top of page

BLOG HISTORY

FEAR OF FAILURE

June 1, 2014  Sunday

Don't regret

life 

One of the biggest reasons people do not go after their dreams or their purpose is they are afraid to fail. I will admit it, I have been afraid to fail numerous times before. 

 

I used to let the fear of failure stand in my way and hold me back from many things I would have actually enjoyed. In school, I always listened to the other students and if they said something was hard or most people did not pass certain classes, I would stay away from those classes even if it was something that I really wanted to do. 

 

For instance, I was interested in learning French as my foreign language in school but everyone said it was too hard so I took Spanish instead. Now I regret it but the nice thing is, I can still learn French.

 

In other ways, I have been afraid to try because I did not want to fail but I went for it anyways. I had fun. I learned. I did not always succeed but I did learn from my failures. I did not let them scare me away or give up. 

 

I never regret going for it. I do regret allowing things to scare me out of going for it. 

 

I like what Robert Pagliarini said about the fear of failure in his book, “The Other 8 Hours.” He says to approach everything as a learning experience, not as a possible failure. “Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn.” (chapter 6).

 

I love learning anyways so this is a great way to think about everything. The more I learn the better and the higher my chances are of succeeding the next go-round. 

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day
Revolution
 
It may be hard to tell from this picture, but this is actually a shirt. It is made with 3M reflectors so it has that awesome, shiny effect when light shines on it in the dark. These shiny shirts were put together by hand.
 
 
This shirt was one of the available shirts to buy for the Never Quit 5K that I participated in last night. Such an amazing event and purpose. 
 
www.neverquitnever.com
 
 

Photo Taken by Erik Petroni, founder of Never Quit Never

June 2, 2014  Monday

FACING THE DOUBT

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

Ignore the nay-sayers

Well, you made it through your first week without any sugar! How do you feel?? Chances are you may feel a little doubtful. 

 

Are you doing the right thing? Is this really all worth it? Is sugar really that bad for you?

 

Doubt is normal for this stage in the detox. I did experience a little doubt but then I quickly snapped out of it as I remembered why I decided to quit sugar in the first place. For my health! 

 

Do not worry if other people gang up against you calling you crazy or thinking you are crazy. Apparently, some of my family and friends thought the same thing about me too but waited to admit it until I told them I was able to start eating fruits in the 6th week. 

 

You will have people who do not support you in this and you do not need their support. They are just way too addicted to sugar to think clearly :) and a possibly jealous because they may not think they have enough will power to do that. 

 

Here are some little fun facts that you can use to combat those voices in your head and the voices of your friends, found in Sarah Wilson’s book, “I Quit Sugar.”

 
 
www.ashlegryre.com
 

Photo Taken by Karissa Hagemeister

What’s the deal with fruit, it is good for you?

 

1. You can get the same nutrition from vegetables that you can from fruit as long as eat a wide variety. 

 

2. Our bodies are only made to metabolize two small pieces of fruit a day. 

 

3. Our grandparents did not eat nearly as much fruit as we do a day.

I thought moderation was key?!

 

1. That is impossible with sugar because sugar is a drug. “Studies have found rats fed sugar not only became addicted, but when they were denied it for a short period then later exposed to it, they binged on larger quantities of sugar,” (page 35). 

 

2. You know you do the same thing! I sure used to. 

Just a small amount of sugar sets off the desire for more. So these three weeks of detoxing is killing that desire and that addiction. 

 

What you need is a good reason to quit sugar: health issues, lack of energy, foggy mind, weight gain, and so many more are excellent reasons to quit sugar. 

 

Any time your brain wants to throw a fit, remind yourself that you are doing this for you. Tell your brain to get with it. 

 

June 3, 2014  Tuesday

SKIN CARES

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

Skin care DR say wah?

Today I am going to share somethings I found out about skin care products that were very enlightening to me. Again, we are going from Dr. Robert M. Freund’s book, “A More Beautiful You.”

 

These helpful insights are coming from chapters 3 & 4 of his book. 

 

“Most skin cares sold without a prescription are glorified moisturizers,” said Dr. Robert M. Freund. 

 

That statement alone is what blew me away. What he means is, all those night-time eye creams, face lifting creams, etc ... that you buy in any store, are too diluted to do what they claim to do. All they are is another moisturizer. 

 
 
 

Photo Taken by Karissa Hagemeister

So when it comes to any of those facial products, do not go after the high dollar ones that promise all these great things. They all do the same thing, moisturize your face. 

 

If you do go to a skin doctor, you can get prescription facial cleansers and moisturizers that are able to actually decrease uneven skin tones, diminish lines and wrinkles, etc ... The products that they prescribe are able to work because they do have higher pH concentrations and have not been diluted. 

 

However, we all know that going to a skin care specialist is expensive and so are the products they prescribe. But if you join me again next Tuesday, I will share with you some extra special tips from the doctor to give you the maximized skin care solutions available. 

 

May your smile be ever so bright, darling!! 

 

June 4, 2014  Wednesday

SHOPPING TIPS

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

Tips for wise shoppers

We have spent the past month of Wednesdays going through our closets, determining what is appropriate for our body and our age. Now it is time to start thinking about doing some shopping to replace those items that you removed. 

 

So today, we will focus on 4 very important tips to remember when we take our plunge and go shopping. These tips come from Kim Johnson Gross’ book, “What to Wear for the Rest of Your Life.”

 

Shopping Tip #1 

Don’t always buy out of habit. 

If you buy a lot of plain colored tops or you have one color you default to and you notice they have been taking over your closet, try on something with a pattern or different colors. You may surprise yourself and find that you like it. When you go shopping and you find yourself going for the same items that you are always drawn to, just put them down and move on. 

 
 
 

Photo Taken by Karissa Hagemeister

Shopping Tip #2

Always ask yourself, wear am I going to wear this and what am I going to wear it with?

I love, love, love beautiful evening gowns, but at the moment I do not have many places to wear them so it would not be wise to fill my closet with them. It is also important to make sure that you have other pieces of clothing or accessories that you can wear with articles that you are buying. If you do not, look for some at that time to be sure it matches nicely. 

 

Shopping Tip #3

Buy less, but buy better. 

This refers to the quality of clothing. You can go to Forever 21 and buy 5 or 6 tops that will last for one or two wears. Or you can buy a good quality shirt from a nice designer and expect it to last a few years. Quality pieces are better than quantity. 

 

Shopping Tip #4

Never buy in doubt. 

I am sure we have all made this mistake a time or two but if you have doubts when you are trying it one, you will not like it once you bring it home. Make sure that you are in love with a piece of clothing and everything about it before you decide to bring it home with you. 

 

Now that you are armed with tons of shopping and style information, all you need to do is go shopping. Don’t dread it just have fun and try out things you have never tried before. 

 

June 5, 2014  Thursday

I DID IT!!

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

Yes You Can!!!

Dreams really can come true. I am not talking about princess, fairy tale dreams. Those might come true for some people lol but there is no sense in living in a fairy tale when you can live your own beautiful life. 

 

I am talking about believing in yourself. And doing IT!

 

There is no doubt that you will have people come along and try to discourage you and what you love. I happen to love those people. They make my blood boil. They make me so angry that I want to get revenge (not promoting anger or revenge).

 

But my form of revenge is doing what they said I can’t. I love proving people wrong with my own life. 

 

Those “discouragers” think they are doing you a favor by telling you to not even try. They do not realize that they really are doing you a favor. They are feeding the fire already within you, pushing you to try even harder. 

 
 
 

After boot camp with my friend!! We did it! :)

If you do not know Tim Tebow’s story, he shared that before he was a big football star, people would come up to him time and again and tell them that he did not have what it took and he would never make it in football. He says that those people helped fuel his fire and pushed him to being an extraordinary football star and hero. 

 

Too many people give up on their dreams when they come up against small minded individuals. I know I have been tempted too time and again to give up on my dreams after someone drilled into me. 

 

Instead, I used their words as fuel to my fire and pushed along even harder. 

 

The most common thing people tell me is that the fashion industry is too competitive. That used to discourage me because I started to believe that I did not have what it takes. But then I actually thought about it and I remembered that I am the most competitive person that I know. Competitive is one of my top 5 strengths according to the Strengths Finder Test. Now I just laugh when people tell me that and I think to myself, “We are perfect for each other. I was made for the fashion industry. Bring on the competition. I will win!!!”

 

That is the attitude you need to have too. No matter what anyone says, you will not be swayed. You will work harder and prove all of them wrong. Nothing is impossible!

 

June 6, 2014  Friday

SERVANTS HEART

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

Loving is Serving

Have you ever heard the expression, “Loving is serving”??? Well, for some people this is true. 

 

Today we move onto another of the 5 love languages, Acts of Service. This is one of my top languages that I love in. 

 

Anytime I love or care about someone, I want to do whatever I can to help them. Whether it is cleaning for them, taking a shift at work for them, making them a sandwich, whatever makes them happy. 

 

For example, I hate talking on the phone. It just really bothers me but when I love someone so much and they want to talk to me on the phone, I will do it. Only because I love them. That is an act of service. I am putting aside my likes or dislikes to serve them or do something that makes them happy. 

 

I am always cleaning up the house, doing the dishes, making supper etc ... and have done this since I was a little girl in elementary school. I do this because I love my mom and I want to relieve her of any extra stress or duties that I can. 

 
 
 

Photo Taken by Karissa Hagemeister

I would not say this is my top language that I feel love in but I do appreciate it when people go out of their way to serve me. 

 

However, loving in the language of serving does have a down side. People begin to think of you more as a mat to walk on then they do a human. They get used to you serving them and start using you. 

 

I pick up right away when people’s attitudes switch from accepting the service to making me their slave and that is when that form of love stops. I do not stop loving that person, I do get aggravated with them. But they no longer see the serving as an act of love, they see me as someone who will clean up their mess. 

 

Many times, this form of love can even go unnoticed. People may not see it as love or they just get so used to you doing things for them that they begin to think it is your duty to them as a friend. 

 

Unfortunately, if you are this type of lover, you have to be able to draw the line and stand up for yourself. On the other hand, if you have a friend that loves this way, repay them by serving them every once in a while and do not take advantage of them. You could loose a dear friend. 

 

June 7, 2014  Saturday

PROACTIVE

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

Proactive

v.

Reactive

I went to a health lecture earlier this week and the speaker said something that got me thinking. He said that we, Americans, are reactive when we should be living proactive. 

 

This “idea” never occurred to me because our culture does not promote that type of living or thinking. But in reality, we should. 

 

Proactive vs. Reactive

 

Americans live reactive lifestyles. They do whatever they want as long as it feels good in the moment. We are very much a feel-good society. When things come and they always do, we are not prepared so we have to react to the situation. 

 

A proactive person lives for the long-term. They think ahead, knowing that certain things can cause problems later and so they stay away from them. Or they know that doing other things will benefit them later on, whether it is enjoyable or not, so they will do it anyways. 

 
 
Ready for the race last Saturday :)
 

Photo Taken by Laura Sklov

An example, living a proactive lifestyle, you will start at a young age eating wisely, working out, getting proper sleep, doing what they need to for a healthy, long life. This living style does not experience as much surprise problems and diseases. They do not have to take as much medication when they get older. Benefits are endless when you live a proactive life.

 

What I am guilty of, past reactive living, eating as much junk food as I want because it tastes good and does not effect me. And then I wake up one morning and feel like I was hit by a semi. Energy and life seemed to have drained from me. And you end up scrambling to figure out what is wrong, trying to get your life back in order. 

 

So many people fall victim to this. But if we started living more proactive lives in all areas of our life: physical, mental, financial and spiritual, we would be in much better shape now and in the future. 

 

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

June 8, 2014  Sunday

GET A LIFE

Give and Take in

life

Hopefully you are watching my webinar right now and live chatting with me!! :)

 

Today is a little bit different. We are going to talk about the things that you need less of in your life and the things that you could use more of in order to get more of a life and to go after your dreams. 

 

These lists came from Robert Pagliarini’s book, “The Other 8 Hours.”

 

Need Less...

 

  • Regret

  • Fear

  • Laziness

  • Life Leeches (see blog from May 18th)  

 

 
 
This lady had on a cool head band
 

Photo Taken by Karissa Hagemeister

Need More ...

 

  • Growth

  • Experience

  • Change

  • Looking Forward

  • Mistakes

  • Connection

  • Learning

  • Fear (as a motivator)

  • Hobbies

  • Gratitude

  • Purpose

  • Direction

  • Contribution

  • Action

 

I completely agree!! Now go live chat with me!! I would love to hear your opinions and feedback :)

 

 

 

 

June 9, 2014  Monday

DETOX

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

Cleanse that sugar out

Welcome to the 3rd week of your sugar cleanse/detox. This is where it gets a little harder for most people. It takes about 21 days to break a habit and so by the end of this week, you should be free from the habit of gravitating towards sugary things. 

 

This week is difficult because in this week, you feel the sugar leaving your body. For me, I was extremely exhausted the whole week. I did get light headed and slightly dizzy off and on. One of the last days, I had a little pain in my kidneys but it did not last long. 

 

Sarah Wilson, in her book “I Quit Sugar,” said that this week you may also experience achy joints, nausea and constipation. So if you experience any of those I mentioned or the ones she mentioned, be happy because that means you did it right and your body is getting rid of it. 

 
 
Vests & long necklaces make anything more stylish
 

Photo Taken by Karissa Hagemeister

Sarah did give a few hints on how to speed up the detoxification, so you can do any of the below things to move that sugar right on out.

 

Speed It Up:

 

  • Drink a lot of WARM water

  • Go to the sauna

  • Take calcium and magnesium supplements

  • Drink green tea

  • Add some cinnamon to your daily routine

  • Chia seeds help with bowel movement

 

Hopefully, you will make it through this last stretch. Just think, one more week and you can begin to introduce fruit back into your diet :)

 

 

June 10, 2014  Tuesday

3 STEPS TO BEAUTY

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

Only 

3

Steps

Hello Beautiful!! Did you know there are only 3 main steps to having beautiful, radiant skin? 

 

There are so many products out there and so many commercials for all these creams and cleansers. It can easily turn into a 15 step process and hundreds of dollars out the window. 

 

Thankfully, Dr. Robert M. Freund, skin doctor, let us in on the big secret. There are only 3 steps to your daily skin care routine, and he says that everything else you do not need. 

 

  1. Cleansing

  2. Exfoliating

  3. Moisturizing

 

Well, that just made life a lot easier. Here are some tips on the best products to use for the 3 step process, recommended by the Doc:

 
 
My beautiful sister
 

Photo Taken by Karissa Hagemeister

Cleansers - mild cleansers are best. Liquid form not bars. Dr. Freund recommends Cetaphil. 

(Quick add in about ACNE - it is caused by hormonal problems, stress and bad hygiene, so no cleanser will clear it up.)

 

Exfoliators - wash clothes are great exfoliators. They only need to be used once a week, otherwise your skin will start to have a leathery appearance. 

 

Moisturizers - They all have the same effect no matter where you apply them on your face. They all moisturize. 

 

Now you know the top secrets. This should save you a lot of time in the morning and evening (as you should wash & moisturize your face twice a day) and a lot of money too.

 

Smile on my beautiful friends. You have radiant skin :)

 

SHOE LOVERS

June 11, 2014  Wednesday

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

Love on your

feet

Let’s talk about our feet. We have spent a lot of time focusing on our clothes, we need to remember to care for our feet too. 

 

When you think about it, your feet really get the brunt of everything. So it is important to find proper shoes that will give your feet support, comfort and a little lovin’. 

 

Shoes seem to be the hardest thing for me to shop for. Not because I am picky about shoes but because I always end up buying shoes that my feet really do not enjoy. I tend to spend more for the look than for the comfort and then those shoes just live most of their lives in my closet. 

 

So I need to be wise about purchasing shoes. I have a feeling, I am not the only one. Thankfully, Kim Johnson Gross gives us some pointers on what to look for when buying shoes, in her book “What to Wear for the Rest of Your Life.”

 
 
Peacock feathers really do throw it all together. 
 

Photo Taken by Karissa Hagemeister

We are talking about shoes right?! Lol I thought the above quote was fitting :)

 

Shoe Shopping Guidelines (Avoid these):

 

1. Shoes that are thin, inflexible or stiff in the soles will end up hurting your feet, back and knees. Avoid those types of shoes.

2. Shoes that are too tight cause inflammation, shoes that are too loose cause small tears in the ligaments of your feet. 

3. Overuse of high heels can lead to stress fractures.

4. Worn out athletic shoes have NO support.

 

After reading these, I definitely want to be more aware about what I put on my feet. I may not have much problems right now with my feet, but I definitely do not want to be one of those old ladies that can barely walk because their feet hurt, their knees or back hurt or they have huge bumps all over their feet. 

 

Sure, your feet were made a little tougher than most of the rest of you but that does not mean we need to push them to their limits. I use my feet a lot so maybe they need the most care?!

June 12, 2014  Thursday

PUSHING THROUGH

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

It is not as bad as you may think

We all have things in life that we do want to do. Maybe it is going somewhere that you do not want to go. Maybe it is spending time with someone you do not want to spend time with. Or perhaps you are having to say No when you really wish you could say Yes.

 

For some reason, I feel like I am in a season of life when I am facing a number of things that I do not really want to do at all. I could spend forever telling you about them but I do not want to waist your time. 

 

It is hard because these types of situations tend to stress me out. I think I try to come up with ways around it and spend way too much time thinking about them. I really have had the strongest urge to hit my head against the wall over and over and over. Not to harm myself. I really do not know why but anyways I know that I am not the only one in this kind of situation. 

 
 
 

Photo Taken by Karissa Hagemeister

There are many more of you out there that are facing things you really wish you did not have to face. Know that you are not alone. There is no need to hit your head against the wall. 

 

The best thing that we all should do is put on a smile and keep chugging along. These things will come and these things will go. Life will not stop. We can push through them, no matter how long it may seem. And before you know it, you will be on the other side. 

 

You will have pushed through your situation and made it back to where the sun is shining. 

 

How do I know? I have done it numerous times before. And once you make it to the other side, you realize it was not as bad as you were making it out to be. 

 

Push through and I will too. 

June 13, 2014  Friday

AFFIRMATION

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

Do you love 

me??

We are on our third love language: Words of Affirmation. 

 

Words of affirmation can be anything from compliments, to poems, to love songs. Those who speak in this language of love are normally pretty good at communicating. 

 

This is probably the hardest language for me to love in, at least out loud. I am good with writing things out and expressing my love on paper. But I get so scared to speak my thoughts or feelings. I am so bad at giving out compliments. It is not because I don’t like people or the way they look, I am just afraid that they will take it the wrong way. I know it is silly and it is probably something I need to work on, but just being honest. 

 

I do love getting words of affirmation though. I am not sure I know anyone who doesn’t. But I may act like I don’t like it because I do get embarrassed especially if people do it in front of a lot of people. It is still an amazing thing to have people love on you with their words. 

 
 
 

Photo Taken by Karissa Hagemeister

However, I do not care for smooth talkers. I am a people watcher. I am observing everything that you do.  Actions speak much louder than words to me. So you can tell me you love me all day but if your actions do not line up with your words, I am not believing you one bit. 

 

Speaking of love and words, I have a friend getting ready to say two very important words later today, “I Do” so I will keep this short. 

 

Have a fabulous Friday and I will chat at you again tomorrow :)

June 14, 2014  Saturday

TRAVEL

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

Gotta

get

away

Summer time is one of the biggest travel seasons of the year. As a child, you go through each school year and you have a nice break at the end, summer vacation, before you head onto the next grade. 

 

As we get older and transition from school to career, we do not get that nice, long break. As we get older, it is more important for us to take that break, that vacation. To get away from our surroundings and travel. 

 

Even if you only get out a city over, you will be amazed at how that load and the stress that you carry daily, just lifts from you. 

 

I was able to escape from work for two days, I just returned home today. I traveled 200 miles away from my life to go to a friend’s wedding. Even though it was not exactly a “vacation” and it was not too long of a getaway, as soon as I made it into the other city, everything in my life melted away. 

 
 
 

Photo Taken by Karissa Hagemeister

For those two days, I was able to escape from my problems. I got away from my life. The stress was eliminated. I relaxed. It was beautiful. 

 

Maybe you do not have enough time off or money to take a real vacation this summer, but do yourself a favor and get away. Even if you only get a day or weekend off, get out of your city and get away from your stress. Go and do something you have never done before. 

 

The point here is to just go. Just get away. You need to if you are going to keep your sanity. 

 

Happy traveling :)

MOVING FORWARD

June 15, 2014  Sunday

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

Get your dreams 

moving

Happy Father’s Day! I hope you have been enjoying the day and have been able to spend time with your dad or at least talk to him. If your dad is no longer with you, I hope you relived some great memories of him. 

 

Today’s little blog will be short as most of you will be spending time with family. 

 

Talking about our passion, purpose and dreams, Robert Pagliarini, from his book “The Other 8 Hours” gives us some tips on how to move forward towards your dream. If you have been able to collect more time to work on your passion and know what it is you have to do, here is a list of things to get you thinking towards the next step.

 

  1. Keep your day job

  2. Know your highest and best value (talents & skills)

  3. Limit your risk by negotiating everything

  4. Swing often

  5. Market yourself

 
 
 

Photo Taken by Karissa Hagemeister

Spend time thinking about what these mean in accordance with your dreams and purpose. From there start making a list, timeline of what you can start doing to move forward with it. 

LOW-SUGAR FRUIT

June 16, 2014  Monday

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

You are now sugar free :)

Congratulations!! You made it through the detox/cleanse of quitting sugar. This means you can start adding a small amount of fructose back into your diet. 

 

I would not recommend going crazy because you could really confuse your body by cleaning it all out of those toxins and then overloading it again. 

 

Personally, when I started this Quit Sugar challenge for 8 weeks, I did it for good. It does not mean no more sugar, I eat small amounts of fruit, but I am not allowing sugar back into my life to have that stronghold over me again. 

 

So this week, you can start eating low fructose fruit (I would not recommend more than one serving a day):

 

  • kiwi

  • grapefruit

  • honeydew melon

  • blueberries

  • raspberries

 

I will admit that the first week off my cleanse, I went with a friend to get a fruit smoothie from Smoothie King. I found one that had only low fructose fruit but it still had a crazy effect on me. 

 
 
 

Photo Taken by Karissa Hagemeister

So, there I was, half way through with my smoothie and then I start getting pretty dizzy and my head feels really weird. About an hour later, I got a headache from it and it made me feel sick for a while. That is the first time sugar has ever done anything to me like that. But if it had that much of an effect on me, imagine what it is doing to your body?! What it did to mine?

 

In my experience, through the 6th week of the quitting sugar challenge, I still was dragging badly, exhausted and light headed off and on. I think I was still probably cleaning the sugar out of my system. 

 

Sarah Wilson, in her book “I Quit Sugar” does not recommend eating any table sugar or high amounts of sugar during this week of the challenge. But you can start adding a little of sugar substitutes that are not bad for you like: stevia and brown rice syrup. Those two are healthy alternatives to sugar. But still do not use big doses of them. 

 

By now you are feeling healthy and clean. It is a very nice change from that heavy feeling that sugar gives you. Keep up the good work (:

June 17, 2014  Tuesday

TIPS 4 YOUR LIPS

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

Pucker 

Up

Big lips, skinny lips, any and all kind of lips, it is time to shape up! LOL

 

Our famous, Dr. Robert M. Freund, from the book we have been studying, “A More Beautiful You,” has some great tips on how to plump up or balance out your lips. 

 

For the longest time, I was not a lipstick kind of girl. Now as I am moving into being a woman, I have had more patience for lipstick and have been doing some experimenting of my own. 

 

For a white girl, I have some pretty big lips. So any time I wear almost any bright, attention drawing color they look too huge for my face. 

 

Enjoy these tips but experience for yourself and find what works for you.

 

For big lips, use muted colors and avoid the gloss. Dr. Freund recommends purple, brown or bronze. 

 
 
Matching earrings :)
 

Photo Taken by Karissa Hagemeister

For small lips, avoid dark colors and enhance them with lip gloss. 

 

As women get older, they tend to get lines around their lips (especially if they smoke). So to avoid your lipstick running into the lines, apply lip liner on your lips as a whole before putting on the lipstick. This holds the lipstick. 

 

Below is a chart that Dr. Freund made to match your hair color with the lipstick that would look best on you. 

 

Get to smacking :)

June 18, 2014  Wednesday

DOES THIS LOOK GOOD?

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

Does this look nice on me?

Do you often find yourself asking friends or family if an outfit looks good on you? Do these shoes go with it? What about my lipstick? What top should I wear with this skirt?

 

I currently work in two different clothing boutiques, one with everyday wear and the other is formal wear. The question that ladies ask the most is “Does this look good on me?” 

 

To the majority of people that come into these stores, I am a complete stranger but they still want my opinion. I can understand doing that with an odd or unusual piece. But with everything they try on, they need affirmation.

 

You may say, well women are like that. They want to know they look good. Unfortunately, women are like that. But if you talk to all the major designers and all the fashion icons, they will tell you to dress in your own style. Dress in what you love. What you feel comfortable and classy in. Not in what everyone else says looks good or is stylish. 

 

You know when you look into a mirror whether something does or does not look good on you. You have your own mind and your own opinions. You can tell if it fits nicely and if the color compliments you. 

 
 
 

Photo Taken by Karissa Hagemeister

Think of it this way, if you have to ask someone about it then you probably do not love it and you will end up not wearing it. Never leave the store purchasing something you do not love. You do not want a closet full of regrets. 

 

I am not like most store associates, I will tell you the truth. But almost any place you go, those store associates do not care about you or how you look, they want to make a sale and move along to the next customer. 

 

So next time you are in the fitting room, ask yourself if it looks good on you. If it is a definite yes then get it. If it is a maybe or a no, move on. 

 

With fashion you either love it or you don’t. Every time you take something home it looses a little of its appeal to you, so love it or leave it. 

June 19, 2014  Thursday

MUSE 

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

You A - MUSE - Me

LOL

Creative juices flowing, imagination running wild, motivation at every turn. These are just some of the things that our “muse” is able to bring to life inside of us. 

 

Everyone needs a muse and I could say that everyone has a muse, whether they realize it or not is a different story. 

 

A muse can be something or someone that inspires you to do things differently than you have always done them. They inspire you to live and enjoy life. They are motivators, encouragers and just pure inspiration. 

 

Like I said, it could be a person: your spouse, a friend, a stranger, a celebrity. Or it could be a place: nature, the city, sunsets. It could be a thing: a pet, an instrument, a tool. 

 

Whatever it is that inspires you, cherish the time that you have with them or it, learn as much as you can from it and take risks that you would not normally take. 

 

I once had a friend who was a “muse” so to speak to me. Our friendship only lasted about a year but I learned so much from him. I stepped outside of my comfort zone because he encouraged and inspired me to. I dared to dream and chase after my dreams because of him. 

 
 
 

Photo Taken by Karissa Hagemeister

Though we are not friends anymore and have not been for a few years, he still inspires me. I think about what he would do in certain situations. I think about how he lived with no fear or regrets. How he embraced life and ran with it. His life impacted me in a big way and still does. 

 

Because of that impact, I have learned how to really live my life and enjoy it to the fullest. I will always carry a piece of him with me even until the day that I breathe my last. That is what a true muse does. They stay with you and encourage you to make better, wiser, life-fulfilling decisions even long after they have left your life. 

 

If you know what it is that inspires or encourages you, start to really examine how your life has been impacted by that. If your muse is a person, you could write them a thank you or do something special for them. 

 

If you do not know what or who inspires you, start paying close attention to the world around you. There is something there that you can draw from and grow from. 

 

Life is full of inspiration. We just need to open our eyes. 

June 20, 2014  Friday

TOUCHY FEELY

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

Do you

feel

me ?

There are some people that just need to hug, they need to be close, they need to touch your arm or pat your back. Do you feel me?

 

There is nothing wrong with that, they are just loving and wanting to be loved through their love language. The next love language we will cover is the love language of touch. 

 

People that love and feel love through touch need affirmation of your love by hugs, kisses, closeness. 

 

I have never been a touchy feely type of person. I do hug my friends and my family. But for some reason it is harder for me to give love and receive love through touch. 

 

If you are a lover through touch it may have to do with your upbringing. If you grew up in a family full of love, that was always hugging and kissing and overflowing with affection, you most likely will be the same way. 

 

If you did not grow up with that, you could be starving for that kind of love and in turn want to be loved that way. Or you could have a hard time understanding this type of love. 

 

Whether you are a lover through touch or you are not, it is important to remember that there are people who do love this way and that they need love by your touch as well. 

 
 
 

Photo Taken at Palencia Fashion Show

June 21, 2014  Saturday

GOING WITH YOUR GUT

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

Gut instincts know best

Chances are, you have gut instincts. You can tell certain things about a person, a place, a thing by a feeling you get inside. 

 

If the feeling you have is an uneasy feeling, that means there is something bad or not peaceful about the situation or the person. You can also have good gut feelings where you know that something is perfect without having to know the person or the place. It is a knowing, peaceful feeling inside. 

 

My gut feeling has never steered me wrong before but the problem lies with myself, and whether I pay attention to the feeling or I listen to my heart or head instead. 

 

Most of the time I end up listening to my head. When I listen to my head, I ignore that deep down feeling in my gut and I try to rationalize or think about the situation logically. “This would be a great opportunity for me. I would be stupid not to take it.” Those were the words I spoke recently about a situation that I had an uneasy feeling about. Now I wish I had not taken the opportunity. 

 
 
 

Going way back ... at least 5 years ago 

 

Your heart is definitely the worst one to listen to in all of this. Your heart will steer you wrong. Your heart’s job is to love and that is a good thing (I like loving people). But many times we cannot tell the difference between one kind of love and another. We end up hurting ourselves more often than not when we listen to our heart. 

 

When we decide to ignore our gut feeling/instincts, we end up regretting it. We get ourselves into situations or relationships that are far from what we were expecting and end up wishing we could get out.

 

Next time you get a gut feeling about something, do not think twice. Go with what your gut is telling you. You will be happy you did. 

 

I need to spend more time listening to my gut and less time listening to my head and my heart. 

June 22, 2014  Sunday

WORK OR PLAY

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

Work and play for LIFE!!!!

If you could have a choice between working or playing, which would you choose? The good news is, you do not have to choose. There is such a thing as loving what you do so much that it feels like play but you get paid to do it. 

 

One of my big goals in life is to play and get paid for it. To love what I do. To enjoy every minute of it. To never dread it. And it is possible. 

 

The few that actually take the risk to go after a career and a life that they love have the stories and the joy to prove that it really is possible and it can happen to you. 

 

When you do not have any influences or role models in your life that have found work as play to be true for them it is hard to believe it can happen for you. I have a hard time seeing that it is possible because I do not have any examples from people in my life. 

 

However, I have read and watched documentaries from those that have found that work/play relationship. I look forward to getting to that place in my life. If you have a desire to get to that place in life, and need some inspiration, find books or youtube videos of people that have made it and listen to their experience. 

 
 
 

My first fashion show in 2010

Hearing brings about faith. When you have faith and believe that something is possible, you are more likely to act on it. You are more likely to take those steps or take a risk and go after what you love, dream about and wish for. 

 

I try to surround myself with what I love and would love spending the rest of my life doing. If I can constantly keep my focus on it, than I am more likely to work towards it. One step closer...

 

Why stop at just a hobby? If you can make something you love into your life, your career, your work and play, go for it!!! Live out the dream that so many wish they could do. Be that example. 

June 23, 2014  Monday

EXPERIMENT & LAPSE

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

Be in control of what you eat

At this point in your quitting sugar challenge, you have most likely adventured into eating some fruit and maybe some things with a small amount of sugar in them. 

 

We are entering into Week 7 of the challenge, after this week it is almost over. And I hope with all that hard work that you do not go back into eating sugar on an “average” basis. 

 

It is possible to live a sugar-free life. My mom, my sister and myself have all completed the challenge and we continue to live sugar free. We eat fruit but we monitor very closely everything else that has the slightest amount of sugar. My birthday is coming up in about a month and we are on the hunt to find a sugar and gluten free recipe to making a birthday cake, stevia and brown rice syrup are great alternatives. 

 

This week, you can venture into some of the fruits that have medium levels of fructose. 

 

Mandarins

Plums

Peaches

Strawberries

Oranges

 
 
 

Photo taken by Karissa Hagemeister

This is a good time to experiment with healthy foods that have small amounts of sugar. See how your body reacts to it. Do you even enjoy the taste of it anymore?

 

Sarah Wilson in her book “I Quit Sugar” recommends that after you have had a little sugar, do something active and sweat a little. The next day avoid all sugar and eat a lot of protein, healthy fats and veggies. 

 

Now when you lapse on sugar, you can feel it happening and you can stop yourself. You have will power to say no to the craving that sugar instantly gives you. 

 

You are stronger and you are in control of what you eat!! Sugar no longer controls you. How freeing. 

June 24, 2014  Tuesday

YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

Self-worth is for more than looks

The purpose of this blog, since day one, has been to encourage and help you see yourself as beautiful. To see YOU when you look in the mirror. Not who you used to be, not who you think you are, not comparing yourself to airbrushed celebrities. 

 

When you look in the mirror, what do you see? The majority see their flaws, their imperfections, their age. But what you should see are your best features. The things that people always compliment you on. Your smile, your eyes. 

 

I stumbled upon this book, “You Are Beautiful,” by Ken Paves. I did not know it when I picked up the book but Ken is “the” expert” when it comes to hair and beauty products. He has worked with numerous celebrities and knows all the tricks. 

 

But Ken is also a promoter of true beauty. He sees all the tricks media does to covering up celebs flaws and he knows the beauty lies within each of us. Here are some wise words from Ken:

 

Real beauty is where every woman feels comfortable in her own skin and shows the world what a strong, confident, charismatic woman she really is.

 

Aspirational beauty is what the media promotes and what people perceive as real. Ken meets woman who, “tell me they can’t even look in the mirror because they are so disgusted with themselves.”

 
 
 

Photo taken by Karissa Hagemeister

You may not think this is a problem but the way you view yourself effects your job, your relationships and your quality of life as a whole. 

 

 

Your looks do not equal your self-worth. 

 

I hate it when people call someone ugly. Some people do not care about themselves or have low self-worth and they tend to neglect themselves. If they ignore the problem, maybe it will go away. Or so they think. But no, they are not ugly. Such a hurtful and hateful word. 

 

Everyone possess their own unique beauty. Maybe we should encourage people to bring out their beauty instead of ridiculing them when they hide it. 

 

Everyone has beauty. Everyone has worth. Everyone has purpose. 

 

 

June 25, 2014  Wednesday

KEY PIECES

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

What are the fashion basics?

I am constantly hearing about the key pieces to a wardrobe or the basics. For the longest time, I thought that they had to be boring, professional-like pieces. They don’t.

 

The “basics” of a wardrobe are the foundation on which the wardrobe is built upon. These pieces are different for each person because they reflect your personal style. 

 

Lauren Conrad described it a good way, she said to pick out your 10 favorite outfits that you have in your closet, that you will wear to death. Those are your 10 basics. Picking out those 10 items will also help you discover your personal style if you do not already know what it is (Style).

 

There is a guideline that many follow when choosing their basics, but the pieces are still your own and reflect your style and personality. There are 9 pieces in this guideline, today we will cover the first 4.

 

*Key Basics:

1. Little Black Dress

There are many styles to the little black dress (strapless, layered, tank, etc ...) but everyone should have one. This is that one piece that you can throw on when you are not sure what to wear. 

The great thing about the little black dress is you can dress it up or down and you can change the look of it with different shoes, jackets and accessories. 

Starbucks Bathroom Selfie is a must before a road trip :)
 
 

Photo taken by Karissa Hagemeister

2. Jeans

Something that everyone wears but there are so many types and styles and brands that we all have the one that we love and fits perfectly on us. 

Dark wash of jeans is the most versatile.

Black jeans and deep blue jeans are the most flattering and slimming of the jeans. Plus they are fancier.

3. Collared Button Down Shirt

Whites are always a classic that can last for at least a decade and there is always something you can do with it to dress it up. 

3. Skirt

Skirts are a little more versatile than a dress. 

Skirts are the key thing to wear when you do not have to be as dressed up or you are unsure of the “fanciness” of the occasion. 

 

Those are the first 4 of the key basics, join us again next Wednesday for the last 5!! 

 

 

TOO MUCH

June 26, 2014  Thursday

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

When life is too much to handle

Sometimes life feels like it is too much to handle ... we lose a loved one, our parents get divorced, someone we looked up to lets us down in a major way. It feels like the floor falls out from under you. Your whole world comes crashing down and everything stops. 

 

There is no way to stop these things from happening. They are as much a part of life just as the good things like a newborn baby, getting married and traveling are. 

 

The hard part is finding a way to cope with the bad so that we can once again experience the good. 

 

When bad things happen, it can sometimes seem too hard to go on with life. But as long as there is still breath in you, you are still alive and still have a life. There are still opportunities for you and purpose for your existence. Your future may have to change from what you thought it would be but it is not the end. 

 

Think of it as a new beginning. (I know this can be hard and will take a while to get to that point). It is not too much for you. 

 

As a believer, I have found strength in God alone to get me through the hard places in my life. When my parents got divorced, I was 8 years old. That tore me up for years. I did not understand why it had to be this way. I was so broken at so young and I had to make choices that no child should have to make. 

 

It was so hard for me handle that I would often pray a selfish prayer for God to take me from this world. I did not know how much more of the pain I could endure. But God had bigger plans for my life. As he does with you. If he no longer needed your help here on Earth he would take you home to be with him. 

Exploring my alma mater in one of my own designs
 
 

Photo taken by Karissa Hagemeister

We must learn to trust and rely on God everyday so when the hard times come, it is not as hard as it would be without him. He is our strength, our firm foundation, the rock on which we stand when all around us is sinking sand. 

 

He alone can turn the mourning into dancing and the weeping into joy. I am a living, breathing testimony of what God can do to someone broken beyond compare and doomed for destruction. 

 

When the ground begins to crumble beneath your feet, look up. God will give you the strength to handle it and move into a better place with him. 

 

 

June 27, 2014  Friday

QUALITY TIME

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

Spending one on one time 

Quality time spent with a loved one, a friend or even a stranger that is lonely and on the streets. This is the last of the 5 love languages.

 

Quality time can mean time spent having in depth, intimate conversations. It can be reading a book with a child. Watching a movie together with a friend. Depending on the lover, quality time does not always have to mean talking. It means just being there. Having your presence felt. 

 

Knowing that someone cares enough about you to be with you, to spend time with you, even when no words are exchanged is a deep form of love. At least in my opinion.

 

This is, in fact, the language that I experience the most amount of love in. This is how I would prefer others to love me. I am not a big talker, once I have said what I wanted to say that is it, there is no more. I will listen to no end. But I prefer your presence. Just knowing that you wanted to spend time with me means the world to me. 

 

I feel love the most from this language because growing up this is the one language that I was deprived of. Its not like anyone was neglecting me on purpose but I kind of forced it on myself. 

 

I am the middle child, that means there was one before me and one after me. I never had that time with my parents as the only child. I was also the “perfect” child. I did not get into trouble. I helped out without even being asked because I knew that it would mean a lot to my parents. 

 

I stayed behind the scenes. I always watched my sister strive for attention, rebel and be the problem child. Sure, she got a lot of “quality” time because of it but I knew it drained my parents. So I figured the best thing to do was to be out of sight, out of mind, quiet as a mouse. 

Hanging with some of my guys from college
 
 

Photo taken by Pattie Bacon

I starved myself of the love that I was made for. Honestly, I knew my family loved me because they said it but I did not KNOW it. I did not feel it. 

 

My mom admitted, when I was leaving for college, that she realized she had neglected me and did not give me special time or attention like she had given the other two because I never begged for it. 

 

I was young, that is the past, I did not know any better. But I know now that this is how I feel love. So I build strong friendships with very few people that will take time to have one on one quality time with me. That fills my love bank. 

 

Quality time lovers will make friends with many but they are careful who they choose as their close friends. They need someone they can depend on to share that one on one time with them. 

 

 

June 28, 2014  Saturday

NEW WRINKLES

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

Where did that come from??

Wrinkle conscious? Have you noticed any new wrinkles forming on you? Maybe not in areas that they were before? Perhaps on your neck? 

 

My friend sent me this magazine clipping about new wrinkles that have been appearing and the cause of them. She thought that it would be great to share with my audience and I agreed. 

 

The magazine clipping came from the June edition of the Women’s Health Magazine. The title of the article is, “Pain in the Tech.”

 

Before reading the rest of this blog, do a quick scan around the room (if you are in a room with other people). Pay attention to people that are looking at their phone or tablet.  Do you notice anything in common with the way they are holding their device?

 

Apparently, people have started to get wrinkles on their neck, even those of younger age. Quick, look in the mirror! What could be the cause of this new phenomenon? 

 

Studies show that it comes from the way you hold and look at your little technological devices. Most people hold their phones or their tablets at chest level or lower. This means their head is looking down and this could be for hours at a time, depending on how long they play on their phone or tablet. 

Cars are the new fashion trend lol jk
 

Photo taken by Karissa Hagemeister

According to Ariel Ostad, M.D., a New York City dermatologist, “Looking down at smartphones and tablets for hours each day may contribute to etching new wrinkles around your neck.”

 

What will we do about this?? Well, the solution is simple. Don’t stay on your technology for hours a day. Be active, your body needs it. But if you must be on your phone or tablet, raise it higher, to at least chin level. This will give your arms a work out too. 

 

If you are super paranoid, get yourself some collagen boosting cream and apply it to your neck every night. 

 

Once again, we find another problem that this wonderful technology causes us. I am not one to give up my technology, I am slightly a nerd when it comes to computers and techie stuff, only slightly. But there are solution, so just be conscious of how you hold your gadgets and your body posture. 

 

June 29, 2014  Sunday

CLOSED DOORS

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

If it doesn't open, move on

If you are a go-getter type of person, you are used to going after what you want and doing everything in your power to get what you want or to get your way. You do not wait around for people or things to happen. 

 

That is a good attitude to have, most of the time. But there comes a time when you should stop pursuing something or stopping hitting the same door over and over. There are some closed doors that are not meant to be opened for you. 

 

Sure, if you kick a door hard enough, eventually it will give. I guarantee you that was on the other side of that door, you are not going to like. 

 

In going after your dreams or your goals, there are numerous steps to take and many ways to get where you want to go. You will come upon many doors that will either open to you easily or you will have to use a sledge hammer to get through. 

 

When you come upon doors that do not open after a few nudges, move to another door. Take another route. You will end up waisting too much time trying to break that door down. When the door opens, it will not hold what you were expecting.

 
 

Photo taken by Karissa Hagemeister

This is just a little piece of advice I felt like passing on. I have beaten down a few doors in my days and wish I had not. 

 

Too often we try breaking down doors or going after things that will not really get us where we want or need to go. We get our minds set and we are not willing to budge. We do not want to “give up” or “fail.” 

 

It is not giving up though, it is just finding another way. We need a slight mind shift change and we need to be a little more aware of when we are actually beating down the wrong door. 

 

Do not waist time trying to get through the wrong door, into the wrong place. Go with the easy flow. If it opens easy, chances are it was made for you. 

 

June 30, 2014  Monday

DONE

Outfit of BEAUTY of the Day

You have reached the end

Yay!! You made it. You are in the very last week of your sugar detox. It’s all in your hands from here. 

 

By now, you should be feeling a lot better. You should be getting more energy and feeling altogether more healthy and light. I literally felt like weight had been removed from me when I finished my detox. It is an amazing feeling. 

 

All fruits are up for grabs for you again. But I do not recommend eating a huge amount of fruits each day because they do still have sugar and kick you back into craving sweet things again. 

 

I did not allow much sweet stuff back into my life after I quit because I really enjoy feeling so clean and healthy. I will eat a tablespoon of natural peanut butter a few times a week. Sometimes I will eat a piece of 89% dark chocolate. But that is not even too appealing to me. 

 

They warned me that sugar would not be as tasty once I got it cleaned out. They were right. When I eat those little pieces of chocolates, it feels like I am eating straight up lard or fat. It is really weird but it is nice not to be “controlled” by chocolate anymore. 

 
 

Photo taken by Karissa Hagemeister

I also have found that when I do eat some of those things that only contain one or two grams of sugar, I immediately regret it. My body feels yucky afterwards. It is hard to explain, it is kind of like a sick feeling but not. So I tend to steer clear of it instead of diving in for more.

 

Major props to you if you completed this. I know your body is thanking you too. It is definitely not easy quitting sugar. Not only do you have to fight against yourself with your cravings but you have to go against what is popular or cool. And it has been “cool” to eat whatever you want without caring about how it affects your body. 

 

Unfortunately, the tables are turning and I am finding it is more cool to be healthy and take care of your body. Plus you get the advantage of truly living and living longer.

 

I am very proud of you. See I told you that you could do it. :)

bottom of page