K.I.S.S. (keep it short and sweet)

Yes, I know that K.I.S.S. doesn't originally stand for the above but as tomorrow rolls in to Christmas eve and most of us will refrain (or at least try to) from sitting in front of our computers too much, I wanted to keep this short so you'd actually read it all :)

2008 has been a turbulent year, with a new president being elected, snow falling in places which hasn't seen snow for over 113 years, the economic crisis not to forget the HUGE scam that involves multinational companies and even banks....!

Instead of being frustrated about what you may not have been able to buy, do or become, why not join me in being grateful for what you HAVE accomplished?!

Focus on the good things that have taken place in your life, on the people you love and on your dreams of the future. Let yourself be filled with pride and joy that you are a magnificent person, one that has the opportunity to live on this natural,gorgeous planet.

I know I certainly am grateful for all I have in my life, and for having the honor of having you join me here almost every week.

Thank you, thank yourselves and Enjoy Christmas as much as you can.

yours sincerely,

Désirée

www.edenandelle.com

Christmas...a time for gifts and stuff

If you're a parent, this time of year will be driving you crazy. Your children will be tugging at your sleeve with each toy commercial shouting how much they want that, and ooohhhh! my friend Lucy has that, can I have that too...pleeeeeeease mommy? while you loook at the pile of toys scattered all over the floor that were last years ooohhhs! and aaahhhhs!

Stores will be busier than usual, shelves emptier as most people are stocking up their pantry with extra food and drinks and you, no matter how convinced you were that your New years resolution would hold this year, are following the crowd.

So why do we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of this each year? If you look around you when shopping, how many people are actually enjoying themselves walking past seemingly endless stores trying to find that special gift or certain toy that their child or grandchild wants.....

Maybe, with the new becoming awareness we should stop and think about what we are doing and for who? Sure, seeing the look on a childs face as it unwraps the gifts is adorable, but is there really no other way to please a child than to buy them more stuff?

How about instead of buying countless toys that will be shrewn across the floor within days, making more time to spend with your children, making cakes with them, or taking them ice skating, or for a walk around the park or lake when the snow is still fresh and you lay down to make snowangels in the snow.

And how about making an agreement with them that for every new toy they receive, they will give a toy they no longer play with and is in good condition to a childrens' home or non profit organization so other less fortunate children get to play with new toys too.

This way you hit two birds with one stone, you help the child become aware of just how good it feels to give something to another and it creates space in your home for the new toys :)

There is a third advantage, and that is what this weeks video is about. A dear friend of mine sent it to me several days ago and I was very moved by it, not to mention it jolted me back to the reality of what we as humans are doing to our planet.

I for one, together with the children, have cut their christmas wishlist in half and though we are already quite environmentally conscious, since watching the video, pay even more attention to what we do with our stuff.

I trust it will be an eye opener for you too.

Enjoy and (hopefully) learn! (A special thanks to Debra for sending me this)

Whoopdidoo!

Isn't life great?......at least it should be! And you know what I have come to realize more in depth these past few weeks....that my life truly is what I make of it.

From the moment I first saw the movie the Secret I was convinced that the law of attraction worked, I just couldn't figure out HOW to make it work for me instead of against me. Why? Because weirdly enough, it is always so much easier to think the worst,or feel sorry for oneself as then people around us pat us on the back or say 'awhh..you poor thing!' or something of that nature, thereby making us think we feel better but in reality just affirming the worst to continue.

So....what would have been better is a good kick up the butt as a wake up call so I'd understand playing the 'victim' wasn't helping me at all, it was only holding me back and making sure I'd get more of the same.

My family and friends love me for who I was, am and will be and only want the best for me. Yet since they didn't know what I wanted the best for me to be, it was only natural that they just comfort me the best way they knew how. I am grateful to them for being there for me, no matter what...thank you....I love you all.

The saying 'when the student is ready, the teacher appears' really rings true and I had to open my own eyes for only then I was ready to see what I was doing and could I open myself up to change.

I like to think that I have already come a long way since the first time my eyes were glued to the TV screen, listening intently to what Bob Doyle, Bob Proctor, etc had to say, yet it has only been very recently that I have made leaps toward being the person I truly am inside....and I love it!

Much of my change has to do with a wonderful mentor and coach I am working with, namely Lydia Proschinger of www.life-procoaching.com but my dear friends Debra, Steve, Ekaterina & Ward, who all write a monthly feature in Eden&Elle magazine also have helped me open my eyes to see new possiblities. So guys and gals.....I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you for your friendship and wonderful contributions to the magazine and my life.

Now what makes it more fun and amazing is that the more I feel good, the more good things happen to me...now I'm going around in circles to but this circle just gets bigger, brighter and better while before I kinda felt like I was in the proverbial rat race wheel.

And the biggest change people see on the outside is I smile a lot more! I have this goofy grin on my face like a cheshire cats' and I look like I've won the lottery. But what I have now is worth so much more than money, it's a feeling of happiness, peace and well being. A feeling that I CAN be,do and have anything I choose, as long as I have total faith that it can become a reality.

Now I would like to do something for you; put a smile on your face, so I have added the video below.... Enjoy! And don't forget to read the latest issue of Eden & Elle magazine! Subscribe here

We will survive...Thanksgiving !

Like many of you, I have been bombarded (in the nicest possible way) with greetings for Thanksgiving. As most of you will know, tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the U.S.A., and a national holiday. Traditionally, it's a time to give thanks for the harvest and express gratitude in general but it is now more a celebration with religious origins and the excuse for an extra day off work.

In todays world turmoil, how many of us will really be grateful for what we have, or rather don't seem to have? Why do we seem to focus on material things and forget about the importance of what truly matters.....love.

Ok, so the economic crisis has eaten away much of what we had invested or saved, so what if we can't buy that new laptop or those manolo blahnik shoes? Let's take this opportunity with both hands and go back to the essence of Thanksgiving, namely being grateful for everything we do have and our loved ones that surround us.

Thanks-Giving; a time to thank, a time to give.

Embrace the feeling that will bestow upon you as you genuinely say thank you to the cashier for helping you, or give that $10 bill in your pocket to the homeless man instead of spending it on a couple of drinks at the bar.

FEEL the rush of satisfaction as you warmly smile to everyone you pass by in the street instead of keeping your eyes locked staring straight ahead of you.

This is a joyous occasion to celebrate love, to acknowledge the power of creation within you, to be part of the healing energy rising up throughout the world population. And the more people that are grateful for just be-ing, the more positive the feelings of gratitude will be felt all over the world.

Having said that, I wanted to leave you with something that will hopefully put a smile on your face, and help you keep your weight at the same time.

Enjoy!

Challenge Your Thinking and Change Your Life!

We've all heard or read the title sometime or other but frequently we seem to do nothing with it, yet think for a minute of the possibilities it presents!

The first time I saw something like it was back in 2005. My life definitely wasn't going the way I wanted it to but I just didn't know HOW to do something about it. Each night, after my children were in bed I would spend an hour or so surfing the internet and one evening I came across the science of getting rich network. The website belonged to a lady called Rebecca Fine, and her story was so intriguing and 'everyday' that I went through all the information provided.

Her website is based on Wallace D. Wattles, who died almost a century ago and wrote a book called the science of getting rich. If you have heard of Napolean Hill, then you will most likely have heard of Wally, as he is affectionately referred to by the people who follow his book.

The book is written in old fashioned English and one has to take care not to rush through it so as not to miss anything, but it sure made sense to me, especially when I signed up for the online course Rebecca Fine offers. What makes her course so astounding, apart from the fantastic material, is the fact that one gets to decide their own tuition!

That's right.......YOU.......choose what you pay for the course!

To me, not only did that mean Rebecca truly cares about helping others, it also meant that Rebecca must be pretty sure of her stuff, so I paid what I could afford and began the same evening.

Since I had registered for the course I was also able to take part in forum discussions and I have met some wonderful people there. People that care, that have the same ambitions and thoughts that I had, I felt connected to them, and continue to do so today.

The course together with the support of the forum truly helped my understanding of this wonderful little book and I fully enjoyed the time I spent studying and putting into practice what the book outlined.

Now you are probably wondering if I have actually achieved riches and to be honest, yes and no. My life is much richer in the sense of my personal freedom and emotional well being, but no, I'm not a millionaire yet. Having said that, it's also because I chose to focus and 'work' on other things that are more important to me than extreme wealth but The science of getting rich book and the Practical Geniuses course are once again a part of my daily schedule, so hold onto your hats....this lady is on her way!

Let me warn you, changing your habitual thinking is difficult and I'm still not as good at it as I intend to be, but I've established rewarding new relationships with many generous, successful, wealthy people ... and opportunities to be, do, have, and give more continue to show up almost daily.

Pay close attention to the message of this book with an open mind. You can get a free copy of the entire printable version here below.

You've probably heard the saying, "When the student is ready, the teacher appears." That has certainly held true for me and many, many others, and perhaps you're ready, too. If you're not yet where you want to be in terms of income and your own personal success, the problem may not be WHAT you're doing so much as HOW you're doing it. And that begins with how you THINK.

If you want to change your life, you may just need to change your mind!

The 44th President of the U.S.A.

Barack Obama has won the elections, how's that for 'a new age'? Here in Europe I think I can safely say that the Presidential elections were followed with the same gusto as in the Unites States itself. We had grade schools running their own campaigns for each candidate, stickers on the back of many cars with the name of their choice of future President and countless talk shows devoting several evenings in giving their two cents worth.

I don't think there has ever been such an intriguing race for the white house. Barack Obama, John McCain and don't forget, Hillary Clinton, an African-American, a Caucasian and a woman all trying to persuade the people of the most powerful nation in the world that they were right for the job.......

Would you be willing to do it? Having the immense power that the U.S. President has, one push of that infamous red button and WWIII would be a fact. It's always so easy to say, 'oh, if I was President I'd do things in a completely different manner' but to be honest, I don't think we could do much else than what these Presidential candidates have promised. The intricate web of politics is one I personally would not like to get caught up in. One has ideals, yet in order to make these ideals a reality, one has to compromise, for even though one is the President of the United States, one does not get to decide alone, and all too often the length of compromise is so great that there is not much left of the initial ideal.

I may be idealistic but I think that Barack Obama is a very courageous man, one who will do great things for his country but he really has his work cut out for him. The United States, along with the rest of the world is in financial turmoil and undoubtably, everyone is now looking towards Barack Obama to put things straight.

Congratulations to the winner - let us hope that he lives up to everyones' expectations, for they are extremely high, and there are people who are just waiting for him to fall flat on his face (so to speak).

But just to show the non believers that he won't...here is a short video to show you his moves.....



Enjoy!

Ms BBW MySpace 2008 Contest

This week it's short but sweet and oh so juicy!

As you know, Eden&Elle magazine is an avid promotor of 'everyday' women, and this of course includes BBW women. We endorse every shape and figure and applaud women who feel comfortable and sensual in their own body.

In each issue, Eden&Elle feature a monthly 'everyday' model that shows one doesn't have to look like a Barbie doll to pose semi nude AND look fabulous and sensual doing so!

We are therefore promoting the Ms. BBW MySpace 2008 Contest. If you would like to know more about this contest, like to become a contestant or vote for a contestant please click on the link below. If you are voting, make sure you reply to the comment of the person you are voting for.

Make sure your friends come and vote for you if you are a contestant.

Ms BBW MySpace 2008 Contest

The winner of this contest will be featured in an upcoming issue of Eden&Elle Magazine. A short interview with the winner will accompany photos of her as well.

Eden&Elle magazines' intention is to promote and share the fact that women need not have a so called 'perfect' figure to be happy, it's a platform for women to connect, help them understand they are not 'alone' and basically give them tools to help them feel better about themselves.


Keep your eyes peeled for the November 1st issue of Eden&Elle magazine, as usual it's packed with inspiring and awesome articles, an audio interview with Sheri Winston, who owns the Intimate School of Arts (yes, ladies and gentlemen, intimacy is part of sex and can be taught!) our wonderful writers and then some!

Click on the next link and get yourself a FREE subscription so you won't miss you very own Eden&Elle Magazine

Enjoy!

The new and improved......Me

No....I haven't washed myself with the latest laundry product, you know the kind.., when every second commercial is about how new and improved product "XYZ" is, just to try to stimulate you to buy it.

What I'm talking about is improving ones inner self, the subconscious mind.

Since the movie 'the secret' was released in 2006, we have been bombarded with all kinds of self help 'gurus', therapies and programmes to help us become aware of our inner selves.

The Secret sure opened up my eyes, it gave me several 'aha' moments, and it made me feel as if I wasn't abnormal anymore. Up till then I had thought that certain feelings I had were egotistical and basically just not done. I felt there was something missing but I couldn't put my finger on it, as if there was more to my life than how I was living it.

Yet, until then I had dismissed these thoughts because I felt guilty, and trying to talk about it to friends just made me sound like I wasn't grateful for what I had.(which I was, and am even more grateful about now)

I have watched the movie dozens of times since then and each time something else that was said hit home but it never moved me as much as the first time, when I experienced intense joy and sadness almost at the same time.

But this isn't me endorsing the movie at all, I'm just pointing out the moment that I realized there was much more to my life than I had seen so far. But now that I knew that, HOW was I going to be able to get inside of me to do so?

I scoured the internet for information that could lead to my enlightenment and came across a vast amount of possibilities, each and every one of them promising me that if I just followed their programme or joined their coaching team I would become 'enlightened'.

Now, over three years later, I must say that the most important thing I have learned is that improving ones inner self is a continuous journey, one that will most likely take a whole mortal lifetime and well beyond. I also learned that one doesn't always need a certain programme or therapy, there is a lot of free information out there, you just have to give yourself the time to let it reach you.

I have taken what feels good to me out of all the things I have read and heard and each day I find myself getting to know the real and improved me. It really isn't about the HOW one goes about it, it's the letting go of trying so hard to be who we think we want to be, for often that person is more likely to be who others want us to be.

So, if you feel good about wearing two different colored socks, or dying your hair pink, to the feeling good about staying home to raise the kids instead of being frowned upon for not having a career, I say...All the more power to you! for it is the people who are genuinely happy with their lives, who dare to put themselves first, that are enlightened.

They have discovered the secret which is actually very simple......when you are happy with yourself, then you live your life with joy, love and good expectations.

This attitude provides nourishment for everyone around them and these people in turn will begin to feel the joy, love and expect good. The ripple effect will become a tidal wave causing a gigantic positive commotion.

Of course, many will say, that is idealistic thinking, but I disagree. I truly believe if we all felt more love, more joy and expected only good things to happen to us, that the world would be a much happier and healthier place.

On the other hand, what would we have to complain about....... :)

The Disappearing Act

Many of you have written to me to ask what happened to the October issue of Eden&Elle Magazine and an explanation is long overdue.

As you may or may not know I sometimes work with other photographers and for the October issue I had again decided to give another photographer a chance to publish his work in Eden&Elle. Unfortunately, this person bailed out on me at the very last minute leaving me with no photo shoot to publish and as you know, Eden&Elle differeniates itself due to the photos of 'everyday' women.

Along with that, the main database with all the technical data and information crashed and all the articles that had been edited and were ready for publishing were lost.

And since 'bad' things seem to happen in threes (as the saying goes here in Belgium) that same pc was hacked and several passwords and other delicate information was lost, making it technically too challenging for me to get the October issue of Eden&Elle out on time.

Since the data was 'lost' (or hidden somewhere), I also couldn't get into the subscribers lists and it has taken until today to get everything back in working order.

I trust that you will eagerly be anticipating the arrival of the November issue and can promise you it will be a fun packed, uplifting and true to the heart of you all issue.

To end this week......

Often we are told that in order to change our lives all we have to do is change our thoughts. In theory that is simple but in practice all too many of us find this very difficult and challenging to do. So how do we get rid of our negative thoughts?

The video below shows you HOW you may be able to do this the 'easy' way!

Enjoy!

Summer lovin'

Summer is coming to an end though here in Belgium one cannot really talk of a 'summer'. For the last two months during the entire summer school vacation, it has been quite chilly, with there being several occasions that I have had to light the wooden log fire to heat the house.

We haven't really seen the sun, for the clouds were so dense that the rays couldn't shine through, and I have had to find refuge in the tanning salon as otherwise my skin would not have been tanned even the slightest!

With September arriving, school also begins next week, with many preparations to be done and things to be bought on time and off course the September issue of Eden & Elle magazine will also be available online September 1st!

I'm really excited about this for as mentioned in June, the magazine was to receive an overhaul. We have done our utmost best to make the magazine more pleasing to the eye while keeping its' true intention 100% in tact.

I'm also very happy to say that even throughout the summer stop, many new readers subscribed and we would like to wish them all a warm welcome to our growing 'family' of readers!

I will keep this week short as there is still much to do so in order for you all to be able to enjoy the latest Eden & Elle magazine on September 1st but I wanted to give you a sneak preview of what's inside.....

With Debra sharing her thoughts on her travels to Europe, Steve teaching you his secrets on sales and Ekaterina talking about wonderful new techniques on keeping fit without doing sports, we also have an astounding photo session and indepth interview with an incredible and brave woman named Tine, just to name a few. To find out what this entails you'll have to be patient till next week but we guarentee it will have you thinking differently!

Talk to you soon!

Forgive me readers for I have......

Heavens!

Have I become so religious that I feel the need to confess to you? No. With all due respect to everyone who is religious, and being a believer in God myself, don't worry, it's just my way of saying sorry for not writing for a couple of weeks.

So why the silence?

Well, to start with I celebrated my 40th birthday and contrary to what many people feel when that number comes up, I was really looking forward to this stage in life. Before you think I've gone nuts, bear with me.

The saying "Life begins at forty" has always stuck in my head, so sub conciously I grew 'older' happily with this thought.

Then of course, the fact that when one turns this age, one is settled down, has his/her career down pat, has more time for themselves because the kids have started school and of course, normally more income to spend on the good things in life......NOT!

I'm far from settled down (being single tends to play a role in that), am itching to start some new courses and workshops which have little to do with my current profession, have a young daughter who isn't really ready for preschool and being single automatically makes one the head of the financial household too which means the income is there to spend on the basics and not so much on the good things (though basics can be very good as well!)

But you won't hear me complaining. I love my life, the freedom that being single allows me to have, I get to spend lots of quality time with my kids, am fortunate to be able to do what I love when it comes to work, and have no real worries when it comes to my finances.

So, why on earth would I worry about a number?

Truth be told, I am a little vane, and I scrutinize my reflection in the mirror each evening for any wrinkles or fine lines in my face. To battle time, I have started using a special night cream for whats' delicately called, the 'riper' skin, and am more conscious of what I eat and exercise more. But I have always been this way, its just that hitting forty made me realize that there really is 'No Way Back'.

Still, I'm much happier than I was ten years ago, and appreciate the everyday things in life more than I did before. I think each age has its charm, and I've already decided that for my 50th birthday I'm going to have my long hair cut into something stylishly shorter and color it in a daring color that I'm too self conscious for now. In a weird way, I can hardly wait!

As for my work, with Eden & Elle Magazine on its' summer stop, I have more time to pursue other passions and gather new ideas for the September issue.

And lastly, I have been making more time for ME. It sounds selfish maybe, but think of it this way, if we do not make time for ourselves, to pamper ourselves and love ourselves, then why would anyone else want to do so?!

So, I say, go and enjoy your life. Play hooky for a day or two, follow your hearts desire and like the PepsiMax commercial says MAX YOUR LIFE : write down six things you have always wanted to do in your life but never dared, throw a dice and then do the number that comes up working your way down the list. Here is the commercial, sorry for all the native English speakers, its only in Dutch, but you'll get the idea!

Enjoy!

The Truth Will Set You Free !

A wonderful friend of mine and I were talking about ways to really get up close and personal with....oneself.

She suggested the following technique and believe me, it works, EVERY time. It can be confrontational but you do receive the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I'm dedicating this weeks blog to Paula Wood, and if you would like to contact her, just send me an email and I'll send it straight through to her.

*****
I thought I would share a little tool that I use. It's one that I often share with others...as I know that we all have our own answers...and rather than just think about the things that are going on inside of us that aren't working...this is action based and I find that it is way more effective...as it requires the person to stop and focus and really take action, rather than just think about it. Make sense?

Mirror work. That's what I call it. It's not an easy process, in fact, I resist doing it a lot of the time, because I know that I will come face to face with 'me'. BUT...it's very powerful.

What you do is go sit in front of a mirror...and get as close as you comfortably can. ( I sit in my bathroom sink). And then just look into your eyes...and don't stray.

And then just start talking to yourself. Start off with the things you don't like about yourself, or start saying the things that you pick apart about yourself or just whatever. And just start talking. Get angry or whatever shows up. Just let everything out...all of the things you use to beat yourself up or that you use to reaffirm your doubts. And just let things come out naturally.

Eventually the real you will surface and it will shift. Your 'you' will start talking to you...as you look into your 'you' eyes. You will then start seeing the beauty, the power, the divinity that is you and when you are all done...you won't be able to deny yourself anymore. (there's usually a lot of tears involved, as this process is really quite cleansing and eye opening).

By the time you get off that counter or out of that chair...you can't help but see yourself as the most amazingly beautiful creation and you will smile at yourself, the same way you smile at a child or anything else that touches your heart with joy. You will be your own joy!

This can take a little bit of time or a lot of time...I know I've spent a couple of hours in front of the mirror before...depending on just how much I was resisting myself. It is very powerful and cleansing.
*****

Thanks to Paula we shall all be sitting in our bathroom sinks staring at ourselves and FINALLY getting somewhere!

Hugs

It's My Party and I'm having fun !

By the time people turn forty they will most likely have married or settled down, had kids, about 50% will have gotten divorced and either be in a rut concerning their work or heading for a burnout. Few are actually happy, love their lives and are capable to understand and appreciate that life is wonderful, full of opportunities and wonders.

I like to think that I belong in the last category. Sure, I have had challenges and less positive situations occur in my life but I have also always tried to enjoy it and keep an open mind to possibilities, learning something new each and every day.

I turn forty at the end of the month and I'm really looking forward to it. Not because it's an ideal excuse to throw a party, nor because of the gifts I may receive, but simply because I get to celebrate the fact that I probably have another forty years ahead of me in which I can enjoy my life, watch my kids grow up, love, work and play.

Isn't that something great to look forward to?

I don't dwell on the past, I also have learned not to live in far ahead future, but to take pleasure in the moment of now. Often we seem to forget that only now exists, that we can choose to feel good right now, no matter what may be going on in our lives. We forget to be grateful for what we have, and instead worry or are frustrated about what we haven't got. That doesn't mean I don't make any plans, what it does mean that if along the journey those plans change, I embrace those changes, not curse them.

Don't get me wrong, it's simple but not always easy and I too sometimes find it hard to see something good in a less than positive situation. But you know what? If I don't, the only person I'm hurting is me.....and I love myself too much to purposely hurt me.

That may sound egotistical, but think of it this way. What goes around comes around, and if you have no love to give, then you cannot receive it either. And you can only have love to give, if you genuinely care and love yourself. Treat yourself exactly how you would want others to treat you, understand that you deserve to be happy, respected and enjoy your life.

You do this and you'll be attracting that what you are giving out to the universe. The law of attraction NEVER fails, Like attracts Like.....and therefore you get what you give.

I am passionate about music, it's part of my life, and any song has a huge effect on the way that I feel. Have you ever wondered why most people, when they are sad, after a break up for example, choose to play love songs? How masochistic is that? It only makes them feel worse! When I do feel a little sad, I play fun, happy music. This immediately elevates my sadness and gives me a happier feeling.

The music video below is my all time favorite. I hope you'll enjoy it just as much as I do, and go ahead....sing and dance along.....who cares if someone is watching!

Enjoy!

Tears of Joy....Laugh your way to a better...?

I love this weather! The sun is shining here every day, the thermometer shows upto 22°C (72.6°F) and it just puts me in a very good mood, even better than what I usually am! This makes life easier on everyone, and my kids love a mom who is out and about, although they did have to help in the yard with mowing the lawn and they weren't too thrilled with that.

But that's not what my title is about.

I don't know if you have heard of Mark Gungor. I hadn't, until I got sick last week and a dear friend sent me a video to help me get better faster. If you didn't know this yet, let me elaborate a little about why he sent it to me.

Mark Gungor is a pastor, marriage councelor and family speaker. He gives weekend seminars titled "Laugh your way....to a better marriage". Now, at first I didn't think this was for me because...well...I'm not married. But, as my friend knows me quite well and wouldn't send me something irrelevant, I watched the video anyway.

I'm sure glad I did because I don't think I've ever heard anyone tell it like it is about our daily lives and at the same time be so funny! The tale of two brains video is a short exerpt of Mark Gungor's dvd, and I must say.....dead on with EVERYTHING he says about men and women and how they react.

Now, laughter is a fantastic way to get rid of feeling bad, whether its' physical like the flu, or emotional like after a break up.

It's not often I laugh so much that tears come into my eyes but this was so extremely funny and true that I couldn't help myself. So, without further ado, here is the video so you can see what I'm talking about......Enjoy!

Island of Lost Souls....The Awakening

It is said that when the student is ready, the teacher will appear.....and that definitely holds true for me. I consider myself to be a spiritual person, not religious. One that is open to each and every thought and idea, does not condemn anyone,who believes there is good in all and who attracts certain people, resources and situations into her life at the right time in order for me to become aware of what it is I am to 'remember' in my soul.

For the May issue of Eden&Elle magazine, I had an interview planned with a woman who is a holistic sexuality practioner in the United States, but somehow energy drove me in a different direction and through a mutual acquaintance, I had the pleasure of personally meeting Kika Da Silva a couple of weeks ago.

Women are highly sensitive, intuitive creatures, generally more so than men yet sometimes almost frail due to lifes' challenges and lost loves. Contrary to what many men think, most women do not talk about their past, less positive experiences easily, preferring to hide them in the far corners of their mind, and forget them so the pain is less visible to themselves and others.

From the moment I met Kika D., as she is widely known, the emotional energy that radiated from her was quite irresistable, and I wanted to know more about the woman behind this energy. I asked her if she would be interested in posing for me for Eden&Elle magazine and have time to do an interview at short notice....she agreed with a resplendent smile on her face.

Four days later Kika D. was in front of my camera and microphone! Needless to say, both went extremely well.

Kika D. is an established photographer, author and producer of videoclips and short movies and has recently finished her latest project. It is a forty minute short film called 'Island of Lost Souls' and is based on her book Fé Noches Blancas as well as an emotionally heavy experience that Kika D. went through.

I was offered the opportunity to watch the movie to understand more fully what Kika D. meant when she describes it as an 'inner road' movie. During the entire film, I just sat there, my eyes glued to the screen, spellbound by the sheer cutting words, images and music that I was being exposed to.

Every emotion I had ever felt, whether it be painful or happy washed over me as the movie continued, the raw honesty swishing through my veins and leaving my heart beating with great vigor. It was truly an awakening to certain old school thinking and it captures the essence of life so very intensely.

I literally had to catch my breath when it was finished, yet was left with a hunger for more. Kika D. had already explained to me that she intends to make a few epilogues to the prologue of the movie, and for me I can hardly wait to see what she will create next.

If you would like to know more, please visit www.kikadasilva.com and of course, I urge you not to miss the May issue of Eden&Elle magazine in which Kika D. is featured, both visually and verbally.

Enjoy!
www.edenandelle.com

Mission Impossible.....the thoughts we think

I presume you've all seen the movie. Tom Cruise AKA Ethan Hunt faces the task of a seeminlgy impossible mission but lives to tell the the tale. Even better, he gets to have 2 other impossible missions and he survives every time, be it with the necessary pain and scars to prove his daunting tasks!

What has this got to do with our non fiction lives you may wonder?

Sometimes we encounter such challenging situations that we feel it's impossible to overcome lifes' 'mission'. Recently a close friend of mine had one of these mission impossibles' end well for her.

She had called me for advice several months earlier on the matter.

Now I consider myself a pretty all round, intelligent woman so of course I had told her I would help. But there is one thing where advice is very difficult to give. It turns womens' lives upside down and inside out and that's......MEN! And as a single mom I wasn't sure I was the right person to turn to!

Women we are very resilient and inventive, we have to be, since most of the time our own families depend largely on us for the smooth running of their daily lives.

But when it comes to love, women are usually lost, naive and totally beyond reasoning.

My friend had met a man by sheer coincidence in a, for her, non comformative way, a few months ago. From the moment they met, they connected so intensely that they genuinely felt like they had known each other for years.

Few words were necessary for them to understand each other, their love for one another was deep and the sexual tension was almost unbearable (or so she said). You're probably thinking, good for them but so what?

The challenge was that she was moving out of state in the Spring. Her house had already been sold, her new home already furnished and awaiting her arrival and she had her heart set on her new surroundings, one of which she had dreamt about for a very long time. All her financial resources and ties were in her new home, not to mention that it would also be her sole source of income (she was opening a ranch resort) so not moving would have meant financial suicide.

But..he couldn't come with her as he had children he didn't want to leave behind nor would his ex wife let him take them with him. They were both torn apart by their love for each other and their love for what was going to separate them for good.

Which is were I came in. She wanted to know what I would do. My advice was very simple. If the two of them were truly meant to be together, the universe would find a way to make it happen as they desire. Even though to the both of them it was impossible to find a compromise or way for them to be together, I made them understand that they had the most powerful thing in their possession, namely their minds.

I told them to stop focussing on the thoughts of not being able to be together and begin thinking and acting like they were in a happy, committed lifelong relationship. This would, if they truly believed this, really owned those thoughts, stimulate the energy of the universe and it would give them a solution to this mission impossible.

In the beginning they felt like they were lieing to themselves, and I won't sugar coat the truth, it was very demanding and you really need to be persistant, even when the chips are down.

As days and weeks went by, and the time for her to move got closer, there still seemed no answer to their challenge. They felt as if nothing had changed, but it had, only they hadn't realized it.

Due to the thoughts they had both shared and the feelings (very important!) of happiness and trust that all would turn out in their best interests, their time together had been a joyful, loving one.

And it doesn't end there. Six days before her departure, her boyfriends ex wife was offered a job overseas and didn't want to take the children with her. She not only gave him permission to take his children with him, she gave him full legal custody.
(footnote: the children wanted to move with their father)


Motto of the story: There is no such thing as a Mission Impossible, if you truly desire a certain outcome, from the depths of your heart, the universe will make it happen for you. You have a choice, to believe or not to believe, that is the question!

a Jewel for Men AND Women!

When it comes to figuring out why women think, act and say the things they do, many men have given up or have lost their hair trying to find out. It's not that women are complicated human beings, it's that men are......well, sadly equipped to handle the type of intricacy that women are designed with.

This is especially so when it comes to sex.

Although most men know or at least have heard of the fact that women are "thinking" creatures and men are "doing" animals, it hasn't registered with them so far as to actually change their 'tactics' when approaching a women they are interested in. Nor have they been very successful in being able to understand their long time partners or spouses.

But the fault doesn't just lie with men. Women themselves are ingenious at making their lives and everything around them much more complicated than it really should be.

We pride ourselves on being able to multitask, having 'female' intuition (which we don't seem to use very often), being independent and the only sex than can bare children, so why make our lives so ambivalent?

If you have an answer, please.......let me know!

But in the mean time, for men and women who want the opposite sex to know how to get to know them, to be able to seduce them in the way they desire to be seduced, Jewel Feathers has written a book.

In Jewels' book, "How to make HER come!.....What Sex Type Is She?" she explains that there are three types of women when it comes to sexual pleasure. Each type is explained in detail, from what she wears, how she walks and talks to finding out what a certain type enjoys the most between the sheets (or anywhere else for that matter!)

This book isn't only aimed at men, though it is an extremely valuable tool for each and every one of them, be it young, old, inexperienced or 'advanced'. It's also for women, as after having read this book they will know exactly what kind of signals they are sending out to men, good and bad, and can adjust them if they feel the need to do so accordingly.

Now if that doesn't get your blood rushing to certain areas, the following certainly will!

Order a copy of Jewel Feathers book How to Make HER Come!.....What Sex Type Is She?, through the link below, and you will automatically be entered to take part in a competition with cash prizes with the 1st prize, a trip to Paris, France for 2 persons!

So you can evolve your romantic skills, get the woman or man of your dreams and then celebrate your love in the most idyllic city in the world.

Just click here : "How to Make HER Come!...What Sex Type Is She?"

What color is your hair.........down there ?

As you may remember I had my first brazilian wax in January of this year. Was it painful? You betcha! Did I do it again? Yep, but in this case three was not a charm.

Here(in Belgium) I don't think they understand the true nature of what a brazilian wax is. Both times not all the hair 'down there' was removed.

The first time I was told it was due to the fact it was my first waxing and therefore they were being very careful. The beautician said they would remove the hairs that had been left behind next time around. It didn't make much sense to me but as my skin felt like it was on fire, I presumed she knew what she was talking about.

The second time the same thing occurred and I asked the beautician if she could remove all the hair as that was what I was paying for. But she told me that it was normal that some hairs were always left behind. I didn't really believe her and concluded that this type of waxing just wasn't made for my skin or what I had thought it would be.

Only after talking to a friend of mine, who also happens to be a beautician, did I learn that it wasn't me,nor my rather delicate skin, that was at fault but the beauty salon itself.

Normally ALL the hairs have to be removed when one is waxed, and it doesn't matter whether its a brazilian wax or just a plain leg wax. The result has to be a hairless, smooth, non irritated skin.

Since there isn't another salon in this Province that even does brazilian waxing, I gave up on the idea.

And now I'm so glad I did !

Because in my search of more information about waxing, I stumbled upon a site that offers hair color dye........for the hair down there!

Enthused by what I read, I contacted the public relations agency of this company and asked if I could interview the woman behind this wonderful idea. Within a couple of weeks I was able to schedule an interview and talk to Nancy Jarecki, CEO and innovator of bettybeauty inc. (www.bettybeauty.com)

Nancy is a wonderful, kind hearted, vivacious woman and she talked open heartedly about her life, career and where she got the idea of color dye for the hair down there.

In the April issue of Eden and Elle Magazine you will be able to read all about Nancy Jarecki, the bettybeauty inc. products and even about her marriage to Andrew Jarecki, Moviefone cofounder and Hollywood director of movies like Capturing the Friedmans.

Eden and Elle Magazine is available from 1st April. Visit www.edenandelle.com for your very own FREE issue.

Me and Mrs. Hughes.....

I'm a strong believer in the law of attraction and power of the universe and really believe that our thoughts create our life. I also believe that you attract things into your life for better or worse due to those same thoughts, thereby making it our own responsibility about whatever happens to us.

To some this may seem harsh, but even the bible states in Proverbs 23:7 " as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." I'm not a religious person, but I do consider myself to be spiritual and if you take the essence of the bible and the essence of spirituality you will find they are actually one and the same.

Anyway, you are probably wondering what this has to do with Mrs. Hughes.

Well, I wasn't feeling that great a couple of days ago, I'd let some personal stuff get in the way of my usual positive self and couldn't shake the sad feeling off. The universe must have noticed me struggling to get back to my 'feeling good' place because I received an email from a friend. All it said in the body of the email was 'meet mrs. Hughes' with a videolink below.

Normally I don't make time to click on links in emails unless I know what it's about and have been expecting it, but something compelled me to do so regardless of the fact that I was behind on my work and watching whatever the link was would not help me get back on track, or so I thought!

The video lasts 5.10 minutes and I laughed widely through most of the entire video. Mrs. Hughes has such a vibrant, sarcastic yet humorous way of portraying life that I found myself wondering why I had even felt bad in the first place.

Since watching Mrs. Hughes, I am back to my 'feeling good' place, have gotten more work done in the past 48 hours than I did in the 5 days before that and so I decided I wanted to share this video with you.

Whether you're in you own 'feeling good' place or need a pick-me-up to help you feel better, I'm sure you will enjoy the video below. I wish you a wonderful day!

The long and the short of it........

My daughter went to have her hair cut today. It was quite long and she decided that since it got tangled easily and she didn't like using hairclips or elastic bands, she would let the hairdresser cut it into a 'bobstyle" that is the latest fashion these days.

Waiting for her to be finished, I sat down looking at hairstyle books and the idea of cutting my own hair short arose. However, I also immediately thought about how long it had taken me to get to this length and was less convinced although.....

Then again......there was a time that if you cut your long hair short you would have to wait a couple of years for it to get back to the same length as it was before you cut it, but with todays possibilities that is no longer a problem.

Hair extensions, weaves, wigs, whether they be synthetic or real hair can be used and you can have the same length or even longer within 24 hours of cutting your hair.

Naturally, one assumes that you thought your soon to be new hairstyle through before heading for the hairdresser but even though that short wispy style looks great on Lisa Rhinna it may be a disaster style for you.

Your hairdresser, if he/she is a good one, should have already advised you on which styles would suit you or not but more often hairdressers themselves seem to take a safe route and just say that any style will bring out the best of your features.

There is another way. It's called virtual hairstyling Now you can choose whichever style you like and "try" it on. Simply upload a photo into the program, click and you have access to hundreds of hairstyles which you can check out in combination with several ranges of color to see what looks best.

The fun part is that you can try out as many styles and looks as you so choose and save them to a favorites page. Once you have decided on exactly which hairstyle you desire, just print out the photo and take it to your hairdresser.

With each style comes an explanation of what type of hair is best suited for the style, along with the amount of time required to style your hair. If you are still uncertain what would suit you best, there is a page on which you can upload your favorite photos and then have other users comment and rate your styles. This I found very helpful, especially in determining which color would suit me best.

So, now armed with my favorite styles I am making an appointment with the hairdresser tomorrow and I am sure that this time the style I have chosen will be exactly what I thought it would look like and I'll be very happy with it.

And if you really want to double up your reasons for cutting your long hair, why not give your long locks of hair to charity, namely http://www.locksoflove.org/ . It's a wonderful organization that aids financially disadvantaged children with long term medical issues and gives them back their dignity.

Are you REALLY where you want to be in your life?

Have you ever asked yourself this question : Is your life exactly the way you pictured it to be when you were young?

When you were little you probably didn't have any trouble believing that you were going to grow up and be exactly what you wanted to be. You enjoyed pretending and acting as if you had already achieved what it was you desired and had great fun doing so.

Sure your peers would laugh at your games and make gentle fun of you telling you that you should be happy with what life gives you but you just knew that you were right, knew you could make your dreams come true.

Then you got older and were told time after time that you should stop day dreaming, work hard at school and get a steady job. Slowly but surely your dreams were pushed towards the background, sinking deeper and deeper into the lower layers of your conciousness. After a while you just stopped dreaming and stopped believing.

So, have your dreams that seemed so vivid and real when you were little come true or have you settled for less?

If you're like 90% of the world population you are in the last category. You live your life not to the fullest, enjoying every minute of it. You, like most people merely exist.

But why?

Because by the time you are an adult you have been so inundated with negative messages from everyone around you that like most of us you think that it's just not possible to achieve and have what you truly want. We falsely believe that our lives are just meant to be this way and that we have no power to change where we are in life.

We basically accept that this life, the one we are living now is as good as it gets and no-one can do anything about it. We live our lives and don't stop to think what the possibilities are if only we let ourselves discover what is hidden inside of us.

So tell me, did you arrive where you are now on purpose or where you just kind of dragged in this direction, without even thinking about it. And if you arrived here on purpose are you happy with where you are or are you dis-illusioned with your life.

If it was possible to change your circumstances starting with changing your way of thinking would you believe it. If you were told how to make your dreams come true would you listen or would you just laugh and dismiss the words?

There is one major difference between the wealthy and the un-wealthy and it's not the amount of income they generate.

It's their ability to think and believe that what they want is within reach. They have a fixed vision of what it is they desire and the words "not possible" aren't part of their vocabulary.

If it was money that was the difference then why are lotto winners usually broke within a few years of winning? Because they didn't believe that they would win. They just hoped they would.

So, are you ready to think differently?

And the oscar goes to.......... FREEHELD

With the oscars having been held last sunday I couldn't just not talk about them.

Firstly, because we weren't even sure there was going to be an award ceremony what with the writers strike, but secondly, well.....everyone else is talking about them so why not me?! :)

But.......that is where the comparison ends because unlike many, I'm not really interested in who wore what kind of gown from which designer or what kind of jewellry. Nor am I interested in who is dating who or did Jolie-Pitt attend. Nope, that's not me.

I was however interested in the winners list, especially because the short documentary Freehold was on the nominated list.

It's about a same sex couple of which one is terminally ill and requests that her pension be given to her partner.

It shows that no matter how liberal and open minded we think we are in this day and age, we all still have a long, long way to go before we can proudly and justifiably say that everyone on this
planet is ONE.

Rabbit, Rabbit....Where Art Thou ?

A few days ago I watched the movie "What the bleep do we know.......went down the rabbit hole" It's sort of a second part to the original "What the bleep do we know" movie but with people in it that were supposedly excluded the first time around.


I had watched the first movie some time ago, and if I compare them, I feel I got way more out of this second one. It was a little more complicated to understand, what with the technical quantum physics in it, or maybe it wasn't and I am living up to the sterotype cliché of being blonde, either way.... I learned more from "What the bleep...part two"


A certain scene has been going through my mind for the past few days now, and I can't seem to let it go. It's the scene in which Dr. Quantum says, "are we far enough down the rabbit hole yet? " Don't know why, it just seems to be stuck way down in the crevices of my subconcious.


Today, I went through my emails and came across a link to a woman named Leslie Householder. Usually I don't have the time to surf through all the links in all my emails but I felt compelled to click on hers. To my surprise, she has written a book called " The Jack Rabbit Factor", Doinnnng-hallo, anyone home?!


The book was published in 2005 and I'd never heard of it, nor had I ever heard of Leslie Householder until today, yet the 'coincidence' of the word rabbit appearing yet again in such a short period of time put a grin on my face.


The book is now available on her site as a free electronic download http://www.thoughtsalive.com/ and I urge you to do so and read it.

I have many ebooks on my pc collecting cyberdust mainly because I just don't seem to find the time (or most probably they just aren't interesting enough) to read them, but this one......I mean with a title like that you just have to read!

I even read it in one straight sweep. No stopping for toilet breaks, nor coffee breaks, just being drawn into the book, page by page. And boy was it an eye opener. She doesn't talk about earth shattering stuff, she doesn't even really mention anything I didn't know, but its the WAY she writes about it that blew my mind.

If you have seen the movie 'the secret', and if you don't know why your life is not where you want it to be, read this ebook. It won't cost you a dime, but it will bring you out of your comatose state of being, that's for sure.

Erotic Toy Foreplay for Valentine's Day

With Valentine's Day being big business (read $$$$$) in the United States, and Europe following suit (€€€€'s of course), one is utterly bombarded a few weeks in advance with advertisements and offers, each one more enticing than the next in order to get the customer to buy a certain product or eat at a certain establishement.

But what I saw when grocery shopping yesterday really made the rest look like last years drainpipe jeans. What you may ask, is so 'out there'?

Well, there is a local weekly print magazine here in Belgium which has been around for over twenty years. I can even remember their first issue, typically girlie and innocent, meant for the 'average' young woman. It has changed over the years of course, but the audience market still remains the same. This weeks' issue however, is far from innocent and even I, with my open mind was quite taken aback by what I saw on the front cover.

As a free gift, there, smack bam! right on the front cover, was a purple jelly cockring with massage gel / lubricant included! To top it off, it wasn't wrapped in some non see-through packaging either, nope. The cockring was sealed in a small window plastic wrapping just stuck to the magazine cover with the massage gel next to it.

I had my youngest daughter with me and she must have found the color interesting thinking it was some sort of toy as she inquisitively tried to pry open the wrapping, with me blushing and trying hard to get her hands away without tearing the magazine at the same time.

Like I said, I consider myself open minded, but to allow this to be presented in every local grocery store, in plain view with the rest of the available magazines, so even small kids can see,
is going a little too far in my opinion.

I'm sure the sponsor Durex is very happy with the stunt and I am also sure there will be many sales of this particular magazine this week but I wonder what the reprecussions are going to be.

There is a TV programme which I'm sure is going to love this subject and I'm positive that we have not heard the end of this.

For those of you who are interested, this is the website http://www.flair.be/ Here you can see the cover page, and though you may not be able to understand what is written as it's in Dutch, the cock ring gets the point across.

Enjoy your week,

Bigger than the Super Bowl upset !

Did you know that 97% of women on this planet do NOT have, according to the fashion industry, the right body proportions?

During my modelling years, I saw many beautiful, photogenic girls be turned away at the agency just because they were what the agents called "full figured" and by that they meant they had a size 6.

Then there was me, skinny, disliking the way my bones protruded out of my skin, not tall enough for the runway, getting job after job because I had what is referred to as a 'barbie doll' figure. It just didn't seem fair and........I really envied those girls.

They didn't have to shop for clothes in the childrens' department, they didn't have to have their clothes specially made because their chest size was two dress sizes bigger than their waist dress size or their boyfriend telling them that they looked like a skeleton.

But unfortunately, most didn't see it that way. They thought I was so lucky and that I should be grateful for the way I looked instead of 'bitching' about it.

Ever since that period in my life, I have always defended the female population in every way I could when it came to weight and body posture, and now with Eden and Elle Magazine I have made a platform for each and every women who also feels that they have every right to be who they are, to look like they do, and be very proud of it.

Please watch the following video. You will see gorgeous 'everyday' women who may not have the 'perfect' body proportions, but they DO look as breathtaking as any professional centerfold. Join our team and sign our petition of Rights for a Fuller Figure!

Real women with Real Bodies.....On the Rise

If you enjoy the magazine 'Newsweek' you will undoubtably have read the article called 'Rise Of the Real People' in the culture section.

The article talks about the fact that instead of using paperthin models, the fashion industry, or some of them anyway, are finally beginning to understand that real people often don't look like the models you find on the catwalks. With the New York Fall 2008 fashion week commencing soon, the casting agency 'Ugly New York' commented that they have been receiving inquiries about their models, though no confirmed bookings have been made as of yet.

Either way, I hope this is the start of a new era in which people, especially women, and I'm talking about Real women with Real bodies, will be the ones who get the pick of the crop when it comes to designer fashion.

I mean, isn't it about time that society understood that 97% of the population does not 'fit' in with societys' norm!

One magazine in particular that has been striving to help women feel great about their bodies and how they look is Eden & Elle Magazine . The main feature are two photo shoots of real women, photographed in a subtle, sensual way thereby showing the readers that one doesn't have to have a barbie figure to look just as gorgeous as a professional centerfold model.

But the magazine goes beyond the exterior. We all know that if we feel great on the inside, we automatically look better on the outside.

For example, take a bad hair day, if you can't get your hair styled the way you like it best, guaranteed you are not going to feel great when you walk out the door in the morning, and this feeling will most likely stay with you for the rest of the day.

But, when you get home, wash your hair and style it with plenty of time to do so, you will see that as you look in the mirror at the finished result, you will feel much better about yourself, right?

With this in mind, one can safely say all that goes on in our lives, triggers different emotions, some good, some not so good. Though we know this, we don't always know how to handle these emotions, and sometimes blow things way out of proportion due to this.

In the Eden & Elle Magazine, one can find useful articles that can help you change this pattern of thought and ultimately help you enjoy life so much more. Far too often, we forget that we only live on this planet, in this body for a short while and we owe it to ourselves to make this lifetime as pleasurable as possible - don't you think?!

Waxing and no I don't mean your snowboard!

Hey Galpals!

Most of you prefer to remove the hair from under your arms, legs and even your bikini area, I second that motion. However, as the saying goes in Dutch "She who wants to be beautiful, must suffer", that rings very true when it comes to waxing.

I myself have up till now, been a real coward when it comes to wax. For years I have used a razorblade for all my unwanted hair, and still today I use it to shave my legs. But, the future for my bikin area is about to change. Ladies.............I am to have my very first brazilian bikini wax this coming saturday.

Am I nervous? You betcha! Yet I really have come to dislike the daily routine of shaving down there, cutting myself and being left with small unsightly wounds.

The drudging aversion to everyday shaving first set in several years ago when I got so sick of shaving under my arms that I went in search of an alternative method. I came across the then newest form of laser therapy that got rid of unwanted bodyhair.

After collecting sufficient information, I made an appointment and started the laser therapy sessions. They weren't the most comfortable ones as the light of the laser causes "twangs" of pain, like someone continuously snapping an elastic band on your skin, but the results were and remain wonderful. I had eight sessions and they were at certain intervals due to the way the hair grows, making it important not to miss any session, for the time period of getting rid of all the unwanted hair would then be extended, but apart from those two minor challenges, I am very happy with my lack of hair under my arms.

As I was so thrilled with the results under my arms, I wished to have the same results for my bikini area, unfortunately, that area has certain limits to where the laser can be used, and the hair down there is of a different coarseness, thereby making it harder, and more painful may I add, to get rid of.

After about ten sessions (you need about twenty at least) and having missed a couple due to an overload of work, I stopped going. I felt the results were not what I had expected, though the beautician had warned me it would take longer than my underarms, I was too impatient to go on.
So, I resorted to going back to shaving with my "state of the art" razorblade.

But now, I am so fed up of standing under the shower each morning, bending my body into several positions just to get the right angle so I minimilize the possibility of cutting myself that I made the waxing appointment.

In fact, now my w-day is almost here, I am actually quite excited about it. I have been surfing the net and have found there are many types of brazilian waxing, from "full monty" to a more subdued "landing strip".

I haven't made up my mind which one I'm going to have done as I think that it will largely depend on how comfortable I feel with the beautician. I mean, its not every day you bare all to a total stranger right?!

So, wish me luck - or send me a couple of advil, it seems I will be needing them :)

Mompreneurs - it ain't all that!

Have you ever wondered how come God gave us the responsibility to look after the children AND work ? Or did God have nothing to do with it and was this something we laid upon ourselves.

Either way - the number of men who help with the household chores, really put in a 50/50 effort on a frequent basis to raise the kids, can be counted on one hand.

It's like after all those centuries of evolving into who humankind is today, the roles cast upon women and men have not really changed that much.

But can we really blame men for this?

I mean, to be totally honest, women expect to be treated the same as men in the work force, expect their man to do just as much as they do when it comes to washing up, cleaning etc. at home, yet when it comes to paying for a meal or simply holding open a door, we expect men to step up and do so.....how fair is that?

I don't think I've ever seen a woman hold the door open for a man, nor are there too many women who open their wallets to pay for a mans' dinner on a night out, so much for trying to break through stereotypes.

Lets face it. We, as women, like to be pampered in certain ways like the ones mentioned above, and men, well they see it as us pampering them when you end up doing the dishes by yourself again because he's watching the game.

And before I get a lot of hate mail from womens' liberation organisations, I do believe in equality, but, and here's the rub, there are just ALWAYS going to be situations that a man can handle better and vice versa.

For example, I'm an avid D.I.Y.er and much prefer to do any plumbing or whatever myself, BUT......I'm not as, and never will be, as strong as a man when it comes to lifting things, or simply tightening a bolt so tight that it won't come loose.

Then again, we can multitask MUCH better than any man. We can if we wanted to, and some do, cook dinner, talk on the phone, keep the kids from killing each other and watch TV all at the same time, and do a pretty good job of it too.

No burnt dinners, we're up to date on the latest gossip, the kids are ready and sitting at the dinner table and we know what happened on the latest episode of "Bold and the Beautiful", now tell me, can a man do that?!

So, next time you feel like throwing the kitchen towel in, think about what your man does for you. Instead of getting frustrated at what isn't, think of what is, and what that can lead too.

If you want a better partner who helps you willingly in the house and with the kids, be a better partner yourself first. You have to be able to give in order to get.

And ladies, try to do so without expecting too much in return, we are way more evolved than men so give them a break because they have a lot of catching up to do (no offense to any men reading this, it's in your best interest too!)

What's your vision for 2008 ?

Happy New Year!!!!!!!

Appropriately, to start off the new year, it has started snowing and the streets and fields now lay under a white blanket. It looks gorgeous!

I hope for the childrens' sakes that it stays a couple of days, just long enough for them to make a snowman and draw snowangels and have some snowball fights.

My year has begun wonderfully. I trust yours has too. If not, then read on as there is a way to change your outlook on life, who knows, you may actually even start to enjoy it!

For the January edition of EdenandElle Magazine, I was lucky to be able to interview an incredible lady called Kandee G. She is a wonderful life skills coach, an International keynote speaker and an author whose lifestory goes by the title "from peanut butter to private jets".

Kandee G. is as inspiring as she is vivacious. I knew quite a bit about her before I interviewed her, but when I spoke to her myself, well....just wow! She personifies much of what women wish to be like and her warm hearted character puts her miles ahead of many other personal life coaches I know. Kandee G. truly wants to help anyone that asks for her help, it's not only about the dollars and cents with her, it's the feeling of being able to truly help make a difference in your life that motivates her.

If you have made a resolution for this year that you are going to change your circumstances, how you live your life, how you FEEL, then I suggest you take her online vision program which starts in the third week of January. You'll find more information in the latest edition of Eden & Elle magazine or you can check out her site http://www.kandeeg.com/ and no, I'm not affiliated with her in any shape or form, I'm just a strong believer that she can deliver what others promise but fail miserably to do.

Of course, if you think that it's not going to take any work on your part, then think again, but know this. Each minute that passes is one you can NEVER get back, wouldn't you want to be able to enjoy every minute of the day and have a genuine smile on your face ?

Whatever you decide to do, you always have a choice, just make sure it's your choice and that you are comfortable with it. Too many times we seem to forget that we are on this planet for a limited time only, we fall victom to doing as others do, not what WE want to do.

Don't let yourself be a victom, be a victor! Step outside your comfort zone and live, feel alive!

Only want the best for yourself, dare to be selfish, you can't give what you haven't got. It's a snowball effect. The more you love yourself......the happier you become......the more you are able to accomplish in this happy state of mind......the wealthier (in every way) you become.....the more you can give to others and do so selflessly..........the happier you become.....you get the picture?!

Good! Now go for it - look inside yourself and search for your dorment dreams, you may be very surprised with what you find.

Have a great week!