Tag: Wellness

Beauty /

CurlKit Launches First Natural Hair and Wellness Summit

CurlKit Natural Hair and Wellness Virtual Summit are the first ever of its kind, launched by a leading subscription box in the natural hair arena; this online summit cover topics on how to enhance your natural hair, beauty, and wellness through empowering tips and information.  Twenty industry and wellness experts from around the country in one place at one time to hand you the secret behind boosting the beauty of your natural hair and to living your best life with proven regimens. CurlKit is proud to bring this all right to you at home.  The free Summit runs from April 29th – May 2nd, 2019. Register at www.naturalhairsummit.com.  If you miss it don’t worry an All Access Pass of all the Interviews is Available!

The Natural Hair and Wellness Virtual Summit showcase  the largest representation of industry experts in the country with pretty big names such as:

  • Dr. Nina Ellis-Hervey, Associate Professor, Personal Trainer, YouTuber, Beautiful Brown Baby Doll
  • Rochelle Graham-Campbell, CEO Alikay Naturals, Natural Hair Blogger and Philanthropist,  BlackOnyx
  • Tendai Morris – Natural Hair Celebrity Stylist, The Hair Whisperer
  • And Many More…

Each presenter will deliver their own gems, tips, and tricks on how to achieve hair health, maintain glowing and youthful skin and nails, boost your energy, shed excess weight and strategies for a fantastic sex life.  There is sure to be something for everyone.  Register for Free at www.NaturalHairSummit.com. If you miss it don’t worry an All Access Pass of all the Interviews is Available!

Over the past 7 years, Heather Cummings, CEO of CurlKit, LLC, has run a successful hair subscription service for naturally textured hair. She has worked with hundreds of brands, from well-known beauty brands to emerging gems and has introduced over 100k natural hair women to products that were not accessible 10 years ago. Her Journey began like most Naturalistas, looking for products and tools to help to maintain her natural hair. She realized early on that there were lots of products but no knowledge base to help navigate through the plethora of products.  What was a painful journey turned into a passionate commitment to helping other natural hair women find products,  tools, and education to empower them to love and nurture their natural curls? Featured in Essence, Mintel Report 2018, Ebony, Huffington Post, Instyle to name a few. Heather’s love for all things natural including hair and wellness has driven and even more passionate focus on helping women looking to enhance their inner and external beauty.                       

About CurlKit

CurlKit is a complete solution for women with naturally curly hair of various textures. They provide exclusive services, products, tutorials, videos, how-to manuals and information to help lifelong naturals, as well as, women who are choosing a newly natural hairstyle. CurlKit had their premier launch in March 2012, opening Curlkit.com to customers in United States, Canada, Hawaii, and the US Virgin Islands. In September 2012 they expanded their market share to over 30 countries worldwide accomplishing one of their first-year goals ahead of schedule.

Beauty /

Prejuvenation: 6 Things Millennials Can do to Maintain Their Youth

Many people in their 20’s (and 30’s) are stressed out about high post-college student loan debt requiring side hustles to pay it off. They’re noticing tired eyes and premature wrinkles as they turn to filters to optimize their social media photos. There is pressure to keep up with celebrities their age not to mention the countless millennial “social media influencers” who are setting the new standard for beauty and youth. Bottom line, millennials are stressed, and they don’t want to look it. Dr. Manish Shah, a Denver, Colorado Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon who specializes in facial plastic surgery urges the under 30 crowds not to overdo it with expensive treatments and procedures that can actually make them look older and put them further into debt.

Featured Photo from Market Watch.

Here is Dr. Shah’s of 6 things millennials can do to maintain their youth.

1. Use sunblock every day.

“The best way to make sure your face is protected from the sun is to use a daily moisturizer with SPF of no less than 30,” explains Dr. Shah. He also suggests applying creams to your neck and chest to postpone wrinkling and sagging in these areas. “The sun protection done daily in your 20’s will pay off greatly in your 40’s,” he says.

2. Get your Vitamin C.

“Vitamin C is a huge collagen booster and it also reduces pores and brightens skin, and these are the exact things women in their late 30’s and 40’s complain about most,” he reveals. Foods such as cantaloupe, mango, pineapples, oranges, grapefruits, and berries are all packed with this antioxidant which, when eaten regularly does wonders to sustain a youthful glow.

3. Ditch the fast food and eat more fish.

Those late night post-partying fries and pizza are to be expected and at 25 are difficult to avoid. Perhaps your metabolism can handle it, for now. Offset these weekend indulgences by eating fish during the week. “Fish oil has fatty acids can erase early wrinkles you may notice. It prevents inflammation which can only make wrinkles more noticeable and deeper over time. Many millennials who are picky eaters and avoid seafood can get Omega-3’s via supplements but getting it directly from eating fish is best,” Dr. Shah suggests.

4. Quit smoking.

Nothing will age you quicker than smoking. “It is possible for a 25-year-old to look 8-5 years younger, within just 3 months after quitting smoking. This number increases after age 30. Women over age 40 who don’t smoke typically look up to a decade younger than their counterparts who still smoke,” says Dr. Shah. There are a gazillion reasons to quit smoking. Linking it to vanity is a pretty powerful motivator.

5. Decrease your sugar intake.

You really want to start getting mindful about your sugar intake in your 20’s for many reasons. “Sugars and carbohydrates are a beauty killer because they are pro-inflammatory. Pasta, ketchup, candy, ice cream, and fruit juices are often dietary staples for those under 30. Any inflammation in the body will show up on the face in the form of adult acne, sagging and wrinkling not to mention sallow skin tone,” warns Dr. Shah.

6. Maintain your glow with facials and peels.

While many millennials are starting off with “Baby Botox” which can postpone wrinkling, Botox isn’t cheap. It also can be a “gateway” treatment which leads to lip injections and fillers that often have a reverse effect making younger women appear older, cautions Dr. Shah. “Lasers and peels have come very far, offer an excellent solution for sun damage, skin texture, pores, acne scarring and cell turnover to stimulate collagen growth.

Dr. Shah concludes that millennials who get into a good solid habit of taking care of themselves both inside and out, will create a lifestyle of longevity. “Millennials raised by mothers who may have had breast implants, Botox and lip injections may feel that getting things “done” is normal. This is exactly why I am always very honest when advising patients under 25 on procedures they’re considering.”

About Dr. Manish Shah

Plastic Surgeon Colorado | Dr. Manish Shah, M.D. | Denver https://drmanishshah.com/

Manish Shah, M.D., F.A.C.S. is board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. After completing his formal plastic surgery training in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the Univ. of Tennessee College of Medicine, he moved to New York City and was selected for the prestigious Aesthetic Surgery Fellowship at Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital. He underwent extensive, advanced training in aesthetic surgery of the face, breasts, and body at the hands of some of the most renowned cosmetic surgeons in the world. Dr. Shah is one of only a select few plastic surgeons in the country who has undergone formal post-graduate training in aesthetic surgery.

Dr. Shah’s specialties include revision facial aesthetic surgery, rhinoplasty (“nose reshaping”), and aesthetic surgery of the breast (breast augmentation, breast lift, breast reduction). He is, however, well-trained in all areas of aesthetic surgery. Dr. Shah’s aim is to obtain a natural appearing transformation that complements the real you!

Beauty /

2019 ESSENCE FESTIVAL TRANSFORMS INTO PLATFORM ADVANCING GLOBAL BLACK CULTURE, ECONOMIC OWNERSHIP & INCLUSION

The ESSENCE Festival® presented by Coca-Cola, the world’s largest cultural, entertainment and empowerment experience, is marking its 25th anniversary July 4-7, 2019 in New Orleans, LA.  The Festival, the only experience of its kind, is also the largest celebration of global Black culture and continues to reach new heights with a focus on economic inclusion, cultural ownership, and community development. Now attracting more than 500,000 attendees each weekend, the ESSENCE Festival surpasses every national music, entertainment, and cultural festival based on average daily attendance and is planning its most extensive programming to date.

With a daily line-up of diverse, can’t-miss enrichment and entertainment programming, the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center will be a safe space where hundreds of thousands of multigenerational attendees gather to be informed, inspired and empowered.  Offering new and elevated experiences, each activation will serve the unmet needs of Black women across the globe and bring the pages of the magazine and online content to life as never before across arts, entertainment, music, beauty, fashion, technology, film, food, wellness, advocacy, entrepreneurship, and economic empowerment.

“For 25 years, the ESSENCE Festival has embodied the power and purpose of our culture – bringing a total of more than $4 billion in economic impact to the City of New Orleans and state of Louisiana and most importantly, serving as a sacred ground for millions of Black women to engage each other in community, sisterhood, service, family, love, laughter, joy, hope, and empowerment,” said Michelle Ebanks, CEO of ESSENCE Communications.  “Today, the Festival is a full celebration of that culture – what we have achieved, how we honor each other, and where we’re going from here. For us, as a 100% Black-owned company, that includes building from the Festival’s foundation of music, entertainment, and empowerment to also now reclaiming our economics and facilitating more opportunities for ownership of and in the culture that we create, innovate and evolve.”

Ebanks continued, “ESSENCE is home, and we know that home is where the heart is.  It is where we go to be restored and sustained.  No matter where we travel in the world, there’s no place like it.  So, the ESSENCE Festival is also a much-anticipated homecoming for Black artists to be uplifted and replenished, for our brightest minds to convene around solutions to critical issues impacting our communities, and for our most creative, bold and passionate selves to be celebrated and renewed. ESSENCE is that place, and today we say “Welcome home.”

In addition to an epic ‘homecoming’ musical line-up of more than 80 performers at the Louisiana Superdome – including Mary J. Blige, Nas, Missy Elliott, H.E.R., Big Freedia, Davido, Frankie Beverly, Jermaine Dupri, MC Lyte, Pharrell Williams, Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky & Mike (RBRM), Sheila E., Teddy Riley, Teyana Taylor, Timbaland, and more – a 25th anniversary celebration of 1994’s most culturally impactful and transformative albums that redefined pop culture will be curated and performed by the original artists.  These include Mary J. Blige’s My Life, Nas’ Illmatic, Brandy’s Brandy, Method Man’s Tical, Scarface’sDiary, Big Daddy Kane’s Daddy’s Home, Da Brat’s Funkdafied, Slick Rick’s Behind Bars and Brownstone’s From the Bottom Up.

The 25th Anniversary ESSENCE Festival will also span more than 10 venues across New Orleans and encompass several new and enhanced curated experiences, including (**indicates new for 2019):

 

**Global Black Economic Forum – Attendees connect with today’s most seasoned corporate moguls and inspiring entrepreneurs, focused on building economic empowerment and generational wealth, featuring the Black CEO Roundtable, The Billionaire’s Forum, Entrepreneur’s Summit, relationship-building opportunities, and more.

**Fashion House – With ongoing accusations of cultural appropriation and tone-deafness in news and social headlines around the world, many major and luxury fashion brands continue to face issues around their appreciation, understanding, and representation of people of color globally. In addition, the increasing awareness that free promotion from cultural giants in the Black community bestow a lucrative cultural significance to these brands, but with little economic inclusion, and as Black creatives struggle to create and maintain significant business, this conundrum presents the challenge of how do we exercise our creative and economic influence for the benefit of our community.  Focused on elevating the Black fashion community as well as the fashion experience for Black consumers, the Fashion House will provide the necessary tools for Black-owned brands to be successful and opportunities for major fashion brands to provide support, capital and partnerships for Black designers and consumers, as well as curate and showcase Black-owned brands via a shoppable designer trunk show and online Fashion House collaborations.

**Wellness House – The declining state of health and wellness in the Black community mandates that we do more – in more places, with more people – to educate and activate Black women and families around what it means to truly live well physically, mentally and emotionally.  At the Wellness House, attendees will engage in an enlightening and inspiring environment focused on self-care, including educational and motivational conversations with some of today’s leading health and wellness experts; an array of fitness and wellness activities and programming; cooking and nutrition classes; wholesome and delicious food and more with nationally-renown speakers, instructors, trainers, chefs, and special guests.

 

**ESSENCE Black Excellence Awards

The ESSENCE Black Excellence Awards will embrace the triumph of everyday leaders in our communities; honoring trailblazers across disciplines including the Arts, Education, Entrepreneurship, Fashion, Film, Food, Music, Social Justice, Sports, Technology, Wellness and more. This elegant celebration of local and global heroes will also spotlight the impact of corporations, government and Black-owned businesses working collectively for the advancement of all.

 

**ESSENCE Food & Wine Festival – Foodies indulge in a wide range of mouthwatering selections at ESSENCE’s official culinary experience, featuring ‘ESSENCE Eats’ pop-ups at multiple locations throughout New Orleans.

ESSENCE Music Festival – The Festival’s 3-night, evening concert series will present more than 80 of the world’s greatest artists and performers across five stages, featuring artist-led curations, tribute moments and one-of-a-kind, only-at-ESSENCE collaborations, as well as a new intimate venue series called After Dark.

Beauty Carnival – Beauty enthusiasts pamper themselves in an immersive beauty experience designed to meet their individual needs. From live tutorials to curated shopping destinations, beauty fans explore a vivid spectacle of global beauty.

ESSENCE Film & TV Festival – Fans’ all-access to exclusive previews and screenings, appearances and meet & greets with the industry’s most popular casts and performers, featuring the Screening Room, Center Stage, and Fan Zone.

Power Stage – Audiences take in a range of empowering conversations with today’s most influential voices, tackling key issues around politics, love, and family, activism, wealth and more.

E-Suite – With a membership pass, subscribers access an exclusive suite for entrepreneurs and senior-level women in business. From panel conversations to recruitment opportunities with our partners, E-Suite is the Festival’s top destination for executives and entrepreneurs.

ESSENCE Marketplace – With participation from nearly 300 entrepreneurs, the ESSENCE Marketplace will offer a specially curated, daily retail experience across multiple destinations throughout New Orleans during the four-day weekend. Attendees will indulge in bespoke culinary, craft and retail shopping environments that present unique, culturally diverse and authentic offerings from around the world.

Day of Service/Girls United – The 2019 annual “Day of Service” – community reinvestment via projects around New Orleans focused on rehabilitation, beautification, and inspiration – will focus on ESSENCE Girls United, ESSENCE’s Gen Z platform and the mentoring initiative focused on helping this generation increase their academic potential, self-love and leadership skills. The day will culminate with ESSENCE Day in the Park – a community celebration at Louis Armstrong Park with music, food, and local vendors.

Weekend and single-night ticket packages for the evening Music Festival concert series are on sale now. For the first time ever, ESSENCE is introducing the 2019 Weekend VIP Power Pass, which provides access to a premium experience at all of the Festival’s ticketed events throughout the weekend, including the evening Music Festival, Fashion House, Beauty Carnival, ESSENCE Day in the Park, Wellness House and Power Stage, among other experiences to be announced.

For information about ticket sales, accommodations and the latest news about the ESSENCE Festival® visit Essence.com/festival.  Join the festival community: Follow us on Twitter @essencefest #EssenceFest and become a fan of Festival on Facebook.

Sponsors for the 25th-anniversary ESSENCE Festival® include Coca-Cola, AT&T, Ford, McDonald’s, State Farm and Walmart.  The ESSENCE Festival is produced by ESSENCE Communications Inc.

 

Beauty /

The 2019 Skincare Routine Simplified: Beauty Prep

I wanted to share a simplified skincare routine for all skin’s needs.

LAUNCHES JAN 14TH

jane iredale BeautyPrep™ Hyaluronic Serum – $52 Smooth, soften and brighten your complexion with potent antioxidant protection and ultra-hydrating hyaluronic acid – the ‘smart nutrient’ that adjusts to varying humidity levels to give skin the exact amount of moisture it needs. This dynamic formula:

  • Delivers long-lasting hydration
  • Reduces the appearance of fine lines
  • Improves the appearance of dull skin
  • Smooths uneven skin texture
  • Minimizes the appearance of pores
  • Protects, calms and soothes

 

Pores No More:

Dear by Renée  Purifying Toner   — $39  This citrus-based Alpha Hydroxy Acid toner gently clarifies by removing excess oils and devitalized skin cells. Consistent use over time results in improved skin clarity and tone.

 

Leave Dark Circles in 2018:

Arbonne RE9 Advanced Brightening Eye Cream — $62 Pat this on gently around the eye area to lock in moisture and help reduce the look of fine lines, puffiness, and dark circles. The proprietary SakuraBright Complex helps the delicate skin around the eyes look brighter and more youthful.

 

Achieve Your Goals from the Inside Out:

NeoCell Gummy Glow  – $19.95  In a delicious berry flavored and simple digestible gummy delivery system, contains both collagen and biotin to provide your skin with a hydrated, vibrant glow. With a rapid absorption rate of 12 minutes, each recommended amount works to offset collagen loss by sustaining healthy peptide concentration levels.

Beauty /

Beat Winter Weather and Keep Your Skin Nourished

We all want to keep our skin as healthy and hydrated as possible, and in the winter months, this can be particularly difficult. Between brisk temperatures and dryness, keeping your skin nourished can be a real challenge. That’s why we’ve created the perfect lineup of face moisturizers to help you conquer the winter months. It’s time to put your best face forward!

  • KORRES Pomegranate Balancing Cream-Gel Moisturiser ($32; Sephora.com): A lightweight cream-gel lotion that leaves skin soft, hydrated and balanced while providing a matte finish. This formula harnesses the super fruit’s radical powers to refine the appearance of pores, while noticeably reducing the appearance of redness, diminishing surface oil and shine, and uncovering youthful, glowing skin
  • IMAGE Skincare VITAL C hydrating water burst ($45; IMAGESkincare.com): Works like a tall glass of water for dry, sensitive and redness prone skin. Upon application, hydrating water bursts release a flood of antioxidants, hyaluronic acid, vitamins and anti-aging peptides to provide continuous refreshment to every single pore.
  • IOPE Derma Gentle Cica Cream ($32; us.aritaum.com): Perfect for even the most sensitive of skin, this soothing cream can be used all over the face or as a spot treatment to improve dryness, irritation, and inflammation. Key ingredients of madecassoside, panthenol, and cypress tree extracts help to calm and strengthen the look of skin.

Beauty /

Top Hair Tips for the Upcoming Holidays from NYC Hair Stylist Lucy Garcia Planck

Holiday parties are just around the corner and while you might be keeping your eyes open for new holiday attire, it’s time to start taking care of your hair so that when it comes time to show everything off, your hair looks just as shiny as your new dress!

Below are some great tips and trends from NYC Hair Stylist, Lucy Garcia Planck, from Salon Bergdorf Goodman, on how to make sure your hair stands out this holiday season:

  • Moisturizing is Key: Keeping hair moisturized will help all of your holiday hairstyles look great. The dry winter air will quickly zap your hair of any moisture it has. Try not to shampoo often. If you have oily hair wash it every other day, and if you have dry hair, aim at washing it one to two times a week maximum.
  • Hair Masks are a Must: Another great way to keep hair hydrated is by using hair masks 1-2 times a week depending on your hair’s texture. I like to use 1 tsp of coconut oil directly on your hair, starting on the ends of the hair and working it up towards the scalp. Go to work out or run an errand and leave in for 30-60 min then shampoo with the treatment still in the head and then rinse. This locks in the natural oils in the hair and keeps it looking shiny.
  • Take Care of Yourself From the Inside: I always say ‘you are what you eat.’ Whatever you put into your body reflects your outsides. Be sure to drink plenty of water, and eat proper foods such as fish, nuts, and eggs helps to keep hair shiny. Taking a biotin supplement will also help. Biotin is a natural supplement that many people don’t get enough of and that could be a contributing factor to dry, brittle hair. I always tell my clients to take biotin year-round to maintain a strong, healthy glow to their hair and it also helps with split ends. I love using and always recommend vitafusion Gorgeous Hair, Skin and Nails is a great-tasting gummy multivitamin containing 12 key nutrients, including Biotin and Vitamins C and E to help nourish beautiful hair, skin, and nails from the inside out.
  • Keep Static Away:  Dry winter months always create lots of hair static, which can ruin a great hairstyle. I always sleep on a silk pillowcase, which can help to eliminate this issue. Unlike cotton, the silk pillowcase doesn’t have any wrinkles in it and won’t mess up our hair. To maintain your hair or hairstyle (a fresh salon blowout), sleeping on silk helps with the static as well during the winter when your hair is depleted of moisture. Argan oil moisturizes the ends of your hair without leaving your hair oily. Use only a very tiny amount (pea-sized). If your hair is fine, stay away from the oils, instead use static guard sprayed in your hairbrush and brush your hair. For those with thicker hair, the argan oil will help keep your hair moisturized and reduce static and flyways.
Accessories /

5 Tips For Buying Shoes That Is Good For Your Health

Having the correct shoes is a good investment for good health. It is, however, traumatic to find shoes that are comfortable, stylish and at the same time good for your health. Shoes should also offer adequate support.

Let’s first test comfortability. Start with your feet. Stand on cardboard and trace the shape on your feet. Take out all the shoes in the closet and try to fit them in the traced drawing of your feet. You realize that the shoes that fit in the trace are the one you like and the most comfortable. The appropriate foot gear is vital for your feet, at footgearlab , you’ll know all the things you need to know about your feet’s health.

Featured Photo from New York Post

If you have identified the uncomfortable or shoes that cause pain and you intend to replace them, here are tips that will come in handy:

  • Shop in the afternoon. This might seem odd but it essential, in the afternoon your feet expand. This is due to the swelling caused by hot weather.
  • If you intend in wearing socks with the shoes you are going to buy, wear the same type of socks you will wear with the shoes. This will help get the appropriate size.

Allow the sales attendant to measure both of your feet, ensure that every time you buy new shoes, you get measured. If one foot is wide or larger than the other foot, buy a shoe size of the large or wide foot.

  • Stand in the shoes for at least two minutes, you can even move a bit in them. This will to ensure that you don’t feel pain anywhere or you don’t feel uncomfortable in any way. Also, ensure you have a quarter to a half-inch space between the longest toe and the shoes.
  • Trust your comfort than the shoe size or description. Sizes vary, different manufacturers have different sizing. Don’t let advertisements corrupt your judgment, testing the shoes yourself than assuming that what is you see is what you will get.
  • Feel inside the shoes. The inside of a shoe might irritate you, its tag, the inner fabric of the shoe, or other added designs. Feel inside for any of this irritation, they might even cause blisters if you aren’t keen enough.
  • Examine the sole. Turn over the shoe to check out the bottom. Is it sturdy enough? Is it safe, in case pins and nails are on the ground? Will it wear out quickly? Does it provide cushioning? What about friction? Does the sole cushion against impact? Walk in the shoes to feel the sole, walk on the carpet and the tiles to see how it feels.

Follow this steps, and you will be surprised how you have been feeling comfortable and relaxed lately. You will not make a mistake of getting the wrong footwear, this will also decrease the chances of getting foot diseases and foot swelling problems. For more information about foot health, footgearlab is here for you!

Collaborative Post

Beauty /

Time to Hit Reset: Meet Bobbi Brown’s EVOLUTION_18 De – Bloat

Made with a combination of powerful antioxidants, this is the remedy for when you need to fit back into that little black dress or just want to hit reset, while still leaving you feeling energized.

With the holiday season right around the corner, it’s easy to overdo it. Champagne, sugar, and salt can leave you feeling bloated and sluggish. Enter Debloat, the latest addition to Bobbi Brown’s EVOLUTION_18 wellness collection and the perfect remedy for when you need to fit into that little black dress or just hit the reset button.

Debloat helps with water retention by flushing out extra fluid, (thanks to our signature Water Balance Blend of hydrangea root, dandelion and juniper, and powerful ingredients like matcha, ashwagandha, and apple cider vinegar), while still leaving you feeling energized. For the holidays and beyond, consider this your new secret weapon.

SRP: $35.00
Servings: 20

Lifestyle Tips /

8 Steps to Get Your Mojo Back This Summer

New beginnings are the most exciting and energizing times in life. Summer is always a new beginning because it’s a new season. Now is a great time to get fired up, motivated, and start making changes to get to your next level of YOU. Mojo is that magical charisma you carry that makes you feel good and infectious to others.

Featured Photo from Stylecaster.com

Most of you are great starters but not all are great finishers. If you have lost your mojo and want to be a better you for summer, commit to a new beginning right now. Here are 7 ways to get your mojo back and keep it flourishing:

1. Change your environment: Change the environments in your life which are now grey and uninspiring.  Do some of your work out of the office, redecorate your house and add more color, spend time on your patio, leave your cubical and go out for lunch. If you are getting tired, get up and move to another room. Add music or white noise to create something soothing. Changing the appearance and location of your differing environments helps you to think in more different and innovative ways. The more innovative you are the more mojo you have.

2. Strive to be your best: Always envision yourself as being your ‘ideal self.’ Your ‘ideal self’ is that part of you which is in front of you encouraging you forward. This part of you is holding up the guideposts and possibilities for your growth, happiness, and expansion. What you think determines your outcome.
Strive towards meeting your ‘ideal self’ at the finish line. If you can dream it, then you can achieve it. Work backward from the ‘ideal self’ by setting small, incremental goals for each area of your life to keep your mind positive. Before you know it you will be thriving as a better you before you hit summer. You will feel your confidence growing as you begin to manifest all you have been working towards.

3. Change Your Patterns: When you break your routines you essentially create a new life. Habits are easy but there is no risk in the habit because ultimately habits are lazy. You cannot grow stuck inside the traps familiarity and comfort. To get your mojo back, be brave! Buy that Groupon for the new class around the corner and give it a go. Change your diet, change your work out, change your wardrobe, buy different make-up, and class-up your personal style. Eat at new restaurants, go to new bars. Go to the gym after work? Try raising your heart rate before you get to the office. If you eat at the same restaurant for lunch all the time, walk one block farther to check out a new spot. See what happens by simply sitting on the other side of your desk, giving you a new perspective by looking out at different wall or window.

4. Shift Your Priorities: Your daily schedule is a reflection of your deepest priorities. If you have zero fun, free time or time for family and friends actually on your calendar, and instead your calendar is booked up with meetings and other task-oriented responsibilities, then you are missing out on the juiciest parts of life. Robots do not have mojo. To re-ignite your mojo schedule time for yourself first. On a plane, they always tell you to put on your oxygen mask before helping someone else. Once you have given yourself time to refuel, block times to enjoy with family, friends, children to add joy and vitality to your life.
On your deathbed, you are not going to look back and wish you had worked more hours.

5. Invest in personal growth: The best of the best have the best of the best of the best as mentors, friends, family, and colleagues. Learn as much as you possibly can from other successful, happy people who want to share their wisdom with you. The ball is in your court: Make the effort to keep yourself in a place of personal expansion, whether that means going to seminars, meeting weekly with a coach or therapist, reading books each night and writing goals, but strive to be your very best at all time. This always gives you something to talk about and it makes you interesting to other people.

6. Change your friends: The people with whom you surround yourself heavily influence you. If you’re lacking motivation and feeling down about everything, it might be time to upgrade your circle of influence. Negativity is contagious, as is positivity. Those closest to you should be those who bring out your best qualities, including your mojo for life’s adventures. If more time with family is important to you then start planning some vacations and staycations for all you to get away and enjoy being a family without other distractions. Take time out to have dinner with the girls or watch the game with the boys or go play a round of golf. Your net worth emotionally is the average of that of your five closest friends. When you hang out with successful people, happy, fulfilled people you elevate your own mojo, so choose wisely.

7. Change Your Thoughts: You are what you think. You cannot think negative and have powerful mojo. If you think you are fat then that will be your experience whether you are or aren’t. Thinking negatively doesn’t accomplish anything, it takes zero effort and is a lazy mojo-stealing habit. Discipline your mind towards the goals of what you want to look like and be like and start putting the effort in now to get there. By summer you will feel fabulous. In any situation suffering over your own suffering doesn’t work. Know the areas of your life you want to change and be deliberate in changing them.

8. Be Authentic: There is nothing sexier than to be beautiful inside and out. When you are committed to your loving and respecting yourself you exude a quiet confidence. Your focus is on being genuine, kind, strong, courageous, intelligent, successful, elegant, steadfast and fulfilled. You possess enough composure that if you cannot say something kind you have the wisdom to remain quiet. You make sure the kindness of your character speaks more deliberately to who you are than what designer you are wearing.

True mojo is not a loud energy, rather it is an understated energy. Loud is repulsive ego-stuff. Your mojo is that more subtle energy your personal essence leaves in the wake of your presence. This is something to admire. There is nothing more mojo promoting than authenticity and having a strong sense of who you are.

Not all of these changes are easy. They all require a deliberate change of habit, which can feel like an insurmountable challenge. Getting your mojo back is critical for your quality of life so it certainly causes for some radical changes and the outright shattering of your own tired habits. Face it – feeling passionate and motivated every day for your work, family, and self is a win for yourself and those that depend on you.

Dr. Sherrie Campbell is an author of the new book, Success Equations: A Path to Living an Emotionally Wealthy Life. She is a veteran psychologist, inspirational speaker, and radio host. For more information, please visit, www.sherriecampbellphd.com and connect with her on Facebook, @sherriecampbellphd.

 

Beauty /

Healthy Food Tips to Help Fight Dehydration This Summer

Summer is finally here and the days of laying by the pool, beautiful hikes and beach fun are upon us. Unfortunately, the combination of the Summer heat and outdoor activities can lead to excess sweating. This helps keep the body cool down, but it can also lead to dehydration so instead of endless glasses of water opt for some healthy fruits and veggies. Incorporating these into your diet can add to your water intake and keep you hydrated all through the summer.

Featured Photo from Ciara Instagram

Dr. Christopher Calapai, D.O., an Osteopathic Physician board certified in family medicine, anti-aging medicine, and chelation therapy has created a tip sheet of his seven favorite healthy foods to help fight dehydration.

  1. Watermelon
  • Watermelons contain around 92% water and one of the most hydrating foods out there. They can be a great alternative to snacks like pretzels, chips, and peanuts. These popular snacks have large amounts of sodium and can make you more dehydrated.
  1. Cucumber
  • Cucumbers are about 96% water and they contain no saturated fat or cholesterol. They are high in Vitamin B6 helping to produce serotonin, which is the brain chemical that controls mood. I suggest making small cucumber-watermelon bites, which are both incredibly hydrating and delicious.
  1. Strawberry
  • Strawberries have the highest water content of any berry, 92% to be exact. This berry is a great source of vitamins C and K. You can enjoy the tart-sweet flavor without consuming too much sugar.
  1. Cantaloupe
  • This popular melon is 90% water and packed with rich flavor. One cup of cantaloupe provides 100% of the daily recommended values of Vitamins A and C.
  1. Tomato
  • Tomatoes are made up of about 95% water. Along with their sweetness, they are perfect to take the place of higher calorie condiments. One medium-sized tomato contains only 22 calories.
  1. Zucchini
  • Zucchinis are 95% water and help to give you more energy. They also contain a good amount of potassium helping to reduce blood pressure. The veggie also promotes skin health-giving a glow and restoring moisture.
  1. Lemon
  • While I don’t think a lot of people enjoy eating lemons, adding them to water is a great way to change-up a plain glass of water. Besides enhancing the flavor, lemons are a great source of vitamin C and aids in digestion.