Work It Out with me! Check out this week’s schedule.

Beauty Photo Project 365 View this week’s photos.

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Dear Friends,

This week, I was fortunate to be sent a video featuring Brene Brown, who is a ‘research storyteller,’ who studies the subject of human connection.  In this video, she shares her findings on vulnerability in an engaging, real, and at times out-right humorous way.  Here are some of my favorite words I wrote down as I listened:

* Tell the whole story of how you are with your whole heart.

* We just need you to be authentic and real.

* What made them vulnerable made them beautiful.

* You’re imperfect and wired for struggle; AND, you’re worthy of love and belonging.

* Love with our hearts even with no guarantees.

* Let ourselves be seen.

Wishing you openness and love in this ongoing process…

Heather

Work It Out with me! Check out this week’s schedule.

Beauty Photo Project 365 View this week’s photos.

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Hello, Beautiful Friends,

I recently wrote a piece about Nike doing campaigns that I liked about women’s bodies.  I had an interesting conversation with a friend afterwards that really got me to thinking more about this.  Yes, the women that are portrayed are strong, but they do all have smaller frames.  What message does that send us?  What about including advertising for different shapes and sizes?

Yesterday, I saw a video from Jean Kilbourne, who had done a lot of work around the portrayal of women in the media.  Messages affect us more than we consciously know!

We need to be conscious about the advertising that comes at us.  We need to be reflective about the underlying and overt messages.  We need to change the conversation.  We need to Create Our Own Beautiful and be proud that we are all unique and have different definitions, concepts, and realities of what is beautiful.

What do you think?

In reflection & with much love, Heather

Work It Out with me! Check out this week’s schedule.

Beauty Photo Project 365 View this week’s photos.

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For information on the artist: http://www.marydanielhobson.com/

Beautiful Friends,

I hope this finds ya’ll well in this moment.

As we have all experienced, life presents us with challenges.  It could be as small as not finding parking to as big as loosing something that means the world to us.  We sometimes have to curl up and be sad about these hard times.  It’s a needed part of a process.  Not always fun to go to this place, but necessary.

I am a firm believer that we play a big part in choosing the attitude with which we approach things.  We can see the same situation as a disaster or an opportunity.  Absolutely.

Whatever is going on, I think the most important lesson is that you are yourself authentically and that you allow yourself to be true to what comes up for you.

What I have found that happens if you don’t, is that it finds a way to reside in your body.  It can creep behind your heart.  Hang out in your shoulder blade.  Get nice and nestled in your hip.  We  do not want this in our bodies; it does not serve  us.

Painting, dancing, running, singing, writing, cleaning are all ways that you can focus and channel that energy.  Let it run through you and out you.

My dad has offered me these words of advice during challenging times:  Behind the clouds, the sun is still shining.

When you go through challenges, you gotta ride out the storm as if it were a rollercoaster and find beauty in the lessons along the way.

Wishing you moments of trueness to yourself…

Heather

Work It Out with me! Check out this week’s schedule.

Beauty Photo Project 365 View this week’s photos.

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Dear Friends,

I’m BEYOND THRILLED to be announcing March BeautyShops for Local Ladies!  Here’s the 411:

BEAUTYSHOPS

A three-part series to help explore, nurture & reveal our unique beauty as the Lovely Ladies that we are becoming in this luscious life.

* Saturdays 3:30-6:00pm, March 5, 12 & 19 *

Each BeautyShop includes reflection, dialogue & a beautiful interactive experience.  Fabulousness guaranteed!

Limited spaces.

Early registration by February 25: $150. After February 25: $175.

Click here to save your spot now!

Beautiful Bonus for attending the series and completing assignments: Hand-crafted Peacock earrings!

Work It Out with me! Check out this week’s schedule.

CYOB Home WorkOuts Get a sneak peak at the introduction!

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Beautiful Friend,

I hope this finds you well.  As always, with life, it comes with beauty and challenges.  I hope that as you go through the myriad experiences, people, and moments that make up your life, that you remain true to yourself.  Authentically you.

This week, I’d like to share with you some photos from my newest page, Beauty Photo Project 365.  Each week, I post photos from the week that I find inspiration from.  I hope you do, too.  These ones are particularly refreshing for the challenging times that shall pass.

My love to you…

Heather

I have such fond memories of making wishes on these as a child, that I still officially call them ‘Wish Blowers.” What to you wish to bring into your life?

"After a storm comes a calm." ~ Matthew Henry / Sometimes, life puts forward challenges; it is essential to come back to our heart and know that the calm will come. Image from my visual journal.

Querido Corazon / Thank you for being the place that I can always come back to, even when life feels challenging. I appreciate your perspective, wisdom, and sincerity. / Abrazos

“There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” ~ Anais Nin

SURFACE to DEPTHS. From my visual journal.

Hand of Fatima. My artistic mother made a series of these prints, which are symbolic of protection. She made them when she was pregnant with me while in Morocco.

HOPE is a blend of wanting more, keeping faith, and being present & finding happiness with what is. HOPE is in the silent spaces between our laughter. HOPE lies in the depths as well as on the surface of our protected hearts. HOPE is a reminder, a calling, a dream turning reality.

…radiant love… From my visual journal

“Just when the caterpillar though its life was over, it became a butterfly.”

I have admired clouds since I was a child, always finding it fun to see what pictures I can make out in them. As I’ve gotten older, I appreciate them on another level: an inspiration for change. Clouds are always clouds, but they are ever changing in color, patterns, flow. What is something in your life that you want to change?

Work It Out with me! Check out this week’s schedule.

(CYOB Home Workouts coming soon!)

Beauty Photo Project 365 View this week’s photos.

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Beautiful Friends,

A few years back, Nike came out with ads about the woman’s body in a unique way.  Here are the ads and my blink reactions to them:

Thank goodness for teaching Shimmy Pop that  has allowed me to find ways to connect with my hips in ways I didn’t even know existed!

I am so proud of my strong shoulders from strength training, yoga, and giving massages.  I love the fact that even though my frame is small, sometimes shirts don’t fit because of my muscles!

I totally get this one as a lady!  Shaving the legs leaves them feeling smooth and luxurious; but sometimes a few prickly hairs somehow remain…and, it really doesn’t matter!  This reminds me of India Arie’s song, in which she sings “Sometimes I shave, sometimes I don’t…It really just depends on whatever feels good in my soul.”  Love it!

I am proud to be strong!  When I was younger, I was more self-conscious about my body, especially my strong quadraceps; today, however, I am proud of my leg strength, as it allows me to get closer to the sky when I leap and jump.

I love the fact that I am rough and tough.  I miss my days of training in kickboxing, as I loved to go against the bag.  I was proud of my bruises, too!

I really admire Nike for putting out this unique perspective (especially in advertising) on women’s body with beautiful pictures accompanied by poetic-like words with very strong meaning behind them.  The voice of ownerships and pride makes me feel good.

Take a few moments and think about/jot down your responses:

* What parts of your body do you love?

* Which parts of your body do you need to look at again in order to (re)claim and appreciate more fully?

* How can you find ways to give them the love they deserve?

Peace and blessings,

Heather

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Create Your Own Beautiful on Facebook.

Work It Out with me! Check out this week’s schedule.

(CYOB Home Workouts coming soon!)

Beauty Photo Project 365 View this week’s photos.

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Gorgeous Friends,

How are you doing?  Really, how are you doing?  Take a moment to be still and check in with your heart.

OK…

What in the world is going on with this weather?  Here in the Bay, we’ve had some amazing sunshine.  So much, in fact, that at one point this week I wore a sleeveless shirt.  At the end of January.  Hmmmm.  Currently, though, there is a bit of rain upon us.

Rain can be nice.  But, the lack of sunshine can be challenging.  Hard to motivate out of your house; less Vitamin D from the sun source can make you feel blue (or grey, like the sky); cold/wet cloths, shoes & body, if you do make it out, are not pleasant.  It can be rough, friends, rough.

Well, perhaps it was writing about Wonder Woman last week that has allowed me to develop my inner Superhero powers.  I now have the ability to sense into the future to know what I’m going to need to make me happy.  Just call me Luscious Lady of Intuition.

What do I need to do to activate my powers?

BRIGHT YELLOW RAINBOOTS!

(Now, you can also order fleece socks just for the boots, so your feet are super warm inside!)

They are my sunshine on a cloudy, wet day.

OK, so maybe the whole Luscious Lady of Intuition is a bit comic book-y  and psychic-will-read-your-fortune-from-your-palm, but I sure do feel happy knowing I can wear my sunshine boots when it’s a rainy day outside!

Wishing ya’ll sunshine and many moments of figuring out the little things that make you happy.

With love,

Heather

This photo is of me and my older brother, Brett. It was taken in our front yard in Spain, the place of many fun adventures.

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Work It Out with me! Check out this week’s schedule!

Beauty Photo Project 365 View this week’s photos!

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Whizzing around my neighborhood as Wonder Woman at the age of five, I was living lusciously, uninhibited, and full of life.

Clad in my lycra Underoos, I was ready to take on the world.  My red camisole, with an enormous yellow gold eagle, was displayed prominently in the front.  The bottoms I sported were a royal blue with brilliant white stars.  I wore my uniform with pride; I also wore it so frequently that my mom had to invest in a back-up pair so that my world of make-believe could continue on forever and ever, ensuring that I could live in my fairytale world as uninterrupted as possible.

My artistic mother made me countless golden tiaras and indestructible bracelets out of a special thick, shiny, gold paper; she even added a red star on the crown so that it was authentic. With these magical additions, I was transformed.

My bracelets deflected bullets.  I was invincible.

My cape (aka security blanket that I slept with), when secured around my neck, allowed me to soar into the limitless sky.  With outstretched arms, my little feet moved so quickly, it seemed they no longer touched the ground. My view from above was that of a bird looking down mid-flight.

Obviously, I could also choose to ride in my invisible jet when the mission I was on happened to be extra dangerous and the strategical element of surprise was necessary.  Having an older brother meant that this had to employed with frequency.

My old beat-up jump rope became the Lasso of Truth.  I could catch bad-guys in their lies, and force them the tell the truth, making the world a better place.  [What I’d do now for that magic lasso now at the age of 35 in the dating world!]

My adventures were so wondrous and divine, they were my reality.

As I reflect upon this precious time I spent being Wonder Woman, I am left wondering:

1. As an adult, what are your Superheroine/hero powers?  How do you unleash them for the world to benefit from?
2. How can we help this generation and future generations of children be actively involved in the world of creative play and imaginary adventure?
3. In what ways can we be sure to continue to be adventurous and creative in our adult lives, keeping in mind that this will look differently for each of us?

Let’s all take our next steps forward fully embracing our inner superpowers!

Photo taken by Britt Bravo from the window of Hipline, where I teach fun Shimmy & Power Pop classes!

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Work It Out with me! Check out this week’s schedule!

Note:  I will not be teaching Fridays at IOF, as my Reflexology class conflicts with the time.

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Greetings, Gorgeous Friends!

I hope this finds ya’ll doing well!

Just wanted to give you the heads-up that some things on my website have expanded or are in the process now!

1)  The name of my site has changed to Create Your Own Beautiful to be more encompassing of my business.  Fitness will still be a major highlight, and I’m excited to share other parts of CYOB with you, too!  Expect an official .com to be coming soon!

2)  An active page that I adore is Beauty Photo Project 365, which I add a daily image of beauty in my everyday life, like the one above which is the cover of my visual journal.  You can visit my site to find images of inspiration daily!  You can also become a part of this project by ‘liking’ it on Facebook.

3)  A few pages have been added and will be expanding with more information soon (Bodywork, Yummy Recipes, Beautyshops, Home WorkOuts).  Exciting!!!

Comments?  Questions?  Suggestions?  Send them my way!  I love hearing from ya’ll!

Much love,

Heather

Note:  I will not be teaching Fridays at IOF, as I am taking a Reflexology class that conflicts with the time.

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Coming soon:

* BEAUTYshops * ~ Create Your Own Beautiful: Discover, Nurture, Reveal!

* WorkITout Videos * ~ Dynamic strength training for at-home workouts!

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photo by Jorge Rivas

Hi, Beautiful Friends,

In the fall, folks in Birmingham experienced some graffiti on one of their bridges.  This particular graffiti, in big capital letters read: YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL! The mayor shared that he thought it was a beautiful message that should be replicated throughout the city.  I LOVE it!  I beautiful reminder for so many to experience!

Speaking of beautiful, if you are a Facebook fan, be sure to link to my new page, Create Your Own Beautiful.  I am using it as a space to share ideas and images of what beauty means to me.  It is based on the notion that we are all unique, so my hope and dream is that other folks will share what beauty means to them as well to inspire others.

[An aside:  I find graffiti art to be beautiful!  See below for a few pics I took in Brasil.  If you do not receive photos with this email, click here.  Also, if you like graffiti art and are into cool documentaries, I recently really enjoyed a flick called Exit Through the Gift Shop.]

Okay, ya’ll, have a beautiful day and spread your happiness, love, and beauty with those around you!

Mantra: I am radiating beauty, from deep within my heart.

In peace,

Heather