Category Archives: self love

My Current Obsession

Friday, June 1st, 2012

I found this course about a month ago and I swear it has changed my life in ways that I never thought possible.

**On a side note, this blog post may end up sounding like an infommercial, but I swear I am not getting paid for this, I am just 100% totally and completely sold on all of it!!

Dressing Your Truth is an online course that beautifully merges style and self love, my two favorite things. I was introduced to the course by a friend quite a while ago who swore up and down that I should take it. I will admit that I was initially turned off by the course because I wasn’t all that impressed by the style. The creator wasn’t my style so how could this possibly be right for me? I let curiosity take the lead though, paid the money and will never look back. It has changed my style, my relationship with my family and most of all my relationship with myself. I gave the program to my Mom and my assistant and they have both had the same experience.

by DesignLoveFest

Dressing Your Truth is a process where you find out which type of woman you are.
Type 1 = Bright and Animated Woman
Type 2 = Soft and Subtle Woman
Type 3 = Rich and Dynamic Woman
Type 4 = Bold and Striking Woman
Figuring out which type of woman you are is actually quite difficult. Part of the process is figuring out who you truly are…Not what your parents tried to mold you into, not how you want to be to impress your friends, not what the media has been drilling into you your whole life and most likely it is quite the opposite of what you think/want your type to be. I turned out to be a Type 4, it was the only type that I really didn’t want to be!

**Another side note…The key message I got from all of this is that every woman is beautiful, every single one of us. The moment that we realize that who we truly are is beautiful (and not this facade that we have been putting up for 10, 20, 30 years), then our true light will come beaming out of us.

After you figure out your type you learn all about the clothing, jewelry, accessories, hair color, hair style and makeup that is perfect for your type. My inner critic thought again, “this is ridiculous!” but curiosity won out in the end. I cut my hair in a totally new style, I’ve been wearing things I never would have worn, I have all new makeup colors in my medicine cabinet…And I look and feel amazing!

I seriously want every woman to do this course. They have a great return policy if you don’t like it. The catch though is that you have to be willing to change. You have to be willing to take a chance and try something completely new. That is f*%cking scary!!!

This is a great video from a woman talking about the huge changes that Dressing Your Truth has made in her life. Be prepared though, when she talks about how it has changed her relationship with her daughter it totally made me teary…

This beautiful girl is 16 years old and I love what she has to say about herself at the very end about how this program has changed her feelings about herself. I wish I could have said that at 16!

The course to find out your type is free. The course to find out what the heck to do with your type isn’t cheap, but I promise you that it will take your life, your style, your relationships and your self love to a whole new level!

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Posted in beauty, fashion, favorite posts, self love

Bikini Summer 2012: Lesson Twelve…Prizes!!!

Monday, April 2nd, 2012

OK then.

You’ve done all the exercises, read all the links and watched the awesome movie…Right?

Then now is the time to celebrate as you have made a giant leap into Sparkly Self Love! Keep these lessons handy and refer to them every time you need a little assistance. It truly doesn’t make any sense, but taking care of yourself with the love and respect that you deserve is very hard work. You have been working hard at it all month and I want you to continue!

Yes! Now it is time for prizes!!!

It’s final exam time…
Leave a comment below telling me which lesson, tip, link, etc. had the biggest impact on you and why. For extra credit you can leave a comment on Facebook or Twitter (save time, use the share buttons at the bottom of the lesson!). The winners will be picked at random on Friday, and you will get an entry for every comment you make here, on Facebook and on Twitter!

THE PRIZES!

$100 Gift Certificate to use at Olivine. Go on, buy yourself something pretty. You deserve it!

A sparkly Astral Crown from Giant Dwarf. A must have for every woman that wants a little extra sparkle in her day.

A pair of Mini Tassel Earrings from Daly Bird! There are 8 delightful colors to choose from!

So get going already! You have until Friday to get all your entries in. Good luck!

Please remember to check back to see if you won!!

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Posted in bikini summer, body image, Giveaways, self love, weight loss

Tagged daly bird, giant dwarf, olivine, sparkly self love, weight loss

Bikini Summer 2012: Lesson Three

Friday, March 9th, 2012

Shhhut Uppppppp!!!!

You’ve heard the voice…

Seriously? You’re going to eat all of that?
You can’t eat carbs, you will gain 10 pounds by tomorrow morning.
You should just stay home, nothing looks good on you anyways.
You’re fat and you suck. Seriously.
If you finish that cake you are even more of a loser than I thought you were.
Did you really just eat that bread? You know you are supposed to say no to the bread basket.

How stressed out did you just get reading all of that? I got really stressed writing it, so I’m sure it struck a chord with you as well. This voice is what is commonly known as the Lizard Brain, and unfortunately we all have it, it’s just a matter of what we do with it!

Do you want to know something interesting? Stress makes us gain weight. It increases insulin and cortisol and decreases the digestive enzymes in our stomach.
Do you know what causes women tons and tons of stress? Dieting and the self hatred that comes along with it.

Every time you hear that little voice on your shoulder belittling you, knocking you down and crushing your spirit you are contributing to that weight gain.

How you turn that voice off is completely up to you. Here are some examples of what has worked for some of my girlfriends.

Shut the fuck up!
Oh aren’t you just adorable, now shut the fuck up!
Thanks for the help, but I’m doing my own thing now.
Thank you, not interested in your help though.

Practice this over the weekend and please leave a comment below with what works for you!

If you want more information about how stress has been proven to make us gain weight then you must read Marc David’s book, The Slow Down Diet! Every chapter of that book will amaze you about what how simple (yet so hard!) it is to turn our bodies around.

By the way, we’re going to do a super fun exercise on Monday that will require your absolute favorite food that your lizard brain says you aren’t allowed to eat. For me that would be a piece of really good cake, for you it might be a big bag of chips or a pint of ice cream. Go out and buy the best of the best and you will be ready on Monday! Just don’t start without me!!

Have a fantastic weekend!
xo…Julie

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Posted in bikini summer, body image, self love, weight loss

Tagged dieting, self love, sparkly self love, weight loss

Olivine’s Charm School Presents…Bikini Summer 2012!

Monday, February 27th, 2012

Summer is coming and now is the perfect time to start getting ready for bikini season! Would you like to join me?

All of the details will be announced over the coming week, but I just wanted to give all of you a little heads up for the fun that will be coming your way in March…

What I can tell you right now about your future is that there will be looser fitting skinny jeans, there will be stairs to run up without getting winded, there will be chocolate, there will be a community of women right along with you, there will be oodles of sparkly self love, there will be a lot of laughing and there will be prizes!

I can also tell you what won’t be in your future! There won’t be any dieting, there won’t be any self hatred and abuse, there won’t be any complaining and there won’t be any sitting on your pretty little ass wondering what to do about your weight.

If you happen to live in the Southern Hemisphere (as so many of my readers do!) then do not let the term Bikini Summer deter you! The way I see it there is a beach to be laying on somewhere in the world every day of the year…

Oh, and feel free to check out one of my favorite posts about how to lose weight the Sparkly Self Love way!

Photo found here

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Posted in bikini summer, body image, exercise, self love, weight loss

Tagged bikini summer, sparkly self love, weight loss

Those Lovely Scary Feelings

Monday, February 13th, 2012

I rarely get deep insight from a George Clooney movie, but there was a bit in The Descendants that rang so true for me. The concept that by simply (or not so simply) putting yourself deep in the trenches of fear for about 30 seconds you can make it to the other side of awesomeness and freedom.

Here is one of my 30 seconds that I will never forget. When I was about 20 years old I was at a club and there was this guy there that I had a huge crush on. I was in the midst of telling my friend Lance about Mr. Crush when he just happened to walk by. Lance stopped him…introduced us…said to Mr. Crush “Hey, Julie wants to ask you something!” and promptly walked away, leaving me standing there with my heart in the back of my throat staring at Mr. Crush.

So what did I do? I asked him out, because what else was I going to ask him at that point? And you know what? He said yes. And we went out a few times, and the magic wasn’t there. But the most awesome part for me was that I completely stepped out of my comfort zone and the end result was that I felt so empowered afterwards. I have noticed that every time I step into something that makes me shriek with fear I always feel deliciously powerful, even if I fail.

I don’t know if I have ever thanked Lance for throwing me off the cliff, but I really should…

What is the scariest thing you have ever done that gave you that delicious feeling?

Photo found here

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Posted in inspiration, self love

An Article Every Woman Should Read…Today!

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

found here

This article that I read today on Girlie Girl Army (love that blog by the way!) is such a crucial read for all women of all sizes. By the way, the comments on this article are equally fascinating. Let me know what you think!

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Posted in body image, self love

So Much Better Than “You Look Nice Today”

Monday, January 16th, 2012

There are lots of ways to change the world, right?

Finding the cure for cancer, completely counter-acting your carbon footprint, being the person who finally designs 4-inch heels that are fit for hiking. But taking on any of the above can be a bit daunting. Personally, I do a bit better when thinking globally and acting locally.

And what are my causes of choice? Well, besides preaching the gospel of glitter and the necessity of self-love…there is JOY.

And is there an easier way to bring joy to someone’s life than to offer them a great compliment? Not just a “You look nice today” or some other quick nod to that co-worker you really like. What about the barista you see every day? Or the student who’s always at the bus stop at the same time as you? Or that colleague who (if we’re going to go ahead and say it) is kind of a pain in the ass?

Imagine how much change we could bring to world by doing this – by making people feel good about themselves. And their appearance. And their lives. And we can probably do better than “Wow, you’re really good at unjamming the copier” and “Your ass looks good in those jeans” can’t we?

How about:

I trust your judgement
You’re really good at your job
You smell good
I love what you’re doing with your (hair/leg warmers/complexly layered eyeshadow)
Things are more fun when you’re around
You’ve got great ideas
I want to be you when I grow up
I admire the choices you’ve made
You make me laugh till I pee my pants a little
I value your opinion

Or maybe even:

You’re the most beautiful girl in the room (you could be a part-time model)

So go forth! Compliment strangers! Your friends! Your family! The world will be a more confident place because of it.

What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?

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Posted in body image, inspiration, self love

Tagged compliment

A Reminder

Monday, January 9th, 2012

perfect, perfect Barbie found here

If you’re anything like most women, you’ve spent the last two months mowing down holiday goodies, celebrating the crisp weather with the consumption of mounds of pasta and generally consuming twice your normal caloric intake.

And shockingly enough, all that mowing? It’s not great for the hip and thigh area. And, looking through women’s magazines at the nail salon? Not great for the self esteem area.

So in honor of this month, the official month of Weight Loss Resolutions, let’s run a few numbers, shall we?

5’11″ and 117 pounds: The average height and weight of an American runway model
5’4″ and 140 pounds: The average height and weight of an American woman
40: Percent of of fashion models that are estimated to have eating disorders
98: Percent of the population that fashion models are thinner than
39 FF: The size of Barbie’s breasts if she were a real woman
3: How many times larger her head would be than a normal human’s
39-21-33: Her bust/waist/hip measurements if she were to spring to life
1 in 100,000: The likelihood of these measurements occurring naturally in any member of the female population
3: How many well-known models that have died from malnutrition
70: How many different Photoshop techniques are often applied to magazine photos
15: How many times I’ve watched Dove’s Evolution video on the fine art of photo editing.

How comfortable are you with your body?

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Posted in beauty, body image, inspiration, self love

Say Goodbye To The Winter Blues!

Monday, November 28th, 2011

Now that Seattle is rocking fourteen hours of darkness each day, I’m finding it hard not to eat my body weight in pasta, find the nearest cave and hibernate until white shoes are sartorially acceptable again. Seasonal Depression isn’t a good time, and I suspect that it affects (in some form) most of us north of the 42nd latitude.

A recipe for coping!

Exercise
Researchers recently found that regular exercise can be as effective at treating depression as medication. Amazing, right?! When you’re feeling down it can be a bit hard to muster the energy to even go to the gym, but it’s a lot more fun if you have a wicked play list on your Ipod, a cute workout ensemble and fun ways to work out like Zumba or water aerobics.

Get outside
Yes, it’s cold. Yes, that is the feeling of your nose hairs freezing together. But with heaps of winter activities to choose from, surely there’s something that floats your boat. Anyone that knows me also knows that I’m not the first girl out on the slopes each season, but I‘m pretty good at tubing and snow-angel-making. Even just bundling up and walking to your favorite coffee shop for a hot cocoa qualifies!

Feather your nest
You’ll inevitably find yourself at home a lot more during the winter months which isn’t particularly pleasant if your space resembles the cave you wish you could crawl into. Paint the walls, hang up those vacation photos and add more pillows to the couch for optimal cuddling. Being snowed in is no longer unappealing.

Long mornings
This might seem counter-intuitive, but I found that actually getting up earlier makes my winter days a lot more tolerable. My nights are shot because it’s dark by 4:00 pm, but it’s lovely to get up at 6:00 and make waffles, listen to the news and watch the sun rise. It’s like a long Sunday morning every morning.

Socialize
There’s no doubt that a bottle of wine and your latest Netflix dvd are a pretty appealing way to spend a cold winter night. But do that every night and you’re going a bit Boo Radley on us. It’s really important to keep up your social life, even in the dead of winter. Have friends over for board games, potlucks or cookie-making. Or brave the cold for a comedy night or rush tickets at your local theater.

Embrace the holidays
Be the one who brings Christmas cookies to the office, hang mistletoe in every door and twinkle-light the sweet bejesus out of your apartment. I love going for walks at night and seeing all the colored lights through windows, the interiors of the apartments all joyfully, rainbowly glowing. The holiday season is unquestionably over the top, but it’s a lot more fun to join in the excess than sulk in the corner.

Sunrise simulator/full spectrum lights
Please allow me to sing the praises of this sunrise simulator. Seriously, $90 to wake up slowly and leisurely to a romantically lit room? Yes, please. If you’re really having a hard go of it, full spectrum lights have been proven to reduce the results of Seasonal Depression as well.

Vitamin D/St. John’s Wart
Vitamin D deficiencies are often linked to Seasonal Depression, and supplements are widely available. St. John’s Wart is helpful in treating mild depression, but i t can reduce the effectiveness of your birth control so proceed with caution.

How do you beat the winter mopes?

Photo source

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Posted in self care, self love

Tagged depression, seasonal affective disorder, winter

My lesson for this week…

Monday, October 31st, 2011

This video gave me chills…

It only takes 9+ minutes to watch this video and it will make you think a lot about your life, who you are and who you want to be.

I had a conversation with a friend last week that really got me thinking about this whole uncomfortable thing. We were discussing relationships and I offered up a suggestion…her immediate response was along the lines of ‘Well, that doesn’t seem very me’, and her next step was to immediately dismiss my (excellent) suggestion.

I can’t even count how many times I have passed up opportunities, people, places and even accessories (!), just because they weren’t ‘me’. Who decided that headbands weren’t me?

It is so easy to skate by in life with what is comfortable. There is no risk. There is no pain. And if there is pain, then at least it is a pain that we are familiar with.

But what about extreme joy? What about success? What about growth? Can we experience those feelings by being comfortable?

I do know a few things…
All the times that I have made myself completely uncomfortable I have grown in countless ways.
The people I know that take the most chances in life are the most successful.
My friends that take the most chances in fashion have the best style.
So how can any of that be bad?

What are you doing in your life that is uncomfortable?
Today I will be wearing a headband…

Oh yeah, Happy Halloween!!!

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Posted in self love

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