10 Steps to Help You Plan to Achieve What’s on Your Bucket List

Posted by Admin01 | Jun 3, 2020 | Hair care |

We all have a mental “bucket list” that includes all those things we want to do, places we want to visit, people we want to meet before we die.

The fact that these items are on our “bucket list” indicates they mean something to us. Likely, they are the very things that would further enrich our lives. But we often wait until disaster strikes to make actual plans to achieve the items on our bucket list.

I recently had a chance to talk with someone who is living her “bucket list.” At 26, Rebekah Erickson’s achieved what most of us would not, even in a lifetime.

Sky diving in Portugal, volunteering in Nigeria, pursuing a double Master’s in Europe, and riding through the Sahara Desert by camel, surfing in Morocco. All within a year! These were just some of the dreams on her bucket list that she can now say she has done.

What’s on Your Bucket List?

Going to art school, traveling to Morocco, launching as a stand-up comedian, completing a Ph.D., publishing a novel, setting up your own business… What do you desire to do, experience, or have that would make life feel a little more abundant or more meaningful?

Here are 10 steps that can help turn your dreams into reality.

Create the List

Let your imagination loose. It may take a while to write down all that you desire but don’t let it stop you. Give yourself permission to dream.

More than Your Goals, Know Your Outcomes

You must be clear about the outcomes you are hoping to achieve. If you want to go back to school for a degree – what degree would that be?

Be Specific About Your “Why”

How does that item on your bucket list fuel your passion? If it’s a writing retreat, why this particular one? What is pulling you there? Is it the traveling or the writing?

Create a Timeline for Your Goals

Have a clear vision whether each of your bucket list items should be complete in three years, five years, or beyond. Your time horizon will dictate how you should invest.

If you have long-term financial goals – e.g., those you hope to achieve in 10 years’ time – you may get a better bang for your buck by investing in the stock market instead of a bank account.

Set a Priority Table

Pick three goals that resonate most deeply for you, not in terms of what is “important” but also what will enrich your life most. It may mean delaying the last payment on your mortgage to go on that Safari trip you have wanted to do.

It does not mean you are ignoring the rest. It just means that you are choosing to focus on the goals that mean the most to you.

What Would Those Three Goals Cost?

If you’re hoping to complete your degree in fine arts, find out how much it would cost to do that. Do your homework and be as accurate as possible.

Find Our Your Dedication Level

How much time or money are you willing to devote to achieving this goal? A dream remains a wish until you show a firm commitment by doing something to achieve it. Separate items that are mere “wishes” from what is a burning desire. Focus on the latter!

Set Time Aside for That Particular Dream

If it’s a goal you plan to achieve in five years, then divide required time by 60 (60 months over five years).

If you want to run your first marathon, diarize how often you will be practicing each week. It’s unlikely you’ll do the entire length at the first practice. Pace yourself. Start with five kilometers at the first go and work your way up from there.

Automate Your Savings

Save a set amount towards an item on your bucket list. Have this done on the days you receive your paycheck.

Many apps can help you keep track of your money, and some go a step further and help you save! The Digit app is great at keeping track of your expenses. You can also set it to make regular transfers of money towards your goals.

For long-term goals, meet with a financial advisor. They will be able to tell you what investments you need for long-term goals. Instead of spending money on incidentals or succumbing to compulsive shopping, be intentional. Direct a part of your income to items on your bucket list.

If what you’re hoping to achieve requires regular practice, then make it a regular habit.

Keep Track of Your Achievements

Celebrate once you’ve achieved that goal! And start planning for the next item on your bucket list. By now I’m sure you don’t want to wait another minute.

Do you have a bucket list? How many items have you achieved by this point in your life? How many more are there? What are you planning to do to mark them DONE? Please share with our community!

8 Skinfluencers You Need to Follow on TikTok

Posted by Admin01 | Jun 3, 2020 | Hair care |

There was a time when beauty vloggers were only on YouTube. Then came Instagram and now, TikTok seems to be the place to be if you’re a content creator in beauty. Skincare has come out as one of the most popular categories in beauty on the platform, creating TikTok skincare trends from a new type of beauty vlogger: the skinfluencer. Now, just like fashion or fitness influencers, not all skinfluencers know their stuff. In fact, some spread some iffy information and speak down to the pros. But this just makes the really good skinfluencers stand out from the pack.

One thing that’s so amazing about skinfluencers is how they come in all sizes, skin tones, ages and genders. You don’t have to have perfect skin or a fab life to break down skincare for the masses. These eight TikTokers rely on what they’ve learned from their own routines plus science-backed research. There’s no pseudoscience here. In fact, you’ll learn from them how terrible essential oils and fragrances are for your skin and how celebrities might not have your best interests at heart. (Oops.)

Because it’s TikTok, you’ll laugh right along with them—especially when they get a little shady. (We love it.) Of course, this isn’t an extensive list and there are many more knowledgable skincare vloggers. But if you’re going to start somewhere, open TikTok and hit that follow button. Don’t blame us when you’re up till 2 a.m. still scrolling through Vi’s hilarious product reviews or Hyram’s skincare duets with fans.

@J.C.Dombrowski

J.C. is a Marine Biology student who educates his 2.5 million followers on everything from ocean animals, to how our skin ages to the worst celebrity skincare brands (oops). He loves The Ordinary so if you’re a fan, follow for awesome tips.

@Whatsonvisface

Vi is your “SPF mom” who will tell it like it is and not feel bad about it. Her hilarious videos will make you think twice about dropping $100 on sunscreen that probably costs $1 to make. She breaks down ingredients in a way that makes sense and teams up with derms for more expert advice.

@Benneiley

This recent NYU grad went from having severe acne to gorgeous skin and he helps his 105k followers get clear skin, too. He answers questions (Is it bad to wash your face in the shower?) and breaks down popular skincare trends that could be harmful to your skin.

@Katyaniomi

We love the way this new skinfluencer tries out celebrity tips, such as Hailey Bieber‘s lip mask, and gives “the real tea” on common skincare myths.

@Thruhelenslens

Helen is your “K-beauty BFF” so follow her if you can’t get enough of the stuff. We love the way she shows how affordable Korean products have just as stellar, if not better, ingredients than many luxury ones.

@208skindoc

One of the most popular dermatologists on Instagram often teams up with our favorite skinfluencers to answer fan questions. He breaks down why you need SPF in the car and on cloudy days and gives clutch science-backed advice.

@Glowpedia

For product dupes, Target hauls and aesthetically pleasing videos of close-up skincare texture, Alexa is your girl.

@SkincarebyHyram

Hyram is one of the most popular skinfluencers out there, with 2.5 million followers and some rabid fans. He’s also huge on YouTube, where he collaborates with celebs (Karlie Kloss!) and breaks down ingredients in popular skincare. We especially love when he duets with other TikTokers and gives positive, but constructive, feedback on their skincare routines.

Stop, Drop, and Breathe: How to Turn the Tables on Relentless Stress

Posted by Admin01 | Jun 3, 2020 | Hair care |

There’s a slogan we’ve been told to remember if our clothes catch on fire: Stop, Drop, and Roll.

Stop Where You Are

Running does not put out the fire. In fact, it does the opposite; it adds oxygen. By running, you’re literally ‘fanning the flames!’

Drop to the Ground

Lie down and cover your face with your hands.Your body will smother part of the fire against the ground. Since fire burns upward, dropping to a horizontal position keeps the fire from engulfing you.

Roll Over and Over

Keep rolling your body back and forth until all the flames are smothered against the ground and the fire is completely out.

“Catching on fire” is a good metaphor for being overwhelmed by stress. When we are in a stressful situation, our energy moves up into our head (like fire burns upward) and moves faster (like trying to run away in panic).

It feels like we’re totally in our heads with thoughts racing. In a way, our brain has caught fire!

Stress Affects Our Mind Like Fire

In times of crisis, stress can be so relentless that we don’t recognize its impact on our state of being. It’s like not realizing your clothes are on fire!

Here’s a similar slogan you can remember to help put out the stress-fire: Stop, Drop, and Breathe.

Stop What You’re Doing

Running around, chasing your own tail, only fans the stress-fire flames. Cut your mental momentum with a sudden stop.

Drop Your Thoughts

Stop what you’re thinking about, the whole story line, and let your mind drop deep into your body, to the core of your torso if you can. Getting out of your head and into your body starts to smother the stress-flames.

Breathe Deeply and Slowly

Feel the movement of your lower torso as the breath flows in and out. The breath rolls in and out, back and forth, until the stress-fire is extinguished.

Seven to ten full, deep breaths (that take less than a minute) are often enough to tamp down the stress-fire. With practice, you can do pretty well with three breaths. Sometimes even one breath is helpful to create a break in the momentum of your stressful thinking and activity.

With even more practice, you can learn to take a big step in regaining your equilibrium in just one breath.

The Great Interrupter

One of my students asked, “But my mental speed and momentum don’t seem to have any gaps. What can I do to remember to Stop, Drop, and Breathe?”

Good question! In Zen monasteries, each day someone has the job of ringing the great temple bell to call everyone to meditation. But the person is also told to ring the bell at several random times during the day.

Upon hearing the bell, everyone in the monastery stops what they are doing, drops the story line of their thinking, and takes at least seven full, deep breaths before they go back to their tasks.

Breathing Prompts and Reverse Meditation

We don’t live in monasteries with temple bells, but we do get signals at random times throughout the day, such as our phones’ ringtones. Unfortunately, our response when we hear the ringtone of a call or text is the knee-jerk stress reaction of a scramble for the phone.

Ringtone

Here’s the great switcheroo: Your ringtone can be your “temple bell” There is a term for this in the mindfulness tradition: reverse meditation. You are reversing what is usually a cause for stress and turning it into an opportunity for a meditative moment.

Whenever you hear the ringtone of a phone call or beep of a text: Stop, Drop, and Breathe. You can certainly take one full, deep breath (maybe two or three) before answering a call. And a text doesn’t require you to instantly respond (though some people think so!), leaving you time for as many breaths as you feel you need right then.

Computer Sounds

There are more “temple bell” signals than just calls and texts. Sounds and pop-ups from emails, app posts, or calendar notifications come in on your phone, tablet, or computer. Take their arrival as a notification that it’s time to breathe!

Frozen in Time

Another reverse meditation can be done when your computer is processing – and processing, and processing. Instead of responding with irritation and impatience when the little circle is going round and round and your screen is frozen, use it as an opportunity to Stop, Drop, and Breathe! Get in a few deep breaths and reduce your stress!

Kitchen Sounds

If you’d like, use other sounds in everyday experience as your “temple bell.” Take a breath or two before answering your doorbell or responding to the beep of the toaster oven or microwave. One breath before you get your food will help you eat more slowly and mindfully, and I promise you’ll enjoy it more!

Traffic Lights

When you pull up and stop at a red light, use it as a signal for a really important and helpful reverse meditation. Instead of gritting your teeth in frustration at the delay and getting ready to floor it when the light turns: Stop, Drop, and Breathe!

It’s of more benefit than checking your texts, and you won’t have the car behind you honking at you when the light turns green.

Hand Washing

As a health precaution, we’re told to wash our hands often and do so for at least 20 seconds. Instead of counting out the seconds (or singing happy birthday twice), use your breathing to time yourself – that’s about how long it takes for five or six deep breaths.

You’ll be sure you’ve washed your hands properly and have the added bonus of deep breathing to douse the flames of stress-fire.

As time goes on, you’ll find other opportunities to practice mindfulness through breathing. And as the turbulence of stress calms, more clarity about your thoughts, feelings, and actions will emerge, enabling you to make choices that create greater benefit for yourself and others.

Dr. Joseph Parent is a highly regarded expert in Applied Mindfulness and Performance Psychology. He is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, performance coach, and media commentator.

Have you noticed when you feel the most stressed? What do you do to interrupt stress-fire? Have you considered taking deep breaths? Please share in the comments below.

Masks We Love

Posted by Admin01 | Jun 3, 2020 | Hair care |

Masks We Love

Phone? Check . Keys? Check . Face Mask? Check . As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to forge ahead in 2020, grabbing a face mask has definitely become an important part of our checklist before heading out the door. However as many of our favourite Bravolebs continue to demonstrate to us on social media, it’s possible to stay safe while staying stylish; and lucky for us, many of our go-to fashion brands have been creating masks that accomplish just that (with many donating a portion of the sales to charities). So with that being said, from sequins and stars to leopard and lace, check out some of the face masks we love right now down below.

Fashionably,

Faryn

Disclaimer: The masks below do not provide medical-grade protection. Please refer to individual descriptions on the retailer websites for further details.

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