Makeover update

In my last post I shared about my skin analysis with the lovely Laura at Face & Body. I would like to report that I have been a good girl and followed all of Laura's advice, but that would be lying. I have cut out frozen (highly processed) foods completely, and have managed to keep my sugar intake down except where mince pies are on offer. I switched to de-caff tea and only have one morning coffee instead of three. I bought Patrick Holford's book 'The Optimum Nutrition Bible' but I'm scared to look at it as I know it will tell me that all the foods I love are bad for me.
  Face & Body was the first port of call for our makeover - next we all had lots of fun with Judith Campbell, style guru and creator of Feel Brand New. Judith shared her fashion and style know-how with us and gave us all a bit of lesson in how to use colour. She said when you wear a top or an outfit in a colour that really suits you, it looks right on you and can be the difference bewteen looking as though you shopped at Harvey Nicks or Matalan. I can vouch for this as I kept Judith's advice in mind when I bought my new coat - in a gorgeous dark olive colour and a few people have commented on how fancy it looks. I haven't shared the price of the coat with anyone, but let's just say it was a bargain (and not at Harvey Nichols).

  We also had out body shape and fashion style defined for us, I was delighted to be told I have a full hour-glass figure and my natural style is creative/dramatic. We also had a free make-up lesson, the picture here is of me afterwards. The lights were very bright and the colours were more subtle than I would normally go for but I was happy with the end result. You can see Judith in the mirror taking my photo and if you look closely you can make out some of the other consciously female ladies. They all looked gorgeous!  Check out Judith's site and sign up for her blog at www.feelbrandnew.co.uk
 
Just last week we had a style evening with personal shoppers and consultants with Space NK at Harvey Nichols. The main attraction about Harvey Nichols if you ask me is their fantastically festive window display and the Christmas carols playing 24/7. I was nervous about this evening as I wouldn't dream of shopping in there usually. It was a lovely evening though and we were well looked after with wine and delicious mini cupcakes. We also received an Esap goody bag from there so we all felt quite special. The serum we were given is like a magic potion, my skin is glowing.

The last treat for the makeover part of CF is a consultation with Paterson S/A hairdressers. We will have a one to one session with a professional where we can discuss anything about our hair, I'm especially looking forward to it as I want to try a new style. I cut my hair short in October and it's starting to grow out. I'd like to try an entirely new look!

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All Things New

I hardly know where to begin...

I missed the last 2 sessions of CF and was greatly miffed, however that lovely Dawn Breslin said I can join the other Silver Club ladies for the sessions I missed and still benefit from that teaching! How marvelous! I'm looking forward to wrapping up what I've learned from the Silver Club and fully completing the course. I'm continuing to listen to the CD and journal every day. At the moment I'd be lost without my journal.
 At times I feel as though I am in the midst of a tornado with my emotions whirling around me. My ex and I just broke up and I'm in the early stages of making sense of what happened and adjusting to my new single status. So far the sky hasn't fallen in and I woke up in my bed this morning and not some weird new dimension, so that's promising...

I'm seizing the opportunity for a new beginning and using this time to nurture and look after myself. The make-over part of CF began last week with a sort of taster evening at Face & Body. They are a skin care clinic based in the west end. Normally I'd have been too intimidated to go into such a shiny, posh place - but there is safety in numbers.
  I was very pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome we received and the lack of pretence about the whole place. After champagne and nibbles we were given a tour of the facility and each member of staff talked us through the specific treatments they offer. They are a knowledgeable and honest bunch and answered all of our many questions without reserve. We each received a goody bag with cleanser and make-up samples and an amazing £30 Voucher.
  Encouraged by the friendliness of the staff and their professionalism, I went along for a skin analysis appointment yesterday evening. After filling in a brief health questionnaire, I was taken downstairs by Laura for what turned out to be a big wake up call about my health.
  Laura started off by asking me questions about my diet and the types of products I use. I had brought some products to show her and it was suggested I put a certain moisturiser straight in the bin but the rest were ok. Not great but ok.
  Now for the 'science bit' - the dreaded photographs. I had to place my face on the edge of a round white machine with camera lenses and little mirrors on the inside and shut my eyes while it flashed and took my picture. The contraption reminded me of those things you have to use at the opticians, where you have to rest your chin and forehead in the right place and stay still.
 The photos were uploaded and analysed by some specially designed imaging software and revealed the real condition of my skin. Sun damage from my childhood showed up on my skin, and also the fact that this had improved with age as I had grown wiser about sun cream and safe guarding my skin. It showed damage from facial scrubbing and using the wrong types of products, including little raised areas and bacteria. My skin is quite badly dehydrated thanks to my tea and coffee addiction and I have some inflammation there too.
  To focus on the positives, I have inherited good anti-ageing genes and my skin is in much better condition than it shoud be given the punishment it has taken.
  The big wake up call however was the fact that my face is a map of the rest of my body. Puffy eyes and problem areas round my forehead and chin indicate digestive and liver functioning is far from good. I have too much sugar and processed food in my diet and this is affecting my health and the way I look in a serious way. Drastic steps are needed.

From today I am cutting down my caffeine intake by half and reducing my sugar intake. I have to sip water at regular intervals throughout the day to rehydrate my skin, I have also ordered the Optimum Nutrition Bible that Laura recommended. I have to learn all about GL (Glycemic Load) and maintaining a steady blood sugar level.

This is all part of learning to nurture myself and be the healthiest me possible...
 
 

Challenging thoughts

Hello again, it's good to be back.                              

As you may have guessed from the title of this post, I have had a challenging week. I had a fun weekend celebrating a wedding AND an engagement party. I made the most of the opportunity to fully express my social nature and made some lovely new friends :)

All was well until Sunday evening when I was struck down by the lurgy (no it wasn't a hangover, honest!). The lurgy lingered all week leaving me tired and listless. I had to cancel all of my plans, which meant I missed out on last Monday's Consciously Female session. It was the second-last session of the Silver club and I was gutted to miss it.
  However, I decided not to let it hold back my progress and spent time reading over what I have learned so far and continued writing in my journal and listening to the CD. Usually if I have been cooped up in the house without much social contact, I get really down and it can even kick off an episode of depression. So, here I am at the end of a difficult week and actually my mood is fine. There is no threat of depression hanging over me. I believe it's purely because I have kept my thoughts on a positive track and have looked after myself. Instead of berating myself for time lost or for letting people down, (including one of my best friends) I accepted that I needed rest. I'm also at the most tiring point in my cycle, a time when my energy levels are naturally low and if I had pushed myself I probably would be suffering from a low mood right now.
  
It's been a really powerful lesson and has reaffirmed the wisdom of Dawn's teaching. I've tried as far as possible to use this quiet period wisely. I have enjoyed long hours of indulgent reading, have spent time thinking about and planning my Open Uni studies next year and I've also resurrected a fantasy novel I began writing when I was 13.

From next week I'm going to try and include at least one 'quiet' day just for me to read, reflect or whatever without any other demands on my time, I'll let you know how that works out...

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Embracing The Season

It seems an age since I last posted, thanks to an extremely temperamental laptop my blogging has been on hold. My life however, has been on a fast forward or at least that's how it seems.
  At the start of Autumn I pictured long walks in colourful knitwear, holding hands with my other half and planning a wonderful Christmas. The reality has been very different. Everything seems to be going through a major shift, especially my relationship. As we have negotiated new boundaries and reviewed timescales, I've experienced intense emotional upheaval.
  It started almost two weeks ago when I confessed at a Consciously Female evening that I felt myself changing in a powerful way on the inside. My confidence is rising and so is the need to really live my life in the best way for me. I feel this amazing energy gathering within me and demanding expression!
  It's incredibly exciting but also slightly frightening....where will this new energy take me? Am I brave enough to follow?



I now see that it's inevitable that my relationship would be the first thing to be affected, my partner is the closest person to me and the one who is experiencing the changes in me the most. Although I'm still going through this period of growth and it's not easy, it feels right. I feel empowered. As I took my 3 mile walk around Arthur's Seat this morning the answer came to me - I am going through a season, that's all. It's nothing to get too upset or worried about, it's just a period of growth. I made a conscious decision today to let go of worry, to let go of control and just allow things to unfold naturally. That's what Dawn teaches us in our classes and she is a lady who knows what she is doing. So just as I accept and make the most of Autumn or look forward to the snow in Winter, I choose to appreciate and make the most of this season in my life.


 
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The Impossible Mountain

I have always believed in the power of dreams, that the subconscious speaks to us through the movies and images it creates as we sleep. Last night I dreamt of a mountain. From a distance it looked like a normal mountain but as I got closer to it (or it to me) I saw that it was entirely man-made. It was made of solid smooth concrete and looked even more impossible to climb than a natural mountain.
  I was about to turn away but some movement at the top caught my eye. I was looking through a camera lens and as it zoomed in I saw people freely moving about on the very top of the impossible mountain. They were coming and going through archways and corridors hewn out of the concrete.
  The camera lens adjusted and moved to the side of the mountain where I saw that instead of the smooth walls I thought I had seen, there were in fact hundereds of steps cut into the concrete. They were all neat, perfect and equal and went all the way to the secret archways and passages at the top.

I woke up amazed and so inspired. What an incredible dream. I won't give a dream analysis but I think you can figure out what the mountain could represent. What I took from the dream was that just because something may look impossible or that there is no obvious path to take, if I look harder and take time to figure it out, a way will appear.

It got me thinking, what if?

Throughout the day when I was thinking of my career and my future, I thought of the mountain and wondered if there are ways forward that I don't yet see. At the Consciously Female evening on Monday night, it was all about taking responsibility for our lives. We looked at disappointments and high points over the past few years. As I did the exercise and identified the part I had played in the good and bad times in my life, I felt empowered. Rather than feel upset about our disappointments, Dawn encouraged us to see that we did the best we could have done at those times and that the strengths and qualities that lead to our achievements were qualities we all still have. If I was brave and confident and made things happen before, I can do it again.

With all of this in mind I'm off to enjoy some more dream time...........



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Welcome Back Sunshine!

Sunshine broke through the last of my dark mood this morning - while I was doing the dishes, of all things. Sunshine literally shone on me as I stood at the kitchen sink. Now I know this doesn't seem at all exciting but if you read my last post you'll know that actually it's significant and cause for celebration!
  I had the worst PMT all last week and Dawn explained that the full moon didn't help either as it has such a strong pull on our emotions. I don't know much about the cycles of the moon affecting us but it makes sense that something else was working against me last week. It certainly felt like some celestial energy was at work.
  As I have finally mastered downloading CD's on to my MP3 Player (Don't laugh, it's tricky at first...) I listened to Dawn's lovely voice going through the uplifting affirmations as I did the chores. Insted of being annoyed at mess, dishes, and the mundane aspects of human life, I had my mind on higher thoughts and it was a welcome change.
  As I've said before, different affirmations seem highlighted for me on different days and yesterday and today it's been the affirmation that says "The Past is in the Past."
  It's true the past is in the past, and it doesn't have to mean the distant past. Last week is in the past, five minutes ago is in the past. So, the good news is that although last week was truly horrible, it's gone and all I can do is let it go. It feels so good to fully realise that last week is gone and the only time is exists is when I think of it or dwell on what was so terrible about it.
  I have the choice and as a reasonably intelligent woman, I choose to look forward and to the positive things in the week ahead.

One of my affirmation cards this morning said: I Can Change My Life By Changing My Thoughts.

How apt...

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Where did my Happy go?

Well, where did it go?

Seriously, I have had the two best weeks and then today I woke up on a real downer and it's stuck with me. I've been thinking about writing this blog all day and am finally getting down to it at 7pm. Better late than never I suppose.
  As I write, my boyfriend is watching some screaming rock DVD and talking over the top of it. I'm fighting the urge to throw something (at him and the tv). Everything he has said and done has annoyed me today. It's not his fault - things I normally find endearing and funny irritate the hell out of me. I know in my head why this is - I'm on day 25 of my cycle and have PMT. I just wish I could switch off the irritation and not take it out on my lovely boyfriend.
  Although I know why I feel like this, it doesn't seem to make it any easier to feel better. I did only essential stuff today and spent the afternoon curled up on the couch in my cosy blanket with a pot of Earl Grey tea and watched Sex and the City. The very first episode is hilarious, it's so awful that you just have to laugh. The way Carrie turns and talks to the camera cracks me up and the unnatural breaks in conversation are quite jarring. By the time I got to episode 3 I was feeling marginally better, which I view as a success given the terrible stormy mood I woke up in. I looked through my new Law of Attraction book to check my emotional rating - I've gone from being between joy and contentment to way down to pessimism and anger. A massive drop of 9 places!
  I think it goes to show that I am in the early stages of this new way of life and I will benefit from doing this stuff every day. Also, until today I hadn't listened to Dawn's CD since Sunday, as Monday and Tuesday were manically busy days and I hardly had time to stop. My lovely morning routine was thrown and the effects of that are clear.
  At the CF club on Monday night so many women said that it was listening to the CD every day that has made the real difference. I heard some amazing testimonies! One lady had a whole set of incredible coincidences that had occurred that week and she looked fabulous. She looked like she was in a good place emotionally and spiritually and it was inspiring to see.
  On Monday night Dawn led us through some work exploring how we feel about ourselves, deep down. It felt good taking negative statements and looking at them and realising how hard I am on myself. I circled almost every negative characteristic in the column but then really enjoyed scoring them out or writing positive statements next to them. We had all brought photos of times when we felt we looked good, or from a happy period in our lives and that was really fun! I was really enjoying myself until we got to the last exercise - using The Mirror.
  Oh, how to explain the horror of it. It doesn't sound too bad, all we had to do was look at ourselves really and say a few things about what we saw. I only look in the mirror to do my hair and make-up and then I actively avoid mirrors. If I could get ready without looking in the mirror, I would.
 So, imagine my relief when that was over. It was shortlived however as Dawn cheerfully announced we would be doing more mirror exercises next week. I felt sick. It's a clear indicator that I have work to do in this area and the whole point of doing all this is to move beyond my fears and grow into a confident woman. I know it will be difficult but well worth it in the end. I would love to look in the mirror and feel ok about me. No, actually I want to look in the mirror and feel great about me...



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