Balanced Life

The Balanced Life Magazine 2

CONTENTS05

06

08

12

14

16

What is a Thrive Experience

The Healing Power of Music

The Jewelry Diet

The Balanced Life Through Fashion

Enough is Enough

How This Single Mom Balances Life

The THRIVE Experience is an 8 week premium lifestyle plan to help individuals experienceand reach peak physical and mental levels

There are 3 primary areas that music can healPhysically Emotionally amp Spiritually

When the Premier Designs opportunity caught up to me 5 years ago jewelry was the farthest thing from my mind

Developing a personal style and (mostly) stick-ing to it simplifies the process of dressing

Can you look in the mirror and SEE YOURSELF as enough right now withnothing added

I have to say it truly is hard to keep it all going and keep things balanced

09

08

12

18

Advertisers 4- Dupree Dance 5- Thrive9- Premier Designs10- I AmStephanieWilson11- Cherished Girl11- The Master Juggler

12- W By Worth23- Nchantmentcom24- IAmStephanieWilson25- Younique27- Boisset Wine Living28- Lighten Up and Live

The Balanced Life Magazine

Editor- Nicole Land


29

26

25

24

20

Embracing Your Feminity

Yoga Balance

The Best Part of Waking up

Pay It Forward

The Balanced Life

Often times as women we tend to ignore our feminine side

The pursuit of a quality life balance may be this generationrsquos equivalent to the search for the Fountain of Youth

You thought I was going to say with Folgers in your cup didnrsquot you Nope I like to wake upto a gentle alarm set on my smart phone

If yoursquove not seen the movie Pay It Forward that came out in 2000 then I suggest renting it this weekend

Six years ago we bought a home on the lake - one of the best decisions of our life There issomething about water that soothes a soul

18RecipesChicken Tinga TacorsquosChicken Tortilla Soup

16

26 29

06



The goal of this magazine is provide itrsquos readers with tips on achieving life balance After all we are all just practicing through this crazy beautiful world together We all have the tendency to over pack our schedules and bite off a bit more than we can chew

Our contributors each season will share their life strategies through faith exercise music and mindset how to bring more balance to you and your families life Please subscribe to our magazine so you will receive your copy every quarter If you are ever interested in be-ing a contributor please send an email to nicoleandersonlandgmailcom


What is the THRIVE ExperienceThe THRIVE Experience is an 8 week premium lifestyle plan to help individuals expe-rience and reach peak physical and mental levels Yoursquore going to live look and feel Ultra Premium like never before Results from the THRIVE Experience are high im-pact and can slightly differ for everyone ndash depending on which areas of your lifestyle need the most help ndash and depending on your 8 week goal Whether your goal is to lose weight get in the best shape of your life or simply be the best you can be we know the THRIVE 8 Week Experience will get you THRIVINrsquo in all areas of your life In-dividuals on the Experience will enjoy premium support and benefits in the areas of

Weight Management - Cognitive Performance Digestive amp Immune Support - Joint SupportLean Muscle Support - Inflammation Support

Anti-Aging amp Antioxidant Support

THRIVE by Le-Vel is something thatrsquos hard to explain and challenging to describe itrsquos something that can only be experienced

Check out what others are saying at httpwwwfacebookcomlevelbrands


THE HEALING POWEROF MUSICWRITTEN BY STEPHANIE WILSON

What is the ONE thing that can immediately lift a mood put a smile on a face make someone think about a topic spread cheer and ultimately heal through melodies and words Surprisingly most people draw a blank when I ask that question but the answer is simple MUSIC

There are 3 primary areas that music can heal Physically Emotionally amp Spiritually

PhysicallyI have been to thousands of events over the span of my life ndash many of them stale and stagnant with a certain parameter to function within BUT re-cently I went to a Mixer and Photoshoot event and the Host had us get up out of our seats and clap move and meet new people in the room Guess what was playing in the background ldquoHappyrdquo written and performed by Pharrell Williams You can imagine what kind of energy the rest of that event had ndash It was explosive engaging and turned out to be a memorable event

EmotionallyLife can be tricky Life can be rough Life can be challenging Life can be beautiful Life can be satisfying Life can be wonderful Music is the one universal language that can com-municate to us exactly where we are in life re-gardless of being up or down in a good space or a rough space healthy or ill it doesnrsquot matter Music can help you identify with how you feel

and if the lyrics and melody are really good they can help you process where you are and aid in the process of moving on

SpirituallyThis is the area that most of us identify music with While spirituality has many meanings and purposes for everyone music can cross all barri-ers and boundaries There are hundreds of Genres of music from Christian to Country to Blues to Meditation to Instrumental and Jazz just to name a few The healing power of music is most easy to sense and spot in this area When you walk into a Church and experience worship through music ndash that experience can settle your soul and put you in a place of peace Thatrsquos healing When you attend a concert of your favorite music artist you can receive healing through the live experi-ence Because often times artists are much more personal and relatable in person and can really really speak to your situation in a clear concise way Again this is the healing power of music Do you remember what you were doing when Michael Jackson released ldquoWe Are the Worldrdquo Or when he released ldquoMan in the Mirrorrdquo Mu-sic also has this uncanny ability to make us think about world issues as well The healing power in both is these songs are simple love others and make sure that the manwoman we see in the mir-ror love others

THATrsquoShellipthe healing power of music Stephanie Wilson is an Award Winning National


Want to Know More About Stephanie

Inspirational Singer and Public Speaker who owns The Maximize Your Life Christian Radio Station on a mission to help independent Singers Musicians Pastors Business Owners Entrepreneurs Speakers Podcast Hosts and Professionals share their message with the world In addition to music and radio she also has a passion to empower inspire support and educate Professional Single Parents as she has been a single parent for more than 15 years

On The Web httpiamstephaniewilsoncom On Facebook httpswwwfacebookcomiamstephaniewilson On Twitter httpswwwtwittercomiamstephanie247 On The Radio httpbitlymaximizeyourliferadio

Via Email connectiamstephaniewilsoncomVia Phone 855-871-4760 To Book Stephanie to Sing or Speak httpiamstephaniewilsoncominspirational-singer-speaker


THE JEWELRY DIETCHRISTY C STACY

When the Premier Designs opportunity caught up to me 5 years ago jewelry was the farthest thing from my mind In 2009 life consisted of my full time job as a 100 commission paid sales rep for a debt settle-ment company a 1 yr old a rocky marriage a beaten-up self image a failing family furniture business and a lsquogrowing larger by the monthrsquo financial black hole I was drowning After 3 confirmations and an unwaver-ing stirring in my spirit I knew God had a purpose for placing Premier in my path and that I needed to trust in His prompting to take that step of faith into the unknown

Did you know that lsquoJEWELRYrsquo plays up your assets JEWELRY tells people where to look on you and where NOT to look on you The lsquoJewelry Dietrsquo is 100 proved tried and true in making you appear 10lbs thinner This holiday season no one will be noticing that 2nd piece of pie sticking to your thighs when yoursquore decked high in Premier Designs

Earrings are the most important piece of jewelry Earrings take attention away from the hips by bringing it to our lips


An oval-shaped earring slims and elongates a round-shaped faceA round-shaped earring compliments an oval-shaped face by raising the jaw lineLARGER earrings compliment all hair styles and make your butt look SMALLER

A short necklace brings the focus up taking attention away from our stomach hips and legsA long necklace brings the focus in creating a line making us appear long and lean Long neck-laces add about 3 inches to our height

Our wrist is the thinnest part of our body By pushing up your sleeves to a frac34 length and stacking on the ARM CANDY which consists of bangles watches lsquono-manrsquo bracelets and rings attention is diverted from our upper arms making our hips appear 3 inches smaller (A lsquoNo-Manrsquo bracelet is stretchy = you donrsquot need lsquoNo Manrsquo to put it on or take it off)

Knowledge is power Never underestimate the power of a God lsquonudgersquo God used Premier Designs Jewelry as a beauti-ful tool to get lsquomersquo into the lives and into the homes of hundreds of women where I get to be His hands and feet by serving and encouraging The spiritual and personal growth the friendships the HUGE shift in my marriage and the financial freedom to raise my 3 sons from home due to Premier are absolutely priceless I stay amazed at how God continues to bless this crazy little jewelry business and I count it all as joy as I share and represent the Hope of Premier Designs

The jewelry is just an added bonus


YES Our lives are so busy between work and home that we often spend too little or waste too much time de-ciding what to wear As an image and style consultant Irsquom often asked how to build a wardrobe that is appropri-ate and easy to navigate There are several factors that go into creating a closet yoursquoll love

Developing a personal style and (mostly) sticking to it simplifies the

process of dressing This doesnrsquot mean wersquore bound to one look forev-er but it does suggest deciding WHO to be in your career at home or on a date Do you work in a traditional office A more conservative career style which can be swapped with accessory changes for happy hour is perfect Stay-at-home mom with your own business Yoursquoll likely be dressing jeans up or down depend-ing on your day Looking to re-invent


Written by Sam Ditka


yourself a bit with a life or career change The old adage ldquodress for the job you want not the job you haverdquo is good advice for deciding where your personal style will take you next

Next up PURGE Take everything out of your closet and try it on If it doesnrsquot fit you OR your personal style it goes If you havenrsquot worn it in two seasons it goes Charity con-signment and even local seamstress-es are thrilled to recycle or repurpose your items If this is challenging a trusted friend can help whittle the wardrobe Once yoursquore finished re-hang everything facing the same di-rection After you wear an item hang it up facing the other way to easily spot the items never worn

Take an honest inventory of your needs Are you lacking in basics jeans or dressy clothes This is where your personal brand comes in You may really LOVE distressed denim but if yoursquore about to return to corporate America itrsquos best to put jeans at the bottom of the wish list Every woman needs quality crisp white blouses and good coats Fitted blazers that can go from boardroom to a night out are staples for every ward-robe Make a list based on YOUR look and needs before you shop Consider a consultation with a stylist before and during shopping

When you shop consider how you will swap core pieces for different occasions A pop of color paired with standard black grey and neutrals are timeless Tex-ture and accents like edgy hardware or leather trims can incorporate trends into the classics When jeans are on the shopping list invest in proper fit and quality fabric above all else

Building a style and wardrobe to avoid the daily ldquoI-have-nothing-to-wearrdquo is a great way to save time long term


WRITTEN BY SANDY PARKER

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

I always loved Michael Jacksonrsquos song Man in the Mirror The tune is catchy and the words are good ldquoIrsquom starting with the man in the mirror If you wanna make the world a better place take a look at yourself and then make a changerdquo Sounds good right But the real challenge is this Can we look in the mirror and NOT see all the things we would change about ourselves Can you look in the mirror and SEE YOURSELF as enough right now with nothing added

This is the mission of Irsquom Enough Irsquom Enough is a single created by the Texas based all-female band The Mrs These fit and feisty women are married and raising children They decided to create a band because they werenrsquot really hearing their lives told on modern radio As women they found themselves faced with the ideals to be the perfect perfect size and weight perfect moms perfect wives They also sensed the judgment that we feel when we look in the mirror ldquoWomen go around beating themselves up for every little thing and itrsquos time we stoprdquo Andra Liemandt the bandrsquos founder and drummer told ABC News

Their single ldquoIrsquom Enoughrdquo inspired a talking mirror they set up at a local mall for the social experiment that has gone viral with more than 3 million views on YouTube Their ldquomagic mirrorrdquo is successfully convincing women everywhere they are they are indeed enough Shoppers stand before the mirror that comes to life saying things like ldquoDonrsquot be afraid of the reflection you see You are an amazing woman and today I want you to look in this mirror and not just feel lsquookrsquo I want you to see you are ENOUGHrdquo


Imagine my surprise

My role in life is to be an inspirational spark for women encouraging them to ldquolighten uprdquo so they can live better lives I have been sending out this Irsquom Enough video link featuring The Mrs for weeks and sharing their app Recently at a conference women starting coming up to my booth saying ldquoThe Mrs sent merdquo It turns out that after their ldquotime with the mirrorrdquo The Mrs were sending women over to find comfort support and to share their experience with me Imagine my surprise when one by one these dynamic women of The Mrs band came to introduce themselves to me to show their support for me and my work We agreed that ENOUGH IS ENOUGH The time for women to be ENOUGH IS NOW Too often women look in the mirror and donrsquot like what they see We want to change that - to show women they are ENOUGH just the way they are

There is never a better time than now to watch this video and let this message melt into your heart Then go enjoy your family and friends and even better let them enjoy you

Sandy ParkerLighten UP Global - Lighten up and live

imEnough - All-female band The Mrs changes the way women look in the mirrorDownload the app Magic MirrorimEnough


HOW THIS SINGLE MOM BALANCES LIFE

For this single mom my balance comes from my children and from

Christ There is no greater reward and no greater relaxation

driving to work I will either listen to Bible chapters in the car or listen to worship music before I get to the office After work I make phone calls in my car as I head home Our evenings consist of getting homework done dinner eaten and prepare for bed at 8 pm After the girls lay down I usually do necessary work on the com-puter and make phone calls

I have learned NOT to make a big deal out of the little things in life especially at home with the girls Things happen such as markers on the wall spills on the floor broken items etc Itrsquos not a big deal because 1) they didnrsquot mean to do it and 2) if these small things are the worse that happens in my day then thatrsquos a pretty great

WRITTEN BY MICHELLE NICKLEBERRY

Hi my name is Michelle and I am the proud single mom of twin 6 year olds Our life is a wonderful wild ride One of my daughters is autistic the other one is dyslexic and both test on or near the genius scale I have a full-time job that often requires after hours work One of my daughters has tutoring twice a week while the other has at home speech therapy twice a week

I have to say it truly is hard to keep it all going and keep things balanced but with God as my guide it all goes well I usually wake at 545 am to get the girls breakfast going and get myself together before waking the girls at 6 am The girls have break-fast and do a little early morning homework before we head out the door While


day I have learned to be happy even when life tries to cause me grief Attitude is 80 of mak-ing a happy and balanced life

I treat myself to a weekly massage and I spend time with women from my Bible study once a week Those are the two outside things that I try to do to bring more balance to my life but my greatest joy comes from the balance I get at home I try to make our home a silly happy place to be I get on the floor and enjoy my chil-dren We draw we do art projects we color we tickle we cook we make big messes we clean and best of all we cuddle I teach my daughters that life is most wonderful and that being to-gether canrsquot be beat For this single mom my balance comes from my children and from Christ There is no greater reward and no greater relaxation

Contact Mchelle Nickleberry

Health Benefits of Water

Thanks goes to the Mayo Clinic for all the studies they do on how water benefits our bod-ies Did you know our body is made up of 65 - 70 water At 1 dehydration we start to

lack in mental performance and physical coordination So the question is how much water should you really drink a day The optimal amount is 60 of your body weight Did you know that every system in your body depends on water Water flushes out toxins provides a moist environment for ear nose and throat tissues and carries nutrients to your cells

Everyonersquos heard the 8 8oz of water a day Thatrsquos a great place to start and itrsquos easy to remember If yoursquore 110 lbs then keep that as your water count for the day If you weigh more than that then you really need to consider adding more water to your diet Every day we lose water through breath perspiration and urination Yoursquoll notice everything improve when you increase your water intake Yoursquoll have a brighter and clearer complexion yoursquoll add shine to your hair and have a healthier body


RECIPESChicken Tinga Tacorsquos

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast1 lb of dark boneless skinless thighs1 box of chicken stock1 small can of chipotles in adobo sauce2 cans of fire roasted tomatoes 1 large sweet onion6 cloves of garlicolive oilkosher saltCorn TortillasLimesSour CreamCheeseAvocadoCilantro Dice chicken into small cubes Dice your onion into small pieces in a large skillet add olive oil use a garlic press and add garlic to the hot oil (donrsquot burn the garlic) add onion to skillet cook about 3 - 4 minutes season your diced chicken with Ko-sher salt then add to the oil cook for about 5 minutes In blender add 3 - 5 of your chipotles in adobo sauce (they become hotter when they cook so depending on how spicy your family likes it will be how many of the chipotles you add) Add about 12 a box of chicken stock along with 2 cans of fire roasted tomatoes season with about 12 - a full TBS of Kosher salt Blend (can still be slightly chunky) In a large crock pot or large pot add your chicken and onion mixture cover with sauce from blender In a crock pot I like to cook all day 6 - 8 hours on low before I serve I pull the chicken apart even more so the sauce really gets into all the pieces In a large pot on the stove Irsquod cook on Medium low for 2 hours string often Still use the same technique of pulling apart towards the end so the sauce really makes itrsquos way into all of the chicken Serve with Corn Tortillas Squeeze fresh Lime on each taco and top with sour cream cheese of your choice avocados and cilantro Great served with Black Beans and a fresh green salad Great for left overs or in tortilla soup later in the week


1 12 boxes of Chicken Stock1 Squash diced1 12 boxes of Chicken Stock1 Squash diced 1 Jalapentildeo diced1 Zucchini diced 1 can of tomatorsquos with green chilies1 Yellow or Red Bell Pepper diced

1 Small Onion Diced 1 Can of Medium Red Enchilada Sauce Avocado LimeCheese Tortilla ChipsDiced CilantroSour Cream

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken (can be the left over chicken tingarsquos or a shredded rotisserie chicken works great)

In a large stock pot add chicken stock tomatorsquos with green chilies can of enchilada sauce onion jalapentildeo bell pepper let cook for 20 minutes make sure onion and peppers are soft then add zucchini and squash cook another 7 - 10 minutes you want those to have some firmness Add your chicken and cook another 3 - 5 minutes till all is warm Serve over the top of crushed tortilla chips top with lime cheese avocado cilantro and sour cream Great for left overs


THE BALANCED LIFE

Six years ago we bought a home on the lake - one of the best decisions of our life There is something about water that soothes a soul One of my favorite quotes is ldquoThe stillness of the lake brings peace to my soul In this stillness my mind becomes empty and my heart be-comes fullrdquo -John Tew As that old saying goes I have learned to stop and smell the roses

It didnrsquot start off that way You see Irsquom a normal 40 something wife mom and dog owner I have that constant to-do list running through my head We have lots to jug-gle in our lives between work family church school and running a household Right around the time that we found our dream home a Yoga studio opened just up the road That is where my Yoga journey began I had never done Yoga prior to this but once I began I was hooked I loved the concept of slowing down to get strong It was about that one hour on your mat of letting go of everything that doesnrsquot serve you This was no easy task for me You see Irsquom a take-action type of woman and in Yoga you honor the place where you are Yoga is not a competition It is about being where you are and being ok with that If you need to take a childrsquos pose during class then you should That was one of the harder parts of Yoga for me personally I would see the ldquoJennifer Anistonrdquo types of Yoga girls and think I can do that I would push myself and end up injuring myself - all things that Yoga was not

In Shavasana the final resting pose I would fidget during a time that is supposed to be where you lie on your mat completely relaxed for 3 - 5 minutes and just let the world go around you My mind would wander all over the place about what I needed to get done next or what I was fixing for dinner or being hard on myself for what poses I wasnrsquot able to complete

Yoga is about being in the present moment the only place life truly exists Five years into my Yoga journey I decided to take Instructors Certification What a wonderful experience It has given me the opportunity to now pass the gift of Yoga onto others

Written by Nicole Land


Molorit labore nat dest peles aciisqu odiod tus conecto rporrovit remoditios repellaConse At eiciliq uibus te ex et magnimust volenimus dolores sumqui re idisi nobisIlist

solesed et restibus il ium sitia suntium haruptat hillore ium

It took about a year before I stopped fighting with myself and the practice of Yoga and gave in I let myself skip a Chaturanga if I knew I was becoming fatigued and was losing my breath I was able to lie still during Shavasana and honor my body with 5 minutes of nothing What Irsquove learned is life is all about practice and we are all just practicing together Irsquove learned that itrsquos okay to just sit and breathe You donrsquot always have to be doing something Irsquove learned that you donrsquot have to be perfect at everything

Yoga is about being in the present moment the only place life truly exists Five years into my Yoga journey I decided to take Instructors Cer-tification What a wonderful experience It has given me the opportunity to now pass the gift of Yoga onto others Something I love is watch-ing a person who might not be able to sit in an easy seated pose a posture where you are sit-ting up with your legs gently crossed in front of you become able to accomplish that pose Or maybe someone isnrsquot able to touch their toes but little by little they get a little closer

I teach my Yoga classes in my back yard on my deck overlooking the lake I always felt that when my husband and I bought this home we wanted to be able to share it in some way and this is one way Irsquom able to share our peaceful setting I for the last year have offered Yoga at my home and what a blessing it has been seeing people grow either in flexibility strength or just simply let-ting go of what does not serve them personally

In March 2013 I was blessed once again by a friend who shared a product with me It is called Thrive by Le-Vel It is an all-natural all-inclusive supplement that gives everything the body

needs to perform at its highest level I honestly was skeptical at first to try the product You

see I had tried everything on the market and was presently taking a pharmaceutical grade vi-tamin that I liked Studying anatomy and physi-ology in Yoga I know the importance of absorp-tion and what a premium product will do for a faster absorption rate I know in this day and age we simply donrsquot get what we need from the food we eat So I am a believer in supple-ments and Thrive fills in the nutritional gaps

I ordered the product as a customer My first day to take the product was March 11 and about 20 minutes after I took my first two capsules I felt absolutely fantastic I had an amazing smooth energy and was starting to check things off my to-do list I was able to accomplish so much that day and I didnrsquot have my normal late afternoon


crash Even though I was doing Yoga several times a week I was still low energy mid afternoon into evening Oh the perks of being over 40

I called my friend who introduced me to the product and told her how great I was feeling

I thought shersquod mentioned that I could get the product for free by referring two friends With Le-Vel every customer receives a free website If two of your friends purchase from that web-site your product is free the next month I sim-ply called a couple of friends and explained how great I was feeling I had my friend Lori tell them the specifics behind the product and voila My friends ordered their Thrive Experience + DFT from my free customer website and my prod-uct was going to be free the following month

Day two came around and I took my two lifestyle capsules before my feet hit the floor Within about 30 minutes I was feeling the same thing - only this time I noticed a little something differ-ent - I had a happy buzz It was hard to explain but I was so much happier than I normally was

I once again called Lori and asked her to ex-plain She said that the product was full of B vitamins and they definitely added a side of happy I then mentioned to her that I felt like I needed to share this with more than two people and that I felt like everyone could use this product I asked what I needed to do to share this with more than just a couple friends

She explained that Le-Vel offered a free pro-moter opportunity and that I simply needed to click a button on my customer website I would

become a promoter and be able to share this product with everyone I decided that I would and immediately started sharing my Thrive ex-perience on Facebook Irsquove not stopped since

The company offers amazing bonuses in the first two weeks of being a promoter I was de-termined to earn those bonuses I have a teen-age son who was turning 16 I wanted him to have a car for his 16th birthday but my husband and I had a tough year financially I made a list of friends and family who I knew would benefit from this amazing product and started reach-ing out to them I was blessed to hit both of those bonuses and during the first two weeks I earned over $1300 in cash and product I was shocked when I found out that the company paid out weekly which was simply amazing

By this time I had been on the product for two weeks I was sleeping better I had lost about 5 pounds and wasnrsquot having those af-ternoon crashes Irsquod stopped wanting coffee I just simply thought one day hmmm I donrsquot need that coffee today after drinking it for years I noticed after I stopped drinking cof-fee my digestive system really started work-ing better I didnrsquot have that grumbly tummy that I had most mornings after my second cup

Once my first two weeks had past I had yet an-other goal to accomplish - earning an I-Pad mini in the first 30 days I was able to earn that in my first three weeks By this time I had several friends and family taking the product and sev-eral wanted to share the Thrive Experience just like I did so they became promoters as well I have been blessed to have an amazing team

I earned my auto bonus with Le-Vel just 45 days into the business Irsquove gone on two lifestyle get-aways with the company one to Cabo San Lucas and one to New Orleans I hit my rank-ing of 40K VIP last month and have a fantastic team that Irsquom helping to achieve as well The most amazing thing about sharing the Thrive experience is the car bonus The most amaz-ing thing about sharing the Thrive experience is helping others live the life they deserve

The trips and cars are wonderful bonuses however be it physical or financial this has been such a rewarding journey If yoursquove made it to the end of this article I hope that yoursquoll experi-ence Yoga and Thrive for yourself Taking care of your body - itrsquos the only place you have to live

Connect with Nicole on Facebookhttpwwwthrivewithnicolecom


Pay It ForwardNicole Land

If yoursquove not seen the movie Pay It Forward that came out in 2000 then I sug-gest renting it this weekend When eleven and a half year old Trevor McKin-ney (Haley Joel Osment) begins seventh grade in Las Vegas Nevada his social studies teacher Eugene Simonet (Kevin Spacey) gives the class an assignment to devise and put into action a plan that will change the world for the better Trevorrsquos plan is a charitable program based on the networking of good deeds He calls his plan ldquoPay It Forwardrdquo which means the recipient of a favor does a favor for three others rather than paying the favor back

Whether your deed is big or small you can make a difference in someonersquos day A very dear friend of mine uses the phrase ldquotaking over the world one smile at a timerdquo I just love that Paying it forward can be as small a gesture as a ldquogood morningrdquo letting someone slip in line in a traffic jam opening a door for someone or just a simple smile

April 30th has been marked the official Pay it Forward Day In 2014 people from 70 countries participated but donrsquot let this be the only day out of the year where this act of kindness is sowed Try setting a personal challenge to adding this to your life agenda on a more regular basis

A few ideas that can turn someonersquos entire day around buying breakfast or lunch for the car behind you in line leaving your server a larger tip than ex-pected leaving a bottle of water for the trash or mail person helping your neighbor pull their trash cans back after trash day letting someone have that parking spot you had your eye on sharing a coupon at a department store or just sending someone a beautiful greeting cardhellipjust because

When we take the focus off ourselves thatrsquos where the magic happens

The Best Part of Waking Up Is

You thought I was going to say with Folgers in your cup didnrsquot you Nope I like to wake up to a gentle alarm set on my smart phone It is labeled ldquoThis is the day that the Lord has

made let us rejoice and be glad in itrdquo I lay there for a couple of moments and go over just a few things that Irsquom thankful for In my opinion you should do everything in your power not to be rushed in the morning Allow yourself 10 - 15 minutes in the morning to read a devotional a positive mediation or get into Godrsquos word In this fast paced world we live in we need to set our minds right before we head out the door to start dealing with people traffic and life

I have a few great quotes scriptures and phrases that I carry with me everywhere I go There are some Irsquove memorized and some I have stored on my phone I am able to go to those throughout my day when life starts happening and things donrsquot go the way we have planned I also have 8 silent alarms set on my phone that go off throughout my day to give me gentle reminders of who has my back My second alarm goes off around 10 AM ldquoI can do all things through Christ who strengthens merdquo and they continue throughout my day As Irsquove mentioned in other articles we are all just prac-ticing together So another thing Irsquom trying to incorporate before falling asleep at night is listening to some type of positive motivation Irsquove been able to find these on YouTube I listen to them for the last 5 - 10 minutes before drifting off to sleep at night I hope these tips have been helpful and you can incorporate just a few into your daily life ~ Nicole

April Cahoon 214-766-9616 Sobelle72aolcom


YOGA BALANCE

WRITTEN BY TREISHA PETERSON

YOGA BALANCE

The pursuit of a quality life balance may be this generationrsquos equivalent to the search for the Fountain of Youth Frazzled and jam packed schedules are often considered a badge of honor for young and old alike The goal of balanced living is the ability to enjoy lifersquos journey better able to stand steady through the challenges and the storms that come our way Establishing a quality life balance follows much the same pattern as the practice of a balancing asana

Balancing postures can be the most intimidating and exhilarating of all asana practice While extremely playful balanced asana requires focus a solid foundation and an active core both body and mind must be focused and free from distraction A carefully balanced asana creates the impression of ease though every muscle is engaged and the work intense This inner strength creates a sense of accom-plishment that fuels further asana practice

Like asana balanced living is the right combination of focus foundation and core strength Balance must be defined by the individual and requires attention to personal needs strengths and weaknesses Our drishti reflects who we are and why we do what we do Core values beliefs and practices keep us centered Often we recognize that our stability relies on trusting our surroundings Critical to any balance is the ability to enjoy the destination as well as the journey It is this joy that will allow further growth balance and inner contentment

Balance is threatened by pushing ourselves beyond our capabilities and comparing ourselves to anoth-er The assumption that strength and momentum create lift can prevent beginners from attempting a balanced asana or send them toppling to the ground In life if we push too hard or rely on our strength alone we are likely to feel wobbly and ineffective It is the slow and methodical approach to balance the stability of each step that creates the space and courage necessary to lift off the ground There are days when balance no matter how carefully planned is simply inaccessible When this happens we might hold on to a wall or we might hold on to a friend calling our posture a supported balance

Balance is not about doing it all it is about remaining steady while doing what we can Balance is not about having it all it is about enjoying what we have Balance is not about never falling it is about having fun when we fall and getting up a little more wise and empowered Balance is not about desti-nation it is about finding laughter and pleasure in the journey Balance is recognizing our limits and following our hearts living life true to both




Often times as women we tend to ignore our feminine side We forget that as women we are powerful nurturing forgiving sweet kind compassionate givers of life and the voice of reason in our families We forget that embracing our femininity is a sign of strength and confidence in who we are and what we represent And we forget that when we choose to embrace our femininity with no reservations we are teaching our daughters nieces little sisters and young girls in our community that it is okay to be sweet soft and sensual

There are times when we are ostracized for being too sweet too sexy too sensual or too emotional We often find that being a woman that embraces her femininity is frowned upon and so we make the decision to cover up more be less sweet turn our emotions down and embrace more of our mascu-line side instead I have found that when I was younger and was challenged by a male colleague lover friend or family member that I would turn away from being Sweet Soft and Sensual and instead pres-ent myself as Hard Neutral and Laid Back

We as women find the need to adapt to our surroundings instead of demanding that our surround-ings accept us for who we are We as women will discredit the amazing feeling of power that we thrive on because of our femininity And we as women often allow ourselves to be shamed for wearing our hearts on our sleeves embracing our curves and not covering up

So the question is WHY Why do we feel the need to be who we are not Why do we feel the need to adapt and fit the mold of what makes our male counterparts elders and colleagues (both male and female) more comfortable and accepting of us Why do we settle for anything less than the respect that we deserve for being exactly who we are The answer to that is simple and complex all in one fear Fear of not being loved fear of not being respected and the fear of being judged by the people who matter most

So I ask how long will you live in fear How long will you allow yourself to be ostra-cized and made to feel ashamed for being Sweet Soft and Sensual And how long will you adapt for the comfort of oth-ers ignoring the power that lives within embracing your femininity

Wendy Whitmore MS LMFT amp Life Coach aka THE MASTER JUGGLERldquoAllow Me To Teach Stretch and Coach You To Your Breakthrough By Mastering The Art of Juggling Family Career amp Everything In Between AND Staying Sane Through It AllrdquoConnect WMe truthhealingevolutiongmailcom or wwwtruthhealingevolutioncom

Embracing Your FeminityWritten by Wendy Whitmore

THE BALANCED LIFEMAGAZINE


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Embracing Your Feminity

Yoga Balance

The Best Part of Waking up

Pay It Forward

The Balanced Life

Often times as women we tend to ignore our feminine side

The pursuit of a quality life balance may be this generationrsquos equivalent to the search for the Fountain of Youth

You thought I was going to say with Folgers in your cup didnrsquot you Nope I like to wake upto a gentle alarm set on my smart phone

If yoursquove not seen the movie Pay It Forward that came out in 2000 then I suggest renting it this weekend

Six years ago we bought a home on the lake - one of the best decisions of our life There issomething about water that soothes a soul

18RecipesChicken Tinga TacorsquosChicken Tortilla Soup

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ENOUGH IS ENOUGH





Imagine my surprise
































THE BALANCED LIFE











































YOGA BALANCE


YOGA BALANCE


































































ENOUGH IS ENOUGH





Imagine my surprise
































THE BALANCED LIFE











































YOGA BALANCE


YOGA BALANCE






























































ENOUGH IS ENOUGH





Imagine my surprise
































THE BALANCED LIFE











































YOGA BALANCE


YOGA BALANCE
























































ENOUGH IS ENOUGH





Imagine my surprise
































THE BALANCED LIFE











































YOGA BALANCE


YOGA BALANCE















































ENOUGH IS ENOUGH





Imagine my surprise
































THE BALANCED LIFE











































YOGA BALANCE


YOGA BALANCE










































ENOUGH IS ENOUGH





Imagine my surprise
































THE BALANCED LIFE











































YOGA BALANCE


YOGA BALANCE





































ENOUGH IS ENOUGH





Imagine my surprise
































THE BALANCED LIFE











































YOGA BALANCE


YOGA BALANCE































ENOUGH IS ENOUGH





Imagine my surprise
































THE BALANCED LIFE











































YOGA BALANCE


YOGA BALANCE

























ENOUGH IS ENOUGH





Imagine my surprise
































THE BALANCED LIFE











































YOGA BALANCE


YOGA BALANCE



















ENOUGH IS ENOUGH





Imagine my surprise
































THE BALANCED LIFE











































YOGA BALANCE


YOGA BALANCE


















Imagine my surprise
































THE BALANCED LIFE











































YOGA BALANCE


YOGA BALANCE












































THE BALANCED LIFE











































YOGA BALANCE


YOGA BALANCE



































THE BALANCED LIFE











































YOGA BALANCE


YOGA BALANCE



























THE BALANCED LIFE











































YOGA BALANCE


YOGA BALANCE
























THE BALANCED LIFE











































YOGA BALANCE


YOGA BALANCE


















THE BALANCED LIFE











































YOGA BALANCE


YOGA BALANCE






















































YOGA BALANCE


YOGA BALANCE












































YOGA BALANCE


YOGA BALANCE

































YOGA BALANCE


YOGA BALANCE






























YOGA BALANCE


YOGA BALANCE























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Balanced Life