May 16, 2012, Author: Laura, Leave a comment

Walk Like a Model

Categories: Body Language
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It may be something you rarely notice but the way that you walk not only impacts the way other people see you as well as the way you feel about yourself. You should always walk like a model any time of day anywhere you happen to be. Use my tips to start model walking today…

 

How to Walk Confidently

  • Attitude is everything. When you feel confident, it naturally radiates in the way you act.
  • Relax. If you are calm, you naturally will walk confidently.
  • Walk like a supermodel. The world is your catwalk.
  • Take long strides. Strong long steps communicate the fact that you are confident.
  • Let your arms sway naturally by your side.
  • Keep a comfortable pace. Everyone has a different pace to their lives. Walk at a pace that feels right to you to appear more relaxed and confident.
  • Stay open. Keep your hands open to show that you are open to the world and comfortable.
  • Keep your head level and facing forward. Both dropping your head and moving it jerkily make you look nervous and not confident.
  • Keep your eyes ahead. Looking straight on makes you seem more confident and open.
May 16, 2012, Author: Laura, Leave a comment

Visualize

Categories: Lessons in Life
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What is visualization?

Visualization is the repeated process of creating a strong image of what you want and concentrating on it. Visualization helps you identify your goals and achieve them. Famous athletes practice visualization before an important event. It both sets you on a track to achieve what you want and motivates you to accomplish it.

 

Define your dream

Before you can effectively practice visualization you have to have a clear idea of what you want. Whether it’s something small or big, you need to know exactly what you want.

 

Prepare for visualization

Practice visualization when you are relaxed and feel positive. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and make an effort to think about nothing before you start visualizing.

 

Visualize

After you have relaxed and cleared your find, you can begin to visualize that dream you just defined. In your mind, begin to go through every aspect of your dream. What exactly would it mean to reach your goal? Go through each of your five senses and picture yourself achieving that dream. Close your eyes and start to feel what it would be like. Hear the sounds that you would hear. Feel the temperature on your skin. Taste the tastes. Once you’ve set the stage, finally see yourself there. Visualize yourself right into the middle of that dream of yours. Then really feel what it would be like to achieve that dream. Using visualization renews your commitment to your dream. It motivates you to work harder for your goal and it helps you to see yourself achieving it, making it feel more attainable. You should practice visualization every day for at least 15 minutes to have it really take an effect on you.

The key to effective visualization is to tap into the feelings you have when you have attained that thing which you desire. Start feeling those feelings this minute you close your eyes.

 

Believe and Expect

To make visualization most effective you should believe that it is not only possible but inevitable.

May 16, 2012, Author: Laura, Leave a comment

What is Posture

Categories: Body Language
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Your posture hints at the way you feel about yourself. It can show that you are confident, not confident, or even slightly stiff. Your posture gives the people around you a clue about the way you feel about yourself.

 

Why does posture matter?

Posture is, however, one of the first things people see about you. It sends a message immediately about how you feel about yourself. Just by looking at someone you can see their level of confidence and how open they are.

 

Good Posture

Good posture is sitting or standing with a straight back. Your shoulders should be back but you should still be relaxed. You’re head should also be lifted.

 

Poise

Your good posture does more than just show that you are confident. It sends a message that you are poised and charismatic. Good posture makes you seem more attractive. It makes you look put together.

 

Posture and your confidence

Good posture even convinces yourself that you are confident, brilliant and highly fabulous. It actually affects the way you feel about yourself and makes you feel better about what you say and do.

May 16, 2012, Author: Laura, Leave a comment

In A Blink

Categories: Body Language, Uncategorized
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Eyes communicate a lot about a person. Eye contact and eye movements can show when you are lying, when you are attracted, when you’re excited, or even when you’re nervous. Blinking is one of the signals we pay attention to when reading someone’s non-verbal communication. Learn what unusually quick or slow blinking may mean. What can you communicate in a blink?…

 

Why do we blink?

We blink to lubricate and filter our eyes. Blinking keeps our eyes moisturized and keeps irritants out. Blinking is necessary for your eyes to keep objects in view. Every time you blink, your eyes re-adapt to changes in light and refocus what you are looking at.

 

Blinking quickly

  • Blinking quickly can mean someone is excited
  • It can show a person is lying
  • It hint at the fact that you are stressed out.
  • It can show you’re nervous.
  • Blinking slowly can even show that you are uncomfortable.

 

Blinking slowly

  • Blinking slowly can show that someone is bored
  • It can also so they’re tired
  • It may be a sign that someone is controlling the speed at which they blink to conceal rapid blinking.

 

As you can see, the rate that someone blinks can be indicative of many different feelings or thoughts. The safest way to make an assumption about what someone is thinking or feeling is to pay attention to other clues. Different non-verbal cues will let you know more about what a change in blinking may mean.

May 16, 2012, Author: Laura, Leave a comment

Eye Contact

Categories: Body Language
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Eye contact is a meaningful form of nonverbal communication. Eyes are one of the first things you notice about a person. They can give away how you feel and what you are thinking. Understanding the messages you are sending and receiving with your eyes is an important social skill.

 

Importance of Eye Contact

  • Eye contact shows what a person is thinking or feeling about a subject or situation
  • Eye contact can show what someone thinks about the person they’re interacting with.
  • Nonverbal communication with your eyes is often more honest and revealing than other types of communication.
  • Eye contact can show interest, hostility, and lust.
  • Appropriate eye contact makes you appear to be more attractive
  • Eye contact increases the emotional connection you feel to the people you communicate with.
  • Eye contact demonstrates confidence.
  • Eye contact improves every interaction you have.
  • It creates intimacy.
  • It creates empathy.

 

Lack of eye contact can have an effect on your interactions as well

  • It could show that you are not confident.
  • Lack of eye contact could make you seem disinterested.
  • It is disrespectful in conversation.
  • It may even show superiority.

 

May 15, 2012, Author: Laura, Leave a comment

Get What You Want

Categories: Lessons in Life
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We’re all driven to get what we really want. Whether it’s a relationship, a job, or a journey, we all have dreams that drive us. All too often, those things we want seem to be just out of our reach. Don’t let the big dreams be too daunting for you to chase. Follow these guidelines to get what you want.

 

Figure Out What You Want

The first step to getting what you want is figuring out what you want. Figure out the exact details of what you’re working for. It will immediately bring your dream closer.

 

Make a Game Plan

Once you’ve figured out what you want, figure out a realistic plan for getting it. Talk to someone who has done it if you need a little guidance then create a course you plan to follow to get what you want.

 

Visualize

Use visualization to start imagining yourself as a part of your dreams. Visualization is the practice of creating a strong image of your dream in your mind. This practice defines your dream and helps to motivate you to reach it.

 

Act as if

Act like you deserve it. Having the image that you deserve your dream makes you fall flawlessly into the part.

 

Keep it Positive

A positive attitude and positive self talk make a huge impact on your life. Believing that you can do something takes you closer to that goal.

 

Work Hard!

Getting what you want comes naturally when you work hard for it. Sure, things don’t always work out the way we plan. But hard work naturally yields good results. Be great at what you do. Be the best and what you dream of doing.

May 15, 2012, Author: Laura, Leave a comment

What is Confidence

Categories: Lessons in Life
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The idea of confidence is a belief in a person or idea. When a person places this confidence in themselves, they have that strong faith and belief in their abilities and their personal effectiveness.

Believing in yourself has a huge, positive impact on your life as a whole as well as every area of your life.

Confidence in yourself is not a result of achievements or status alone. Your level of confidence in yourself is based simply on how you think of yourself, how you perceive yourself to be. Confidence in yourself is not based on an objective measure but instead on your own faith in yourself. This belief in your own powers can come from many different sources and is built in different ways.

Confidence has to do with both your image of yourself as a whole and your situational belief in yourself. Your level of self confidence refers to both your self worth and your faith in specific abilities you have.

Some confidence is also situational. A person can often feel very confident in one area of their lives but not confident in another. This selective faith in our own abilities is normal. We all have strengths and weaknesses and being aware of that means we are more self-aware.

Confidence is a complex concept that comes from many different experiences. Early interactions lead to conclusions we draw about our self worth and situational confidence. When we consistently hear that we are effective and good at something, we believe in ourselves and recognize our self worth. If our experiences have shown us that we don’t measure up in one area then we are apt to believe that we should not have faith in ourselves in that area. As we grow up, those experiences are built upon and either enforced or proven to be incorrect. The compilation of all of those experiences lead to our general self-esteem as well as our confidence in ourselves in different circumstances.

April 9, 2012, Author: Laura, Leave a comment

Girl trip

Categories: Travel
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I just got back from a too-fun winery weekend with my girlfriends. As a girl trip professional, I thought it was time for a post on the subject.

No matter the reason for the getaway, a girl trip is one of the most memorable experiences you have with your friends. Your trip will be a bonding experience and the setting for some of your craziest memories. For years to come, you’ll be remembering that time when Ashley did…

Katie’s crazy night out…

And loving Brit’s impeccable impression of…

Planning the perfect girl trip doesn’t need to be tough. Steal my girls’ trip ideas and start working on your next getaway.

  1. Cross Something off the Bucket List. Have everyone in your group choose the top 3 destinations or activities on their bucket list. New York for New Years? Whitewater rafting? Meeting a movie star? Go to the town where your fav book is set? Pick something that you’re all dying to do and go for it. Planning the details of your offbeat vaca will make your girl trip an experience to remember.
  2. Party Party! Live it up on vaca at party spots like South Beach, Cancun, Panama City, or Miami. If your group likes to drink, pack plenty of party dresses, Advil, itty bitty bikinis and head for the classic spring break spots.
  3. Vegas. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Nuff said.
  4. Wineries, Breweries, Distilleries. Wineries, breweries, and distilleries are great places to relax and spend time with your girls. You get to try lots of different types of your favorite alc and get tipsy while you talk. Plan to hit all of the wineries in the area on your girls’ weekend.
  5. Beach. A beach trip can be a super relaxing or get a little crazy. Lazing around all week is perfect for reading your teen angst-y novels or a saucy romance, eating too much, worshipping the sun, and batting your eyes at the men that pass. Beaches also happen to be some of the best party locales. Whether you make it a quiet week or a sandy hangover, beaches are the perfect girl trip destination.
  6. Mountains. Mountain destinations are scenic and oh-so-relaxing. Grabbing a hotel in the mountains is great for chilling out and spending time with your girls. You’ll return home relaxed and filled with stories.
  7. Camping. Ahh, I know it strikes fear into your heart but there’s nothing better than an old school camp fire with s’mores, stories and screams. Pack your air mattress, lots of bug spray and have all the amenities close at hand. Check out camping at a beach, a nearby national forest or one of your bucket list locales. You may want to follow up camping with spa day…I would.
  8. Themed trip. Is there something your group loves? Real Housewives of OC? Jersey Shore? Harry Potter? Make a themed trip and go to the places in the show. Hit the birthplace of your favorite author, have your own Legally Blonde moment. Seeing the places where your favorite stories or shows take place is super exciting and will be a fun bonding experience that you can only share with your girls.
  9. Yoga or a spa retreat. Chill out on a relaxing retreat. Do yoga all week, cleanse, or get massages. You’ll feel refreshed and get plenty of time to catch up.
  10. Cruise. Food, drinks and fun. What could be better than a carefree cruise? The price range and list of destinations are huge. Pick a destination your group loves or a price range you all can afford.
  11. Road trip! Get a car and go. Pick destinations as you go along or make special trips to the stops in Elizabethtown, Road Trip, or Thelma and Louise. Hit a rodeo, try crayfish, and see a geyser. Be as creative as you can to make the most of your trip.
  12. Discount. It’s super easy to find any girl trip at a discount. Sign up for great services like Groupon, Living Social, and Travelzoo to get offers sent to your email or phone. Check great sites like Kayak, Orbitz, Hotwire or Expedia for airfare and hotel deals.
April 4, 2012, Author: Laura, Leave a comment

Dessert Pizza

Categories: Uncategorized
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We recently celebrated the birthday of my pizza loving friend. What better birthday dessert could we have made than Birthday Dessert Pizza?! It was too delicious. Steal my recipes for Candy Topped Birthday Pizza, PB&Yummy Dessert Pizza, I Like to Pretend I’m Healthy – Dessert Pizza, MMM Mint Dessert Pizza, and Twix Dessert Pizza for your birthday celebrations or surprise splurge nights.

 

Candy Topped Birthday Dessert Pizza

Ingredients:

  • 1 (18 ounce) package refrigerated sugar cookie dough
  • 1 container of your favorite icing
  • 4 of your favorite candy bars or candy pieces (ooey gooey candy is better for your candy topped pizza) chopped into bite sized pieces.

 

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
  • Press cookie dough evenly into a 12 inch pizza pan.
  • Bake for 12 to 18 minutes, until golden brown.
  • Let cool
  • Spread icing over the cooled cookie dough pizza crust.
  • Sprinkle the pizza with chopped candy toppings.
  • Warm if desired
  • Serve

 

 

PB&Yummy Birthday Dessert Pizza

Ingredients:

  • 1 powdered package of chocolate cookie dough
  • 1 jar of Reese’s peanut butter
  • Chocolate chips
  • Reese’s peanut butter cups, pieces, or mini cups (chopped)

 

Directions:

  • Follow packaged cookie dough instructions to make chocolate cookie dough.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
  • Press cookie dough evenly into a 12 inch pizza pan.
  • Bake for 12 to 18 minutes
  • Let cool
  • Spread a light layer of peanut butter over the cooled cookie dough pizza crust.
  • Sprinkle the pizza with chocolate chips and reese’s
  • Warm the dessert pizza until the toppings are ooey gooey (not soupy)
  • Serve

 

 

I Like to Pretend I’m Healthy – Birthday Dessert Pizza

Ingredients:

  • 1 (18 ounce) package refrigerated sugar cookie dough
  • Low fat whipped topping
  • 1 sliced kiwi
  • 1 cup sliced strawberries
  • 1 cup sliced bananas

 

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
  • Press cookie dough evenly into a 12 inch pizza pan.
  • Bake for 12 to 18 minutes
  • Let cool
  • Spread a thick layer of whipped topping over the cooled cookie dough pizza crust.
  • Arrange fruit as desired on top of the dessert pizza
  • Serve

 

 

MMM Mint Dessert Pizza

Ingredients:

  • 1 powdered package of chocolate cookie dough
  • 1 jar of vanilla or mint icing
  • Mint Extract
  • Chocolate chips
  • Junior mints, York peppermint patties, or Thin Mints (chopped)

 

Directions:

  • Follow packaged cookie dough instructions to make chocolate cookie dough.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
  • Press cookie dough evenly into a 12 inch pizza pan.
  • Bake for 12 to 18 minutes
  • Let cool
  • Mix 2 tsp of mint extract into the jar of vanilla icing and stir.
  • Spread mint icing over cooled cookie pizza crust
  • Cover the pizza with crushed candy topping and chocolate chips
  • If desired, warm the dessert pizza until the toppings are ooey gooey (not soupy)
  • Serve

 

 

Twix Dessert Pizza

Ingredients:

  • 1 powdered package of chocolate cookie dough
  • Caramel dessert topping
  • Chocolate chips
  • A family sized package of Twix bars (chopped)

 

Directions:

  • Follow packaged cookie dough instructions to make chocolate cookie dough.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
  • Press cookie dough evenly into a 12 inch pizza pan.
  • Bake for 12 to 18 minutes
  • Let cool
  • Drizzle cookie dough pizza crust with caramel
  • Cover the pizza with crushed Twix topping and chocolate chips
  • If desired, warm the dessert pizza until the toppings are ooey gooey (not soupy)
  • Serve
March 30, 2012, Author: Laura, Leave a comment

Funny Happy Birthday Quote

Categories: Quotes
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Your birthday is back! Steal a funny happy birthday quote to set just the right tone for the next year of your life.

 

Funny Happy Birthday Quotes

You are only young once, but you can be immature for a lifetime.

~John P. Grier

 

There is still no cure for the common birthday.

~John Glenn

 

Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest.

~Larry Lorenzoni

 

All the world is birthday cake, so take a piece, but not too much.

~George Harrison

 

Birthdays are nature’s way of telling us to eat more cake and not worry about the weight.

~Anonymous

 

Inside every older person is a younger person -

wondering what the hell happened.

~Cora Harvey Armstrong

 

Handmade presents are scary because they reveal that you have too much free time.

~Doug Coupland

 

As long as there are birthday gifts, I don’t mind celebrating my birthdays everyday.

~Anonymous

 

One starts to get young at the age of sixty and then it is too late.

~Pablo Picasso

 

Let them eat cake.

~Marie Antoinette

 

There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is eleven.

~Dave Barry

 

I have been 25 since I was 25.

~Anonymous

 

It takes a long time to grow young.

~Pablo Picasso

 

I have achieved my seventy years in the usual way, by sticking strictly to a scheme of life which would kill anybody else….I will offer here, as a sound maxim, this: That we can’t reach old age by another man’s road.

~Mark Twain

 

All my life, I always wanted to be somebody. Now I see that I should have been more specific.

~Jane Wagner

 

After 30, a body has a mind of its own.

~Bette Midler

 

A diplomat is a man who always remembers a woman’s birthday but never remembers her age.

~Robert Frost

 

Age is strictly a case of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.

~Jack Benny

 

A man of sixty has spent twenty years in bed and over three years in eating.

~Arnold Bennett

 

I’m getting sick of pretending to be excited every time it’s somebody’s birthday. What is the big deal? How many times do we have to celebrate that someone was born? Every year, over and over … All you did was not die for twelve months.

~Jerry Seinfield

 

Thirty five is a very attractive age;

London society is full of women who have of their own

free choice remained thirty-five for years.

~Oscar Wilde

 

What most persons consider as virtue, after the age of 40 is simply a loss of energy.

~Voltaire

 

Just remember, once you’re over the hill you begin to pick up speed.

~Charles Schulz

 

Getting old ain’t for sissies.

~Bette Davis

 

Few women admit their age. Few men act theirs.

~Anonymous

 

Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of eighty and gradually approach eighteen

~Mark Twain

 

From birth to eighteen, a girl needs good parents. From eighteen to thirty-five, she needs good looks. From thirty-five to fifty-five she needs a good personality. From fifty-five on, she needs good cash.

~Sophie Tucker

 

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