August 28, 2015

The Warning Signs All Young Women Should Know...


While we have come a long way empowering and challenging our young women to pursue and conquer anything and everything, we still fall behind when it comes to teaching them about potential abusers. The following article succinctly spells out the commonalities that are consistent in an abusive relationship.

Please share this with your young network.




http://www.examiner.com/article/10-early-warning-signs-identifying-the-future-abuser

August 13, 2015

And Poof! The Baby Girl Is A Senior...




As my daughter prepares to enter her senior year in high school, I hope I have imparted upon her the wisdom and guidance that will give her the confidence to forge her own path in life. If I had to sum it up in one quote, this would be it...



July 22, 2015

The Oprah We Know And Love...


For the better part of three years I have written often about the massive failure on the part of women's mags to bring the reader images that, at the very least, appear to be realistic. You may recall the blog I wrote about the day my subscriptions of GQ and Vogue arrived in the mailbox. The covers were so grossly different, shedding a glaring light on the exaggerated use of photoshop to create the "ideal" image of the already stunning Gwen Stefani, who happened to be on the cover of Vogue. Yet GQ opted to go with a charmingly lined and expressive Bill Murray on its cover. Side by side, it was impossible not to see the absurdity when comparing the two.

As a woman who has spent her adult life empowering women and girls to find their authentic selves, Oprah has, in my opinion, been part of the mag cover problem. She shows up every month all gussied up on the cover of O, looking like a version of the women we have all come to love and emulate. In fact, a few months ago I made the decision not to renew my subscription of O. That is until I received my August edition. For the first time I stood in my kitchen thrilled by what I was seeing. It was Oprah! I am talking about Oprah grilling, serving drinks on the patio, and a third shot popping her sunglasses on top of her head to show off a plate of fresh asparagus. The photos are clearly meant to convey a relaxed, fun, real life view of Oprah at home. Finally! A cover that matches the high quality articles, recommendations, and photographs on the inside of the monthly publication.

My hope is that Oprah will continue to lead the way with creative and natural covers that might just inspire others to follow in her footsteps. Incidentally, I cancelled my subscription to Vogue soon after that issue and I haven't missed it a bit!






July 7, 2015

A Nice Reminder For Young Women...




This is a good reminder to all women, but especially young women and girls. I have learned that if  you focus on hard work, generosity, and kindness, all the rest will naturally fall into place. I also believe that visualizing a goal creates personal success. I plan on referring to the following thought on the days when I need a little inspiration.






June 29, 2015

Can't Sleep? Here's Your Quick Tip Of The Day...


We all have phases when we just can't sleep. Stress, physical challenges, environmental factors. They are all culprits that can be the cause of insomnia.

I recently discovered something kind of amazing.  For ten bucks go to your local health food store and buy a small bottle of pure lavender essential oil. Right before bed put three drops on the bottom of each foot.

 I have been doing it for the better part of a month and it is working like a charm. Happy snoozing!

June 23, 2015

Carob vs Cocoa...


Who doesn't love chocolate? Warmed in milk, added to sweet treats, or just a square on its own. You know what I'm talking about~that afternoon craving that creeps up on us just when we think we can't make it through the rest of the day.

Even though cocoa has terrific health benefits, it is not always the easiest to digest. For those of us who are unfortunately sensitive to all the good stuff, it seems totally unfair that cocoa finds its way to the laundry list of  no~no foods.

Now enter the carob bean. Let's face it folks, carob has the unfortunate reputation of being the chocolate of tree huggers. The weird healthy alternative that people from Oregon add to their crunchy granola as they embark on their rigorous hike to the summit of Mount Hood. Right?

What is carob anyway? It actually comes from the pod of the Ceratonia sillqua (aka: carob tree), which is readily found along the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Carob pulp is found in the pod, which is scraped and then dried, roasted, and ground into a powder that resembles cocoa powder. With a slightly more earthy caramel flavor, carob can easily be substituted for cocoa in any recipe. Plus it has tons of health benefits making it a nice addition to your recipes. Chucked full of minerals and antioxidants, carob also aids in digestion and has been proven to lower cholesterol. So what's not to love?

I personally recommend Chatfield's, which can easily be found on Amazon.

June 15, 2015

A Man And His Dog...



There is nothing more lovely than masterful storytelling and the attached video is no exception. I have no doubt that you will glean inspiration from this majestically photographed and narrated story about a man and his dog. A piece crafted by a Portland photographer that captures true friendship.


https://player.vimeo.com/video/122375452