Skin Deep

(Side Note: Trying to write a blog post while curled up on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, snuggled with a furry lil' critter, while watching huge snowflakes fall outside your window is really.hard.to.do. At least for me. I keep getting distracted!)

Okay, here goes.

I have had skin problems for years.

I have combination skin and have struggled with both cystic acne and dryness. I've tried several different products over the years (including Proactive, Nutrogena, and St. Ives) and have since been trying more "natural" products - mostly stuff I could find at Target or Meijer (such as Burt's Bees). I have never found the perfect solution.

Recently I began trying Shaklee skin care products. And I'm not gonna lie - I've only been using them for 3 days.

But that's just it. I've only been using these products for 3 days and I've noticed such a HUGE difference in my skin.

My skin no longer has any dry spots. My breakout spots around my nose and chin are noticeably less red and more "healed" looking. My pores have shrunk and my skin feels super smooth! Yay!

I also must add that I am taking Vitalizer vitamins and Vivix and I firmly believe that what you put in to your body is just as important as what you put on your body.

I look forward to how my skin looks and feels over time. If these 3 days are any indication, then the future of my epidermis is lookin' good! :)

Here are some other tips I've learned over the year to help keep skin looking and feeling great: 

• Practice good care routines. Cleanse and moisturize every night. I used to skip this sometimes! Laziness or fatigue would win and I'd fall asleep with makeup on. Also, don't use hot water (it strips your skin of essential moisture). Avoid touching your face throughout the day (it transfers germs and bacteria, plus rubbing your eyes can damage that delicate skin and lead to wrinkles).
• Always wear sunscreen on exposed skin. Even if it’s winter or cloudy. The sun’s UV rays can still harm your skin regardless of weather or time of year. And if you can, avoid being in the sun between 10am and 4pm. That’s when the sun’s rays are most damaging.
• Exercise. Aerobic activity causes you to breath more deeply. This in turn increases the flow of oxygen to your organs and improves your overall body health. Plus, sweating can help your skin to rid itself of toxins. The result - healthy and glowing skin.
• Eat plenty of fresh produce. Fresh fruits and vegetables are chock full of vitamins and antioxidants. A diet rich in fresh produce will help you to attain a natural glow.
• Reduce or eliminate sugar and dairy. I have noticed a huge improvement in my skin, simply by drastically reducing my sugar and dairy intake. Studies indicate that both dairy and sugar are linked to acne and breakouts. The thing is, most people don't realize how much dairy and sugar they are actually consuming! (The answer - way.too.much.) Neither dairy nor sugar are necessary in a healthy diet. I could go on and on about this topic! It needs it's own post!

 Okay. Off to finish up Larry Brooks' Story Engineering. That and trying not to be distracted by the snow! :)

I'm Selling Shaklee!

I'm super stoked.

Why?

Because today I got a couple big ol' boxes from Shaklee!

Including my business start-up box. Yep, I'm now officially a Shaklee Independent Distributor!

For those that don't know what Shaklee is, here's the scoop:

• Shaklee is the number one natural nutrition company in the US
• Shaklee became first in the world to be certified Climate Neutral™ (totally offsetting  carbon emissions resulting in a net zero impact on the environment)
• 54 gold medals have been won by Shaklee powered worldclass athletes.
• Shaklee invests over $250 million in clinical testing, research and development
• Shaklee always tests for purity and safety with over 80,000 quality tests each year
• Explorer Jacques Cousteau, 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr. Wangari Maathai, and other earth advocates have partnered with Shaklee
• Shaklee has won awards for sustainable business practices and in green design for its world headquarters
• Shaklee recycles 1,000,000 pounds of cardboard from other companies

 Just a few reasons why I love Shaklee!

Some questions, you may (or may not) be wondering...

What about your other jobs? Don’t you work with kids?  
Yes, I love working with kids and Shaklee will not replace those jobs! My other jobs are part-time and Shaklee provides an amazing way for me to supplement my income without altering my schedule or quitting my other jobs.

Wait, what about writing though? Aren’t you a writer / Don’t you want to be a writer?  
Here’s one thing that I will changing - I won’t be going after freelance writing projects any more. If any come my way, great! But constantly pursuing new projects is very time-consuming. And I’d MUCH rather spend that time working on my novel manuscript (yes, it’s still in the works!) and writing about one company that I know and love - Shaklee!

Are you sure that Shaklee is legit? Are you sure it isn’t a pyramid scheme? 
Yes, I’m sure. :) Try Googling it!


Interested in shopping Shaklee? Go to my Shaklee website!

I Love Larry Brooks & Kid President Too

The amazing Larry Brooks at StoryFix posted this today and I had to pass it along...

Not cool Robert Frost!!! :)

Speaking of Larry Brooks, I'm currently in the middle of reading his book Story Engineering. I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone considering writing a book. Super helpful. Wish I had read it 3 years ago! So far it's the best "how-to-be-a-writer" type of book I've come across.

Okay, off to do a little dance. And map out my villain's motivations!

5 Reasons NOT to Be a Writer...

1. It's time-consuming. Ridiculously, tremendously time-consuming. It's so time-consuming that you never update your blog, you begin to rationalize your haven't-been-mopped-in-2-months floors as being "immunity boosting", and you start to rock yourself and hum the opening lines of Rent's "Seasons of Love" every time you see a clock or calendar.

2. It's creepy. You begin to categorize friends, family members, acquaintances, and strangers according to their inspiration potential for characters in your novel. You contemplate using one of your secret Pinterest boards to pin photos of your neighbor since he/she has that perfect "weathered" look that you imagine for your heroine's friend's mother's veterinarian.

3. It's mentally overwhelming. Being a writer takes up a lot of thought time and brain-room. You'll show up half-an-hour late to work meetings, forget when you last washed your hair, fail to remember the names of real people (since you're too preoccupied trying to think of the perfect name for your villain), and likely will start pacing while muttering and mumbling to yourself like Gaius Baltar from Battlestar Galactica.

4. It's painful. Consider: Staring at a computer screen and thumbing through how-to books late at night will give you a headache. Fighting with yourself over plot devices, settings, overarching themes, and character arcs will give you a headache. Attempting to go about your day to day life with an entire world stuck in your head will.give.you.a.headache.

5. It's scary. It might seem intimidating to actually announce your goal of writing a book. It's even more frightening to think about trying to write a book and failing. A gazillion unnerving questions will continuously taunt you. "What if my writing sucks? What if I never finish writing this book? What if my story never gets published? What if it gets published and everyone hates it? What if I'm just not cut out for this?" Being a writer means embracing the potential to fail. It means doing your best and acknowledging that you might not be good enough.

So if you're thinking of being a writer, be forewarned. And if, like me, you decide to ignore the warnings, then I have one piece of advice for you:

Don't give up.

May (all your dreams come true...)

C.S. Lewis quote for the day:

"Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement."

The mid-way point of the year is fast approaching... Only 59 days and 2012 will be halfway past...

What Leap Year resolutions did you make? What new ones are whispering in your head?

Listen to those whispering dreams...! Make the move now.

For me, May means "boot camp" month. Get my butt in gear and finish my manuscript draft. Make healthy habits of exercise and prayer. I want to work hard. And play hard. I want to be a good steward of every muscle, brain cell, and blessing.

I'm three days into May and those days haven't been perfect... But that's okay, because perfection is not my goal. Improvement, yes, perfection, no. (Thanks Mama Char [grandma] for that eternal life lesson!)

So make the most with what you've got! Life is preciously short. If you aren't satisfied with your life, then quit spinning your wheels and clinging to the same old habits...

Be who you were made to be!!!

Lessons from a Prophet

I read Habakkuk this morning. Partially because I like the sound of "Habakkuk" and partially because it caught my eye as I was flipping through my slightly dusty NIV this morning...

And I rediscovered two lessons that struck a particular chord with me...

Now I remembered reading Habakkuk before and so this morning I thought to myself "Hmm.. This will be good.."  My eyes were bleary and the clock read 6:30am, but I willfully plopped myself into my not-comfy-enough kitchen chair, gratefully munched on Mini Chocolate-Chip Breakfast Cookies, and began to read.

You Know You've Been Away for Too Long When...

...You don't even recognize blogger's format any more and the whole thing's more confusing than Facebook's last update.... Arg!

My little sister said I should update my blog. So, this one's for you Linden!

Since my last post forever and a half ago, I've been...

• ...working a lot on my manuscript. My new goal is to have a rough draft completed by the end of May. I had to do lots of work on the outline and fleshing out scenes BEFORE actually writing them.... In college I was the girl who outlined term papers for days and then wrote the the whole 20 page whopper in a night. And it worked for me. I'm realizing that's how I work best when writing. Working from the "outside" to the "inside". I'm excited too, because I've really been able to envision my story lately... A steampunk world and a cyberpunk world... With superheros, airships, monsters, and mystery! (If you're curious to "see" what my story looks like / feels like, check out my Pinterest board for Laraway Legacy...)
• ...trying to read Game of Thrones... I love it. But it's taking me forever to get into it.
• ...indulging a growing addiction to Kettlebell training at Synergy. What's that you say? A couple months ago I had NO idea... Now I know. And I'm totally addicted... It's amazing strength-training workouts that aren't boring (and that's saying a lot, coming from this lazy ex-ballerina) Plus, it burns up to 600 calories in 30 minutes. Here's a video of my trainer doing one of MANY Kettlebell exercises...

• ...exploring veganism. I think I have a dairy allergy. I'm getting tested for allergies tomorrow morning actually. I used to think I could never ever EVER give up cheese. I mean, there's nothing quite like a glass of red wine and brie cheese...!!! But now, I'm thinking that feeling well might actually be better... And I'm discovering a plethora of amazing vegan recipe sites! If you've never checked out Chocolate Covered Katie , then I highly recommend! Her recipes are SO simple and ohso tasty! I can personally attest that her Deep Dish Cookie Pie, made with garbanzo beans is UHmazing... As are her Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Brownies (I've just been eating them with a fork from the baking dish... I couldn't stop long enough to cut them...)

That's all for this post... I'll be back again soon. :)

Until then, check out this GORGEOUS photo. I want to go to there...! :)

Photo Credit