I just started writing a new monthly column on www.ego.com. Please check out my first article HERE and below:
What are we really doing here on Earth? We work all day. We sleep at night. Many of us go through the same monotonous schedule every single day. We become unhappy. We wish for more money. We crave excitement and hate disappointment. We envy others but are not confident enough to change ourselves. Ultimately, we are all looking for love and approval by others, but many never find it. So what really is the point behind all of this activity we call life?
When you think of the word ‘ego,’ what does it mean to you? As a child and adolescent, I always heard phrases like “Check your ego” or “He’s egotistical”. These were phrases I hoped no one would ever say to me or about me. I found every way to deny that I, too, would occasionally think about my own actions and myself surely and confidently. As children, the only thing we want is to fit in and go unnoticed. We are often not confident enough to stand up to our own opinions. Therefore, we find every way to blend in with others. We shy away from those who are different and dread having someone call us out when we speak our mind. The word ‘ego’ was perceived, then, in a negative light, but, in actuality, the word ‘ego’ simply means, “the ‘I’ or self of any person.”
It is important that we all are aware of our selves. We need to become aware of not only our selves, but also our actions and our actions towards others. Without this awareness, we go through life unable to pursue our true purpose on earth. We keep trying to blend in, to fit in, to pursue something we think is safe and expected of us. We are unable to dream, which means, ultimately, that we are unable to grow, develop and learn. If you are not aware of your self, you will continue going through life believing that all your moods, beliefs, partners, relationships, and friends are completely random and out of your control. You will continue to feel that life is just one exhausting day after another. How can you possibly be aware of what your aspirations and dreams really are when you have no belief in your power to develop them?
The average person has about 75,000 thoughts a day. Many of these, though, go unnoticed, mostly because we are not paying attention to them. We are not listening to our inner self, or ego, and therefore, we end up ignoring everything our minds have come up for us to pursue. However, we do always notice our feelings. This is because every thought produces an emotion that affects our mood. Usually, when we have happy thoughts, we feel good- we feel positive. When we have bad thoughts, we feel sad. Our bad moods are the cause of our negative thinking. But, lucky you! You can change your moods once you become aware of your “self” and learn to channel or control our thinking.
Your “self” is not something that is bad or wrong. It is simply you. It’s your inner being that is there to help maneuver you through life. It is there to guide you through decisions and help you realize your great potential. Everyone is entitled to dream, and to dream big. Don’t be a victim of your bad thoughts.
Next time you are in a bad mood, ask yourself why. Retrace your thoughts and track down the reasons you are being negative. Change your mood into a positive one by visualizing what you want in life and make yourself believe that you can achieve it. Take risks. Don’t limit yourself to small goals you think you might be able to achieve. Don’t ever think of your life as just one big repetitive day. People are born and people die. People come into your life one day and leave the next.
Opportunity is right above your head, following you, waiting for you to realize it and believe in it so that it can be born. Realize your potential. You are not here on Earth to do something you are unhappy doing. We are here to gain wisdom and love, to grow and to protect each other. Becoming aware of your ‘self’ is half the battle won.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Check out my new article on www.hamptons.com!
Cold weather tips for keeping your body beautiful
Unfortunately, winter is approaching. This only means one thing: bye-bye beautiful summer body. But wait! It doesn’t have to. With only a little bit of extra effort, you can keep your slim body, smooth and healthy skin, and even your beautiful tan. Don’t let nature affect what you can control! Below are some great tips for feeling your best in your body during the next cold months.
1. Problem: Cracking skin. This is a big problem during winter as the cold air rolls in. As it starts to get colder outside, we crank our heat up indoors, which dehydrates our skin very quickly. Solution: The key to restoring your skin is getting lots of moisture and preventing your skin from being exposed to extreme cold and heat. For flaky facial skin, try to not use masks that exfoliate or peel your skin – they will only add to your problem. Use only cream cleansers for they are the most gentle on the skin. If you have drying, chapped hands, wear gloves outdoors to prevent them from being exposed to the cold weather. Have a thick hand cream with you at all times. Hand creams should be used twice a day at minimum. For all around skin cracking, skip the hot showers. Really hot, steaming showers break down lipid barriers in the skin and lead to a loss of moisture.
2. Problem: Weight gain. This is the cause of two things. First, let’s be honest. Our moods change when the temperature drops. Unless you are like 1 percent of the population, you are not thrilled to see the temperature dropping below 50. Many of us compensate for our sour moods by overeating. Also, there is less activity outdoors to engage in, so we resort to eating indoors instead of being physical active. Secondly, because we have to start layering on the clothing, many of us are not as concerned how our bodies look. We do not see our bodies as much as we did in our little tanks and cut off shorts. We therefore allow ourselves to indulge a little bit more. Solution: Don’t give up on your summer workouts altogether. It’s easy to be a couch potato during the winter, but try to do something physically active every day to keep you in the habit of working out. You don’t need to hit the gym every day. Try to lift weights, do some jump rope, or even a few lunges on your way to work. Allow yourself only one indulgent meal if you have to.
3. Problem: Low Immune System. As our body is trying to keep up with the changing weather as it bounces around during the fall season, our immune systems are often compromised. We get sick much faster and cannot seem to kick the common cold. Solution: Use a sanitizing hand wipe or moisturizing hand sanitizer often. Many of us don’t wash our hands as much during the winter because they are already dry and cracking. However, it’s important that we do still get rid of germs and bacteria. Using an anti-bacterial moisturizer on our hands will help keep germs away. Another great thing to do during the winter is take your daily vitamins. If you feel yourself getting sick, take Wellness Formula pills. They are packed with the essentials to keep your body strong and fighting disease.
4. Problem: You have lost your summer glow. This will happen very quickly during the winter. Solution: Many people are not fans of tanning beds, because let’s be honest, they are very damaging to your skin. If you find yourself turning very pale during the winter, try getting a spray tan. Or, better yet, get some self-tanning lotions. Bobbi Brown makes an amazing sunless tanning gel for both the face and body. And don’t forget to keep using sunscreen. Just because you cannot feel the sun during the winter doesn’t mean it is not there.
These are only four of our biggest problems during the winter. But, as you see, with a little extra time and effort every day, you can solve these winter woes and continue looking forward to your fabulous body once spring rolls around. It will be here before you know it!
Unfortunately, winter is approaching. This only means one thing: bye-bye beautiful summer body. But wait! It doesn’t have to. With only a little bit of extra effort, you can keep your slim body, smooth and healthy skin, and even your beautiful tan. Don’t let nature affect what you can control! Below are some great tips for feeling your best in your body during the next cold months.
1. Problem: Cracking skin. This is a big problem during winter as the cold air rolls in. As it starts to get colder outside, we crank our heat up indoors, which dehydrates our skin very quickly. Solution: The key to restoring your skin is getting lots of moisture and preventing your skin from being exposed to extreme cold and heat. For flaky facial skin, try to not use masks that exfoliate or peel your skin – they will only add to your problem. Use only cream cleansers for they are the most gentle on the skin. If you have drying, chapped hands, wear gloves outdoors to prevent them from being exposed to the cold weather. Have a thick hand cream with you at all times. Hand creams should be used twice a day at minimum. For all around skin cracking, skip the hot showers. Really hot, steaming showers break down lipid barriers in the skin and lead to a loss of moisture.
2. Problem: Weight gain. This is the cause of two things. First, let’s be honest. Our moods change when the temperature drops. Unless you are like 1 percent of the population, you are not thrilled to see the temperature dropping below 50. Many of us compensate for our sour moods by overeating. Also, there is less activity outdoors to engage in, so we resort to eating indoors instead of being physical active. Secondly, because we have to start layering on the clothing, many of us are not as concerned how our bodies look. We do not see our bodies as much as we did in our little tanks and cut off shorts. We therefore allow ourselves to indulge a little bit more. Solution: Don’t give up on your summer workouts altogether. It’s easy to be a couch potato during the winter, but try to do something physically active every day to keep you in the habit of working out. You don’t need to hit the gym every day. Try to lift weights, do some jump rope, or even a few lunges on your way to work. Allow yourself only one indulgent meal if you have to.
3. Problem: Low Immune System. As our body is trying to keep up with the changing weather as it bounces around during the fall season, our immune systems are often compromised. We get sick much faster and cannot seem to kick the common cold. Solution: Use a sanitizing hand wipe or moisturizing hand sanitizer often. Many of us don’t wash our hands as much during the winter because they are already dry and cracking. However, it’s important that we do still get rid of germs and bacteria. Using an anti-bacterial moisturizer on our hands will help keep germs away. Another great thing to do during the winter is take your daily vitamins. If you feel yourself getting sick, take Wellness Formula pills. They are packed with the essentials to keep your body strong and fighting disease.
4. Problem: You have lost your summer glow. This will happen very quickly during the winter. Solution: Many people are not fans of tanning beds, because let’s be honest, they are very damaging to your skin. If you find yourself turning very pale during the winter, try getting a spray tan. Or, better yet, get some self-tanning lotions. Bobbi Brown makes an amazing sunless tanning gel for both the face and body. And don’t forget to keep using sunscreen. Just because you cannot feel the sun during the winter doesn’t mean it is not there.
These are only four of our biggest problems during the winter. But, as you see, with a little extra time and effort every day, you can solve these winter woes and continue looking forward to your fabulous body once spring rolls around. It will be here before you know it!
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