Perfectly Pink

Watch for Updates

2012-01-02T18:00:00.000-08:00

We've got some new materials in the works...

and we'll be posting soon.

In the meantime, do as the snowman suggests

and think happy thoughts.

Wishing you a wonderful New Year!

Photo source: Rose Petals from Heaven

Living Beautifully: Are You Craving Colour?

2011-10-08T12:57:00.000-07:00

DO YOU EVER get so busy or you've worked so hard on something that you've grown weary in body and soul? Or maybe the weather has been rainy or snowy for weeks, and the world just doesn't seem as bright and beautiful at the moment? In fact it begins to look a little gray around the edges?

Well, that's how I must have felt one morning a few years ago when I made a visit to my blogging friend Katherine's blog at Sew Me Something Good. I felt as if I'd been dropped into a large paint tray or a new box of crayons. My soul must have been craving colour! I felt like a sponge soaking it all up.

If you've noticed your world looking a little gray, here are 13 ideas that might help you add a new splash of colour and zest to your life:

1. Visit Katherine's blog.

2. Visit a quilting/fabric store in person.

3. Buy a big new box of crayons (the biggest box you can find) and a colouring book or blank art book. Now spend some time playing with all the wonderful shades and hues.

4. Go to the nearest scrapbooking, stationery or paint store and let your eyes rove over the displays of paper and colour samples.

5. Add more colour to your home. If you've got beige walls, buy some new cushions in some stunning new colour.

6. Alexandra Stoddard puts brightly coloured pencils in a holder and sets them on her desk.

7. Fill a jar with jellybeans or jube-jubes. A friend once gave me a jar full of jube-jubes -- they looked like bright jewels on my desk.

8. Buy a new scarf for your fall jacket. If you are normally conservative in your choices, be bold and outrageous -- choose a colour you wouldn't normally pick.

9. If you've still got fall colours in your neighbourhood, go for a walk in it. Bring autumn branches and berries into your house and set them in a large vase.

10. Visit an art gallery. Or visit your child's school -- their walls are often displayed with vibrant and joyful art.

11. Buy a magazine with lots of great photos, e.g. art, photography, quilting, scrapbooking, sewing.

12. Buy a handful of blossoms from the florist shop.

13. Enjoy checking out the new season's line of lipsticks.

Now go live your life more beautifully...

photo source: glitter-graphics.com

Now Is Always Best Time

2011-10-01T20:56:00.000-07:00

"Never ever, ever leave a place of learning
without taking immediate action.

~ Jenny Flintoft

former Director of Association of Work At Home Women

WHAT? You mean right this minute? You mean I can't just add that great new idea to my pile until I find the time to tackle it?

No! No! Not according to Jenny Flintoft, an online businesswoman dedicated to helping women in business. In a recent tele-seminar, she challenged her listeners to take immediate action when you learn something new. It's crucial if you want to change a habit or complete a project. It's especially so, if you are serious about moving forward in your business.

The more I think about it, the more I recognize that far too often I've been a 'hearer of the word and not a doer', not just in business but often in my personal life as well.

Hearing and giving assent to a great idea it is NOT the same as taking action to implement and make it a part of your life.

How often have I heard something new, been totally inspired, and then added the idea in my already bulging mental notebook, somehow thinking that just because I got 'goosebumps' from some amazing piece of information, it would automatically change my life. Maybe I thought it would happen by osmosis (smile).

Jenny closed her seminar by challenging her listeners to choose one thing they had learned and to take immediate action to implement it -- just as soon as we got off the phone.

My first thought You mean right away? Oooooo....I have to admit, it seemed abit too fast for me. But that's exactly what I needed! A fast start, so I wouldn't lose the momentum and end up putting that idea in the same place where so many others have ended in the past.

When will there be a better moment? I'm reminded of a line I heard from that classic movie, The King and I, with Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr, where the King says:

"Now is always best time."

Yes, now is always best time. I'm ready to action that, are you?

Photo source: Glitter-Graphics.com

Living Beautifully: Clear Out the Clutter

2011-09-24T08:10:00.000-07:00

A SIGNIFICANT ASPECT of living a beautiful and successful life includes taking the time to clear out the accumulation of waste and clutter. Whether it's our homes, our desk or home office, as Alexandra Stoddard tells us in her book entitled Living A Beautiful Life:

"...we must clean out the excess baggage in our lives on a rational and regular basis. ... There comes a time when you must take action; make a ceremony out of serious straightening up. Plan for it."

Alexandra goes on to say that when she worked as an interior designer years ago, at her office, they had one day once a month where they made no outside appointments and they would attack their files, clean up all the clutter and create order.

"A few hours of chaos and suddenly you feel exhilarated, just from throwing out. ... A regular, serious attack on mess and unnecessary clutter, performed with a glad heart, makes you feel in control of all the parts of your life you care about."

Whether your home needs it today, or your workspace or office, turn on some glad music, put your heart into it for a few minutes or hours. Let your fingers clear out the mess and set things to rights. If you're like me, you'll find as you do that, your mind also starts clearing out its own confusion. And before you know it, ideas uncover themselves in unexpected ways.

Take time this week... to set your physical space in order. You'll be glad you did.

Now go live beautifully... and successfully!

Quotable

2011-09-17T19:42:00.000-07:00

B e a u t y ...

When you look into a woman's eyes

and see what is in her heart.

~ Nate Dircks

An Empowering Moment: Just Be

2010-06-03T08:56:00.000-07:00

OUR LIVES get so busy, but there is nothing wrong in giving ourselves permission to take a few minutes to stop and 'just be'.

Author Elizabeth Sam recommends that we 'make time every day to stop running, stop planning, stop multi-tasking, and be still. If five minutes a day is all you have, start with that.'

Stop right now. Do it! Take a deep breath and say, Self (put your name in here), I give you permission to stop what you're doing and be restful for 5 minutes. And, I release you from feeling guilty.

You'll notice a difference -- a sense of calm will start to settle. The stress and tension will melt. You'll feel balance returning. You might even notice that the birds are singing. Ahhhhhhh!

Now go and live beautifully...

Photo source: Microsoft Images

Picture Perfect

2010-02-05T13:05:00.000-08:00

"Treat your friends as you do your pictures,
and place them in their best light."

Jennie Jerome Churchill
(1854 - 1921)

Biz Builders...Yes You Can!

2010-01-21T16:46:00.000-08:00

SOMETIMES IT'S JUST one small step that a person takes in a new direction that leads to a happier life. Most often this begins in the way we think about things.

Did you ever stop to think that taking just one tiny apostrophe and a single letter of the alphabet from the word CAN’T suddenly changes everything?

Right there in front of you, you’ve got a word that says you CAN!

Do you think thoughts that lift you up (where you think you can) or pull you down (where you lament that you can't)?

There's a quote by John C. Maxwell I often look at pinned to my little bulletin board:

"You will never change your life until you change something you do daily."

What if this is the key that makes your desires and wishes more within reach? Would you be willing to take a tiny step towards it?

Yes, you can!

Now go live successfully!

In Her Shoes

2009-11-25T18:48:00.001-08:00

HOW DO YOU KEEP your customers coming back? It’s not just about getting in touch for her next order, but it’s about treating her in such a way that builds loyalty and trust between you. So how can you do that? Here are six 'shoe-in' tips:

Think like a customer. Put yourself in her shoes. Remember how you like to be treated when you’re the customer. Look at your business from her point of view. What does she see when she steps into your house to pick up product? How quickly does she receive her order? Is it all there? Have you listened to her needs and desires? Is her encounter with you a bright spot in her day?

Make her feel luxurious. Do you remember those movies where the heroine goes shopping in New York and the back seat of her convertible teems with beautifully wrapped packages? It all feels so luxurious, doesn’t it? Why not make your customer feel luxurious when she shops Mary Kay.

Be happy about what she does purchase, not what she has not. You don’t want your dream to move up the career ladder more quickly translate into making your customer feel that she’s not buying enough. Little purchases add up too. You don’t want her leaving feeling defensive or pressured.

Find a common bond. Sharing laughter over similar funny experiences, or finding out that you both love old movies connects your relationship at a more personal level.

Remember her birthday. Family and close friends usually do, but it’s a nice touch when even your beauty consultant remembers. Send a personal card or e-note. Offer a discount on anything she orders during her birthday month, but don’t do it just as a business tool; she’ll pick up if her birthday is just about doing business.

Treat her like royalty. Make her feel important and your customer won't think of going anywhere else.

On another note, I think this also a great recipe for finding and treasuring new friendships. Yes?

Now go and live beautifully!

Living Beautifully...Scatter Joy

2009-10-31T11:59:00.000-07:00

S-c-a-t-t-e-r joy.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Click here for a short movie entitled Finding Joy.
by Simple Truths

You have to sniff out joy.
Keep your nose to the joy trail.
Buffy Sainte-Marie

Joy is the infallible sign
of the Presence of God.
Rev. Joyce

There are souls in this world
which have the gift of finding joy
everywhere and of leaving it behind them when they go.
Frederick Wm. Faber

Heaven, the treasury of everlasting Joy.
Shakespeare

Wishing you JOY for the journey!

Thank Heaven For Girlfriends

2009-10-07T15:11:00.001-07:00

“IT IS ESSENTIAL to our well-being to have girlfriends. It is the key to a happy marriage, I tell ya. If you are expecting your husband to give you the kind of empathetic/sympathetic, active-listening, chocolate-sharing, soul-baring experience that you can only achieve while inadvertently sniffing a shared nail polish bottle, you are barking up the wrong tree, Fifi.”
Anita Renfroe, If You Can't Lose It, Decorate It! Perpetual Calendar, 2008

BIZ Builders...How's Your Harvest?

2009-09-16T14:00:00.000-07:00

IF YOU KNOW anything about gardening and growing things, you will know that there is a definite pattern of sowing and reaping. You can never harvest anything unless a seed has first been planted. In other words, you can't expect strawberries if you haven't first sown a strawberry seed.

This same principle plays an active role in every other area of life. If we want to experience the good things of life, we need to sow seeds of good things. We must first give in order to receive.

Sometimes we need a witty, new idea. I used to teach kids and one thing I enjoyed was creating games and interesting bulletin boards for them. At first I only had a few simple ideas, but as I used them, other new ideas would start to develop. My mind would begin to whirl and I'd say, Oh, I could do that or this. If I worked on it this way, then I could also get that...and that...and that.

I began to realize that creativity begets creativity. The more ideas I dreamed up, the greater the flow of other interesting ideas. Pretty soon I had files of ideas, and everywhere I went something would trigger brand new ones.

Were those possibilities always there? Probably, but until I put something into action -- ie until I planted the seed I already had -- I didn't get a harvest for something larger.

Everyone knows you can't multiply zeros -- 1000 x O still equals O.

What kind of good things are you looking for? Do you need a great new idea? Some encouraging words? Help with a project? New techniques? New friendships? Fresh opportunities?

Start with what you have, plant that seed, and then expect a harvest. Remember, the more seeds you plant, the bigger the harvest.

Now go live successfully!

Lead By Example: Narrowing The Gap

2009-09-04T19:45:00.000-07:00

"There comes a time when simply knowing truth will no longer satisfy. If it does not change circumstances for good, what good is it?" ~ Bill Johnson

SIMPLY KNOWING A TRUTH or good idea is not enough. How many of your aha moments have actually changed your life in some way? Or brought you closer to a desired result? Very few? Some? Many?

Many of us would probably have to admit to a lot fewer than we'd like. We get excited over new ideas, but the trouble is that sometimes we're a little weak in our follow through. The gap between what we believe and what we're experiencing is a lot wider than we'd hoped for.

Perhaps we've picked up the idea that just knowing the truth about something will somehow magically bring about the desired change.

But, a new idea is just a seed, and like any other seed, we've got to plant it before it will root, grow, and produce a harvest.

We may have read a lot of great books, listened to inspiring speakers, or written reams of notes, but they won't do us any good UNTIL we take the first step to do something with it all.

So, think of one truth or idea you believed would change your life in some way, but it hasn't (yet).

Do you still believe it's true? Then what could you do today, this week, to implement a change in your life? What tiny step could you take to begin to bring about the desired result in your life, family or business?

To enjoy a harvest, we first must plant the seed. How will you narrow the gap today?

Perfectly Pink!
(c) 2009 Brenda Leyland

Biz Builders...Flexible is not instead of

2009-08-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

IN MARY KAY, we talk about the awesome privilege we have to be flexible in our business. Not only do we have the flexibility of choosing schedules and hours, but we can decide how far we want to go up the career path, which of course depends on how much or how little we choose to invest in time, energy, and product.

But something NSD Pamela Shaw once wrote, “(To be) flexible does not mean INSTEAD OF. It means you choose the time. But you MUST choose the time AND do the work! Otherwise, you define flexible and procrastination as the same. Or flexible and denial the same!”

She goes on to say that we all want the rewards, but fewer are willing to take the responsibility. Many want the friendships and the support, but few give the positive energy to attract it. Everyone wants success, but how many are willing to take the direction and guidance to receive it?

So the trick to flexibility is to remember that, yes, you can decide the schedule you want, the career level you are willing to achieve, and how much time you want to invest each week, but then you must also commit to this 'flexible' lifestyle and do the work if you want to move ahead and make this business work for you.♥

Perfectly Pink!

2009 Brenda Leyland

Biz Builders: New Bee-ginnings

2009-07-06T18:17:00.000-07:00

A busy bee in a wild rose

HERE WE STAND AT THE START of a brand new year in Mary Kay, and with it comes the chance to start fresh. We all have another 365 days to achieve new goals and see dreams come true.

As you ponder about what you'd like to accomplish this coming year, perhaps these wise words from Mary Kay Ash will inspire you..... somehow they put things in perspective.

"Remember, if you do the things you ought to do when you ought to do them, then someday you can do the things you want to do when you want to do them.... Whatever you do or dream you can do --- begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it." ~ Mary Kay Ash

"Remember that success depends on what we do with each of our 24 hours each day. The President of the United States, the top National Sales Director, and the Sales Director of the number one unit all have exactly the same 1,440 minutes each day that you do. Use them as wisely as they do." ~ Mary Kay Ash

Perfectly Pink!
(c) 2009 Brenda Leyland

Perfectly Pink!

2009-07-02T20:53:00.001-07:00

"Taking joy in living
is a woman's best cosmetic."
~Rosalind Russell

Living Beautifully: On New Endings

2009-06-04T22:06:00.000-07:00

If you've ever thought that it all might be too late for you... too late to get it right, too late to be a success at your business, your marriage, your relationships; too late at following a hidden dream, I want to encourage you with this wonderful quote by Maria Robinson:

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending."

Let hope arise in your hearts. Our past does not have to be married to our future. That's one place where a divorce might be a good thing. No matter what's gone on before, it's possible to start today and make a new ending. And I've learned that if it looks totally impossible in our own strength, I cry out to the God of this Universe, who said nothing is impossible with Him... if only I believe!

So, here's to new endings.... happy ones!

Lead By Examaple: Are Your Words Consistent?

2009-06-01T20:00:00.000-07:00

"In consistency lies the power." ~ Gloria Copeland

IT'S NOT SO MUCH THE WORDS we speak when we're at a meeting or talking to our director and sister consultants that change things. It's the words we speak the rest of the time that will make the difference for us.

We can all easily say the 'right' things occasionally, when we're in the right mood, or when someone else can hear us, but it's important that we're saying them ALL the time, even when we're not excited, and when all is not well. Why? Because there is someone paying attention to what you are saying. And, that someone is you!

We can easily say we're going to be a successful millionaire unit a few times. We can jump up and down and Rah! Rah! with the rest of the group, but we need to speak (and believe) the same message when the lights are turned off and everyone else has gone home.

To do something consistently means to do it time after time, time after time, time after time. Pay attention to what you're saying when the 'right' people aren't around to hear you. Determine to speak only what will encourage you to keep believing your goal is possible. If faith (or belief) comes by hearing ... what are you hearing when you open your mouth?

Consistently speak what you desire, for as author and speaker Gloria Copeland says, "in consistency lies the power".

Perfectly Pink!
(c) Brenda Leyland, 2009

Lead By Example: Just This Once

2009-05-25T23:53:00.000-07:00

HAS ANYONE ever used the phrase 'just this once'? For instance ... just this once I'll sneak an extra piece of cheesecake even though I shouldn't. Just this once I'll skip my MK weekly meeting because I'm just too busy. Just this once, I'll leave my purse in the car, I'll only be gone a moment.

Often the phrase is used when we choose to compromise something ... a promise, a value, a principle, or an attitude. And often when we do that, we end up regretting it. The extra piece of cheesecake keeps our weight and cholesterol level up. Skipping our weekly motivational meeting leaves us feeling guilty and the help we could have received is lost. Leaving our purse in the car just this once opened the door for someone to break in and steal it. It's not worth it, is it?

Not only is it not worth it, but it makes us feel guilty and weighed down. So, I like to use that phrase in a more positive way. For instance, what if we're trying to cut down on coffee and we say, "Just this once I think I'll skip that next cup." Or if we want to cut down on our sugar intake, just this once I won't have that extra cookie. Just this once, I won't respond unkindly when someone shoves her way in front of me in the grocery line.

'Just this once' doesn't commit us to a new pattern or habit for life, so we don't have to feel overwhelmed by it. We're not immediately committed to it for life. Rather, we are empowered to make small changes without feeling defeated before we even begin. And, when we continue to make this choice several times in a row, it won't be long before we're on the path to a new and freeing habit.

A well-known writer once said that each decision we make, however large or small, trivial or important, will either bring us closer to heaven or closer to hell. When you think about it, every time we decide to act, talk and live by the Golden Rule, we choose a habit, a lifestyle that brings us closer to having a little 'heaven on earth'. I'm all for that, aren't you?

I believe it's a great way to lead by example!

Perfectly Pink!
Brenda Leyland, 2009

Lead By Example: Aspire to Inspire

2009-05-07T10:43:00.000-07:00

ONE CHARACTERISTIC OF A GREAT LEADER is the ability to inspire others. So, how can we inspire other women to dream their dreams and come aboard?

1. Think about one person who inspires you. Ask yourself, when I'm around this individual, what is it about her that inspires me to get excited and motivated? Her example will give you your own clues of what makes an inspirational leader.

2. What excites you? That's what you share with others. If you aren't passionate about something, you won't get anyone else excited either.

3. Be on the lookout for women who identify with what you are excited about. When you share your I-stories, do you see the light coming on in her eyes? Do you see her relating to you? If her eyes glaze over with indifference or boredom, then you haven't found the right one to recruit yet (which is no one's fault, just keep looking).

4. Present the opportunity, but then let her have the space and freedom to find out if that's what she really wants. If you try to persuade before she truly believes this is a good thing for her, you may end up dragging or carrying her along. If her heart's not in it, it only drags you both down in the end.

An inspirational leader often helps me see what may already be in my heart, but is still lying dormant, because sometimes she can see what I can't see as clearly. She helps me to look at new possibilities and her enthusiasm gives me the courage to even allow myself to think past my comfort zone.

Then, when I'm ready to say yes, an inspiring leader is one who excitedly and eagerly shows me how I, too, can aspire to heights I've never been before.

That's the kind of inspiring example I'd like to be. You too?

Perfectly Pink!
Brenda Leyland, 2009

PEARLS OF WISDOM...on laughter

2009-04-02T16:00:00.000-07:00

"The best blush to use is laughter:
It puts roses in your cheeks and in your soul."

~ Linda Knight

PEARLS OF WISDOM...on dreaming

2009-03-30T00:30:00.000-07:00

Writing down your dreams and aspirations
is like hanging up a sign that says,
'Open for Business.'

~ Dr. Henriette Anne Klauser
Write It Down, Make It Happen

Living Beautifully: Circle of Friendship

2009-03-26T17:34:00.000-07:00

"I'm convinced that one mustn't wait for people to reach out -- we must reach in." ~ Jan Karon, author

SOMETIMES we wait for someone else to invite us out for coffee, to notice we're having a down day, or to remember it's our birthday. At a party or conference, we stand around hoping someone will come over and say hi because we feel too shy.

I used to do that, and I realized that, ofttimes, my supposed 'shyness' had a lot to do with my fear of rejection. I used to worry about being snubbed, so I was reluctant to risk going over and introducing myself.

As I say, that's how I used to be, until I started paying attention to those wise ancient words that perfect love casts out fear. We overcome our fear when we choose to forget about ourselves, and start focusing on someone else.

I like what Jan Karon said -- we shouldn't wait for someone else to reach out to us. If we want to be a part of the group, then why not look for someone else who looks nervous too. Why not focus on making her feel more comfortable, and you'll find yourself forgetting about your own discomfort.

You could open the conversation by expressing something complimentary. Watch those words change the atmosphere. The fear leaves, the rejection leaves, you both begin to relax as you each experience that beautiful sense of belonging, of fitting in.

We'll never be on the outside looking in when we are the ones opening the circle to welcome someone new into our lives. A circle that does not exclude, but is ever widening to enfold a new consultant, neighbour, co-worker, or fellow conference attender.

When I started taking the initiative to reach out, I was amazed at easy it began to be to walk into a room without fear. I love it. Talk about it changing my life for the better....and the more beautiful.

Here's to ever widening circles of friends!

Biz Builders: What's Next?

2009-03-23T18:40:00.000-07:00

Have you ever found yourself with the hopeful, almost restless feeling that the perfect answer to whatever you are seeking will be found in the next motivational book you read, the next conference you attend, or the next website you visit?

You keep hunting and striving, hoping that this is the book that's going to help you succeed. This is the speaker that's got the answer you need. This is the seminar that will unfold the mystery and hand you the key.

I used to feel something niggling at the back of my mind, almost unconsciously, that I might miss the key I'd need to complete the next step in my journey.

Until I finally realized that so often the very idea I needed, the person who had the key to my dilemma, the author exploring the same thoughts I was thinking, the website with the right information, all seemed to present themselves exactly when I needed them.

I also realized that, as great and necessary as it is to keep learning and exploring, sometimes when we're so focused on what we're going to get next, we risk missing the gifts we already have right here in the present.

I started to feel more relaxed as I came to understand that it's not always about getting the next new idea, it's about doing something with what I've already got.

Why not listen to the CD's you bought from the last conference. Or read the books already on your shelf. Flip through your files for lost or forgotten ideas, find that perfect idea you once scribbled so enthusiastically in the margin of your diary. Why not use it today!

The key to the next step in your professional or personal life may be closer than you think!

Perfectly Pink!
Brenda Leyland, 2009

Biz Builders...Inventory Tips

2009-03-19T22:20:00.000-07:00

Do you ever struggle to keep your Mary Kay inventory organized? Regina Zona once shared some tips on how to help you stay on top of it.

You'll be interested to know that these ideas will also help you in your home life. Do you ever find your pantry cupboards in a mess and you're not sure if you've got the items, because cans and boxes are scattered on different shelves?

Follow these tips for your business, as well as your grocery, laundry and toiletries inventories, and suddenly your life will be simpler and less frustrating.

**********************

1. Keep your inventory together in one area. That way, every time you go to fill an order (and you want lots of those) you won't have to zigzag across the room, or go from closet to closet. This will save you valuable time, energy and steps. Plus, you won't be ordering too much of one thing and not enough of another.

2. Organize the product on your shelves in the same order as it appears on the order sheet. It's easier to track what you have, so when you get ready to place an order, you won't have to flip back and forth to find the right section on your sheet.

3. Keep enough space available for the largest amount you will ever have on hand. For example, if you want to keep seven cleansers on hand, but only have three at the moment, make sure you leave enough empty space for when you do order the other four bottles. Two reasons: (1) it's easier to track when it's all in one place; and (2) when you see empty space, you easily recognize when you're getting low and you need to replace it.

(c) Perfectly Pink!
Brenda Leyland, 2009

Biz Builders...Know Your Craft

2009-03-16T16:04:00.000-07:00

EVERY WOMAN WANTS to look and feel beautiful, so it’s important to recognize that, as a ‘consultant of beauty’, you are the key to helping your customer look her best.

If a customer asks you how she can create a certain look that magazines are raving about this spring, are you savvy enough to know how to creat the look she's seen elsewhere using the Mary Kay products?

Perhaps you don’t feel confident in answering that question yet. That’s okay, we all have to learn. But here are a few ideas on how you can become savvier at your craft:

1. Stay on top of the current trends in the glamour and skin care industry overall, not just Mary Kay. When someone says she saw something from another advertising campaign, you’ll be able to confidently say, Oh, I know what you mean, and I know exactly how you can achieve the result with these MK products.

2. Pay close attention to the tips and ideas presented in The Look and Applause magazines. They provide great information on Mary Kay’s current looks.

3. Learn which Mary Kay products will create the look and result your customer is asking about.

4. Remember what fun it was to play beauty parlour with your mom’s lipsticks and powders when you were a young girl? So, play with your products. Find out what they can do.

5. Make use of the Virtual Makeover online (www.maryka.ca). Why not upload photos of yourself, your mom, sisters, girlfriends and ‘play’ with their looks. When you meet women with similar skin tones or facial shapes, you’ll have an idea where to begin.

6. Study the application tips from makeup artists such as Robert Jones. He has a website and some great how-to books. (www.robertjonesbeauty.com).

Today’s discerning woman is looking for a consultant who knows what she is talking about, who can guide her to the right product, as well as help her create the look she desires.

Why not work on your skills this month and give yourself the edge!

Perfectly Pink!

Living Beautifully: Are You A Ten?

2009-03-09T08:02:00.000-07:00

THE CONFIDENT WOMAN: Start Today Living Boldly and Without Fear
by Joyce Meyer, (c) FaithWords, 2006

DO YOU BELIEVE you could be a 10 at something?

Joyce Meyer, in her New York Times bestseller, The Confident Woman, declares that, on a scale of 1 to 10 (ten being the best), it is actually possible for every single woman to be a 10 at something in her life.

Meyer also cautions us that in order to step out into this wonderful plan for our lives, we first need to stop focusing on our shortcomings and weak spots. Instead, we need to learn to identify our strengths and begin focusing our attention on developing and using them.

That's when we begin to develop the confidence to step out into that wonderful plan for our lives. When we start to see what we can do, and quite well too, that's when we'll begin to believe "Yes, I can!"

To whet your appetite for more, I have selected three excerpts from the first chapter. I hope they not only increase your desire to read Meyer's book, but give you a sense and wonder of the possibilities for your own life.

I want them to provide a springboard of inspiration so that you will go and do something quite wonderful this week!

Excerpt #1. "What is confidence? I believe confidence is all about being positive concerning what you do--and not worrying over what you can't do. A confident woman is open to learning, because she knows that her confidence allows her to walk through life's doorways eager to discover what waits on the other side..."

Excerpt #2. Confident people do not concentrate on their weakness; they develop and maximize their strengths.

Excerpt. #3. "The world is not hungry for mediocrity. We really don't need a bunch of 4s and 5s running around, doing an average job in life. This world needs 10s. I believe every one can be a 10 at something, but our problem is that we often work so hard on trying to overcome our weaknesses that we never develop our strengths."

Lead By Example: Honesty, A Good Relationship Builder

2009-03-02T07:04:00.000-08:00

"Honesty is the cornerstone of all success, without which confidence and ability to perform shall case to exist." ~~ Mary Kay Ash

I AM ALWAYS GRATEFUL when someone tells me up front what she wants and what it is going to cost me in terms of time, effort, and money. I want to know what's expected of me.

That's why I like what Lee Iacocca, American philanthropist and former Chrysler CEO, said about honesty:

"I have found that being honest is the best technique I can use. Right up front, tell people what you are trying to accomplish and what you are willing to sacrifice to accomplish it."

When we're honest at the beginning, people can make an intelligent decision and when they choose what we have to offer -- whether it's Mary Kay or something else entirely -- we will have gained a team member who has counted the cost and still wants it.

When you're thinking about recruiting someone new to your team, tell the whole truth. Yes, tell her the fantastic benefits, but share the costs too. Don't hide the fact that, like anywhere else, success in MK still takes commitment and hard work. Knowing what's ahead, she won't have illusions that will later disappoint or make her angry with you, or the company.

If she doesn't want to sign up for whatever reason, trying to gloss over things like time and cost factors won't stop her from leaving when she eventually figures out it requires more than she first thought.

Honesty....it's not just the best policy; it's the cornerstone for success and that's a great way to lead by example.

Perfectly Pink!
(c) Brenda Leyland

Lead By Example: Always In Fashion

2009-02-23T06:14:00.000-08:00

MARY KAY ASH once said, "We must not compromise our principles in order to further our careers."

Everything Mary Kay did during her lifetime came out of her simple belief that 'doing unto others as you would have them do unto you' was the right way to live and do business.

She believed that if we truly live by the Golden Rule in our every action and even in our thoughts, then our lives will take on new meaning and so will the lives of those about us.

She also said, "My sincere desire is that each and every Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant will learn to live by the Golden Rule, not only in her Mary Kay business, but in her daily life.
If there is ever a question about how to deal with a situation, simply put yourself in the place of the other person and treat that person exactly as you would want to be treated. In the long run, you will find that you will gain more than you lose, for it is true that all you send into the lives of others comes back into your own."

Mary Kay Ash was a role model par excellence. Through her example, she has inspired many women to become a role model for individuals who still struggle to find their own creative path of beauty and purpose.

Living the Golden Rule -- it's one thing that never goes out of fashion!

Lead By Example: Are You Present?

2009-02-21T23:26:00.000-08:00

"When we don't give full regard to the moment, it's cheating the hearts of two people." ~~Leila Carr, fellow traveler

WOMEN ARE QUEENS at multi-tasking, and that is a good skill to have sometimes. The downside, however, is that we tend to transfer this incredible ability into our relationships with our family, friends, colleagues, and customers.

Have you ever chatted with someone or you've been in the middle of sharing a gut-wrenching experience, only to realize your listener has zoned out on you? Somehow you pick up the vibes that her mind was elsewhere? And, though she was present in body, her thoughts were not.

Being present to your spouse or child, or being being present to your customer on the phone means stopping what we're doing for a few minutes and giving them our full attention.

It's so easy to zone out on people, especially when I'm on the phone and I'm engaged in numerous other activities at the same time. Has it ever happened to you -- while you're trying to deal with today's mail, scan a recipe for tonight's supper, feed the cat, you are also catching up with someone on the phone -- only to suddenly realize you have lost track of the conversation?

Somewhere along the line, your mind wondered and you've just missed something important in the conversation. It's a little difficult to respond with heart-felt enthusiasm or empathy when you're not really sure what just happened. So now, do you fake it? Pretend you've been listening intently all along? That's not my idea of living the golden rule.

So, how to deal with this? I believe it's learning to develop the heart skill of 'being present' to whoever I am with at any given moment. I must admit I haven't totally developed the art. But is my desire to leave a fragrance of beauty by being present to the person I'm engaged in a conversation with. I want to listen not with half an ear, but with my entire being, to listen with my heart, not just my properly-smiling face. To be present to you and not focussed on who I will be meeting in 15 minutes.

I am with you.

Being present.... it's a golden way to lead by example.

Biz Builders... Adding Value

2009-02-16T12:18:00.000-08:00

ARE YOU FAMILIAR with the Japanese word "kaizen"? I understand it is a term that, when translated in English, means 'continuous improvement'. According to Wikipedia, the concept of kaizen aims to eliminate waste -- waste being defined as 'activities that add cost but do not add value'.

This is not about looking for the cheapest way to do business, but it is about ensuring that what you are doing actually adds value to your business.

Marva Ruot, President of Success is in Order, has identified several ways individuals in direct sales sometime add costs to their business that, in the end, do not add value. The following tips are from her book entitled, Success Is In Order:

1. You buy prizes and incentive gifts you never use. They look good at Seminar, but you have not made a clear plan on how to use them. You've spent money on a drawerful of items that are now taking up valuable space.

2. You buy too many prizes. Also with no clear idea on how you will use them.

3. You plan prizes too late. Which means you order and pay rush shipping.

4. You don't file often enough. So you make tons of copies of the same thing, because you can't find the originals when you need them.

5. You overstock on items that change quickly. e.g. literature from your company that gets updated regularly. (Maybe it's better to be more realistic here, and order fewer.)

6. You make up too many hand-out packets at one time with material that dates quickly. (So you end up having to throw them out, unused.)

This is only a short list, but perhaps it will give you the incentive to take a look at the things you are doing in your business. Or your home life....Hmmm.... I notice this tip would work in my food pantry or craft cupboard too!

Think about what you are spending your money on, and where you are spending your time. Ensure that the money and effort you put into your business are giving you a good return, that they add value.

Biz Builders...Keep To The Schedule

2009-02-09T06:26:00.000-08:00

HAVE YOU EVER FELT, even though you’re busy all day with your business, sometimes you can’t seem to get anything done? Does it feel like you’re off track and you can’t get back on?

Perhaps what your business needs is some structure – just like a train timetable. Trains get to where they’re going because they run on a track, and because there’s a set schedule. You know when the train will leave, which direction it will head, and when it will arrive. Once the schedule is made, the train just has to stay on track, and it will reach its destination, and on time!

How do you plan your weekly ‘train’ schedule for your business? First, you decide what you need to accomplish (that’s your destination). For example, you need to book classes, order inventory, do paperwork, deliveries, attend the unit meeting, meet with your director, make phone calls and be part of the conference call, as well as make time to read or listen to motivational material.

Once you decide the destination, you set up your schedule – when will you actually work on each activity? What day? What time? For how long? Trains would run amok if they didn’t follow a set timetable of the days and times they come and go. No one would ever know when to book a ticket.

We probably all enjoy spontaneity, but when it comes to running our business, it is much better to keep to a schedule if we want to stay on track. Our minds tend to work best when there’s an order to things and when we know what comes next.

Mary Kay Ash once said, Plan your work and then work your plan. Are you ready to climb aboard?

Now go live successfully...

Lead By Example: Don't Play Small

2009-02-05T06:15:00.000-08:00

WHAT IF MARY KAY ASH had sat down at her kitchen table all those years ago and decided she was just too small, too insignificant to accomplish anything big and worthwhile in her life? What if she had decided she could not – or should not – follow this dream she had? Where would we be today?

South African leader Nelson Mandela once said something I believe Mary Kay would applaud: “Your playing small does not serve the world. Who are you not to be great?”

I ask myself that question and I ask it of you. Who are we not to be great? Our playing small does not serve our world. To feel unworthy and insignificant throws our gifts into the wind (into the face of God, if you believe He’s there). Our world will stay in a mess if we each continue to believe that our contributions are hardly worth it.

Mary Kay Ash paved the way for women all over the world to make a difference. We’re not starting from scratch. I believe she would want us to stand on her shoulders and use her successes – not as our ceiling – but as the floor of where we can start. Don’t think dozens, think hundreds. Don’t think hundreds, think thousands. Don’t think 10’s of thousands, think millions. Not for your benefit only, but for the enrichment of many, many others!

Where would many women be today if Mary Kay had not believed that her dream was worthwhile? Like her, we need to first believe that our playing small does not serve our world.

Will you risk opening your imagination to greater things for your own life? Whether it's with Mary Kay or some other venture, start where you are, but don’t stay there. Then encourage others to also step out into their destiny too. It's a great way to lead by example.

Living Beautifully: Do You Sing?

2009-01-29T06:25:00.000-08:00

MANY OF US may remember the little tune the seven dwarfs whistled in the old Disney movie, Snow White. It seems even these short fellows recognized that their musical whistling helped make the work feel lighter and easier to bear.

Sometimes we find ourselves in a work situation or project where the song in our heart has died or has been replaced by a weary sighing or, even worse, a growl-y grumbling. We don't feel like whistling or singing anymore.

Maybe that's the time when we need to stop and think about what we do every day; maybe we need to re-consider the current path we're traveling on.

Lady Bird Johnson once gave the sage advice that we should work on projects that make our hearts sing.

Ever since I read those words, I tried to let them shape my decisions. I do not believe that life is meant to be a drudgery. I believe that life is meant to be lived beautifully. Oh sure, we go through hard experiences, but we don't stay there.

The projects we sign up for -- voluntarily or as a career -- should not dampen our spirits, but rather they should provide a venue for contentment, abiding joy, and a sense of bubbling adventure. They should energize and fuel us, not drizzle on us till there's only a damp smoldering pile where passion once burned bright.

A few years ago, my song almost died, because I was afraid to move out from a workplace that no longer gave me joy and fulfillment. Life no longer felt beautiful.

To me, a clear signpost of whether or not a person is still doing what she should be doing, is whether the song is still in her heart, whether life still seems beautiful and sweet.

If there's no song your heart, maybe it's time to re-think what will make life beautiful again for you. I'm happy to report the nightingale sings again for me.

Now I ask you, do you sing?

Living Beautifully: The Grace of Compliment

2009-01-08T15:22:00.000-08:00

I WILL NEVER FORGET the time during my early 20's, when I became acquainted with a woman who would often greet me with the salutation, "Hello Beauteous One!" At first I thought she just picked that phrase out of the wind as a cute way to say hi, yet every time we'd meet, she would address me the same way. It was always done with such grace and sincerity that I began to look forward to bumping into her, so I could hear her say those words again. And she would!

I've sometimes wondered if she recognized that I needed such a message at that time in my life. As I was growing up, in my heart of hearts, I never felt beautiful. But, as this woman kept 'watering' my heart, reinforcing this positive message time after time, I began to blossom under those affirming words.

There is something deep within the feminine heart of each woman that needs to know she's lovely in someone's eyes. Could it be that's why we can obsess about how we look... we want to know, Am I beautiful?

Not that long ago, when I asked my husband of some years something about being beautiful. He has always affirmed since we first met that in his eyes, I am beautiful, with or without my makeup on.
But this particular day, I deliberately made a choice to believe him. The amazing thing was that my heart settled into that knowledge and I haven't obsessed about how I look since. Now that doesn't mean I dress like a slob, I don't, but if the hair-do isn't perfect, or the nose is red from a cold windy day, I rest in the knowledge that his eyes still behold me beautifully.

It's made my life more beautiful. I hope you find that to be true for yourself as well!

Grace Note

For the rest of the week, why not look for ways you can lavishly hand out compliments to the women around you... compliments that you mean, of course....and then remember to deliberately believe any you receive from others.

Rose Photo Source: Graphics Fairy

Biz Building...Overwhelmed?

2009-01-08T15:11:00.000-08:00

DO YOU EVER go merrily along, enjoying all the good stuff that's happening in your life? Only to wake up one morning and realize somewhere along the way you've, once again, bitten off more than you can chew? Now you feel overwhelmed, weary, maybe even a little resentful that you're overloaded?

That's when it's a good idea to step back and re-evaluate what you've been adding to the mix of your days. You've probably heard the advice before: in order to simplify your life, when you buy something new for your house or wardrobe, you should also get rid of something.

It's the same thing when you're adding a new task, role, or job. Carving out time for your new project or business is a little like carving a jack-o-lantern.

First, you have to remove the inside of the pumpkin to make room for the candle to shine through. If you don't remove any of the flesh, if you don't carve out any holes, you'll have a funny looking jack-o-lantern with its light sticking out the top, instead of being nestled inside.

To layer a new venture on top of an already busy life is a quick recipe for burnout and discouragement. That's why it's important to create space in your life so your business (new hobby, new volunteer job, whatever) can flourish.

I learned this hard way... you cannot pile your candles on the outside of the pumpkin. You have to carve out space for them to function properly. Otherwise you might end up burning the house down...or something equally devastating, like experiencing a physical or emotional burnout.

Which means we need to come to terms with the fact that there will be trade-offs. And...we need to learn to be comfortable with it. It's recognizing that you need to decide what you'd rather have more -- do you want to stick with the present situation or do you want to move towards a new and desirable benefit? What do you want more?

Once you decide, you'll need to make at least one or two changes in your lifestyle and habits. How will you carve out time for it? What changes will you begin to implement this week....this month...this year?

Now go live successfully!

Lead By Example: You Are The Gift

2009-01-01T10:24:00.000-08:00

AS MUCH AS I LOVE to give and receive presents, I've learned that the most precious gifts usually don't arrive packaged in tissue and ribbons.

It may be the encouraging word during down times, the loyalty of a friend who stays near through thick and thin, the kindness of a total stranger who notices you struggling to get a door open. Or, it may be the wonderful new idea someone shared that now inspires me to move forward. Often, it's these kinds of 'gifts' that linger in our memories longer than many store-bought ones.

Mary Kay Ash once said, "We are the recipients of countless gifts from friends of the past. We remember these friends with gratitude and try to pass on to others something of what we have received."

Try to pass on to others..... Yes, I desire to create an outlet for the inspiration to flow to others. I wish to allow my knowledge and ideas to flow freely and gracefully from my life, so they can also refresh and nourish yours too.

What great tip helped make your home more peaceful or organized? What inspired idea is making your business work better? What truth has come alive for you and has positively changed how you perceive yourself? Know any great websites or blogs that you love?

Look for creative ways to pass along the awesome gifts you've received. People will be drawn to your generous living and will want to.... follow your example.

Living Beautifully: It's All in the Layering

2009-01-01T05:36:00.000-08:00

"I want my life to be like a rich four-layer chocolate cake."

HAVE YOU EVER EATEN a delicious four-layer birthday cake? One of those delectable mile-high desserts where, between every chocolate-y layer, a new flavor bursts on your taste buds? It's heavenly, isn't it?

I've decided I would like my life to be like a rich four-layer chocolate cake. Interesting and slightly unpredictable, with promises of rich creamy texture, sweetness, and crunch in every bite.

Just as the baker of such a flavourful dessert can choose, so too we can put such delight between the layers of our daily existence. Of course we can have a simple one-layer sponge cake, doing laundry or our business all day long, but wouldn't it be more fun to anticipate a day layered with different tastes, textures, and experiences......

It may be an old cliche, but it seems to be true: variety is the spice of life. Layer your days with an assortment of activities, people, and experiences...and you'll notice life will start to burst forth with more flavor.

Mmmm... won't you have a slice with me?

Photo Source: Graphics Fairy Blog