Faith Style

photo credit: via weheartit

So we’re about seven weeks into 2010, and this is the time that many of us start to drop off on the goals or resolutions we set for ourselves at the beginning of the year.  Whether we blame our workload, personal responsibilities or the weather, the reality is that staying on track with our long-term goals is not always easy.  I don’t want this year to be like every other for you, so I’ve put together some tips and strategies to help you stay motivated.

1.     Remind yourself.  First and foremost, remember why you’re doing it.  Motivation is much stronger than willpower, especially in the long-term.  This means that you need to have a strong goal that motivates you.  It should also be visible and top of mind every day – out of site means out of mind.  So find a picture or image, or just write it down somewhere where you can see it every day.  This will motivate you to make choices aligned with your goal on a consistent basis.

2.     Book it.  Here’s the thing…. If it doesn’t get scheduled, it doesn’t get done.  With our lives as hectic as they are, we have to schedule everything, from doctors’ appointments, to lunches with girlfriends to carpool and driving the kids to hockey practice.  The same goes with your goals.  You must get into the habit of putting your action steps into your calendar – this includes gym time, meetings, as well as personal time for reading, writing, research or brainstorming.  Still can’t find time for your goals?  Consider this – we make time for what we value.  Re-evaluate where you spend your time.  This will help you find an additional hour or two in your week for the things that mean the most to you.

3.    Narrow your focus.  While multi-tasking seems to be the new standard for our lives and many of us proudly talk about our ability to do dozens of tasks at the same time, studies are showing that we may be doing more, but the quality of our output is actually diminishing.  We are so used to trying to do everything at once, many of us try to tackle too many goals at once too.  If you find you are trying to do too much or change too much at once, you need to narrow your focus.  Pick the one thing that’s most important to you and only focus on that one thing for the next 1-2 months.  Once you have created momentum, you can re-evaluate your capacity to move onto goal number 2.  It may seem initially like you are doing less, but you will accomplish much more.

4.     Ask for help.  Contrary to what you may believe, you don’t need to do it on your own.  In fact, I want you to remember that most successful people have others around them that have helped them to succeed.  So stop trying to be a hero and do it yourself.  There’s nothing wrong with you, it may just be that you haven’t found the right support system that works for you.  Consider your options – friends, family, community groups, mastermind groups, coaches, coaching programs, courses, mentors.  If you haven’t tried this yet and are not where you want to be, I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and ask for help.

Giving up is not an option.  Staying the same is not an option.  Pick just one of the above strategies, re-commit to your goals and get going!

Before you know it, we will have made it through February, spring will be just around the corner and you will be that much closer to reaching your goals!

In The Red Book, A Deliciously Unorthodox Approach to Igniting Your Divine Spark, author Sera Berk says, “Your intention is the energy, the electric charge, the awareness that you bring to every aspect of your life. It’s the force that lies behind everything you do…Your intention helps create the pathway to your experience. She then suggests that readers use their intention in a way that “helps you give more conscious direction and divine spark to life’s ordinary and extraordinary moments.”

When it’s all said and done, “setting your intention” is just another way for stating what you want to see occur in your life or in a given situation. You don’t get in our car and drive aimless, hoping to get some where. Usually you know where you want to go and your preferred route to get there.  In the course of your trip, traffic or a closed road may force you to take a detour, but  you eventually end up where you “intended” to go.

It’s curious that we don’t consciously set intentons in our lives or in our businesses. It’s even more amazing that although we don’t declare our destination (what we want to occur in our lives or businesses) we are confused and disappointed when we don’t achieve happiness or prosperity. Setting your intention is critical to mapping out a plan about how to achieve your personal or career goal.

Bear in mind though that when you set your intention, it may shatter some illusion. Setting your intention may expose the fallacy or obsolence of your desire. You may be compelled to confront the notion that what you wanted is no longer a good fit.  Let’s continue with the trip scenario.  You intended to go to a particular place and you got their without any problems. However, upon your arrival you find: the store closed; the meeting cancelled or a blind date, who’s older, fatter and balder than his online photo.

What do you do now? You simply say thank you for the lesson and create a new intention—one that resonates with who you are now, with what you know now and with what you REALLY want—now.

Let me be clear…you’ve got to do more than set an intention to have the life and business that you’d like. You’ve also got to create a plan and then take steps toward your goal.  As the Bible says, So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead (James 2:17) which boils down to prayer alone is not enough.

Setting your intention is about taking responsibity for your life.  It means that you’ve clearly outlined what you want to create for yourself and/or business in a given day, week, month, quarter or year. Certainly you’ve got to be flexible to new information and to new opportunities and to changing circumstance. However, not setting your intention is similar to rolling the dice and hoping it all works. Not bloody likely. You can’t set a course without a destination and you can’t get to your stated destination without a course.  You see– having an intention and a proposed plan are inextricably linked to you achieving emotional, physical or financial success.

Yvonne Bynoe, Feature Writer

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These two Guru feet lead me.

Grounding to the Earth,

They anchor me.

Oh Guru,

What direction will you turn,

And upon which path will you take?

In my surrender to your knowledge,

I become your servant,

Your legs,

That follow.

In your stillness,

I promise my ears will listen.

In your movement,

I will dance your rhythms,

Your melody of endless bliss.

Oh Teacher,

Guide my Heart,

To my divine essence,

Of my journey and contracts.

Your student is surrendering,

Fusing in Love.

“Authenticity is energizing, economical, and efficient. The better you know yourself, the clearer your choices. Self-awareness leads to true style.” Carrie & Danielle

Find Your Key Item

A key item is the central piece your outfit will be based around. It can be anything – shoes, a dress, a necklace – the only criteria is it must be something you really, really love!

Build Around Your Key Item

Take a look around your wardrobe – is there anything that complements your key item? Do you have a belt that goes well with this purse? Or a dress that looks fabulous with these boots? Put it on. Continue adding more pieces that work well with your ensemble. If you don’t see any obvious matches, start trying stuff on at random – you might come across something unusual and fresh!

Some basic rules … neutrals go with EVERYTHING. Neutral colors include tan, beige, gray, brown, black, white, and navy.

“How do I know if something ‘works’?”
This would depend purely on your personal style and your vision. If you’re unsure of your personal style listen to your gut. With time, you will learn to trust yourself and your eye.

Sometimes you may simply not have the right item to bring it all together. When this happens, you can either put the outfit on hold and finish it later, once you have the item, or substitute it with something else.

Add an Element of Surprise or your “Signature”

What’s the difference between a good outfit and a great one? A great outfit has a hook, something that makes it memorable and sets it apart from the rest! Once you have most of your outfit together, look for something bold and unexpected to offset the equation! Something you’d never normally consider, like cobalt blue shoes in an otherwise white/gray ensemble, or a large chunky necklace in an otherwise simple understated outfit. Adding the unusual will make your outfit look more interesting.

To have style, there must be an emotional and physical connection and passion to the clothes you buy and own.

*As written for Pretty Savvy

Ollie Golightly offers beautiful and stylish hand screen printed slings and nursing aprons in organic cotton and 100% linen textiles designed by Toronto-based textile artist and graphic designer, Geneviève Metropolis. This great product can be easily tucked into your lifestyle bag and used at the drop of a hat without looking like the traditional strap on baby carrier that is cumbersome and an eyesore to onlookers. The greatest benefits are that you and your baby can continue to enjoy the closeness you experienced during pregnancy, the sling is designed to distribute baby’s weight across your back, reducing strain, and supporting baby in a secure position close to the heart and finally it can be worn in many different positions from birth to early toddlerhood.

Overwhelmed by the loss of your touch;
Your sweet scent, moist kiss,
And gentle smile
Reminds me of a magical time shared.

Overwhelmed by the loss of your kiss;
I am filled with a sad loneliness,
That cloaks me in a dark blanket
Of a Starless night;
An Isolated Drifter over black waters.

Oh, let me return to your side lover.
I ache with yearning heat,
Muscle spasms in angst of lack,
Of your body so joined with mine.

Hearts dream of beating in,
Musical symphony of sacred union.
Ecstasy in breathing rhythms inhaling,
Deeper triggering points of divine orgasm.
Sleep allows joined exhalations of blissful rest,
in arms loving hold.

Angels of time I affirm to you now,
Ride your master quickly.
He who bears the clock,
Answer me now.
I ask for aid with my love’s separation.

Allow the truth of this gathering,
Beauty from my twin flame’s gifts,
And Male and Female strengthening;
To ease our minds,
And our worries,
about reunion and futures flow.

Oh Lover,
Listen to the light as it will be easy.
Trust my love in this simple truth.
Options amount for our dreams,
Colors will sparkle with light,
And stars will again dance
To light the way in the night.

Visualize my lover, our reunion in perfection.
And together we strengthen,
The power of our desired reality.
Dream what you wish to be in spirit,
As your beauty can be that colorful.

Oh Lover,

It will be easy.
As easy as it was to love you,
It will be to return to your side.
To be in our bed and to wake to our sun,
Our wind in this dream world.

Gaze upon me naked from where you lie.
Elevate my soul with your loving kiss.
Melt my heart with loves steaming touch to my bosom.
And I will let it be so.

Know the power of our will,
Will move mountains and swell rivers.
Your single longing gaze,
Arms entangled in passion,
Lips in sweet interchange,
Melts my heart in longing,
To heights angels dream of,
And Eagles wish to soar.

Again I wait for u.
With speed come.

After watching Dolce & Gabbana’s Spring 2010 Fashion Show I was intrigued by the makeup that made the runway. It was simple and clean. It managed to highlight and accentuate the eyes almost effortlessly. The term less is more really proved to be accurate here.

How to recreate it? Simple. If you don’t have the EyeLighter from Cargo yet, it’s a must have for your makeup bag this season. Its step by step instructions are easy to follow, leaves room for playing around, and basically foolproof.  I’m a strong believer that makeup really can change the way a women carries herself, little tricks like these can make you feel fabulous and hot in just a matter of minutes.

Parita Thakore