Letting Go of Negativity

Lately, I have been surrounded by it. It's an all-encompassing aura that infects an entire room within minutes. I myself, have tried to stay immune to it. For others however, negativity has become an accessory they wear day in and day out. 

Life, yes, is hard. There will always be obstacles, things that we cannot handle. But the more I think about negativity, the more I realize how paralyzing it can really be. Why waste precious hours dwelling on it? Is complaining really going to change the situation? Are there ways we can be more positive each day? 

I recently had a conversation with one of my closest friends and I came to this conclusion: We are not granted tomorrow. Each hour we spend dwelling on what weighs us down is another wasted hour; another wasted opportunity. 

So how do you "snap outta it?" How do you "get happy" and live the life you know you deserve? 

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1. Believe that everything will turn out just fine in the end, because it usually does

Take a deep breath. 

The storm, darling, will always pass. 

2. Learn the basics of investing, so that you’re able to grow your wealth

Money creates A LOT of stress. But if you can figure out ways to invest your hard-earned money or save it, you will have less stress. Save, save, save. You DON'T need that extra pair of shoes. You want them. 

3. Say exactly what you mean with kindness

Take a second before you speak. Think about the words and how they could come across to the listener. DON'T text. So many things you are trying to say cannot be accurately portrayed within the context of 140 characters or less. Actually engage in conversation. Turn your phone off when you are sharing a cup of coffee with someone. 

4. Believe in something bigger than yourself

This can be hard. But believe with everything you have in you. 

5. Be a peacemaker, not a warmonger
Don't stir the drama, offer to mediate. 

6. Before making any major decision, sleep on it
Never make big decisions on temporary emotions. 

7. Pray, meditate or reflect every day
Enough said.

8. If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all
This goes back to middle school ladies and gents, it is better to keep your mouth shut.

9. Do unto others as you’d have them do unto you

10. Find a reason to laugh every day
It truly is the best medicine. 

Throwback Thursday: DIY Halloween Nails

thebeautydepartment.com

How cute and festive are these Halloween nails?

And believe it or not they are super simple! 

What you need:

1 bottle Orange Nail Polish

1 Bottle White Nail Polish

1 Bottle Yellow Nail Polish

Tape

Scissors

Clear top coat

{HappyHour Tip: Walgreen's carries a brand of nail polish called "Sinful Colors" that is cheap, fun, and comes in a variety of colors, especially around the holidays. It is only 1.99 a bottle!}

What you need to do: 

Apply two coats of orange nail polish on nails. 

According to Lauren Conrad from the Beauty department, you want to make sure that the orange is completely dry. In fact, you may want to rock the orange nails for a day to make sure. 

THEN, 

 1. Cut tape into strips that are 1/3 the length of your nails.

2. Place a strip horizontally on the center of each nail.

3. Apply 2 coats of white to the bottom portion of the exposed nail.

4. Apply two coats of yellow to the top portion of the exposed nail. 

5. Wait 5 minutes before carefully removing the tape from each nail and VOILA! A candy Coated Manicure!

Enjoy!

This fun idea was adapted from: thebeautydepartment.com!

Long Read: Train Station

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She was instinctively drawn to the spontaneity of her desires and very much  a stranger to the notion of conformity. Propelled by the longing for a mid-afternoon adventure, she threw on her favorite leather jacket, wrapped her silk scarf around her neck, and found herself skipping down the stairs to the nearest train station. After spending the morning within the midst of Jung and Freud she desperately needed a Yuengling.

The Black Keys echoed in her earphones as she met her stride on the cool concrete. Her insatiable avidity to discover, to travel, left marks upon the same pathway many times before. It was a cool November afternoon and the brisk air pierced her porcelain cheeks. Her thick black hair fell upon her shoulders twisted in loose braid. Those who passed her on her journey often stopped to stare, smiling politely revealing their appreciation.

He had seen her leave her apartment around the same time every afternoon. The gravitation to meet her drove him to follow her. He could not explain his overflowing eagerness to wrap his hands within her hair, to taste the sweetness of her skin. He was not threatened by her beauty, but drawn to it as if he was destined to toss her upon a wall, to make love to her.

Her high heels struck the concrete with force. She was a tantalizing creature, refreshingly aware of her sexuality. He quickened his pace, throwing aside his cigarette. A thick cloud of smoke left his mouth, filtrating the air with the aroma of tobacco. He assessed that the station was about another block away and searched his pockets for a handful of quarters. Unsure of the impending destination, he had decided to pull a few more from the jar on his counter.

“Just one”, she said. Her voice, my god, could serenade a cobra. The accentuation of her words set him into a frenzy, wildly amiss a fantasy. He imagined her cries of pleasure resonating within his ears, the warmth of her breath upon his neck. “Just one for me too”, he managed to summon. At the sound of his voice, she turned around, smiled, and headed for the train.

She opted for a window seat, a row after the emergency exit. She sat elegantly crossing her legs, fetching a pair of black rimmed glasses and a copy of Baudelaire from her bag. Again, she met his gaze. He appeared to be in his late twenties. Thin lines around his hazel eyes revealed experience, perhaps a certain ounce of pain. He was undeniably attractive, strong, masculine.

Little distance separated the strangers; a mere three feet and a candy wrapper, if technicality was to be considered. Yet, neither of them spoke. For the duration of her trip however, she periodically met his eyes exchanging silent subtleties. He was captivating and she found herself tempted to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him.

Bright lights signaled her stop. Normally, she would gather her book and leave, but her thirst for the stranger before her, prompted her to grab his hand. She signaled him to follow her.  He obliged, anticipation burning throughout his veins. Within moments, she reared the corner of the station and led him to the Hilton. A crisp hundred dollar bill fell from her wallet on the receptionist’s desk. “One bed will be fine,” she whispered as she smoothed the falling pieces of her hair from her delicate face. “Here you go miss, have a nice stay.”

His palms were sweaty, and he could feel his heart beating faster and faster as she led him to the elevator. Once the doors closed he lost control. His hands moved fervently, pulling her against him, his tongue meeting hers. She sighed heavily, meeting his fervor; intoxicated by his forwardness. Ding. 

They landed upon the Fifth Floor, Room 222. Struggling to maintain her composure, she slid the key revealing a welcoming green light. The sense of urgency prevailed as they walked through the door. In one swift motion he had her long legs wrapped around him, and her back to the wall.

-KristinaC

Beauty & Mastectomy

To you, she may appear confident as she walks through the grocery store or makes her family dinner every evening. She may smile and laugh with her girlfriends, perhaps even accompany them to Pilates. But do you know she is carrying a burden? Do you know that she may or may not be diagnosed with breast cancer?
The statistics are staggering. According to the American Cancer Society, the chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer sometime in her life is 1 in 8. The chance of dying from breast cancer is 1 in 36. Alarmingly, 232,340 cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed this year alone. While again, she may appear to be brave, to be able to presume her responsibilities of being a mother, a daughter, a sister, a best friend, or even your favorite actress on the big screen, the physical and psychological effects of breast cancer remain.

Recently, Angelina Jolie, most notably recognized for her work as an actress, published an article in the New York Times highlighting her decision to get a preventative double mastectomy. Her doctors estimated that the actress had a 87 percent risk of developing breast cancer and a 50% chance of developing ovarian cancer. Upon discovering this reality, the proactive actress underwent three months of procedures, staring with a procedure known as "nipple delay". This particular procedure, she writes "rules out disease in the breast ducts behind the nipple and draws extra blood flow to the area." Two weeks later Jolie had the major surgery where the breast tissue was removed and temporary fillers were put into place. Nine weeks later, Jolie completed the final surgery with the reconstruction of the breasts with an implant. Amazingly, she concluded that the reconstructive aspect of the surgery did not make her feel any less of a woman. "I feel empowered that I made a strong choice that in no way diminishes my femininity."

While Jolie's confidence and bravery is most certainly something to be admired, not all women walk away form the procedure with such confidence. In fact, many women walk away from the procedure feeling unfeminine and have a difficult time accepting their new bodies. Many years ago my mother experienced this first hand. "Will I ever be beautiful again," was all my mother's best friend managed to whisper as stood naked. The mastectomy, in her opinion, had robbed her of identity; the curves that made her beautifully feminine. Silently, my mother wept for her best friend; a woman who had once tackled life so vivaciously. Her beauty, from what I recall from old photographs, was astounding regardless if she had breasts or not. 

Angelina, in my opinion is truly an inspiration to women. Although she is undoubtedly a symbol of modern femininity, she found the courage to get the surgery. For the most part, women are bombarded by images of sexuality and beauty. We are programmed to believe that we should emulate the models and the celebrities in  our favorite fashion magazines. Sometimes we even feel like we can't compete. It is undeniably refreshing to see such a symbol of beauty describing her experience without the pink ribbons, the 5K races, or the "Save The TaTas t-shirts. 

She was real. She described one part of her surgery as a "scene from a science fiction movie." 

She didn't mask the side effects. 

She had bruises. She has scars. But she is still a woman. 

New Product Launch: Flower by Drew Barrymore & Her Beauty Tips

Check out the latest interview with Drew Barrymore from RealBeauty.com regarding her new makeup line! I am so excited to check it out!

By. Hallie. Gould

This cool-as-can-be celeb talked to us about her newly launched 181-piece cosmetics collection that is all about beauty by way of happiness. We're thinking that philosophy, as well as the line's price tag (only $5–$14!), is definitely something we can get on board with. Not to mention, dishing with Barrymore was basically like sending us to Disney Land.

Real Beauty: What made you decide to start a cosmetics line? 

Drew Barrymore: Well, I’ve been in a makeup chair since I was six years old, so I’ve worked with some of the best makeup artists in the world. I’ve played with every product! And I just absolutely love makeup. After I was a co-creative director at CoverGirl, which was the best partnership a person could ever have, I felt like I had gotten a college degree! I thought, wow, I should go out into the world and do something with these skills.

RB: What’s your beauty philosophy? 

DB: Happiness is the best makeup. A girl looks absolutely the most beautiful when she’s smiling—you see those eye crinkles and they sparkle. The beautiful teeth come out and it just has this glow that no makeup could ever pull off. It’s just that inner moment. So I definitely try to stick with that. Then, as far as my daily routine, I believe in concealer.

RB: What are your other must-have products? 

DB: Witch Hazel Wipes. I’m obsessed with them. They come in little individual packets and they’re genius. They’re cheap and cheerful—they’re like great facials on the go. And also Aquaphor, for my lips.

RB: Do you have any beauty tricks or secrets you swear by? 

DB: Yeah, absolutely. You know, when I work with makeup artists that put a little white sparkle in the corners of my eyes, I’m always like, wow. It makes such a difference! We have a cream eye shadow that speaks to that. It’s called, Rest on Your Laurel. It’s this beautiful, pale creamy pearl. I’m also really big on cheeks. We have cream blushes that I’m crazy for. We have Pure Petuniawhich is a very peachy, coraly pink. I like to put it on the apples of my cheeks. We also have one called Elegant Azalea that I put in the contour of my cheeks. It just depends if I want to look like a Kewpie doll and fresh, or more like a woman with cheekbones.

RB: What is your beauty inspiration? 

DB: I would probably have to say David Bowie. He is ever-changing and always playing, and just so interesting. If you look at him in the "Let’s Dance" era with Ziggy Stardust and the pinups, he was just the coolest creature ever! Sometimes, my inspiration is Sharon Tate or Jane Fonda. And I always think Naomi Watts looks so beautiful walking down the carpet, and Scarlett [Johansson]. She’s always changing and it’s always so fun. With Jane Fonda, you never knew what you were going to get, and it was always exciting. I like chameleons.

RB: Are there any beauty trends that you would never try? 

DB: I’m still hoping to make a good crimped hairdo look proper! You know, my whole philosophy is to not care what people say. Just do what makes you happy and feel good—and have fun! We have one very short life, and it’s all about experimenting. You’ll figure out what does and doesn’t work for you very quickly. It’s all about your journey.

RB: Is there a look that you’re dying to try out? 

DB: I’m kind of happy that the ‘90s are trending a little bit again. We did two products in the line that were, for me, really harkening back to that era. One is Chocolate Lilly lipstick and the other is our Toffee lip liner. When we created those a year and a half ago, we had no idea those colors would be coming back into play. I put them in the line because I was like, 'I used to wear these colors all the time!' We also have a lipstick called Pop Rose. I did the cover of Pop Magazine, and it was kind of grunge. It was a really fun shoot. I loved it and remember being inspired by that moment. We also created this lipstick called Black Rose. So if you’re into the ‘90s or what’s trending right now from back in the day, those are the three good go-to’s in the line.

RB: How would you describe it your personal style? 

DB: I’m still a jeans and t-shirt girl and probably always will be. But right now, I’m really into long skirts.

RB: Do you have any tips or tricks that help you stay healthy? 

DB: I do a lot of hot yoga and I try to do some resistance training to strengthen my old bones. But I’m not the biggest workout maven. I feel like there are probably other women who can speak much more to that. I just try to do what makes me feel happy in my head. I move enough to feel good.

Read more: Drew Barrymore Interview - Drew Barrymore Launches Flower Cosmetics Collection - Real Beauty 

5 Ways To Stay Motivated to Workout

"You'll never know your limits until you push yourself to them." 

I'm in a rut. Not a physical rut, but a mental rut. Everyday I argue with myself about going to the gym. I try to justify my workouts from the previous day as a good excuse to skip the gym all together. This inner battle goes on for about an hour before I finally agree to go. Once I am there, I am fine. I run my little ass off. 

Maybe it's the cool weather or the holiday treats lurking in my office. Maybe its the heavy sweatpants I throw on the minute I get home. Whatever it is, I am losing the mental battle to stay physically fit. 

If you too are losing motivation, here are 10 Tips To {Keep} That Body Moving:

1. Bring a friend

Sometimes all you need is a little pep talk or reminder from a friend of your fitness goals to keep you motivated. Hold each other accountable and lace up the Nike's. 

2. Update the Playlist 

Music is a very power motivator. Upbeat music can keep you moving longer and faster (especially if you are trying to crank out one more mile). 

3. Stop being so hard on yourself

I am very guilty of scrutinizing myself and my workouts. But this negative talk is actually hurting my workouts. Next time I step on the treadmill, I am going to focus on becoming a healthier person, not necessarily a thinner person. 

Even if I am running slowly, I am still lapping everyone sitting on the couch. 

4. Be realistic

Set attainable workout goals and again, don't be so hard on yourself. 

5. Do something for you, reward your progress. 

Some ideas: 

Keep a motivational money jar: Each time you lose a pound or workout, feed the money jar! Once it's filled, go treat yourself to something on your wishlist. 

Sore muscles? Treat yourself to massage. 

Happy Hour Readers: How do you stay motivated to hit the gym? 

The Best Products For Your Hair

1. Deep Conditioner

2. Split End Serum

3. Heat Protectant 

4.  Restorative Shampoo

5.  Shine Booster

6. Frizz Tamer 

7. Scalp Stimulator 

Read more of the article here: