Archive for the ‘Human Potential’ Category

People Who Should be Famous Part Deux

Nicole Asher, Tireless Animal Advocate, Interior Designer
Nicole Asher, Tireless Animal Advocate, Interior Designer

Nicole volunteers endless hours to rescue lost animals that aren’t hers. She gets the news through the various networks she is involved in and goes out and tirelessly searches for lost animals. She found a Burnese Mountain dog after she was let go in this area by her owners after 4 months! She also is currently working on finding Andy the adorable 11 year old Corgi who spooked because of New Year’s Eve fireworks, and has been on the hunt ever since. Recently, as in YESTERDAY, she was instrumental in finding a dog missing since 2010! Her interior design (Asher Interiors) expertise is incredible! She works in mostly simple, elegant neutrals with unexpected pops of raw natural elements. Her design work is fresh, innovative and inspires a healthy lifestyle. Oh, and she is incredibly well versed in healthy, alternative treatment of dog ailments and has two very special yellow labs. I keep trying to convince her to blog about her rescue efforts and to give advice on dogs and natural health! I will convince her yet! She has been incredible in helping me treat my 14.5 year old pug’s cancer.

rand

Randi Levine, writer, comedian, philosopher, and great friend.

Randi Hope Levine is one of the funniest, supportive, most talented, kind and philosophical people I know. She is always giving people a million chances because she is built like that. She can sing, dance, write and most importantly laugh and make me laugh all the time. She is tough beyond belief and courageous. She focuses on the good in people and always comes out on top. She will grace the world with some aspect of her talent, we just have to wait and see….

becca

Rebecca Dolber, Designer, Writer, Philosopher, Naturalist

Rebecca Dolber is one of the most interesting and stylish people I have met. She is a great jewelry designer, writer and observer of life. Rebecca gives the world a chance to express themselves through accessories.  Her company R.E.D., is a “message” and allows the consumer to select what they wish to express to the world. Rebecca expresses to the world naturally through her chosen simple yet hip attire, healthy vegetarian existence and generous writing for Elmore Magazine ,by interviewing some of her most favorite artists. She is living her dream of artist, writer and lover of nature and life.

janet ettele

Janet Ettele, Writer, Pianist, and Buddhist

Janet Ettele is the author of How Generosity Works; The Intention to Benefit Others. Her book is the first in a series called How Life Works. We are all anxiously awaiting the next book in the series. She creates real life characters that convey simple Buddhist teachings which we can all benefit from. She illustrates how simple acts can make such a difference in other’s lives. She is also a pianist and a book keeper. She is one of my peeps. I love conversing with her because we always touch on something profound. She is an up and coming author. Her book is a quick study and enjoyable read. It is a must buy gift for people you care about.

jane

Jane Cowels, artist, writer, tax attorney

Jane Cowles is a sensitive, kind artistic person who is intentionally aware of the environment. She has created a company called Coco Notes which sells her original artwork on seeded tree free paper that are plant-able and will bloom into beautiful ever-lasting greenery. She also writes a blog dedicated to be elegantly green, Ms. Coco Van Der Chic. Check her out!

Posted on February 1st, 2012 by Sandra Oles  |  No Comments »

Wendy Ida is Bad Ass… End of Story

Buy her book here: https://wendyida.com/book/

Wendy Ida is NOT your ordinary grandmother. In fact, she looks better than most of the 20-somethings on your block! Find out how you can get this fit over 40 in Take Back Your Life! Wendy Ida’s No Nonsense Approach to Health, Fitness & Looking Good Naked! This guide reveals all the secrets of a 59 year old, award-winning top fitness pro (and yes, grandmother!), Wendy Ida (ee’da).

http://wendyida.com/

Posted on December 21st, 2011 by Sandra Oles  |  No Comments »

Safe Make-up and Skin Care Options!

http://www.rejuvaminerals.com/store/

http://www.coastalclassiccreations.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=150

http://www.honeybeegardens.com/category/natural-cosmetics.html

http://www.cargocosmetics.com/products/face/wet-dry-foundation

http://www.bizzintino.com/

http://www.starflower.com/

logosm

Posted on December 20th, 2011 by Sandra Oles  |  No Comments »

Relationships

R

Relationships are a lot of work. Often times, people instill too much in others, as in expectations, too much importance and triggers are activated because our first experiences with  ”love” come from our parents. It’s not uncommon that we confuse our personal love relationships with our parental “love” relationships. This is detrimental on so many levels.

1. Our unfinished emotions come into play by our perception of how our parents showed love to one another, and to us.

2. We place undo responsibility on our partner to be our “caretaker” or our sense of safety.

What do these mean exactly? When we select our partner, we automatically create unrealistic expecatations from the relationship. Often times the relationship manifests itself as a means with which to project our fears onto our partner. We want them to make us feel safe, happy, and to conform to our standards of what we feel is acceptable in terms of success. When in reality, all those feelings of fear and insecurity are continuously projected onto your partner. This happens when we start pointing fingers at the other person and question their career choices, state of happiness, or if we expect them to behave a certain way.

The only characteristic essential for a flourishing relationship is unconditional love. We are all separate human beings with different interests, talents and independent ways of asserting ourselves in the world. These characteristics are make us “inherently us.”  What makes up a person is character, integrity, boundaries and being able to identify our acceptable standards of behavior- for us, personally. Without all these definable qualities, we don’t exist. There has to be things we won’t do, will do, are comfortable doing, and want to accomplish. If we hold ourselves to a belief system that we are firm with we retain our self respect and we also separate ourselves from others- separate not in a spiritual sense, because ancient wisdom teaches us that separation is what causes unrest. I mean separate as in being an individual with a solid set of standards with which they adhere to, therefore substiantiating their existence, energy and personality.

We must leave our parents home in terms of our personal relationships and stop projecting onto our partners the fears we have as a result of our perception of whether or not we were loved adquately, or if our parents created an unsafe environment. Your partner is NOT YOUR PARENT. They are your lover, your soul mate, your boyfriend or girlfriend possessing their own qualities of being.

Everyone’s job in a relationship is to love unconditionally, if you can’t, you don’t belong in a relationship. You cannot handle the responsibility if you cannot separate your past experience with love enough to see this other person as they are and accept them fully as who they are.
Nothing suffocates a love relationship faster than:

feeling the need to be the boss of your partner

feeling like you must control them

feeling that you must teach them about life

feeling that you are responsible for their security, happiness, or making big decisions for them

feeling that you need to change them

Self reliance is paramount when entering in a union with someone else whereby a committment is made. You make a committment to accept them as they are, period. When a relationship is formed based upon need, financial care, and fear, 9 times out of 10 it won’t work. If it does work, it will end eventually because there will be resentment, feeling jailed, and quite often affairs of the heart with someone else.

It is called a romantic relationship for a reason. I believe that a relationship can remain passionate, romantic and exciting, if both parties go in without being co-dependant, without unrealistic expectations and without needing to be “taken care of.” It’s enough to have to survive on your own, without having to worry about making sure your partner is taken care of. If you have children, and the wife’s or husband’s job is to stay at home and that is agreed upon, that is entirely different. I am simply referring to romantic unions with a committment without children and not being married.

Romantic relationships, like children, are a lot of work. They require time, understanding, a lot of misunderstandings, and often times, strife. There doesn’t have to be a lot of strife and if it is happening a lot, you have to sit down and think about what is going wrong.

Take out a piece of paper and note all the things you love about your partner and if they are all external qualities, you better do some self reflection. The only thing that matters is how they treat you, make you feel, and how well they support your emotional being. People often select a partner based upon attraction alone and will put up with a lot of nonsense because they find themselves physically stimulated. This physical attraction will not survive being treated poorly and it may for an amount of time, but your self respect will dwindle. It’s important to select someone who has your back, who loves you in good times and bad times, and who accepts you as you are, and vice versa. You must have the same core values, and be headed in the same direction.

You know the old saying, “show me a hot girl, and i’ll show you someone tired of sleeping with them.” I don’t believe this is because it gets old, I believe it is because all these external factors keep interfering with the relationship. Too much reliance on the other person to feel alright is the main problem. You must feel alright before you enter into a relationship with the responsibility of committment. You can’t make the other person your mommy, your daddy, your therapist, your rock, your main reason for happiness. All these things must come from inside you, and you bring YOU to the relationship fully intact. Self responsibility before relationship responsibility is a must.

If you are seeking someone because you are lonely, learn to be happily alone before you do. If you are seeking someone because you need sex, pleasure your self. If you are seeking someone because everyone will think you are unlovable and undesireable- you care too much about what other people think. If you are seeking someone because they are good looking and have these external “looking good on paper qualities”, you care way too much about what other people think. The bottom line is that THIS IS YOUR LIFE. You need to be loyal to YOU, and you are here for a reason, and that is to learn to be happy, fulfilled and to function at a level whereby you can live with yourself and your decisions. END OF STORY.

You have to be able to look at yourself in the mirror and to sleep soundly at night and if there is a pang in your stomach, listen to your intution and do what you need to do for you, even if it is to leave your ILLUSION OF SECURITY that this other person supposedly GIVES YOU. You cannot SELL OUT your ability to be truly adored, valued, loved by staying with someone who you inherently know isn’t giving back to you what you give to them. I am not suggesting you give with expectations of something in return, because that never works. Each and every time you will be disappointed if you give with expecatations- expectations set you up for misery, depression, addiction and a whole lot of other problems. Perhaps I should phrase it as so: If you don’t feel like a fucking superstar in the other person’s presence, get the hell out. If you are the constantly the target of their self projection as they assault their unhappiness onto you whereby they are asking  you what your plans are for the future, saying, “don’t you want more”, etc. you better think twice about their ability to accept you as their lover and not their child or parent.

We all have parents, we don’t need another one in our relationship. We need to be free to be ourselves, do as we wish, say as we wish as long as we are not intentionally trying to hurt the other person with lashing out, or violence. We need to remain people before we do a “couple.” You cannot lose yourself and your interests when in a relationship because ultimately, if that person ever goes away, you are setting yourself up for a whole lot of heart ache, fear and potentially being heartbroken way too long. Life isn’t forever, we don’t have an infinite amount of time with which to become our happiest and peaceful selves. According to Buddha, peace only happens when we focus on ourselves, and what we need to accomplish for growth. I know the only time I suffer needlessly is when I begin to think about what I wish I had from others, either money, love, attention, or whatever it is that I can give myself. Think on that.

When I focus on me, and being productive, and being kind, without expecting anything in return is truly amazing, and brings me infinite peace. We spend so much of our lives complaining about our partners to others because they have taken this job, or said this or like that, or this music or this activity. We all need to let one another be who we are and love each other for it, and not try to change one another. We all have our own lessons to learn and will learn at our own speed. It’s not up to us to destroy other’s dreams by our own interpretation of whether or not it is attainable for the other person. They will learn if it is or not. We are not to project our fear onto them or our limiting beliefs. Their life presents them with lessons to be learned at their own pace just as yours does.

More freedom is needed for healthy relationships. Freedom to be me, freedom to be you, and we meet in the middle by thoroughly enjoying them for who they are and they enjoy you for who you are. Let people make their own mistakes, and also don’t give unsolicited advice. Always ask if you can give your opinion or if they are interested in your opinion. Otherwise, zip it, have fun and enjoy the other. Stop confusing, stop creating projects, and have great inspiring conversation whereby you both share your thoughts about things, and let there be differences in opinions! There is nothing more boring or nauseating than a controlling person! There is nothing more insane then your partner acting as your parent or manager. These things will kill romance, love and the ability to be truly attracted enough to them to want to have a sexual relationship. If you are participating in a relationship currently where these things are happening and you are still having sex, it won’t last. I guarantee it.

So sorry for the sporadic stream of conscious writing style but this isn’t a magazine and I am not pretending to be a super organized writer. I simply feel inspired to share with you these thoughts.

Posted on December 8th, 2011 by Sandra Oles  |  No Comments »

Use Your Body to Heal Your Mind: Revolutionary Tools to Release All Barriers to Health, Healing and Happiness By Dr. Henry Grayson

Dr. Henry Graysons New Book- Coming out Early 2012!

Dr. Henry Grayson's New Book- Coming out Early 2012!

In our earliest most developmental stages of childhood we are in a highly suggestible trance due to the abundance of time spent in uncontrollable theta brain wave patterns. These same wave patterns, while deeply relaxed are used to hypnotize and program suggestions.

We are downloading other’s negative thought patterns and beliefs around us by default and these are imprinted in our limbic system creating patterns of behavior and belief systems that we have no control over. These negative imprints combined with accumulated traumas, which also create negative self beliefs,  overload our immune system and set us up for greater chances for chronic illness, unhappiness, and often life threatening disease.

Through decades of research, teaching, and client work, Dr. Grayson has created a synergistic therapy system which combines new scientific research, psychoanalysis, ancient wisdom, quantum physics, spiritual thought and kinesiology that has been working wonders in his private practice.  Is it the success of his patients, and in training other mental health professionals that created this empowering “how to” manual to allow you to stop being a spectator in your life of illness and unhappiness to realize your unlimited potential to heal!

In his enthusiastic and yet comprehensive explanations, he takes you on an exciting journey to change your perspective and teaches you healing methods with downloadable video demonstrations, and printable pdf files for your step-by-step use to transform your thinking and greatly lessen your chances for debilitating illness.

You will receive clear guidance on how to recognize, identify and eliminate your unconscious barriers that block you from total health, healing and happiness.

Use Your Body to Heal Your Mind is an essential manual for anyone who wants to take control of their health, or continue to have abundant health, and for those who wish to be pro-active in the process of eliminating the chances of creating disease. Once you understand that you really do have infinite potential to position your self for total health, happiness and healing, your life becomes much more endurable and enjoyable.

GET READY, This book is FASCINATING!

Posted on December 7th, 2011 by Sandra Oles  |  No Comments »

HBO’s Enlightened- With Laura Dern and Luke Wilson

The first 3 episodes made me so uncomfortable. Laura Dern plays Amy, a woman who has just returned from a rehab center after having a mental breakdown.  Amy is socially awkward and puts herself in some “self created” social land mines time and time again. She isn’t “garden variety” cringe-worthy like Larry David. She takes it to a whole nother level.

I am a firm believer in at least watching two episodes of a series on cable. More than likely you will “get it” after the second show. I was reluctant to continue to journey into Enlightened, but I am glad I did. I’ve now caught up to the current schedule and have found it to be Six Feet Under “dark”, The Big C, funny, and thought provoking too. 

Since “Amy” is on a path of enlightenment, it is interesting to see how a series will convey spirituality and the reaction of others to someone who is fully trying to embrace the better part of her being.  Laura Dern created this show with Mike White and they are definitely onto something. I like hearing the thoughts in “Amy’s” head. They are realistic, and make me realize that everyone can relate to her character which was a  revelation, after experiencing her “crazy” in the first four episodes.  She begins to become more bearable as the show goes on.

Amy’s ex husband is played by Luke Wilson, who doesn’t love a little LUKE? Her ex, is drug addicted, cute and sort of stagnant and they have a lot of love between them. You wonder, drug addicted because of all the heartbreak in their past, or always that way.

Her mom is played by Diane Ladd and Amy’s mother is disappointly jaded and non communicative, BUT does have a minute of shine- exactly ONE MINUTE, once in a blue moon. 

I say, WATCH IT! I am into it now. There are some funny situations, characters, and some inspiring dialogue. After-all, it is about someone actually “Waking Up.”  I like that is on cable because it brings the edge necessary to be realistic.

—oh and Robin Wright was a guest star on one. She is pretty cool in my book…

Posted on November 28th, 2011 by Sandra Oles  |  No Comments »

The Grove Stand- A Place to Get Earthy, Statement Jewelry

R.E.D.

R.E.D.

One of my absolute most favorite people on the planet, Rebecca Dolber, makes jewelry. It’s not  fluffy, ordinary stuff that every- day girls wear. It is earthy, aware, and worldly. She travels extensively globally to obtain eclectic little charms, beads, and little details that make her pieces distinctly original.

When you see her at craft shows, her tent is always bustling with people thinking, deciding, trying on and creating their own pieces that Rebecca puts together right before their eyes.

The Grove Stand at a Craft Show

The Grove Stand at a Craft Show

 

 

What is wonderful about this process is that it involves two people. The artisan, Rebecca, and the client, who picks out precisely what they want. Rebecca artfully puts it together so it makes sense aesthetically and the client loves it because it reflects who they are.

Notice the message- the word- evolve

Notice the message- the word- "evolve"

The charms and add ables are in the hundreds- and the dog tags, which I personally love and have bought for personal friends, because you can imprint a word that is meaningful to you and wear it as a reminder of who you are or who you want to be.

 i love words....

As a person, Rebecca has made an indelible yet gentle impression on me. She is a music reviewer  for Elmore Magazine, who lives her dream. Interviewing artists she admires and who have spoken to her in personal ways. I mention her music because she has generously created some compilations for me that have been awe inspiring and have made me slow down. The music she chooses for me allows me to think, and takes me far away places where my creativity peaks and I get terribly thrilled about being alive.
me and my arrow...

me and my arrow...

Thing is … She is ethereal, earthy, honest, raw and such a kind person. She has an ability to reach deep inside of you, if she chooses, and brings out the quiter, easier parts of who you already are and make you think just a little bit more.  She is comfortable in her skin, lovely, and so easy to be around. Rebecca is the true meaning of “Indie.” She is an independent spirit who lives life on her terms, much like I do, and I write this because I wear a piece of her, and a piece of me everyday, as I reach for my bracelets, necklaces or ring. I am reminded of what a gentle, uplifting and poetic spirit she truly is and how I wish to be and am in this life time.

 go here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/thegrovestand - you will be glad you did.

my personal daily wear... from R.E.D. The Grove Stand

my personal daily wear... from R.E.D. The Grove Stand

message....

message....blue...

Posted on November 23rd, 2011 by Sandra Oles  |  1 Comment »

OH Brother… I Need to Identify Some Role Models for Women- STAT!

Late last night, I caught The Mark Twain Award Ceremony for Tina Fey on PBS. As I watched, I thought to myself, “Why are there no great media female role models out there?” I became disturbed by my recent memories of cardio at the gym earlier where my equipment was in front of a television where Kim Kardashian was on the television numerous times with her plasticy, over made up face and all these external things which I surmise make her popular. Her large breasts, behind and not to mention her incessant  provocative clothing. I wondered why this woman garners so much attention. Is it that she is a circus freak? Sort of like a spectacle whereby you cannot help but look and listen about her because she is so utterly ridiculous? I think about how women like this become famous for no reason, the Paris Hiltons, the Kim Kardashians, the Snookis, etc.

Last night Jackie was over sewing and we had the craft room television on and it happened to be on a show about plastic surgery gone wild. We both were agape with awe and disgust. Why is it that in 2011 women are still deforming themselves all for the attention of men? They don’t do it for themselves! They get procedures that are classicly barbie doll-esque so that men as a whole will find them “irresistible.” I don’t know about you, but I get totally grossed out when “noer do well” men (meaning mean, uninspired, drunk, angry, etc) check me out and oogle me. If I had it my way, only kind, well attired, intellectual and funny men would look my way. (ha ha ha)  I feel skeeved to have eyes on me, which is why I don’t wear provocative clothing– it’s also because I have no desire to have men look at me “that way”. I’d much rather sift through the dirt and find that one diamond who will find my mind irresistible because they are the ones who stick around for the “long haul”.  It is incredibly sad to me that women in this day and age and supposed PROGRESSION are still are so fucking insecure and fall prey to MEDIA MANUFACTURED media standards of beauty!

What is beauty?: health, kindness, peace of mind, curiosity, humor, being loving, and completely comfortable about who you are. and of course KNOWING WHO YOU ARE- a STRONG SENSE OF SELF IS BEAUTIFUL beyond measure.

I feel so sad for women in Hollywood that feel the pressure to keep deforming themselves in order to “keep that man” or to “get that part”. What a sad life they live indeed. The whole time they spend exercising, dieting, nipping, tucking, injecting, extending, coloring, and changing their external instead of developing their internal. And more than likely, this external attention they prioritize will bring them the wrong guy or the wrong attention anyway. By wrong, I mean men or people who only value what someone looks like instead of who they are. I know I am making a sweeping generalization here, but you get my point.

More women need to write screenplays featuring characters of all colors, sizes and ages, whereby a story of value is illustrated- the human condition- and inspiring! Women need to write for women, because most men will write stories featuring actors and actresses who are in their 20s, which is TOTALLY HILARIOUS because people that age rarely contend with the issues presented in the screenplay in real life! When is art going to reflect reality? Please give me some reality so I can put things into proper perspective….

All these thoughts swimming around in my mind made me come to a real conclusion- There needs to be better female role models who are featured in the media! It needs to be better than actresses on every magazine with stories about fledgling relationships, cheating and their new bodies. old bodies and new men! I feel so entirely insulted that these magazines are targeted toward women!

And women keep buying them, keeping themselves down and ”paying”  the very people who prey on them and their insecurities making them monetarily RICH and themselves self esteem poor. 

America is in a state of disarray, where I see people continue to stay mired in victim-hood, they are uninspired, lazy, and are focused on all the wrong things! They are focused on other people instead of them SELVES. The Occupy Wall Street is a great example of what is truly wrong with America! People expend energy on highlighting others “perceived wrong” instead of elevating themselves to new heights for achievement! I don’t know what has gone wrong here, but the tables need to be turned, BIG TIME.

You see, I am a Republican (I usually don’t talk politics because it is divisive) but I am going to try to explain why I choose this party. I choose it because I BELIEVE IN PEOPLE! I am an OPTIMIST at large. I believe people can rise and become better because I know I have. I have done the work on myself whereby I know I am a good person who works hard, has values and derives my self esteem from my personal accomplishments and helping others. I also derive it from being peaceful and feeling uncomfortable with “fighting.” Everyone should feel uncomfortable with fighting, arguing and ill intent. It is entirely not enjoyable nor normal  to seek  revenge, make people feel bad, and to assert yourself in this world with a force that creates bad energy for yourself or others. It’s down right weird to fight or to feel that you must create dischord to “get what you need or want”. I find the less you expend, the more comes your way, in terms of universal fulfillment. Because you see, the more you deem “not important” the more it becomes NOT IMPORTANT. While I know this is a simple statement, but if you really read it slowly, you will see how powerful it is. My motto, from Karen Salmonsohn, from www.notsalmon.comis LET GO OR BE DRAGGED. Isn’t it truly simple? Ok, I digress, don’t hate me for believing in people, believing in their ability to love themselves, work and be productive. Don’t hate me for believing people should work for what they have because it creates value. Everything I work for, I value.

I also believe in assisting others within reason whereby it doesn’t interfere with personal goals. I have, for a long time, over-helped people to the point of putting myself on hold, but that no longer happens. I find myself becoming a bit uncomfortable sometimes when I must step back in order to listen to my needs and respond, but I do it anyway, and it’s been great for me.  I love to be of service, but it can’t be to the detriment of my progression, happiness, and impede my schedule, health, comfort, and goals that I must achieve to survive and succeed.

Of course, I digressed because I am always thinking about a billion plus things… but back to ROLE MODELS! As I sit here attempting to come up with some seriously cool, smart women that I can look up to, sadly, I cannot. I don’t know enough about any of the entrepreneurs, inventors and writers personally to tout them, PLUS- I CANNOT THINK OF ONE AT THE TOP OF MY HEAD because they ARE NEVER FEATURED IN ANYWHERE TOTALLY MAINSTREAM! If no one else finds this COMPLETELY ALARMING- well then, America should just throw in the towel, which they are doing already because everyone is throwing their arms up and saying ” I GIVE UP.” I give up on my America and just want to blame others for my misfortune.

I am determined to include some WOMEN ROLE MODELS IN AN UPCOMING POST, unfortunately, it’s going to take some deep digging, and research- isn’t that a SHAME? Shouldn’t I be able to raggle off like 5 or 6 that are regularly featured in mainstream media!? I need to identify women who are cool, aren’t afraid to be “them selves”, and don’t dress solely for MEN’s admiration. GOD! How hard will that be to find? I can think of one I admire, Gwen Stefani- cause she has her own style- has a cute husband, is an artist, entrepreneur, doesn’t get into trouble with drugs, problems, etc.

I feel very strongly that young girls and women need better role models, doesn’t mean that they can’t be glamourous, like Gwen Stefani, just means that their focus needs to be on self development, not external development such as tit jobs, makeup, slutty clothing, etc.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH– help! what is an intellectual like me to do? ;)

Posted on November 1st, 2011 by Sandra Oles  |  No Comments »

Livestrong.com- MY PLATE is Teaching Me a Thing or Two About Food and Exercise!

I love this software program! My boss enlightened me about it and I must say, ” I LOVE IT!” Anyone who wishes to learn more about caloric content, wants to gauge how many calories you consume a day, and get a calculation about how many calories are needed a day to meet your weight maintenance or loss goals can use this!

It also calculates, fats, sugars, proteins, and gives exercise, and food preparation recipes all wrapped up into one program! I am only using the free version right now, but you can pay  monthly if you want for more inspiration and tracking of goals! I have the app on my iPhone as well to help me so that I can enter foods as I am on the go!

I am learning so much from this program and if you have a goal, you should use it too! It is very easy, and helpful! I feel like I am not writing enough about this because it is literally changing my life, but you get it! GO GET IT!

http://livestrong.com

Posted on October 21st, 2011 by Sandra Oles  |  No Comments »

dark vs. light.

I’ve also been thinking about the “dark” versus the “light” in terms of what people identify with in terms of how they assert themselves and define/express themselves in life. As I mature, and become even more aware of myself and others, the dark looks like a place where other’s stunt themselves. I know because I used to embrace the “dark” .. which is to me “self rejection”. It is a place in the mind where you choose to stay, desire, want, suffer, lust, and stay mired in wanton of what you “don’t have” but what you “want.” What a jackass way to be. However, I would imagine not so much art would be accomplished if we were all in a “lighter and airer” place.

 This philosophy also reminds me of my second year of working with Dr. Grayson. I would say to him, isn’t it totally boring to be so spiritual ALL THE TIME? He said, “No Way!” Now I know what he meant. Being spiritual means being content with what you have, who you are, and not forcing your self on others.  It also encompasses a “non attachment” to outcomes and scenarios which brings a total sense of peace, no agenda and an authentic flow of human-ness.

Ok, back to my observation of people who continue to stay in the “dark” area of their life, tryin so hard to be edgy, to be percieved a certain way, like a barber I just saw on facebook from Hollywood. I laughed at his picture, actually obtaining joy and I read the tatoo saying “fuck you” on his fingers as they were posed in a scissor shape! Then the caption was, “the badassest coolest motherfucking barbar shop in Hollywood! ha ha aha… so silly to me, yet “dark”. He is choosing to stay dark. That’s ok, but when I tell you I know it won’t serve him well, I know it, unless, of course, he will see the irony of it all and not take himself so seriously.  I love me some edge, but it has to be authentic, not a badge for anger. I like Michael Cera edge- ha ha ha.. like scientific edge- Big Bang Theory.. edge that isn’t threatening, just authentic, unique and smart. Give me that ALL DAY LONG. Leave the Five Finger Death Punch, black nail polish shit at home please. That says nothing but I am malliable, manipulated and don’t have an original bone in my body.

I love people who are totally themselves and not looking for the “dark” to make them appear “cool” because nothing could be more uncool than unhappiness and anger. To me, the coolest way to be in life is happy, unaffected, authentic and confident. Also being totally supportive of others, if they require it, and being loving. Creating comfortable surroundings for others is cool… so much more than trying to emulate edgy. Does that make sense. Dark will never serve you like LIGHT. never. When you grow up, you realize that and become the hero you were meant to be.

Posted on October 17th, 2011 by Sandra Oles  |  No Comments »