On NEW YEAR'S Resolutions!

Let's talk about your New Year's resolutions for a few moments.  Humor me.  This is a good one!

For how many years have we set New Year's resolutions for ourselves?   And how many of those resolutions have we kept for longer than three months?  All of them?  Congratulations!  I'm SO jealous!!!  You are among the 8% of people who actually keep their New Year's Resolutions!  You are among an elite group of Rock Stars!!!

As for the rest of us mere mortals, I have an idea for you - and for me.  I have taken this approach to setting New Year's resolutions for several years now, and it works so well for me, that I wanted to share it with you.  Here it is:

Rather than deciding what you want to do or to change in your life this year, consider giving some thought to who you want to BE instead!  Wow!  What a concept!  

Rather than a list of resolutions, or a to do list.  Make a "TO-BE" list instead!  What??? Seriously???  Yes.  Seriously.   And it is much easier than it sounds.  Take a few minutes - like 30 or 60.  Get your mind into a state of feeling as though anything is possible.  Absolutely anything!  

Here is a list of questions to get you started in this direction:

Who do you want to become this year?
Do you want to be a glamorous person?
Do you want to be a thin person?
Do you want to be an elegant person?
Do you want to be a world traveler?
Do you want to be an educated person?
Do you want to be more gentle to those around you?
Do you want to be more loving to those around you?
Compassionate?
More friendly?
More financially secure?

Do you want to be more effective at your job?
How do you want to show up every day? 

Whatever it is that you want to be, you have to live your life AS THAT PERSON.  And do it RIGHT NOW.  

Ask yourself this:  How does a "_________" person live their life?  How does a KIND person live?  How does a GLAMOROUS person live?  How does a GENEROUS person live?  Then - and know that you are COMPLETELY capable of doing this - live your life the way that person would live their life!  How does a thin person, an educated person, a world traveler live their life?  Figure it out and GO BE HER!!!

You will find, I promise you, that it is much easier to live a life that represents the person you want to become than it is to set and live by a set of goals, tasks and resolutions!  Rather than living in a datebook that is full of tasks and to do lists, this year try a Journal that is full of ideas, thoughts and a creative outlet that will help mold you into the individual you desire to become.  

Living your life as the person you wish to be will enable you to create the life you are truly longing for.

I wish you the happiest and most magical New Year you've ever lived!!!

Donna

PS.  For more information on this and many other topics, please visit www.brilliancefactor.com

Adding COMFORT & JOY to a Crazy Time of Year!!!

Shopping!  The Mall!  Cooking!  Decorating!  Running around!  Unexpected guests!  Traffic!  Parties!  WHEW!!!  It is amazing that we are able to fit all of it in during this crazy few weeks that are the Holidays!

It truly is enough to completely wear us out.  But do we have to let the excess fun and activity wear us down?  We certainly don't want to give up all of the fun, right?  So how can we eliminate the stress that we feel while we continue accomplishing everything that needs to get done?  I want to share with you a few ideas that I believe will help to lower your pulse rate during this most wonderful time of the year!  I believe you'll find some value in these lessons!

1.  BREATHE.  Pay attention to your stress level.  Go easy on yourself.  If you feel a bit of crazy coming on, stop and take a few deep breaths.  You CAN pull it all together, and you WILL.

2.  SCHEDULE SOME DOWN TIME.  That's right.  Schedule it.  Make sure with all of the tasks and to do lists you are working from that you have written in some time just for you.  You deserve to enjoy the holidays as much as all of the people you are creating the experience for!  Even if it's an hour here or a few minutes there, it is vital that you give yourself some time to relax and enjoy.

3.  SET TIME LIMITS ON YOUR TASKS.  Get that datebook out and write things down.  2 hours for wrapping presents.  1 hour for addressing cards.  2 hours for that next shopping trip.  30 minutes inside the next store.  You get the picture.  If you don't manage your tasks, they will manage YOU.

4.  TAKE A BREAK FOR COFFEE OR TEA.   Depending upon the time of day, take a little break.  Get your beverage of choice and maybe a snack and sit down for a while and enjoy it!  You will find that you can accomplish a great deal more if you hustle, then break, then hustle, then break.  And you'll feel more energized moving on to the next item on your list after a little rest!

5.  POUR YOURSELF A GLASS OF WINE.  Remember that these are YOUR holidays, too!  Celebrate a little.  Allow yourself a glass of wine at the appropriate time of day!  It's a small luxury, and if you choose to indulge, you should not put it off until you are completely exhausted at night!  Take a minute for yourself now!

6.  STOP FOR A FEW MINUTES AS YOU COMPLETE EACH TASK.  Spend a few minutes appreciating what you've done and celebrating your success!  Stop to admire your work.  Stop to be grateful for what you have.  Stop to be grateful that the task is done!  CELEBRATE what you accomplish, task by task.  Got those gifts wrapped?  Celebrate!  Got the kids fed and put to bed?  Celebrate!  Got the cat out of the tree - again?  Celebrate!  Got every name checked off your list?  CELEBRATE!  Remember:  When you celebrate life, life celebrates you!

7.  SCHEDULE AN HOUR OR SO EACH EVENING TO QUIETLY SIT.   Sit yourself down in the middle of the beautiful holiday that you've created.  Be grateful, and appreciate what you've created!  Each evening, whether you're alone or with friends, find an hour of quiet time when you can just relax and enjoy your surroundings.  This will recharge your emotional batteries.

8.  GET YOUR MOST SNUGGLY PAJAMAS AND COMFY SLIPPERS and indulge in some self-pampering time.  Do this as often as possible during the holidays.  Think of it as comfort food for your body.  Maybe apply a facial mask, or some special decadent scented lotion or foot cream.  But pamper yourself like the Queen you are.  You deserve a warm and fuzzy Christmas!

9.  INVITE A FEW CLOSE FRIENDS OVER for a quiet candle-lit evening of beverage, light snacks and quiet talk.  Every holiday gathering doesn't require dancing, noise and fireworks.  Let your friends know when you invite them that it will be a very quiet evening.  They will look forward to it as much as you will!

10.  MAKE WRAPPING GIFTS A PLEASURE!  You can make it a wonderful experience!  How?  By organizing your supplies.  Get all of the boxes you need together.  All of the wrapping paper.  Be sure you won't run out of tape or tissue paper!  Get the ribbon and the good scissors out.  Have everything right there where you are working!  THEN - get your beverage of choice.  Put on some music that you love, or maybe a great TV show that makes you happy.  Then get to work.  You'll be surprised at how quickly you can get it all done when you have everything you need right in front of you.

So there are my Top 10 ways to make the holidays merry and bright!  I hope you can adopt some of these ideas into your holiday season.  I promise you they will force you to slow down and enjoy every minute of the season.  Then you'll be able to look back at the season and actually remember it, rather than blinking and having it all over!

From the bottom of my heart, I wish you the most beautiful and magical holiday season of your life!  Cheers to celebrating every little thing!!!

Love,
Donna

PERFECTION.. with Beauty, Brains & Brilliance

PERFECTION...

...is so over rated.  Yes, we can all agree that we want to do and be our best at all times. But as powerful, motivated people, we tend to strive for absolute perfection, and push and push and reach, sometimes until we are beaten up and worn out.  And if it were even possible to be perfect in any given area, what good is it if we're so exhausted from pushing, that we can't enjoy it once (if) we reach it?  

What if we choose to approach perfection from a different angle?  What if we changed our definition of perfection and made it something that excites us and fuels our attention and motivation?  How great would you feel if your definition of perfection wasn't the finished product or destination, but the process, the path and the journey towards reaching your goal? 

Here is the BEAUTY, BRAINS & BRILLIANCE definition of perfection:

Perfection happens when we have taken the time to plan out an action or desire, and we hold ourselves accountable to staying on task, and working towards that plan or desire.

We must begin to see the completion of our goal, and the path toward our goal as equally important.  

Consider giving your self a break.  Change your definition of perfection.  Adopt this new mindset.  Take the time to plan your path, begin the journey, monitor your progress, and take comfort in knowing that as long as you have staid the course, you are making progress and living within the state of beautiful perfection!

Here is a mantra you can begin to use right now: MY PROGRESS IS MY PERFECTION.

Take a few minutes to think this through.  Create a path and begin your perfect journey!

Please leave me a message in the comments section.  I'd love to hear how you plan to change your mindset on perfection.

For more information of if you would like some help with your planning process or your progression, please visit www.brilliancefactor.com   This is where you will find all the tools you need to help you progress, as well as information on how to work with me!

Have a BEAUTIFULLY PERFECT week, my love!
Donna

My Perfect Day!

I believe it is SO important to become clear about what you would want your perfect day to look like.  So clear that is feels as though you are living the life you want to live RIGHT NOW.  Honestly, I think it is VITAL.  If you can clearly describe your perfect day, you can begin to pull pieces of that perfection into the life you're living right this moment!   I learned this from one of my greatest mentors, Tonya Leigh Rising.  

Do yourself a favor and check her out!  WWW.TONYALEIGH.COM

Here is an example:  If part of my perfect day is listening to music while I get ready for work, or while I have my morning coffee, I can begin NOW to add that music to my morning rather than waiting for life my to be perfect.  Why wait???   Why not make it work NOW???  I guarantee you that if you give this a try you'll start to feel significant changes in your daily life, which will impact your level of BRILLIANCE right away!  You brilliant thing, you!!!

And I'll admit this to you, I didn't get it at first.  But once I really took the time to stop and think about the life I wanted to live, put it into words, and then gradually into ACTION, I fell madly in love with my life!

So take a few minutes to think about your ideal life and do some writing of your own!  Write it in the present tense, just like it already exists for you!  And as always, leave me a comment at the end.  I'd love to hear how you're going to live and love your BRILLIANT life!

To help get you started, let me share with you MY PERFECT DAY:

"Today is my absolute perfect day.  I woke up around 9:00 am.  I am a night owl, so I need to sleep until 9:00.

My home is light and airy with sheer curtains billowing in the breeze, on all of the windows.  It is clean and uncluttered.  I have decorated with a lot of white.  I just love the clean feeling of white!  White bed, white sheets, white walls, white blankets!  All clean and luxurious!  I keep my white Frette  pajamas on as long as I can, until I have to dress for my day.   Tres chic et tres luxe!

I had my coffee this morning outside.  I do that as often as I can, depending upon the weather.  It gets hot in Texas, sometimes very early in the day!  I keep the outside living area nice and clean as well, so I can go out anytime I want to.  Sometimes I eat breakfast out there if I'm hungry, but today it is just the coffee.

Today I am going to spend some time working on my weekly blog post.  It’s Sunday and I like to get it posted Sunday night for everyone to read on Monday morning.  I really only work about 6 or so hours per day.  It’s so different from the Retail craziness I used to live!  I spend about 2 hours writing and then I get dressed because today I’m meeting a potential new coaching client to talk with and see if we’re a fit for each other.

As I get dressed, I realize that yes, I’m still wearing my all black uniform!  I dress like a French woman.  Simplicity is key, and then I add my personality by choosing the accessories - scarf, bag, shoes.  It’s become my trademark!  Black during the day and white at night!  I love it!  In my closet, my wardrobe looks like salt and pepper!  The only color I see is on my scarf hangers and on my handbag shelf!  It’s super clean looking and everything is meticulously organized.  I have always hated digging through piles of clothes and shoes!  It took me quite a while to figure out that simplicity works very well for me.

After I get my makeup on - not so simple, but I’m pretty fast at the application process - I give myself a few sprays of my signature fragrance and I’m ready to go!  EVERYONE asks me what fragrance I wear and I will not tell a soul!  One time, I told someone it was a scent I had custom made for me in Paris!  I know I shouldn’t lie, but a girl doesn’t want anyone else wearing her signature scent now, does she?

Back to my best day ever:  TODAY!

I am leaving now to meet my prospective client at Starbucks - not my favorite coffee, but she chose it and I’m nothing if I’m not flexible!  I choose to have a Berry Hibiscus drink - super refreshing and a bit of caffeine to keep me going!  She orders coffee and looks nervous!  I can fix that - just give me 5 minutes with her!

We talk for 30 minutes or so, and she decides that she wants to work with me.  I’ve gone over the options she has and she decides to get a few friends together and do a group coaching program.  Those are fun!  When the client brings her own friends in, she has an immediate, built in support system, in addition to the private Facebook page I create for them.  I love my job!!!

So now it’s time head home.  I want to have an hour or so to take my dog for a walk before I relax for the evening.  She loves and needs the walk.  She’s a little on the chubby side and I’m trying  hard not to be a little on the chubby side!

I have just enough time for a quick shower before I meet a friend for dinner.  We are going to Nick and Sam’s for dinner tonight.  It’s my favorite restaurant and I usually save it for special occasions.  There's no real occasion tonight, but I’m happy to go there and have a bit of Caviar and Champagne before dinner!

I put on a pretty black Diane Von Furstenburg wrap dress and some pretty, strappy sandals that I found on sale at Neiman’s!  I think this dress needs to be adorned with diamonds, so I put on all of the diamonds I have!  At least a lot of them!  Dinner is outstanding, as always!  I alway feel so spoiled when I go to Nick and Sam's!

When I get home, I'm pretty sleepy!  I put on some nice music in my bathroom - I’ve always loved music, and I have some special playlists.  One for my AM Rituals and one for my PM Rituals.

I take my time, getting ready for bed.  I put a comfy little nightgown on - white of course - brush out my hair and apply the hideously expensive LeMetier Skin Care products that I love so much!  Then head straight to bed.  I love to read before going to sleep.  I’m reading Gone With The Wind for the 100th time.  I love it!  I’m sure I’ll get a chapter or two in before I fall asleep.

It’s a beautiful life I have and I am grateful for every silly second of it.  I am thankful that my past - now THERE’S a story - has brought me to where I am.  Content, peaceful, purposeful and in love with my calm, elegant life.

Oh!  Tomorrow I'm going to plan my next vacation!  I’m thinking London - we’ll see!  And I'll keep you posted!

Good night my love!
Donna
Don't for get to leave your comments below!http://www.brilliancefactor.com/brilliance-blog.html

My Perfect Day - Let's review where we're at!

My Perfect Day  ........   

I believe it is SO important to become clear about what you would want your perfect day to look like.  So clear that is feels as though you are living the life you want to live RIGHT NOW.  Honestly, I think it is VITAL.  If you can clearly describe your perfect day, you can begin to pull pieces of that perfection into the life you're living right this moment!   I learned this from one of my greatest mentors, Tonya Leigh Rising.  

Do yourself a favor and check her out!  WWW.TONYALEIGH.COM

Here is an example:  If part of my perfect day is listening to music while I get ready for work, or while I have my morning coffee, I can begin NOW to add that music to my morning rather than waiting for life my to be perfect.  Why wait???   Why not make it work NOW???  I guarantee you that if you give this a try you'll start to feel significant changes in your daily life, which will impact your level of BRILLIANCE right away!  You brilliant thing, you!!!

And I'll admit this to you, I didn't get it at first.  But once I really took the time to stop and think about the life I wanted to live, put it into words, and then gradually into ACTION, I fell madly in love with my life!

So take a few minutes to think about your ideal life and do some writing of your own!  Write it in the present tense, just like it already exists for you!  And as always, leave me a comment at the end.  I'd love to hear how you're going to live and love your BRILLIANT life!

To help get you started, let me share with you MY PERFECT DAY:

"Today is my absolute perfect day.  I woke up around 9:00 am.  I am a night owl, so I need to sleep until 9:00.

My home is light and airy with sheer curtains billowing in the breeze, on all of the windows.  It is clean and uncluttered.  I have decorated with a lot of white.  I just love the clean feeling of white!  White bed, white sheets, white walls, white blankets!  All clean and luxurious!  I keep my white Frette  pajamas on as long as I can, until I have to dress for my day.   Tres chic et tres luxe!

I had my coffee this morning outside.  I do that as often as I can, depending upon the weather.  It gets hot in Texas, sometimes very early in the day!  I keep the outside living area nice and clean as well, so I can go out anytime I want to.  Sometimes I eat breakfast out there if I'm hungry, but today it is just the coffee.

Today I am going to spend some time working on my weekly blog post.  It’s Sunday and I like to get it posted Sunday night for everyone to read on Monday morning.  I really only work about 6 or so hours per day.  It’s so different from the Retail craziness I used to live!  I spend about 2 hours writing and then I get dressed because today I’m meeting a potential new coaching client to talk with and see if we’re a fit for each other.

As I get dressed, I realize that yes, I’m still wearing my all black uniform!  I dress like a French woman.  Simplicity is key, and then I add my personality by choosing the accessories - scarf, bag, shoes.  It’s become my trademark!  Black during the day and white at night!  I love it!  In my closet, my wardrobe looks like salt and pepper!  The only color I see is on my scarf hangers and on my handbag shelf!  It’s super clean looking and everything is meticulously organized.  I have always hated digging through piles of clothes and shoes!  It took me quite a while to figure out that simplicity works very well for me.

After I get my makeup on - not so simple, but I’m pretty fast at the application process - I give myself a few sprays of my signature fragrance and I’m ready to go!  EVERYONE asks me what fragrance I wear and I will not tell a soul!  One time, I told someone it was a scent I had custom made for me in Paris!  I know I shouldn’t lie, but a girl doesn’t want anyone else wearing her signature scent now, does she?

Back to my best day ever:  TODAY!

I am leaving now to meet my prospective client at Starbucks - not my favorite coffee, but she chose it and I’m nothing if I’m not flexible!  I choose to have a Berry Hibiscus drink - super refreshing and a bit of caffeine to keep me going!  She orders coffee and looks nervous!  I can fix that - just give me 5 minutes with her!

We talk for 30 minutes or so, and she decides that she wants to work with me.  I’ve gone over the options she has and she decides to get a few friends together and do a group coaching program.  Those are fun!  When the client brings her own friends in, she has an immediate, built in support system, in addition to the private Facebook page I create for them.  I love my job!!!

So now it’s time head home.  I want to have an hour or so to take my dog for a walk before I relax for the evening.  She loves and needs the walk.  She’s a little on the chubby side and I’m trying  hard not to be a little on the chubby side!

I have just enough time for a quick shower before I meet a friend for dinner.  We are going to Nick and Sam’s for dinner tonight.  It’s my favorite restaurant and I usually save it for special occasions.  There's no real occasion tonight, but I’m happy to go there and have a bit of Caviar and Champagne before dinner!

I put on a pretty black Diane Von Furstenburg wrap dress and some pretty, strappy sandals that I found on sale at Neiman’s!  I think this dress needs to be adorned with diamonds, so I put on all of the diamonds I have!  At least a lot of them!  Dinner is outstanding, as always!  I alway feel so spoiled when I go to Nick and Sam's!

When I get home, I'm pretty sleepy!  I put on some nice music in my bathroom - I’ve always loved music, and I have some special playlists.  One for my AM Rituals and one for my PM Rituals.

I take my time, getting ready for bed.  I put a comfy little nightgown on - white of course - brush out my hair and apply the hideously expensive LeMetier Skin Care products that I love so much!  Then head straight to bed.  I love to read before going to sleep.  I’m reading Gone With The Wind for the 100th time.  I love it!  I’m sure I’ll get a chapter or two in before I fall asleep.

It’s a beautiful life I have and I am grateful for every silly second of it.  I am thankful that my past - now THERE’S a story - has brought me to where I am.  Content, peaceful, purposeful and in love with my calm, elegant life.

Oh!  Tomorrow I'm going to plan my next vacation!  I’m thinking London - we’ll see!  And I'll keep you posted!

Good night my love!
Donna
Don't for get to leave your comments below!

A gift from me!!

Hello my loves!!  One more time!!   Get the fabulous 365 Brilliant Days Planner before January ends, and you'll receive a great surprise from me!!  Want to know what the surprise is??