tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17023324768207575222024-03-12T16:45:40.154-07:00Passionately Driven... A Lifestyle and Wellness BlogLife, Health, Image... Non-filtered philosophisings....
From the heart of Speaker/Image Consultant ChristalNicoleChristalNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901384351145656878noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702332476820757522.post-91474365358006082242020-07-08T19:34:00.002-07:002021-02-16T16:54:32.570-08:00"Sticks and Stones...""... may break my bones... but Words will never hurt me..."... but we knew even then as children that Words can/do, indeed hurt...When was the last time you stood in your shower until your fingers were wrinkled, or in some other quiet place away from others, and cried or beat yourself up for allowing the cruel, stupid, negative opinions of others affect you? It's okay to admit it. I'll go first. ChristalNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901384351145656878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702332476820757522.post-84626703320144577862020-06-17T14:00:00.000-07:002020-06-19T18:18:32.617-07:00Say "No" and Mean it. No More Back and Forth!NOTE TO SELF:My 20 year old son has a strength that I am still trying to find at almost 42... When he says NO, he means NO. When he cuts someone off, that person is CUT OFF. When he is Done, he is DONE... At times, his actions seemed callous to me, because I am that person that doesn't want to hurt others' feelings. I've realized, however, the importance of saying "No", and meaning it. I've alsoChristalNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901384351145656878noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702332476820757522.post-8964104640650963352020-01-17T23:19:00.001-08:002020-06-17T14:07:29.238-07:00It's Ok to Say "Yes" to You...Everyday, you go to work, whether it's at home or a long commute. You take care of your business. You take care of your family, from your parents, siblings, children and/or grandchildren. Everyone seems to get your attention, except you...Your body aches, from hours of working, tension from stress, and you can't think of the last time you had a peaceful night of rest. Your mind is constantly ChristalNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901384351145656878noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702332476820757522.post-45608259728835068482019-10-17T20:31:00.001-07:002020-06-17T14:06:57.432-07:00Chilled to the Bone, but not the Heart...The cold weather is officially here, and I find myself ready to bundle up and cuddle...Funny thing is that I'm thankful for the ability and desire to be a loving person. Yes, I said "thankful", and yes, I said "ability". Truth be told, there was a time that I wasn't sure that I wanted to be that "loving" person. I didn't want to keep having my love taken for granted or used against me as a tool ChristalNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901384351145656878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702332476820757522.post-56577747432980414942019-10-04T13:08:00.000-07:002019-10-04T13:08:01.816-07:00Set Yourself Free...
She's wild and crazy, some may say...
How can she allow herself to be out in public like that, others may think...
Once upon a time, I would care so much about what people say or think that I would have difficulty with just being myself. I would change my hair, the way that I dressed or even the way that I acted, just to please others. I was bound. I was bound by the fear of not pleasing ChristalNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901384351145656878noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702332476820757522.post-42321716521758002882019-09-19T12:04:00.000-07:002019-09-19T12:05:09.017-07:00Uncovering Beauty Unseen...
What do you see? Do you notice the dark clouds first or the light coming from behind the clouds?
There are times in our lives that all seems to be dark. Everything seems to be going the wrong way, and there seems to be little hope in sight. These are the moments that we have to remain strong and focus on the light at the end of tunnel. No matter how low you may be or how dark ChristalNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901384351145656878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702332476820757522.post-79615879517576654542019-09-11T09:15:00.000-07:002019-09-11T11:00:11.455-07:00Dear Future Forever Love...
...And I mean exactly that... Forever...
No, this is not a rant. It is not a blog entry to put anyone down or vent about life, love or the lack thereof. I hope and pray that this entry is encouraging to all who read it and that you share with others for encouragement as well.
Often times, when we have experienced love and heartbreak, everyone seems to have ALL of the advice for us:
ChristalNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901384351145656878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702332476820757522.post-91910040693303581962019-04-05T11:14:00.000-07:002019-04-05T11:15:30.397-07:00The Skin You're In... Loving You First
Seeking love or companionship, when you haven't learned to love yourself, conquered your own insecurities and embraced your flaws is a dangerous position to put yourself in....
I have this conversation with both women and men quite frequently, actually. The conversation of understanding your decision-making and the power of emotions, ChristalNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901384351145656878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702332476820757522.post-16990363847709614062019-02-27T09:19:00.000-08:002019-02-27T10:54:20.947-08:00When Will Someone Accept Me for Me?... Learning to Accept Yourself...
When will someone accept me for me?... Said the girl who couldn't accept herself...
So often we put the pressure on others to give us validation or to "accept us", when all along the "problem" isn't with others but from within our own person. I know that some won't even read this entry in its entirety, because they don't think that they have an issue with self-acceptance. Well, let me ask youChristalNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901384351145656878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702332476820757522.post-51151250214363797442019-01-27T22:05:00.000-08:002019-01-27T22:05:59.739-08:00Take Care of Yourself: You Matter Too...
I know that it's been awhile, since my last post. My apologies to my awesome readers.
I'd like to say that I've been taking some much needed R&R, but unfortunately, it's been the total opposite. I've been super busy! Hence, this blog entry, reminder to not only you but also to MYself...
Work is a grand thing that allows us to pay the bills. "Hustle-mode" is a common phrase, used ChristalNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901384351145656878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702332476820757522.post-8262069135157292382018-11-28T12:19:00.001-08:002018-11-28T12:42:23.603-08:00Don't Be Afraid to Let Go...
Whether it's a person, situation or emotional attachment to something, many of us have a difficult time with letting things go and moving on with our lives...
Yes, I'm talking about myself as well. I'm guilty (first step is to admit it, right?), or at least, I have been:
If a person stopped communicating or decided to leave my life, I would try to figure out why and inwardly be ChristalNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901384351145656878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702332476820757522.post-61148503601592850442018-11-02T09:51:00.000-07:002018-11-02T10:01:00.889-07:00Your Most Important Audience is You...
"I want to be a great role model for my daughter/son."
"I want people to see the good in me."
"I just want to make my parents proud.".....................
All wonderful statements and positive goals to reach for. However, I want to put a little bug in your ear that may just also bring you a moment (hopefully a lifetime) of enlightenment by asking you this question:
"What do you SEE, whenChristalNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901384351145656878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702332476820757522.post-9191742065992677822018-10-26T08:18:00.000-07:002018-10-26T08:18:10.491-07:00Put Yourself In Time Out...
There's just something about koi ponds that makes me feel relaxed and have a sense of peace. Places such as this provide me with a nice little break from stressors and quiet time to calm the storm that is incessantly present in my brain... A Time Out
According to Wikipedia, "Time-out is a form of behavioral modification that involves temporarily separating a person from an environment whereChristalNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901384351145656878noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702332476820757522.post-51661780561872516682018-10-09T11:13:00.001-07:002018-10-09T11:16:55.632-07:00Let Me Talk...https://youtu.be/S73bIrfb994
Let me talk. Let me speak. Let me say what's on my mind...
So many times, we hold things in for years and it eats away at our very souls, affecting every part of our lives...
I can personally say that I'm aware that my past has not only affected my self image but every relationship that I have attempted to form...
Speak. Let it out... Let go of the negativity that ChristalNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901384351145656878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702332476820757522.post-28435640877830972442018-10-04T13:10:00.001-07:002018-10-04T13:10:57.528-07:00The Power of Communication...
I am in no way a sketch artist. However, I had this vision of communication being the roots of a relationship, sprouting branches of longevity, commitment, loyalty, love, trust, etc.....
So let's discuss this "thing" called communication. It is an idea, a concept, a living entity, necessary/mandatory for any type of relationship to begin, be sustained and/or end. It is birthed and either ChristalNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901384351145656878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702332476820757522.post-36477010337915546522018-09-28T14:20:00.000-07:002018-09-29T06:07:40.048-07:00How can I make you smile today?
How can I make you smile today
Everyday, I want to hear you say
Can I be the one that dries your tears
The one who calms your fears
Tell me, will you let me
Love you, ever so gently
Unrelenting, contently
With a newness so surreal
A reality causing your heart to heal...
-ChristalNicole
I have a tendency to write poetry in a romantic/passionate tone. However, this little short ChristalNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901384351145656878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702332476820757522.post-70741849677825581122018-09-14T14:31:00.000-07:002018-09-15T19:26:20.505-07:00Acknowledging the Power of Forgiveness...
I am incessantly on a journey for enhanced peace, fulfillment and love of self. This entry is going to be sort of two-fold, in that I'll be writing about letting go of the past and forgiveness...
Many of us have a wall that has been built to protect us from others, due to whatever experiences and persons we have encountered in our lives. However, where we are willing to admit to the wall, we ChristalNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901384351145656878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702332476820757522.post-31547124870409342092018-08-17T08:05:00.000-07:002018-08-17T08:05:38.704-07:00Heart Be Unbroken...
Let's talk a little about love today... Or, rather, the loss of love...
So often I find myself in conversations and/or counseling someone who is struggling with the emotional distress following the dissolution of an intimate relationship. It is understood that a person can feel deep loss, when a friendship is severed, but this particular blog entry will be focused specifically on the ending ChristalNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901384351145656878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702332476820757522.post-70517396981588800902018-08-03T06:55:00.000-07:002018-08-03T06:55:11.629-07:00Reflecting to Reflect...
The dictionary defines a reflection as "the throwing back by a body or surface of light, heat, or sound without absorbing it...." or a "serious thought or consideration"......
I have a tendency to be a "deep" thinker (hard to believe, I know) and sometimes even over-analytical (another shocker, right?). Anyway, while conversing with someone earlier this week, we began to discuss my goalsChristalNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901384351145656878noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702332476820757522.post-54893568683467477342018-08-01T17:50:00.001-07:002018-08-03T06:56:00.637-07:00Two Boxes From Shea Moisture! How'd THAT Happen?!ChristalNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901384351145656878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702332476820757522.post-41106670479204244692018-07-27T07:32:00.000-07:002018-07-27T07:32:03.296-07:00Keep Pushing... Regardless
Perseverance is so often used more as an adjective, to describe a person's action. However, it is actually a Noun.... Stay with me. There's a method to this mad English lesson...
Reading it's meaning again, and thinking to myself that this word has been my word of the year (maybe even the past few years), I realized that it truly isn't a description of myself. It is, rather, a state of being.ChristalNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901384351145656878noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702332476820757522.post-35688046651456817102018-07-17T14:15:00.000-07:002018-07-20T13:46:56.560-07:00I Will...I Can...I Am...
"Today is going to be a good day..."
"I will complete all of my tasks on today..."
"No weapon that is formed against me shall prosper......... Isaiah 54:17"
Some of us are in the habit already of "talking to ourselves" when we have a big day or a big event happening in our lives. We are nervous or excited and need some immediate encouragement. Oftentimes, these are the only times that we ChristalNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901384351145656878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702332476820757522.post-21277657567317334092018-07-10T14:36:00.001-07:002018-07-12T11:25:07.060-07:00Smile! It Really Is Good For You...
A SMILE
A FROWN
VS
How many times have you been walking down a hallway or into a store, and someone told you to "Smile, it'll make you feel better" (or something like that)? Were you in "one of those moods"? Did you scowl harder, thinking "why doesn't that person ChristalNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901384351145656878noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702332476820757522.post-45194386435933756272018-07-06T09:51:00.001-07:002018-07-09T14:00:04.269-07:00Cry, Baby, Cry...
Wow, I can't believe that it's been 3 years, since my last post...
I've had a whirlwind of things to happen in my life, and I'm finally coming to a place of self-discovery and understanding. It has been, during this time, that I have become more self-evaluative and a major revelation has occurred...
It's okay to cry! Yes, as simple as it may sound, I too had difficulty with this human ChristalNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901384351145656878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702332476820757522.post-16368785664034211232015-12-03T13:53:00.002-08:002015-12-03T13:54:36.336-08:00Beautifully Be-You-ti-Full...
How many times have you applied makeup or put on a cute outfit, with the expectations of receiving a compliment? Were you disappointed at all? What about the selfie that you posted on social media, believing that it was the cutest/prettiest/best one you'd ever taken? Did it get as many "likes/shares/reposts" as you'd anticipated? If not, did this effect you personally or decrease your ChristalNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901384351145656878noreply@blogger.com0