Being thankful is so in right now

I received inspiration earlier after seeing someone post about Thanksgiving approaching and what they are thankful for. Everyone should be thankful for so many things and with the holidays coming up it is nice to be able to reflect about everything.

How often do you pause to appreciate what you have in life? There are some of us who take things for granted while others are constantly thinking about how lucky they are and how appreciative they are for many things. It is easy to get caught up and be someone who is always wanting more and sometimes forget to slow down and realize you should be happy with what you have now but know that there is always room to grow and gain more. 

There are some things we don't stop to realize like how lucky we are to be educated and go to wonderful schools. I completely value my education that I received from childhood all through college, and I am still learning new things every single day. Education can never be taken away from you, it's something that you will always have to learn and grow from. 

Here are a few things to be grateful for: 

Parents - they gave you this life and will always be there for you no matter what

Siblings - the best friends you will ever have in life

Your significant other/Soulmate - For making you see that nothing could ever be bad with them by your side 

Your friends - for bringing out the best in you

Love - for letting you feel what it truly means to be alive
Your health - I could talk about this forever. Having your health is everything, it allows you to do everything you want to do now and in the future. Making healthy decisions = a long wonderful life

Your mind - for the abilitity to think, store memories, and create new solutions 

Happines - the ability to soak in the beauty of life 

Your job - for giving you a source of living and where you can feel a sense of accomplishment each day 

Music - for lifting your spirits each day when you are down and for putting a smile on your face

Your enemies - for helping you uncover your blind spots so you can become a better person

Your mistakes - for helping you improve and become better

Laughter- for serenading you with all the joys of life

Life - for giving you the chance to experience all that you're experiencing, and will be experiencing in time to come

Last but not least, be thankful for YOU. For being who you are and touching people's lives with your presence. For also letting other people touch your life in some way and showing the world how important you are. Without knowing it, you are making an impact on other people's lives. You are a role model to someone and a breath of fresh air to another. If you can learn to love yourself and all the flaws, you can love other people so much better.

Sometimes it's easy to feel bad because you are going through a tough time in life. However, remember no matter how bad your situation may seem, there thousands of things to be grateful for in life. 

Love & Pink,

Lisa

On Wednesdays We Wear Pink

It's safe to say that a lot of girls have lost a friend either temporarily or permanently over a guy. There's just something about new relationships that causes some girls to suddenly forget all of their friends. You should never ditch your girls for a guy. Guys do it to their friends too. It's a universal incident but when it happens, it's hard to deal with.

The Golden Rule hasn't changed since your parents taught it to you when you were little ladies: One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself. And think about it, would you really want your friends to ditch you if they got a new guy? Odds are no, so try to think about their feelings before you jeopardize a great friendship. 

There is always a chance you might not last with that guy. But when/if that happens, your friends might not be around to help you get through the breakup. Friends can only have so much patience and be burned so many times before they just start to give up. If you continually make it a habit of ditching your friends for a new guy, people might give up on you. Harsh but true.

I can tell you right now that she’s going to flake on you. You’re going to set up something that you are really excited about and she’s going to blow you off to be with her new boyfriend. It’s going to happen and you are going to get hurt. The best way to handle it is tell her the truth. The truth is: your feelings are hurt, but you feel like you can’t say anything because you want her to be happy with this guy. She needs to know that your feelings are hurt. Whatever she is in love or lust, it blinds her vision for a short amount of time. Suddenly the only person she is hanging out with is him. When she does go out with friends in a group setting they end up leaving early and going home. I personally will never be a couple who turns into homebodies. I am always up for going out and cherish all the time spent out with friends, I love my boyfriend more than words could say but we both enjoy being out with all of our friends! After being together for four years, we learned how to create a good balance of together time and time doing our own thing. I would love to be with him 24 hours a day but that's not realistic and he pointed out to me that it's not healthy either :) Of all people, I would understand what love is like and how you want to be with that person every second. At the same time, there are those friends of mine who also help to keep me grounded and I love me some girl talk and gossip every lil bit! 

If you are lucky enough to have friends who really care about you, you are luckier than most. So the less you see them, the more change you will see in the friendship. We're only human, and humans get hurt. So don't be upset when you see two of your friends getting closer without you. Um hi, you won't hang out with them so you want everyone to not hang out just because you choose not to? It doesn't work like that. There are some people who try to spend as much time as possible with friends. Take their lead, you might learn something.

I know everyone is busy but it takes literally two seconds to text someone and say hi or hows your day going, it takes two seconds to g-chat a friend, and it takes that same time to send an email or call. People will always make time for those they want to keep up with. I know way too many girls who have found themselves in this situation. As we get older things change, yes that is true. BUT, remember to have a mind of your own. If you want to see friends without your boyfriend around then do it. Don't ask permission. I'm positive that his life won't collapse with you being gone for one night. And if that's the case, there's a bigger issue with him and maybe you should run away fast :)

Some pointers: Buying someone materialistic things should not make them love you more, and if it does then would any guy buying you things make you love them? Last time I checked, love was a little deeper than that. Of course it's amazing to receive gifts from a guy but don't let that be the reason why you enjoy being with him. And when you truly fall in love with someone you should be the happiest you have ever been. Being angry and stressed all the time seems a little strange.

No matter how great your new guy is and how happy he makes you, remember one thing: Nothing can replace the bond you have with your female friends. Our girlfriends understand and support us in a way that most men can't and it's important to maintain a balance between girl and guy time.

Love & Pink,

Lisa

100 Lessons Life Has Taught Us

This is YOUR life, you have the option of making the most of it so what are you waiting for? Think about your own life and ask yourself "what has life taught you?"

1. Spend more time with those who make you smile and less time with those who you feel pressured to impress.
2. Never tell someone their dreams are impossible. You’ll feel like a fool when they prove you wrong.
3. No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you are still way ahead of everyone who isn’t trying.
4. Pursuing happiness by acquiring material things (fancy cars, expensive jewelry, designer clothing) is like jogging to the grocery store on your treadmill: it won’t get you anywhere.
5. Laugh at stupid jokes. Apologize. Tell someone how much they mean to you. It’s the small moments that make life grand.
6. Life is way more enjoyable when you stop trying to be cool and simply focus on being yourself.
7. Start by asking yourself whether each of your relationships drags you down or lifts you up. Surrounding yourself with positive, loving people is half the battle of living a happy, successful life.
8. When the ‘want’ gets stronger, the ‘how’ gets easier.
9. Too often we judge people on too little information. Instead of judging someone for what they do or where they are in their life, figure out why they do what they do and how they got to where they are.
10. If you want to feel rich, just count all the great things you have that money can’t buy.
11. I have taken noticed that the deeper I know about myself, the clearer I understand others.
12. You can’t change who you are. You can only change what you know and how you apply this knowledge.
13. I don’t need a certain number of friends, just a number of friends I can be certain of.
14. People who are meant to be together will find their way back to each other. They may take detours, but they’re never lost.
15. You can press forward long after you can’t. It’s just a matter of wanting it bad enough.
16. Complaining is like slapping yourself for slapping yourself. It doesn’t solve the problem, it just hurts you more.
17. Embrace change. As uncomfortable as it is sometimes, change allows us to stretch and grow. New things feel awkward and scary at first, but those feelings go away, and you are left with something bigger and bolder in your life.
18. Nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity arises. Because most great opportunities in life force us to grow emotionally and intellectually. They force us to stretch ourselves and our comfort zones, which means we won’t feel totally comfortable at first. And when we don’t feel comfortable, we don’t feel ready
19. No matter how bad your heart has been broken the world doesn’t stop for your grief. The sun comes right back up the next day.
20. Supporting, guiding, and making contributions to other people is one of life’s greatest rewards. In order to get, you have to give.
21. Learn to adjust the sails of your life to unpredictable winds, while keeping your focus clear on your destination. And keep sailing until you get there.
22. As you strive to achieve your goals and dreams you can count on there being some fairly substantial disappointments along the way. Don’t get discouraged, the road to your dreams may not be an easy one. Think of these disappointments as challenges - tests of persistence and courage - that life throws at you during your journey. They are necessary and are meant to help you grow as a person.
23. Spend less than you earn, go without until you have the money in hand.
24. Freedom is the greatest gift. Self-sufficiency is the greatest freedom.
25. Even when you feel like you have nothing, someone else likely has far less. Find them and help them. You’ll see why.
26. Negativity breeds more negativity. When you focus only on the negative, obviously that’s all you will see. You will not seek out positivity, and even when positivity comes into your life, you’ll look for the negative side of things.
27. If you want something in your life you’ve never had, you’ll have to do something you’ve never done.
28. It’s not so much what you say that counts, it’ how you make people feel.
29. Figure out what you want. Set real goals and make a logical plan to achieve them. It’s like the old saying, “A goal that is never written down is nothing more than a New Year’s resolution.” And we all know what happens to New Year’s resolutions.
30. Being open-minded is the key to more knowledge. If you want to know more about the world you have to keep an open mind. You have to give people and things a chance.
31. If you want love, give love. If you want friends, be friendly. If you want money, provide value. It really is this simple.
32. If something won’t be significant to you 3 days/3 months/3 years from now, don’t waste all your time worrying about it now.
33. Manage aging, but why fight it? You can spend a fortune on face creams, plastic surgery, hair growth formulas, and Botox, but eventually you realize you are fighting an uphill battle. Groom yourself nicely. Stay fit. Have unsightly things removed. But accept the beauty of aging. A striking mature man or woman is much more attractive than someone who looks overly taunt, tanned or top-heavy.
34. Never regret. If it’s good, it’s wonderful. If it’s bad, it’s experience.
35. Being busy and being productive are two different things.
36. Life is unbelievably brief. When you’re young, you might feel like there’s a huge mass of time ahead of you. But it passes much faster than you think.
37. Mistakes teach you important lessons. Every time you make one, you’re one step closer to your goal. The only mistake that can truly hurt you is choosing to do nothing simply because you’re too scared to make a mistake.
38. Your health is your life, keep up with it. Get an annual physical check-up.
39. Change is the only permanent thing in life.
40. Having a thousand credentials on the wall will not make you a decent human being. But genuinely helping one person everyday will.
41. You must create and look for opportunities. Opportunities rarely ever come knocking on the door of someone who’s not seeking them. You have to create and seek opportunities for yourself. You have to take the initiative to get the ball rolling and the doors opening.
42. Keep your brain active. Don’t get into a mental rut. Do new things, learn new things, and explore new ideas in all areas of your life. Keep challenging yourself and your mind. Be curious and interested in the world around you.
43. Someone always has it worse. At times you may be having a bad day, but stop yourself and think about it; there are plenty of other people who have it worse off than you do.
44. In work and business, when they need you more than you need them, you have succeeded.
45. Trying to be somebody you’re not is not sexy. Be you. That’s when you’re beautiful.
46. Truly ‘rich’ people need ‘less’ to be happy.
47. Your ability to select a suitable spouse will greatly influence your financial and emotional well-being. Three common sense guidelines: 1. Pick someone who’s a joy to be around and who makes you happy. 2. Know the person well. 3. Ensure compatibility beyond physical attraction because beauty and youth are fleeting, while the mind and heart endure.
48. No matter how much progress you make there will always be the people who insist that whatever you’re trying to do is impossible. Or they may incessantly suggest that the idea or dream as a whole is utterly ridiculous because nobody really cares. When you come across these people, don’t try to reason with them. Instead, forget that they exist. They will only waste your time and energy.
49. We are all weird. And life is weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we call it love.
50. Saying “no” to right people gives you the time and resources required to say “yes” to right opportunities.
51. Living a life of honesty creates peace of mind, and peace of mind is priceless. Period. Don’t be dishonest and don’t put up with people who are.
52. If you catch yourself working hard and loving every minute of it, don’t stop. You’re on to something big. Because hard work ain’t hard when you concentrate on your passions.
53. Bulls**t might help you get you to the top, but it won’t keep you there. The truth always rises to the top and buries the bulls**t eventually.
54. Sooner or later, you just want to be around the people who make you smile.
55. Forgiving yourself is far more important (and difficult) than getting others to forgive you.
56. Simplicity is often a major factor of success. But the process of simplifying things is rarely easy.
57. There are few joys in life that equal a good conversation, a good read, a good walk, a good hug, a good smile, or a good friend.
58. Laughter is the best medicine for stress. Laugh at yourself often. Find the humor in whatever situation you’re in.
59. Everything that happens in life is neither good nor bad. It just depends on your perspective.
60. When you spend time worrying, you’re simply using your imagination to create things you don’t want.
61. Maturity is more about education and life experience than it is about age.
62. When passion and skill work together, we’re often left with a masterpiece.
63. You’re not alone. Everyone has problems. Some people are just better at hiding them than others.
64. True friendship and true love do sustain the tests of distance and time.
65. It’s the simple things in life that are the most extraordinary. I believe this to be true and have experienced this with my own family. When I think of the times where we laughed the most or had the most fun – it was when we were doing simple, everyday things like going on a vacation, playing a board game or sharing a delicious meal.
66. Get up 30 minutes earlier so you don’t have to rush around like a mad man. That 30 minutes will help you avoid speeding tickets, tardiness, and other unnecessary headaches. 
67. It is okay to be angry. It is never okay to be cruel.
68. Arguments are natural. An argument between two close friends doesn’t show a lack of love or respect, it’s simply a disagreement. In fact, quite often, the only reason we get frustrated with people and argue with them is because we care about them. Which is why we need to remember not to get too carried away.
69. Money and stuff are not all that important. Yes, you want enough to be comfortable and do the things you want to do. But accumulating for the sake of accumulating is boring and empty. Trust me, it gets old fast. So feed your soul, not your ego.
70. There is nothing to hold you back except yourself. There is only one question to ask yourself here: “What would you do if you were not afraid?” Think about it.
71. No matter how it turns out, it always ends up just the way it should be. Either you succeed or you learn something. Win-Win.
72. Either you’re going to take action and seize new opportunities or someone else will. You can’t change anything or make any sort of progress by sitting back and thinking about it.
73. Your years spent at school, reading and learning will seem short compared to a lifetime of minimum wage jobs. Get a good education, concentrate on areas that interest you and pursue your dreams.
74. Keep six months of your salary in an emergency savings account just in case you lose your job or have an emergency that prevents you from working for a prolonged period of time. And keep a few extra hundred dollars on hand for unexpected expenses, such as car and home repair.
75. A hero is someone who makes a positive difference in someone else’s life – even if it’s only one other person’s life.
76. You’re never too old to follow your dreams, whatever they may be.
77. Be vulnerable. Allow yourself to feel, to be open and authentic. Tear down any emotional brick walls you have built around yourself and feel every exquisite emotion, both good and bad. This is real life. This is how you welcome new opportunities.
78. There’s no such thing as ‘risk free.’ Everything you do or don’t do in life has an inherent risk.
79. Take a step back to gain some perspective. Usually when we’re worried or upset, it’s because we’ve lost perspective. In the grand scheme of things, this one problem means almost nothing.
80. Every mistake you make is progress. Mistakes teach you important lessons. Every time you make one, you’re one step closer to your goal. The only mistake that can truly hurt you is choosing to do nothing simply because you’re too scared to make a mistake.
81. The greatest “adventure” is the ability to INQUIRE, TO ASK QUESTIONS. Sometimes in the process of inquiry, the search is more significant than the answers. Answers come from other people, from the universe of knowledge and history, and from the intuition and deep wisdom inside yourself.
82. If it were easy everyone would do it. This is why get rich quick schemes will never be true. If it was so quick and easy then everyone would be millionaires. Making money and accomplishing tasks is hard work, but well worth it.
83. If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right.
84. If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.
85. Count your blessings every day. I know, this is a refrigerator magnet line, but practice it daily anyway. There is so much good, so much beauty, so much love in your life. What more do you really need? You have so much right now, you just need to pause long enough to appreciate it.
86. It’s not about getting a chance, it’s about taking a chance. You’ll rarely be 100% sure it will work. But you can always be 100% sure doing nothing won’t work. Sometimes you just have to go for it!
87. The one with nothing to hide is always the one left standing tall.
88. There is only one way to learn, and that is through action. Trying to learn without doing is like trying to lose weight by watching someone else exercise. It’s just not going to work.
89. Change happens for a reason. Roll with it. It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it.
90. Experience life before you settle down. Whatever it is you want to do or experience, do as much of it as you can before you have children. Especially travel. Live in a hostel in Costa Rica for a month or drive across the country from coast to coast if you have to. But go have some really great, amazing, mind-blowing experiences.
91. Life gives and takes away. During difficult times, be committed to resolving problems, but also lighten up and ride the waves of impermanence. What is a monster problem today will be a forgotten thought in the future.
92. When two people cooperate instead of competing against each other their teamwork accomplishes far more than either of them could have achieved on their own.
93. Between what happened and what will happen is your choice. So choose to be positive in everyday tasks.
94. Good looks attracts the eyes. Personality attracts the heart.
95. If you’re smiling right now, you’re doing something right.
96. If you live your life consumed by the past, you waste the great moments you still have left to live.
97. Treat every small interaction with another person as an opportunity to make a positive impact in both your lives.
98. There’s a big difference between knowing and doing. Knowledge is useless without action.
99. If it’s out of your control, why fret about it? Concentrating on things you can control is how you make good things happen.
100. Falling in love with someone completely changes your perspective on life. Suddenly everything you have ever wanted is standing right in front of you.

 Love & Pink,

Lisa

24 Sugarcoated Years of Love, Pink, & Glitter

I’m the birthday girl tomorrow and these are the reasons why I love my life 

1. My family. My best friends in the whole entire world are my dad, mom, and my two older sisters. They are the number one reason why I love my life so much. It’s never a dull moment with all of us together and every single one of them amazes me every day with their incredible kindness and love towards me. They support me with anything I choose to do in my life and most importantly, they believe in me.  They are by far my biggest cheerleaders and push me to achieve every single goal that I set for myself.  They are the strongest people I know and never ever have let anything get them down.  My sisters and I all live in the city while my parents do not, but they still go out of their way to see us every single week (usually multiple times). I sometimes can’t comprehend the things that my parents will do and have already done for my sisters and me.  They always say that they live to make the three of us happy. They have always put us first and they are the best role models anyone could ever ask for. I am so excited to start a family of my own in the future where I will be able to teach my children all of the amazing values and morals that my parents instilled upon us. My family has so much love to give and that’s all I could ever ask for. 

2. My boyfriend. Throughout life you will meet one person who is unlike any other person in the whole entire world. This person is the one person you could talk to forever. They understand you in a way that no one else does or even could. This person is your soul mate, your best friend. When there is a moment in your life when you are with someone and you feel like the world has stopped and your life seems perfect, make sure you never lose that person. “I love you” means that I accept you for the person that you are, and that I do not wish to change you into someone else. It means that I will love you and stand by you even through the worst of times. It means loving you when you're in a bad mood or too tired to do things I want to do. It means loving you when you're down, not just when you're fun to be with. I love you means that I know your deepest secrets and do not judge you for them, asking in return only that you do not judge me for mine. It means that I care enough to fight for what we have and that I love you enough not to let go. It means that these have been the best four years of my life with you and thank you for loving me for me. 

3. My Friends. It is so nice to have people in your life who you can just have fun with. Every time we are all together it is a chance to create new memories. I have had some amazing times these past few years with my friends. With any emotion you are ever dealing with good or bad, a friend can help you. There are certain people I go to when I want to get advice, those who I go to gossip with, and those who I love to just go out with and have fun. Every single one of my friends is different and unique in their own way. I have had many different groups of friends throughout my life and will continue to because things are constantly changing. The friends who are long lasting will always make time for me and I will always make time for them. A friendship is whatever you make it. If you don’t see each other often you can easily lose touch but going out of your way to see each other makes a huge difference. Sometimes friendship is not about thinking its just about doing. If you have to think about going out of your way for a friend then are they really your best friend? I take all relationships extremely seriously including friendships. It does take me a while to trust someone and I may open up to a person right away but I still have some of my guard up because I know that there is a chance that the person in front of me will walk out of my life just as fast as they walked into it. But thank you to all of my friends who have been there for me. It is a great feeling knowing that there are people out there who can understand you as a person, and embrace everything about you. 

4. No one decides my fate but me. If I "feel led" to change careers, or move to another state, or take up a time-consuming activity, no one's stopping me. My goals, dreams, and interests aren't secondary to someone else's. I am constantly starting new chapters in my life with every decision I make. I am 24 yet I can still be whatever I want to be, I can go anywhere I want, and I can experience anything that I know will make me happy.  If I ever find myself in a situation where I am unhappy, I can change it. The sky is the limit with possibilities of what to do next. 

5. I can choose how I want to spend my time. I'm very flexible to drop everything to be there for a friend or family member if they need me, or just want to do something spontaneously. I don’t have to focus on nurturing one relationship; I can give my time and attention to multiple people. I can make new friends. I can get involved in many different things.  I can make time for anything that I want to. I will never ever miss out on something important that goes on in the life of someone who I care about. Friends and family come first always. I love that I live in a location where I can go shopping at hundreds of stores all less than one minute away. It’s dangerous to my bank account but you only live once! 

6. I can be happy for other people. I get so much happiness when something good happens in my friend’s and family’s lives. Jealousy is nowhere to be found in my little pink world. If you mean something to me, I am your biggest fan. I will go out of my way to make you feel special for something positive that you had happen in your life. I am proud to have people in my life who have achieved their goals, have gotten promoted, are in happy relationships, made an exciting purchase, etc. Seeing people having positive things happen in their lives makes me want to work harder to achieve my own goals as well! 

7. Volunteering. I decided that this would be the year that I start giving back. I am an incredibly lucky and fortunate girl who has been blessed with practically anything a girl could ever want and I do not take health, happiness, or love for granted. I have been on a waiting list for months to become a Volunteer at a hospital near me, and I finally have completed all of my interviews, health screenings, and background checks to officially work there! This is something that I have really wanted to do for a while and because I work full time, I’ll be able to work it around my schedule and volunteer at night. I’ll be working/volunteering almost 12 hour days but it will only be a few times a week and it will be such a rewarding experience that I don’t even care about the long days! It is very important to me to bring happiness to another person who is going through a hard time in their lives. I think everyone should volunteer at some point in their lives; you can make a difference in someone else’s life without even realizing it.   

8. The color pink, lipgloss, glitter, cupcakes, & reality TV. Those are a few of my favorite things. I don’t care what anyone says; a life without pink, lipgloss, glitter, cupcakes & reality TV is a boring life! I can still be a hardworking, smart, and mature girl and still love all of those things. They literally bring a smile to my face. Thank you to Victoria’s Secret for creating the Pink clothing line, to Bonne-Bell for creating Cappuccino lipgloss, to Ke$ha for showing everyone that being immersed in glitter soothes the soul, to every single cupcake shop in the world for bringing me a little ball of heaven to eat during the week (and especially Molly’s cupcakes for having a sprinkle station, best idea ever!), and to MTV/Bravo/VH1 for filling my nights with lots of laughs and craziness. I am still trying to get on a reality show because I feel like that would complete my life.  I wish everyone agreed with me but I realize that most people do not see things the same way as I do and I’m ok with that! 

9. Dancing. I think dancing is the best way to express yourself. I danced on the Hip Hop Dance Team all through College. I love every single memory that I have from my four years at College. Dancing got me through a lot of difficult times and still does. Yes, I am that girl who will blast music and dance around my room when no one is there and absolutely will still do that with lots of people around. If you don’t have something where you can escape into your own world and forget about all of the stress in your life, you should take up dancing. Get your creative juices flowing! Try something you’ve never done before like sign up for a class at a nearby studio or get up on the bar one weekend and strut your stuff. I’m a fan of both and sometimes you just have to say what the hell! 

10. I choose to be above the influence. Like I said in a past post, “many people who know me know that I do not drink ever and assume I do because I always have SO much fun when I go out on the weekends and I am always the first one on the dance floor. Dancing all night and having fun does not equal being a mess in a dress. Being sober is not a bad thing and its ok to not be drinking even if everyone is. I'm pretty sure we all learned how to say "no" way back in the day. There are so many things I do with my time instead of drinking. These are activities that are fun and require you to be sober. They also make for better stories than those drunken nights filled with useless drama. I value my amazing life and will continue living my life with the idea that you never know what tomorrow brings so why keep having those crazy drunk nights when you won't even remember them the next day?” My body feels so great without any alcohol in it! I’d much rather fill it with sugar J I bet you are thinking that sugar isn’t good for my body either but I can control myself and I fill my diet with lotssssss of healthy foods too!  

There are some people who look at me or who know me and think that I live in a perfect world. I made my own happiness with the help of some very special people in my life. Life is not easy for anyone. It just comes down to the fact that I feel so lucky to be healthy and alive that I refuse to spend my life sad. Can I be sad some days and am I sad some days? Absolutely. There’s no rule that says I’m not allowed to have a bad day. What I’m saying is that I can’t take all the negatives from my life and dwell on them. I will do whatever it takes for me to live my life incredibly happy. On that note, even though it is my birthday tomorrow, I hope all of your wishes come true too! 

Love & Pink,

Lisa

La la la whatever

6 Ways to Tolerate People Who Bother You 

Did someone instantly come to mind as soon as you read that? I'm sure all of us have been subject to someone like that at least once in our lives. It's okay when we have to face them just once or twice, but there are times when these people appear in certain situations of our life where we have to deal with them on an ongoing basis. You have to try and learn how to deal with them if they are going to be present in your life.

1. You can only change yourself.

When dealing with people, remember that it's not about changing others, but about changing yourself. You can try really hard to change other people, but you probably won't succeed. The best way to address the situation is to change how you perceive it and how you react to it. By changing that, everything else will slowly change as well. When this person is your complete opposite, you sometimes can't understand why they are not like you because you like how you live your life. Every person is different but if you really don't like their lifestyle behaviors, their behavior in general, or how they treat you, then try your best to not put yourself in a situation where you have to be with that person for too long.

2. Draw your boundaries 

Be clear on what you will tolerate and what you will not tolerate. Stick with it. You have your own personal space and it's your choice to protect your space. By drawing these boundaries, even if it's just mentally, you are clearer of the kind of behaviors to expect from others. If you don't do that, it's easy for you to be pushed over by others, especially since people tend to not be conscious of personal boundaries. You'll wind up feeling like what you say doesn't matter and you wouldn't want that. For example, if this person says things that offend you but says them repeatedly, let them know. If you don't they will keep saying those things. If they do things around you that you are against, let them know and if they respect you as a person they won't engage in those activities around you.

3. Be upfront about where you stand

People aren't mind readers and sometimes they may not be aware that what they are doing is effecting you negatively. Giving the person some indicators will help. If the person does not get the hint then make a call and draw the line right there. If they do know it bothers you and they keep doing it, then they are just plain rude. They obviously don't find you important enough to take a time out from that behavior.

4. Ignore them

Sometimes that is easier said then done. However, ignoring is effective in the right moments. When you respond, you give them a reason to continue their behavior. If you just ignore them, they don't have a choice but to seek out someone else. Not only that, but it also hints to them that their behavior is something you don't want to deal with and they may take time to think about their actions. 

5. Don't take it personally

Most of the time, these people behave the same way around others too. I have friends who are negative. For example, I know someone who has something to criticize whenever we are together. At first I thought she had something against me, but after I observed her interacting with our common friends, I realized she was like that with everyone else too. Realizing it wasn’t anything personal helped me deal with her objectively. This brings me back to number 4; I just ignore her.

6. Help them

Beneath their appearance is really a cry for help. Check with them if they need any help, or if there is anything you can do to help them. Sometimes, it’s possible they require help but they don’t know how to articulate it. Help them to uncover their problem, then work with them to analyze the issue and discover the solution. Some people act out as a way to get attention from others.A lot of those people think their behavior is funny and entertaining when really it's mildly embarrassing and flat out annoying. Take it down a notch, we're trying to enjoy ourselves not go home early with a headache.

Love & Pink,

Lisa

Go With Your Own Glow :)

The danger of tanning 101...

Melanoma, the deadliest form of cancer, is also the second most common form of cancer for women between fifteen and thirty, a statistic we can attribute to the societal pressure teenage girls and young women face to look tan. Not only are we bombarded with images of celebrities who have developed a deep bronze due to unhealthy intakes of sun, we're told that it's normal or a "healthy glow". What is described as a "healthy glow", is anything but. Melanoma cases in young women have increased fifty percent since the 1980s. Why are women and girls actively engaging in an activity that has been proved cancerous? 

Cosmo has been covering the dangers of tanning beds as part of their ongoing Practice Safe Sun Campaign. Here are some questions that were asked to Tanning Salon Operators in regards to dangers of tanning:

COSMO: “Does indoor tanning cause cancer?”

TRUTH: Yes. But They Said:

• “Any of the studies that find any significant link at all are with people of a skin type who should not be in the sun at all—living far north and not getting much sunlight. That’s not any of us.”

• “The dermatology association is in bed with big companies to promote their product: sunscreen. You really don’t have anything to worry about.”

COSMO: “Can I get a safe tan inside a tanning bed?”

TRUTH: No. But They Said:

• “I recommend this lotion if you’re afraid you’ll burn. It’s thick, and it’ll protect you from burning.”

• “This [lotion] will help you tan better, and it has moisturizer so you won’t burn. This has very little SPF because the bed itself has SPF already. You don’t need to worry.”

They also called some of the top dermatologists in the country to get their take. “There’s no longer any debate about UV radiation causing cancer,” explains David J. Leffell, MD, professor of dermatology and surgery at the Yale School of Medicine. “Any attempt to obscure this is dishonest, ignorant, or both. The indoor-tanning industry is misstating the facts for its own gain.”

I have very light colored skin and I always wished that I would get super tan or have naturally bronzed skin but it's very hard for me to get color so I use sunless tanner (which surprisingly works because not a lot of people know that I use it and always comment on how natural my skin color looks after hearing that so it works!) There are literally hundreds of different brands of sunless tanner and they really do work. (It takes some practice to master the no streaking technique but practice makes perfect!) When I do lay out in the sun during summer, I use sun block non-stop (usually SPF 50), and I don't sit out for too long. Obviously we can all still lay out and have fun in the sun, but the point is to be smart about it. No one is telling you to hibernate inside during the summer but just think about your future. You might achieve that gorgeous bronzed body now from all of that tanning you are doing, but what about later when you visit the skin doctor after noticing something on your body and it is potentially harmful? It is not a risk that you should be willing to take. Just like everything else, there will always be people who do unhealthy habits 24/7 and never ever have anything bad happen to them, those who do unhealthy habits 24/7 and have bad things happen to them, those who rarely engage in unhealthy habits and have bad things happen to them, those who never do any unhealthy habits and unfortunately still have bad things happen to them, and those lucky people who never ever engage in an unhealthy habit and go through life without anything bad happening to them. No one can predict the future but there are ways to help make sure that you stay on the path of a healthy adulthood! 

Ladies -- Practice safe sun!

Here are some questions for you:

1. Have you ever had a skin-cancer scare, or do you have a friend or family member who has?

2. Have you ever been concerned about the risks?

3. Have you ever asked about safety at a salon and been reassured that it’s ok?

4. Does this change the way you think about going to tanning salons?

Unfortunately I do know people in my life who I love an incredible amount who have been affected by this and I am going to do my best to protect myself. If you know that you can prevent something that has been proven to cause health risks, why wouldn't you? Years ago it was fashionable to be pale, it might not be like that today, but I guess I'll just keep embracing my pale skin because this is who I am and I wouldn't have it any other way! With all of this knowledge, we should be able to put trends behind us and go with our own glow.

Love & Pink,

Lisa

Pretty Girl Rock ; SoBeR

Once the weekend rolls around, everyone is ready and anxious to let loose. After spending countless hours primping and priming for a night out, you mix your first drink and your second, and your third. You dance the night away to Ke$ha and take advantage of the bar deals until you've lost count of the drinks you've had and you're soon visiting your cupboards for some Easy Mac. 

You are excited about a night out on the town; your worries wither away and nothing else matters but the party. But the worries will come back and sometimes, so will your dinner. April was Alcohol Awareness Month, and even though a few months have passed, I thought it would still be a good time to point out some of the things you may not be thinking about between taking endless shots and joining in the next round of drinking games. You have one mission: to have fun. It is hard sometimes to remember the cost of throwing a few back. We've all heard the line "the alcohol made me do it". People can still control their behavior when under the influence. That can't be your excuse for being an embarrassment to yourself and the people around you. In short, bad behavior isn't the fault of the alcohol; but of the person.

We drink a lot of Cheeseburgers

Did you know you have to walk the entire length of a football field to burn off the calories for one M&M? ONE! Now consider this even further: what if you could compare how many cheeseburgers you drank last night? Well you can, on an e-chug survey. Through this survey, you can document your drinking habits and find out how many cheeseburgers you "drink" in a given month. For example, 8 standard drinks in one month is equivalent to 4 cheeseburgers. To burn that off? You would have to run 10 minute miles for 2 hours and 27 minutes.

We drink a lot of money

If you spend even $20.00 a week on drinks, how much is that in an entire year? That is $1,040.00. Um whoa. You could have nearly 1,000 iTunes downloads, a brand new Louis Vuitton Purse, or you could go on a vacation! Can you imagine how many bills you could have paid with that cash money?

We drink a lot of sleep

When you take part in a night of drinking, you sometimes wake up and can't fall back asleep. It is pretty safe to say that alcohol and sleeping do not go well together. While alcohol decreases the time it takes to fall asleep, it disrupts the second half of the sleep period. This makes sense since after a night of drinking, most people feel like terrible drivers, (meaning the next day...drinking and driving is not even an option) unproductive, crabby, and exhausted. I'm confident in the fact that I don't know anyone who likes being hung- over.

We drink a lot of time

Quite literally, think of all the time you have spent drunk. Think of all the sober time you can spend with your friends shopping (always productive), or trying out new restaurants. Let's say the average person is drunk (and awake) at least 5 hours a week. That is about 180 hours a year; DRUNK. That is a lot of valuable time you could have been visiting new places, applying for jobs, etc. It's pretty simple; getting wasted wastes a lot of time. 

Many people who know me know that I do not drink ever and assume I do because I always have SO much fun when I go out on the weekends and I am always the first one on the dance floor. Dancing all night and having fun does not equal being a mess in a dress. Being sober is not a bad thing and it's ok to not be drinking even if everyone is. I'm pretty sure we all learned how to say "no" way back in the day. There are so many things I do with my time instead of drinking. These are activities that are fun and require you to be sober. They also make for better stories than those drunken nights filled with useless drama. I value my amazing life and will continue living my life with the idea that you never know what tomorrow brings so why keep having those crazy drunk nights when you won't even remember them the next day? Sober people are sexy. Be above the influence.

Love & Pink,

Lisa

The best accessory a girl can own is confidence

One of the worst dynamics that can kill a friendship is jealousy. If one friend is jealous of the other, it inevitably can ruin the friendship, or at least negatively impact it. Sometimes, however, when a friend is jealous, and they don’t want it to show, it can come out in very strange ways that may not seem obvious to the casual observer.  In order to help you identify jealousy in your friendship, here are some examples to look for:

1. The Fluff-Off: You tell your friend some good news and instead of reacting joyfully for you, your friend fluffs it off and makes it seem as though it is not a big deal. When people don’t feel good about where they are in their own lives, they make themselves feel better by acting as though other people’s good fortune isn’t so great or exciting.
2. The Friendly Ghost: When individuals are jealous, they may feel less inclined to spend time with those individuals who are happy or doing well, and as a result, disappear or become extremely busy. Why? Your happiness is a constant reminder that they are unhappy and as a result, they rather stay away.
3. Positive Negative: When some individuals are jealous, they may find a way to counteract your positive with a negative way.  This is similar to the fluff-off, but instead of ignoring your positive news or accomplishment, your friend counters it with a negative. For instance, if you show a friend a beautiful picture you took of yourself, your friend may say, “Well, of course the picture is good: you had good lighting and a good camera.” Her reaction implies, in a sense, that the picture was good, not because of you, but for other reasons.
4. Insincere Happiness: If someone knows that they are jealous, they may try to over compensate by putting on a huge grin and acting overly happy. Unfortunately, what your friend doesn’t realize is that this type of behavior seems very unnatural and insecure.
5. Tears You Down: You decide that you are ready for a night out and feel beautiful. Instead of being happy for you, your friend tells you that you should change and you don’t look as good as you think. If your friend constantly makes you feel bad about your physical appearance, they may be doing so to feel better about their own physical appearance and about themselves.
6. Lack of Support: This is demonstrated when you rely on friends to help you achieve something that is important to you and they fall extremely short in delivering. They can either come up with every excuse in the book as to why they can’t help you, or worse, they promise to help but don’t.
7. Constant Discouragement: This happens when your friend tells you all of the reasons why you shouldn’t or CAN’T do something, instead of encouraging you to “go for it.” It also happens when you have something that they want whether its a relationship, an amazing family, or overall a great life.

In general, if every time you succeed at something or have good news and your friend acts distant, strangely or dismissive, it might mean that they are jealous. Or, if you find it awkward or difficult to talk to your friend about things that make you happy or that you’re involved with, it might mean that you don’t think they can accept your happiness.  It is important, however, to remember that if you are experiencing any of these behaviors or traits in your friendship, it doesn't mean the friendship is over but you may need to re-evaluate things.

Does jealousy exist in your friendships? How have you handled it? What was the outcome?

 Love & Pink,

Lisa

Reality Check

If you have food in your fridge, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of the world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and some spare change, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million people who will not survive this week. 

If you have never experienced the danger of battle, torture, or starvation, you are luckier than 500 million people alive and suffering. 

If you can read this, you are more fortunate than 3 billion people in the world who cannot read at all.

I posted this to remind everyone to cherish every moment, be thankful with what you have, and love the people you have in your life :) 

Love & Pink,
Lisa

Step to the beat of my heart

1. “If you want to leave her, leave her breathless. If you want to lie, lie next to her. If you want to let go, let go of your pride and pursue her."

2. "We should all start to live before we get too old. Fear is stupid. 

So are regrets." 

3. "Never love somebody who treats you like you're ordinary."  

4. "Just because somebody doesn't love you the way you want them to, doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have."

5. "Sometimes your heart knows things your mind can't explain."

6. "She knows nothing about life, but she knows everything about living."

7. "Love isn't supposed to be easy, it's just supposed to be worth it." 

8. "You have to learn the rules of the game, then play it better 

than everyone else."

Love & Pink, 

Lisa

Forget about everyone else -- Embrace YOU

In today’s society, it’s hard to be perfect when outlandish images of flawlessness are everywhere. Singers, actresses and even our favorite bloggers conveniently have everything that we don’t. So do a lot of people even in our innermost circles. Instead of embracing our flaws and appreciating the redeeming qualities we have, we compare and contrast ourselves with anyone who’s “better.” 

Why? Why is it so hard to believe that we’re as talented and fabulous as the next person? And why should we let someone else deter our own progress? There’s nothing wrong with competition because it heightens our self-motivation. But when the comparison eats you up on the inside, it becomes a problem.

It’s no secret that many girls long to be desirable. We spend money on our hair, nails and clothes all of the time; there are billion-dollar industries dedicated to fashion and beauty. But what about the factors underneath the fabulous exterior? Confidence should stem from your most redeeming qualities—your ability to help others, your drive for success. I’m sure many Hollywood plastic surgeons would disagree, but beauty fades. Think about what will happen when your highlights fade, when you remove your foundation and if you gained a few pounds. Would you still have anything to be confident about?

Everyone doubts themselves! But there’s no reason to be insecure if you’re secure in knowing who you are.

“I will never be the  woman with the perfect hair who wears white and does not spill on it and chairs committees and writes thank you notes, and I can’t feel bad about that” Carrie said at the end of Sex and the City

Everything you’re not makes you unique. Embracing your flaws and appreciating the qualities that you do have will make life so much easier. 

 

 

Love & Pink, 

Lisa