Ladies Who Launch

Event: Make Yourself Mortgageable

In this time of economic uncertainty, it is necessary to arm women with the knowledge and tools to make themselves "mortgageable".

If you live in the New York City area, Please join us fellow Ladies Who Launcher Nichelle Stephens and her friend MaryBeth O'Hara, real estate broker with Maison Intl and property owner on July 15.  This is for a fun, FREE and informative event that will start you on your journey to financial prowess. Meet other women with similar goals and enjoy sangria, margaritas and light appetizers courtesy of La Palapa.

Make Yourself Mortgageable  is a project founded by MaryBeth O’Hara and Nichelle Stephens.  Olga Savelov is a mortgage broker and she will be a featured speaker.

Why I Chose To Study Ayurveda

Earlier this year, I earned my Diploma in Ayurvedic Sciences. Wait, before you roll your eyes and click away dismissing this as another health fanatic blog, I'd like to tell you how Ayurveda is changing my life and assure you that this is not just another "New Age" or "yoga-nazi" voice.

I first experienced the benefits of Ayurveda when I traveled to India and stayed at an Ayurvedic Resort. I chose that type of vacation at the time because I was in dire need of a fresh start in my life - my job, personal life and physical body all needed some TLC. Physically, I suffered from chronic back pain, which, I typically treated with a cocktail or glass of wine at the end of the day. Yes, I exercised and went to yoga (good yoga studios on LA's Westside) and no, it never completely eradicated the pain.

After two weeks of eating freshly prepared Ayurvedic food and receiving medicated oil massages on my knee injury (chondromalacia patella) and aching back, I felt revived. The chondromalacia patella cleared up after 5 months of constant nagging pain that worsened over time and had been locking up at night. My back pain was markedly better. You might be thinking that anyone would feel great after two solid weeks of pampering and may be right. In any case, this turn around in how I felt caused me to be curious about what was in those massage oils and what was it about that "vata balancing" food that helped me. I took up the formal study of Ayurveda so that I could learn to make myself feel that good all of the time, not just while on vacation.

Two years and one diploma later, I am still learning and still implementing changes to my life. I'm not one for diving into to the ice cold sea. I put a half of a pinky toe in, then sit under the sun umbrella and think about why I should bother to put my foot in. I'd say I'm about hip deep at the moment. I want to share with you what my feet are experiencing down below the water's surface. Maybe you'll want to put a toe in, too.

Spring into More Space By Reducing Clutter

Happy Spring! Now is the time to get do some serious spring cleaning and get rid the clutter.
Here's some things you can do.

• Clean out your closets and organize a clothing swap with friends.
• Anything leftover from the swap, you can take to your local church, nonprofit or the Salvation Army.
• Evaluate your Storage. Many New Yorkers have storage units full of stuff they don't use and don't miss.  Get rid of it and stop paying monthly storage fees.
• Evaluate your garage.  If you live in a house and have a garage, but you can't fit your car inside, then you may have a clutter problem.  Have a garage sale, put stuff on eBay or just trash it.
• Get  organized.  New York Incubator member Erica Ecker, The Spacialist, is teaching a workshop next week at In Good Company on March 27. If you don't live in New York, check out her site and sign for Erica's newsletter.

Show Love By Being Green and Shopping Local

From Aja Tahari Marsh, Natural Foods Chef. Check out her lifestyle blog, Stem and Leaf.

In the wake of the the much beleaguered Valentine’s Day, I would like to take a moment to talk about how we can translate and incorporate the love we have for ourselves and those closest to us, into a love for our bodies, communities, and earth. To me, living a healthy and loving lifestyle is more than just about what I eat—it’s about thinking critically about what I choose to put into and around my body, and how those choices affect the world around me—as well as nourishing me physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

ON BEING A MORE LOVING CONSUMER...

- Supporting Local Businesses

Unfortunately it is getting more and more difficult to support locally owned small businesses in suburban areas, especially grocery stores, and increasingly in urban areas. However, by shopping and dining at local establishments you are supporting your community’s economy, as well as encouraging entrepreneurial enterprises where you can interact with owners who are passionate about their business, versus having impersonal experiences at large chain stores. By nurturing your community in this way, your neighborhood becomes richer with your investment economically and socially and you can build relationships with the people you live and work among.

- Buying Local Produce

There are farmer’s markets in most cities across the country, as well as seasonal u-pick or farm stands on city outskirts, which could make for a fun weekend activity with your friends or family. You could also participate in a C.S.A. (Community Supported Agriculture) which offers you weekly allotments of food currently being harvested by the farm, usually in exchange of light farm work and a reasonable fee for the season. By getting produce from your area, you will be eating only what is in season and in harmony with the earth, as well as getting food that allows the farmers a living wage and isn’t shipped thousands of miles—therefore also reducing its environmental impact.

FarmersMarket.com - has a searchable database of markets across the U.S.

- Shopping Green [see the blog I just posted about it!]

It’s easy to start. Bring your own bags. Don’t bag your produce unless absolutely necessary. Buy in bulk. Reduce your overall packaging usage. Carpool to the grocery store with a friend or neighbor.

- Living Compassionately for You, Your Family, and The Earth

Instead of spraying all kinds of chemicals around your house to make it smell or look good, look into non-toxic and natural cleaning products. This is especially important if you have children, pets, allergies, or sensitive skin. Why wash the dishes you eat off of with chemicals? Baking soda and vinegar, for example, make a great all purpose abrasive cleanser and disinfectant. Buy cruelty-free products that haven’t been tested on animals. Drink Fair-Trade and Organic coffees and teas. Dry your clothes outside, and use the power of the sun to bleach your clothes. Purchase recycled toilet paper and paper towels. Recycle everything you can. Reuse containers. Compost.

Care2 has pretty comprehensive information and tips on their GreenLiving page: as does TreeHugger

Avoid Valentine’s Day disappointment – Treat Yourself!

By Coach Joelle Prochera, professional life coach and fellow launcher!  To hear more from Coach Joelle subscribe to the Livloud! Newsletter or read the coach joelle blog.   

Hello Ladies,

The big day is approaching and married, dating or single, most of us have experienced a Valentine’s Day in silent anticipation of a grand display that never happened.

On this day for love I have a special invitation for you…

Instead of waiting for grand expressions,

Instead of waiting for the perfect day to be delivered,

Instead of waiting for love,

How about you create a little love in your own life with a day designed just for you!

Imagine….

A day off….reading in bed…bubble baths…. a 2 hour massage….

Not for any reason but because you say so and because you are worth it!

In a recent LIVLOUD! Article I shared the concept of creating a day just for you - a mental health day.  As you are gearing up for your day of hearts, lace and chocolate, consider showering yourself with love and sharing that love with the important people in your life.

Read the article: A Day for You: The Mental Health Day Challenge.

Happy Valentine’s Day Ladies! Enjoy treating yourself!

SMOOCH!

Joelle

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR COACH JOELLE?:  I am looking for the opportunity to fully serve each of you on your personal adventure.  If you have a life or business challenge that you would like a coaching perspective on, please share your comments below or email me at [email protected].

Make your life a work of art a joyful dance a grand adventure

Jen Sincero: Upgrade

From Los Angeles Incubator Leader Jen Sincero who is also the author, sex expert and DJ.

I recently moved out of the smallest apartment I’ve ever lived in (and that includes the 7 years I spent in NYC).  It was a hard, uncomfy choice to move in the first place, but it was 4 blocks from the
beach in Venice, a place that, unlike the rest of Los Angeles, makes my little heart sing. 

Venice has always been the Holy Grail of neighborhoods for me, and I was ready to move there long before I actually did, but I put it off because I knew that the only places I’d be able to afford would be so sketchy I’d be scared to walk around in them barefoot.

When I found my beloved little veal pen, it was not only the cleanest place I’d seen, but it was cheap, sunny, on a perfect block and, most importantly, I could hear the waves crashing from my open bedroom
window.  Who cares that it was so small that I could get something out of the fridge and answer the front door without getting up from the toilet?  I was miserable living where I was living.  I was beyond ready to move.  So I took it.

As I write this from my new, spacious and sunny beach house, I’m struck by how important this lesson is to remember in all aspects of life. If there’s something you really want, the important thing is that you make a move towards it, regardless of how uncomfy your landing pad may be. The critical thing is that you take the leap, that you get moving instead of being paralyzed by how much you may end up “downsizing” or putting yourself at risk.  Because the beauty of sacrifice is that it means you’re ready to grow into something else, and if you never make that sacrifice, you’re just stagnant - an object in motion stays in motion, an object stuck at her soul-sucking day job because she’s too scared to lose her benefits and start her dream company dies with huge regrets. Once you take that first, invigorating leap, it inspires you  to keep moving and growing, so don’t be upset if you’ve landed somewhere “beneath” you at first, but rather be glad you’re not where you once stood anymore.

At the end of the day, nothing is as uncomfortable as settling for a life you’re not excited to live, not even an apartment that makes you feel like "Alice in Wonderland" every time you stand up. I was so much happier there than where I came from because I was on my way.  And as far as I’m concerned, there is no upgrade as fancy as going after your dreams.

Style Flash From DressZing: Workout Wardrobe

New York Incubator Member Susan Sommers of DressZing offers tips on how to look good while working out.

My Secret Workout Weapon

Happy New Year. Since January is the month when many people resolve to lose weight and tone up, I thought I'd share my secret with you for sticking to a workout plan.

 

Although I like the results of exercise, I hate to do it. For the last six months though, I've been addicted to spinning. The classes I attend mix cardio, flexibility and strength to the best music around. While finding a great class is essential for staying with a plan, it's not my secret.

 

My exercise outfit is. When I like what I wear and in it, look like the athlete I'd like to be, I'm more apt to work out. My favorite brands are Lululemon. Nike, Adidas, Moving Comfort and Champion. But there's a lot of good stuff out there at all price levels.

 

So guys throw out those old gym shorts and ragged top and ladies, that pair of old tights and baggy T-shirt. Get yourself some cool gear and it will make all the difference. Some ideas:

• Go techno: Look for clothes made of high-tech fabrics that wick (keep the moisture off your skin). Nike has a fabric called Dri-FIT: blends of cotton and polyester and polyester and spandex that keep you cool and dry; other brands have different mixes. Avoid pure cotton. It absorbs sweat, becoming a sodden mess when wet.

• Get sleek: Select a look that skims your shape, rather than hiding it. The outfit doesn't have to encase you like a sausage, but it shouldn't be baggy and shapeless.  For women, bootcut tights are chic and flattering, topped with a fitted tank. For men, think Lance Armstrong: sleek bicycle shorts with a tank top.

• Spotlight your assets: Consider cut and proportion when selecting workout wear. If you have great calves, bicycle shorts are the answer; great arms, go sleeveless. (If you don't like your arms and can't find a top with sleeves, buy a long-sleeved exercise T and shorten the sleeves to just below the elbows). Always wear supportive undergarments... they will also visually perfect your body.
  

• Color up: All black is sexy and slimming, however a burst of color can really brighten your mood. Think about black bottoms with a colorful top.

• Pack it in:  Get a good-looking gym bag to carry all your stuff and always stock it with a clean outfit and socks. 

Whoops. Gotta go to spinning class. I have on black cropped bootleg tights with a semi-fitted Lululemon dusty pink tank, which extends over my hips to elongate my torso. Best, I got it on sale.

 

Resolve To Love Being Single

Congrats to New York City Incubator Member Sherri Langburt who is the founder of Single Edition, a lifestyle website for singles.  Her website is featured in today's New York Times.   A snippet of the article is below.

clipped from www.nytimes.com

For some singles at New Year’s Eve soirees tonight, the minutes leading up to midnight will be agonizing as they ponder whom they’ll be standing next to at the pucker-up moment.

Chester Higgins Jr./The New York Times

Sherri Langburt, a founder of SingleEdition.com, a Web site on navigating life as a single person without the drumbeat of dating advice.

But a new Web site, SingleEdition.com, wants nothing more than to embrace them. And unlike dating sites that treat being single as a predicament, this one celebrates flying solo, and offers shopping, financial and other advice to help them do so with pride.

“If you Google the term ‘single,’ all that comes up is dating, dating, dating,” said Sherri Langburt, a founder of SingleEdition.com. “But what we’re saying is there’s a whole other realm of things that go on for a single person that are not dating.”

Have your best holiday yet!:Your 5 step plan to "go for the joy" and lose the stress this holiday season.

Happy Holidays Ladies!

For many of you it is “that time of year”. You know, THAT TIME OF YEAR when…

• The lists of to do’s are a mile long.
• The mall is a mess but you need to be there.
• You have 10 parties to attend in the next 5 days.
• There is a pile of cards on your kitchen table that all need addresses (and perhaps they even need to be written.)
• There are special meals to prepare.
• There are parties to throw.
• There are large groups of people coming together that may not always do so well together.

Welcome to the holidays!

Whether this is your holiday time of year or not, we can all relate to those times when there is so much to do and seemingly not enough time to do it.

We can all relate to the idea of spending time with people, whether family or friends that perhaps get on our nerves, tire us out, or tend to create frustration or conflict. 

So many people take the frenzy and the frustration as a necessary evil of the season and today I would like to challenge this notion. 

Instead of the holidays “happening” to you, the flurry of activity and agitation being thrust upon you unawares, this year you are invited to create your holiday with intention.

You are invited to create your best holiday ever! Let’s go!

Step 1) Describe it!If you could create your holiday any way you wanted, what words would you use to describe it? 

Peaceful, fun, nostalgic, easy, effortless, flowing, meaningful?

Pick one or two words that describe your holiday the way you would like it to be.

Step 2) Be willing! Ask yourself if you are willing to be pleasantly surprised by your holiday and the people around you. 

Without a space for allowing something new you will never get it.  If you are determined to have a rough time then there is no room for your new experience.  Notice and acknowledge whether you are really ready for something new. Are you REALLY ready for uncle Phil to be an absolute delight?  If you are not, no problem… no surprises for you!

Step 3) Choose your best you! That's right, you get to choose how you are going to show up for the holidays. 

If you want the world to surprise you then you need to do your part as well.  To have your effortless, peaceful, memorable holiday, what could you bring to the table that would help this along.  Put another way, to have your best holiday yet, how would you choose to “be”. 

Would you… “be happy”, “be passionate”, “be courageous”, “be calm”, “be fun”, “be delightful”! 

Ask yourself if you could bring a “great you” to your holiday with intention, how would you “be”?

Step 4) Take action! Identify any obvious actions you could take to fulfill on your holiday to remember. 

With this new intention and new point of view there may be some obvious actions to take. 

• Perhaps you chose to be “bold’ so that you can create an “adventurous” holiday.  In that case you may already be clear that you need to call the neighbors and tell them to get ready for some carolers on Sunday night and that you like rum in your eggnog.
• Or perhaps you are choosing to create a “peaceful” holiday and you have chosen to show up or be “loving”.  As a result, you are clear that you need to get in touch with your sister, repair a misunderstanding and let her know you would love to have her over for dinner next week.

Step 5) Get Ready! Watch for your intention to be fulfilled.  (Get ready to be surprised and delighted!)

Once you are clear on what you want to create, the best way for you to “be” to create it, and you are truly willing to be surprised, then your final step is to watch for it. 

• Put on your new point of view and be willing to experience joy in the flurry of holiday shopping.
• Be willing to see the adventure in a ruined turkey or the guests showing up 4 hours early. 
• Be ready to find new things to appreciate and new empathy as you spend time with those who have traditionally rubbed you the wrong way. 

Get ready to have your best holiday yet!

By using these 5 simple steps I have seen nothing short of miracles occur. Before you make one more sugar cookie or hang one more wreath, stop and take a moment to create your holiday and reap the benefits of an intentional life.

Have a holiday to remember,

With Love,

Coach Joelle

SHARE YOUR SELF IN THE COMMENTS BELOW: I have taken this opportunity to create my own experience of the holidays below. You are invited to declare yourself. Create your week with intention. Create your best holiday yet and share what new delights showed up!

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR COACH JOELLE?:  I am looking for the opportunity to fully serve each of you on your personal adventure.  If you have a life or business challenge that you would like a coaching perspective on, please share your comments below or email me at [email protected].

Coach Joelle's best holiday yet!

Step 1) The holiday I am creating is: loving, fun, inspiring and meaningful.

Step 2)  I am totally willing to be surprised by what is possible for this holiday.

Step 3) How I will show up or the way I will “be” to create this Holiday is: Open, warm, playful, bold and intentional

Step 4) Obvious Action to take: 

• find out what day uncle Rob is available for Karaoke and find a place to go. 
• Create a holiday goals ritual for the family Saturday morning. 
• Write my intention somewhere visible so I remember what I am committed to.
• Bring my Wayne Dyer CD’s to learn more about Taoism.
• Bring my Ipod so I have my my music and audio programs to listen to. 
• Create a ritual with my husband to take our relationship to the next level.

Step 5) I’m ready baby!! Bring it on!!

Can You Be Too Happy?

Below is an excerpt from a Newsweek article based on a compelling new study about happiness. Can you be too happy??  Feel free to express your opinion in the comments.

clipped from www.newsweek.com

But is it really a good thing to be ultrahappy? Nobody thrives on sheer misery, of course, but might there be perils in endlessly striving for more and more good cheer and sunny days? Or, put another way: is happiness overrated?

A growing number of psychologists are thinking it might be, and one team in particular has been conducting some large-scale, data-heavy studies to test the point. Shigehiro Oishi, Ed Diener and Richard Lucas decided to compare people who see themselves as being extremely happy with people who describe themselves as being only moderately so. Surprisingly, this had never been done before—at least not this thoroughly. They studied men and women, young and old, students and working people, hundreds of thousands of people from all over the globe. After all the data crunching they came up with some consistent and surprising insights.