I remember it well – the mood swings, the hot flashes. One day I am elated with
life, enjoying every moment. The following day could find me on the verge of
biting a loved one’s head off, or in tears because my dinner didn’t turn out as
expected.

Hormonal Swings

Reading the weather
report, I would dress appropriately for the day ahead. Then my internal
thermometer would change on a dime, finding me overdressed for a bitterly cold
ski day.

I bask in the
warmth of the good days, knowing that the feel good hormones – dopamine and oxytocin –are
released and my other hormones (what are left of them) are in balance.

I also need to manage
my way through the tough stuff – keeping my eye on the light at the end of the
tunnel, knowing that “this too, shall pass.”

The same can be said
of the current markets. They are called “market cycles” for a reason. Politics,
health scares – the markets are once again experiencing hormonal swings.

We can make wise
decisions to manage and muddle through when we are in the midst of uncertainty,
uncomfortableness, and unchartered territory –
with our anatomical changes or our monetary mindsets.

Many of the same
techniques we use to reconcile with our changing physical season of life can be
applied to our evolving financial environment. When “the change” is upon us,
consider these four ways to handle it:

Take a Deep Breath

In through your
nose, out through your mouth. Focus on what is on the other side. Keep an eye
on your authentic financial identity and stay true to the course of your unique
version of true wealth. You want to stay pro-active and not reactive.

Look at your assets from a holistic perspective, not just your investment accounts. Do you have equity in your home? Do you have savings accounts? Are you taking income from Social Security or from a pension?

Focus on gratitude
for what you do have – from character assets to your financial assets. A daily
gratitude journal can shift your perspective on what is going on in the world
around you.

Manage the Mental Fog

Challenge your
brain and learn something new about your monetary life. It may be around your
changing identity as you move from the work world to this new season of life or
experienced other life transitions.

You could learn
about cash flow, investments, or economics. You could look into the field of
behavioral economics which deals with how our brains work on money (fascinating
stuff).

Start a book club
and discuss monthly financial topics. How about a “women who wine” group (an oxymoron).
Gather some friends, pour a glass, and create a positive, supportive
environment to talk about money.

Avoid the Triggers

For me, physically,
I know that alcohol now triggers my migraines – so I stay away from it (bummer).
What triggers do you need to stay away from when it comes to the markets?

It won’t be easy. Turn
off the barrage of news. You want to make informed decisions, but if anxiety
starts creeping in, turn it off. Stick to your plan.

Don’t have a plan? Make
one! You will be empowered by understanding where you are and what your options
are moving forward in creating a life of no regrets.

Talk to your advisor and revisit your distribution strategy as well as your portfolio. Recognize when you are tired, stressed, hungry, angry. Any of these emotions can trigger poor financial decisions.

Be Intentional

We have choices
about what we put into our body and how we keep it engaged and active – doing
the best we can with what we have. We have choices with how we use our money so
choose wisely.

Review your
spending plan. Be discerning about spending on a “soul need” and avoid
succumbing to an “ego desire.” Tell your money where to go instead of asking
where it went.

In your portfolios,
make sure you own companies that align with your principles and stay away from
investments that don’t. With this monetary mindfulness, you will more likely stay
the course.

It is always easier
to prepare than repair. I know that my constitution is changing. I know that
market cycles are a part of my comprehensive financial life.

The more I can
anticipate the changes I will experience and skillfully tap into the resources
available to me (physically, relationally, emotionally, spiritually,
financially), the better I can manage my expectations and weather the storms.

I will know what I
can control and do something. With what is outside of my control, I will hold
lightly so that it will not weigh my mind and spirit down.

How do the
market cycles affect you – financially, spiritually, emotionally and
relationally? What do you do to keep steady? Please share your thoughts with
our community!

There’s no question that for our
makeup to look its best, our skin has to look its best. We all know the four essential
care practices for great skin, something I call “the familiar four” – cleansing, exfoliating, hydrating or moisturizing, and
protecting. But can we make them more effective? Absolutely!

We can also add two more practices that can make a huge difference for our skin. Finally, I’ll conclude with a rundown of five skincare products that you may not be as familiar with that can dramatically improve our mature skin.

Check with your dermatologist regarding any skincare routine or products you plan to try.

Products Mentioned

• Clarisonic Mia Smart Cleansing Brush
• The Age Fix by Dr. Anthony Youn
• Exfoliating Polish or Paste, for example, Tatcha The Deep Polish Rice Enzyme Powder
• Gold Botanical Tinted Face Sunscreen – SPF 50
• Timeless 20% C+E+Ferulic Acid Serum
• Timeless Coenzyme Q10 Serum
• Timeless Matrixyl Synthe 6 Serum
• Timeless Hyaluronic Acid
• The Ordinary Niacinamide

Why Cleansing Is So Important – And How to Do It Even Better

It’s absolutely essential to do a good
job cleansing your skin or none of the wonderful skincare products in the world are going to effectively penetrate
the skin and do their best work – which really defeats the purpose of
using them.

And let’s face it; skincare products
are expensive, so we want to get the
greatest possible benefit from them.

Cleansing, of course, removes makeup,
debris, and dead skin cells – but it may be surprising to know that
the way we usually cleanse our skin may not be as effective as we might think.

Recently, after having worn makeup all
day, I washed my face by lathering generously using my favorite cleanser,
thoroughly rinsed with water, and used a washcloth. Then I took a cotton pad
with micellar water on it and rubbed it over my face. I was quite shocked by
how much came off on that cotton pad!

If you’ve noticed the same thing when
cleansing your face, you may want to consider checking out a product that can
get your skin six times cleaner compared to doing it manually: a sonic
cleansing brush.

There are a number of different sonic
cleansing brushes on the market at varying price points, and many of them come
with different brushes to suit particular skin types.

Whether you do or don’t use a sonic
cleansing brush, it’s critical to always thoroughly cleanse your skin at night because
this is when your skin regenerates and repairs itself.

Be sure to check out Elise’s new YouTube channel which
specifically focuses on makeup tips, techniques, and product reviews for those
of us 50+. And don’t forget to subscribe!

Why Exfoliating Our Skin Regularly Can Make a Big Difference

The most common cause of dull
complexions is a decreased rate of cell turnover. When we’re younger, our rate
of skin cell turnover is every 6–8 weeks. As we get older, this rate
changes to every 10–14 weeks.

Exfoliation helps the skin look its
freshest by refining the surface and restoring its natural radiance. Removing
dead skin cells creates a smoother, brighter complexion.

Exfoliation also allows better
penetration of treatment products and moisturizers, stimulates the production
of new collagen fibers and reverses the thinning of the collagen.

It’s best to exfoliate a minimum of
twice a week. I recently got lazy and went a number of weeks without
exfoliating my skin. When I decided to get back into my exfoliating routine, I
was shocked. When I looked in the mirror after exfoliating my skin, it honestly
looked a couple shades lighter!

Why Hydrating and Moisturizing Are So Vital

Our body loses 5–7 pints of fluid a day, and that fluid needs to be replaced. Hydrated
skin looks plumper and more youthful. So be sure to drink water!

Moisturizers deliver water to the skin,
temporarily plump up fine lines, smooth and soften the appearance of our skin,
and lock in the water that is already there. And be sure to use an oil-free
moisturizer if you have normal or oily skin; use a more enriched formula if you
have dry skin.

Protecting Our Skin Is a Must!

Nothing will help you avoid sun damage
and wrinkles more than using a daily sunblock or sunscreen. If you are using a
chemical sunscreen, apply it 30 minutes before going outside. If you’ll be
spending considerable time outside, use a sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 30. And
don’t forget the lip balm.

Additional Dermatologist Approved Care

Dermatologists and plastic surgeons agree
that the product that helps us the most with fine lines is a retinol product
(Vitamin A derivative). You can buy prescription strength products from your
dermatologist, but there are many over-the-counter drugstore brands as well.

However, drugstore brands aren’t
required to list the percentage of retinol that is in the product, so there’s
no way of knowing how much retinol the product actually contains.

If you use any of these products,
start by applying just a small amount first to see how well your skin tolerates
it. Too much of the product can cause redness and skin flaking.

IMPORTANT: Vitamin A (any retinol product, really) increases your sensitivity to the sun, so it’s extremely important to wear sunscreen when you’re using it or you can damage your skin.

The Most Important Thing We Can
Do for Our Skin

By far the most important thing we can
do for our skin is to eat a healthy diet with an emphasis on fruits,
vegetables, whole grains, and unprocessed foods.

And there’s one food we consume that
pretty much equals wrinkles. Any guesses as to what it is? If you said sugar,
you’re right.

But the good news is that red wine (in
moderation) and at least 70% cacao dark chocolate have been shown to be good
for us.

5 Very Helpful Skincare Products

CE Ferulic Acid
Serum

This serum is composed of Vitamins C and E plus Ferulic Acid. In addition to antioxidant protective benefits, C E Ferulic Acid serum improves signs of aging and photo damage to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles while firming and brightening our complexions.

Timeless 20% C+E+Ferulic Acid Serum

Coenzyme Q10 Serum

As we get older, we lose CoQ10 in the skin which
reduces the skin’s ability to produce collagen and elastin. Collagen is
important because it makes your skin firm, while elastin gives your skin
flexibility. The loss of collagen and elastin results in increased sagging and
wrinkling.

By using topical CoQ10, it’s possible to help fight the signs of aging. It penetrates deeply into the skin to provide antioxidants and to help create collagen and elastin.

Timeless Coenzyme Q10 Serum

Matrixyl Synthe 6
Serum

This powerful wrinkle-reducing peptide boosts the synthesis of six skin-rebuilding essentials, including collagen and elastin. Most interestingly, as it begins to smooth the appearance of wrinkles, Matrixyl Synthe 6 also signals the skin to produce more of thecells that keep it looking healthy.

Timeless Matrixyl Synthe 6 Serum

Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid binds to water to help retain
moisture. However, the natural aging process and exposure to things like
ultraviolet radiation from the sun, tobacco smoke, and pollution can decrease
the amount of hyaluronic acid in the skin.

When applied to the surface of the skin, hyaluronic acid serums can reduce wrinkles, redness, and dermatitis.

Timeless Hyaluronic Acid

Niacinamide

Niacinamide is a water-soluble vitamin that works
with the natural substances in the skin to help visibly improve enlarged pores,
uneven skin tone, fine lines and wrinkles, and dullness.

It also reduces the impact of environmental damage because of its ability to improve the skin’s barrier and helps the skin to repair signs of past damage.

The Ordinary Niacinamide

How has your skincare routine changed over the
years? What types of products do you find most effective for your skin now? Are
there any new products you’re thinking of trying? Please share with our
community!