Passionately Driven... A Lifestyle and Wellness Blog

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 the situation may seem, you have to remember that just like the rain clouds, it will pass away.  In life, beauty presents itself in the smallest ways, and if we are not focused on living and striving for elevation, evolution and positive growth in ourselves and our lives, then we can miss it... Going through life with a negative self-esteem and self-image, I used to only be focused on my flaws. I could never see my own positive characteristics and refused to believe compliments of beauty, until I began to take my own advice of using positive self-talk, positive reframing and ...

              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, self-concept and self-image. If you've ever read any of my other entries, then you know that I'm all about being transparent and honest with yourself. So, let's be honest. Are you someone who feels that you can't be single? Do you feel like you HAVE to have a man or woman in your life, in order to be happy? Have you made decisions to be with someone, because of those thoughts?.... How did that work out?... The first step is to love you, who you are and the skin that you are in. I'm sure you've heard people say "How can you expect someone to love you, if you don't love yourself?"...

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 goals and aspirations for my image consulting business. I elaborated on the details of what a complete "image" is. By definition (Ms. Literal here), an image is "a representation of the external form of a person or thing..." I believe that the image is formed not only by what we dress the external in but what exudes from the inside. While discussing this, I began to "reflect" on my purpose and how my actions are not just a reflection of me but also the principles, morals and standards which I claim to represent. Ever wondered ...

"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 recognize our need for this positiveness. So, let's BREAK that incessant state of neglect (yes, I said neglect). Feed your mind, body and spirit with that regular dose of positive that it so desperately needs and yearns. I am a big advocate of Positive Self-Talk, because of the power we have within our tongue/mind. We have within us, the power not only to hurt, uplift and encourage others with the words that we speak, but to do the same for ourselves. I began giving my clients this handout in practically every class and/or individual session ...

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 confidence? Well, it's time to change that! So many times, we depend too much on what other people say about us and whether we are meeting others expectations. It is important to remember to be You, and be ok with who you are. Allow others to see the fullness of who you are naturally, and you will be surprised by the energy you receive from others.  Today, while not expecting anything from anyone, I received a compliment from one of my co-workers, which domino effected into compliments from others, and it surprised me! Where did this come from? And why was I feelin...

I sat outside and watched as my boys blew their bubbles and allowed the wind to create huge spheres of bubble rainbows. Mesmerized and entranced by the beauty and mystery of the bubble, I found myself asking "Why?". Why are we so fascinated by bubbles and no matter what our age, why do they make us smile? Could it be how lightly they float- drifting slowly farther and farther away but never saddening us with their departure? Maybe it's the beautiful mixture of color we see swirling incessantly, even dreamily, along their surfaces... Whatever the fascination, on this day I equated the beauty and fragility of the bubble to dreams. Yes, I'm a total dreamer. I believe in chasing after one's dreams and never losing hope. As I watched the bubbles flying out of the bubble wand, I noticed how sometimes huge bubbles were formed and how, from the same wand, lots of small ones. Metaphorically speaking, I am the bubble wand, producing the greatest of dreams both big and smal...