Success Strategies

Wardrobe Essentials for Working Women

admin — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 09:18:08 +0000

To borrow words from one of the greatest designers of the 19th century,Christian Dior: “There is no such thing as an ugly woman – there are only the ones that do not know how to make themselves attractive.”

Making oneself attractive is all about managing your personal assets and liabilities, ensuring that when you face the world it’s the best possible face you put forward.

Style is how you package these assets and liabilities. It encompasses more than just one’s physical features (your face and body), it speaks to the way in which you carry yourself and your body language, the clothing you put on your body and the attention you pay to personal grooming…

But most importantly it speaks to the way you feel about yourself; nothing defines style like an air of self-assuredness; it’s the most essential item in your wardrobe!

Whilst the most essential item in your wardrobe is your attitude, every working woman should have in her possession the 5 following investment items:

This holds true about every women no matter what her job or age, or how rich or poor she may be – every woman should have clothing that makes her feel confident and professional and stylish!)

1. A dark, well fitting trouser suit

The pieces can, and should, be worn separately. These are investment pieces where the jacket is tailored to fit and every detail is perfect for your shape.

2. A pencil skirt

An A-line skirt is also acceptable, if it is more flattering for your shape.

3. A crisp shirt

Clean, ironed and in a fabric that flatters the bust (cotton poplin with lots of stretch), a shirt will never go out of fashion and can be dressed up or down.

4. Wide leg trousers

These are an absolute staple – a pair of wide leg, floppy trousers is comfortable, can be dressed up or down and can be worn with a normal top/shirt or with a tunic dress over.

5. A wrap dress

Diane von Furstenberg launched the classic wrap dress in the 1970s and it has been a fashion phenomenon and an immediate classic ever since.

So with a bit of confidence, a bit of personal flair and a few investment pieces in your wardrobe – you will be dressed for the success that you deserve to achieve!

By Catherine Bowen

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Technorati Tags: body language, confidence, self confidence, self-assuredness

Dare to Dream!

admin — Mon, 31 May 2010 11:30:40 +0000

If you’re feeling a bit jaded about your life, the advice of a 6 year old could change everything quickly. I listened to her and immediately got a motivational buzz. It happened when I had the good fortune of falling in behind her, her mother and her sister on way to junior school.

As they walked she asked how old her Mom’s friend was. Her mother replied ‘very old, 81’. The daughter continued ‘that’s not old. I’m going to be 900’. The mother responded that it not physically possible to live to 900. ‘Well’ said the daughter ‘I’ll die, ask God to make me alive again, and then I’ll come back.’ ‘Then you’ll be like an angel’ added the little one. ‘Yes’ said her sister ‘I’ll fly everywhere’. They both laughed spreading their angel arms in imaginary flight.

They weren’t the only ones doing some enchanted flying. The conversation got me soaring too. It brought a deep smile to my being but also reminded me of a fundamental principle of success and motivation – we need to dream – actively. Moreover we need to dream beyond the constraints of what we personally believe is possible.

George Bernard Shaw said ‘The reasonable man adjusts himself to the world. The unreasonable man adjusts the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.’ Dreaming big dreams is the state of mind that nature intended for us. Being jaded is not.

Encouraging your imagination to soar in a positive way is the doorway to doing something worthwhile. It also has an instant physical benefit since the brain releases chemicals that induce states of well being. It’s about giving the nervous system a bath in happiness. Whether you get to turn your dreams into reality or not, simply entertaining them in your mind gives your body a shot of happiness power.

You might say to yourself ‘all this dreaming stuff is fine for others but not me’ or maybe you’re feeling a bit lazy to change your thinking – even a little afraid of challenging life in this way. This is not an unusual response. In my early adult life I significantly held back these feelings myself.

At the time I regularly took my clapped out old car to a chap called Mannie for repair. He was 40 and active and so I was stunned when he suddenly died of a heart attack. I remember standing in his reception area realising I had no guarantees how long I’d be around either. Suddenly I was imagining myself standing before the ‘guy in the sky’ accounting for MY life so far. I didn’t like what I saw.

I had been holding back from living fully. I’d let my choices be formed by what I thought others might say. I’d wasted precious opportunities by trying to keep everyone else happy. I’d given away my power too many times by saying yes when I really wanted to say no. Worst of all, I’d done my level best not to take scary risks.

But Mannie’s early death gave me a new perspective and I became 100% resolute that I would do whatever it took to live a life that I would be proud of – to say yes to my dreams, to live fully. My life changed that day and I never looked back. And yours can too.

Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela’s and Thomas Edison all have one thing in common. They achieved brilliant things because they dared to entertain brilliant dreams. They held fast to the notion that they could succeed irrespective. Their accomplishments are testimony to the power of dreaming, and whilst your name might not be destined for the hall of fame, take inspiration from Martin Luther King who said that ‘not everyone will be famous, but everyone can be great’.

So this week do your life a favour, invite your inner 5 year old to tea and ask him, or her, what great things he/she had in mind for you. Reconnect with your childhood dreams – your own business? A gorgeous partner? Making a difference? Live to 900? And as you do, consider that living to 900 could be as unthinkable now as walking on the moon was to our grandparents. Impossible? Not so!

Go on, dare to dream, dare be genuinely great.

By Cat Glennie

To learn more on how you can benefit from Cat’s expertise and our other expert contributors, click here.

Technorati Tags: dreams, life goals, motivation, success

Life Makeover Day 8 – Detox Your Life

admin — Mon, 03 May 2010 12:41:57 +0000

It’s the start of a fresh new week in your life makeover! Take a moment to breathe in all the goodness that your life has to offer you so far … and then slowly breathe out … may this release of breath symbolise all that you are going to be letting go of (that which you no longer want or need in your life).

For the next two weeks we are going to go through an invigorating and powerful LIFE DETOX!

That’s right! It’s all about detoxing your life – mentally, emotionally and physically!

Today is the first day of a two-week detox period in your life makeover plan in which we are going to get rid of all the things that take up space in your environment (home and workspace), as well as in your mind!

For the next two weeks we are going to tackle many areas of your life and we are going to clear out all the clutter so that we can get rid of everything that you don’t need in your life. When we get stuck in – you will start to feel the freedom that comes with the process of letting go.

During this period we will find ways to CREATE SPACE so that (a little later on in the program) you will then be able to add new exciting elements to your life that you consciously choose to have!

We are going to take one step at a time, I am going to explain to you how to let go of what we don’t need in our lives so that we can open up our environments and our minds for new possibilities.

We simply cannot invite new and exciting things into our lives if the space is full to the brim of unwanted clutter.

The next few days of your life makeover we will spend time focussing on detoxing your physical environment.

NOTE: This process is not only for the “hoarders” amongst us. Even if you are super-organised and everything in your life is in its place – you can still benefit from going through a clean out of what you don’t need any more. This is not so much about getting organised – we will get there later! – but this is more about CREATING SPACE so that good things can come!

Know this: detoxing, or spring cleaning, does not necessarily mean things must be “perfect”.

If for you, it is warm and inviting having a live-in and busy environment (home and office), – that’s great, and maybe you are quite content to have things a little ruffled, as it adds character! Consider that this is fine – if you are 100% thriving in your space. But also consider that even you could use a little sprucing up in your environment from time to time.

Here are 5 benefits of detoxing your environment:

IT SAVES YOU MONEY

IT HELPS YOU BECOME MORE GRATEFUL

IT PROVIDES A STRESS RELIEF

IT CAN BE GREAT EXERCISE!

5. IT CLEARS YOUR MIND!

Next week we will be delving deep into a MIND DETOX, which I will explain the importance of when we get there.

By Samantha McMurtrie

Please note this is only an extract from Day 8. To see our full Life Makeover offer, click the link below:

Click here for our Extreme Life Makeover Offer

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Technorati Tags: Life Makeover

Life Makeover – Day 7

admin — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:41:09 +0000

On Day 7 of our Life Makeover plan we calibrate and check on your progress and commitment.

If you are on track with your Life Makeover Program, you will take a moment to acknowledge yourself for your commitment to YOU and leaning how to better yourself and your life!

Perhaps you have fallen a little behind on you Life Makeover Program?

Perhaps you have given yourself a “valid” reason as to why you have not completed all your action challenges yet?
Maybe you feel it`s ok to fall behind, as no-one is watching you?

Consider that until such time as you follow though on what you commit to – you will not experience the reality you wish you could have. Your success on this Life Makeover program (and in life) is directly proportionate to the level of commitment and responsibility you take.

There`s a difference between interest and commitment. When you`re interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstance permit. When you`re committed to something you accept no excuses, only results.

Click here for our Extreme Life Makeover Offer

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Technorati Tags: extreme life makeover, Life Makeover

Eating Consciously and Mindfully

admin — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 11:43:29 +0000

We often try to bite off more than what we can chew literally and figuratively. Proper nutrition and absorption of nutrients starts with being aware of what we place in our bodies and when we do it.

To practice Conscious Eating, choose one meal in the day that you commit to eating consciously, mindfully and thoughtfully. Choose a meal that you know for sure, for at least the first week, you will eat at the same time every day.

Increase your mindful eating until it effortlessly becomes a way of life and a new eating habit.

Sit down to your meal in a peaceful environment
No eating in front of the TV or on the run. For this one meal only, choose to sit at a table and play soft music in the background or simply sit in silence. Clear the space surrounding your plate and place anything distracting out of eye sight.

Bless your food
Giving thanks for the meal that you’ve prepared focuses your energy on the privilege and blessing to have food to nourish your body with. Simply say: “Blessings for my meal, may it nourish and heal.”

Trace your food
Chew each bite 50 times and ask the following questions while you are chewing your food:
• What is the temperature of the food?
• What is the texture of the food?
• What can I taste in this bite?
• What flavours am I aware of?
Follow your food by feeling it against the inside of your mouth, going down your throat and into your stomach.

Become aware of your body’s reaction to the food
Keep checking in with your body while you are eating. To do this, put your utensils down between each bite and do not load your fork until you have nothing left in your mouth. It is amazing to see how many times we are ready for the next bite while still chewing away without noticing the food in our mouths.

Take some time to record your experience
Keep a food journal for your conscious meal a day experience. How does your body feel 10 minutes after eating your food? How does it feel 2 hours later? We sometimes fail to trace any discomfort to the large meal we had at lunch. Notice if your body is feeling relaxed or tense after eating.

You will soon notice patterns and food habits that you weren’t aware of before. And remember, awareness is the first step into any form of power to choose.

“Eating is not merely a material pleasure. Eating well gives a spectacular
joy to life and contributes immensely to goodwill and happy
companionship. It is of great importance to the morale.”
Elsa Schiaparelli

By Berdine Bronkhorst

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Technorati Tags: conscious eating, food, mindfull eating, proper nutrition

Tips for Being Happy

admin — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 15:14:33 +0000

To experience happiness we need to feel powerful. Psychologists say that perceptions of power and control, the belief that you can make the changes you desire are critical to mental health and success. In fact depression is an expression of powerlessness.

Expressing your power is an act of peace.Unfortunately most people never give much thought about personal power when considering how happy they are in their world.

Instead many mistakenly (and subliminally) believe that acting powerful is about overpowering people.

But genuine personal power is a sacred moment in which we allow ourselves to stand in the centre of who we are – allowing this place to inform our behaviour in the moment.

And when we stand in this centre, we say YES to ourselves, YES to life and YES to joy.

In our childhood we learn powerlessness.
As adults we need to reclaim it & retrain it.

When we are small children our parents and society teach us to limit our thoughts and energies so as to abide by a set of social rules. They do this to make the collective ‘safe’, but in truth this is a place of sacrifice. We are trained to block our power, shrinking so as not to make others feel insecure or out of their comfort zones.

This is how the Course in Miracles frames it:
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?’
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.

Since happiness is the pursuit of all, and powerless is a road we all walk on – how can we go about changing powerlessness to powerful?

Here’s a tip for helping you raise your levels of personal power.
1. For two days fill in an hourly chart, rating your feelings of personal power out of 10.
2. Note what events trigger an increase or decrease in your sense of power.
3. If you have a decrease, tap your finger lightly on your throat and say ‘I am willing to release the pattern that has created this condition’.

This simple process will go to work on the unconscious patterns deep in your being. The more you take these three steps the greater the effect.

By taking these simple actions you will be taking a step towards being a happier more successful you – a version of you that is able to stand in your centre and say YES to being yourself.

There is a part of every living thing that wants to become itself, the tadpole into the frog, the chrysalis into the butterfly, a damaged human being into a whole one. Ellen Bass

By Cat Glennie

To learn more on how you can benefit from Cat’s expertise and our other expert contributors, click here.

Technorati Tags: personal power, success

How to Turn Fashion Into Great Style

admin — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 13:35:14 +0000

The first thing any reputable personal stylist will tell you is that good style begins with not being a slave to the whimsical fashion industry… This is not to say that fashion is irrelevant – it is a wonderful showcase of designers’ capacity for creativity and femininity – it simply requires audiences to use a bit of discretion and energy in picking out what works for them on a personal level.

A personal stylist can help you to define your personal style guidelines, which then gives you unexpected free reign to work within them and knowledge on how to knowingly break them.

Fashion should encourage you to experiment with new silhouettes from time to time and keep you informed as to how our social context is constantly changing and how to stay relevant, but your over-arching personal style should change only gradually over time and in line with your own personal transformation as an individual…

Below are two of the key colour trends for 2010/11 and how to wear them:

1. Nudes – peach, beige, stone, ivory, taupe

Nudes have been a big colour trend for the last three seasons (i.e. since around last year March) and looks set to be fashionable for another three seasons at least… However it can easily become an overly-romantic and old-fashioned look, so one should mix soft and drapey knits and floaty silks and chiffons with more tailored pieces, bold and stylized accessories and patent or snakeskin heels to keep the contemporary look.

Also experiment with different tones within your outfit to prevent it from becoming dull, and if necessary, buy jackets and underlays (camisoles) that suit your skin tone.

If nudes are not a complimentary colour pattern for you, then be sure to wear this look with full make-up. Take a look at collections by Stella McCartney for inspiration.

2. Brights – think like a bird…

I say think like a bird because the range of colours on the catwalks is reminiscent of fabulous feathery plumages – canary yellow, peacock blue and green (emerald green and cobalt blue) toucan red…

When colourblocking (pairing two high-contrast colours next to one another) it’s a great idea to wear a waist-cinching leather belt as a modern and proportionflattering touch. Also avoid going too matchy-matchy with bright colours as the overall effect is less inspiring; instead team a coral dress with emerald shoes for example or pair bright and texture together.

This is also not a look to wear with bright make-up, keep it neutral and soft…

3. White and Grey

White and grey is a colour trend that translates as well in day as it does in night…

Head-to-toe white is not an easy look to wear head-to-toe but softening the look with dove-grey and touches of silver gives your outfit a modern art deco vibe. Again playing with textures is important – such as slinky knits with more structured and stiffer overlays.

When choosing your silver accessories you should be thinking chic art deco (a sequined or metal clutch bag or a simple perspex bangle) and not Space Age.

Restrict the white to your slimmest parts and let grey flatter the rest…

Remember – use a bit of discretion and energy in picking out what works for you on a personal level!

By Catherine Bowen

To read more about our Success Strategies offer click here.

To enroll for your online coaching right now click on the Buy from 2CO button below. Membership is $35 per month and you can opt out at any time.

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Technorati Tags: personal transformation, success strategies

The Before Snap Shot on Day 6

admin — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 13:27:10 +0000

Now, before we go racing ahead towards becoming pretty powerful – it is important to start the journey by capturing a brief depiction of where you are in your life RIGHT NOW.

Only when you can truly look at something for what it is – can you attempt to change it. And in order to successfully get to where you want to go – you need to look at where your starting point is.

You may be very satisfied with your life right now, and maybe you are just looking for a few tweaks here and there. Or maybe you are not entirely happy with where you are at and you feel you need to make some serious changes in order to change the direction you are headed towards.

Either or – I am almost positive that you are looking to better what you have now, otherwise you wouldn’t be doing this program.

So don’t think for one second that this snap shot has to be pretty and powerful just yet. Staying in a denial about any area of your life will prolong the situation. Sometimes we fear that we may look stupid by exposing our weakness or cracks in our lives – firstly, this is a self-sabotaging behaviour that will not serve anyone, and secondly – this is YOUR program – so no-one will see what you write down. Be completely honest and open with yourself to get maximum results.

So TODAY is about creating the snap shot of your life as it is currently. By creating this snap shot we will be able to gauge your achievements and measure your progress during the program.

We are going to look at seeing your current situation for what it is and you will then be able to ascertain where you are heading towards if you continue on this path.

GET INTO THE PICTURE

Subscribe now at $35.00 per month to get exact instructions on how to take your snap shot on day 6 and to start getting your daily Makeover coaching emails. Have a look at the wonderful free bonusses you will be getting when you subscribe. You can opt out at any time.

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Technorati Tags: goals, goals setting, life coaching

Attitude of Gratitude – Starting on Day 5

admin — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 13:44:55 +0000

Today should have been the first day of your morning routine. How did it go? Have you Created Your Day with powerful and purposeful action?

How full is that Worry Chest of yours? Remember, you have stored your worries in your worry chest so that you don’t have to worry about forgetting about what you have to worry about! ?

Today is about creating your day the way you want it to go – and if you are winning so far, good for you! If your day is running a little havoc and out of control, don’t stress, just try and stay focused and pull yourself towards yourself – refresh your mind on what you set out to achieve today and try and get back on track! (You’ll get the hang of it. Just don’t give up! Soon you’ll start ruling your day like a power diva!)

TODAY is all about gratitude and the impact it can have on your life. Once I have given you a little insight into why gratitude is so important, I’ll fill you in on incorporating an attitude of gratitude into your Nightly Routine that you are going to practice from this evening onwards.

ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE!

A very effective way to start turning your life around is to start looking at what you are grateful for in your life. This shifts your energy and also starts to shift your thinking. Instead of focusing on what you DON’T have and complaining about it, rather shift your focus to what you DO have in your life. You see, WHAT YOU FOCUS ON GROWS! So if you focus on what you don’t have, you will get more of nothing! If you start to focus on what you do have, you’ll get more of that!

By being grateful for what you have NOW, you will be surprised at how many thoughts will come into your mind about what all you have to be grateful for.

By expressing gratitude, you are literally opening up the channel for more great things to flow into your life. You become a magnet attracting more good things! Why do you think that when things are going great, more great things just keep on happening? It’s a snowball effect!

The more you choose to notice what is good and wonderful in your life, the happier and more peaceful you will feel and the more abundance you will attract into your life!

Gratitude is a very powerful exercise that gets you in alignment with positive thoughts about yourself & your life – AND it sends out positive thoughts to the universe which are then reciprocated by making these positive thoughts turn into your reality!

Who do you choose to be most of the time – someone who is grateful a lot or someone who complains a lot?

Well – if you want to start attracting all the goodness that life has to offer into YOUR life – then let’s get going on creating your EVENING ROUTINE which will put you one BIG step closer to achieving that!

EVERY EVENING: NIGHTLY REFLECTIONS

Before you go to sleep at night, it is very powerful to spend a few minutes to just reflect on your day – it allows you to take a bird’s eye view of what all went on in your day without you being too caught up in the rush of it. You can reflect without any attachment to your emotions and you can draw objective thoughts and opinions – thereby creating a heightened awareness of yourself and of what goes on with you in your day.

By doing so, you will end your day with tranquil reflection & powerful perspective! This will allow you to shift your focus from continuous worrying, (counting all those worrisome sheep when trying to fall asleep!) – to a calm, soothing and peaceful way of arriving in dreamland!

AND by incorporating ways of showing gratitude into your evening routine – you get to end your day off with appreciation and you get to set your attitude of gratitude for the day to follow.

To get access to the 6 Step Nightly Reflection Routine and to enroll on our Life Makeover program at $35 per day you need to click on the Buy From 2CO button in the box below.

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Technorati Tags: gratitude, reflection

Start creating your day from Day 4

admin — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 12:57:30 +0000

GOOD MORNING – IT’S TIME TO GET UP AND GLOW!

Today is all about choosing the way you start your day – every day from today onwards! Implementing today’s action challenge will deliver astounding results! (I know!)

If you are like most people, your email in-box is overflowing and your to-do list is never-ending. And you probably feel guilty because some important matter in your life does not get the attention it deserves.

We are living in an information-rich, “always-on” world and most of us suffer from the “I don’t have enough time” for “what I need to do more of” syndrome. Most of us work in a “knowledge work” environment that has no clear boundaries. You can always do more research, re-refine your proposal, further improve on the quality of your report, spend more time with your children, spend more time with friends, do more for the community – and the list goes on.

Fact is, in our world today there will always be more to do. Working more won’t change that. In fact, working more sometimes creates more work!

How do we stay focused and “in control” under these circumstances? The answer lies in cultivating a habit of focusing on what is most important.

The first step in the right direction is to consciously create each day from the start so that you have a clear plan that will help you make the right decisions on how you spend your time and energy.

PLEASE NOTE: We will address this topic of “time management” in more detail later, but for now, let’s implement a powerful and motivating early morning routine that will impact your life in ways that you could never have imagined!

EVERY MORNING: CREATE YOUR DAY

I would advise that even before you get out of bed, you spend about 10 – 15 minutes “creating your day”. If you are one of us gals that needs a coffee to get started, then get a cuppa and start to create your day!

Note: The tone for your day is often set within the first hour of you waking up. If you wake up on the “wrong side of the bed” and the start to your day already seems like effort and is already filled with your negative little voice in your head ruling the roost – studies prove that the rest of your day will just be a negative snow ball effect!

Everything from “damn, I spilt my coffee on my blouse” to “the photocopy machine is dying on me again!” to “someone is in my parking!” ….. will just keep on happening to your day!

So – by visualizing your day and creating it before the day even begins – you will have a much better chance of consciously stepping out of bed on the “right foot”!

Now if your daily routine sounds like a lot to do – then consider – to receive the best results from this program you need to set aside time each day. You must raise the standards of what you expect from yourself. Make the commitment to yourself now to spend time and energy on empowering yourself to be able to make yourself better and to create a more rewarding life!

So let’s look at what you need to do first thing in the morning!

By Samantha McMurtrie

To enroll on our Life Makeover program at $35.00 per month and get detailed instructions on the 5 step process to create your day you need to click below. Note you can opt out at any time.

To read more about our makeover programs read here.

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Technorati Tags: conscious commitment, create your day, time management