Hat Trick Magazine May 2016

ISSN 2058-198X

Volume 5 • Issue 5 • May 2016

Your Pocket Guide to Creating IMPACT Natural vs.

Synthetic Ingredrients Know The Facts

#HigherSelfie Use Your Mind To CHANGE Your Life

Stay Mindful In BUSINESS

Jo We s t w o o d

Hat Trick (noun): 1. A sports metaphor for three achievements by a single player in a game. 2. A magic trick. We happily accept both definitions.

Hat Trick Magazine is a special project targeted at sharing spiritual and professional growth with like-minded people from around the world. We share strategies that truly will change your life, business and career (with a little help from some pro friends).

We’ve all been there: under/un/employed, in a bad situation, in transition, wondering what the options are and not knowing the skills we would need to get us there. We won’t lie to you. Coming out the other side isn’t easy, but we can show you what we learned along to way and help you get the confidence to turn that leaf over and pursue that which is your destiny. Knowledge is power.

Not everyone fancies themselves to be an entrepreneur but the truth is, even when seeking employment these days, pulling together your resume requires some sly articulation to showcase your skills, be keyword-optimised and with a strong, personable presentation to get noticed.

We feature inspirational people who have great careers, amazing businesses, tips and a host of amazing stories will inspire and amaze you. Our editors and contributors are some of the most connected in their industries and specialisms.

Hat Trick Your Life! Take control of your lifestyle, your career, your dreams and your journey. We’ll share what we know and we invite you to join us.

If you or your business would like to be featured or simply would like to contribute a feature in an upcoming issue, please email us on: content@hattrickmagazine.com

Hat Trick Strategies cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited coverage made by our contributors including reviews, articles, manuscripts or photographs of products, services. While every care is taken, prices, details or availability of items are subject to change and we cannot accept responsibility for omissions or errors.

We reserve the right to publish and edit letters or correspondence received via email, social media or other communication.

All advice is given in general terms or as a matter of opinion, for entertainment purposes only, and may not be exhaustive nor suitable for all situations.

Always seek specialized professional advice, specifically suited to you or your business needs. Absolutely no part of this magazine should be taken as medical, professional or other advice - always seek the advice of a qualified practitioner.

© Hat Trick Strategies, 2013 All Rights Reserved

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Editor-In-Chief Michelle Fitz

Design & Illustration Michelle Fitz Michael Thomas Hartley Eleni Sofroniou

Your Life

Your Skills

Charlene SanJenko Cherie DeBurger Tanya Jackson Joey & Michael Phelps Jane Lindsey

Andrea Sullenger Sukh Pabial Uchechi Ezurike-Bosse Michelle Holmes

Your Look

Your Spirit

Michelle Fitz Rachael Pontillo Marina BerBeryan

Karen Salmansohn Manish Kumar Arora Katie Clifton

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Contact us at content@hattrickmagazine.com

From the Editor Use Your Mind to Change Your Life........................................................................................................ 8

Cover Story Jo Westwood: Spirit DJ..............................................................................................................................12

Your Life Creating Impact Pocket Guide............................................................................................................... 26 What We’re Reading...................................................................................................................................36 Lil Nipper Snappers Cartoon...................................................................................................................37 Kids & When Pets Pass On......................................................................................................................38 Rice Pudding................................................................................................................................................44 What’s Abundance?....................................................................................................................................46

Your Look Things We Love.......................................................................................................................................... 52 Natural vs. Synthetic Ingredients: Know the Facts...........................................................................54 Confessions of a Hollywood Stylist: Waist High Denim Trends.................................................. 62

Your Skills Staying Mindful in Business.....................................................................................................................70 Behind the Scenes.....................................................................................................................................74 Managing The Bottom Line: Key Numbers You Need To Know................................................. 80

Your Spirit Karen Salmansohn......................................................................................................................................84 Your Zodiac Predictions For June 2016.............................................................................................. 86 Christian Columnist – IF: I Believed in Jesus – Conference Highlights................................... 92

Click an article to jump straight to the corresponding page

From the Editor

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Some people say that to really create positive change, a life makeover if you will, requires some kind of prolonged ‘phasing in’ of new habits. You may have heard a lot of people talk about the ‘it takes 21 days to form a habit’ thing. I think that’s bullshit and I’ll tell you why.

At the start of the New Year I started working with LA skinny coach, Tiffany Wright. She has a whole diet plan for the significantly overweight with food addictions, if you’re interested. Although I have completely removed all simple carbs and sugar from my diet, I don’t subscribe to her full programme. However, there is one psychological hack she taught me which changed my life.

See, every night, you think and plan ahead for your day and week to come. Once you write it out and reflect, you repeat a mantra: “And this is exactly what I’m going to do, because I’m a skinny girl.” When the inevitable family and social situations present scope from detouring from your plan, out comes the mental mantra: “Yeah, but I just don’t eat that stuff ...

Because *I* am a skinny girl.”

OK I know how totally stupid that sounds. I mean I was overweight without question. I was certainly NOT a skinny girl – and I’m still not yet at my goal.

What I’ll tell you is that when you remind yourself of what you are going to be in the tense as though you already are, it is transformative.

People talk a lot about affirmations and I have good and bad things to say about them. No one calls an event, circumstance, item, etc. into existence just by repeatedly saying so – it takes action. Hell, sometimes it takes some real hustle. However, there is something about affirmations in their ability to place the subconscious on a track that will proactively steer every decision, step, or affiliation to ultimately lead you to the place you want to go.

I once had a client who was desperately trying to get another job. Every day, she repeated I love my job and am so happy coming to work every day.

Letter From the Editor, Michelle Fitz

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Rather innocent, but the law of attraction is like Google. If I am looking for photos of Katy Perry but I type in “Katy Perry, not porn”, I’m going to get a LOT of porn. If I use a more specific search strings like “Katy Perry, VMA 2014” I’ll get an array of her performance, fashion reviews, her social media, and a slew of hashtags. The more specific I am, the more precisely aligned the return.

So in the client’s situation, affirmations of this sort, kind of declared that she wanted things to get better where she was, when the reality was she would like to move on to a better paying role where she felt valued, and where her expertise would be rewarded in a higher ranking position with more public accolades amongst her peers.

Some would say that the universe wound and wove its way through the microcosm to bring about the simplest, straightest line to achieving “loving her job and feeling happy at work”. The office bully moved on to a new role elsewhere and she moved desks from the harsh flicker of an offensive overhead fluorescent light to a breezier part of her open plan office. However, she was still stuck pushing paperwork for people who took credit and applied her findings to make wider impact for the firm – something she was more than capable of achieving, herself.

See what I mean about specifics?

Isn’t this all a bunch of new age bullshit? Well, yes and no. Look, some people find it easier than others to make something like this a ‘spiritual truth’. I won’t lie – I embrace the spiritual laws, and have been quite open about my love of A Course In Miracles. But if you are able to embrace these teachings as positive psychology, it is a lot easier to grasp, and take on board. So that’s the way I like to teach this to sceptics or to my ‘stiff upper lip’ clients from the UK. The one difference between Google and the ‘universe’, (or in the scenario of positive psychology your mind), is that by really feeling the way it would feel

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to be in the position we want to be in, we can use that to reinforce our desire and navigate every decision and movement we can to sustain that feeling, and ultimately realise the end state as our world.

It’s a technique of incremental gratification as we make strides toward a goal.

It’s a validation of sorts.

Think about it – let’s take weight as an example. Your weight today has nothing to do with your choices you made today. It’s a culmination of every decision you took last year and the year before. But by reminding yourself through magical mind-fuckery that you are not that person anymore, you can drive yourself to take every step you can to manifest an end state on the outside that reflects the person you are today on the inside.

For me, that’s the power of mantras, affirmations, and daydreams.

Every single outcome, purchase, decision, person, event, or situation in your life started out and ended up manifesting in your life based on the power of your thoughts.

Change your thoughts.

Change your life.

By Michelle Fitz, Editor-In-Chief

Michelle Letter From the Editor, Michelle Fitz

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Cover Story

Westwood is not your ordinary life coach. She’s also not your ordinary “woo”, crystal-hocking, grandiose, or otherwise vague spiritual coach either. Jo is what I would call post new-age. She gets it but she also lives in the real world, where she embraces and teaches some key truths along the way.

By Michelle Fitz

Written by two young women mobilising their generation in a movement, #HigherSelfie aims to unite all those waking up spiritually in this digital age.

Editor’s Note: Once upon a time, life coaching was a set of cut-and-dry curriculum, designed to guide a person to the right choices, only without telling them which way was, well, “right”.

More than ever, life coaches, including myself, have come to recognise the need to acknowledge and somehow treat the whole person. We no longer can ignore the spiritual aspect of a human being. We cannot make impact to a blockage to something like confidence, without recognising the wider reasons for why that blockage exists. Life coaching is not one big pep talk. Neither is it counselling, per se.

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It’s something greater. It’s a set of eyes that look deep into a client’s soul and potential. We see far wider, far deeper than you can, because we are not in the throws of your personal battles, and we see through the fog that those battles cast around you – the real you. Enter spiritual life coaching.

Looking deeper, wider, more closely into the way you perceive the life you create through your choices, thoughts and actions. That’s the business Jo Westwood is in – and it’s a business in which we should all take interest. Here is her story…so far. One to watch!

design junkie, specialising in textiles, she stands out with her edgy, fun, and wholly likeable sense of style and demeanour.

She comes across as downto-Earth, wearing giant glasses and a smile that illuminates her carefully chosen, and youthful vocabulary.

It’s in this conversation she is careful to articulate that she isn’t a vegan, loves a beer or three, and is not only rooted in the ‘real world’ but grew up in normalcy.

So often, those on a spiritual path have lived hard lives that force them to turn inward looking for the reason behind their struggle. From drug addiction to victims of abuse and other hardships such as poverty, most of our beloved spiritual teachers come from hard backgrounds.

But with the surge of spiritual awareness which has extended mainstream, more people from every walk of life have looked inward to shape their lives.

To that end, Jo is a next-generation spiritual teacher whose life experience makes spiritual teachings accessible for people who live very much in a modern, cosmopolitan world. Raised by an otherwise unassuming English family in Nottinghamshire, Jo was encouraged to flourish and well supported to find her path. Despite her love of textiles, she struggled to identify with the plight of an employee and the basic “time for money” trade, or as she calls it the 40/40/40 track (40 hours a week, for £40,000, by the age of 40, by all accounts a reasonable living for the UK).

Spirit DJ: Jo Westwood

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realised quite quickly that I had a knack for connecting with people online, for marketing, and for engagement with people all over the world,” Jo explained. “It was only when I realised that this skill, this natural gift, was something that made me different as it came so easily and was needed and valued by so many entrepreneurs who urgently needed someone to help them across social media and engagement for their companies. I was working with a coach based in Los Angeles, who helped me realise that playing small wasn’t honouring or embracing all that I had to offer. In fact, in some ways, segregating all my gifts into specific businesses was a strain as I had to compartmentalise, and very specifically refer to, each of my offerings as though they were in no way related or complimentary to each other.

The guidance was, take all the unique offerings and things that come naturally and bundle them so that everything that you are, everything you do easily, is organised and out there as one unique blend that only you can offer. So, the Social Media DJ was born. I had an extremely long and successful career with this, and it is still something I am passionate about – making fun connections through my art and helping people engage with otherwise heavy content. But I realised that this natural talent, though lucrative, was still not where my heart was being called. I knew from my work with A Course In Miracles and the inspiration I took from Gabrielle Bernstein’s Spirit Junkie that I could help so many more people through transitioning to life coaching, particularly Brits who struggled to apply some of The Course’s more ‘woo’ concepts. And so I transitioned to the Spirit DJ.” Jo uses “DJ” to play on words, as she describes her work as working with the whole person and “turning up this” and “turning down that” as required. She helps her clients identify the way they want to feel, and identify the blocks that prevent them from being who they really want to be.

What is most striking is the pragmatism Jo employs with her clients, who by all accounts have often been very British.

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“I use pragmatic techniques to work with people where they are today.”

a culture, we find it rather hard to pour our hearts and souls out, let alone allow ourselves to be broken open to absorb some rather out-there spiritual teachings. I use pragmatic techniques to work with people where they are today. I find quite a lot of the early work with a new client reiterating that this may sound a bit odd at first…but in applying a real-world approach and conveying that it is safe to be broken open, that they are supported through a very deep process, I am able to get results from even the most stiff upper lip.”

Fast forward a few years, and we find Jo Westwood on the cusp of a new book deal with Hay House, having coauthored the anticipated best seller #Higher Selfie: Wake Up Your Life.

Free Your Soul. Find Your Tribe.

In a language accessible to the modern spiritual audience, they also explain how to use timeless wisdom to navigate smoothly through modern life, addressing issues such as how to use social media in a healthy way, handle online trolling, avoid drama, find a likeminded tribe and follow your own path without comparing yourself to others.

It’s a bite-sized manual for the modern world, based loosely on A Course In Miracles but certainly geared toward those who are spiritually minded but Whether you’ve just bought a yoga mat also grounded in the way that real life or have been meditating for years, this works. book will offer guidance, support and a rallying call to action to anyone looking Written by two young women mobilising to grow their spiritual connection. their generation in a movement, Wake up your life. Free your soul. Find #HigherSelfie aims to unite all those your tribe. waking up spiritually in this digital age.

This book is a modern guide to love, healing, connection and surrendered action for Gen Y spiritual seekers who have their hearts set on creating a life they love, but are unsure how to do so.

With a no-nonsense approach and pop culture-inspired humour, life coaches Lucy Sheridan and Jo Westwood interpret age-old concepts such as forgiveness, surrender and the ego in the context of a 21st-century lifestyle.

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As a culture, British people typically struggle to grasp and apply spiritual teachings. It is not for lack of want. It is because they need to navigate the spiritual path whilst tackling the very real challenges that present themselves in their daily lives. The American approach of casting aside doubt or questions, in favour of faith in a higher, greater ‘good’ simply doesn’t work for Brits. Through our magazine, we attempt to take complex teachings and apportion them into bite-sized chunks to explain them in a way that can be assimilated by anyone, regardless of their situation or level of spiritual practice. We also apply positive psychology to help people take on board these truths, even when they may not seem immediately consumable or transferable.

Jo Westwood, goes one step further with this approach and acknowledges directly the perception – the elephant in the room. She addresses it head-on, through humour and by talking through the real-world problems her clients will face as they align to their ultimate life purpose, preferred career path, or quite simply embrace who they really are.

“I am the first person to say to a client ‘this is going to sound insane…but just trust me’ when we are on the cusp of breakthrough. I will also be sure to keep them grounded because I know that the realities of things like ‘how are

I want to bring spiritual truths into the mainstream and the only way I see to do that is by making it accessible.

Spirit DJ: Jo Westwood

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you going to pay the rent as you transition to a full time reiki practice with no client base’ or ‘what do you think you will say to your husband when it’s time to take this next leap’. To me, these are blockage points which if you leave unaddressed, will prevent real uptake of the work we are doing together. And it shouldn’t be the case that this is self-indulgent or only for ‘can-do’, happy Americans either. That’s a wider issue, which I feel is part of my journey. I want to bring spiritual truths into the mainstream and the only way I see to do that is by making it accessible. That is, to make it transferable to a world where we do have bills, we do have disappointments, and we do have mistakes that lead to hard lessons as a result of our actions.

Then there are those who are new to the path or who feel completely alien to long-standing teachings. I want these people to feel included, valid, and on par with everyone else, regardless of their starting point in the spiritual community or on a formal spiritual path. I believe I’m here, as in my life purpose, to help people hop onto their unique journey in spirituality and set aside any perception that they are somehow behind. It’s what I mean when I say that we must stop trying to out-spirit each other. We must instead look at the individuals around us, as potential teachers, challengers to our perceptions, and always on par.”

A Course In Miracles, we learn that in any scenario, we each have the opportunity to be both teacher and student. Jo feels strongly that her role is to help open the door to a more mainstream acceptance of spirituality.

She likens it to the wellness trend, which 100 years ago was considered odd or even self-indulgent. Now, being mindful of what you eat, exercising, and even things like work/life balance, are considered positive and normal steps that everyone should embrace in order to live a high-quality lifestyle.

“I could see that these truths were not resonating with Britain, not because they weren’t valid, not because they were too complex, but because they were worded and delivered in the wrong style. It was always out there, weird, intangible, and dismissive of the fact that human beings have struggle and

Spirit DJ: Jo Westwood

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with this struggle there are a lot of questions for ‘why’ and ‘how’. And in this realm of ‘stiff upper lip’ and simply getting on with things, we simply weren’t conditioned to dismissively accept it and put it down to the fact that these were ‘happy clappy Americans’ who of course embrace this intangible cheesy modality of happiness. So I see myself as a translator, saying it in a different way, which calls it out with irony and sarcasm, who makes it very real – in the right tone. The British way of thinking needs to have it addressed that this is weird in comparison to your normal way of thinking. And let’s be honest, the British way of thinking is terrifyingly logical and the opposite of ‘letting go’ and ‘just feel it’ – so we need to meet them where they are.”

That’s what makes her such a relatable, and frankly successful, life coach.

We look forward to watching her summit in the spiritual teaching realm – something tells me this isn’t the last we are going to hear from Jo Westwood.

And so it is.

You don’t have to move to a monastery in the Himalayas to meditate and see its benefits; and you can still enjoy cow’s milk in your latte and be perfectly centred and connected to your inner guide 22

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#HigherSelfie is a bite-sized, spiritual guide, that does the heavy-lifting for you. It’s young. It’s fun. It’s irreverent.

We apply the spiritual holistic lifestyle in a way that is real and relatable, and totally accessible to the modern woman. And I do mean any modern woman, whether she is climbing a corporate ladder or is a bar maid on minimum wage still trying to ascertain what she really wants to do with her life, or even what is OK to expect from life in general. Maybe she has social media to contend with, and is balancing perception of who she is with the person she actually is. Or maybe she has baby boomer parents who happily bank roll her studies but are condescending as she’s *Shock!

Horror!* Twenty. Five. Years. Old., yet

still hasn’t quite decided who or what she wants to be, let alone whether she wants to be someone’s missus.

We want to bring it down to Earth and relatable to those people, and help them fit it into their lives – in the way their lives actually work. You don’t have to move to a monastery in the Himalayas to meditate and see its benefits; and you can still enjoy cow’s milk in your latte and be perfectly centred and connected to your inner guide. All of these things are compatible and don’t need to be exclusive. #HigherSelfie isn’t just a book. It wasn’t just an event or an idea – it’s a movement. It’s a collective of spiritual ideas and ways to apply them both for and to, well, modern life.

Kick ‘out spiriting’ to the curb. Stop being a bully amongst others who are spiritually minded, whether they be gurus or simply others who are trying to find their feet on their path.

Commitment x detachment = happiness Commit to the process but detach from the outcome for the kind of results you can only dream of and only the Universe can create.

Nobody gets to skip the work. There is no such thing as ‘an overnight success’ – there is a lot of work behind people’s filtered social media showreels – and this applies even to those who are in the holistic fields like reiki, acupuncture, or life coaching. Independent accountants and mechanics don’t get to skip the work, so why should you?

Spirit DJ: Jo Westwood

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Curate + Discern. Start to curate your on and offline “feeds” and get really conscious of the energy you’re putting out, and discerning about what you’re letting in. Unfollow those who distract or throw you off your game on social media and say a loving no. Hold your boundary with those who drain you in real life.

Don’t Wait For It Create It. Wishing there was a lunchtime meditation group at your office? Or you had a gang of crystal healing cronies in your village? Or maybe you just wanna make art, or music or talk about your life on a podcast …

Maybe it's time for you to stop waiting for it and start creating it instead. Just because you start the fire you don't need to be the only one who tends it, but whatever you do, don’t let it go uncreated!

#HigherSelfie is now available to purchase at higherselfie.co, or via your favourite book retailer.

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And don’t forgot to connect via Facebook, Twitter & jowestwood.com

Your Life

Our 10 nuggets of wisdom from speakers at our first PowHERTalks

Photo Credit: Maggi Woo photography

Find me online here

By Charlene SanJenko

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PowHERTalks are Ted Talks inspired, lifestyle and leadership events for women, held nationally in Canada.

Click here to learn more!

This month has been an opportunity to reflect on our first three PowHERtalks and initiate the planning process of our next three. As my good friend and business strategist, Leah Goard would say, “We’re landing to launch again.”

During this time of reflection, we’ve been asking questions, gathering input and testimonials and becoming crystal clear on our differentiators (why we do what we do): PowHERhouse integrates lifestyle and leadership to build strong women.

We respectfully invite Aboriginal women to the conversation and the impact we want to make.

We take inspiration to tangible action. Resultsbased social impact – measured and reported.

When was the last time you landed in order to launch again even more powHERfully? Are you crystal clear on your differentiators?

Creating Impact – Pocket Guide

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While delivering workshops and hosting PowHERtalks events, we work through a process with our PowHERtalkers, encouraging them to answer three questions that compile the essence of their 9 minute talk:

Who am I? What’s my mission?

What’s my ASK? Clarity Begets Confidence: When you can clearly and concisely communicate – in just 9 minutes – who you are, the impact you are looking to make, and what you need to move forward, your confidence grows stronger.

Information vs. Impact: To date we have watched 54 women deliver their PowHERtalks. By the end of this year, that number will grow to 108 women and an audience of 1,000+ participants throughout six live events and an online audience of thousands more. From our observation, it is far easier and more comfortable for women to share ideas or information than it is for them to get real, honest and authentic about their story – who they are – and their ask – what they need – but when they do, boy is it powHERful! We so badly want to serve others, but we certainly have blocks around asking for the help we need.

PowHERtalks works to banish these blocks!

Engage to Engage: If we want to be engaging in other interactions with others, we must be fully engaged. How we perform in all areas of our lives – physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and socially – comes across in our interactions. It’s all energy-related. Our most powHERful role models recognise this and understand that content is merely content unless it is connected to energy, fully engaged and best aligned to our greatest selves and highest purpose.

Magnetism is powHERful!

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Breathe! Remember Your Ribs: It might sound so simple that we’re tempted to skip right over it, but don’t overlook the significance of your breath. One of the reasons we call PowHERtalks by its name is because we want women to connect with their personal power in their delivery – through their projection, diction, emotion, pace and tone. Our lives start and end with our breath. There is nothing more important, yet how often do we even think about it. Founder of Blissful Yoga, co-Director of the Sunshine Coast Yoga Society and co-Creator of the Sunshine Coast Yoga Festival, Georgia Cyr, recently wrote this great piece, “Breathing To Thrive, Rather Than Just Survive”.

Root down to PowHER-Up: Be in your body and remember how critically important body awareness is. Want to master powHERful interactions? Start with these power-postures: Feel your feet.

Shoulder-width apart. Stand tall. Chest up; shoulders back and down. Top of the head up to the ceiling; lengthen your spine.

Breathe deeply. Stay engaged in your muscles throughout your body – your shoulder blades, quads, abs, and yes – even your glutes!

Find the PowHER in your Pelvis: Most women never connect with their pelvis. It’s typically not a favourite body part to focus on, but we’re here to encourage you to think about it differently.

Athletes, martial artists and performing artists rely on pelvis power for peak performance. The final piece of your power-posture is this, try it – Keep your knees soft but not bent (i.e. don’t lock them), roll your tailbone forward slightly and engage your lower abs (below your belly-button and your glutes). Connect with your vital centre and source some amazing personal power!

The Importance of Pause & Play: When we get nervous, our breathing becomes shallow, our sentences run together and our message loses its impact. Whether from the stage, in a boardroom, during a sales call or across the table at a power-lunch, remember the importance of pause and play. Never be afraid to pause, slow down and heighten the effect of your

Creating Impact – Pocket Guide

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words. At the same time, don’t shy away from being playful when appropriate.

Playfulness encourages creativity, authenticity and a deeper connection and interaction with those you are engaging.

Flipping the Butterflies: Here’s the thing, fear and excitement are extremely closely related on the spectrum of emotions. In fact, fear lives right next door to excitement. If you feel ‘butterflies’, remember that everyone does. They are energy! Use them.

Choose to ‘flip the butterflies’ from fear to excitement and bring an enormous amount of positive energy to what you have to say and what you hope people experience.

Magic Happens at the Periphery: PowHERtalks is a process that encourages women to focus on integration. Our speaker series is designed as a goal to encourage women to embark on a powHERful process of defining and declaring your deepest desires. It’s important to remember that just like signing up for a half-marathon that lasts for just one morning, the real benefit is in the process. The real magic happens at the periphery. Magic dances often unnoticed… perhaps a seemingly insignificant introduction, an a-ha moment that risks slipping by or a down-played opportunity drowned out by day-to-day busyness. Watch for it. Let the magic begin!

Accessibility Begins with Your ASK: Our tagline for PowHERtalks is ASK for Impact. In fact, it is our ASK that truly sets PowHERtalks apart from all other speaking opportunities. PowHERtalks is a process, and one that women need to be fully aware of in case they are just looking for another public-speaking opportunity. Three things women need to move forward in their lives are confidence, connections and capital. These potential blocks are not removed magically.

It takes attention and intention. Most of all, it requires integration. The key to accessing all three is integration: Integrating the process (like PowHERtalks), the people (like the amazing peeps in our growing and supportive community) and the power of a positive multi-media platform (like PowHERhouse) to ASK for, share and receive what women need most to build stronger bodies, business and lives.

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Email Lindsay@LindsayMarino.com

Sign up for my free newsletter at WWW.LINDSAYMARINO.COM

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There is a cosmic alarm clock going off around the world! #HigherSelfie’s aim is to unite all those waking up spiritually in this digital age. This book is a guide to love, connection and kickass surrendered action for young people who have at least a toe in the door of spirituality. With a no-nonsense approach and full of wit and humour, this book shares age-old concepts in a language that is accessible to the modern spiritual audience.

RADICAL SELF-LOVE GALA DARLING PAPERBACK / £7.69

By Michelle Fitz

PRETTY HAPPY: THE HEALTHY WAY TO LOVE YOUR BODY KATE HUDSON KINDLE EDITION / £9.99 Click images for synopsis and purchase information.

By Joey Phelps & Michael Phelps Lil Nipper Snappers Cartoon

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Your Life

Kids

When Pets Pass On

By Cherie DeBurger

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“ Be prepared to explain why “Hammy” or “Tweety” have become the oldest of their kind in recorded history!”

Most kids grow up having some type of pet. Depending on who you are talking to or what parenting magazine you’re reading at the moment, having a pet can be a great teaching tool. Kids can learn about responsibility by making sure the animal has enough food and water, cleaning up after them and making sure they are safe and happy. Some families find that dogs are a good fit or maybe a cat is more their style, while other families opt for the less demanding kind of pet like fish or hamsters. If you are the daring type and want to think outside the box then maybe something a little more exotic like a tarantula or boa constrictor is more up your alley.

In my opinion one of the best things children learn when they have a pet is how to be kind and gentle. There is nothing else that will expose them to an experience of love and a bond that is unlike anything else.

I personally chose the more traditional path since I have made it a rule that there must be nothing in the house that, upon encountering, will make me scream like a little girl or wet my pants. I can not be afraid of whatever pet I agree to get the kids because chances are I will end up taking care of it or at the very least feeding it.

As with everything, you have to take the good with the bad and that means dealing with the inevitable passing of your child’s best friend. The variables will determine how and if you let your child in on the how-and-when.

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Each parent deals with the situation differently depending on how they think their kids will handle it. One of the easiest ways is to just replace the pet with a look-a-like. Of course this only works well with hamsters or maybe birds, and when the kids are old enough be prepared to explain why “Hammy” or “Tweety” have become the oldest of their kind in recorded history!

My sister-in-law was trying to make things as easy as she could for her mourning daughter, who couldn’t bear the thought of leaving her best buddy “Zippy” outside all alone in the cold dark garage. She reluctantly agreed to keep Zippy in the freezer in a frozen state of cryogenics, until spring when the ground thawed and they could have a proper burial in the yard.

If you decide to be truthful about the situation a pet funeral could help provide closure. Of course living here in the north if the pet dies in the middle of winter a ground burial probably isn’t going to happen. My niece remembers one Christmas when her hamster died and the ground was frozen solid.

That lasted a few weeks until one night some company came over for dinner and went into the freezer to get dessert. Instead of pulling out the ice cream cake she pulled out a handful of hamster. The next day my niece discovered what cremation was.

“We set the tank up in her room and she was in charge of feeding them. Everyone was quite content until, one by one, we started to find them floating at the top of the tank.”

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I have heard of having funerals for the family pet, but when you have a child that is more emotionally dramatic then a silent movie actress, funerals are held for other animals as well.

The next level (didn’t think there was another level did you?) is where you will find my children, more specifically my youngest daughter. One afternoon she came into the kitchen and in a sombre voice informed me that I had to come outside because Stanley was dead. I frantically did a mental checklist of the animals in the neighbourhood, but my main concern was why and how did Stanley die in our backyard? I scan the grass for something dead but there’s nothing.

“No mom he’s right here!” I look down to the spot she is pointing to and there on the pavement is two halves of a worm.

She had placed both pieces on a big leaf and positioned little flower buds around it. To make sure it didn’t dry out she had sprayed the area with the hose so he would be comfortable, dead but comfortable. Just let me inform you we aren’t at the strange part yet, no really I kid you not. We could not just put him in the grass or dig a little hole and put him in the yard we had to have a funeral. Bless her heart! I love it when she has these tender moments showing so much care for something because with a bunch of older brothers it’s a side we don’t see too often. After a brief ceremony we were able to return him to the dirt from whence he came.

The death of one pet is hard enough to handle but when there are multiple deaths with no clear reason it makes it even harder. When my oldest daughter was seven she wanted to have a pet of her own. We already had a dog and wanted something that was low maintenance.

We decided a fish tank with a few beautifully coloured fish would be the perfect solution. We set the tank up in her room and she was in charge of

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feeding them. Everyone was quite content until, one by one, we started to find them floating at the top of the tank.

We checked the water temperature and chemical balance and everything was the way it was supposed to be, but we still had to take out a dead fish every couple of days. My poor daughter was beside herself and we had no answers as to why her fish were dying. As the last fish swam around the tank we watched it’s flowing red fins glide gracefully through the water.

We had to do something before the last fish was found belly up like all the others. A few days went by and to our pleasant surprise it was still doing fine, either we had inadvertently fixed what was killing all of them or this fish was very strong and hardy.

It’s hard to tell your child that her pet has died and it’s even harder to tell her that it’s your fault! Little did I know it was only the beginning of what was to become a regular occurrence in our house. You see, as she and the other children got older, I found out that regardless of whether I did something or not everything was and would forever be my fault!

After a little researching we realised the one fish left in the tank was a Chinese Fighting fish, and unknowingly we had put the other fish in the same tank like Christians into the lions den.

If you have any comments then please feel free to email me at lifes.moments@live.ca 42

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Rice

Pudding I live in a Southern state where rice is the second largest crop produced, yet I don’t remember as a girl if I ever tasted rice pudding. Puddings as a dessert are not popular dishes in the South. Well, puddings period! Because of this I was determined to finally make my own rice pudding. I tried so many recipes using short grain rice, long grain rice, cooked on the stove, and baked for eternity in a slow-oven that I eventually gave up on, before turning to Facebook. Yep, I got my recipe from the trusty internet (don’t judge)! I think it’s my new favourite breakfast meal! Dish it up in the morning, pour a little milk over it (or use cream like I do) and you have a delicious, quick and nutritious meal!

By Tanya Jackson 44

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INGREDIENTS 2/3 Cup Minute Rice (You can use ready cooked rice as it tastes the same)

1/2 tsp. Vanilla 1/4 tsp. Nutmeg

2 3/4 Cup milk

Cinnamon

1/3 Cup sugar

1/2 Cup raisins (As a southerner I always add chopped pecans. About 1/2 cup.)

1 tbsp. Butter 1/2 tsp. Salt

Method ww ww ww ww

Combine Minute Rice, milk & raisins, sugar, butter, salt, vanilla & nutmeg in a buttered 1 quart. baking dish.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour, stirring after 15 mins and again when pudding is done.

Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Finally, serve warm or chilled. Pudding thickens as it stands.

! ’ n i t a e d o o g s ’ t a Now th Rice Pudding

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What’s Abundance Find me online here

By Jane Lindsey 46

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I’ve always had a problem with the word abundance I think it is down to too many days spent across the table, from people cutting up magazines to making manifestation charts and unlocking a mindset of abundance; too many vision boards stuffed with fancy cars and yachts, holidays on tropical Caribbean islands and high price tag handbags. I decided that if this was simply grasping cornucopia, or excess was abundance, then abundance wasn’t for me.

And yet…over the past couple of weeks I have realised that I got it totally wrong, that there is a different way of defining what abundance is, and that it is a really important quality.

For me true abundance isn’t about ‘stuff’, about owning those Jimmy Choo shoes or that fancy home. I now see that abundance is a constantly bubbling source of opportunity – and realising this has completely changed my life and stress levels.

A couple of weeks ago it was Mother’s Day in the UK, and on the Thursday before I was phoned out of the blue by a breakfast television show. They wanted to feature my personalised photo plant pot in their segment on ‘Perfect Mother’s Day Presents.’

This was big. This was massive. This felt like my big break – national TV, positive PR and showing people what we do when they actually want to buy.

This was going to be it.

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We rushed the job through, got the parcel to the Post Office with just 10 minutes to spare and sent it with express delivery to London. By the next morning, when I checked the tracking in bed with my coffee, it was clear that the parcel was late – the plane from Glasgow had technical problems and our plant pot was now on a lorry headed south…at a snail’s pace.

I called Royal Mail and sobbed on the phone to customer services as I explained that this was been going to be my big break. Fortunately for me, they pulled out all the stops, found the parcel, and sent it by motorbike courier to the TV studio. It was signed for…and I breathed a huge sigh of relief. I waited and watched, ready for the flood of last minute orders to come in, but…nothing.

Somewhere between the reception desk and the studio floor our plant pot had got lost, popped into the wrong pigeon hole or delivered to the wrong floor. I will never know, but it didn’t make it onto TV. And that is when my revelation about abundance came to me. ‘This wasn’t the only big break, this wasn’t my last chance, this was only one opportunity on a necklace of many and wonderful things.’

“…when someone steals my ideas and copies my products, I no longer get despondent, I just remember that new ideas—new and better ideas—will keep coming…”

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We make great things, we care about making great gifts for our customers, and this was only one potential big break. Others will follow – and that is what the unending source of opportunity is – one break after another…and another and another.

So I made a cup of tea, and we got on with making our Mother’s Day gifts, birthday gifts and ‘just because’ gifts for people who know about us already.

Since then I have noticed a great change in my attitude – when someone steals my ideas and copies my products, I no longer get despondent, I just remember that new ideas—new and better ideas—will keep coming, bubbling up abundantly.

When I can’t meet up with friends on a particular day or get tickets to a particular concert, I no longer see it as a lost chance, but am confident that something else—some other chance—will come along soon. So this is how I now see abundance – a never ending string of opportunities, there to grasp but not to bank on.

Possibilities, chances, a stream of never ending shots at making it!

What’s Abundance?

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About a Homemade Year

Your Look

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By Michelle Fitz

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1 2 3

COAST – LORI MAY SHORT DRESS

JIMMY CHOO – SAND GLITTER PATENT SANDALS

OBAGI HYDRATE LUXE FOUNTAIN PEN

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BOHÈME DOUÉ MOONGARDEN

SU-MAN – AWAKENING EYE UPLIFT

NATURAL SYNTHETIC INGREDIENTS

Find me online here

By Rachael Pontillo

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I have to do this. There’s a white elephant in the Green Beauty room, and I have to call it out.

Beauty and skincare brands that market themselves as green, natural, organic, or in any other way imply that their products are cleaner or less toxic than drugstore, department store, or other conventional cosmetic counterparts need to stop hiding things from their customers. I’ve already written about my issues with synthetic fragrances, hidden preservatives in extracts, and misleading free-from claims–but today I’m specifically calling out companies who use the words ‘natural flavourings’ and ‘natural fragrances’ on their product labels. I also want to add oils that appear to be botanical oils (like lavender oil, rose oil, or neroli oil) on product ingredient lists.

WHAT’S MY BEEF WITH THESE NATURAL INGREDIENTS? There’s no way to know if they’re actually natural–and the truth is that fragrances, flavourings, and oils that are listed as natural are usually not. They might contain natural fixatives to enhance the strength and lasting time of a

Natural vs. Synthetic Ingredients: Know the Facts

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fragrance, but these aren’t plant-based–they are typically animal-derived like castroneum or civet (Google them and then see how you feel about rubbing them on your skin or using lip balms flavoured with them).

A truly natural fragrance or flavouring would not be listed on a product label using the word ‘fragrance,’ ‘perfume,’ or even just ‘oil.’ It would ideally be listed using its Latin botanical name, and what type of botanical preparation (typically an essential oil, absolute, concrete, or sometimes an extract) it is. For example if a product uses lavender essential oil, it would likely be listed as ‘essential oil of lavandula angustifolia (lavender)’ if it’s been obtained via steam distillation or CO2 extraction. If it’s an absolute, it would likely say ‘lavandula angustifolia (lavender) absolute.’ If the product is made with a macerated oil (carrier oil that has been infused with a plant), it would be listed as the botanical name of that carrier oil–let’s say jojoba for example–and noted that it’s been infused with the plant–let’s stick with lavender. This should appear on the label as simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) oil infused with lavandula angustifolia (lavender) flowers.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen as much as it should. If a product smells like lavender and the label says ‘lavender oil’ or ‘natural lavender fragrance’ or even ‘natural lavender flavouring,’ it’s almost always made with synthetic ingredients that are either chemically the same as the plant, which is how they pass for natural; or use completely

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synthetic fragrances and/or flavouring ingredients that mimic the smell or taste of the real thing which have other natural fragrance ingredients (such as castroneum or civet) added to help the blend pass as natural.

Since manufacturers aren’t required to list the individual components of a natural flavouring or fragrance, a consumer would never know which ingredient or combination of ingredients was responsible for the irritant reaction.

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM WITH ‘NATURAL’ FRAGRANCES AND FLAVOURINGS LIKE THESE? Aside from the fact that it’s misleading to consumers who think they’re buying a product from a reputable ‘green’ or ‘natural’ brand, it also puts people at risk for skin allergies and irritant reactions. Take the recent EOS lip balm class action lawsuit, where many angry customers are suing the company due to burns, blisters, and swelling associated with use of their lip balms.

Dermatologists and other experts who commented on this case pointed the finger at beeswax as the culprit for these burns, stating that the propolis found in the beeswax is a common allergen so therefore, it must be the beeswax.

I took a look at the ingredient decks on these lip balms, because my own kids received them as gifts and started getting chapped lips after using them for several days in a row. What I found was that these products contain high amounts of natural flavouring.

Since manufacturers aren’t required to list the individual components of a natural flavouring or fragrance, a consumer would never know which ingredient or combination of ingredients was responsible for the irritant reaction.

DEAD GIVEAWAYS THAT A NATURAL PRODUCT CONTAINS SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCES Natural vs. Synthetic Ingredients: Know the Facts

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I attend many conferences and industry events in the areas of skincare, nutrition, beauty, and wellness where I get bags with product samples. I recently received a sample of a facial oil from a skincare company that markets themselves as organic and free from synthetic chemicals. I make my own products, and usually don’t try samples directly (I usually give them away), but since it was a facial oil, I figured it would be OK. It appeared to be a combination of plant-infused carrier oils and essential oils–and I haven’t identified any of those that I’m allergic or sensitive to. So I tried the sample without looking up the full ingredient deck–because people I know and trust in the industry who have super high standards regularly tout the purity of this particular brand. (I’m choosing to not name this company) Upon application, I immediately noticed that the fragrance was pleasant, but it didn’t smell to me like normal essential oils or even absolutes smell. It was sweet, but not in a way that the sweetness would have come from typical sweet oils like tangerine, lime, or even vanilla. No, this had the tell-tale ‘candy’ sweetness to it that you only can get from synthetic fragrance or flavouring ingredients. Even so, I let it go.

I noticed that the scent was still as strong several hours later, which was another tell-tale sign to me that this oil either contained an animal-derived or synthetic fixative, because the aromas of essential oils, absolutes, and concretes typically fade within the first hour or two of application–or they at least shift so that the aroma of base notes in the blend is more prominent. And most base notes don’t have that candy smell.

Red flag number three was that I began to feel nauseous and get a headache right around the time I noticed I could still smell the strong aroma, hours after application. I (and most people) do not get nauseous or headaches from essential oils. So I knew there’s no way these could be truly natural fragrances.

I contacted the company to ask them what the source of the fragrances were– if they were essential oils, absolutes, or concretes. I noticed that the label did list some essential oils, but also a lot of other botanical oils which were listed as the common name of the plant before the word ‘oil’ with a star after it to 58

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indicate that it was an organic ingredient. I asked about those too. The answer?

Well there wasn’t a clear one, because this company doesn’t formulate or manufacture their own products–they use a contract lab for that, and they said that the lab assured them that the ingredients were all natural and organic.

To me, this is an even bigger problem, because I believe a company should ensure the source of their ingredients to ensure transparency and safety for their customers.

HOW DO COMPANIES GET AWAY WITH LABELLING SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCES AS NATURAL? They don’t have to get away with anything, because they’re allowed to do it.

There are no clear laws on how cosmetics (which makeup, skincare, personal care, and hair care products are all considered) must be labelled. Proprietary oil blends, fragrances, and even preservative blends are all still protected as trade secrets and do not need to be disclosed, according to the FDA’s Cosmetic Labelling Guide. In terms of companies misleading customers, the FDA’s more concerned with policing false, drug, or health claims made on labels (such as a product that claims to erase wrinkles or cure acne but hasn’t been tested or approved by the FDA as a drug), than ingredient transparency.

To me, this is an even bigger problem, because I believe a company should ensure the source of their ingredients to ensure transparency and safety for their customers.

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Personally I’d say that labelling a fragrance blend that contains synthetics as natural should be considered misleading.

If product companies imply in their marketing, packaging, company ethos, or otherwise that they are natural, organic, green, or otherwise safer than conventional counterparts, then I feel strongly that they should label honestly. If the product contains blends containing synthetics, then they should state that.

Whether a company makes their own products or has them made by a lab or private label company, they should verify exactly what’s in those products, and the source of those ingredients, and label their products accordingly.

Consumers have the right to know what they’re putting onto and into their bodies.

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natural

health & beauty.

Find simple tips & recipes at VintageAmanda.com

Find me online here

By Marina BerBeryan

HIGH WAISTED JEANS I love how adaptable high-waisted jeans were throughout the various fashion eras. This summer they’re set to make a sizzling comeback, so read on for tips on how to style them and get your fave celeb look!

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Show off your favourite stilettos with a pair of slim-cut high-wasted cropped jeans. Pair it with a jacket to get a Blake Lively-esque swagger, or if you are opting for a dressier ensemble, pair your high waisted denim with a classy looking blouse to get Cameron Diaz’s look.

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White high-wasted jeans is the freshest denim trend this coming Spring and Summer.

Wear crisp white high-waisted jeans with a floral top like Kate Bosworth or a blush coloured top like Amanda Seyfried.

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If you are aiming for an adaptable casual / formal look, pair your high-wasted jeans like Kelly Ripa with a bright top and a blazer.

High-waisted skinny jeans are my favourite because of their versatility. This particular denim style works well with everything you have in your closet. I love wearing it during day time like Rachel Bilson with flip flops and at night time like Vanessa Hudgens with my high heels.

Highlight the length to your legs by tucking in the top. Complete this look with a belt around your waist to get Kim Kardashian’s look.

Remember, a wider cut makes your legs look longer!

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So, I bought these slouchy pair of ripped high-wasted boyfriend jeans from Express and mixed and matched it with an off-shoulder bohemian floral print top. I love adding my own element of style to each ensemble that I create.

Remember, the trick is to roll the bottoms of your jeans several times for a cropped length, although some jeans may already come styled this way.

Additionally, I wore sleek heeled sandals and for statement piece I added accessories to obtain Reese Witherspoon’s look.

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Earrings | Givenchy Necklace | Escada Top | non-brand Pants | Express Shoes | Gucci Sunglasses | non-brand

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Your Skills

Mindful In Business Find me online here

By Andrea Sullenger 70

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and more entrepreneurs are talking about mindfulness. In fact, when I listen to interviews of successful businesswomen, a vast majority talk about ‘lack of focus’ when they’re asked about their weaknesses and areas in need of improvement. Well, that means a lot of successful entrepreneurs are just like me. I totally admit, I sometimes operate with less focus than a disposable camera at a mud-wrestling match.

I will confess, the practice of mindfulness has made me feel like my spinning plates are all staying in the air effortlessly. I can assure you that’s a good feeling.

What exactly is mindfulness, you ask?

In the simplest terms, it’s just being in the moment, being aware of your thoughts in the present moment. Mindfulness means accepting what is going on right now without judging. It means not thinking about what happened in the past and not worrying about what might happen in the future.

Okay. Confession time. I am no expert at mindfulness, totally not. I started doing some mindfulness exercises and before long noticed some positive changes in the way I felt. I’ll bet you will too. If you do it consistently, you’ll start to feel more relaxed and more accepting of your business and life the way it is right now.

We’re all on a journey, right? I’m sure you’ve heard that enough times. But think about it. If you had all the success you wanted right now, how boring would that be? I’m willing to bet you’ll feel a lot happier after doing mindfulness every

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day for 20 minutes for two months. Then you won’t want to stop. You’ll think, wow – this mindfulness thing is really working for me.

I can read your mind! Right now you’re thinking, how on earth do I practice mindfulness? First, realise you can’t do it wrong. After all, I’ve been saying “practice” mindfulness. Look at it like you’re always improving and continuing to build on what works for you. That’s just like your business, right? Hey, if I can do it, you can too.

Set aside twenty minutes a day, put it in your day timer and don’t rob yourself of that critical life-changing time. You have two choices. Listen to a guided exercise that you can download, or just do your own thing. You can learn about both by searching online like I did. Search for ‘top mindfulness experts’ or ‘free mindfulness exercises’. Download a book or audio program. I love Sharon Salzberg. She is an experienced mindfulness expert and author.

She has a book called ‘Real Happiness – The Power of Meditation, A 28-Day Program. Get that book or another resource that works best for you.

Don’t put it off. Start practicing mindfulness for yourself and you’ll thank me for the benefits you’ll experience. But don’t thank me, thank yourself – for being consistent and giving yourself a gift that will change your life for the better.

Let me know about the changes you experience as a result of your new habit of mindfulness.

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Behind the

SCENES Find me online here

By Sukh Pabial 74

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“When we discuss things behind the scenes, are we aware of the influence those discussions have to what we present openly?”

I’ve been talking with a lot of different people lately. One of the things that I’ve been reflecting on is what we present to the world, and what’s going on behind the scenes to make that presentation work.

The world of social media means that we only ever see a snippet of someone’s life. I know some very open people who use their Twitter accounts to openly share a lot of what they experience. They do this as a way of being able to make sense of what they experience.

It also opens them up to comments and opinions from people who may have good intentions, but communicate poorly. Others may have bad intentions and communicate poorly.

I know others who use their social networks to share their thinking about a range of topics. ‘Thinking out loud’ in these ways helps others to know that these people are trying to offer an opinion about the world they live in, and by virtue of it being open and social, inviting comment about the same.

I know many people who use social networks to share about the work they’re involved in. We tend not to see work in progress, and we tend to see end products. Where we see work in progress, there are those who appreciate the

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honesty, and the sharing attitude. It helps them identify that there is a development process, and there is value in sharing stages of work. Where we see finished products, what we can be blind to is the amount of work that was involved. In the open market place, anyone can offer an opinion, and there is a resilience we need to be open to that. And there are variety of online communities that people feel connected to and invested in. I’m part of many, and they all offer me different things.

In all of that, we see only what is available to be seen.

What we don’t see is the angst, the hard work, the hours toiled, the rejected proposals, the lost time, the mixed emotions, the strained relationships, the personal hardships, the financial burdens, the care taken, the ambition driving, the desire for the work, and so much more.

And I wonder, how many of us are willing to read or know those things?

I have many private conversations with people on different platforms and in different ways, and I wonder, how acceptable would it be to share those 76

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discussions openly? When we discuss things behind the scenes, are we aware of the influence those discussions have to what we present openly?

It’s great to be open and sharing, but what happens when people want to share and be open about the hard times, the tough times, and the downright shit times?

Experience tells us, that when we share these times, people can be generous with their time, with their compassion, and with their understanding. Not all people, but those who want to, will. I’ve read pieces about mental health issues, sexual abuse, racial abuse, gendered stereotyping, parental harm, and so many more. And every time I read them I want to reach out and provide that person with love, care and heart.

They’ve shared something in an open way, and I can’t help but see the

human side of what’s happening in the world.

Yet, at work, we’re not openly acceptant of these things. We may say we are, but we’re really not. If you work in a team, do they all want to hear about your woes, trials and tribulations? They might want to, if they feel that the person can be heard well and find support in their colleagues. They probably won’t want to if they feel that displaying your emotions at work is frowned on and detrimental to the work environment.

We all present a sheen. We allow specific things about ourselves to be seen, and are very particular about what happens behind the scenes.

How do we build the capacity for people to feel that they can share in ways that are meaningful and don’t alienate? How we do help people build resilience so that when they experience things behind the scenes, they are taking care of themselves? How do we create a stronger sense of support and compassion where the focus isn’t on advising someone what to do, but allowing them to be heard.

What’s happening behind the scenes for you?

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Clickatch ! e n i to OW l n

WITH MICHELLE HOLMES

Find me online here

By Uchechi Ezurike-Bosse

Most people that know me well know that I love looking at numbers.

I love creating budgets and expense tracking sheets to manage both my personal and business expenses. I love to look at how my business makes money and look at different opportunities to bring in additional sources of revenues into my business.

However, I find most business owners do not do this.

How does your business make money? Yes, you may have product(s) or services you sell, but there are so many different areas to consider in terms of how you make money. Who are your strongest customers, and which outlets do you make the most money from? How profitable is your business? Just because you have high sales, doesn’t mean you’re profitable! You’ve got to understand the financial health of your business.

It’s unfortunate, but finances tend to be where most small business owners tend to fall short. Entrepreneurs are highly creative, and there’s so much we have on the go, and sometimes the numbers part is what we tend to look at last. However, I’m a firm believer that you really need to look at your numbers and understand your numbers on a consistent basis. Understanding your finances allows you to make the right business decisions, know how healthy your business is, and help you build longevity in your business.

Take time to sit down and add all the numbers. Do not be afraid of the numbers. When you’re afraid of the number, and ignore them, that’s when you get into trouble. Set an annual (yearly) target and then break it down into

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monthly and weekly targets. Depending on how big your business is, you may want to start with monthly, but I really love breaking it down into weekly targets.

When you set your sales targets, don’t forget to take into account your own basic needs. Some business owners tend to budget solely on their business expenses. That’s great if you have a full-time job and you’re bridging your business. However, if you want your business to sustain you and you want to run it full-time, you really need to take your personal expenses into account.

You also need to also understand your break-even point. Your break-even point is the point where revenue actually starts to cover your expenses. The more money you make on top of that goes into your profits.

“You need to know how much money you’re getting in return for all the money you’re spending to bring in sales.”

Start tracking the return on all the activities you’re doing to build your business.

So, if it’s Facebook marketing or your email newsletter, how are those converting? You need to know how much money you’re getting in return for all the money you’re spending to bring in sales.

Taxes are another great thing to consider. A lot of small business owners miss this completely, and I’ve been guilty of this too in the past. What tends to happen is we forget to set money aside for taxes. But once you do your 82

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taxes, especially when you start making profit, you’ll have to pay taxes, and depending on how much profit you make, you may get a big tax bill. If you have not been setting any money aside for it, it will leave you scrambling for money to pay them. Furthermore, it will cause you so much stress and energy – stress and energy that takes your focus away from running your business to worrying about finances. Always set some money aside, especially if you’re making profit to pay for your taxes.

There’s so much I can write about this subject, and feel it’s so important to the success of your business that I dedicated a whole module in my 4-Week Business Success Bootcamp online program to ‘Know your Numbers’.

4-Week ss e c c u S z i B p m a c t o Bo

I like to say, ‘your numbers tells you a story’. That story will show you how healthy your business is and areas you need to improve to make it more successful!

Know Your Numbers

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Your Spirit

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By Karen Salmansohn

Predictions

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By Manish Kumar Arora

Aries 21 March-19 April

There would be a surge of confidence that enhances both your romantic life and your work or school life. This confidence will peak and trough throughout the month but will generally sustain you. The next two weeks may bring a time for you to work hard for the money or to receive a job offer or opportunity. During last week you may be feeling tired from working too much or a lack of sleep. It may also be that you are feeling a sense of miscommunication or misleading messages from other people or you may be the one misleading other people. If you know you’re holding your feelings in, find a way to be assertive without being aggressive.

Favourable Dates June 3, 5, 12, 14, 21, 23 Favourable Colours Red & Blue

Taurus 20 April-20 May

A continuation of caution in your career life with regard to how you ‘conduct communications’ and that

you project the image of a person who both respects and values the time of bosses, coworkers and clients would be wise. Elders and the needs of parents or elderly members appear to take centre stage this month.

There will be a certain amount of lost emails and letters leading to misunderstandings It could also be that you experience problems with education, transportation and trying to connect with people from afar. Just be prepared for the unexpected. If you are taking any sort of medication just be aware that you may feel confused and tired.

Favourable Dates June 1, 8, 10, 17, 19, 26 Favourable Colours Yellow & White

Gemini 21 May-20 June

Your career will be highlighted . You may receive a promotion, advancement or even begin a business venture. You could receive praise and recognition for your hard work. A very busy and somewhat aggressive period is likely for you and demands may be varied but appear enjoyable and may include long talks, great amounts of physical effort and rich emotions. You may spread your boundaries by studying and learning something new. You may

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focus on your education or learn a new language, culture or about the law, philosophy or religion. Romance looks promising, as long as both sides are prepared to give and take, but you’re likely to become bolder and more adventurous in your quest for love.

Favourable Dates June 4, 6, 13, 15, 22, 24 Favourable Colours Red & White

view life or take on a different sense of direction of your life. Your focus may be on a partner and taking care of any issues or problems that need to be resolved with them.

Favourable Dates June 3, 6, 12, 15, 21, 24 Favourable Colours Red & Blue

Leo 23 July-22 August

Cancer 21 June-22 July

It is a great time for you to get projects done especially if they require a lot of time and dedication. You seem to be very motivated and energized to get the work done. If you’re beginning a business venture then you will have great motivation, drive and energy to get business moving forward. It’s time to make a change and it could be in connection to religion, law, beliefs philosophy and your morals and values. You may change how you 88

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There are likely to be some short-lived challenges at work or school, and you may need to put your foot down in the first half, but from 16th you’ll find that life starts bringing some long overdue surprises. Romance looks set to take off. The last two weeks will bring a time for you to receive plenty of praise and attention at work. It could be that you receive a job offer or opportunity. It is your time to advance in your career and to receive recognition for the hard work that you have done in the past.

It would also be a very positive time for you to expand your horizons in academic studies and learn something new in college degree.

Favourable Dates June 8, 9, 17, 18, 26, 27 Favourable Colours Yellow & Green

Virgo 23 August-22 September

This month will begin with you feeling full of passion for one particular ambition or idea. It will be important that you stay grounded enough to get something out of all this energy.

Trying to take on too much, convincing another of abilities that may be beyond reasonable expectation or talking too big, whether you mean to or not, are possible You may also find new ways to budget and save for the future and take care of financial obligations and duties.

You will be amazed at the approval that you will receive from others including coworkers, employees and employers.

Generally, romantic matters are likely to lift towards the end of the month too, after a bumpy ride.

Favourable Dates June 8, 9, 17, 18, 26, 27 Favourable Colours Yellow & Green

Libra 23 September-22 October

This month will bring a time for you to work hard for the money. The month will bring first two weeks for you to feel

a bit of stress and anxiety over work projects and obligations. If you lose a source of income it could be because you are starting a new job somewhere else or there may be cutbacks at work. It will also be a time for you to exercise and lose weight easily. If you have been indulging in fatty foods and sweets then you will discipline yourself to exercise on a regular basis so you can keep your weight down. Romance appears most promising with likely upgrades, including outright proposals and next level advances.

Favourable Dates June 1, 2, 10, 11, 19, 20 Favourable Colours Red & Green

Scorpio 23 October-21 November

This month will bring some general improvements in your financial position and you will be feeling very confident about your overall material position.

Your focus turns to partnerships and relationships and this may be a time to work on any issues or problems.

Friends appear to want to share time, hobbies and events with you and if they extend invitations that include you in their family events, make sure it is alright with the ‘key figures’ at the gathering and remember to bring thoughtful hostess gifts, and gestures.

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This month will bring a time for you to travel long-distance or to have others come to visit you. You may also study and learn law, religion, music, art or foreign cultures and languages.

Favourable Dates June 3, 5, 12, 14, 21, 23 Favourable Colours White & Green

Sagittarius 22 November-21 December

Romance should really start to take off. Singles are more likely to meet someone very special from this time on and may also find love at work place.. Your place of work is relocating or scaling down, you may be setting off on a big adventure that encompasses freedom, travel and independence or changes to your partner’s life or your family’s life impacts on your own. You might be tempted to put work or school on the back burner, this will lead to a rather heavy backlog in your workload in the last week of the month. The next four weeks will bring a time for you to travel long-distance or to have others come to visit you.

Favourable Dates June 2, 3, 11, 12, 20, 21 Favourable Colours White & Red 90

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Capricorn 22 December-19 January

The period will give you great boost and recognition. This month will open the door for you to make new discoveries for yourself and for your future. It may be time to collaborate with others including a business partner, client or customer professionally leading to stability.. You may look to give support to your friends and family financially or emotionally. Your social outgoing will continue and would do well connecting with new people, which can bring opportunities for you to study and learn a new topic of interest but you also want to be careful not to lose focus on the direction you want to take your career and education.

Favourable Dates June 2, 8, 11, 17, 20, 29 Favourable Colours Blue & Red

Aquarius 20 January-18 February

This month is likely to start with some excellent developments at work or school. Sometimes it’s easy to follow someone else’s lead, but by being different or innovative you’re sure to

find success. This is a great opportunity for you to put yourself out there on interviews and meetings. It time for you to put yourself out there and salad yourself whether it’s to a client or customer or even to an employer.

Love is highlighted too and another indication that for some a new love affair is the reason for so much change in your life. The next four weeks will bring a time for you to travel with someone special or you may travel to visit them.

Favourable Dates June 1, 6, 10, 15, 19, 24 Favourable Colours Blue & White

Pisces

opportunities. It could be a new job offer or promotion There may be changes in your life that include what you want for yourself and your appearance. You may decide to get a new haircut or hairstyle. It could be that you proceed with some type of cosmetic surgery or decide to wear different clothing. It’s all about you and what’s going to make you happy and people will give you the time and attention you deserve. If you are attached you will find that you need some space while those of you who are single are likely to send out very mixed signals.

Favourable Dates June 6, 8,15, 17, 24, 26 Favourable Colours Purple & White

19 February-20 March

These could be to positive days that can bring you more money or financial

Manish Kumar Arora. K.P. Astrologer, Numerologist, Tarot Card Reader & Vastu Consultant. Email for a personal reading or consultation at manishastrologer@rediffmail.com

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I Believed in Jesus I have been blessed upon blessed by attending the ‘IF: Gathering’ the last 3 years. IF’s existence hinges on the desire to pour into leaders who serve in their local churches and make disciples who make disciples. IF has become a community of women who emb​races one another.

Instead of wholeness, I believe we authentically crave brokenness. I crave knowing my brokenness: revealing my brokenness.

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believe we know that it is only through the broken body, His sufferings and His brokenness, can we find our redemption because God was in Christ, and He was reconciling us to Himself through brokenness.

In my own journey of sanctification (such a churchy word, please forgive me) I am realising that I am on this cycle of craving brokenness. I want to drink down God’s truth mixed with my sorrow and taste the salty tears of conviction. I want to mourn my sin, because the reality is, how far have I truly strayed when my heart can no longer break for the distance I have put between myself and my Saviour?

IF: Gathering 2016 wrecked me. For the past 2 years I went in praying, fighting and begging God to let me hear from Him. Each year I came home with peace and clarity on what my next steps were to be and they have been big and humbling.

I walked up the steps this year and as I did I prayed this from my journal: “Lord, speak. Speak to my hidden, hollow thoughts. Speak to my fears.

Speak to my pride. Lead me. Lead my next steps. Lead me to new friends this weekend. Lead me to share your story as it unfolds in my life. Lead me to honesty. Hear me, God. I need to hear you.”

After a time of praise and prayer and worship, Jo Saxton took the stage and she set the tone for the entire time we would spend at IF. She said, “For the last few months I have been teaching on and having conversations about experiential doubt, especially as it relates to God and Jesus being His one and only perfect and holy Son.” If: I believed in Jesus

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“…when you and I do not understand the plans of God, we must ask ourselves if we have faith enough to trust His character through the dark valleys.”

What I am learning is that this is such a deep and vast area of disbelief for so many of us. Maybe we even once believed.

Maybe we cried out in the midst of heartache, shame, divorce, disease, singleness, losing a child, bankruptcy, homosexuality, infertility {and so many more} and we begged. We cried and cried out and we asked God to rescue us and change our situation and instead of healing, life seemingly went from bad to worse.

Maybe in the midst of our heartache we concluded “There surely can’t be a God. And if there is, surely He isn’t involved in our lives. He doesn’t interact with us and He doesn’t long for us and even if He does, He must not be good, because my heartache happened.

I have searched many scriptures on this topic, which I would love to share with you and hash through this, but I am totally getting off topic here. I can say, when you and I do not understand the plans of God, we must ask ourselves if we have faith enough to trust His character through the dark valleys.

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o, as Jo posed the question I asked myself, “What would my life look like IF I lived believing Jesus?

What IF I lived believing He is, exactly is who He says He is? What IF I believed His promises and demonstration of Good News? What IF I longed to be in perfect relationship with God? What IF I believed separation from His presence was more devastating that the reality of Hell? What IF I lived holding onto grace and truth and the pure love of Jesus?”

Because my secret truth: I don’t.

Not always. I believe it, but don’t always live it.

Jesus came full of love, withholding His condemnation, until it came to the “righteous” the religious leaders. To them, He was full of truth and truth is revealing.

He said in Matthew 23, “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.

Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer

boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels.

(Vrs. 11) The greatest among you must be a servant. But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either. “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are!

If: I believed in Jesus

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(Vrs. 27) “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.”

Jesus had pressing words for those claiming righteousness, didn’t He? But to the sinner, He said things like, “Forgiven,” “Follow Me,” “I want to go to your house,” “The healthy don’t need a doctor, only the sick,” “I know you have been married multiple times and that man you live with isn’t your husband. I have living water for you,” “Today, be with Me in Paradise.”

Jesus’ actions in spending time with sinners transcended His culture and actually should define Christian culture as we know it. Jesus sees us as individuals. He isn’t concerned about the labels we, or anyone else, has given us to wear.

Here is truth of God’s Word, When we see Jesus we can see: We can see the substance of who God is, in Jesus. Jesus touches people. He was approachable. He restores people. He vindicates. He was gentle and patient.

He spoke truth with authority and power and not condemnation. Jesus addressed injustice.

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