Work with what Ya got.

The older I get the more comfortable I have become with myself. While I still workout and eat a balanced diet to keep my weight down, I have become A LOT better about not being so hard on myself if I had a week that I only exercised twice or had one too many cheat days with my diet. While I believe in taking care of yourself, more so for your health, but yes, I also do it to keep in shape, I also really believe in a person really valuing who they are. It's good for your soul to love yourself and the things about you. We can aid in changing our appearance with exercise, make-up and things like that, but ultimately we are given these one bodies and it's so important to really learn to love yourself and what you've got. What is something you love about yourself? We all have something about ourselves that when we look into the mirror, we like. We also have things that we don't like. But as I have said I have definitely become more content with myself and it's such a better feeling to focus on the these things we like about ourselves, rather than the things we don't.

I have posted a couple pics (please forgive the terrible quality....such amatures over here!) of the things I like about myself. I have always been grateful and proud of my good pair of athletic legs that the Lord has blessed with. I used to be self-conscious growing up because a couple of my best friends were very skinny and had these little legs. I can tell you that once we were older however, I became very grateful for the set of legs I had. It's amazing how our view of ourselves can be so tainted when we base it off of what others look like or what they have. Another part of my body I like are my shoulders and chest (by chest I don't mean my boobs, I really mean the cheast area above there;). I know kind of a weird pic, and I seriously don't know why I like my shoulders and chest. For some reason I have always liked myself in strapless tops or tank tops. But funny enough, I used to be really self-conscious about this area as well because I have never had these skinny dainty arms and I always felt like my shoulders looked more masculine because they were a little more scuplted. Again, fast forward to woman hood, and you realize that what you thought about yourself before is really not what it was, once you are looking at yourself with a less judgemental pair of eyes.

My basic point today though is to really think about something on yourself you like, and really start focusing on that. You will be amazed at how much better you begin to feel, and in some cases even look. When we like ourselves, we take better care of ourselves which means we take better care in our appearances. The things yo don't like, well, that is up to you to try to change, with in your power, and then learn to quit focusing on it and know that you have plenty of other parts you like. Remember to be grateful for what you have.

When you look good, you feel good.....

Blessings!!!

Oxo

Ya just NEVER know....

......how your ACTIONS can affect someone else.





Here's something to take with you this weekend, and always.

The
Cab Ride

I arrived at the address and honked the horn.
After waiting a few minutes
I walked to the
Door and knocked.. 'Just a minute', answered a
Frail, elderly voice. I could hear something
Being dragged across the floor.


After
A long pause, the door opened. A small woman in
Her 90's stood before me. She was wearing a
Print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned
On it, like somebody out of a 1940's
Movie.


By her side was a small nylon
Suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had
Lived in it for years. All the furniture was
Covered with sheets.


There were no
Clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils
On the counters. In the corner was a cardboard
Box filled with photos and
Glassware.


'Would you carry my bag
Out to the car?' she said. I took the suitcase
To the cab, then returned to assist the
Woman.


She took my arm and we walked
Slowly toward the curb.


She kept
Thanking me for my kindness. 'It's nothing', I
Told her.. 'I just try to treat my passengers
The way I would want my mother
Treated.


'Oh, you're such a good
Boy, she said. When we got in the cab, she gave
Me an address and then asked, 'Could you drive
Through downtown?'


'It's not the
Shortest way,' I answered
Quickly..


'Oh, I don't mind,' she
Said. 'I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a
Hospice...


I looked in the rear-view
Mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 'I don't have
Any family left,' she continued in a soft
Voice.. 'The doctor says I don't have very
Long.' I quietly reached over and shut off the
Meter.


'What route would you like me
To take?' I asked.


For the next two
Hours, we drove through the city. She showed me
The building where she had once worked as an
Elevator
Operator.


We drove through the
Neighborhood where she and her husband had lived
When they were newlyweds She had me pull up in
Front of a furniture warehouse that had once
Been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a
Girl.


Sometimes she'd ask me to slow
In front of a particular building or corner and
Would sit staring into the darkness, saying
Nothing..


As the first hint of sun was
Creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, 'I'm
Tired.. Let's go now'.


We drove in
Silence to the address she had given me. It was
A low building, like a small convalescent home,
With a driveway that passed under a
Portico.


Two orderlies came out to
The cab as soon as we pulled up. They were
Solicitous and intent, watching her every move.
They must have been expecting her.


I
Opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to
The door. The woman was already seated in a
Wheelchair.


'How much do I owe you?'
She asked, reaching into her
Purse.


'Nothing,' I
Said


'You have to make a living,' she
Answered.


'There are other
Passengers,' I responded.


Almost
Without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She
Held onto me tightly.


'You gave an
Old woman a little moment of joy,' she
Said.
'Thank you.'


I squeezed her
Hand, and then walked into the dim morning
Light.. Behind me, a door shut.. It was the sound
Of the closing of a life..


I didn't
Pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove
Aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that
Day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had
Gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient
To end his shift?
What
If I had refused to take the run, or had honked
Once, then driven away?


On a quick
Review, I don't think that I have done anything
More important in my life.


We're
Conditioned to think that our lives revolve
Around great moments.


But great
Moments often catch us unaware-beautifully
Wrapped in what others may consider a small
One.


PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY
WHAT YOU DID, OR WHAT YOU SAID ~BUT~THEY WILL
ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM
FEEL.


Life
may not be the party we hoped for, but while we
are here we might as well dance

Regards,
Kay Tonini-Crawford

Blessings!!
Oxo

Water Therapy.

Who doesn't love a good foot soak? There is nothing like putting those little piggies in some warm water while feeling relief from all the stress we put on our dependable feet. From wearing 3" (or higher) heels, to exercising, squeezing them in a pair of straight, square toed boots, or wearing flats that have absolutely no support at all, we really put a number on our feet. What's even more interesting is that so many nerve endings, to other parts of our body, are connected to our feet which makes it all the more important to take care of them. I myself am so bad at taking the time to do so but when I do, I always ask myself why I don't soak my feet more through out the week? Think how simple it is too, to just take 20 minutes (while your watching your reality show) and put your feet in some water while you're doing so. Water therapy is proven to be a method in healing stressed areas and as much as we depend on our feet it's not a bad idea to start there. I can almost guarantee that you'll be going to bed more relaxed from quick soak.

**An added plus is that it also makes the process of grooming our feet all the more easy, as the water will soften everything and make it that much easier to get rid of...nail polish, cuticles, filing etc.

FYI: You don't have to have an actual foot bath to do this. Get a big bowl or pot ( of course one large enough to fit your feet comfortably in) fill it with some water and baking soda (the baking soda will act as an exfoliant) and lay those babies in the water. The water does not have to be hot either. Cool water is just as therapeutic. One more thing....wash that bowl or pot after use!

Might I recommend this? If you are wanting some ultra soft feet, get you some of the Aveda Foot Relief....LOVE.

Hope your Monday morning has started off well!!!

Cuidate!

Oxo

Give me 5.

Five quick reasons to exercise:

1) You will get a natural boost in your energy and almost always continue with that energy through out your day.

2) You will get a mood lift. I always (99% of the time) am in a better mood after working out. Along with the natural release of endorphins, I am in a good mood after working out because I just feel better about taking action to help my body stay fit and healthy.

3) Many researchers have shown that anywhere (depending on what you read, or who you talk to) between 20 mins-60 mins of exercise, 4-5 days a week helps to lower your risk against many different cancers.

4) You aid your body in blood circulation, flexibility, and muscle strength which is vitally important for our bodies as we age. It's amazing how great of shape my 86 yr old grandma has been in from walking every morning, followed by stretching. Start those healthy habits now and do your part in helping your body age.

5) You see results! Now this definitely goes along with eating. If you are eating a balanced diet and are steering clear of a high calorie based diet, than you will definitely see some nice results from exercising. Your waist line will go down, you'll tighten your thighs, lift your booty and sculpt your arms. It's really up to you on how much of a result you want to see.

*Remember that fit does not mean thin. It means that you are in great shape due to exercising. Crosstrain to get the best results, as strengthtraining burns more calories than the cardio...but the cardio is so vital to well.....our cardio!!

**One more little thing. Along with exercising your body, exercise your mind. Do some cross words, read, play scrabble, solitaire etc. This too is so important to our health as we get older! Why have the good healthy body if you can't even enjoy it?

Que pase un buen fin de semana!!!

Blessings!

Oxox

Take Cover in Camel--Flage.....

.....with one of these biker/moto jackets this Fall.





Shearling-lined leather biker jacket-Rick Owens










Shearling-trimmed leather aviator jacket-ADAM

Cascade Collar-Shearling Coat-rezrekshn

Shearling Moto Jacket-rezrekshn











all style can be found via: net-a-porter & victoriassecret



*It's always nice to have choices with your jacket styles and one of these lovelies are perfect to add to your selection. These are great for Fall weather and they go with both dressy and casual wear.











-Just saw this on Twitter:
**Count your blessings, you will never finish...Practice gratefulness~Russel Simmons



Bendiciones!!!!

Oxox