest amount. Seeing your hard work pay off will give you the motivation needed to tackle the next largest debt. Do the same thing, pay the minimum on other debt while aggressively paying down this debt. Once you have that paid off then tackle the next largest one and so on until you have paid off all your debt.

Make sure your debt payments are accounted for in your spending plan. Any money freed up as you get better with your spending plan, throw at your debt to pay it down faster. Once you are financially independent, you are so much closer to financial success.

3) Create an emergency fund.

Another important element to have is an emergency fund. Emergencies happen and can be quite expensive. I’m sure you have some great (not so great when it was happening) stories of emergencies that happened to you. Incredulous stories that still make you shake your head when you think about them.

TAXES

Did you have to borrow money in order to take care of them? Many people keep a credit card for emergencies, but a credit card is not a great emergency fund. It just makes the emergency that more expensive as you pay interest on your credit card balance. Instead of using a credit card, put money away in a savings account that can be used to pay for emergencies. Save up at least three to six months worth of bills. This should be accounted for in your spending plan as well. Remember you are planning for your success. Your spending plan and your reward system will help you to stick to saving money consistently. ■ Maria James has expertise with designing income management, debt management, and wealth strategies to help you keep more money in your pocket. She applies strategic planning and scientific analytical thinking to money management. The Money Scientist was born. Maria hosts webinars, speaks, blogs, and writes articles to educate and empower you about money. Learn more at www.pocketofmoney.com and reach her at info@pocketofmoney.com.

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17

showcase your female form and

Belly Dance!

Written By

Kristin L. Beno Photography By

Joe Hancuff

of modusimagery.com

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B Woman Magazine Jan/Feb 2014

WELLNESS

T

here has recently been an explosion in fitness options with the surging popularity of new exercise formats such as Zumba ®, Birkram or hot yoga, barefoot running and even pole dancing. But how about trying something older? Much older.

We cannot accurately say exactly when or where belly dance originated. However we do know that it was introduced to America during the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair by dancers from the Middle East. The dancers did not call it belly dance; their promoter did to make it sound more intriguing to the passersby. In the 1970s, our country saw a resurgence of interest in the dance form on the west coast.

Popularity grew into the vibrant belly dance culture we see in the United States today. And belly dance is currently very popular here in Baltimore.

Traditionally, belly dance is performed primarily by women and is structured specifically to showcase the female form. This makes it a great option for women of every shape, size and level of health. The shimmies and hip bumps are gentle on the joints but still provide a great workout.

As Lora Marion, a Title 1 Intervention Teacher in Hagerstown and a belly dancer of five years tells B Woman, “I have osteoarthritis in my spine…and I’m over 40. When I dance, I have much less pain. Belly dancing strengthens the muscles surrounding and supporting the damaged…parts of my body.”

Jessica Masten Tye teaches and performs under her stage name of Halima in Westminster, MD. A mother of two, full time office and order fulfillment manager as well as a dancer for 12 years, Tye feels that dancing is “empowering for women.” She lists the benefits of the dance form, “[belly dance] strengthens the core and supports everything including posture. Not to mention how fun it is! It’s not like running on the treadmill at the gym.”

Almost all of the movements in belly dance forms are made to work with the body, rather than contort it into unhealthy shapes. Some of the terminology you might hear in a class includes locks, rotations, undulations or rolls and shimmies. For example, during a pelvic lock, the student would move the pelvis to the front, right, back and left, stopping quickly between each part of the movement. Whereas

in a pelvic rotation, the movement would be performed in the same direction while smoothing out the hip movements into a circle.

Another movement a prospective student could expect to learn is the shimmy. These can be used while standing still or moving across the floor. Shimmies can be applied to the hips or shoulders and performed in time to music to accentuate the student’s dance. And because belly dance was made to suit the female body, the shimmy appears to the outsider as a simple bounce of the hips sped up in time to music.

The beauty of the shimmy is in how it will make the rest of the body move and ripple as well.

When B Woman asked Mariza Matel, a project analyst and belly dance teacher from Baltimore, what she would say to someone interested in trying belly dance, she responded, “Belly dance is a great form of exercise for almost anybody! It is a dance form with many different styles that appeal to all different kinds of people and fitness levels. Regardless of what stylization you choose, belly dance is often low impact and focuses on internal/core muscles while encouraging good posture, muscular control and awareness which anybody can benefit from!”

Matel has been dancing for almost 10 years and teaching in the Baltimore area for about three. She adds, “In addition to strengthening abs, legs,glutes and arms there is also the cardio element from moving your entire body. But it never feels like “exercise” because the movements are so varied and fun!”

As with any form of exercise, it is important to discuss any concerns you may have with a doctor. Though most forms of belly dance are low impact, the exercise can become very demanding during certain moves, thus providing a great overall workout.

Many teachers provide free introductory classes so one can try belly dance before buying a full session of classes.

And though not every teacher will encourage her students to perform publicly, many will offer the class opportunities to do so once they reach a certain level of proficiency. For your 2014 New Year’s resolution, shake up your exercise routine and give something new a whirl. Even if that something new is actually very old. You might be very glad you did. ■

Kristin L. Beno lives, works and dances in the Baltimore metro area. You can read more from her at www. hungryformotherhood.com where she blogs about infertility, pregnancy, birth, motherhood and the occasional cupcake recipe. You can check out articles by dancers about their professional careers at http://marizadance.com/ Halima can be contacted for dancing gigs or lessons at halima.sahara@gmail.com.

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19

RECIPES

GOAT (Adapted CHEESE CHARD GRATIN from Local Flavors by Deborah Madison)

By Harriet Dopkin, The Classic Catering People

I

stumbled upon this recipe one spring when my refrigerator was packed with community supported agriculture (CSA) greens. I have since read and improvised from many other versions, but this is the recipe I am most inclined to repeat.

It continues to be an unexpected delight to guests who swear they will not eat greens. One teenager even thought it was better than dessert.

Feel free to vary the herbs that brighten the bread crumbs and experiment with other greens. While the goat cheese continues to be my favorite cheese for this dish, this is a wonderful opportunity to use the little odds and ends of cheese that may be lingering on the refrigerator shelf.

Ingredients: • • • • • • • • • • •

2 lbs. chard 4 T unsalted butter 1 onion, finely chopped Kosher Salt and cayenne pepper 1 cup of fresh bread crumbs (or Panko) 1 garlic clove, minced 3 T chopped dill or Italian parsley (optional) Freshly grated nutmeg (to taste) 1 T flour 1 cup milk or cream or mixture of cream and stock 1 cup crumbled fresh goat cheese

Directions:

1. Double wash, dry and julienne the chard leaves.

2. Melt 2 T of butter in wide skillet. Add onion and cayenne pepper, slowly cook on low heat until onion has begun to brown (the slower the better). Add chard, sprinkle with up to 1 tsp of salt and cook until wilted and soft about 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees and lightly oil 4-6 individual ramekins. Melt 1 T of butter in small skillet, add garlic, herbs if using and then bread crumbs. Cook, stirring about 1 minute. Scrape crumbs into a bowl and return pan to the heat.

4. Melt the last tablespoon of butter, stir in the flour, and then whisk in the milk and nutmeg. Simmer for 5 minutes, season with salt and add to the chard mixture. Add the cheese, taste and correct for salt.

5. Pour the mixture into the prepared ramekins and cover with the bread crumbs.

Bake until heated through and golden on the surface about 20-25 minutes. Let settle for a few minutes before serving.

Want more great recipes from Harriet Dopkin of The Classic Catering People?

Check them out on B Woman Magazine’s Recipes!

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B Woman Magazine Jan/Feb 2014

Connecting You with Your

Target Market

B Woman Magazine’s readers are successful, loyal, cultured, affluent, educated and influential. They are professional women who make up 83% of all consumer purchases, including 94% of home products, 89% of vacations and 75% of all decision regarding the purchase of a home.

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(443) 278-3823 • info@BWomanMagazine.com

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21

Design Trends

By Anne Markstein, Anne Markstein Interiors, LLC

One of the things I love most about being an interior designer is watching what’s going on in the world of interiors and home furnishings. Keeping up-to-date can be surprisingly hard work, but mostly it’s great fun. As I go to markets, shows, and design centers throughout each year, I get a first peek at the newest styles and introductions from furniture companies of every size from all over the globe, craftspeople and cabinetmakers, artisans and artists. Patterns and trends in what’s being presented are constantly emerging and shifting with what’s already out there into new color palettes, unusual combinations of materials, reinventions of past themes, and always something new.

For many years I’ve attended the High Point Furniture Market. It’s an exciting, inspiring, and inevitably exhausting experience. I always have a fantasy that this maybe year, somehow I’ll be able to cover every interesting show room. Impossible! The High Point Market is the largest home furnishings trade show in the world, open in April and October every year. There are 180 buildings with over 11.5 million square feet of show space, and more than 2000 exhibitors from 100+ countries. This October’s market did not disappoint. Here are some memorable highlights of the trends and patterns I saw.

Color palettes seem to go from one extreme to the other: from very saturated, deep and rich colors, to the still popular, easy-going neutrals. The strongest versions of these trends were blues and oranges on the color spectrum, and grays and very soft pastels on the other end.

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B Woman Magazine Jan/Feb 2014

INTERIORS

There was no avoiding blue this year, shown in a myriad of shades and often used together for a real statement. Peacock blue, navy blue, turquoise, deep dark blue, cerulean… blue was the color this season.

Orange and all its variations -- spice, rust, coral, melon, cinnamon -- is now much more than just a bright accent. It’s being shown in every style from traditional to modern, as a theme throughout a room, and with blue for a truly striking combination.

For the softer, quieter end of things, look at all the warm gray and taupe in painted furniture, finishes, and backgrounds. Beiges and creams are still popular, but there was also the introduction of the very softest of pastels. I think we’ll be seeing even more of these soft colors in the future.

Brass and gold. Silver and its cousins brushed steel, aluminum, and chrome have been prevalent for years as the metal of choice. But brass and gold are truly back now, on everything from accessories to furniture finishes, lighting, and fabrics.

Natural materials, rustic finishes, live edge tables, animal prints and skins – all an evolving element of the green movement -- are very strong in home décor. On what seems like the other end of the spectrum, lucite, crystal, luxe fabrics and finishes are being used generously, sometimes in creative juxtaposition to those rustic elements. These materials can travel from casual chic to sophisticated elegance.

After years of seeing contemporary styles represented by mostly simple, straight lines (not that I don’t love well-proportioned, deceptively simple designs), it’s refreshing to see curves and elegant lines as a big part of current styles. Unusually shaped table legs and rounded ends of chairs and sofas are examples of this perhaps

more feminine viewpoint.

Shagreen –originally made from the skin of stingrays and sharks – has been used as a luxurious yet extremely durable material for centuries, most notably during the Art Deco era.

Its appealingly pebbled texture is now being created in more environmentally friendly versions of vinyl or leather available in many colors, and it is unbelievably popular. Faux shagreen is practically everywhere, shown on practically anything, covering boxes, furniture, lamps, mirror frames and more.

Sophisticated geometrics and fretwork such as chevrons, quatrefoils, diamonds and trellises have been around for a few years, with absolutely no signs of retiring any time soon.

Geometrics are woven into rugs and fabrics, applied on tables, carved into cabinets, and used as artwork. They are simple enough to work with many styles: they can go traditional, contemporary, global, and can be rustic, casual or elegant.

Asian influences are now evolving in the direction of classic Chinoiserie. These traditional Chinese styles as interpreted for our Western eyes were spotted at a number of show rooms.

Some of my favorite accessories were, are now and probably every will be boxes and trays. They’re both decorative and functional, the best of both worlds. I’m happy to have many choices these days.

When I look over all these trends, I can see how, wide-ranging as they are, there really are themes and connections. Global influences, colors both soft and strong, natural and rustic plus elegant and luxe, masculine and feminine designs, geometrics and curves, traditional and contemporary.

It’s an exciting mix that can work in almost any environment. There’s really something for everyone. ■

By Anne Markstein, Anne Markstein Interiors, LLC www.annemarksteininteriors.com See Page 4 for designers.

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23

Hello Diva

by K. Lee Rice

2014

is here and It’s that time again, an occasion to exercise that certain impulse to unite with other worldly colleagues in a fool handy yet confident quest to self improvement. All of the New Year’s resolutions, with an added dose of momentum and enthusiasm to get things moving, just like a classic Martini on ice. We all do it, set realistic goals at the beginning of the New Year and then realize how unrealistic it is for us to actually do the tough work to have a sense of accomplishment by the end of the year. Whole hardly, we tell ourselves, “I’m going to only be proactive this year”, or “I will only have positive responses to negative energy this year”, or “I will only harbor gracious thoughts regardless of the situation”.

Yes those are all true and sincere aspirations until day two into the new year, and that unknown culprit driving a new Range Rover, wildly emerges from the left lane at that busy intersection, and cuts you off, preventing you from turning right to make the Starbucks on the opposite left side of the street for your morning coffee before work.

I am sure your reaction is anything but positive, proactive or gracious, LOL.

The New Year is a great time to review our actions and the shameless reactions we have to some of the more subtle situations that take place in our lives. We

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B Woman Magazine Jan/Feb 2014

HELLO DIVA

give a lot of energy to the more unimportant things, which sets the stage for extreme reactions to the more obviously minor situations that arise. We evaluate our character traits, chose what we love and hate, then with more resistance than ever- we somehow convince ourselves, without counseling, to admit that change is evident to become a better person, but do we really ever change?

Hey, I’m not saying it’s injudicious or anything, but maybe a bit impractical to continue to pledge and not follow through. Sure, change is difficult, and takes work, but for too long we have allowed ourselves to function in idleness and failing to make progress. We totally deprive ourselves of the assurance that we can improve and transform our character and become the person we admire. So we continue to protect those contradictory character traits and actions that hinder our victory. Perhaps our inner revolution awaits us, it lingers out of sight and out of mind until we reach that certain place, situation, or year that infuses change.

2014 can be that year for you.

It can be a special time that speaks to you and

encourages a personal reformation from within, which causes you to do the work to augment your perception.

The year that forces you into a new paradigm and persuades you to believe the reward is great should you stay truly evolve. Yes, it may be a forward thrust, but a good one, and no doubt, it is a self-restoration, but totally worth it. So let’s do it, just because we can and this is the year to do and be “better”!

Let’s lose the weight, improve our attitudes, start the exercise program while watching the kids, kick the smoking habit, finish school and graduate, be positive, start the business, travel out of the country, purchase the new home. Whatever the goal or aspiration, let’s make it happen in 2014. The New Year is calling your name and I believe that you can and will prevail, make the vow to yourself and progress to be the best person you can. Good luck! ■

Later Diva’s, K. Lee Rice

K. Lee Rice is the President/CEO of Lipscomb Technology & Consulting Services, LLC. She is also the official writer for the “Hello Diva” Column in B Woman Magazine.

She aims to influence others through optimism using a classic theme consisting of ordinary people and real life issues.

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Au Pair in Baltimore Au Pair in America, the country’s first legal au pair program, is thriving in Baltimore and surrounding counties.

Established in 1986 as a program of the American Institute for Foreign Study, it has grown in popularity among American families as a desirable, affordable, and engaging form of childcare.

Background Info about APIA Established as an educational and cultural exchange program with a strong child care component, it allows foreign youth between the ages of 1826 to travel to the U.S. and live with a host family. While initially the program was a one year program, now there is the opportunity for an au pair to apply to extend for up to another full year, thereby offering host families the chance for greater continuity of care. The program has grown from its initial arrival of less than 100 au pairs in 1986 , to over 4,000 au pairs now arriving annually.

Are there rules to host an Au Pair?

The au pair program is sponsored by the Department of State and has clear definitions. In addition to the age criteria and the length of stay granted on the their J-1 visa, an au pair can offer up 45 hours of child care per week, with a daily limit of 10 hours. The au pair will receive 2 weeks’ vacation during the year, and will need to take some classes while here. He/she will also need to have a private bedroom.

What can an Au Pair offer my family?

They can prepare children’s meals, do children’s laundry, and help with baths. If the children are school age, they can take and pick them up from school, and oversee homework. If schools are closed for holidays or weather, it is a great advantage to have a childcare provider living in the house. Beyond these tangible tasks, au pairs offer families a broader view of the world, by sharing some of their culture, often through recipes and sharing how they celebrate holidays back home.

Some au pairs get involved with the children’s school and may do a Global Awareness Presentation. (www. globalawareness.com) What do Au Pairs do during their free time?

First time host families often ask if they will need to be the au pair’s sole source of information and socialization. While the host family is most important to an au pair’s experience, Au Pair in America provides support in multiple ways. Community Counselors help to network incoming au pairs to the local group even before they arrive. With the help of social media, au pairs can arrive to their local community feeling already connected with the group. Then at least once per month the Community Counselor arranges activities for the group to meet up. These range from low key meet ups at a café, , or field trip type outings such as a baseball or football game. Au Pairs are increasingly interested in volunteering while here in the U.S. so some activities will reflect this. ■

For more information on the Au Pair in America program, you can visit www.aupairinamerica.com For more information about the Annapolis, Baltimore, and Columbia groups of APIA visit their blog at http://blogs.aupairinamerica.com/abc 26

B Woman Magazine Jan/Feb 2014

VOLUNTEER

Tips to Beat the Post Holiday & Winter Blues Written by Natasha Wrobel

A

fter the decorations are put away, the celebrations are over, the New Year has begun: and the post holiday winter blues are starting to hit you and your host family. What can you do to get through the long cold winter months happily?

1. Get outside every day with the kids, bundle up and play outside. Go to the park, take a walk, ride bikes; we have been having an unusually warm winter, so enjoy it! If it snows, build a snowman, go sledding, have fun outside!

2. Stay on routine with the kids; get up on time, have breakfast, get to the bus stop on time. Make sure homework

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

is done and everyone gets to their activities on time. Bedtime routines are important, make sure everyone gets enough sleep and that includes YOU! Register for your classes, and get ready to start learning something new!

Call a friend and meet for coffee and conversation if you feel housebound.

Set up a play date with another au pair and her host children (similar ages) and enjoy a day together!

Join a gym with another au pair!

Use the library in your town.

Sign the kids up for free pro-

grams (talk to host parents about the programs!) Join the English conversation group, improve your English and meet people!

8. Prepare a Global Awareness presentation for one of your host kids’ classes, ask me for help!

9. Volunteer at a local hospital, school, animal shelter, food bank if you have extra time on your hands and need to do something! Doing for others is always an answer for the blues!!

10. Check out the Au Pair website for great events! www. aupairinamerica.com

WWW.BWOMANMAGAZINE.COM

27

BEAUTY

Beauty Breakdown

with Kristen Valentine’sDay

is the perfect excuse to play with a new makeup look. Whether you’re spending a nice relaxing night in with your sweetheart, or planning a big night out on the town, it’s a great time to use makeup to play up your romantic side. If staying in, consider a more natural look for your makeup. Focus on evening the skin tone with a tinted moisturizer. This gives winter skin a lovely dewy glow. Then give your cheeks a hint of color with a soft pale pink or peach crème blush.

Tap your middle finger in the crème blush, apply lightly where you naturally blush, then blend with fingertips toward the hairline. Finish with a coat of mascara, a natural nude gloss, and you’re ready for date night in. If your evening calls for a night out, why not try a smoky eye? How about a daring red lip? Either one would be perfect, just don’t do them both. The trick

is to pick one feature to make a statement. If you’re going with a smoky eye, consider using colors in the grey family…it goes with everything. You’ll need two shades; start with the lighter of the two and apply from lash line to crease. Then line the top of the lid (as close to the lash line as possible) with the darker shade, and line the bottom lid on the outer third of your eye only.

Blending is the key, so use either a smudge brush, or a Q-tip to gently smudge the line until you reach desired softness. Finish with mascara (several coats) and keep lips and cheeks neutral. If you want to try a red lip, keep the eyes simple and just use mascara. Line your lips with a red liner that matches your lipstick. You’ll want to start at the outer edge of your top lip and follow it to the point in the bow of your lip, and do the same on the opposite side, connecting both lines. Then repeat on the bottom lip, from outer corner to center on each side, fill in both lips with liner. Then use a lip brush to apply lipstick for precise even coverage over lip liner in the same manner of application. No matter what look you try, remember, the beauty of makeup is that it’s temporary…and the fun part is experimenting! Happy Valentine’s Day! ■ Kristen Floyd is an Esthetician and Makeup Artist at Tranquille Hair & Body, specializing in Eyelash Extensions (Baltimore’s Best 2013 by CBS Baltimore), Bridal & Airbrush Makeup, facials and waxing. Visit tranquillehairandbody.com for a complete list of services, browse her portfolio on her Facebook page Makeup and Skin by Kristen Floyd, or contact Kristen directly at makeupbykristen@live.com.

28

B Woman Magazine Jan/Feb 2014

WELLNESS

Transform Your Health, Transform Yourself!

Part V of VIII

By Heather P. Shreve

N

othing is ever lost. From every experience, whether perceived as good, bad, or neutral, something can always be gained or learned.

In essence, everything we do has the potential to be fertile ground to rethink, re-evaluate and create resilience. That is our next invisible force: #4- The Ring of Resilience.

A circle that feeds on itself

Imagine building your emotional, spiritual, and mental muscles like your biceps? Well, you can… it’s called ‘getting outside your comfort zone!’ Yesthat’s right, stretching beyond your comfort zone and then rebounding will make you stronger in all things.

And what better time to strike out into new territory than in the New Year!

Also known as pattern interrupt, it is the key to resilience. Think of it like a circle that never ends: Trying new things = learning = growing = self-efficacy = confidence = stronger identity = willingness to try even more new things, and so on.

Identity creates certainty

Hidden in the many chapters of our stories are places to take a second look and see if we could do more, stretch more, be a little uncomfortable for a while

to test ourselves. If you branch out and accomplish new things, your confidence grows; competency builds confidence, and your self- image grows too. Certainty is one of the top human emotional needs, so when you are confident you also create certainty, and that keeps you engaged and actively seeking. Over time, you will build all four energies ( emotional, spiritual, physical and mental) and get to a level where nothing is out of reach. The world is your oyster!

New Year’s Challenge

Your homework is to pick one area of your life where YOU KNOW you’ve been resting on your laurels and it is clearly not working for you, and do something different- break your pattern. Maybe, go serve Christmas dinner at a soup kitchen, monitor your negative thoughts and consciously pick a counter thought, sign yourself up for a physical challenge/contest, take away your comfort foods and instead meditate, or (my favorite, because it harder than it looks) take a ‘reading and news fast’ where you turn off all the televisions, newspapers, books, etc. for a week. I challenge you!

Keep flexing those resilience muscles, and look at your life everyday with fresh eyes, to make sure you are creating opportunity for real growth. Until next time; I wish you the best. And remember; look up!

That is where life is. ■

Heather Shreve is a certified Wellcoach ™ (ACSM) certified personal trainer (ACSM), creator of the Drawn Into Wellness™ Platform, author of Caught On The Equator, Finding The Fire Within, and Drawn Into Wellness; Train Your Brain to Create Lasting Change and Doodle Urself to Health for Teens, is a mother of two and has logged 30,000 hours as a fine artist.

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29

Kristen & Alex Tied the Knot: June 22, 2013

Photographer: Laurie Bracewell Photography

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B Woman Magazine Jan/Feb 2014

K

risten and Alex met in Chicago in August of 2010. Growing up on opposite sides of the US, Alex moved to the east coast after high school to attend Brown University where he also played football. Kristen was in Chicago for a girls weekend with some of her close friends from college at Clemson University.

Alex was in Chicago for a guys weekend with some of his friends from business school at Boston College, where he was attaining his MBA. While enjoying a night with the girls, both groups ended up at the same bar and started talking. Ready to leave for the night, and go back to the hotel but some of my friends were not and in a effort not to separate I decided to sit in a corner until everyone was ready to leave. My best friend (who also served as my matron of honor) told met that there was a guy who looked like my type and she encouraged me to go talk to him. I told her that I wasn’t interested and she insisted. She said you will never see him again so why don’t you go talk to him. I still said no so she took it upon herself to tell him that I wanted to buy him a drink. I told him that I didn’t want to do that and instead he offered to buy me one. We started talking and suddenly I wasn’t as eager to go back to the hotel. We exchanged numbers and met up the next day. We continued to talk for hours and decided that we wanted to continue to see where this would go. I lived in Bethesda, MD at the time and Alex lived in Boston, MA. We started a long distance relationship in September of 2010. The next two

years we traveled back and forth almost every weekend to see each other. “In October of 2012, we became engaged,” says Kristen.

“Alex was still living in Boston at the time of our engagement. He was going to be transferring into his company’s Washington DC office and we were talking about moving to Alexandria, VA. I had been looking to buy a house for a while so Alex with the help of my parents made up a story about going to look at a house that was coming on the market in downtown Alexandria. On our way to the house my parents walked through the town of Alexandria and by the water so I could get a feel of the proximity of the house to the town. We walked by a gazebo that was on the water and my Mom encouraged me to walk to it. I was confused since the house was in the other direction but I did notice that someone was standing at the end of the gazebo. When the man turned around, I realized it was Alex. He proposed and had my cousin hiding in the bushes to take pictures. I had no idea that he was in town since this was a Thursday evening. We all went to dinner that evening with my parents in Alexandria. The next day we flew down to Clemson South Carolina for the weekend for a football game and celebrated the weekend with our friends. Our Boston friends joined us on this trip as well. Alex moved to DC, where we currently resdie and we were married in Annapolis, MD on June 22, 2013.

Our wedding was the best day of our lives!

We had amazing vendors and everything turned out better then we could have ever imagined.” ■

THE DETAILS BRIDAL GOWN Amsale “Hampton” GROOM’S SUIT/TUX Nordstrom WEDDING PLANNER Westin Hotel, William Grace HAIR STYLIST Bella Bethesda Salon MAKEUP ARTIST Bella Bethesda Salon PHOTOGRAPHY Laurie Bracewell Photography DECOR/FLORIST Intrigue Design & Decor ENTERTAINMENT Washington Talent, Spectrum CATERER Westin Hotel - Jamie Barrett CAKE Clement’s Pastry Shop WEDDING LOCATION Annapolis, MD WEDDING OFFICIANT The Rev. Bill Ticknor

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HAPPENINGS

Over Accessorized Girl’s Night Out Nov 15, 2013

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B Woman Magazine Jan/Feb 2014

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The International Women in Business Luncheon Nov 14, 2013

B-More Bags Event at Ruth’s Closet Nov 30, 2013

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