Finding the Courage to Stand Alone

I used to be a hopeless romantic, but due to circumstances of my own personal life I chose to become a more practical romantic.  Love is a subject that I am often speechless on because I know that it is experienced in so many different ways.  We all have a story; we all have a timeline; we all have a place that we’re trying to get to in love.  Love is greater than anything I’ve ever known in my lifetime, so powerful that at times I’m fearful of the ramifications of it; it’s just a book within itself, and the pages are seemingly endless.  I was inspired to write about love this morning, because I wondered to myself… Does it all really just revert back to love?  I mean everything we do, all the strides we make and the work we’ve accomplished….is all that enough to keep us going everyday, or is it only worth while if we share it with someone we love?

Ladies I believe that real love does exist, and it’s not impossible to find.  I know there are plenty of times when we run into road blocks and experiences and we ask ourselves “why does it have to be this hard?” I think that , as women, we often focus on our wants, and most often we want the things we can’t have; within the same breath we can attract the things we don’t need. So how do we approach this mentality, and change our outlook on living and loving in our lives?  Believe it or not we have to start by looking in the mirror—ask your self what you mean to you?   Maybe sometimes we have to be in a relationship with ourselves first, and learn a few things about our capabilities in love before we can share our hearts with another.  I truly believe that we are visible treasures of the world; although we are seen by all, our talents cannot be detected by just any.  It's ok to set standards, and it's ok to want more in life.  The person who is right for you, and loves you whole heartedly, will be the luckiest person because they will be loved by you in return.

Have a great day ladies!

Music Is My Therapy "Feel This"

I love this song, and I wanted to share it with you all. I first heard it while watching an episode of One Tree Hill (which is one of my favorite shows by the way), and it just stuck with me.  Music is my platform.  It’s my self approved version of therapy simply because of the way it soothes me.  No matter how many times I’m captured by the rhythm and beat of a song, there’s nothing like the feeling of falling in love with it all over again through the lyrics; trying to distinguish the undertone of the Artist and comprehend the meaning behind the words.   I know that we all interpret things in our own way, but when I hear this song I literally get the feeling of someone coming back to life—emotionally. It’s like the feeling you get when you know you’re ready to overcome a strong sadness, but you’re still kind of weary; insecure; unsure.  It’s like putting your heart on the line, giving the best of whatever you have left, but not knowing what the outcome will be.  It’s a battle of the self, nothing left to give but yet seemingly you know through all the fear there is a hope of reassurance that whispers to you. 

Today I feel exactly the way the lyrics describe…

“feel this, can you feel this…my heart beating out of my chest”

“Feel this, can you feel this…salvation under my breath….”
...."let go and believe"

Among my feelings, emotions are: excitement, nervousness,  anxiety and fear of failing, BUT knowing I have the salvation of peace of mind that I'm working towards something.  I want to let go of the fear, and believe in me.  Stay inspired ladies.

   

Hope you all enjoy the song!

P.S. Don't forget about the IFTL "SPOIL YOURSELF PINK" FREE GIVEAWAY!!!

Have a GREAT weekend!



Exposed by a Six Year Old...

 

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Lately I have been very lazy when it comes to cooking, well to be honest I just flat out dispise cooking these days, and it's been about two weeks and I can't get back into the flow of things.  Give me the shortest route to a meal and I'll take it, and now to make matters worse my laziness has been exposed by my son.  Yesterday I grilled burgers for dinner, nothing else just burgers on the bun, and my son turned to me and said "mommy we only eat snacks for dinner; how come we don't eat real dinners anymore?"...my mouth dropped.  At first I was frustrated, but then I asked myself "Could there be some truth to what he was saying?"  Of course we all know the answer is Yes! I just haven't felt like cooking and I think it's because I have lost the creativity behind the meals.   If it was just me, then perhaps I could convince myself that it's ok, but I'm responsible for another little belly. So with those words out of my baby's mouth, I have no choice but to force myself out of this lazy cook coma.

  Possible Solution: I am going to try to incorporate some new recipies in our dinner flow in an effort to kick this laziness I have been feeling.  I want to be able to enjoy making our meals, not walk away from the kitchen like I just came off a mandatory cooking shift.  I want my son to smile when I set up his plate, not frown at the site of another night of frozen corn on the cob on the side.  I don't know if any of you have run into the same problem, but this is a my current SOS...if you know of any quick, tasty, fun meals that I can try please send me the recipe.  Hope all is good in your kitchens; I'll keep you posted on mine.

Tonight: yellow rice & peas, with baked pork chops topped with asparagus.  Sounds good huh? let's just hope I can complete the meal.  I sure wish I could afford a personal chef...LOL!

Have a great one!

PS Don't forget about our 1st IFTL "SPOIL YOURSELF PINK" FREE GIVEAWAY!!!!!

Spoil Me Wednesday: Spoil Yourself "Pink" FREE Giveaway!

It's the first IFTL Giveaway, and I'm tickled Pink about it!

First of all, I am so grateful for all the support and feedback that I have received for the blog.  My family and friends have always supported me in anythng I've wanted to do, but sometimes you, yourself, can be be a hindrance to your advance.  Writing the blog has truly been an inspiration to myself, knowing that there are so many people out there who share the same experiences and feel the same emotions that I do.  Special shout out to Franny C, Author and Creator of The Frenzy TV, it was through reading her daily blog that I remembered what it was like to be passionate and truthful in the pursuit of your purpose, and chose to revisit my own blog which was sitting dormant. I remember Franny talking about how she admired Oprah, and wanted to be that "beacon of light" for people around her; what she didn't realize is that she was already functioning as that beacon by putting herself out there and exposing people, like me, to her hopes and dreams; reinforcing that it is all possible.  At that very moment I felt so blessed and honored in realizing how many lights that had already been shining for me....all I had to do was step into the illumination and allow those beams of love and support to guide me.

Ladies, we all have the power to inspire.  We all can realize our dreams and cross the finish lines of our goals, we just have to stay motivated in keeping our paths lit.  Believe in yourself and the love of  the people around you.  Surely, the rewards of self improvement and accomplishment will be worth the efforts put forth.  Hopefully, IFTL will inspire you all to stay positive and focused in everything you do....2011 is your year, and the rest will be History.

Ok now down to Giveaway business...

As you all know by now, Wednesdays are my "Spoil Me" days, and today I want to share that with you.  By Next Wednesday one of my readers will be shopping at Vicki 's on me (LOL).

Follow these 3 steps, and you can be chosen to win a Victoria Secret gift card valued at $25

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1. Become a follower of the IFTL blog

2. Leave a brief comment on this post about what you do to spoil/pamper yourself

3. Like IFTL on Facebook (link on side bar)

The giveaway ends on Saturday 2/25/11 @ midnight;  I will announce the winner on Monday 2/28/11

*This give away is not gender specific; anyone can enter to win, fellas VS always makes a nice "Thinking of you" gesture.

Good Luck!

Hope you all enjoy a fabulous Wednesday!

Ahhhh.....Nothing Manic About This Monday!

Most of us have the day off today, so I hope that you're utilizing this alloted time to the fullest.  As the month comes to a close I will be working on wrapping up a few projects, and preparing to transition into new ones.  I hope that you all are staying focused on your goals; I can't stress to you more the importance of consistency and positivity.  Also, I wanted to make the recommendation of keeping a journal.  Ladies, you don't have to be a writer to keep a record of your days, and it's done at your own pace and flexibility.  If you don’t already have one, it is indeed one of the easiest ways to be able to go back and measure the progress of your growth.  There's no specific outline, just you, your thoughts, pen and paper.  I think most of you will find that a journal can serve as a road map of your journeys, brining into recollection specifics such as: dates, times, when, where, who and why. etc..  Of course, along with the good is often the bad, but don't fret about the finished product, the goal is to focus on positive prospects and learn from the negatives.  So if you think you may want to try journaling, I definitely support the decision.

Last but not least, I appreciate the emails that you all have sent, and the feedback on the topics that I’ve talked about so far.  I’d like to think that this is going to be an exciting week on the blog, so make sure you all check in this Wednesday for a very special “Spoil Me” edition.   I am excited, and hope you all will be too.

Have an AWESOME day!

Revelation- I Once Witnessed Another Side of Love....

For those who are waiting to experience love again...

Confession: I know that I’m not the first person in life to get hurt in a relationship, and yet when I’ve been a victim of loves wrath, I hurt so much that I nursed that hurt until it bruised me.  That pain I felt eventually became an embedment of my soul, and I promised myself that I would never love that way again. 

Oh yes, I have felt the wrath of love, and it hurt, but I know now, just as I am sure about the name that my parents gave me, that love was not put on this earth to be my adversary.  I've come to realize that in a time when pain is experienced in love, it can often be prolonged due to denial, blindness and self infliction.  It took me a long time to realize that love bestowed upon me the presentation I allowed it to display.  I couldn’t identify the loving nature of its substance because I wasn’t truly open to receiving it.  Love descended upon me at a time when I wasn’t really sure how to love myself, so in return I latched on to the obliteration of what I wanted love to be. 

If I could do it all again I would allow love to greet me just the same, but this time I would not be wearing the rose colored glasses.  Though seemingly painful, I would face all of its colors head on even if fear of pain from the boldness of its colors injured me.  I wouldn’t be swaddled in a blanket of naïve like I was the first time; instead I would welcome love with an unsheltered voice of assurance and maturity.  This time we would both be exposed to the truths of one another; I would see its flaws if not clearer than it would see mine, and I would never boast about handling it’s fury for I would be wiser in responsibility. 

Yes it’s true, when I think of love obviously not all the best memories come to mind, but that’s ok because not everything in life is supposed to be flawless.  I’ve learned that Love is a gift, and if abused can translate a sadness.  Not just a sadness of pain, but a sadness of an unspoken truth.  Love is meant to be shared equally, and if no balance is maintained it can feel heavy, appear tainted.  Love is a powerful thing, and as we embrace it in adulthood it must first be trained and felt from within; it does not work if you don’t trust it on you. Yes, sometimes love hurts, but not always does it have to.  I once witnessed a different side of love, one I never thought existed, but today I love again….and eventually you will to.

Looking Forward To The Weekend

This has been a very productive week on my end, and I hope the same is evident for all of you.  Hope this weekend brings much needed rest and relaxation; great weekend sales; good weather; welcomed company, conversations and delicious meals.  Ladies, I hope you all get to love a little, dance a little and laugh a lot....Laughter is almost an immediate remedy for stress, eventhough it may be temporary.  If you get a chance, set a little time during the hustle and bustle of Saturday & Sunday for you.  Enjoy the weekend!

PS- Ladies, I am so EXCITED about all the strides we've been making towards improving our lives; who knew living could feel so good?! 

Don't Allow The Lines To Get Blurred

I don’t think there is a limit to how many goals a person can set out to accomplish within a year; however, I do know that goals that are outlined need to be as specific as possible and realistic.  I realized in the past two weeks that I have been bouncing from project to project, and although I am completing the tasks, I am also giving myself a headache.  This is not a race; this is the process of improving of my life.  With that being said, I have decided to finally put pen to paper (which is probably what I should have done to begin with) and outline my 2011 goals.

Confession:  I am absolutely sure that the reason I never wrote any of my goals down this year was due to fear that I wouldn’t be able to get them all accomplished.  I’m guilty of self manipulation of the psyche—if there’s no physical proof as to what goal was expected, then I can’t really be held accountable if never attained. But in the end the only person I’m deceiving is myself.

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Ladies, sometimes we have so much going on in our lives, but we want the perception to be that we can handle it all.  Honestly, keeping up the façade in itself is a large cause of the exhaustion we feel.  Nobody can do it all.  It’s ok if things aren’t working out as planned, in this instance we learn to improvise.  It is not uncommon for you to accomplish #5 on your list before #1 the point is you accomplished something.  I’m writing my goals down, and whatever I don’t make happen this year, I’ll continue with next year.  It’s your life ladies make it work out to equal the best version of you.

Wish me Luck…my mind is on overdrive these days; hopefully the list will alleviate some anxiety.

Hope you all have a GREAT day!

Spoil Me Wednesday: A Musical Treat

Good Morning Ladies! First of all I'm all smiles because I have absolutely nothing planned today, and I’m in love with that proposed itinerary!!!  

I did want to share something exciting though  (well exciting in my world): Wicked, The Broadway Musical, is coming to my City and I’m ecstatic!  I am, hands down, a fan of Broadway Musicals; therefore, the decision to treat myself to the experience of Wicked was an easy one to make.  I’ve heard nothing but great things about it, and it’s received much press and media praise, not to mention Tony Award recognition.  Another "all smiles" moment!  This is the perfect treat to myself, because this is one of the things that I miss the most about living in New York City—having direct access to Broadway!  If you're a fan of musicals click here for more info

Until then, it's just me and my lazy pajamas for today and maybe lunch at the Cheesecake Factory...hey a girls got to eat.
Ladies I hope you all are finding ways to treat yourselves from time to time.


Hope you all have an AMAZING day!!!

Don't Let Inconcistency be a Factor

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By now you all know that I am an avid promoter of self improvement; always looking for ways to be better, ways to enhance my skill set, and ways to motivate myself to reach for the next level.  I am trying to expose the very best of me, and I want to be the one who’s amazed at the end when I stop and measure my growth.  Being able to establish a development process like this requires commitment and consistency.   Ladies, even though you are at the realm of your life: making the decisions, determining what works vs. what doesn’t and implementing the end results, I find that inconsistency can cause a crack in your foundation of progress.  You don’t have to be on a solid regimen that doesn’t allow room for flexibility, but you do have to stay on track and encourage yourself to be steady. The world will forgive you if you don’t reach your goal altitude, but can you forgive yourself knowing that everything you wanted was at your grasp and now lost because you didn’t do what was necessary to attain it?  Ladies be consistent and follow through on all your actions; the end result will surely be the reward of accomplishment.

Enjoy your day!

The Traditional Red & White Plus a Splash of You!

 Ladies this weekend may be dressed up in the traditional Red, White and Pink in anticipation of the upcoming Valentines Day Festivities, but remember LOVE is the color you want it to be.  It is defined by you and it starts with you.  Whatever you do this weekend, whether your supportive or in opposition to the gestures, Love is in the air ladies so embrace it the best way you know how.   

LOVE.....

is sometimes disguised

 can be at first sight

can burn on a figmant of hope

is your version of  how you see it

a symbol of tradition

is in how you display it

is a deep bold red

is the obvious

is color

is in the gesture of  treat

L-O-V-E

is whatever you want it to be

Love is YOU!

Have a GREAT weekend Ladies!

Ponder on This Quote

Good Moning Ladies.  Sometimes the smallest phrases can be enough reading for a whole day.  I love this quote from Oprah, and I truly believe it has meaning.  Here's to hoping that these words have an impact on your tomorrow.  Following your dreams and goals is a process; it may not happen over night, but it will happen if you continue to strive for the life that you were born to live.   Have a fabulous day Ladies!



Spoil Me Wednesday: The Calculation

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Good morning ladies, it’s Wednesday! I’m up, I’m happy and I’m ready to be pampered! This morning I’m off to my mani/pedi (my bi-weekly ritual), and I must say that I so enjoy this time because it’s just a relaxation method for me.  When I’m in a relaxed state, my mind is clear and my thoughts are vivid.  I also utilize this time to glance through magazines, or maybe even sit back and actually listen to the lyrics of a song that I’m loving at the moment, or my favorite, do nothing at all.  Ladies I encourage you to incoprporate a relaxation method in your lives.  Recently my Dad called me and said "I know it's Wednesday, I'm not going to keep you long" and I thought to myself  "wow maybe you're taking this once a week, my day, thing a little far?" Well I've come to the conclusion that I'm not; I honestly don’t think once a week is too much to ask.  Look at it this way: In a single week there are 7 days; 168hrs; 10,080 minutes; 604,800 seconds—of that breakdown (of course sleeping is excluded) how much of that time have you enjoyed a little pampering?  Ladies, it's easy to get consumed in everything else, and hardly ever think about yourself.  I've done the math and my time is definitely justified.  It doesn't have to be a mani pedi; it could be a soothing bubble bath after work; a glass of wine & a book; an at home facial; or just some scented candles and music; as long as you can enjoy it without interuption.  Ladies, something tells me if you never tried before, after today you’ll try to find a way to schedule some "spoil me time"…even if its not on a Wednesday.

Enjoy Ladies!

Ooohhh La La Spring!

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Its fever time ladies, and this morning I woke up with one.  Spring is right around the corner and the stellar wait for its grand appearance is literally taunting me.  Spring—the coming of the delicate season—where the comaraderie of life causes social calendars to start filling up, and the commencement of warm weather is initiated.  It is also what I like to call the “hypnotic period” where women all over become prey to the banter of colorful fashion sequences and anything that’s considered the “new style trend.”   With that being said, I must let you all know that I am guilty!  Every year ladies I get caught up.  I am captivated by the Spring season; so much that in more recent times I’ve learned to just submit to its advances.



Ladies, if you plan to purchase a few items to welcome the season, don’t wait until the last minute.  Start planning and budgeting now so that you can be flexible in your choices.  There’s nothing worse than being limited in funds, especilally when it comes time to buy something for yourself.  Keep in mind your financial goals by allowing the voice of reason to play advocate in your purchasing, but by all means celebrate the end of the hibernation period called Winter .  Spring is definitely in the air, and I'm all smiles about it.  I’m ready for a fresh season to go along with my fresh start…what about you?

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Images above reflect some of  Jason Wu 2011 Spring Collection; designer of First Lady, Michelle Obama's Inagural Gown.

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Enjoy ladies! Have a GREAT one :-)

Are You Searching For Yourself?



Ladies I hope the weekend brought good things, allowed time for you to complete errands and permitted a moment for some much needed rest and relaxation.  I myself, got a chance to catch up on some movies that I’ve wanted to see, and I’m delighted to let you all know that I finally saw “Eat, Pray, Love” and, in my opinion, it was incredible!  The movie really got me thinking about how far some of us would go to find inner peace?  Peace could be peace of mind, solitude, forgiveness, revelation; the ultimate search for emotional stability.  Ladies, not everybody could afford to travel the world to find themselves, nor find the flexibility to just get up and go; so does that mean the “you” that you’re searching for can never be found?  Stop for a moment and look around you—what do you see?  In your environment, you are surrounded by tools and resources that can aide you in a journey of self growth and revelation.  Look in the mirror, who is looking back at you?  Do you recognize this person? Is it really you or a version of the person you once were? Are you happy or disappointed with the image?  Maybe you're content; however, there are some things you would like to improve, but simply can’t find the motivation?  My point is, a journey of this magnitude cannot begin if you don’t have an idea of what you’re looking for.  Maybe you don’t have to look at all, but in the end only you can make that determination. 

Ladies, after watching the movie, what I’ve come to realize is that my appetite is ferocious when it comes to my self growth, and also eager to learn about the history and beauty of the world that exists around me.  It’s like the moment you become conscious of the importance of something you learned in a class, but up until that very moment you never knew why you needed to follow the agenda—and now all of the sudden you can apply it to your life and it all makes sense.  Ladies, I push for you all to stay focused on your goals this year, and not fear whether or not the outcome is successful. Be assured that as you continue taking steps towards your future, towards your dreams, you will become a living testament to the reality of them as you once only imagined it could be.  Understand fully and truly what it is that you seek to find within yourself, and through patience and consistency you can claim them. Ladies, we are at the realm overseeing our destinies, and it will all be revealed in time.  Ultimately, being successful in anything means believing in the power of yourself, and your willfulness to support the quest and the notion! 

For those of you interested in reading the book or seeing the movie:

                                                                      

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Have a great day ladies!

Flirting With A Different Fragrance

Ladies, it’s Friday and the weekend bells are chiming.   It’s also Super Bowl weekend, and as the infamous Sunday approaches I can hear the streets buzzing around me….almost everyone I know is going to a Super Bowl party (but me…lol).  If I do attend one, trust me it’s solely  for socializing purposes—catching up with friends and hanging out—because I don’t have a clue when it comes to football.  Ladies, all this excitement has me thinking about the way we run around when we're getting ready to go out.  In preparing for an event, (not just the super bowl) but any get together or function, I know as women we tend to obsess over looking good and feeling good, but seldom about smelling good; I think that’s because we are already confident in that department, because most of us are loyal to our fragrances- we find what works and keep it.  A good number of us are repeat offenders of continuously buying the same perfume, and I’m guessing it’s cause we've been infected by the “why fix it if it’s not broken?” syndrome.  Well I say, you can be cured just by changing it up a little or a lot, whatever the choice, trust me you’ll adore the concept.  Don't get me wrong ladies, there's nothing wrong with routine, but there's nothing wrong with being open to a change in sequence either...surprise yourself, you may like it.

Confession: I am a repeat offender of continuously purchasing Vera Wang Signature.

Yes I own multiple perfumes that I do dabble in from time to time, but my go to  fragrance, my everyday “spritz spritz” before I go anywhere is confined in a Vera Wang Signature perfume bottle.  It just goes with me.  Of course, I've received multiple compliments, especially in the beginning, and it's definitely an awesome choice, but recently I had the urge to change things up a bit (it has been a few years).  My sister introduced me to Mark Jacobs: Lola and just like that...I was hooked.  I still love my VWS, but now a days I’m venturing out and treating myself to different perfumes, and flirting with different fragrances.  The delicate scent of perfection is what I strive for.  I love it when I walk into a room and know that the scent of my perfume, even though it's light, will linger after I’m gone.  I'm all about lasting impressions, and trust me the beauty of your frgrance says a lot.  Ladies, If you want to try something new, here are some that I’ve been spoiled by: (I also snuck in a few colognes that I love to smell on a man….hey it’s Super Bowl Weekend, and they'll be all over the place…why not?!) 

Keep it light, but make it memorable :
  I AM LOVE-SICK OVER.....
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FOR HER:

Vera Wang Signature

Marc Jabos: Lola

Juicy Couture: Viva La Juicy

Chance by Chanel

Dolce & Gabbana: Light Blue

Organza by Givenchy

(a favorite of my moms, but always does the trick)

FOR  MEN

Sean Jean: I Am King & Unforgiveable

Marc Jacobs: MEN

Burberry Touch

BLEU by Chanel

Le Male by Jean Paul Gaultier

(I don't really love this on MY man, just on my favorite guy...my dad)



Enjoy your weekend festivities ladies! :-)

PS- If you have a suggestion for a fragrance that I may like, please leave me a comment or feel free to email me