Today was a special and very rare day (it will be several days ago by the time you read this, but that is unimportant).

Did I win the lottery? Was a new grandchild born? Did my hair suddenly stop being grey?

No, none of these things. But I got all the things on my to-do list done. That is a rare event.

And rather pleasing.

Lists

I don’t know about you, but I am always making to-do lists. I used to do it because it was so wonderful when I could cross something off (and I would get very annoyed if I completed some task, only to discover that it wasn’t on a list).

Now I make lists as I am increasingly forgetful, and my lists sit on my desk where I can’t miss them. I worry that if I don’t have it written down, I might miss something important.

Why more than one? The simple answer is that I scrawl all over everything and, in the end, one list is a mess, so I start another one. Sometimes, I try to combine them, but that never lasts long.

And sometimes, I try to separate the home list from the work list, but even that gets into a tangle, as there is a certain amount of crossover.

What Is on a List?

Anything and everything. Running a home ­– even for two people – seems to involve encountering an awful lot of problems.

There was a Mastercard bill that I paid but was returned to my bank. Why? How to stop it happening again?

Phone calls to banks and the equivalent take ages these days. There is a consistent message, at least in England, to the effect that “call volumes are unusually high at the moment” to explain long waiting times.

When I finally got through to Mastercard – and, more amazingly, to an actual breathing person – I was told by way of explanation that there had been a ‘glitch’ as if this were a technical term that explained anything.

But I got to the bottom of it and that was one thing solved.

My email was down. This doesn’t happen often but is incredibly annoying when it does. It seemed that, due to some new rule, I had to prove that I was a real person by uploading a photo of my driving license. Not easy, but I managed to do it successfully.

An important App wasn’t working on my phone. I asked various people and then realised that I could re-set it by deleting it and downloading it. Yes, fixed again.

And finally, the ‘contact us’ message on my website wasn’t working for my email, so the only way interested people could contact me was via the email of the manager of the site. But he finally found a way around this, and I am now contactable. You can try if you like.

All these are boring – you really should not be interested.

Completing Lists

But I will let you share my pleasure at getting loads of little things done. You feel so free. Rather like when you finished your exams, whether as a teenager or much later.

A weight is lifted. Your jobs are done.

For the moment.

If you haven’t filled out our quick annual survey, please take a moment to do it. We will really appreciate your input!

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Do you keep one or more to-do lists? Do you get great pleasure from crossing off jobs that have been done? If you don’t do lists, how do you keep track of everything you need to do in a day?

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Pssssst—there’s truly no better time to stockpile your skincare collection than right now while holiday sales are booming. In case you haven’t heard, there are so many rare discounts happening across the internet this week, including on Amazon. While time may be ticking, the retailer still has a secret sale selection available now, which includes a top-selling retinol eye cream that’s down to less than $19: the RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream. 

There’s a reason the treatment is a number one seller with countless perfect ratings: Reviewers say the fast-acting formula provides ‘truly impressive’ results on even their deepest, most stubborn wrinkles. That’s not all—it also combats dark circles and puffiness so well, shoppers are forgoing concealer applications.

Courtesy of Amazon

“Best eye cream I’ve ever tried, hands down,” said one. “I’ve tested a bunch and this one doesn’t burn my skin and I feel like it has helped fade wrinkles and keep skin hydrated. I’m 29 and started seeing soft shallow lines on the corners of my eyes a couple of years ago—I can’t find those lines anymore, after a year of using this.”

The anti-aging treatment leans on RoC’s own retinol complex to provide “dramatic results” while remaining gentle on the delicate area around the eyes. According to the brand, the dermatologist-tested cream has been clinically proven to visibly brighten and plump tired eyes within four weeks of use. What’s more, it’s perfectly safe for use on sensitive skin, since it’s non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic. 

Just take more of its fan’s words for it: “This has been the only product which has been able to impact my baggie under-eyes,” said one. “After many years of allergies, little sleep, lots of sun, and basically not taking care of my skin, I started using products to try to deal with the bags under my eyes. I figured after years of damage and carelessness, it would take years to make a difference with any over-the-counter product. Surprisingly, my wife and I noticed a tightening of the skin under my eyes within the first couple of weeks.”

RELATED: This Fast-Acting Cream Transforms Aging Skin So Well, Shoppers Are Skipping Foundation

Pair the firming eye treatment with other bestsellers from the brand, including the Sarah Jessica Parker-loved hyaluronic acid moisturizer and night serum capsules (which are also on sale). With all three in your arsenal, you’ll no doubt have the perfect nighttime routine down. 

The RoC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream is down to just $19 at Amazon.

Whitney Rose’s Blue Crochet Striped Set in San Diego

Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 3 Episode 11 Fashion

Whitney Rose looked absolutely adorable in the blue crochet striped skirt set she wore during the beach day on last night’s episode of RHOSLC. Which as it turns out for only $17.99 (!) is actually the most affordable look we’ve seen this season, no contest. 

Fashionably,

Faryn

Click Here to Shop Her Set on Amazon

Originally posted at: Whitney Rose’s Blue Crochet Striped Set

December is a good time for an annual review and also a good time to reevaluate that you are doing all that you can do to bring joy into your life. Discovering and claiming our passion is about knowing what we love doing.

When you’ve identified a life passion, you’re led to feelings of bliss, or the natural direction to take in order to maximize your sense of fulfillment. Finding your bliss or your calling is about bringing into your life all those things that bring out your potential and help you live your life to the fullest.

Finding and Developing Your Passion

Once you open your eyes and are aware of your bliss, opportunities begin to emerge because the universe hears your desires. For years, I’ve known that my bliss revolved around writing. I knew this because whenever people asked me when I felt my best, I always responded by saying, “When I’m writing.” This is true whether I’m crafting poems, blogs, essays, or books.

Sometimes life passions are established early in life and might be in response to childhood experiences. Perhaps the experience was a joyful one; or maybe it was related to trauma or pain as a result of loss, abandonment, being orphaned, or being severely hurt physically or emotionally.

Not everybody responds to challenging situations in the same way, and it is not so much the experiences you had that matter, but how you reacted to them, and the effect they had on your life.

Writing to Cope

My life provides a good example. My maternal grandmother lived with us and was my caretaker. When I was 10, she took her life in her bedroom, which was next to mine. To help me cope with my grief, my mother bought me a journal and told me to write down my feelings.

I’d sit writing for hours on end. The experience taught me that writing heals, and that our early childhood rituals and hobbies can be a clue to our capacity for joy later in life.

Now, more than five decades later, my journal continues to be a place where I go to share my innermost sentiments and feelings. Journaling about losing my grandmother transitioned into journaling about my turbulent teen years, raising a difficult daughter, and two cancer diagnoses.

When people remark that they’re unhappy and feeling somewhat lost, I typically ask them, “What brought you joy or bliss as a child?” They’re often surprised to be asked this question, and it’s interesting to watch smiles spread across their faces.

They stop and reflect, and then I ask whether they’ve ever thought of revisiting their childhood passions as I believe that our childhoods hold the keys to our life passions and who we become as adults.

Finding Encouragement for Your Passions

As a child, I was inspired to read and write. Children’s passions are reinforced by the adults around them. In school and at home, I received accolades for my writing. This encouraged me to write even more. Thus, the creative spark was nurtured early on.

Now, as a parent to three adult children and five grandchildren, I’m constantly noticing what brings them joy, and I wonder how it will translate into their lives as a whole. Sometimes it’s a good idea to look back to our childhoods and think about those times when we received praise and encouragement, and then determine if that’s where our bliss may lie.

Wondering About Life Purpose

When we’re at a crossroads in our lives, we might stop to ask ourselves about our overall purpose and destiny and how to discover what that is. These are sacred and awakening questions that encourage transformation and compel us to examine what matters most to us.

Some people know from an early age what they want to do when they grow up, while others might flounder as they try to find their callings. There are different terms to explain the idea of a calling in life. The Romans called it genius, the Greeks called it the daimon, and the Christians called it the guardian angel.

Psychologist James Hillman used even more words to describe one’s sense of calling, such as fate, character, image, soul, and destiny, depending upon the context.

For me, joy emerges when I’m writing. As I put pen to paper, there are higher forces that speak to me, and sometimes I enter a trance – I transcend universes where the deepest of creative forces are at play.

Teaching Others

When I studied psychology in graduate school, I learned that those who are deeply passionate about something have an urgent need to make a change in the world or to serve humanity. They’re possessed by their passion. Mine was teaching others through writing.

Many of the students in my writing workshops are at a crossroads in their lives. I remind them to journal regularly to identify their passions. One of the first prompts I give participants is to write about important memories from their childhoods. Most often they write about life-changing events.

The second prompt is to write about what brought them joy as a child. Sometimes, but not always, this sense of joy is connected to what might bring them happiness as an adult. Perhaps a lived experience from childhood served as a springboard for a life passion, profession, or theme.

Certainly, this was the case for me. My students inspired me to write my book, Writing for Bliss, which is a good holiday gift for yourself or someone you love.

Here are some ways to discover your passion – what really makes your heart sing:

1.            Think about what your natural talents are, or what you love to do.

2.            Surround yourself with like-minded individuals whose ideas and passions resonate with you.

3.            Be mindful about what annoys you and what makes you happy.

4.            Think about an activity where you lose track of time. Chances are it’s connected with a passion.

5.            Maintain a clear and open emotional state by engaging in self-care through meditation, exercise, spending time in nature, and setting intentions.

6.            Think about your favorite movies and books and the common threads that run through each. They might be connected to your life passion.

Doing what we were meant to do with our lives can lead to a sense of bliss, which may be about releasing habits, situations, and relationships that no longer serve us and replacing them with those that do. Finding our calling is about bringing into our lives all those things that bring out our potential and help us live life to the fullest.

Please help us improve Sixty and Me by filling out our quick annual survey.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Have you found your life passion? How did you find it? Is it something you enjoyed and gave you bliss in your childhood? What or who has helped you develop your passion?

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, STYLECASTER may receive an affiliate commission.

The old Vanessa can’t come to the phone right now…she turned herself into Lady Gaga. Vanessa Hudgens surprised everyone with a totally new look on Tuesday, showing off platinum blonde hair and bleached eyebrows. “Who even is she,” she captioned the photo. We’re asking the same thing.

Though it’s pretty obvious Hudgens is wearing a wig, it’s hard to fake bleached brows without them looking cakey from tons of concealer. These brows look real since they’re a very light brown color that comes from a round or two of bleach and a good toner. Her eyes are cat-like and lined with black eyeliner and she’s wearing a matte red lip. With stacked gold chokers and a leather jacket, she’s resembling Lady Gaga. And we’re not the only ones who think so.

“The Gaga Switch,” wrote @skincarenewsletter. “Haus of Hudgens,” commented photographer Vince Rossi. “Lady Gaga in hotel AHS,” said @sasasasamantha. Fan @greta_stta even said what we’re all thinking: “When your obsession as a teen was Vanessa hudgens and Lady Gaga, and now Vanessa decided to dress up as Lady Gaga.”

Source: Instagram

We’re not sure why Hudgens is cosplaying as Lady Gaga or if she even is. The blonde hair and brows might be for a role. Maybe there will be a The Princess Switch 4 movie? Netflix never announced it but hey, a girl can dream. As of right now, Hudgens is just posting about something much more important, the tragic death of tWitch, whose real name is Stephen Laurel Boss. She shared an image of the dancer and DJ to her Instagram story with a broken heart emoji. One swipe through any social media platform and you’ll see he touched just about everyone.

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. Call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for free, confidential support.