How Watching Simon, Kara, Ellen and Randy Blister Others Can Fortify You in Real Life The Truth Hurts – And it Might Hurt Worse Coming from Someone You Admire or Respect Be willing to hear the truth, but guard yourself against brutality. Accountability is admirable. Martyrdom sucks. Some people believe it’s their duty to tell the truth at all costs. “Man, those pants make your ass look huge” is not a helpful (or kind) truth. “You take things so personally, lighten up and let it go” might be a useful piece of advice. When tempted to speak the truth, ask yourself the following...

Good Bye, 39 “We are always the same age inside.” ~ Gertrude Stein I’ve only said it one hundred times - I’ll be forty in June.  Yah, yah… blah blah, Kim. Forty. 40. 4-0. The cake with the graveyard on it.  I am struggling a little with the number. (substitute 47 or 51 or 60) “The really frightening thing about middle age is the knowledge that you’ll grow out of it.” ~ Doris Day My husband doesn’t really get it; my struggle to make peace with being 40 in miles and 29 in my head. He says I am way too hard on myself. Truthfully, if I bring...

A Common Thread Between Canadian and Lebanese Women In early January of 2010, I received an email out of the blue from a woman in Lebanon named Hamo. In the email she told me that she had been given copies of Real Woman Magazine by a Canadian friend and felt compelled to contact me. Hamo briefly explained that she had always dreamed of having a magazine for women and she hoped I would grant her permission to reprint any articles that she felt might cross over well culturally from Canada to Lebanon. I was astounded and touched. There was no question in my mind that I would do whatever possible to...

Little Inspirations – Body Image

1. Do the right thing. Enjoy the bliss of blamelessness. Practice the virtues that are the foundation of any psychological growth or spiritual practice. Love. Practice loving-kindness for everyone, especially neutral and difficult people. Feelings of love neutralize feelings of shame. 2. Relax “self.” Take things less personally. Give up trying to perfect yourself. That’s like trying to polish Jell-O. 3. Accept yourself as you are. You are what you are, and cannot change how you are in this instant. At any moment of now, there is nothing you can do besides accept it and act to improve...

Little Inspirations – Ready to Print

Make and Serve these Popular Dessert Bars At our Holiday POWERShopping events, Leah has prepared, served and sold literally hundreds of exquisite home prepared desserts. These three had buyers BEGGING for the recipes. Here they are, long over due. The top three sellers at the November Holiday POWERShop – perfect for parties, guests, potluck, showers and holidays. Caramel Shortbread Base 1 cup brown sugar 2 cups flour 2/3 cup butter pinch of salt Topping 1 ½ cans condensed milk 1 ½ cups butter 1 ½ cups brown sugar ½ cup corn syrup Base: Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine brown sugar,...

Think back to the last big problem or crisis you had to deal with? Try to remember what was the most stressful part about it? Can you remember? The most stressful aspect was probably imagining potential consequences that might occur due to that event. For example, if your car broke down, you might imagine not having a car anymore or dealing with huge repair bills or being late for an appointment or even losing your job because of it. It’s these thoughts which cause you far more stress than the actual problem. I’ve been through this myself and I have good news! There is an easier way to handle...

Sowing Seeds of Kindness and Compassion We have the power within us to create a more vibrant, loving and kind world. Our thoughts are very real, biochemical and bioelectrical impulses, which send out waves of energy just like radio waves. Whatever frequency we send out comes back to us. We can also actively send positive energy to others by simply thinking kind and loving thoughts. Recently I was forced to remember this concept. I had planned to make a quick stop at the bank, only to find the line up tremendously long, and my thinking not conducive to being in the moment. As I walked into the...

Above All Else … Aim For Individualism We live in a cookie cutter world. In a row of look-a-like houses, built by the same builder, in the same sandy paint tones with the same rock finishes; We drive the same mini van or SUV, Rover or Camry. Same colours. Same destinations. Wearing skinny jeans and hoodies and UGGs, because it looks cool. We follow trends and gossip like its our mantra, and bow to the religion of ‘good enough’, ‘fitting in’ and ’status quo.’ Stale, common, average, bland, gingerbread. We aspire to the leadership of ‘gurus’...