Get Up Girl

20 Ways to Say Thank You to Anyone, Including Yourself

2011-12-02T17:31:00.001-08:00

by Margalit Ward

Tis the season to be thankful. With Thanksgiving behind us, and the December holiday season upon us, it got me thinking about all the ways we can appreciate the many people in our lives, including ourselves.

Here are 20 Ways to Say Thank You to Anyone, Including Yourself:

1. Smile… at a stranger, a friend, someone you love.

2. Draw a picture with a kind word, quote or phrase.

3. Cook dinner for a friend that doesn't get to enjoy home cooked meals very often.

4. Mail a hand-written thank you note to someone you appreciate. (I know this is sooo last century!)

5. Sing a song when it's least expected. (serenading is a lost art)

6. Bake cookies for your local firehouse.

7. Write a poem or limerick for a child in your life.

8. Write a list of 10 things you appreciate about a person, and share it with them.

9. Hugs! Who doesn't like a hug?

10. Leave a note of thanks for your postal worker for delivering your mail everyday rain or shine.

11. Let the manager know how well your favorite waiter, sales person, or customer service person helped you.

12. Write 10 things you appreciate about yourself, and post it where you will see it everyday for a month.

13. Send a fun postcard to someone you haven't seen in a long time.

14. Send a letter or email of appreciation to any teachers that made a difference in your life.

15. Leave a colorful and thankful note for a waiter who gave you excellent service.

16. Send flowers to your mother on YOUR birthday. (yeah, she's the one that made it all happen)

17. Decorate your dinner table with some extra special touches of love & creativity. Ideas: colorful & personal notes, flowers, candles, special table cloth & table settings, tree lights, crystals, etc.

18. Pick or buy flowers for your next door neighbors & leave with a note thanking them for being a wonderful neighbor.

19. Save a dollar a day for a month, and then treat yourself to a movie and ice cream (or whatever you like).

20. Look at yourself in the mirror, into your beautiful eyes, and let yourself know how much you appreciate the gift and blessing that you are.

With every gesture of kindness and gratitude, we are lifted, blessed and transported to a place where our hearts are naturally joyful. As Mother Teresa has said, 'Gratitude is the Mother of Joy.' Yes it's true, it's hard to be grumpy when we feel grateful. Instead, we focus on what's right in our lives. So jump in, feel the love, the joy, and the gift of being thankful.

We invite you to share with us your ideas of other ways of saying 'thank you', and what your experience is with sharing your gratitude with yourself and others.

Wishing you much Joy!

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20 Books to Inspire You

2011-11-07T22:42:00.000-08:00

What happens when you invite23 dynamic women, each with their own unique story, to share with each otherabout what has inspired them in their lives? In addition to having fun, you find yourself feeling uplifted, touched, and inspired by the beautyand strength of these amazing women.

A couple of weeks ago Get Up Girl hosted an evening called, ‘Inspire, Network and Swap Books’. The womenattending arrived with three things: 1- Ready to share a short story or a fewsentences about what or who inspired them in their life, 2- A yummy treatto share with the group, and 3- An inspirational book to swap with others.

The evening’s themeobviously touched a chord! The October event was sold out, and we had to starta waiting list. I think it’s safe to say, people love to be inspired, to read,and of course, to eat! We enjoyed mingling, snacking and getting to know eachother, before circling up to share our stories and a great variety books.

Below is the listof books the women exchanged at our event (all linked to Amazon). The list includes everything from non-fiction, self-help, to some wonderful memoirs andfiction. If you have books that inspired you, we would love to know thetitles and authors. We will start another list of books from your comments andemails. We thank you for your suggestions. Enjoy!

20 Inspiring Books:

1. 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life -David Ricklan

2. A Big Little Life: A Memoir of a Joyful Dog - Dean Koontz

3. Creative Visualization - Shakti Gawain

4. Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker - Marla Martenson

5. Eat Pray Love - Elizabeth Gilbert

6. Excuses Begone! - Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

7. Gods and Goddesses in Love - Agapi Stassinopoulos

8. Handbook for the Heart - Richard Carlson

9. How Starbucks Saved My Life - Michael Gates Gill

10. If You Have to Cry, Go Outside:

And Other Things Your Mother Never Told You - Kelly Cutrone

11. Letters to a Young Poet - Rainer Maria Rilke

12. Now is the Time - Patrick Lindsay

13. The Help - Kathryn Stockett

14. The Man Who Planted Trees - Jean Giono

15. The Mastery of Love - Don Miguel Ruiz

16. The Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle

17. The Story of You - Steve Chandler

18. Seinlanguage - Jerry Seinfeld

19. Think and Grow Rich - Napolian Hill

20. Your Best Year Yet - Jinny S. Ditzler

If you would like to beinvited to a future Get Up Girl event, you can connect with us a few ways.Subscribe to our Newsletter, followus on Facebook, or join our Get Up Girl MeetupGroup. We look forward to seeing you!

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The Comparison Trap

2011-08-08T22:13:00.000-07:00

by Leo Babauta of zenhabits

I love reading about other people’s work setups, I really do. It’s one of my guilty pleasures.

I’ll read about another blogger’s computer setup, or what kind of notebook and pen he uses, or how he works standing up or on a treadmill or while doing handstand pushups and growing a vegetable garden.

And when I read about some cool setup someone else has, some cool new way of working, I inevitably want to try it. I’m only human.

You’ve done this too, probably. You might read a review of some new software that will help you create, or a new fashion style or some cool shoes or beautiful furniture or the newest iPad, or the latest iPhone app. Or maybe you’re a minimalist and read someone’s barefoot running article, or how they’re living out of a backpack, and want to try that.

It’s a trap.

We’re endlessly looking at how others do things, for inspiration and ideas … but we end up wanting to try those things too. That sounds harmless until you realize that you’ll buy almost anything because someone wrote about it and made it sound amazing. You’ll live a life of an endless series of purchases because of what other people are doing. And it never ends.

Even if you don’t buy stuff, you’ll change your life endlessly, based on what others are doing. You’ll give up your couch, you’ll stop buying Ikea furniture, then give up your cell phone, then give up your computer, then start doing yoga, then become a Zen monk, then create a tech startup. Those things are amazing, sure … but when does it ever end?

When do we ever feel content with the life we’re living?

If you look to the lives of others, 
you’ll always find yourself lacking.

Look instead at what you have, 
and be grateful.

Reduce your needs,
 and be content.

And your life of striving 
for perfection, for the future, 
will become a life of balance, 
of the moment, of inner peace.

For more articles by zen habits, go to: zenhabits.net

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The Wisdom of Steve Jobs

2011-07-08T18:03:00.000-07:00

I read this quote by Apple's Co-Founder and visionary, Steve Jobs this week and found it very inspiring, so I decided to make it this week's Get Up Girl blog post.

Enjoy!

"Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
-Steve Jobs

It reminds me to take time to listen inside to what truly moves, inspires and lifts me. To pay attention to the little nudges and whispers within. And to keep asking myself, "Am I being true to what my heart and intuition is guiding me to do?" Plus, this man is a living demonstration of expressing creativity and innovation.

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6 Tips To Bounce Back From Overwhelm

2011-06-24T17:32:00.000-07:00

6 Tips To Bounce Back From Overwhelm
by Lisa Peake, M.A.

Get Up Girl and productivity pro, Lisa Peake of Peake Productivity, shares with us about how to support ourselves when we're experiencing overwhelm.

I work with a lot of busy women. Each one is doing her best to be a good daughter, friend, wife, sister, mother, and brings a high level of care and investment to her work. The good news is that studies show that wearing these varied roles benefits us: when one area of life becomes challenging, we resource self-esteem and encouragement from other sources. We are more robust because we care about and participate in many different areas.

But what happens when all of these areas demand a lot of your time and focus, leaving little left over for you?

That’s when I remind my clients (and myself) that we women must give to ourselves first before we can give of the overflow. If you’re feeling depleted or overwhelmed, here are 6 tips to restore yourself to productivity relaxed focus:

1. Appreciate yourself and your partner.
Start with yourself, and start simple. Write down 3-5 things you appreciate about yourself at the end of the day. Make sure to include qualities about yourself as well as accomplishments. Then turn to your spouse, best friend, or business partner and share the love. A major source of emotional nourishment comes from feeling appreciated, and you’re the best person to start this trend in your own life. I have all of my clients appreciate themselves at the end of each week as part of their Weekly Review.

2. Take a sabbath day.
It was Rachel Naomi Remen who inspired me to block out a day of rest on my calendar every week. Commit to it! Usually a weekend works best for most people. For the entire day: no chores, no errands, keep cooking simple and nourishing, or ask a loved one to take over. Hire a babysitter if needed. Make it a day to play, pray, rest, nap, primp, gab, meditate, and receive support from the ones you love. Resting in this way allows your mind time to incubate creative ideas. All of the brilliant artists, writers and musicians take time away from their creations to percolate. Take time away from whatever it is that you produce, and recharge.

3. Know when to quit.
When you’re tired, sleepy or “braindead”, your most productive next action is rest. This may sound elementary, but in fact it takes conscious awareness to know when to stop (work, play, chores, etc.) Practice checking in with yourself to find out when you need to stop what you’re doing, or take a break. This can also mean know when to quit dwelling on negative thoughts. By redirecting yourself to something more nurturing or uplifting, you have an opportunity to recreate your day.

4. Don’t confuse sneaky indulgences with true self-nurturing.
A pint of Hagen Daas is probably not true self-nurturing, especially if it leaves you feeling guilty. Recognize those times when you want to “slip up” - that is, any time a convenient justification pops in like, “I deserve this because...” Take that as a sign that you need more true self-nurturing. True self-nurturing creates space for greater awareness, false nurturing pushes aside unpleasant thoughts or emotions. The productive choice is to honor what’s present now, and be kind to yourself as you go through it. There is no going around it, anyway. “The best way out is always through.” -Robert Frost

5. Forgive the day.
Forgive yourself, the people in your day, the situations in your life. Forgive it all. This way, when your head hits the pillow, you go free. You can do this in a simple way by saying, “I forgive myself for judging anyone or anything I judged today.” Do what is necessary to bring yourself into peace, and your night time rest will be more rejuvenating.

6. Set a bedtime intention to get deep rejuvenating rest.
Write in your journal what kind of sleep you want to receive, or just say your intention inwardly. You can include an intention to have meaningful dreams, and to wake up feeling refreshed. This is a simple one to try out and test the results for yourself. It takes less than 30 seconds per day. We all need to make time for ourselves in a conscious caring way. When we don’t, we find ourselves depleted and wondering what happened. It takes some effort to stay rested in a busy world, but if you make these tools and others an important part of your daily and weekly routine, you may find that you bounce back from those occasional moments of overwhelm a lot faster.

To find out more about Lisa's work and how she supports her clients with greater productivity, go to: peakeproductivity.com

Ode to Joy!

2011-03-05T14:10:00.000-08:00

Article & photos by Margalit Ward

What can I say, I just couldn't help myself.

With the launch of our new Balancing Motherhood women's group this week, (what a wonderful group of powerful, committed and inspiring women. Wow!) and this beautiful spring like morning in sunny LA, my heart was bursting with gratitude and joy for all the blessings in my life and I wanted to share some of it with you.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes about the JOY of life!

"Joy is not in things, it is in us." -Richard Wagner

"Ecstasy is a full, deep involvement in life." –John Lowel

"It is astonishing how short a time it takes for very wonderful things to happen." –Frances Hodgson Burnett

"Joy delights in Joy." –William Shakespeare

"I've never seen a smiling face that was not beautiful." –Unknown

"To love what you do and feel that it matters –how could anything be more fun?" –Katherine Graham

"Enjoying those things for which we were presumably designed in the first place... the opportunity to do good work, to fall in love, to enjoy friends, to sit under trees, to read, to hit a ball, to bounce a baby." –Alistair Cooke

"Love many things." –Vincent Van Gogh

"Joy is increased by spreading it to others." –Robert Murray

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our soul blossom." –Marcel Proust

Making a clear intention of experiencing greater happiness and joy, or any other quality, is the first step in creating more of it. Choose to create joy in your life today. Laugh. Play. Breath. Enjoy this moment. Reach out to others, and do the things you love. Your happiness today is the gift you can give to yourself. Enjoy!

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Do you love your business? And does your business love you back?

2011-02-17T12:43:00.000-08:00

Article & Photo by Jennifer Lee

Do you love your business? Or if you work for someone else, do you love your job? I mean really, really love it?

We spend so much of our time working, why not be absolutely head over heels in love with what you do for a living?

5 ways to fall in love with your business all over again:

Focus on your passion.
Are you spending most of your day on the work that lights you up or on tasks that you loathe? What do you need to say no to so you can say yes to the things that make your heart sing?

Find ways to bring fun and joy into your work.
What are some small things that bring a smile to your face? Is it using fun colored markers or post-its? Is it being barefoot? Is it getting to try something new?

Work with people you love.
When you surround yourself with good peeps, you’re bound to feel good. Who are your perfect customers? The ones who light you up when you work with them and you know you’re helping them in the best possible way. Who are your perfect partners and creative cohorts? The ones who you know you can count on, delivery quality, and appreciate your relationship.

Invest in yourself and in your business.
Is there a new skill you want to learn that will give you an edge? Are there events you know will give you tons of exposure or tools you know will help you create your next great product? Be willing to spend money on things you know will help grow your business in the long run.

Show yourself some love.
How can you take better care of yourself? When you’re healthy and happy, everything just seems to flow more easily. Instead of working yourself to the bone, make sure to take gentle breaks, celebrate your successes, and practice compassion toward yourself and others.

Pick one or two things to play with this week and see what that sparks for you and your work. When you love your business, your business loves ya right back.

If you long to have a more fun and fulfilling relationship with your business or you just want to turn up the heat on your professional passion meter, then please join me for a fabulous and informative event that will make your creative heart flutter – the first-ever Right-Brainers in Business Video Summit.

To find out more about Jennifer Lee, and her Right Brain Business Plan, visit Artizen Coaching®

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5 Tips for Healing with Patience & Love

2011-02-07T20:30:00.000-08:00

by Margalit Ward

The past couple of months have been an interesting combination of work, holiday celebrations, and laying in bed sick with pneumonia. Yes, this is why you have not seen a recent post from me in quite some time. During December and parts of January, I had the opportunity to re-look at how I was taking care of myself during the busy holiday season, while balancing the projects I had set in motion. It was also an opportunity for me to remember how to make adjustments when life's challenges can force you to slow down... I mean STOP everything.

I thought it would be helpful to share some of the ways I re-remembered to take care of myself when hit by a healing crisis (I finally had to admit that pneumonia is not like a cold, or even the flu, it's a kick in the ass, get your butt in bed situation).

Simplify
Keep life simple. Don't add extra commitments, phone calls, tasks, appointments, etc. to your day, even when you just begin to feel better. My main focus for December was, rest, sleep, drink water and soup, and... more sleep (oh yeah, and catching up on Project Runway episodes). Pretty simple. When the holidays arrived, I only focused on one goal, enjoy the time with my family. I didn't try to send out the usual holiday cards to all my friends and family, attend numerous parties, or plan a trip. I kept life simple and I enjoyed a beautiful & peaceful holiday.

Let Go
Similar to keeping things simple, but taking it another step, try letting go of any attachments to HOW things get done. I don't know about you, but I can sometimes be a bit of a perfectionist. Wanting things to be and look a certain way, and if not, then I would feel dissatisfied or annoyed. It's very freeing and refreshing to let that go. Maybe for a couple of weeks it's okay to let the house get a little messy, the garden a little unruly, and your closet a little cluttered. (I think I heard a gasp!) Give yourself some space to relax and be flexible with how things unfold. Feeling relaxed and letting go of some of your daily responsibilities can assist in your healing.

Ask for Support
Give yourself permission to ask others for support you when you're not feeling well. You can ask your spouse, sister, friend, neighbor, child or a parent to please lend a hand during your time of healing. Ask them to make you soup, pick up your medication, rub your feet, etc., whatever makes you feel cared for and nurtured, and is something that they can do. (Do remember your 'please' and 'thank you's') This gives you more time to rest, and allows others to care for you, which can be a gift to the people in your life more than you know. It's an opportunity to receive from others the care and attention you deserve when you're sick.

Love Love Love Yourself
Since you're not as busy while you're resting, you have a lot of time to remind yourself how wonderful you are. Once your fever breaks, grab that dusty journal and take some time to write about what you've been learning lately. Or use it as a place to write what you appreciate about yourself, your life and the people you love. Write a love letter to yourself, and mail it to you. Create some new affirmations about how you are taking great care of yourself, your body, mind, emotions and spirit. Affirm that you are loved and cared for. Take baths, read books you love, do relaxing and nurturing things for yourself. I think you get the picture. Love and nurture you... you deserve it, now more than ever.

Gratitude
Focus on what's wonderful in your life. No matter how sick you're feeling, thinking about what you're grateful for can lift your spirits and create an attitude that is supportive to your healing process. Add writing about what you're grateful for to your journal each day, even if it's just one thing. Create a new gratitude ritual, such as; keeping a gratitude rock in your pocket or purse to remind you to focus on gratitude; once a week share gratitude with at least one other person; or google gratitude quotes on the internet, and start a list of your favorites. However you choose to focus on gratitude, doing so will generate a greater sense of well-being and loving energy.

Being sick is never fun, but I believe it gives us the opportunity to stop and reflect on what is and isn't working in our life; to make adjustments in how we spend our time and focus our energy; and to listen to ourselves in a greater way. Our bodies are wise and if we pay attention, more deeply, patiently and lovingly, we will hear what truly nourishes us.

Top Ten Takeaways From SHINE 2010

2010-11-13T19:06:00.000-08:00

Branding and marketing expert, Liz Dennery Sanders, shares highlights and words of business wisdom from her experience at Ali Brown's Annual Shine Conference for female entrepreneurs.

Top Ten Takeaways From SHINE 2010
by Liz Dennery Sanders

From the amazing networking, to the main stage and breakout sessions, there were many excellent nuggets of wisdom to be had at Ali Brown’s SHINE 2010. Here were the ten that most stood out to me:

1. Decide why you are in business. In other words, what’s your WHY? Is it money, lifestyle, fame, giving back, helping others or perhaps a combination of reasons? Whatever it is, you’re more likely to stay in it for the long haul if you’re connected to your bigger WHY.

2. Evaluate where you are in your business and make your decisions from there. If you’re just starting out, you need to focus on different things than if you’re already established with a full practice. When you’re still building your foundation, it’s important not to get swayed by “bright, shiny object” syndrome. Focus on the basic building blocks before you move on to more advanced strategies. Honor the process and exactly where you are.

3. If you want to be successful you’ve got to get the money handled. You don’t have to be a CPA, but you need to know exactly how much money is coming in and out of your business every single month. You’ve got to track your expenses and be able to read a profit and loss statement. Why would the universe give you more if you can’t take care of what you’ve already got?

4. Take action. You can talk and strategize all day long, but if you don’t actually implement, you will never be successful. Money loves momentum.

5. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. You’ve got to be willing to put yourself in new situations – some of which might make you feel rather uncomfortable at first. Yet that feeling of discomfort is a signal that you’re growing and probably moving to the next level in your business. Be willing to take chances and try something new.

6. Create systems. The most successful entrepreneurs learn how to delegate those tasks that aren’t the best use of their time and genius. They do this by creating systems – financial, client services, operations, etc. – that others can use and implement over time. Start small and select one area of your business to focus on at a time. Write down each step and the exact process (saving emails and templates along the way) and save in a computer or hard copy file so that your team can access at a later date.

7. Branding isn’t optional (yes, I’ve been talking about this for a long time, but it’s worth repeating!) If you don’t craft and create your own powerful personal brand, someone else will do it for you. Your brand is a living, breathing organism that needs nurturing and constant care. Tell your story and show up.

8. Don’t feed the trolls. The more successful you become, the more likely you are to receive criticism. Learn to discern the constructive from the crap. Respect and listen to the former and ignore the latter. Life’s too short to be in a constant state of negative reactivity.

9. Be authentic. Your potential clients want the real you. Use your own voice. Life is full of copies, so dare to be an original. You’ll find that you are able to more easily connect and engage with others when you are coming from a sincere, authentic place.

10. It’s how you make people FEEL that leads them to buy (or not.) Emotions are the cue that makes the brain sit up and take notice. Appeal to your clients’ emotions, find out what’s most important to them and deliver THAT, over and over again. Be an excellent listener, show them how much you care and add value to their lives. You’ll never have to worry about your rent check again.

©Liz Dennery Sanders 2010

Liz Dennery Sanders wants you to build your buzz and be successful beyond your wildest dreams. As the CEO of Dennery Marks Inc., a brand development and celebrity outreach firm, she founded SheBrand, to help female entrepreneurs build powerful personal brands, attract more clients and position themselves as experts in their industries. You can reach her directly at info@shebrand.com or www.shebrand.com.

It's No TRICK, Six Ways to TREAT Yourself with Love

2010-10-31T17:42:00.000-07:00

As the holiday season kicks off with Halloween, it's easy to get caught up in the hectic pace of parties, shopping and trying to fit more than we can handle into a single day. Often in the middle of the mayhem, our healthy habits and nurturing self care gets tossed to the wind. Here are some suggestions to stay on track with treating yourself with love.

1. Breath
Breathing is essential for life and restoring your body's energy. However, when you're feeling overwhelmed or stressed you tend to take short shallow breaths which causes the body to become even more stressed and tired. I invite you right now to try something. Take a moment to pause and take a deep slow breath in through your nose, and gently exhale through your mouth. Do it two more times. Notice how you're feeling. Are you feeling more relaxed? Are you more aware of your body? Taking time through out the day to stop and breath, is a great way to recharge your energy, refocus your mind and connect with yourself.

"For breath is life, and if you breathe well you will live long on earth." –Sanskrit Proverb

2. Be Patient
Do you ever find yourself wishing you could do something quicker, learn something faster, or reach your goals right this minute? Insisting on quick results or having unrealistic expectations puts unnecessary pressure on yourself and only creates stress and overwhelm. This limits how well you function and depletes your energy. Life, learning and growth is a process, not an event. Like a child learning to walk or talk, it happens over time, and is usually celebrated. Love, accept and celebrate your life and trust in it's natural flow and timing.

"If I have ever made any valuable discoveries, it has been owing more to patient attention, than to any other talent." –Sir Isaac Newton

3. Schedule a date night with yourself
Inspired by one of our Get Up Girl grads, I love this idea for making time to nurture and pamper yourself. Do those things that you rarely have time for, but truly enjoy! You could take a luxurious bubble bath, listen to music you love, put on that cozy robe and curl up with a great book, or rent your favorite movie and order take-out. Whatever you choose to do, schedule your date night with yourself in your calendar and enjoy a special evening with you!

"I restore myself when I'm alone." –Marilyn Monroe

4. Say NO
I don't know about you, but sometimes it's hard for me to say 'no'. I like being supportive and pleasing others, but over the years I've learned that saying 'yes' when I really want to say 'no', is a way I dishonor myself. Take time to check in with yourself and what your heart is really telling you before saying 'yes' to the people and the many requests in your life.

"A 'No' uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a 'Yes' merely uttered to please." –Mohatma Ghandi

5. Be Playful
You were born to play. Playing is instinctive and fundamental to human existence. Easily forgotten as an adult, engaging in playful activities nurtures you physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Playing is good for the brain and can support you feeling light, relaxed and engaged in life. Whether you enjoy a good game of Monopoly, doing arts and crafts, or playing tennis, make time to play and enjoy some serious fun!

"What do most Nobel Laureates, innovative entrepreneurs, artists and performers, well-adjusted children, happy couples and families, and the most successfully adapted mammals have in common? They play enthusiastically throughout their lives." –Stuart Brown

6. Do less
In this fast paced, over scheduled, multi-tasking, social networking world, daily life can sometimes feel very busy, but not necessarily fulfilling or meaningful. One solution is choosing to do less. Often by doing less, the quality of your efforts increases. The reason is your energy isn't split or spread to thin. You're able to focus your attention and energy at a higher level, which also increases how satisfied you feel. Doing less also translates to less stress and greater peace of mind.

"Being selective, doing less –is the path of the productive. Focus on the important few and ignore the rest." –Timothy Ferris

by Margalit Ward

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How To Create a Successful Mind-Set

2010-10-15T17:37:00.000-07:00

by Margalit Ward

What is the mind-set for creating what you want? Is it just having a positive attitude? Reading the right books? Listening to inspirational teachers? These things do help, however there is more to creating success in your life that many happy and fulfilled people have in common. How can you take charge of your life and success? Below are four keys to remember when asking that all important question?

1. You are responsible for our own happiness & success.
Start with knowing you have the power, energy and ability to be responsible for everything in your life. Taking responsibility is the starting point for personal growth and empowering yourself. It is choosing to look inside and realizing that if you want the world around you to get better, you have to make changes within yourself first.

2. You have all the answers inside of you.
Trust your inner knowing by taking the time listen to your own insight, wisdom and guidance. Use helpful techniques that support cultivating a dialog with yourself. Such as, journal writing, meditation, walks in nature, etc. Find what works for you.

3. Use everything in your life as an opportunity to grow and uplift yourself.
Many of you have had the experience that even the most challenging times in your lives have been a time of growth and learning. Each experience has the potential to bring forward a blessing, when we choose to find it. "The block of granite which was an obstacle in the pathway of the weak, became a stepping-stone in the pathway of the strong". ~Thomas Carlyle

4. Take good care of yourself, physically, emotionally, mentally & spiritually.
When you fill your own cup with self-care first, you have more energy, creativity and the ability to give from your overflow. Below are some suggestions on how you can take care of yourself on all four levels. Find what works best for you and create your own self-care routine.

Physically: Take care of your body, with healthy nutrition, exercise and plenty of rest. Clear your space in your home environment and create and nurturing environment for yourself.

Emotionally: Speak kindly to yourself, appreciate & acknowledge yourself often.

Mentally: Be mindful of your thoughts and where you’re placing your attention. Read interesting and positive material that nourishes your mind and deepens your understanding of yourself and the world.

Spiritually: Make time for being quiet (meditation, walks, listening to inspiring music, recharging yourself, etc.)

You can't always control what happens in your life, but you can choose how you respond. This is where your power lies, in choosing your attitude and doing more of what works for you and less of what doesn't. So girlfriend, remember you have the power to make positive changes, trust your inner knowing, be open to seeing the blessings in your life, and take really good care of you. You deserve it!

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Simplify, and Savor Life

2010-09-17T15:02:00.000-07:00

by, Leo Babauta at Zen Habits

Photo by: Margalit Ward

These days we have an abundance of luxuries, but I've found that excess actually decreases my enjoyment of life.

Sure, we can get massive amounts of rich foods, feasting to our heart’s content, stuffing ourselves in alarming displays of gluttony … but is that really enjoyable on a regular basis?

And yes, television can be fun, and so can ridiculously large parts of the Internet, but if it’s always on, if we’re always connected, doesn’t that lower the fun factor?

Excesses lead to all kinds of problems, but the biggest problem is that life is less enjoyable.

I’ve been finding that simplifying things means I can savor life more fully.

Savoring life starts with a mindset. It’s a mindset that believes that excess, that rushing, that busy-ness, that distractedness, isn’t ideal. It’s a mindset that tries instead to:

simplify
do & consume less
slow down
be mindful & present
savor things fully

It’s the little things that make life enjoyable: a walk with a loved one, a delicious book, a chilled plum, a newly blooming tree.

And by simplifying, we can savor life to the fullest.

Some ideas I’ve been considering lately:

1. Coffee: Instead of ordering a latte, mocha, cappuccino with whipped cream and cinnamon and shavings … simplify. Just get pure, good coffee (or espresso), brewed fresh with care and precision, with quality beans, freshly roasted. Make it yourself if you can. Drink it slowly, with little or nothing added, and enjoy it thoroughly.

2. Tea: I recently had tea with Jesse Jacobs, the owner of Samovar Tea Lounge, and he poured two different teas from tiny tea pots: Nishi Sencha 1st Flush and Bai Hao Oolong tea. It was fresh, hand-made tea from real leaves, not a tea bag, and it was simply delicious. Drink it slowly, with your eyes closed, fully appreciating the aroma … wonderful.

3. Workouts: I’ve been a fan of simpler workouts recently. While others might spend an hour to 90 minutes in the gym, going through a series of 10 different exercises, I just do 1-3 functional exercises, but with intensity. So I might do some sprint intervals, or a few rounds of pushups, pullups, and bodyweight squats. Or 400 meters of walking lunges. Let me tell you, that’s a simple but incredible workout. Another I like: five rounds 85-lb. squat thrusters (10 reps) alternated with pushups (10 reps). Today’s workout was three rounds of 15 burpees and 800-meter runs. No rest unless you need it. These are great workouts, but very simple, and very tough. I love them.

4. Sweets: I used to be a sugar addict. Now I still enjoy an occasional dessert, but in tiny portions, eaten very slowly. What I enjoy even more, though, is cold fruit. A chilled peach, some blueberries, a few strawberries, a plum: eat it one bite at a time, close your eyes with each bite, and enjoy to the fullest. So good.

5. Meals: While the trend these days is super-sized meals of greasy, fried things (more than two people need to eat actually), I have been enjoying smaller meals of simplicity. Just a few ingredients, fresh, whole, unprocessed, without chemicals or sauces. My meals usually include: a breakfast of steel-cut oats (cooked) with cinnamon, almonds, and berries; a lunch of yogurt, nuts, and fruit; a dinner of beans or tofu with quinoa and steamed veggies (or sauteed with garlic and olive oil). These simple meals are better because not only are they healthy, each ingredient can be tasted, its flavor fully enjoyed.

6. Reading: While the Internet is chock full of things to read, I’ve been enjoying the simplicity of a paper book, borrowed from the library or a friend (borrowing/sharing reduces natural resources consumed). When I read online, I read a single article at a time, using either the Readability or Clippable bookmarklet to remove distrations, and in full-screen mode in the Chrome browser (hit Cmd-Shift-F on the Mac version or F11 in Windows). It’s pure reading, no distractions, and lovely.

Read more about simplicity in Leo’s books, The Zen Habits Handbook for Life & The Simple Guide to a Minimalist Life. More here.

Congratulations Shannon!

2010-09-06T17:09:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Shannon on completing her Masters in Spiritual Psychology from the prestigious University of Santa Monica this summer!

The two year program culminated with a beautiful and inspiring graduation ceremony held at Royce Hall at the University of California Los Angeles. Shannon's family was in attendance, including her parents traveling from Vermont, two sisters, her five year old daughter, and her brother who is studying acupuncture in Hawaii. We were all treated to an enthusiastic commencement speech by the exuberant, funny and profound Iyanla Vanzant, sharing her message of 'Taking it to the Streets'.

It was a day of joyful celebration!

Love and blessings to you Shannon as you continue on your path, opening your heart and mind to many new and beautiful adventures of your life's journey!

How Do I Love Me?

2010-08-24T15:01:00.000-07:00

Let me count the ways…

Make time for activities I enjoy

Surround myself with positive and supportive people

Spend time in nature

Listen to my feelings with compassion and understanding

Sing in the shower

Cook delicious and healthy food that nourishes my body

Listen and honor my intuition

Spend time with people I love

Rest my body when I’m tired

Dance in my kitchen

Speak to myself with kind and loving words

Make time for silence

Express my creativity in fun and enjoyable ways

Walks in the fresh morning air in my neighborhood

Listen to music that moves me

Share love and appreciation with others

Take hot bubble baths

Sit in the shade of an old oak tree on a hot summer day

Smile at strangers

Having an adventure, going some place new

How do you love you? Share with us if you like.

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What’s Going on in Your House is Going on in Your Life

2010-08-09T22:40:00.000-07:00

by Karen Rauch Carter

What’s going on in your house is going on in your life. If you understand this concept, you get one of the most basic premises of feng shui. The poor guy doesn’t live in a castle and the king doesn’t live in a cardboard box. The living environment tells a BIG story.

As a feng shui consultant, it gets pretty easy to "read" a person just by taking a look at their home. If there’s clutter, there’s ignored issues like guilt. If there’s uncleanliness, there’s some level of unworthiness. If there’s ten million feng shui cures in one corner, there’s doubt. If there are a lot of skeletons, skulls, etc., there’s a tendency for addiction or unhealthy habits.

The good news is that just being aware of the issue is a great first step. Because once you become aware and then commit to yourself to finding a change (that is if you indeed want to change) then you’ve got providence — AKA energy or chi — working on your behalf. And once the ball is rolling, it gets easier and easier to make the shift.

So, if you can walk through your home with brand new feng shui eyes, you’ll be able to see it - and create a plan of action. That’s what I hoped to accomplish with Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life. If you are having trouble doing this basic "sight-seeing" task, or even if you’ve got a funky space that you have no idea what’s wrong with it, try taking pictures of your spaces and looking at them to try to see what your home is saying....quite often, disassociating from the real space is all you need to be able to see it objectively.

For more info on Karen Rauch Carter, go to her website at: www.fengshuipalace.com

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The One Deadly Sin of Changing Habits

2010-08-02T09:31:00.000-07:00

“Eighty percent of success is showing up.” ~Woody Allen

Post written by Leo Babauta

Often you’ll read an article called “The Seven Deadly Sins of...” (fill in your topic here). But when it comes to changing habits, there aren’t Seven Deadly Sins.

There’s just one.

You can do a lot of things wrong when you’re trying to form a new habit — just jumping into it without a plan, not having public accountability, not having the right support, etc. But there’s just one thing you can do wrong that will cause the habit change to absolutely fail.

The One Deadly Sin of Habit Change?

Not doing the habit.

If you don’t do it, it won’t become a habit. As obvious as that may sound, too many people fail at this one thing. They start the exercise habit (or flossing habit, or filing their papers habit, or waking early habit) and they do it with enthusiasm for a week or two, and then they stop. For whatever reason — work, or family problems, or other interests taking over.

Life gets in the way, right? Well sure, but if you’re not doing the habit, the habit will never form. If you want to form the habit, you have to do it regularly.

Let’s repeat that, and then talk about how to actually do it: If you want to form the habit, you have to do the habit regularly.

That’s how habits form. You do it one day, then the next, then the next, then the next, right after your habit trigger. Soon, it becomes so ingrained that … it’s a habit.

How To Avoid the Deadly Sin
So it’s easy to state the blindingly obvious, but it’s harder to put it into practice, right?

Sure. So I’m here to help. Some tips for avoiding the One Deadly Sin:

Just start. Not feeling like doing the habit today? Tell yourself all you have to do is take the 1st step. Usually the 2nd step will follow, but if not, at the very least you got started. And that’s what matters most.

Do it, no matter how small. Need to exercise but don’t have much energy? Do it for a few minutes at least. Need to meditate? Three minutes will do.

Do it, no matter how badly. Want to form the habit of blogging? Write a quick and dirty post that takes five minutes of writing, no proofreading or formatting. Quality doesn’t matter when you’re forming habits — doing it matters.

If you fail, don’t beat yourself up – do it the next day. Let’s be clear: missing one day won’t kill your habit. Feeling discouraged about missing one day, and then missing the next and the next, is what will kill the habit. So let go of the guilt and just get back on your horse. Start again, immediately.

If you don’t do it the next day, do it the day after. If you miss two days, don’t let yourself miss a third.

Figure out what’s stopping you. If you find yourself struggling and missing a day or two, think about why. What’s getting in the way? How can you adjust for that?

Plan ahead. Life gets in the way, but if you know something’s coming up, think ahead and be sure to get your habit in.

Engineer success. Knock down the barriers and set it up so it’s harder to fail than to actually do the habit. Public accountability is a good way to do that.

In the end, all that matters is doing it. So go do it already.

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." ~Aristotle

by Leo Babauta, from zen habits | smile, breath & go slowly

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Buckle Your Seat Belts!

2010-07-26T21:03:00.000-07:00

Our favorite Get Up Girl Astrologer and Author of You're Every Sign, Phyllis Firak-Mitz shares with us about some major astrological changes coming our way.

Buckle your seat belts! Some of the most active astrological energies of the year – if not the decade – are happening between now and August 7th. Many of us could alter our life’s course, shake up our relationships, or do other significant acts…all to become in better harmony with new perspectives we are gaining. Some of us are finally realizing long-pursued dreams. Others are deciding to start over in a new direction all together. Many can be doing both!

Truth is, the astrological energies are so unusual it’s very hard to know exactly what to expect. We’ve never experienced this particular complex of astrological energies. It’s new territory – both in our own consciousnesses as well as in world events.

The intensity of these constellations do signal quick, “Out with the old, In with the new” experiences are likely. Life could flip-flop: Some might find the rug gets pulled out from under them only to discover a better choice can be made. That’s because these alignments can help us jump out of what won’t work into new goals, strategies and options that will.

For those who like the Astrological Details, Here’s a brief rundown of what’s energizing us:

Jupiter and Uranus in Aries are initiating preliminary growth spurts to our Aries areas. These planets combine to awaken our trail blazing, “I can do this my own way!” innovative energies. Opportunities that started stirring this summer could gusher growth (and bring surprising change) in 2011.

Saturn and Mars in Libra are initiating restructuring in our Relationships and areas of our lives ruled by Libra. The picture is changing there. New responsibilities are forming. Often, Saturn in Libra means that working in harmony with others is a mandatory for worldly success. Some may experience a push-pull between the “I’ve got to be alone and do it my way” Aries energies and the “I want be with others and do what pleases them” Libra energies.

Try thinking outside the box to invent new ways to satisfy both your personal calling as well as your love and responsibilities to others. Remember: Others may be needing a change as much as you do.

Meanwhile, Pluto in Capricorn is urging us to look very deeply at our use of power and authority – with ourselves and with others. Specifically, if we are misusing, including under-using, our power or authority in any way, Pluto will make us undeniably aware of it.

Pluto is an incredible tutor for Authentic Power. Time and again, it’ll show us that Going for the Highest Good of All Concerned is an extremely effective way to channel the “Force” and experience transcendent empowerment.

Now through August 7th can be particularly revealing. We may discover something operating behind the scenes that has been influencing our consciousness, lives and/or relationships. If something bugs you, remember Forgiveness can lead to Healing and Liberation. Forgiveness can also allow that higher perspective you’ve been working towards to take hold.

The emotional Moon in Cancer August 7th and 8th can bring an additional, family interest into this mix. Whew! That’s a lot!!

The Bottom Line: Get ready to move to the next step life is taking you to. Let yourself “see” yourself and your life differently. Remember to look for the Blessings, which undoubtedly are there.

To contact Phyllis for a personal consultation, call 303-730-6680. Or go to www.astrologerphyllis to learn more.

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Get Up Girl Featured in CRAVE LA!

2010-07-01T19:33:00.000-07:00

What do you CRAVE? You can find it (and Get Up Girl) in the new stylish LA Guide for women, CRAVE Los Angeles: The Urban Girl’s Manifesto. We are thrilled to be included in this newly released book with 125 other awesome women entrepreneurs.

We attended the CRA VE LA Launch party in June, which was held at the very cool and creative Urban Craft Center and super stylish Weego Baby stores in Santa Monica. It was a great event, and we enjoyed meeting some wonderful people, while dining on some kick-ass appetizers from pinksalt, and delicious desserts from our good friends at Gotta Have S’more.

Wake Up: A Guide to Living Your Life Consciously

2010-04-24T02:43:00.000-07:00

We enjoy a wonderful blog called, Zen Habits, by Leo Babauta. Zen Habits is about finding simplicity in the daily chaos of our lives. It’s about clearing the clutter so we can focus on what’s important, create something amazing, find happiness. He's also the author of The Power of Less: The Fine Art of Limiting Yourself to the Essential, in Business and in Life.

Wake Up: A Guide to Living Your Life Consciously.

A life lived of choice is a life of conscious action. A life lived of chance is a life of unconscious creation. ~Neale Donald Walsch

As much as possible, I try to live my life by bringing to my consciousness what is bubbling up from my unconsciousness.

I try to clear the fog through which we often drift, to see where I’m going, to make conscious choices instead of automatic ones.

Do you ever have a feeling that you’re drifting through life, and not going where you want to go? Or that you don’t know how you got where you are today?

Living consciously is about taking control of your life, about thinking about your decisions rather than making them without thought, about having a life that we want rather than settling for the one that befalls us.

If you’re drifting through life, or feel out of control, or don’t know how you got here … deciding to live consciously could be the single most important thing you do.

Are you living unconsciously now?
Ask yourself the following questions … if you find yourself saying yes to many of them, you might want to consider trying conscious living:

1. Are you in a job that you fell into rather than the job you want?

2. Are you doing things that are given to you rather than what you love to do?

3. Are you spending your time doing busy work rather than what you want to do with your days?

4. Do you wish you could spend more time with loved ones?

5. Do you find yourself overweight because you’ve been eating the food you’ve been eating for years and stuck in a rut of not exercising?

6. Do you find yourself living from paycheck to paycheck or in debt, not knowing where your money goes?

7. Do you find yourself wasting your time doing things that aren’t important rather than focusing on completing the things that are very important?

8. Do you go through your days not thinking about what you want out of life and how to get it?

If you answered “no” to all of these questions, you’re probably already living consciously, and you don’t need this article at all. For those who would like to live more consciously, read on.

How to Live Life Consciously
It’s not something you can change overnight. Living consciously is a lifestyle, a skill, an art. It’s not something you do just once, but a habit that you can form for the rest of your life.

But it is deceptively simple: Be conscious, and think about, everything you do. Make conscious choices rather than doing things without thinkings. That’s all.

It sounds simple, but it’s amazing how few people actually do this, and it’s amazing how easy it is to live life on autopilot, and just do what we always do because that’s what we’re used to doing. And it’s easier that way, even if our lives are difficult.

It’s not easy to changes our lives, to break out of our routines, to begin to live the lives we want.

It takes willful effort, energy and constant vigilance to think about our choices … all of them.

Here are some key tips that have worked for me:

1. Make reflecting on your life a regular routine. Whether you keep a journal, or make reflecting on your day part of your evening routine, or have a weekly session where you review your life or take some time away from the office to reflect on everything … it’s important that you give things some thought. Regularly.

2. At least once a year, set or review your life’s goals. What do you want to do in life? What is important to you? What do you want your life to be like? And how will you get there? Write it down, and keep it somewhere you will see it often, and take action.

3. Also review your relationships. The people we love are among the most important things in our lives, if not the only important things. You need to think about your relationships. Do you spend enough time with them? Do you show your appreciation for them? Is there a way you can improve your relationship? Do you need to forgive or apologize about anything? Are there barriers that can be removed? Communication that can be improved? Also review your relationships with others, such as co-workers.

4. Consider your impact on the world. How does what you do, what you consume, and how you live, impact the environment? How does it impact poor people in Third World countries? How does it impact the poor, the powerless, the voiceless? How does it impact your community? Your life has an impact, whether you think about it or not. Being conscious of how your decisions affect others is important.

5. Consider the real costs of each purchase. We often buy things without really thinking about what we’re doing or what they really cost. Sure, it’s just $30 … no problem, right? But that $30 might represent several hours of your life … hours that you’ll never get back. Do you really want to spend your life earning money for trivial purchases? Is that what you want to do with your life? Worth some thought, I think. Read Your Money or Your Life for more.

6. Consider the real costs of the things in your life. Our lives are filled with stuff … our houses, our offices … and beyond just the cost of buying the stuff, this stuff takes a toll on us. The stuff in our life must be arranged, cleaned, moved, taken with us when we move … it takes up the space in our life, it is visual stress. Later, we’ll have to get rid of it, sort through all of it, take time to throw it away or recycle it or donate it. If having the stuff is not worth all of that, then get rid of it.

7. Review how you spend your time. Until we do a time audit, and keep a log of our day, even if it’s just for one or two days, we don’t really know how we spend our time. And if we do audit our time, it can be very surprising. And if we know how we’re spending our time now, we can make conscious decisions to change how we spend our time in the future. For computer-based time tracking, try Rescue Time.

8. Explore yourself. Not in a dirty way. Take some time to think about what kind of person you are. What your values are. Whether you live your life according to those values. How you treat people. How you treat yourself. Think about this: what do you want people to say about you when you die? Read more: The Key to Dying Happy.

by Leo Babauta, from Zeb Habits

Photo by: Margalit Ward

Modern Mom- Contributors

2010-04-13T20:34:00.000-07:00

Get Up Girl founders Margalit and Shannon have been asked to become regular contributors to Modern Mom- an amazing online resource for mothers.

Check out our latest articles:

How to Find the Best Childcare for Your Family by Shannon Bindler

When I decided to go back to work after my maternity leave, I felt terrified about finding childcare for my daughter. What if my daughter felt neglected? Was I really going to entrust someone else to make the right decisions regarding my child? From mom to mom, here are six keys to finding the ideal childcare situation for your family... click to read more

Nurturing Creativity in Your Children by Margalit Ward
In this age of video games, Internet , and TV, do you ever wonder how to encourage your child to be more creative? All children are creative and creativity can be expressed in many ways. Your child doesn’t need to show signs of being the next Picasso, Beethoven, or Frank Lloyd Wright in order to be creative. How they build with blocks, solve jigsaw puzzles, or even how they dress their dolls are unique ways they express themselves. Here are 5 ways to nurture your child’s creativity: ...click to read more

Create Spark Between the Sheets (Sans Sesame Street) by Shannon Bindler

Having a child, it’s often remarked, is the ultimate gift. The follow-up should be (but never is) that it can come with a price. Often, when a couple has a child something gets lost between play dates and changing diapers. Free time becomes more about grabbing a couple of extra hours of sleep than making love. How can you and your partner rekindle your romantic relationship after having a child? ...click to read more

Help Your Ch ild Through Disappointment by Margalit Ward

One of the most difficult moments I’ve experienced as a parent is watching my child go through the feeling of disappointment. Witnessing the long sad face, red eyes, and tear-stained cheeks are almost as challenging to go through as the pain of giving birth! My first reaction was always to be overwhelmingly protective (the mama lion is on the prowl!) and wanting to find the person responsible and make them pay...click to read more

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Girl’s Night Out: Beauty from the Inside Out

2010-03-28T14:25:00.000-07:00

Get Up Girl co-hosted a great event last month, a Makeover Mixer: Beauty from the Inside Out at the EM&Co Boutique. Three beautiful women, Leila, Becca and Alaia, received makeovers from fashion stylist, Kallah Maguire; make-up was done by Joanna St. Claire and Shahada; and hairstyles were provided by the Paint Shop Beverly Hills.

While the women were getting their makeovers, guests enjoyed a short Get Up Girl presentation, The 3 Secrets for Looking and Feeling Beautiful; cocktails provided by Star African Rum, appetizers, networking and of course shopping for fabulous clothes and accessories at Em&Co Boutique.

Click here to view more photos from the Makeover Mixer event.

A New Expansion in 2010

2010-01-30T23:11:00.000-08:00

A new perspective on what is ahead for 2010 from our favorite Astrologer and Get Up Girl, Phyllis Firak-Mitz, M.A.

A whole new area of your life can come alive now that Jupiter, the planet of fortune has entered Pisces. Jupiter’s trip through this sensitive sign can make us more romantic, intuitive and creative. The area of your life ruled by Pisces can be especially rewarding and exciting this 2010.

How Jupiter in Pisces will affect your Sun Sign is listed below.

Pisces has an exceptionally strong vibration of spirituality and compassion. Jupiter’s transit through can enhance your awareness of your spiritual path. Importantly, since Pisces also resonates with the redemptive power of forgiveness, sacrifice and service, 2010 could be a year when you heighten your connections with others via compassion, love and/or service.

Let your inner mystic, artist, and healer soar! But remain discerning as Jupiter can also intensify Pisces’ tendency towards gullibility and duplicity. It’s a good idea to insure you aren’t being so wooed by an image of success that you forget to check to see if it’s actually happening.

And, since Pisces resonates with suffering, this could be a year when our awareness of suffering is multiplied. Many of you will reach out to give to others and be completely lifted and transformed as a result. Many others will be lifted and transformed by receiving unexpected assistance. The challenge is to take care of yourself so you can assist others in a way that is healthy for you.

Of course Jupiter means that most Pisces, (and Pisces Risings and Pisces Moons) will have a remarkable (and surprising!) year. Jupiter is famous for bringing lucky, heady, promoting experiences. Plan on amazing relationships, travel, education, and even material gain this 2010. Life can seem more alive and meaningful for you Pisces, if not out and out fabulous.

Scorpios and Cancers – you’ll also be quite blessed by Jupiter in Pisces. You’ll enjoy outstanding opportunities, magnetic confidence, and positive focus. Go for it Scorpios and Cancers: It’s time to expand something important in your life. Rewards are coming. Let your talents and charisma shine!

Tauruses and Capricorns – You will also benefit from Jupiter in Pisces. New opportunities to enhance your security, improve your environment, to communicate effectively and to connect with inspiring people can cycle through all 2010. Use Jupiter’s expansive energy to make some headway in something truly meaningful.

Virgos, Geminis and Sagittarius: Get on your running shoes! Life is going to be busy and big this year…but might be so in a way that forces you to grow. In other words, activities this year might keep you out of your comfort zone. …so don’t bother looking for it. Life might deliver surprises that spark your stretching from one end of the earth to the next to handle all that’s erupting. You’ll certainly enjoy opportunities but they might all happen at once!

Aquarians might see dramatic shifts in their finances and/or definition of security.

Aries: It’s a terrific year for understanding and healing yourself. Jupiter in Pisces heightens your spirituality, intuition and ability to tap into your deeper motivations. You may gain the satisfaction of completing something you began around 11 years ago this 2010. Unfinished business with someone or something could resolve in 2010.

Here’s where your Sun Sign might experience Jupiter in Pisces’ Romantic, Mystical, Magical, and Creative Enhancement. (Just don’t go overboard!)

Aries: Your expansion is in Spiritual/Psychological areas: Awakened dreams, enjoyable solitude, satisfying spiritual experiences. More Service, Sacred Sacrifice.

Taurus: Jupiter will help expand you through intriguing Friendships, Helpful Groups and Organizations. It can help you succeed in achieving Goals. Importantly, Taurus, Jupiter can help you Receive Love!

Gemini: Growth in your Career, (likely very Positive), your Status in your community. More Authority and Leadership opportunities.

Cancer: Time to Travel, learn something inspiring, write that book, or otherwise reach out to mind and consciousness-expanding endeavors.

Leo: You may benefit by other people’s transitions this year. Your sexuality can be heightened as well as you ability to attract other people’s money. Inheritances, taxes, insurance can be a focus.

Virgo: Jupiter is all about Relationships for you: it can enhance your Partnerships, awaken your Marriage, and basically bring Impressive People into your innermost circle. Relationships are far from hum-drum this year – if something isn’t right, it’ll change.

Libra: Jupiter might bring you more of the Work you Enjoy, Good Help, and Positive focus on health matters.

Scorpio: Jupiter brings delicious oomph into your Love Life: more love affairs, children, grandchildren, creative projects are likely. Want more attention? Go for it this year. All in all, it’s a year when self-expression and Love can go quite well.

Sagittarius: Jupiter expands your home or family in some ways. This might mean an addition to your family, a move, a remodel or simply more people coming through your doorway.

Capricorn: Jupiter’s expansive energies can help bring lucrative contracts, a positive environment, and trips that satisfy. It’s also a good year for communication and education.

Aquarius: Jupiter in Pisces can bring expansive action to your finances, your self-value and sense of security.

Pisces: Yipeee!!! Jupiter in your sign can bring you love, money, spiritual awakening, fun, a knowledge, new (foreign?) friends and/or countless other uplifting experiences. (depending on your unique karma.) Invest in what really means something to you (versus lingering what’s easiest.) In that way you’ll make the best use of Jupiter’s gift.

Each of you will receive the Jupiter’s Fortune uniquely according to your own Birth Chart. Phyllis would love to share with you where and how to use this rare energy of luck and inspiration. You can call 303-730-6680 to arrange your personal consultation. Or contact her at www.astrologerphyllis.com

3 Ways to Build your Cash Reserves

2010-01-26T08:14:00.000-08:00

photo courtesy of FindBliss.com

Find Bliss Magazine (one of our favorite lifestyle publications) recently published this timely article with 3 important tips to rebuilding your financial reserves.

If getting in good financial standing is on your to-do list in 2010, you’re not alone. Millions of Americans are looking to save more in the wake of the financial crisis. See how you can get started.

1) Get Real
Often the hardest thing about delving into your finances is actually getting started. It’s daunting to take a long hard look at what you have and what you don’t. But, if you’re going to start saving, you need to get real. And that entails pulling your head out of the sand.

Consider using an online tool such as Mint.com, as it’s a great resource for putting your financial status in perspective with easy-to-read pie charts and graphs. Once you’re a member (it’s free!) you’ll be able to track your bills, spending and saving patterns.

2) Assess your Needs and Wants
Once your finances are organized, you can really assess where your money is going. Eliminate frivolous spending where you can. For example, if you discover that you spend $75.00 a week on lunch, resolve to cut that number in half by bringing your lunch a couple of times a week.

Another place to look is at your bills. Many people don’t realize they can lower their bills with a quick phone call. Contact your cable company, car insurer or Internet provider and see if they’re offering any specials. Saving $20 a month on just one bill nets you $240 a year!

3) Make Saving Automatic
The best way to save is to do it automatically, since it takes the pressure off of you to watch every cent that comes into and out of your hands. First, find out if your employer offers a retirement plan such as a 401K. If they match your savings up to a certain percentage, (usually 7%-9%), sign up to save the maximum. Not doing so is like throwing free money away!

Next, look into opening a high yield savings account. Create a savings plan where you allocate money from your checking account into this savings account every month. A good strategy is to have the account deduct money on payday, when your checking account has some padding.

With a high-yield savings account, you’re on your way to creating a healthy emergency fund. Once you’ve saved enough to cover four months of living expenses, think about investing your money elsewhere, such as in money market accounts, bonds, or a Roth IRA.

Click here to find other great articles on Find Bliss Magazine

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How We Can Help in Haiti Earthquake Relief

2010-01-15T10:26:00.000-08:00

Millions of people all over the world are supporting the relief efforts in Haiti. One easy way is to use your cell phone to make even the smallest donations. MSNBC recently posted a list of cellphone options that we've included here for you.

The mobile giving effort is organized by the Mobile Giving Foundation in concert with the mGive Foundation.

In the Red Cross' case, phone users can text the word "HAITI" to 90999 to donate $10," and when prompted, hit "YES" to confirm the donation.
The donation is added to the cell user's bill, and receipts are available.

• Text the word "YELE" to 501501 to donate $5 to the Yele Haiti foundation.
• Text the word "HAITI" to 20222 to donate $10 to the Clinton Foundation Haiti Relief Fund.
• Text "HAITI" to 25383 to donate $5 to the International Rescue Committee.
• Text "HAITI" to 85944 to donate $10 to the International Medical Corps.

© 2010 msnbc.com reprints

Additionally, on the Huffington Post is a great article listing all the organizations supporting the relief effort. For more of the article, click on read more.

Huffington Post Impact has put together a comprehensive list of links to donate and get involved in relief efforts for victims of Tuesday's devastating earthquake. You can also go to The Goods: Help Send Relief To Haiti, an online store by Causecast and HuffPost Impact, where you can purchase products for organizations that will be directly used on the ground in Haiti.

The U.S. State Department Operations Center has set up the following number for Americans seeking information about family members in Haiti: 1-888-407-4747

NOTE: We will continually be updating this page. The best way for you to help right now is to give through one of the organizations below.

•The American Red Cross is pledging an initial $200,000 to assist communities impacted by this earthquake. They expect to provide immediate needs for food, water, temporary shelter, medical services and emotional support. They are accepting donations through their International Response Fund.

Congratulations Get Up Girls! Fall 2009

2009-12-20T12:56:00.001-08:00

What an amazing 9 weeks we shared with 9 amazing women!

We laughed, we dreamed, we explored and found out some wonderful things about ourselves in the process. Women in our groups always tell us how much they receive from being in our program, and truly the gift is ours as well! We leave each week inspired and excited about what is possible, and feel a deep sense of fulfillment from being a part of each woman's transformation.

We end our nine weeks with a bittersweet sense of completion, and gratitude for the time we spent together and the bonds we've shared. Get Up Girls, we celebrate you, your success and your journey!

Thanks to ALL the amazing women that have taken our Get Up Girl 9 Week Signature Coaching Series! We are about to enter our third year of doing this work and we are profoundly grateful to you and your commitment to yourselves. We are blessed and look forward to another powerful year of growth and expansion.

Wishing you and yours a Joyful Holiday and a New Year filled with Love and Delight! ~ Margalit & Shannon

'Get Up Girl opened up new doors in my life. I have learned invaluable lessons and have been inspired to take my business and personal life in bright new directions. The support and wealth of knowledge I have gained from the workshop will last a lifetime. I genuinely recommend Get Up Girl to all women, it will change your life like it has mine!'
– Eileen Aghekian, Owner of Swim Academy

4 Tips to Staying Sane During the Holidays

2009-12-14T16:19:00.000-08:00

Get Up Girl Alaia Williams, of One Organized Life, shares 4 tips to staying sane during the holidays.

How is December treating you? This month tends to bring a lot of hustle and bustle - and stress! I encourage you to pace yourself to avoid becoming overwhelmed.

What can you do to avoid holiday overwhelm this year?

1) Make a list of priorities - what's really important for you to accomplish between now and the end of the year?

2) Create goals that support your priorities.

3) Don't bite off more than you can chew. There is only one of you - create bite-sized action steps to help you achieve the goals you set. Don't be afraid to delegate and defer!

4) Set aside time every day to work on your goals.

Though balance can't always be achieved in all aspects of our lives, now is the time to make sure your responsibilities are handled and that you make time for the people who are most important to you. Don't be afraid to say no to the 15th party invitation you receive this holiday season if you need to wrap up business and spend time with family. But on the flip side of that - don't forget to allow yourself some fun and relaxation time.

I've chosen to attend only two holiday events this month so that I can continue to work on wrapping up the 2009 goals I set for myself. Updating my contact database, creating outlines for my 2010 presentations, and streamlining my schedule will help me leaps and bounds come January 1st. But I can tell you this - I had a blast at the Freelance Frolic last week and I am really looking forward to my friend's holiday party on Thursday!

What's your plan?

Alia Williams is the founder of One Organized Life that offers a variety of professional organizing services that help you make sense of your space, improve work flow, and increase productivity. She can be contacted at:
alaia@oneorganizedlife.com
877-660-4738 ext 701

You Make Me Feel Lovely

2009-12-10T12:11:00.000-08:00

See what Nadine Fawell has to say about feeling lovely, letting go and new beginnings.

By Nadine Fawell

For the title of this piece, I am quoting a student of mine, who is one of the sexiest women I have ever met. The first time she walked into class, I thought *wow*. This is a woman who experiences herself as beautiful, and you can see by how she moves that she is moving in the innate sensuality of Life. It’s very powerful.

When I knew her better, I told her this. And she replied that yes, she does experience life in this way, and it’s interesting because it has removed her need for another to help her experience her loveliness. She also said that when we say to someone, after sex, for example, that we love them, what she thinks we are really saying is this:

Interesting. Because when we are in intimate relationship, be it with a friend, a lover, a child, what we are mostly seeing is the version of ourselves that this person reflects back to us. This is why relationship is so important for self-learning. Everyone will show you a different aspect of yourself. All are valid. Even in abusive situations, once you can step back and look clearly, you may see something there. I had an incident a few months back where someone was incredibly verbally abusive towards me (don’t panic, it wasn’t my husband!), and it gave me a lot of insight into some old, no longer useful, patterns of behavior and thinking that I still have, which is why I allowed the person into my life in the first place. And, for a long time, allowed them to treat me in this way. No more, though, and, hopefully, if I can keep my eyes open to it, not again.

But I feel that I had to have that particular connection in order to learn about boundaries and self-respect and choosing my battles. So I am grateful. Because although I see those parts of me that aren’t so pretty reflected in this person’s words, I love me anyway. I think I am as good as I can be.

As I have said before, over the last few months, my spiritual practice has sustained me in a deep, deep way, as have my friendships and connections with those I love and who love me. I believe that I ended my marriage in the best way I could, that I behaved as best I could. This gives me great relief. I am not saying I behaved perfectly, but I did behave with compassion and kindness and forethought. Because things could have unfolded very differently, and if they had, I would have been more hurt, and so would my husband. So this ending, even, has given me cause to say that I feel lovely. And even at the end, a beginning. I love and I am loved.

Which brings me to beginnings. I can think of no more powerful time of Shakti, Life, flowing, than the way it does between two people who are attracted to each other. Shakti is always in us, of course. It is the Divine that animates us and is always, always present, even when it feels like it isn’t. If we weren’t with That which made us, we wouldn’t be alive. Simple. But so much easier to feel when you are in a room with someone and the love hormones are flowing. Sharing food, sharing touch, talking, laughing. And sometimes, that flows into something long-term. Deep intimacy. Where the deepest learning of Life happens. And sometimes, where new Life is made. The Ultimate Union.

This article was originally published on FindBliss.com

Nadine Fawell has been teaching yoga for five years. She has logged about 3000 hours of experience, both in group and private settings. Her main influence, both as a teacher and as a practitioner of yoga, comes from the Krishnamacharya lineage. She has travelled to India twice to study with TKV Desikachar and his teachers at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram and now considers Mark Whitwell to be one of her most influential teachers. Check out her blog at: http://nadinefawell.net/

It's Time For a Monthly Review

2009-12-04T06:15:00.000-08:00

It's a new month and it's time to get re-focused!

Each month in our Get Up Girl Women's Coaching Group we encourage taking the time to do a Monthly Review. I know for myself that whenever I make the time to do this exercise I get enormous value from reflecting on what is and isn't working in my life at the moment. It also assists in clarifying what is really important in my life right now, which supports making better decisions in how I use my time. And it only takes a few minutes. Clear intentions = wiser choices = less stress & more ease.

Best of all, a Monthly Review is an opportunity to appreciate yourself and experience gratitude for the blessings in your life. We often forget to acknowledge how much we do accomplish, and appreciate who we are. So make a cup of tea, get a pad and pen, sit in your favorite chair, and take some time to reflect and re-focus.

Monthly Review Exercise: It's important to write your answers down.

1. What worked this month?

2. What didn't work?

3. What am I most proud of?

4. What am I grateful for?

5. What still needs more improvement?

6. What do I want to focus on for the coming month?

After doing this exercise, use the insights you've gained to support yourself in making SMART Goals for the month. Remember to keep your goals Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and with a Time Frame. Then take your goals for the month and break them down into doable Weekly Action Steps.

Congratulations! You're ready to take on December with more clarity, grace and ease. Make it a great month!

“It takes a person who is wide awake to make his dream come true.”
– Roger Babson

The Monthly Review is taken from our Get Up Girl workbook (copyright 2009), 'Your Time is Now'. To purchase a copy or to find out more contact us at info@getupgirl.org. Or website: getupgirl.org

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A Healthy Serving of Gratitude: 3 Recipes to Nourish Your Soul

2009-11-25T06:54:00.000-08:00

Pass the gravy, biscuits, salt, and butter please. Eating with wild abandon this holiday season couldn’t possibly lead to better health, could it? Unfortunately it cannot, but adding a daily dose of gratitude can help you to feel happier, less stressed, and may actually improve your health.

It has been proven that daily practice of gratitude can actually improve your health and happiness by improving your immune system. A gratitude study conducted by Dr. Michael McCollough, of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and Dr. Robert Emmons, of the University of California at Davis, indicates that gratitude plays a significant role in a person’s sense of well being and health.

This holiday season try to focus not only on your “blessings” before you eat, but make an intention to reflect on what is good in your life instead of worrying about what is wrong. When you dust off your recipe book, create a new section that includes the following recipes, each loaded with a healthy dose of gratitude.

Recipe 1: You already have the ingredients you need:

Ingredients:

3-5 minutes of uninterrupted time.

Most of us spend an enormous amount of time and energy thinking about the things we want, that new car, new job, bigger house. A daily practice of gratitude can help us appreciate not only what we have, but can help us appreciate the things we often take for granted.

Set aside 3-5 minutes a day (about as long as it takes you to brush your teeth). This can be a car commute, during a work out, while taking a shower, really anytime that you are alone to practice being grateful for the things, people, and situations you have in your life.

1. Start by listing the items or things you have in your life that you are grateful for.

Example: I am grateful for my spacious home and working car.

2. Move onto being grateful for the people you have in your life

Example: I am grateful for my supportive husband and spirited daughter.

3. Then practice being grateful for the situations or places you are in.

Example: I am grateful for my sustainable career.

After listing the items you are grateful for take a deep breath and enjoy all of the incredible aspects of your life that bring you joy and fulfillment.

Recipe 2: Sweetening life by acknowledging what you do.

Ingredients:

30-60 minutes of uninterrupted time

1 pen

1 piece of writing paper

1 blank piece of card stock, or thick paper

1-5 magazines

1 glue-stick

There are so many things we do everyday that we take for granted. What would life be like if we didn’t have the ability to use some of the natural abilities and tools that we have? Being grateful for the things we do naturally can help us to refocus our energy from all that we want to accomplish, to appreciating all that we are able to do effortlessly everyday.

1. Start by writing a list of 5-10 things you are grateful you are able to do. These can be simple qualities that you may not often appreciate or even acknowledge.
Example: I am a good dancer, I make people laugh, I make great lasagna, I make people feel good.

2. Find images in a magazine that represent the qualities you are grateful for. Cut out the items.

3. Paste the items on your blank piece of card stock to create a Gratitude Vision Board.

4. Write the sentences from your list next to the image. Start with I am thankful for…

5. Place your Gratitude Vision Board somewhere where you will see it often. When you look at it, remind yourself of all the things you have to be grateful for.

Recipe 3: Gratitude, a healthy way to be.

Ingredients:

1 bed

1 journal (optional)

1 calendar (optional)

1 post-it pad (optional)

Gratitude can be a state of mind, an emotion, an attitude, a condition of the soul, or a prayer (if you will). After practicing gratitude, many people report feeling a sense of peace and a greater connection to themselves and to the divine.

1. Before bed, take a few moments to list everything and everyone you are grateful for. Write this list in a journal or simply say to yourself in your mind.

2. Repeat this nightly for 32-days and notice a deeper sense of peace, better sleep, and a greater sense of happiness.

3. Keep track of each night you practice your gratitude list near you bed, so you can track your progress for 32-days.

4. Write a few of the things you are grateful for on Post-it pages and place in visible place like the mirror, your car, or your computer.

So, go ahead, dig into the buttered potatoes and be sure to top it off with a decadent helping of sweet gratitude. By adding some of these gratitude recipes to your family’s collection you can improve your chances of feeling healthier, happier, and more peaceful all year long.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Shannon and Margalit

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Appreciate and Give Thanks

2009-10-29T15:17:00.000-07:00

Get Up Girl Liane Schmidt reminds us of the power of gratitude.

Taking the time to stop and give thanks for all the things in your life that you have is an important habit to get yourself used to. Every time you do take the time to give thanks, it lifts your spirit up. It keeps you feeling positive and lets you know that no matter what there is always something in your life that is wonderful.

While maybe you do not have the millions you aspire and know you will have one day, you do have your health, or maybe you have a friend who understands you more than anyone else in the world, someone you know who would do anything for you. This is not something to be overlooked or forgotten. The things in your life are rare gifts. They are precious incomparable to anything else in your life. Every time you take the time to really sit and either think about or better yet write down what you are thankful for you will feel happier and you will be able to accomplish more in your life.

Just think, if Donald Trump sank down into a black hole of misery and despair when he was in debt for millions of dollars, he would have never been able to bounce back and become the billionaire real estate icon that he is today.

Life sets roadblocks and challenges in our paths to help us discover who we really are; what we are really made of when push comes to shove. We are all learning every step of the way. We will continue to learn the rest of our lives. But, when we take the time to appreciate what we have, we are pulled out of any bad feeling of despair and “injected” with a sudden rush of energy and joy that acts to further propel us forward toward our dreams.

So, take time every day to give thanks for what you have in your life. It will make an incredible difference in your life. It only takes a few minutes of your day depending on how long you want to spend doing this, but it will improve your life.

For more great reading:

to read more of Liane Schmidt's writing click here

How Not To Be A Horse's A#$%!: 3 Tips For When You Blow A Public Fuse

2009-10-27T13:58:00.000-07:00

By Get Up Girl Debbie Robins
Originally Published on the Huffington Post

It's been a month now since American pop culture witnessed three consecutive bursts of public anger. Serena Williams, wielding her racquet as a weapon at the U.S. Open, kick-started a week in which Kanye West stole the microphone from young, doll-faced Taylor Swift at the MTV Awards, and ended with Congressman Joe Wilson shouting down the President of the United States like a British heckler. Seemed like every time we checked the Yahoo! homepage, another icon had blown a fuse. Suddenly it seems we are on the verge of retreating to barbarism, screaming at each other when we don't get our way. A lot of us felt like Marilynne Robinson in The Death of Adam: "I miss my civilization, and I want it back!"

But what interested me about the WW&W triad (Williams, West, and Wilson) was what could be learned from their mistakes. We've all been in situations like that, albeit not as public. Every day our equilibrium is disturbed in ways not entirely dissimilar from theirs. We get called on the carpet for something we didn't do, just like Serena got nailed for a foul she didn't think she committed. We get disappointed when we feel like the wrong people get rewarded, just as Kanye felt when his pal didn't receive the moonman. And we all grow angry over our government not working as well as we'd like, just as Joe Wilson did.

The real question is how can we respond in ways that don't add rage to our world, presently engaged in more conflicts than ever before? It's all connected - your everyday anger contributes to the global fury. Here's my Kick-Ass Advice that WW&W might consider if they're faced with challenging circumstances again:

KAA #1: Learn to take three breaths, even when you're breathless. Have something you say to yourself that buys you time. (I am a peaceful person. Or: I can handle this. Or: I am not going to let this person make an ass out of me). Think of something that brings you instant calm--see your child, envision your pet, hear the sound of running water. Create a space between the incident that has riled you up and your response to it. It is in that space that you have a choice, the choice about how you want to react. This is not easy to do when you're hurt, angry and/or riding your righteous horse of indignation. But if you care about diminishing the level of hostility on this planet, it is a moral obligation. And it benefits you too!

KAA#2: If you blow it, and we all do, apologize quickly. However, do not apologize until you can assume full accountability for your actions. Qualified apologies stink! How many times have you heard an apology start nicely and then fall apart with a thinly veiled excuse included? "I'm sorry...if you were offended." Or "I apologize...if that's what you thought." Or "I'm sorry...that you chose to hear it that way." No excuses needed! WW&W all got this one wrong. Who can forget Joe Wilson standing in front of that bank of microphones saying, "The Republican leadership has asked me to apologize, and so I have done that." Hmmm. Not so convincing! Imagine how powerful it would have been if he'd looked straight into the camera and said, simply, "I was wrong. I'm sorry." Period.

KAA #3: Share your humanity. Acknowledge the source of your anger. Be vulnerable. Joe Wilson did make one statement that was revealing. Why did he scream at the president? "I let my emotions get the best of me," he said. Exactly! Spot on, Joe! Any outburst is the result of our being out of control, letting the chaos of the world seep inside and make chaos in us. This is particularly difficult when you're a competitive person in a competitive environment. And we want our athletes to be competitive! We want our politicians to be passionate! We want our entertainers to be unforgettable! And we want to be committed employees, parents, citizens, too! But we have to be in control of that passion. We have to learn to be fervent without judging the other person. Why? Because judgment festers hatred.

These latest public meltdowns remind me of how poorly our culture prepares us for such moments. Imagine how much money WW&W have spent on media training. But nowhere in that education it seems, or in the education of any of us for that matter, is there a designated sphere to train us how to be better humans when life tests us to the max.

Learning conflict resolution is the primary path to sustainable peace on this planet. (That, and resolving the inhuman disparities between rich and poor.) We will always disagree about something. That is a given. The challenge is to be able to respond in a way that is resolute, yet peaceful. Our current president was certainly born with--and has cultivated--a remarkably calm response mechanism to differing points of view that is remarkable to witness. For most of us though, choosing peace in the face of life's injustices takes work, education and lots and lots of practice. Peace is, after all, a muscle, not an ideal. Just imagine if, starting in first grade, Peace 101 was right before English and just after history. We'd not only know how to read, write and think well, we'd know what to do when the crap hit the fan.

Life is filled with crap! Kick-Ass Advice will show you how to shovel it and emerge the victor.

Debbie Robins, Hollywood film producer, career coach to more than 1500 executives and entrepreneurs, advice blogger for The Huffington Post, advice columnist for the Washington Times Communities, upcoming radio host and bestselling author, shares her seven key strategies to achieve peace and happiness in Shovel It!: Kick-Ass Advice to Turn Life’s Crap Into the Peace and Happiness You Deserve (Alyson Books; November 2009). She invites you to visit her website and download the FREE first chapter. www.kickassadvice.com

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Turn Your Weekend Into A Staycation!

2009-09-22T11:55:00.000-07:00

photograph courtesy of Lev Vertov

Summer is over but do you still need a vacation? One of our favorite Life Coaches, Eli Davidson, recently shared an article with us on how to turn your weekend into a "staycation".

"Staycation" Nation
As I wave good-bye to summer, I realize how very precious and restorative a vacation is. So I decided to make my weekend into a "staycation". If you aren't taking a one, two or three week vacation, it is essential that you give yourself a weekend "staycation" at least once a quarter.

Here are tips from my weekend "staycation".

1. Take A Vacation....From Your PDA
One of the fastest ways to unwind is to take a vacation from your PDA. As a culture we are accustomed to being "wired" all day every day. I put the phone in a kitchen drawer.

2. Is Your Name Martha?
Unless your name is Martha Stewart and you just love, love, love to organize drawers do not turn your "staycation" into a chore and errand festival. (I had a client whose hobby was ironing -so I know that those folks are out there!) If you know that you are more relaxed with a tidy home take the weekend before your weekend "staycation" to clean.

3. The 12 Steps.
Even when on holiday many Americans only take a 'semi vacation". They lug their laptop to the beach and I have seen them talking on their cell phones while taking a hike. They allow themselves to work "1 or 2 hours" a day. If you aren't fully disconnected from your work, you aren't allowing yourself to truly replenish. A semi vacation isn't the real vacation your body needs.
How do you avoid that? The 12 Step Rule.

Take 12 steps away from your computer, blackberry, iPhone. If you can't take the 12 steps away from your computer for two days...you may be addicted to the over stimulation it represents.

Take a real break for two days a month.

4. It's Nap Time.
"After the going's been tough the tough get horizontal." If you are like most Americans you have a sleep debt. Take some vacation time to catch up on your zzzzzz's. Studies show that lack of sleep is a huge stressor for your body. It feels luxurious to nap when your body asks for sleep.

***
Eli Davidson is a nationally recognized executive coach and motivational
speaker. Her book, "Funky to Fabulous: Surefire Success Stories for The Savvy, Sassy and Swamped", (Oak Grove Publishing) has won three national book awards.

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Mercury in Retrograde

2009-09-09T13:55:00.000-07:00

Get Up Girl astrologer, Phyllis Firak-Mitz, keeps us informed on some outstanding Astrological Energies forming over the coming 2 weeks.

First, Mercury is Retrograde between September 7th through September 29th. This is terrific for introspection and reviewing recent decisions and assumptions to insure they truly work for you.

But Mercury Retrograde is also when communications can get a little screwy. So be clear in what you say. Be flexible too, as Mercury Retro can also signal disruptions in plans, travels, equipment, and agreements.

I’ve listed below where each Sun Sign might experience this Mercury Retrograde the most. Those born September 12th-28th, March 12th-26th, June 11th-17th and December 12th-26th might be most sensitive this Mercury Retrograde’s “change of plans” energies.

Some people hold off making major decisions during Mercury Retrograde because matters are so changeable. But don’t hold off moving forward in life. Just prepare a “Plan B” incase what you agree to or expect goes a bit awry.

Be especially mindful September 18th and 19th . Deeper implications of things can surface then. You may also come to realize hidden issues and conflicts that need to be addressed.

Other outstanding constellations involve Venus, the Planet of Love. She is in strong aspect to Inspiring Jupiter, Dreamy Neptune and Sensitive Moon - all between now and September 16th. This can really heighten our relationships! These love/spiritual aspects can also help us see the beauty in others and reach beyond our normal experience of love – especially between September 12 and September 16th.

But these Venus aspects could also make us a little reckless and indulgent in our alliances. Enjoy yourself but use good sense and continue to make sure people are who you really think they are.

Here’s where your Sun Sign might feel this month’s Mercury Retrograde the most:

Aries: Relationships, Work, Health Taurus: Love, Kids, Work, Health
Gemini: Home, Family matters, Love, Kids
Cancer: Communications, Travel, Contracts, Home, Family Matters
Leo: Finances, Belongings, Home, Family
Virgo: YOU, Your appearance, Relationships, and Finances
Libra: Your beliefs, Spiritual and Sacrifice Matters, YOU
Scorpio: Friends, Groups, Beliefs, Matters of Spirituality and Sacrifice
Sagittarius: Career, Reputations, Friends, Goals
Capricorn: Travel, Legal matters, Inspiration, Career and Reputation
Aquarius: Sex, Death, Others’ Crises, Money, and Travel, Legal matters
Pisces: Relationships, Sex, Death, Financial matters

www.astrologerphyllis.com

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Affirm What You Want!

2009-09-07T18:25:00.000-07:00

You may recall how we love using and sharing positive affirmations with our readers. For those of you that may be new to affirmations, here is a quick description. They are positive statements, usually beginning with the words, "I Am", and used to assist people in transforming negative thought patterns and limiting beliefs into new supportive thoughts and beliefs. It's a lot like reprogramming a computer with new information.

During our Get Up Girl 9-Week Coaching Group, the women in our program develop their own affirmations. We take time to explore what limiting beliefs may be holding them back, and then they create affirmations to support a new way of thinking and being. We are always inspired by how creative and powerful each woman’s affirmations are, so we asked if we could share some of them with our larger Get Up Girl community.

Here are a few to lift and inspire you. Enjoy!

I love and accept myself, I am safe.

I am willing to forgive the past, it’s safe for me to go beyond my parents’ limitations.

I am guided throughout this day in making the right choices.

I have the talent, and the timing is right for me to be successful doing something I love.

I am living in the moment.

I am learning to love myself and others.

My body is beautiful, supple and firm.

I constantly have new insights and new ways of looking at my world.

I am willing to change and grow.

I choose my thoughts with care.

I am financially abundant and free.

I am fulfilled in my career.

I am grateful for my happy and loving relationship.

I am nourishing myself with love.

Feel free to share your affirmations with us, by commenting to this post or emailing us at info@getupgirl.org. We always enjoy learning new affirmations and love hearing from you!

Photo by Margalit Ward

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Are You Expanding Your Comfort Zone?

2009-08-25T08:35:00.000-07:00

photograph courtesy of Lev Vertov

The first time you tried something new, was it comfortable or uncomfortable? Most would say uncomfortable. What happened after you did it a few times? Did it became more and more comfortable? As we grow, we expand our comfort zone. The only time we are actually growing is when we are uncomfortable.

I am constantly inspired by my mother. At 60 years old, she is embarking on a new career as a yoga instructor. She has accomplished a lot in her lifetime (including raising 4 children) and reinvented herself a few times over the years. I was surprised to see her experiencing self-doubt during her final Phoenix Rising yoga exam. At one point she even said, "I am afraid that I am not good enough." In that moment, I felt very connected to my mother's anxiety. Even she felt uncomfortable moving into a new role. She then said, “Well, I guess that means that I am growing.”

Ask yourself: Where am I feeling comfortable? Do I feel anxiety about trying something new? Am I playing too safe? How can I push myself to expand my comfort zone? When feeling anxious, remind yourself that you are exactly where you want to be, growing.

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Make Your Own Goat Cheese

2009-08-11T10:07:00.000-07:00

I am visiting my home state of Vermont this summer where fresh farm raised food and organic gardening is the norm. Last Sunday morning after practicing meditation at the Vajra Dakini Nunnery in Lincoln, Vermont with Khenmo Drolma, I was blessed with an offering of tea and homemade goat cheese. I was amazed at the fresh herb flavor of the cheese and surprised to find that the recipe is quite simple to make. A special thanks Amatual Hannan for sharing her recipe with the Get Up Girl Community!

Things You'll Need: * Colander * Cheesecloth * Goat milk * Fresh lemon juice or vinegar * A large pot * Ladle * Salt and pepper to taste * Buttermilk (optional) * Additional seasonings (optional)

1. Make a grocery list and obtain the basic materials needed to make the cheese. The list includes goat milk (about 1/2 gallon), lemons, kosher salt and cheese cloth. Also, you may also add buttermilk for an extra creamy flavor, if desired.

2. Heat the milk in a stainless steel/non-reactive pot to at least 185 degrees (or low heat). Allow to simmer, watching carefully to avoid boiling or burning.

3. Remove the milk from heat and allow to sit. Add lemon (or vinegar), stirring until the curds separate from the whey. The mixture should look like large clumps of cottage cheese when properly separated.

4. Line a colander with several layers of the cheesecloth. Ladle curds into a strainer, discarding the whey.

5. Allow curds to cool, squeezing as much moisture out of them as possible. Put curds in a bowl and season with sea salt. You can also add other seasonings of your choice, such as Herbs de Provence or whatever else you desire.

6. Press curds into the bowl to make a block, or wrap in cheesecloth. Place curds in the refrigerator for at least 1-2 days before removing and tasting.

Enjoy this amazing and special treat with friends this summer!

Love to you all,

Shannon

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Astrological Update

2009-07-01T12:30:00.000-07:00

Get Up Girl Astrologer Phyllis Frank- Mitz keeps us updated on what is happening in the stars. Looks like a fruitful month for most of us, check out your sign below...

Between now and July 13th unique astrological energies will help reveal whether something we’ve been hoping for, dreaming of can come to fruition. Finances, values/and or resources are at the root of this decision. Is there enough (of something) to see our goals through? Do others value what we have to offer?

For some people the answer to these questions is “Yes!” They’ll be challenged to tackle the practical nuts and bolts of securing success.

But July 1st-13th can also be a time when many become “disillusioned” about someone or something.
* Some may realize they’ve been banking on something elusive. They may need to start again with a new strategy.
* Conflicts between personal things like money, values, security with social issues such as friends, groups, or even nations are likely.
* We could realize we’ve held false beliefs or expectations about ourselves or others

If you are disillusioned, welcome the clarity. Use conflicts to establish new priorities rather than bulldoze something or someone of value out of your life.

Forgiveness can work wonders now.
* Take others off the hook of any expectations you’ve been holding them to. Can you live with what they do offer?
* Avoid temptations to act with stubborn “my way or the highway” resistance or righteous intolerance. Such stances could push matters to premature or unpleasant (or both!) endings.
* Evaluate if your loyalties are correctly placed. Allow yourself to step away from commitments that aren’t right for you.
* Apply heart-centered problem solving

Give others plenty of space to change their minds and course as well. Many will be experiencing surprising shifts in areas of their lives. They may not be able to follow through on agreements - or want to.

Each of us will experience this year’s astrological energies uniquely.

Here’s where your Sun Sign may experience the challenge of blending practical concerns with inspired ideals. These areas might be tested to insure you have the resources and the genuine agreements to succeed. Check things out to insure you and others are seeing clearly. Be flexible.

Aries: Finances/Values and Friendships/Groups.
Taurus: YOU!! Your Body, Appearance and Self-Image and Career/Reputation
Gemini: Beliefs and Philosophy/Spiritual Ideals
Cancer: Friends/Associates and Sex, Money, Other People’s Crises
Leo: Career/ Authority and Partnerships/Relationships
Virgo: Travel, Education, and Legal Matters and Health, Work
Libra: Sex, Money, Transitions, and Love Affairs, Children
Scorpio: Partnerships, Relationships and Home/Family
Sagittarius: Work, Health and Communication/ Travel/ Siblings
Capricorn: Love Life!! Kids and Finances
Aquarius: YOU!! Your relationships and Home, Family matters
Pisces: Communication, Travel, Siblings and Beliefs/ Behind the Scenes activities

Love, Your Astrologer Phyllis Firak-Mitz

http://www.astrologerphyllis.com/

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Affirmations & 6 Tips for How to Use Them

2009-06-22T17:33:00.000-07:00

We love affirmations! We have witnessed the profound changes they can make in people's lives when used in a consistent and purposeful way. As we mentioned in our blog back in March ’09, we encourage the women in our Get Up Girl Women's Coaching Groups to use affirmations. They are a powerful tool for transforming limiting beliefs and negative thinking into more supportive ways of believing and thinking.

From Lousie Hay and her book, ‘Power Thoughts, 365 Daily Affirmations’, we share ten affirmations that you can use or edit to fit your needs. In addition to sharing Louise's affirmations with you, also below are 6 fun and creative tips for how you can use them.

Affirmations:

I rejoice in others successes knowing there is plenty for all of us.

I release any limitations based on old, negative thoughts. I joyfully look forward to the future.

Every experience in life is an opportunity for growth.

I am my best friend. I love what I see in me.

I am always the perfect age for where I am in my life.

I open my home and welcome guests with love. They are like a loving family to me.

I only speak positively about those in my world.

I express love and gratitude for all I have learned and all I have accomplished.

I look forward with joyous anticipation to each new day of my life.

All is well in my world!

6 tips for how you can use your affirmations:

1. Pick one or more affirmations and write them out in your journal. (You can repeat writing the same affirmations a number of times, we suggest 3 or more times.)

2. Write them on index cards, – one affirmation on each card. Read them while you drink your morning coffee; carry them with you and read throughout the day; or when you wake up and/or before going to bed at night.

3. Say them as you exercise or move your body. Walking, running, dancing, etc.

4. Read them aloud as you look at yourself in the mirror. (this is powerful)

5. Turn them into a song, and sing your affirmations in the shower.

6. Write them on post-it notes and put them up around your home and office.

Let us know what works for you, or if you have some creative ways you like to use affirmations. We always love learning new ways to apply these tools. Thanks! info@getupgirl.org.

photo by: Margalit Ward
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The Film Lounge

2009-06-12T10:28:00.000-07:00

Get Up Girl graduate Danielle Stallings has announced a new film Meetup Group for filmmakers and film aficionados called The Film Lounge. Based in Ventura County, just outside of the studio zone, The Film Lounge is a place for film lovers to rekindle their love affair with film and brush up on vital skills outside of the pressure cooker of the L.A. industry scene. Meetings and screenings will be held on weekends (and some evenings) at Essential Wine Co., a new wine bar in Camarillo, just 30 minutes from the west valley and 45 minutes from the west side. (Also, a stone's throw from the premium outlet mall.)

The Film Lounge will be that relaxed film enclave we all wish existed to support filmmakers reach their potential through inspiration and networking. The first meeting will be held on June 28th to screen "Visions of Light" a gorgeous documentary about cinematography, likened to "going through a film museum". In July, Danielle will be conducting a film business seminar to demystify important employment and rights documents artists will likely encounter when hired.

To join the group and learn about upcoming meetings, go to Meetup.com and search for "The Film Lounge". Membership and meetings are FREE.

http://www.meetup.com/Filmmakers-Lounge/

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3 Simple Ways to Eat Healthier on a Budget

2009-06-09T19:07:00.000-07:00

With the current economic downturn, eating healthy may feel less important than saving money. Contrary to common belief, eating healthy can actually cost less then a Big Mac, fries, and soda. We have discovered three simple shifts we can make that can keep us healthy, happy and energized.

1. Shift Where You Shop

Choose organic brands from mainstream stores. One of the easiest shifts we can make is where we shop. While natural food stores and Co-Ops offer a wide array of organic options, many traditional supermarkets are jumping on the organic trend with much lower prices. It is very important to check labels to ensure that your items are certified organic. Stores like Vons, Pavilions, Safeway, and Trader Joes are now offering organic lines at 1/2 the price of the Whole Foods 365 Brand. We have been using the O Organics brand for items including pasta sauce, olive oil, milk, yogurt, and baby food. Albertson's and Ralph's carries a similar organic line called Wild Harvest that offers a full line of organic products ranging from eggs, cereal, to soy milk.

Say yes to the Farmer's Market. One of our favorite places to find amazing food is the local Farmer's Market. They provide some of the freshest produce, meat, and dairy products available. You buy directly from the farmer, so prices tend to be drastically lower than you can find in a standard grocery store. The experience of interacting with local farmers, and artisans is defiantly more enjoyable than waiting in the check out line.

Shop at international markets. Another place to find great quality food at reasonable prices is your local international markets including Korean, Jewish, Indian, Hispanic, African, and Japanese grocery stores. While you can find many items with more affordable price tags be mindful to stick to the market's specialty, as other items can be more expensive such as buying pasta sauce in a Korean Market.

2. Plan Ahead

Create a menu plan. Take time at the beginning of the week to plan your meals. This takes a bit of prep time, but the experience can actually be fun for the entire family. Have your children help pick out healthy items and menu options. Make a list and pick up the various items at the stores with the best selection and prices. When you have a stocked kitchen filled with healthy foods and recipes, it becomes easier to cook than to run out for fast food.

Click here to read entire article

by Shannon Bindler & Margalit Ward
at the Huffington Post

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10 Reasons It’s Awesome You’re Terrified

2009-06-03T16:17:00.000-07:00

In our recent Get Up Girl Advanced Group we encouraged everyone to take actions that stretch them beyond their comfort zones. In addition to assisting them in accomplishing their goals, another common by-product of taking risks is fear. Here is a terrific article by new blog contributor and freelance writer, Lori Deschene that takes a positive look at fear and it’s blessings.

10 Reasons It’s Awesome You’re Terrified

I am terrified of heights—kind of. Having entered the world one year after a girly-girl sister, I decided at a young age to be the tough one. To play with dinosaurs, fight my tears when I scraped my knee, and climb tall trees with the best of the neighborhood boys. The only problem was I was too scared to climb down. Thankfully, those neighborhood boys were accommodating (as they were 10 years later when I decided being girly was more fun—but that’s beside the point). With this in mind, perhaps you can appreciate how difficult it was for me to jump out of a plane from 10,000 feet.

But I did it. I forgot about everything I thought could go wrong, focused on the benefits of going through with it, took it one step at a time, and jumped. In hindsight, I now realize fear is absolutely awesome. Here’s why:

10. It sometimes shields you from harm. Fear is an intuitive survival mechanism and there are many times when you really should heed its message. If you walk into your building and sense there’s someone in the shadows, your fear and the action it inspires just may save your life. (Incidentally, I felt this same survival instinct when I learned about skydiving—but research convinced me the risk was minimal).

9. Fear pushes you to face your internal issues. Let’s say you’re scared of pursuing your dream job. You can either give in to that fear, or question where it comes from so you can conquer it. If you’re scared of failing, ask yourself why. Did your upbringing instill in you that failure is unacceptable? If you challenge your issues and subconscious beliefs now it will be much easier to reach goals you set in the future.

8. You have a chance to be brave. I have never in my life felt as proud of myself as I did when I jumped out of that plane. Whatever you’re afraid of, appreciate it. It invites you to be bold and daring, which may inspire other people to do the same. Now that’s a rush!

7. The experience teaches you to act in spite of your feelings. We all have feelings; it’s part of being human. Some people hide behind them, allowing fear, anger, and pride to dominate their lives. Some repress them and experience a lot of pain as a result. Others identify them and act anyways. That’s mindfulness: acknowledging you feel scared, deciding it’s not a permanent state, and then making a choice in spite of it.

6. You can prove to yourself what you’re made of. We all have fears—every last one of us. Some people worry so much about the worst case scenario that they avoid risk at all cost, feeling trapped and unhappy. Others push through it, and either reach their dreams or hold the satisfaction of knowing they gave it their best shot. You decide: what are you made of?

5. It gives you the chance to identify your mental chatter as just that—chatter. Our internal monologues rarely stop going; and they often talk us out of doing things we want to do. When that little voice goes into overdrive, you have two choices: let it drive you insane, or find a way to silence it. Once you learn to tune out your inner evaluator—the voice that analyzes life as it happens—it will be far easier to be present and peaceful.

4. Your friends have the chance to help you be your best. I told 8,800 people on Twitter I planned to go skydiving—and then three hours beforehand told them I was considering backing out. I received countless @replies from people telling me they’d done it before and that I’d love the experience. If not for all the external support, I might not have gone through with it. (Thank you so much Twitter friends!)

3. You can practice skills that will help you later in life. The best way to handle fear is also a great way to handle challenges: take it step by step. The morning before I jumped, I decided all I had to do was get in the car at 12:15. After that, all I had to do was get in the harness. And then board the plane and so on. Whether you’re starting a new business or trying to lose 50 pounds, this approach makes a lot of sense: take it one step at a time.

2. It helps you overcome catastrophic thinking. Most of the time when you shun something you’re scared of it’s because of “what if” thinking. I spent at least an hour wondering: What if my parachute doesn’t open? What if I fall out of my harness? What if I land in the highway and die a tragic death as road-kill? Then I remembered this: most of the things we worry about never happen. So why exhaust my energy worrying?

1. Overcoming fear teaches you to accept uncertainty. Fear and worry are attempts to control the future—to avoid situations and feelings you’ve decided are undesirable. But really, does it ever work? Does clinging to fear guarantee your future will unfold exactly as you want it? No! Once you release the fear about the future, you’re free to focus on the present—which, by the way, is when life happens.

Whatever it is you’re scared of, you can overcome it and become stronger in the process. You just have to stay focused on the benefits of feeling the fear and pushing through it. “

Don’t be afraid to go out on a limb. That’s where the fruit is.” -H. Jackson Browne

You heard my story, now tell me yours! What fears are on your radar right now—and how are you pushing through them?

Lori Deschene lives in San Mateo, CA where she works as a freelance writer. Visit seeinggood.com, her blog about realistic positive thinking, and follow her on Twitter @BeMeaningful.

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Feel Your Boobies Campaign

2009-05-30T17:14:00.000-07:00

Ladies, are you feeling your boobies?

We all the know the importance of having an annual breast exam from our doctor, but research shows that it is also important to be examining ourselves on a regular basis for the prevention and early detection of breast cancer.

We recently discovered the campaign, Feel Your Boobies®, founded by breast cancer survivor Leigh Hurst. Her story is an example of a young woman who was feeling her boobies on a regular basis, and because of that found a lump long before her doctors. What started out as a fun and creative way to remind her friends about something that had saved her life, evolved into a non-profit Foundation to spread this important message. Read more about Leigh’s story and the history behind the campaign.

Leigh's Story

I was diagnosed with breast cancer on April 7, 2004. I was 33, I ran marathons, ate well, and thankfully I felt my boobies! I wouldn’t necessarily say I did “self-breast exams” as they are traditionally defined, but I did feel my boobies during the course of my daily routine and because I did, I knew when something was different.

For the two years leading up to this diagnosis, I had noticed the small lump in my left breast. It didn’t hurt or change very much, but I noticed it. I was living in New York City at the time and when I would go to the doctors for normal checkups, I would wait for them to do their clinical exam of my breast to see if they would notice the lump on their own. They didn’t. It wasn’t until I held their hand and placed it on the lump that they noticed what I had felt on my own for some time. For whatever reason, none of them felt it was something to be concerned with so I trusted their judgment and figured it was fine.

At some point during this two year period of time, I tired of the city lifestyle I had led for the previous 10 years and made a major decision to move back to Middletown, PA -- the small town where I grew up just outside of Harrisburg, PA. I moved home a successful professional woman, but was single and 33, and with my childhood friends mostly being married I feared I had embarked on life as a spinster. Just six months after buying a home and moving to PA, it was time for my annual exam. It was at this exam where the nurse practitioner (forever my angel) suggested I go get a mammogram.

Read more…

Find out more about the Feel Your Boobies Campaign® at feelyourboobies.com

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A Truly Green (and Frugal) Fashion Choice: Thrift Stores

2009-05-13T08:36:00.000-07:00

We bring our reusable bags to the grocery store, changed our lighting to energy saving bulbs but how often to we stop to think about how our clothing choices effect the environment? Even new "eco" fashion lines leave a carbon footprint. Karla Zens writes about choosing truly environmentally friendly clothing: Vintage

It feels like a new socially responsible fashion line emerges every week: handbags made from organic hemp, sunglasses fabricated from 100% renewable materials, jewelry crafted from recycled gold and responsibly mined gems. Green fashion is almost mainstream: you can purchase your organic cotton t-shirt from Barney's...or from Old Navy. Don't get me wrong, these are all wonderful developments, but they continue to feed our insatiable appetite for consuming "new stuff."

It's time to start thinking about a fashion choice that doesn't come with a "feel good" eco sound bite: your local thrift store, vintage shop, or a clothing swap between friends. With the economic downturn, shoppers have started to wean themselves off Macy's and learned to love pre-owned designer merchandise. (Oh, and if you're turned off by thrift store cooties, I'll help you get past that a bit later.)

For the eco-minded out there (those of you who shop locally, bring your own bags to the grocery store, monitor the parabens and bisphenal A in your life), it's time to take note: besides being a way to snag high-quality, fashionable threads for a bargain, second hand shopping is one of the most socially responsible shopping choices you can make.

Just consider today's most rampant "disposable fashion" item: a cotton shirt, available for less than $20. This fictional shirt started out as cotton in a pesticide-laden field in the US. It was shipped to China, where it was milled, woven, and then dyed using harsh chemicals that leaked into the local water system. It was cut and sewn by children working in appalling conditions, before being shipped back to the US and sold. It's a process that keeps the price low at the expense of quality, the environment, energy resources and labor practices.

And even your sweat shop-free, organic, vegetable dyed, carbon offset garment has consumed energy. Some virgin materials were likely used. The item was produced, packaged, and shipped, perhaps several thousand miles. It was likely marketed in some way, maybe on the pages of a magazine that was printed on virgin paper.

Click to read entire article

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Learn, Forgive & Celebrate

2009-05-08T16:26:00.000-07:00

A friend recently shared the story of how the Babemba Tribe in South Africa responds when members demonstrate what could be called ‘bad behavior’. It caused me to think of how I perceive and react to people when I think they have done something ‘wrong’, and even more importantly, how I act towards myself when I am not happy with something I have done, thought or said.

In the Babemba tribe of South Africa, when a person acts irresponsibly or unjustly, he is placed in the center of the village, alone and unfettered. All work ceases, and every man, woman and child in the village gathers in a large circle around the accused individual. Then each person in the tribe speaks to the accused, one at a time, about all the good things the person in the center of the circle has done in his lifetime. Every incident, every experience that can be recalled with any detail and accuracy is recounted. All his positive attributes, good deeds, strengths and kindnesses are recited carefully and at length.

The tribal ceremony often lasts several days. At the end, the tribal circle is broken, a joyous celebration takes place, and the person is symbolically and literally welcomed back into the tribe.

I imagine the love of the tribe so generously given to the ‘fallen’ tribe member is a powerful reflection of his/her goodness, value and worth to the community. This ritual must also contribute to what is said to be a rare occurrence of antisocial or criminal behavior in the Babemba tribe. It demonstrates that by valuing each individual with compassion and forgiveness, the community as a whole is uplifted and strengthened.

This example of love and forgiveness is a beautiful reminder of how we can be with ourselves (and others) when we judge or don’t like something. Instead of belittling or getting angry at ourselves for something we did, we can learn from the experience, and then forgive ourselves and celebrate what is good about who we are and the positive things we do. The same is true with others in our life. Most of us are doing the best we can, and sometimes we just forget.

So the next time you make a mistake, say the wrong thing, or forget your friend’s birthday, remember the Babemba tribe story. Surround yourself with positive words, be compassionate with yourself, forgive and let it go. This is a gift we all deserve, as a way to take care of ourselves, celebrate who we are, and to help us grow in our capacity to be more compassionate human beings. Learn, forgive and celebrate!

photo by: Margalit Ward
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The Care and Feeding of You

2009-05-04T14:00:00.000-07:00

Many of us have some type of healthy routine that we do each day. We wash our face, brush our teeth, take our multivitamins and hopefully get to the gym a few times a week. But what we realized years ago is that those things only take care of one aspect of ourselves, and to truly live a happy and fulfilling life, we must go to a much deeper level of self-care. We call this, Extreme Self-Care. And girrl, we need it now, more than ever!

In our Get Up Girl…Your Time is Now –Coaching Group, we encourage women to begin exploring what Extreme Self-Care means for each of them. Because we are all different, have different lives, how we take care of ourselves can look a variety of ways. It can also vary from day to day and week to week, especially if our jobs and families play a role in how we spend our time. What’s important is that we incorporate all the levels that define who we are and what it is to be human, i.e. our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual selves. By taking care of our selves this way, we nurture our ‘whole’ being and support a greater sense of balance and peace.

Considering that many of us are dealing with more stress due to the current economy, or changes in our jobs and careers, taking good care of ourselves is more important than ever. It is our foundation, giving us the energy and strength we need to overcome challenges and flourish in our daily lives.

How to create your own Extreme Self-Care Routine:

Ask yourself these two questions for each of the 4 levels: Physically, Emotionally, Mentally, and Spiritually, and write down your answers.

1. How can I best take care of myself (physically, …etc.) in my life right now?

2. What can I realistically incorporate into my life this week?
Remember to get specific: What & When?

We strongly recommend that you keep your routine very easy and do-able. Start by picking only one new activity for each level. It’s better to keep your routine simple and consistent, rather than trying to do many things only once.

Examples:

Physical: I take a walk between 7 – 7:30am, at least 3 x this week.

Emotional: At the end of the day, I acknowledge myself for what I accomplished.
At least one thing, for 4 or more days this week.

Mental: I read my affirmations in the mirror, at least 5 x this week.

Spiritual: I meditate after lunch for 5 to 20 minutes, at least 5 x this week.

Below are some suggestions for each level, to help inspire ideas for your own personal Extreme Self-care routine.

Physical:
Exercise
Improve your nutrition
Drink more water
Sleep & rest
Massage or body work, etc.

Emotional:
Speak kindly to yourself.
Forgive yourself for any judgments or upsets.
Acknowledge and appreciate yourself and the things you do.
Do things you enjoy and make you happy.
Focus on being grateful.

Mental:
Becoming more aware of your thoughts, – negative and positive.
Use positive affirmations that support what you want for yourself and your life.
Read uplifting and inspiring books and material.
Learn something new or interesting.

Spiritual:
Create space for quiet time, meditation and reflection.
Walk or be in nature.
Attend a church, synagogue, or other religious service.
Write in a journal
Creative expression

We always enjoy learning from our readers new ways to take care of ourselves. We would love to hear about your Self-Care routine, how it’s going for you and what you have observed and learned. Email us at info@getupgirl.org.

Our next Get Up Girl, 9 Week Women’s Coaching Group starts May 6, 2009. For more information about Get Up Girl, and our unique women's coaching programs and workbook, go to getupgirl.org, or email us at info@getupgirl.org.

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Working Harder Isn’t the Answer—What Is?

2009-04-29T21:36:00.000-07:00

In her blog post, Working Harder Isn’t the Answer—What Is? Get Up Girl and trusted sales tutor, Alyse Hart, shares with us her suggestions for slowing down long enough to enjoy life.

Trying to work faster, harder, make more calls, work towards advanced degrees, respond to instant messages feels like a hamster wheel not the road to success. AND we’d do more if only we could be organized––is this you too? STOP the madness. Slow down. Speed kills. And it’s not just you––it’s everyone around you ––a collective craziness. I’ve watched women running about with bulging eyes, fidgeting hands and feet, and shorter tempers from Starbucks to the freeway lane next to me. They’re fumbling for their cell phones at the bottom of their bags and drat they can’t find them. Holy Mole––they’re not vibrant anymore. They’re wired not inspired and their life force is draining away. Still, they/ we/ me they try squeezing more in.

Zooming through activities temporarily takes the edge off anxiety. And it even disguises the gnawing feelings at bottom of your stomach. But it won’t take away that revved up feeling and you’ll never feel satisfied because there’s always more you can do. Our packed calendars and over-scheduled days once a status symbol and the mark of a success holds us hostage. After a certain point prolonged screen sucking keeps you up at night. Springing awake at 3AM unable to go back to sleep seems normal but old. It’s an adrenaline high and I don’t know about you but my busy brain can’t shut down more times than I’d like to admit. What would it be like if I didn’t meditate?

There’s hope and choice. Intentionally downshifting even for a moment and to ask "what’s enough?” will help raise awareness enough so you can stop for a second if you say you can’t ––how about turning down the volume on the terrorizing taskmaster in your head. It’s mucking with your rationality.

True success means having time for what you like and it’s not at the expense of things that mean a lot to you. So it really takes wisdom and reevaluating what success is for you at this time in your life and the period we’re in. Real sustainable success requires pacing, timing, introspection, authenticity, and vigilance. We can’t enjoy the fruits of your labor at warp speed you miss seeing the obvious sprouts that you could or should cultivate or even things ripe for the picking like opportunities, satisfying moments, or the grace of something falling into your lap at just the right moment. Go too fast and you miss it all.

BIG TIP. To shift gears you’ll need relentless discipline and instead of pushing more ask a new question: “how can I do this easier?” What is the simplest way to achieve what I need to do? It is a different spin and changes your life. To make life easier we must become skillful at creating alliances and collaborations for limited or predetermined periods of time, we need to add our wisdom and expertise to projects in spurts or predetermined doses. And you must choose to satisfy yourself. Yes, you must be at the center of your picture and not losing pieces of yourself is an art form. It requires not giving up on YOU or compromising away everything.

Give yourself a periodic mental hair wash and plant new seeds of thought. Practice setting end dates for what you want and learn when to call it quits (especially when there’s no yield or harvest) and say “game over.” This is critical to your sanity and there’s no reason to stay the course when it’s not a good road. The trick is discernment. Choose where you put your sweat and attention. Watch and reflect on things even though everyone else is running in circles.

THE challenge is to periodically cease your activities and allow time for observing situations and people objectively. There’s tremendous value in sitting still for at least 1-2 hours per week minimum weekly requirement for clarity. Keeping up isn’t the answer anymore. Practice opting out for just three minutes a day especially when things get hairy and you will be flexing one of the most important muscles for surviving our times and going the distance. It’ll help you to choose and order your steps well and move on things when the timing is just right or you follow the intuitive hit to make that phone call. More often than not you’ll find it yields great results.

by Alyse Hart Trusted sales tutor, storyteller, chief sales muse, change agent and whole human. A lifetime of experience selling and managing sellers. Founder and Owner of Sell it Like A Woman. A company devoted to economic empowerment for women.

getupgirl.org

Garlic: Natural Healing Medicine for Your Health

2009-04-21T12:00:00.000-07:00

Get Up Girl Liane Schmidt, wrote a wonderful article on the medicinal aspects of garlic. It not only keeps the vampires away, but is a great immune enhancer.

I am currently studying to become a Nutritional Consultant, among many other aspirations. Health is vital to your overall well being and being at your optimal levels of health will enhance every aspect of your life. There are many different types of food choices that you can choose from that will greatly benefit your life.

One of these items is garlic.

Not only is garlic a wonderful food enhancer bringing some food dishes to life and adding that extra spice to your life it is also a wonderful natural food product that will help keep your health in check.

Studies have shown that garlic is wonderful for lowering cholesterol levels, blood pressure levels and has a blood thinning effect. It is known as a positive heart tonic. It has anti-cancer, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties. These benefits make it a great immune system enhancer.

While cooked garlic is very popular in many food dishes, studies have shown that fresh, uncooked garlic offers you higher levels of antibiotic activities. It has a more powerful effect. Taking garlic pills and capsules are effective; however, garlic's effectiveness comes from its reaction with air. This is why its best to either cut or crush fresh garlic, let it sit for a minute or two and then add it to your food dish.

Click here to read entire article

getupgirl.org

Surprising Week - Astrology

2009-04-14T08:05:00.000-07:00

Get Up Girl astrologer Phyllis Frank-Mitz shares her insights on what may be a surprising week for many of us: This week, especially April 13th-through 17th might be a bit intense, even volatile. Unexpected changes in your projects and relationships are possible. Dynamics that alter your life plans can also erupt. Keep cool as tempers could tend to flair.

Many might be challenged to deal with 3 highly demanding situations this week. Others might experience a third party entering their lives who either creates or relieves a standoff.

The key to using this week’s powerful energies is to be flexible and work with what is rather than insist on the way you think things should be. That’s because life is giving us one of those “course corrections.” Anything that isn’t really working for us can end abruptly.

But relationships and opportunities that do work can appear in astoundingly magical ways. So even if this week’s events seem annoying, keep in mind they are steering us in better directions. Look for how you are being awakened and liberated by what is going on in and around you.

Count on things only when they actually happen as matters can change on a dime.

This is part of a year-long “Shakeup to Liberate” constellation. Each of us is experiencing something powerful according to our unique destiny.

Because this is such a big astrological event, I’m offering special “Uranus Readings” I’ll reveal how your life and relationships might be affected by these rare energies. Call 303-730-6680 to arrange your personal consultation. ($4.75 per minute.)

Here’s the areas each Sun Sign might experience this week’s “Shake-up to Liberate” energies.

Aries: Beliefs and Legal/Foreign matters and Work/Health matters Taurus: Friendships and Love/Kids matters and Sex/Death/Finances
Gemini: Career matters and Partnerships and Home/Family matters Cancer: Travel/Legal and Health/Work matters and Contracts/Education
Leo: Intimacy/Finance & Love/Kids Virgo: Relationships & Home/Family & Self Image/(work)
Libra: Work/Sacrifice/Health matters and Contracts/Communication/Travel
Scorpio: Friendships and Lovers/Kids and Finances/Security issues
Sagittarians: Home/Family matters and Career and Self Image
Capricorn: Contracts/Communication/Legal/Travel matters
Aquarius: Finances/Security and Intimacy matters/Friendships
Pisces: Self- Image (freedom) and Relationships and Home/Family

Click here to see Phyllis' amazing books
getupgirl.org

Spring Awakening

2009-04-11T20:23:00.000-07:00

Need a break from the office? housework? the computer? One of our favorite activities this time of year is to go out and enjoy the bountiful blooms of Spring. This is the season that the earth blesses us with so much beauty. Everything is blooming and oh so green! On our recent trip driving down the California Coast, we enjoyed green grassy hills and a wide array of colorful wildflowers. Below are some suggestions for great places near Los Angeles to experience the beauty of Spring. (For those of you who don't live near L.A., research what parks and gardens have the best blooms, and go enjoy!)

Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve
The Reserve located 15 miles west of Lancaster, 15101 Lancaster Rd.

Wildflower season generally lasts from as early as mid-February through mid-May, the park is open year-round from sunrise to sunset. Eight miles of trails through the gentle rolling hills, including a paved section for wheelchair access, make the park a wonderful place to hike and explore any season. Shaded picnic tables are available on a first-come, first-served basis, with an interpretive display and a serene view over the valley to the San Gabriel Mountains.

Tours: During the wildflower season, free guided public tours are offered if staff is available at: 10:00 AM & 2:00 PM weekends. 11:00 AM on weekdays

Hours: The park is open sunrise to sunset.
Weekdays 10 AM - 4 PM, Weekends 9 AM - 5 PM
Parking Fees: $7 per vehicle $6 per vehicle with a senior on board (62 and over)

The Huntington Botanical Gardens
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, CA 91108
626.405.2100
Located near Pasadena, the Botanical Gardens are an ever-changing exhibition of color and a constant delight. Covering 120 acres, more than a dozen specialized gardens are arranged within a park-like landscape of rolling lawns. Among the most remarkable are the Desert Garden, the Japanese Garden, the Rose Garden, and the Chinese garden. The camellia collection is one of the largest in the country. Other important botanical attractions include the Subtropical, Herb, Jungle, and Palm gardens.

It is also the home of the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and the Rose Garden Tea Room.

Hours: Monday: 12 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday: Closed Wed-Fri: 12 noon to 4:30 p.m.
Sat & Sun: 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Huntington is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, and Independence Day. From Memorial Day (May 25) to Labor Day (Sept. 7)
The Huntington observes summer hours and is open from 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Wednesday through Monday (closed Tuesdays).
Reservations are not necessary to visit The Huntington.

Tickets may be purchased at the time of your visit. For Admission, tours, schedule information go to their website at: huntington.org

Free Day: Admission to The Huntington is free to all visitors on the first Thursday of every month with advanced tickets. Hours on Free Day are 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Parking: Parking is free at The Huntington

Descanso Gardens 1418 Descanso Drive
La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011
Beautiful year round, these gardens are especially beautiful in the Spring because of the numerous selection of plants, trees and flowers throughout the property. A natural "bowl" in the San Rafael hills provides the perfect secluded setting for Descanso Gardens. They have many events scheduled throughout the year for the whole family to enjoy.

Located near the intersection of the 210 and 2 freeways. It is a short 20-minute drive from downtown Los Angeles.

Hours: The Gardens are open every day of the year except Christmas, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (although visitors are encouraged to arrive by 4:30 p.m.)

Free Parking.
Admission: General $8. Senior/Students $6. Children (5 to 12 years) $3. Guild members and Children under 5 free. Tram $4. Enchanted Railroad $3

California Wildflowers: For more information on Southern California wildflowers, check out: pbase.com

getupgirl.org

Life Lessons From Fast Food

2009-04-10T15:40:00.000-07:00

Most of us would never put the words 'fast food' and 'balanced living' in the same sentence. Are there really life lessons that can be learned from a greasy hamburger? Reinvention Expert, Coach and Speaker Eli Davidson writes about how 3 simple questions can SUPERSIZE the quality of your life. Pass the fries please!

Life Lessons From Fast Food

There's not much good food in prison. I am still digesting that life changing experience.

So, I have an admission to make.

I just polished off every molecule of a McDonald's Big 'N Tasty Meal. (That's a #6 for you Mickey D's wannabes.) Ahhh, I loved each bite of that burger and salty, soggy fry. Every mouthful was so refreshing after my time eating microwaved chicken potpie while working in a prison. As I sat in my car waiting for my Big 'N Tasty, it dawned on me that life is like the "drive thru" line at McDonald's. You get what you order. Often, people settle for what shows up in their life rather than going for the Big Gulp that is the life of their dreams. Particularly in our current economic environment many of us are afraid to ask for what we want.

The First Step: Ask.
The Universe is asking, "Can I Supersize that for you?" What is your answer? The first step in having what you want in your life is asking for it. It sounds so simple and dorky. Yet, it is true. Recently, a client doubled her income. When a new customer asked her normal rate, a ridiculously large number popped out of her mouth. She told me later of her surprise at this new found boldness. Even in this economy, she asked for what she wanted and got it. Her deeper process began as he opened to an inner place of worthiness which she needed to embrace in order to actually receive greater abundance. Her request for more money got her both more money and a new awareness of the innate goodness that is her authentic nature.

Click to read entire article

Eli Davidson is a nationally recognized executive coach and motivational speaker. Her book, "Funky to Fabulous: Surefire Success Stories for the Savvy, Sassy and Swamped", (Oak Grove Publishing) has won three national book awards. Eli is a reinvention catalyst, who can transform your professional and personal life from Funky to Fabulous with her ten, trademarked Turnaround Techniques that create rapid and remarkable results.

getupgirl.org

Do It! Create a Powerful Intent

2009-04-09T14:53:00.000-07:00

Best selling Author, Debbie Ford writes about setting intention in her book The Best Year of Your Life. Ford believes that simply setting the powerful intent to create "the best year of my life" is the first step in creating it as such:

Take at least three minutes at the beginning and end of each day to close your eyes and affirm, "This is the best year of my life." Remind yourself of this intent by posting visual reminders - such as notes and signs - in every room of your home and office. You can send e-mail messages to yourself each day, or attach a note to your phone so that every time you use it you will be reminded to take a moment to recommit to your intent. Make it know to the people who matter most to you that you are choosing to make this a year that surpasses all others.

Ready, set, intention!

getupgirl.org

New Annenberg Photography Space Opens in LA

2009-04-01T18:22:00.000-07:00

We love to support the enriching experience that art can bring to our lives. As busy women balancing work, family, and life, we encourage you to make time for inspiration. For those of you living in L.A. or here on a visit, announcing a new venue to enjoy the art of photography.

On March 27, 2009, the Annenberg Space for Photography will open to the public. Los Angeles and it's rich and incredibly diverse culture, is the inspiration for their opening exhibit. Located at the Century Plaza building, 2000 Avenue of the Stars in Century City, it is the site of the original Shubart Theatre.

The building was designed to resemble an actual camera, with a rectangular exterior and a circular rotunda whose ceiling is modeled after a camera shutter. In addition to photo gallery space, the architecture also includes a circular interior that features a digital viewing space with multiple high resolution screens where guests can see even more photos.

The inaugural exhibition, titled “L8s Ang3les,” features the work of seven prominent L.A. photographers including Julius Shulman (who at 98 years old, showed up at the party in a wheelchair), John Baldessari, Greg Gorman, Lauren Greenfield and four Times photographers, Carolyn Cole, Kirk McKoy, Genaro Molina and Lawrence K. Ho. The show will be open from March 27 - June 28, 2009. Admission is free.

Check out their website for a calendar of exhibits, lectures and workshops. annenbergspaceforphotography.org

Top photo: by Greg Gorman
Bottom photo: by Lawrence K. Ho

getupgirl.org

Vitamin B12 shots

2009-03-30T22:10:00.000-07:00

Fellow Get Up Girl Liane Schmidt, just published an informative article on the pros and cons of receiving B12 shots. It is an informative and interesting look at the subject.

Vitamin B12 shots for weight loss, healthy skin, reducing stress, energy boosters, and so much more.

I have just recently been introduced to B12 shots; shots that are apparently becoming more and more popular these days with actors, politicians and people on the go opting for them over lattes and cappuccinos. I myself have started to get a weekly shot. Yesterday was the third week for me so far.

My doctor told me that they are great stress reducers, skin enhancers, energy boosters, as well as having many other beneficial health factors. They are quick and painless. I stress painless because I have an extremely strong aversion to pain and needles and was completely surprised at how I hardly felt a thing.

Though I never thought I would spend $25 a pop on a single vitamin supplement, I have always believed that my health is worth every expense in the world.

Click here to read entire article

We love to share your writing, artwork, and creativity with our fellow Get Up Girls. Please send blog posts to: info@getupgirl.org

Happy Creating!

getupgirl.org

A Healing Journey

2009-03-29T17:33:00.000-07:00

Recently in our Get Up Girl nine week coaching program we focused on the powerful tool of listening to ourselves. There are many ways to practice listening. We encourage listening to ourselves through our bodies, emotions, minds and spirits (intuition, inner wisdom, etc.). All of these aspects of ourselves offer great insight and useful information for understanding what is true for us and how to best support ourselves.

Our Get Up Girl Grad, Yoga Fitness Expert and Co-owner of The Yogi Tree, Crystal D'Angora, shares her beautiful story about how she healed her body by listening to herself, and honoring the guidance she received within.

I have been meditating on healing a lot this week and trust that whatever is showing up in our bodies right now is a true reflection of our preparation for the Big Shift. I absolutely believe that the body is our best adviser and when it hurts it's time for change. When we embrace challenge as a chance to stop and listen, we can begin to heal! I can speak from experience with my own healing journey, and know how the external voices can sometimes cloud the inner needs.

When I cracked my rib a few months ago, my doctor said that it would be six months before it would heal/stop hurting,or that I should keep movement to a minimum. I did take a break from my busy-ness and traveled within, asking what was needed. This meant saying, "no" to a few things and relaxing more than is my usual pattern. I did not however, let my Doctor's voice drown out my own, and listened to my body when it told me to breath deeper to heal my rib, and gradually re-incorporated dance and movement as it felt good.

Within one month I hardly felt the pain as I twisted and stretched, and two months later my body feels as if it never happened. This is why I love Yoga, Meditation, and Acupuncture; they teach us how to heal ourselves, listen with patience, and trust the messages within. I believe that whatever our bodies need to release will often manifest as discomfort, but once we tune into the underlying messages, we become freer, healthier and more energized!

On the journey to self-healing, please remember how powerful your thoughts and language are in the healing process. We must tell ourselves (and believe) that we are exactly as we should be, and constantly improving with awareness.

Crystal D'Angora is a Yoga and Pilates Instructor, and Co-Founder of The Yogi Tree in Toluca Lake. TheYogiTree.com • Crystalyogaandpilates.com

getupgirl.org

Affirmations - A Get Up Girl Power Tool

2009-03-25T22:42:00.000-07:00

In our Get Up Girl Women's Coaching Groups we encourage using affirmations as a powerful tool for reframing limiting beliefs into new ways of being and experiencing ourselves and our lives.

To lift and inspire you, here are ten more affirmations from Lousie Hay and her book, 'Power Thoughts, 365 Daily Affirmations'.

Every experience I have leads me to a greater understanding of my purpose in life.

All that I seek is already in me.

I speak up for myself with ease.

I am intelligent and powerful.

My body uses relaxation as a time to repair and rejuvenate itself.

The more I relax, the healthier I am.

The answers within me come to my awareness with ease. I love my body.

Every year I feel more relaxed and more attractive.

My life continues to get better and better.

I treat my partner with love and respect, and receive the same in return.

I am my best friend.

I love what I see in me.

My day begins and ends with gratitude and joy.

getupgirl.org
photo by Margalit Ward

Happy News!

2009-03-23T14:44:00.000-07:00

Is the news getting you down? Time to get happy!

We found a website dedicated to sharing only uplifting news stories appropriately called: Happy News. Check it out, we love it!

Happy News credo: We believe virtue, goodwill and heroism are hot news. That's why we bring you up-to-the-minute news, geared to lift spirits and inspire lives. Add in a diverse team of Citizen Journalists reporting positive stories from around the world, and you've got one happy place for news.

http://www.happynews.com/

getupgirl.org

Kay McConaughey - Girl's Night Out

2009-03-19T13:23:00.000-07:00

Camilla Alves, Shannon Bindler, Kay McConaughey, Margalit Ward

Kay McConaughey being interviewed by Crystal Coney

Kay McConaughey entertains the Get Up Girl crowd

Beautiful Get Up Girl Audience

Margalit Ward, Shannon Bindler, Kay McConaughey

Thank you to all of the AMAZING women who showed up for our monthly Girl's Night Out with Kay McConaughey, the mother of Matthew McConaughey. Kay, the author of 'I Amaze Myself' gave her humorous insights on life, living, and parenting. We were all thoroughly entertained, uplifted, and inspired. The event was hosted at the lovely Byron & Tracey Salon in Beverly Hills, which was a perfect venue.

This event was the launch of our Get Up Girl Scholarships. We are excited about sharing our program with women and teens in need!

We are so grateful for all of the press, friends, and Get Up Girl graduates who made this such a spectacular night. To find out about future events please visit our website: http://getupgirl.org/events.htm or email us at info@getupgirl.org

We look forward to seeing you at the next Get Up Girl's Night Out!

To see MORE PHOTOS from the event, go to Get Up Girl Facebook Group.

getupgirl.org

17 Fitness Foods for Women

2009-03-19T12:50:00.000-07:00

Women's Health Magazine published a list of 17 foods every woman should eat for ultimate fitness. You may be surprised at some of the items that made the list - let's just say a morning whole grain bagel is not such a bad idea!

click to read article

getupgirl.org

Venus in Retrograde

2009-03-10T16:04:00.000-07:00

We always love astrologer Phyllis Firak-Mitz astrological update. Check out what is in store for your sign through Venus going into retrograde.

Relationships might be more topsy-turvy as Venus, the Planet of Love is Retrograde from this Friday, March 6th through April 17th. Changes of heart, shifts in commitments and other relationship transitions are quite likely – perhaps through early May.
*Where your Sun Sign will experience this most is listed below

Venus Retrograde is a time of relationship review. People tend to stop and say “Wait! Is this what I really want in my relationship(s)???” Even good alliances can experience a call to tweak matters so they get even better.

This relationship review is designed for adjustments and healings that lead to more satisfying connections. But the process of getting there can trigger confusion, restlessness and/or urges for something or someone different.

So it might be a good idea to avoid making final decisions about relationships until you are very clear, even if that is after April 17th. No need to rush your retrograde review.

Importantly, this Venus is Retrograde in the “me” sign of Aries. This indicates we are really working on our relationship with our selves...even though it feels like it’s about others. As others could be mirroring back to us what we have to work on, it’s a terrific period enhance your relationship with yourself.

Since Aries is the sign of the Hero, this Retrograde is perfect for being courageous with trying new behaviors and attitudes that express more of your authentic self.

But tempers could flair as Aries is also the sign of the warrior. Lots of people might be on the warpath, so steer clear of unnecessary confrontations. Instead, use Venus Retrograde to touch into your authentic power and direct it towards initiating what you do want, keeping in mind that you might have to negotiate with others so it works for them, too.

Here’s where each Sun Sign might experience the Venus Retrograde’s Relationship Review. (Said another way, here’s where relationships might seem the nuttiest)

Aries: Relationships with yourself, your expression and/or how you appear.
Taurus: Relationships with people you serve, people from your past, what you believe
Gemini: Relationships with friends, Associates who could help you
Cancer: Relationships with authority figures, career/reputation alliances
Leo: Long-distance relationships, legal, moral, religious connections
Virgo: Sexual, Financial relationships
Libra: Partners, very close friends
Scorpio: work associates, health matters,
Sagittarius: lovers, kids,
Capricorn: family,
Aquarius: siblings, neighbors, school buddies
Pisces: financial alliances, possessions

www.astrologerphyllis.com
Want to a private consultation with Phyllis about your love life? 303-730-6680

getupgirl.org

Take a Deep Breath

2009-03-09T15:24:00.000-07:00

I read this today and was inspired by the simplicity and truth of this message. Remembering that we have the most basic tool for connecting to our own inner strength and peace... and it's as close as our next breath.

No matter what is going on in your life, you can always take a moment to focus on your breathing. When you find yourself in a tense situation, for example, you may notice that you are holding your breath. Putting your attention on your breathing can help you relax and immediately be in the here and now. This practice, found in many spiritual traditions, is often referred to as mindfulness, being present, or living in the now.

You may ask, since we're breathing all the time, why do we need to practice it? What we're practicing is conscious awareness of the breath. Then breathing becomes a concentration exercise that not only focuses the mind but brings many healing benefits as well.

- John-Roger with Paul Kaye From their book: Momentum, Letting Love Lead, Simple Practices for Spiritual Living

getupgirl.org

New Monthly Sale at Bauer Pottery

2009-03-07T12:32:00.000-08:00

Do you enjoy beautiful pottery? We do. I awoke this morning to find a listing in today’s L.A. Times Home Section about a great sale on Bauer Pottery in Los Angeles, and had to share it with our Get Up Girls!

Every year, collectors of Bauer Pottery eagerly await the Atwater Village studio's December sale of factory seconds. Beginning today, fans won't have to wait until the holidays, as the newly remodeled showroom will open to the public the first weekend of every month. A variety of seconds -- dinnerware, candlesticks, pitchers and other brightly colored trademark designs with minor defects or uneven glazing -- will be marked down as much as 60%. Purists interested only in first-quality pieces can place orders too.

The sale runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Sunday at 3051 Rosslyn St., Los Angeles, 90065; (888) 213-0800; www.bauerpottery.com.

– Lisa Boone, Los Angeles Times, The Scout Home Section

getupgirl.org

What Are You Planting?

2009-03-01T22:32:00.001-08:00

I recently listened to a podcast by author and speaker, Lisa Nichols, where she said, “You can’t plant seeds AND reap the harvest in the same season.” She went on to talk about what we are currently experiencing in our lives, is a result of the seeds we have planted in the past.

For me, the seeds I plant are – the thoughts, feelings and actions I choose to focus on each day. Lisa’s article inspired me to think about what seeds am I choosing to plant now, that I will see manifest in my life in the weeks and months ahead? Am I planting seeds of loving and caring for myself? Seeds of healthy living, of patience, gratitude and prosperity?

With the Spring season approaching, it’s a good time to think about what seeds you want to plant for yourself. It’s important to be honest. Ask, “What am I really willing to do now, in order to have the things I want in my life?" and, "How can I support myself to make it happen?” Remember that we always have a choice each day, to be purposeful in our life through our thoughts, feelings and actions. When we choose to live consciously, we empower ourselves.

I invite you to think about the seeds you want to plant now, (your thoughts, feelings and actions) that will create the life you are living tomorrow.

p.s. and remember to always use fertilizer. i.e. LOVE

getupgirl.org

10 Traits of Successful Entrepreneurs

2009-02-26T21:52:00.000-08:00

For many of you, who are working on starting or growing your own business, understanding the qualities needed to create success is extremely helpful.

The author, president and founder of Palo Alto Software, Tim Berry shares his wisdom in his blog article on the 10 Traits of Successful Entrepreneurs.

10 Traits of Successful Entrepreneurs

1. There's a lot of talk about P-words: passion, perseverance, and persistence. I mistrust all three. A lot of unsuccessful entrepreneurs have them just as much. You have to have some variation on these traits, but you can have all three and still fail. You and I both know people who never made it and never stopped trying. My favorite P-word in entrepreneurship is planning, but that's just me. Stubbornness is good too, even without starting with P.

2. I like empathy, as in understanding how other people think and feel about things. Empathy leads to understanding what the people you sell to want, what they need, how they think, and how to best reach them. It's hard to imagine somebody building a company without being able to put themselves in the buyer's state of mind.

3. A sense of fairness. For dealing with vendors, customers, and employees.

4. Transferable values. This is closely related to the sense of fairness. I just don't see people building businesses without believing in what they're doing.

5. Willingness to work hard, shoulder to shoulder with other people. Cliche, but true: the harder I work, the luckier I get.

6. Knowing what they don't know. To me that's much more important than what you do know.

7. Listening carefully. Shutting up.

8. Vision for what they can build. Imagining a happy future. Dreaming.

9. Making mistakes. You have to deal with failure. Keep pitching.

10. Jumping viewpoints, like from short- to long-term in an instant, mixing those viewpoints together. That's like dribbling, keeping your eyes up while managing the ball at your feet.

So there's 10. Everybody likes lists of 10. Go ahead. Add some more. Make my day.

Written by Tim Berry, from his blog, 'Planning Start-Up Stories'
timberry.com

getupgirl.org

Affirmations from Louise Hay

2009-02-24T20:10:00.000-08:00

From one of our favorite authors, Louise Hay, we share ten affirmations from her book, "Power Thoughts, 365 Daily Affirmations". Feel free to use any of these to inspire the change you want in your life, or edit to make them your own. Enjoy!

I am constantly moving forward in the direction of my goals.

I am gentle and kind with myself as I grow and change

The joy in my life is overflowing. My life gets better all the time.

I look within to find my treasures.

I fill my home with love.

I take full responsibility for every aspect of my life.

I focus on positive thoughts because the thoughts I think and the words I speak create my experiences.

I view all experiences as opportunities for me to learn and grow.

I am empowered and confident.

I love who I am, and reward myself with thoughts of gratitude.

getupgirl.org
Photo by Margalit Ward

Weekly Self-Care

2009-02-20T22:44:00.000-08:00

This week in our women’s Get Up Girl Coaching Group we explored how we can take better care of ourselves. We use the term Extreme Self-Care to describe nurturing ourselves in ways that really honors us as women on all levels, – Physically, Mentally, Emotionally and Spiritually.

To clarify a supportive Extreme Self-Care routine, we have the women ask themselves these 3 questions:

1. What are some of the ways I can take better care of myself?

2. What gets in the way of taking good care of myself?

3. What can I incorporate into my weekly routine this week?

During my afternoon walk I thought about these questions again and realized the value of asking them on a regular basis. My life is changing all the time, with new projects, situations, commitments, and what works for me one week, may not the next. When I make the time to re-evaluate what will work for me each week, sometimes daily, I can be flexible with how I fit in the things that support me. Wow, three days of late nights, take-out food and caffeine, I better make some changes in my diet and bedtime or I may be headed for burnout.

Take some time this week to ask yourself the Extreme Self-Care questions above. You can also try asking them and adding each of the levels, Physical, Mental, Emotional and Spiritual at the end of each question. This can support you in creating more balance in your life depending on what’s currently happening in your life.

Once you have answered the last question, “What can I incorporate into my weekly routine this week?” Enter what you decided into your PDA or daily calendar, so you have it written in your schedule, and will see it each day. It's also helpful to make your routine, Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and with a Time-frame.

Taking really good care of ourselves is the foundation for living a happy, healthy and fulfilling life. Be flexible with what that means for you so you can find ways that work no matter what shows up in your life. You deserve it!

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Letting Go of Clutter

2009-02-18T16:16:00.000-08:00

Personal Organizer Alaia Williams of One Organized Life shares with her fellow Get Up Girls how to rid yourself of unwanted clutter to create peace of mind.

Is it hard for you to let go? Take a look around you. Every single item you see represents your choice to have that item in your life. You either chose to purchase the item, or were given the item and chose to keep it. From your new red sweater to the pile of junk mail on your kitchen counter, every item represents a choice made.

When your life is full of clutter, you might begin to resent all the "stuff" around you. Why do you think that happens? Often it is because you don't LOVE the stuff you are looking at! Maybe the sweater doesn't fit anymore. Maybe it was an impulse purchase that you now regret. Sometimes we purchase too much of a good thing - who really needs five staplers? - because it is much easier to buy the thing we need than find it in the junk yard that has become our home or office. When someone sends a gift or just gives us something we "have to" have, we often feel obligated to keep it "for a little while." Let me tell you, I've met plenty of people whose "little while" is now 5+ years.

Make a choice NOW to change things. Start small. Pick five items around you. If you don't absolutely love the item, find it useful/functional, or it doesn't add beauty to your environment, get rid of it. Ebay, CraigsList, yard sale, trash can. I don't care - let it go. It doesn't matter if you paid $100 for it. If you have the receipt, take it back. No receipt? Ebay or donate it. Your peace of mind is more important than $100.

What items are you holding on to that you need to let go of?

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What Fuels You?

2009-02-16T10:34:00.000-08:00

After working at home for two days, I really needed a day out. I took a walk to the Grove and found my way into the Barnes & Noble book store. I spent most of my time visiting the art section, which I had been day dreaming about doing all week. What a treat it was to fill my hungry eyes with a wide variety of beautiful and interesting art. It was like walking through a museum filled with artists of my own choosing. I even discovered some wonderful artists that were new to me.

Later, I wandered into Anthropology for another creative injection of color, texture and form. I love their home, book and stationery selections. I found a great book on happiness called, 'Choosing Happiness', by Alexandra Stoddard, (how fitting for the happy day I was having), and a colorful, fabric inspired box of cards and envelopes, both on sale. My lucky day!

By now, I was beginning to feel the buzz of creative energy flowing through me. I realized how important it is for me to take these excursions for the sole purpose of looking, feeling and enjoying beautiful things, –with no goal in mind, other than enjoying the adventure. Julia Cameron, author of 'The Artist's Way', calls these outings, an Artist Date. It's like planning a play date for yourself. She suggests we partake in this activity every week, as part of a recipe to inspire and support our creativity and nourish our souls.

What fuels you, your creativity and your spirit?
Is it a hike, music, a museum, or a trip to the flea market? I invite you to think about what inspires you, and give yourself the gift of time to enjoy those activities. It doesn’t have to take a lot of time. One hour a week can go a long way. As part of your self-care routine, carve out some time to experience what brings you complete joy. It will be the creative fuel to support you for the week ahead, and may even inspire some new ideas and solutions for other areas of your life.

We would love to hear your ideas on what fuels your creative energy. Let us know at info@getupgirl.org.

"Always leave enough time in your life to do something that makes you happy, satisfied, even joyous. That has more of an effect on well-being than any other factor."
– Paul Hawkin

photos by Margalit Ward
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