By Guest Writer, Andie Graff, So Lucky To B Me Tees!

Did you know that the achievements we reach in our lives are affected by how we see ourselves?  Two small words…self-esteem, but one huge quality. Self-esteem is beliefs or feelings that we have about ourselves, or our “self perceptions.”  How we define ourselves influences the choices we make everyday from how we dress to who are friends are. Our self-esteem continues to change as we grow.  I feel as women it grows increasingly more difficult everyday to feel good about “who” we are and it’s because of society’s idea of the “perfect” woman. We all tend to believe that we are not good enough.

Regardless of what size you wear, your skin color, your past, the color of your hair, what you “own”, the car you drive, the accomplishments that you have or have not made, these are “things” about you, not who you are. They do not define you, you are the one and only you, and I believe that is good enough and quite frankly it’s more than enough.  Because you are a unique piece to the puzzle that makes up this world and it would not be complete without you.  You are worthy of being loved for being you.

I want to encourage you to feel lucky about the person you are, because luck isn’t just about four leaf clovers, rabbit’s feet and horseshoes. It’s about the gift of you, who you are, a confident and emotionally healthy individual. Striving everyday to be someone that is filled with compassion, caring and understanding. You bring qualities to this world that no one else can. Look at the world today so much is about improving, fixing, or changing what we have. Whether it’s as simple as your cell phone or as complex as you. Adjustments to the outside are just that, they are about exterior show.

What’s going on in the inside is where the integrity lies. We are all lucky and we matter not because we have the newest gadget. We are overwhelmed with material things starting as children. The greatest gift you can ever give to your child is a strong sense of individuality and pride in WHO they are. That will come from seeing you accepting and being happy with yourself. Positive messages reinforce positive thoughts and actions. Saying “I am So Lucky To B ME” is simply saying, “I love myself and I believe in myself”.  Embracing who you are, accepting your differences and believing in your self are what being lucky is all about.

I’m Andie Graff the creator of the inspirational t-shirt line called So Lucky To B Me. This line began as a way for me to empower myself and find my independence after my marriage of 18 yrs. ended.  Fortunately because of my strong self-esteem I knew that the material things I was losing did not define who I was. It quickly became my passion to encourage and inspire every woman to realize that your worth should be based solely on the person that you are, not the things you “own”  or who society thinks you should be ,that you are a person of value just by being the best YOU.

Always remember;  “Your castle can burn down, your riches may dwindle, your looks will fade, but WHO you are shall remain.”   I hope you will visit us @ www.soluckytobme.com and tell the world “I am So Lucky To B ME…” and believe it.  Our tees make great gifts to tell someone they matter or as a gentle reminder to yourself.

Luck always,

Andie xo

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The “PURSE CURL”

Did you know that the average woman’s purse weighs between 7 and 10 pounds?!  Yes, it’s true.  So why not use it to our advantage ladies.  Today we’re talking about an exercise from exercise everywhere called the “Purse Curl.”  It’s the exercise we used to call a “Bicep Curl” back in the days when we went to the gym and it is an easy and convenient exercise to do almost every day.

Scroll down to read more about the “Purse Curl.”

4 Easy Steps:

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hold your purse in your hand the same way you would hold a free eight if you were going to do a bicep curl. Keep your elbow close or against your hip and let your arm hang.
2. Slowly lift your purse up keeping your elbow in place until your arm comes all the way up.
3. Slowly move your arm back down to the starting position.
4. Repeat for as many times as you have time for, ideally 15 times and doing 2 to 3 sets on each side.

Tips:

• Remember to switch arms since this only works out one side at a time.
• Concentrate on flexing your bicep muscle.  This will “work it” more.
• Hold your purse in the up position for 3 seconds before moving back down.
• Do your reps slowly.
• Don’t swing your purse.  If you do, then momentum does the work for you and you will not get the full benefit.
• For an added boost, do a squat at the same time or balance on one leg.

The Amazing Toning Benefits of The “Purse Curl” -

• The Purse Curl, just like a bicep curl, increases your upper body strength and creates definition in the bicep muscle.  (Sexy!)

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Chest Acne is a condition that plagues many acne sufferers and is not an easy condition to cure. In fact, it is more difficult to eradicate chest acne than many other types of acne. Roughly 54% of woman and 40% of men are affected by this form of acne which can take the form of pimples, blackheads, pustules or cysts on the chest area. The good news is that although it is a difficult skin condition to treat, natural acne remedies offer a very real possibility of a cure if the sufferer chooses the right course of action.

If the oil producing glands on the pectoral skin secrete too much oil then the pores of the exoderm can end up being clogged with dead skin cells and oil which in combination provide an extremely fertile breeding ground for acne causing bacteria. Hormones too can become unbalanced, there are too many possible causes to list here, and this is a possible contributory factor to a chest acne condition. Natural acne remedies are probably not the best treatment for a hormonal imbalance, something best left to your doctor, but they may be very effective in alleviating symptoms of excess sebum production.

One natural acne remedies means of alleviating chest acne symptoms is to minimize the use of deodorants, body lotions and powders on the affected area. In warm weather we tend to sweat more and this combined with man made toiletries can very easily exacerbate an acne infection, easily leading to rampant chest acne. Use “fragrance free” or “sensitive skin” washing powders and fabric softeners. Shower regularly and use an an antibacterial wash.  Be sure to always shower directly after exercise as well.

Another way to get rid of chest acne naturally is to wear loose fitting natural fabrics such as cotton which are breathable and will keep the skin more comfortable than synthetic fabrics, which will in essence “suffocate” the skin. Man-made materials, especially if tight fitting, can easily irritate the skin and an irritated skin in conjunction with a chest acne condition is not a great recipe for clear skin success.

Drying masks can help with oil control.  For example, apply a mud of Charcoal Mask to the affected area every 3 or 4 days, this will help to unblock clogged pores and free the from skin dead skin cells, thus eliminating a potential acne bacteria breeding ground.

Natural acne remedies takes the standpoint that prevention is always better than cure. Use a few simple rules where your chest acne condition is concerned, take a pragmatic approach to your personal hygiene and you will reap the benefits that come with a chest permanently free of acne.

If you are suffering from chest acne you may also want to see a trusted dermatologist or plastic surgeon.  (Many plastic surgeon offices now provide laser treatments for scar patients, including acne scar patients.)

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Acne scarring are a sad reminder of the having suffered pimples or even acne before. They are perhaps one of the most upsetting aspects of acne.  Generally speaking, acne scars can be difficult to treat, but tissue regeneration is not impossible nowadays with all the amazing technological developments for acne scarring treatments.

This blog post would be remiss if we did not first mention that the best way to avoid acne scarring is to get the right treatment in place as soon as possible to avoid acne altogether.  But, if it is persistent, remember that picking at the whitehead or pustule will only create worse scarring in the end.

While most scarring is temporary and will probably disappear naturally in time, scars from the more severe forms of acne can be permanent.  Acne scarring can be minimal; a reddish, purplish area left behind that fades over the course of several months to a year.  It can also include deep pits in the skin that can be left behind, unfortunately, for a lifetime.

Some newer and fairly effective treatments for acne scarring include laser treatments.

Laser resurfacing is one way of removing the damaged skin areas and stimulating the natural regrowth of the tissue beneath. This procedure only requires local anaesthetic and can last between a few minutes and an hour depending on the extent of the problem.

Fractional laser therapy is one of the most recent methods of eliminating acne scars. It involves surgical intervention at deep skin layers. The treatment is superior to both dermabrasion and laser resurfacing in terms of quality and has a much reduced healing period. Nevertheless, fractional laser therapy remains within the reach of only those few lucky sufferers, who can pay for it, since it is the most expensive acne treatment currently available.  Multiple sessions are typically required to improve the condition of the upper layers of skin, before they can tackle the deep level treatment of the acne scar.

We are also finding that injections can help with the deep acne scarring.  A licensed physician can inject collagen into the scars in order to raise the normal skin level.

Micro-dermabrasion for the same purpose can also help in lessening the appearance of scars.

Avoid trying to perform chemical peels for acne treatment at home is a bad policy given the risk of aggravating the condition by irritating the scars even more.

If you are suffering from acne or acne scarring, see a trusted dermatologist or plastic surgeon.  (Many plastic surgeon offices now provide laser treatments for scar patients, including acne scar patients.)

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There are so many benefits of meditating (and if you would like to read more about that, see How Do I Meditate?) but did you know that weight loss can be achieved through meditation?  Meditation for weight loss is actually scientifically proven!

Meditation is about mindfulness; clearing the mind of its useless chatter and being in a state of peace and tranquility.  Oftentimes when people meditate they incorporate breathing exercises to help clear the mind.

So how does this relate to weight loss?  Good question.  One component that most overweight individuals deal with is overeating.  Overeating occurs in a number of ways for a number of reasons but mindful meditation can help.  When we reach for those late night cookie or bowl of ice cream we typically now we are not doing something good for ourselves.  If you can practice recognizing when that feeling occurs and then doing a brief 10-20 second meditation you can squelch the act of these mindless binges.

The exercise goes like this:

1. Recognize that you are about to binge or overeat.
2. Breathe in slowly for a count of 5.  Exhale.
3. Repeat breathing in for a count of 5, 3 more times, exhaling after each inhale.  (A total of 4 deep breathes).
4. Ask yourself this question: “Am I hungry or am i eating for some other reason?”

Your eating now becomes a choice.

Unfortunately for many who overeat and binge eat, it becomes a habit.  Breaking the habit can happen with this single exercise.

If your answer to the question above is “no” and there is another reason why you are eating, then do something different.  A great alternative is to have a cup of tea instead or take a bath by candlelight.

In addition to this meditation exercise, regular, frequent, longer meditations help to train your brain to be more relaxed, more in tune with yourself, and simply more content.  These benefits also contribute to a healthier overall lifestyle wherein you are less likely to overeat.

According to Norman Farb of the University of Toronto, “Mindfulness-based meditation can actually change the way you use your brain.”

Give this a try for 8 weeks.  It is shown, thru scientific study that after practicing meditation for 8 weeks, the brain works differently.  To put it in basic, non-scientific terms, this practice, after a period of 8 weeks, starts to activate a place in your brain where we connect experience and action with emotion.  The result – problems don’t appear as problematic and we stop responding to things out of habit!

As author Catherine Price puts it “Every situation, if you think about it, is an invitation for you to react in a certain way, but being mindful gives you the change to decide how to R.S.V.P.”

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The “HOVER”

This one is GREAT!  Ladies, ya know how when you’re in public, you may want to “hover” when you use the bathroom so as to avoid sitting on a public toilet seat?  Well, if you’re skilled at this (meaning you won’t make a mess) do this at home too when you use the bathroom.  You’ll be amazed at how toned your legs get after a couple weeks.  Depending on how long you “hover,” you can also get your heart rate up a bit!

The “Hover” is a super exercise everywhere choice because this exercise is more effective than you would first guess.  Scroll down to read about the benefits of the “Hover.”

The Amazing Toning Benefits of The “HOVER” -

• This exercise builds your quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves.
• Body builders and work out freaks say that if they could only do one exercise, it would be squats because it works out more muscles in your body at one time than any other other exercise
• This exercise tones and tightens your butt too.
• This exercise will totally help you improve balance. Physicians say that balance is super important because it can help prevent falls and accidents not only while you are young but as you age as well.  Squats are a proven exercise that improves communication between the brain and the body’s major muscle groups.
• This exercise can even work your abs!
• Because you work so many muscles with a squat, you get more results in a shorter amount of time.

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FiFi’s Raspberry Lemon Cream Pie with Nilla Wafer Crust

You will be loved by all with this amazingly delicious Lemon Pie Recipe!  You will make mouths water before they even take a taste when you tell them that the crust is homemade with their favorite childhood cookie; Nilla Wafers.

Delicious, refreshing and unique, enjoy our Raspberry Lemon Cream Pie Recipe.

Stir  together Nilla Wafer crumbs, sugar and melted butter.  Press into bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch pie-plate. Bake at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes; remove to wire rack and cool completely.

Beat cream cheese, condensed milk and powdered sugar with electric mixer until creamy.  Add pudding mix, lemon rind, and lemon juice.  Beat until blended.  Spread half of the mixture into the prepared pie crust.

Layering – Stir raspberry preserves by itself to loosen and make softer.  Then gently stir the raspberries into the preserves, being careful not to stir too much breaking the raspberries any more than necessary.  Spread raspberry mixture over  lemon mixture.  Spread remaining lemon mixture over raspberry mixture. Cover and chill in fridge until set.

Beat whipping cream with electric mixer until soft peaks form.  Spread atop lemon pie mixture.

Store in refrigerator.

*NOTE: Nilla Wafer crumbs do not come pre-made.  You must crumble them yourself.

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