Thursday, November 30, 2017

Giving Thanks All Year

"Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our Thanksgiving."
~ Betsey Farrell
American Actress

With the turkey (and leftovers) fully enjoyed, and the pumpkins and fall decor put away, Thanksgiving 2017 is "in the books", so to speak. Or, is it?

Sure, the day has gone by, and hopefully there was plenty of thanks, and a lot of love-giving involved that recent Thursday, and yet the spirit of, and the actions associated with Thanksgiving, do not have to be a memory or simply a day of the year that falls between Halloween and Christmas or Hannukah. How so?

Remember the excitement (not the stress) you had thinking about the holiday. Thanksgiving is a combination of appreciation and sharing. These things are not reserved for days of overeating and football. Instead, these are attitudes, actions and feeling for practicing all year long! When challenged, or seeking inspiration, or both, please think THANKS:

T - Tell someone how much you love them each day
H - Help someone without telling them you're "helping"
A - Appreciate little things in life (big things, too!)
N - Name someone good & kind & tell others about him/her
K - Kindle the flame of kindness by spreading and sharing it
S - Smile & give your pearly no-cost gift to friends/strangers

These simple ways of living life include keeping the spirit of Thanksgiving alive and all year long. You can gobble up all thanks, and all the giving every day, and include the leftovers to share with all you meet!

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Ps of Photo Fabulousness!

Say "Cheese!"

Since social media savvy people, non-stop posters, and simple sharing can make almost every gathering feel like holiday, and with many actual holiday events upcoming, the photos will be taken, posted, liked and commented on before you can say "cheese"!  In order to resist that "let me see" and all the retakes, enjoy the event, don't miss out on much, and feel fabulous and embrace photo taking, by please considering the following Ps to Photo fabulousness:

P - Pick your best side (we each have one, and yet it could vary by the day, so check it out!) and make an effort to get that side facing, so to speak (and resist saying "this is my best side", rather consider saying "I'll happily take this end" when you are in a row of people, or even it is just two of you).
P - Plant your back foot and lean your weight on it(this serves to keep you from leaning, and pull in your abdomen for balance, creating a lean look).
P - Point your front foot (without bending your knee, rather keeping that leg straight).
P - Place hand on your outer hip, or put hand at your side with a slight bend (most men, and some women prefer this latter option to the "hand on your hip" look).
P - Position shoulder (on camera-facing side by rolling your shoulder to get good posture, get your shoulders aligned, and keep your chest up and out).
P - Peer out of your eyes (by widening them and looking up as you dip your chin).
P - Play up those Pearly Whites (finish the powerful and fun photo by giving a real, sincere smile.
P - Pop your personality! Photos are best when they are reflective of the best, grateful you!

By quickly giving your pictures these Ps, you'll likely feel great, and even desire to share, tag, and even print the shots you are in this year!