Ascending Butterfly

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Mario Badescu Skin Care Acne Control Kit Review and Giveaway!

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This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor Mario Badescu, We look forward to working with you again! The winner has been notified and upon confirmation his/her follower name will be posted both here and on our homepage. Remember: There are still some great giveaways active on the upper right hand side of the page!

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Ascending Butterfly Holiday Buying Guide Editor's Pick sponsored by:

I have struggled with Acne Prone Skin since I was a teenager, and at this point it certainly feels like I've tried everything. I was sure when I was old enough to wear as much makeup as I wanted, that it would be the cure for everything . And I quickly learned that it's not even the 'band-aid'.

The wrong makeup can make acne prone skin flare-ups even WORSE! I sure did learn the hard way that there is no 'magic concealer'! I've learned that Concealer + Favorite Foundation over big, angry, pimple just gets you an even skin tone on top of a big, red, angry pimple!

The only way to treat the problem is to truly care for your skin. And this holds true for anywhere you experience flare ups, whether it's your face, back, neck, or chest you need to care for your skin and you need to be consistent in caring for your skin.

The first step as far as I am concerned, will always be the same, and it's the same for everyone, go to your dermatologist! Be open and honest about your eating habits, and make sure to have your skin checked on a regular basis, particularly for skin cancer. I lost someone very near and dear to me because of skin cancer, and I will continually shout out from the rooftops if I have to the importance of skin exams!

I am not a skin care expert or an MD, I can only share what works for me. The right suite of products, used on a consistent basis in conjunction with getting my 8 + 8 (Eight glasses of water daily and 8 hours of sleep) have helped to show dramatic results in my battle against Acne Prone Skin.

Years ago a colleague recommended I try Mario Badescu, that was all she used to use, and I will say she had lovely skin, very radiant, with a healthy, natural glow to it. The kind of glow that many people end up asking 'are you dating someone special?' or else 'are you pregnant? Your skin is just glowing!'. I didn't take her advice then, and now I am kicking myself for not doing so. Many of Hollywood's pretty 'fresh faces' attribute their healthy skin to Mario Badescu. One of my favorite Hollywood 'faces', Ashley Judd, is a user of Mario's line and I absolutely love her skin!

I have had 30 days to try out Mario Badescu's 'Acne Control Kit' and I have to admit it has worked wonders for my skin! I now understand the almost cult like following! (And I'm sure there is a certain someone reading this and clucking a gleeful 'I told you so!' under her breath)

The kit contains:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - 6oz. Acne Facial Cleanser

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - 8oz. Special Cucumber Lotion

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - 2oz. Drying Mask

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - .5 oz. Drying Cream

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - 1 oz. Drying Lotion

These are the basics to clarify and treat problematic skin, it has everything you need for daily care to keep skin clean, clear and keep your acne eruptions under control.

This kit contains the NEW Acne Facial Cleanser formulated with Salicylic Acid. A deep-cleansing, disinfecting astringent. Mario Badescu's famous acne treatments for pimples and a clarifying, oil-absorbing, pore-tightening mask. (Please note, I highly suggest you use a daily sunscreen with a minimum SPF 15 coverage. This is a MUST daily, but it's particularly important you do this when you are using products to treat your acne! Suggested Badescu product: Oil Free Moisturizer (SPF-17) This has the SPF factor and note it is OIL FREE!)

Now I am nothing if not detail oriented, and there is some other cool stuff that needs to be mentioned. The kit comes in a re-usable tote that is very sturdy and in addition to the tote my beauty frugalistas out there are going to love that it also includes a compact mirror and bath sponge, a $25.00 value! The Mario Badescu 'Acne Control Kit' is an editor's pick for our holiday buying guide, for the results you can expect from the products, the wonderful presentation/packaging, (it is gift-giving ready), and of course the beauty 'extras' are a welcome bonus.

PROS:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ -This does NOT over-dry my skin - in the past I have used products for the treatment of acne that have stripped my skin of it's natural oils and left it extremely dry, which would force me to over-compensate with night moisturizers to give my skin back it's hydration. The 'Acne Control Kit' has taken me off this skin-care 'hamster wheel'

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - There's no better way to describe this, but there is a 'clean' feeling with this kit that no other product has been as effective in providing.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Standout: The Cucumber Lotion, it's very soothing, and does not strip my skin. I've always been an astringent fan (my great-grandmother passed down the love of astringents on to me) and this one really hits the mark.

CONS:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Your friends will try to steal it! (And the best way around this is to get your BFF a kit of his/her own!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Please don't be offended if your friends, family, co-workers or your better half, asks 'what's different'? or if you're pregnant! I know it's hard to consider glowing, radiant, healthy skin a con, but single gals hate being asked if they are pregnant!

For all of you that have stuck with me this far, I am glad to know you are as serious about skin care as I am! While our daily words of inspiration are 'motivators for your insides', we love to help you find ways to make the outside just as beautiful as the inside too!

Can't wait to find out if you won? Mario Badescu is offering Free Shipping + Free Gift with Purchase for any orders over $50 for domestic ground shipping service. Promo code is: SHIPGIFT (valid thru 12/21/09, 12 am EST Not valid for e-cards or gift certificate only purchases)

For other NY Based Butterflies: (I highly recommend consulting with a specialist there to have your skin profiled and matched for the best products for your skin!)

Mario Badescu Skin Care Salon
320 East 52nd street New York, NY 10022
(800) BADESCU -calling for an appointment is NEVER a bad idea!

WIN IT! - Ascending Butterfly wants to help you get off the 'acne prone skin care hamster wheel', and thanks to our friends at Mario Badescu we can! One lucky 'Ascending Butterfly' will have the chance to win a Mario Badescu 'Acne Control Kit' of their own. (This is a $77 retail value!) As always, our giveaways are very much open to both men and women!

How to Win: (1) You must be a follower of Ascending Butterfly to be eligible for this and all giveaways. Indicate in your entry that you follow (if your 'comment name/user id' differ from your profile id, please let me know what name you follow under) and (2) Name one other Mario Badescu product you'd like to try that was not included in the review! (3) You must also leave your email address somewhere in your comment. (You can format it this way for security, example: ascendingbutterfly AT mail host DOT com). Please follow the easy 1, 2, 3 steps to winning! This giveaway is open to USA residents who are 18 years of age or older.

Please follow directions or you will be disqualified! All comments are moderated, they may not appear on the site right away (comments like "I want this or I want to win" will not be entered). You have from Tuesday, December 15, 2009 until Tuesday, December 22, 2009 at 11:59 PM (EST) to comment and be entered for a chance to win. You will have 48 hours to confirm if we do not hear from you we will be forced to move on to an alternate. (We only notify winners DIRECTLY via email, so if your profile or your comment does not have an email your entry will not be processed)

EXTRA CREDIT:

* Blog about this giveaway, linking to this giveaway post. Leave the URL in a comment

* Grab our Button and put it on your Blog. Leave the URL where we can see it in a comment (if you already have our button, just let us know, you will still get extra credit!)

* Follow me @Tracy_Iglesias on Twitter (this is ascendingbutterfly’s editor) and give me your twitter ID in a comment

* Tweet this: I just entered @Tracy_Iglesias #ascendingbutterfly @MarioBadescu Acne Control Kit #Giveaway (ARV $77) Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - http://tinyurl.com/yejkxsx

(Leave a comment with the tweet’s url so you can get a valid entry (click on the time your tweet was sent to get the direct URL and then copy and paste it here). You can Tweet ONCE A DAY. If you Tweet more than that, that entry will be disqualified.)

* Follow Mario Badescu on Twitter HERE

* Digg about this giveaway and leave your digg username in your comment

* Fave this blog on Technorati and leave your Technorati user name in your comment

* Vote for Ascending Butterfly on: Fuel My Blog

*Follow Ascending Butterfly on Facebook HERE

* Follow Mario Badescu on Facebook HERE

* Follow Ascending Butterfly on Networked Blogs HERE

* Join Ascending Butterfly's Ning Group HERE

* Subscribe to receive Ascending Butterfly emails using our Feedburner widget on the upper right hand side of the page below the follower thumbnail pictures!

* Please vote for me on the Downy Simple Pleasures Next Scent Contest. My scent is called 'Ascending Butterfly' of course, LOL. You can scroll down to the bottom of this page, and press 'Vote' on the widget below, it's super fast and super easy! (You can do this daily and get credit for voting daily! Just let me know the vote 'count' in your comment. Ex: I was Downy vote #111)

* Take the pledge! In the widget right underneath Downy on the bottom of the page, there is a Get eyeSmart - eye committed widget, if you take the pledge, you will get an extra credit entry! (This method of extra credit ends on 12/15/09 at midnight EST!)

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Mario Badescu provided me with a kit to review/evaluate and are sponsoring the giveaway and will award a kit to one winner. This is NOT a paid endorsement, I was only provided product to evaluate. All opinions are expressly my own! I remind all readers to consult with a Dermatologist and your MD before trying any new skin care regimen, and I also advise readers to use sunscreen daily to prevent skin cancer.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Monday, December 14, 2009 - Today's Words of Inspiration and Great Giveaways!

Reason for the Season

Over the weekend the 12 days of Christmas Official Countdown begun. I hope the countdown finds you ready in the ways that matter to you! And hopefully with enough energy to actually ENJOY the fruits of your labors!

There were quite a few celebrations over the weekend! My Jewish Friends celebrated Hanukkah, while my Mexican friends were celebrating the day of 'La Virgen de Guadalupe'. Many years ago I visited Mexico during this time of year and the celebrations for the Virgin there are especially memorable. Watching the processions of the faithful making their way to the the original Basilica of Guadalupe (completed in 1709 and holding, according to tradition, the original tilma (a rectangle of muslin worn as a cape) of Juan Diego) next to the huge modern church built in 1976. There is a shrine at the very place of her apparition, and a well, decorated in talavera tiles, which holds the miraculous waters of the spring that gushed forth at her feet. At this place, and at all the churches with her name, thousands of the faithful gather on December 11th and 12th, to give tribute to her, to petition for a miracle, or to give thanks for one already received.

I remember witnessing the processions of the faithful not just on TV but in person, and the visual impact it had on me watching people make the procession on their knees or walking backward the entire way or even barefoot has remained a powerful reminder to me, even to this day of the importance of faith. The way it is expressed, the ways it is shared. The ways we express our gratitude for prayers answered and favor received.

What is the reason of the season for you? What part does your faith play in your holiday traditions? Do you find yourself stifled sometimes from expressing the 'faith' side of your holiday, at school or at work? How does that make you feel? Has our society really become to 'politically correct' for it's own good?

Today, re-connect with *YOUR* reason for the season.

Use 'Today's Words of Inspiration' as a breathing meditation to still your mind, quiet your thoughts and bring in positive energy. As you inhale bring in only positive energy by saying in your mind, I breathe in positive energy (or you can say creative energy if that is what you wish to create more of) and as you exhale, Affirm out loud today 'I will connect with the true reason for the season in my decisions today.'

Spend some time each day enjoying focused breathing AND soul guided meditative visualization, in doing so, you can bring about amazing, profound and powerful changes in your life.

Visualize yourself manifesting something unique, guided by universal forces that emerge spontaneously from within your soul. Do this at least twice today and see how by taking a moment away from the hectic pace and breathing in positive energy and affirming what you wish to create, your thinking will become different.

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.

It is OK to *Re-Tweet* the link to this post and You can find me (@Tracy_Iglesias) on Twitter here! twitter love: re*tweet by copying and pasting the following into your update field:

OK to RT: @Tracy_Iglesias Today's Words of Inspiration and Great Giveaways! - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

Make this your best day ever, Bless and Be Blessed!

Don't forget to enter the great giveaways on the upper right hand side of the page! We will be offering multiple giveaways all throughout the season! It's just our way of saying Thank You! for choosing to spend part of your day with us. We are really happy you landed HERE!

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NOTE: Readers have asked us to make entering the contests and giveaways, faster and easier. Your wish is our command! We have moved our 'Today's Butterfly - Featured Site(s) of the day, which is where we host our giveaways, to the upper right hand side of the page. It will be located here from now on to make entering the giveaways faster and easier. Keep the suggestions coming, remember we also have a NING group with real time chat, you can give us your comments and suggestions in REAL time, how cool is that?

NOTE 2: Twitter followers: please remember you must also follow Ascending Butterfly using Google friends connect on the upper right hand side of the page for your entries to be processed. And remember if your profile does not have an email and you don't leave your email in your entry, we will have no way of informing you if you win, and we will have to select another winner. Make sure your entry or your profile have your email address!

Just a helpful Reminder: How to Follow Using Google Friends Connect:

Please look to the upper right hand side, where the follower pictures are. (Note the number of followers before you start this process)

1) press the follow button - the google pop up wizard will open, this is not an ad and your pop up blocker will not block it

2) tick the option that reads 'follow this blog publicly' once that button is selected, hit follow again - it should now read 'you are now following'

3) if the follower count went up you know you did it succesfully, if your profile has a picture, that picture will be the first one on the left side. If your profile doesn't have one, it should still be searchable on the members list. (Remember, following a blog, does NOT subscribe you to receive emails, you have to subscribe separately to do that, you will not receive emails for following)

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Saturday, December 12, 2009

Winner Announcement - Ascending Butterfly's Eenamaria Designer Bag Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations to 'Lisa' (we post our winner comment/follower name instead of full names, this is why it's in quotes) the winner of Ascending Butterfly's Eenamaria 'Working It' Designer Bag Giveaway! (And in this case becase we have many 'Lisa's', to make sure there is no confusion, the winner is 'Lisa S.' who has already responded to her winning email!) Thanks to our sponsor, Eenamaria, Lisa is going to receive the 'Workin It' Hand Bag! (The bag is pictured in our review HERE)

We would like to thank our sponsor Eenamaria. We would love to work with you again to bring other amazing eenamaria bags to our readers! Eenamaria is one of our Editor's Picks for our Holiday Buying Guide. I can assure you can't go wrong getting that special lady in your life any one of these amazing well crafted and stylish bags!

Wait! There are still other giveaways to enter!

*Enter to win the Hairfreé™ Round and Flat Brush with Ceramic Technology Giveaway! by pressing HERE! (Remember there will be TWO winners and each winner will receive BOTH the flat and the Round brush!)

* Enter to win the Tyson® Heat ‘N Eat Dinner Meats Giveaway! There will be THREE winners who will each receive TWO product coupons, enter HERE

* Enter to win the BJ's Wholesale Club $25 Gift Card Giveaway! Enter HERE

Keep checking in daily we will be posting a wide variety of amazing giveaways each week throughout the holiday season! It's just our way of saying Thank You for choosing to spend a part of your day with Ascending Butterfly!

---Ascending Butterfly's Editorial Team

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Eenamaria provided bags for review and to giveaway, this is not a paid insertion nor was it a compensated post! All opinions about each reviewed item on this website are expressly my own!

Tyson® Heat ‘N Eat Dinner Meats Review and Giveaway!

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This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor Tyson Foods, Inc (via the wonderful folks at Golin Harris). We look forward to working with you again! The winners have been notified and upon confirmation follower names will be posted both here and on our homepage. Remember: There are still some great giveaways active on the upper right hand side of the page!
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With all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, decorating, shopping, cleaning, gift wrapping who has time to cook?? Who has the ENERGY left at this point?

I know after a weekend filled with marathon shopping, decorating the tree, and getting all those last-minute loose ends tied up it's easy to grab your take out menus and pick up the phone to order in. But do you really want to feed your family or yourself for that matter more processed foods? Didn't think so!

That's where our friends at Tyson® come to the rescue. Most of us are already familiar with Tyson® products, you probably grew up on them yourself. But Tyson has evolved and they are not just your average chicken tenders and nuggets anymore!

Let Tyson® Heat ‘N Eat Dinner Meats come to the rescue! Tyson® is dedicated to creating products that fit your needs and your lifestyle. So Tyson introduces Refrigerated Heat ‘N Eat Entrées. It is a line of fully-cooked delicious entrée meats. Now your family can enjoy a wholesome meal that tastes like it took all day to prepare. There are no preservatives and are completely vacuum sealed for freshness. It will go from the refrigerator to your dinner table in just minutes. (And just like with Take Out you can put these on your dishes and hide the containers and pretend you spent all night slaving away at the stove! Extra Brownie Points for Mom! Turn those brownie points in by hinting for something sparkly and fabulous under the tree).

Available fresh in your grocer’s refrigerated meat aisle, Tyson® refrigerated dinner meats are made with high quality Tyson chicken, beef, and pork that is perfectly seasoned and slow cooked, ready to heat in the microwave or oven.

Flavors include:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Beef Pot Roast in Gravy
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Roast Beef in Brown Gravy
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Maple & Brown Sugar Glazed Ham
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Seasoned Beef Meatloaf
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Beef Tips in Gravy
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Pork Roast in Gravy
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Chicken Breast Medallions in White Wine & Garlic Sauce
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Chicken Breast Medallions in Italian Herb Sauce
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Beef Brisket in Fire Roasted Onion Sauce
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Braised Beef Brisket with Mild Chili Sauce
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Beef Steak Tips in Burgundy Sauce
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Pork Loin in Sweet & Tangy BBQ Sauce

I didn't get the opportunity to try all the varieties, because of the ineptitude of the employees at my local Pathmark (who apparently are 'reading challenged' and shamefully this included TWO managers), I was only able to sample one variety of the Tyson® Heat ‘N Eat Dinner Meats, Maple & Brown Sugar Glazed Ham. I tried it for dinner on an evening when preparing a full meal just wasn't going to happen. It has a very distinct Maple Flavor, it reminds me of Sunday Morning Breakfast. I wish I had used it for breakfast with my pancakes instead of at dinner. (maybe I should have made some pancakes to go with it!). I would have loved to sample a few more varieties to give you a more detailed review, but my loss is certainly going to prove to be your gain!

For more information on these products, please go to http://www.embracedinner.com/. Tyson® Fully Cooked Heat ‘N Eat Dinner Meats are available at grocery stores nationwide. To find a store near you, visit the product finder section of Tyson’s Web site at http://www.tyson.com/Recipes/Product/

I had to highlight one of my favorite recipes:

Philly Cheese Pot Roast Sandwiches with Mushrooms and Onions

(Recipe & Photo Courtesy of Robin Miller and Tyson Foods)

Recipe serves 4
Preparation Time: 5-10 minutes
Cook Time: 12-30 minutes

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
1½ cups thinly sliced yellow onion
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 teaspoon dried thyme, optional
1 package (17.6 ounces) Tyson® Beef Pot Roast in Gravy
8 ounces sliced Swiss cheese
4 large hoagie rolls (about 6 inches long), halved

Preparation Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook 3 minutes, until soft. Add mushrooms and cook 3-5 minutes, until mushrooms are tender and onions are golden brown.

2. Add thyme, if using, and stir to coat. Cook 1 minute, until thyme is fragrant.

3. Empty contents of pot roast into tray. Using two forks, shred pot roast by pulling in opposite directions across the grain. Stir pot roast into gravy (in tray) until meat is coated and liquid is absorbed. Heat pot roast according to package directions (either in the tray, covered with a paper towel in the microwave, or in an oven-safe dish in the oven).

4. While pot roast is still hot, spoon onto halved hoagie rolls. Spoon any extra gravy over the top.

5. Top pot roast with onion-mushroom mixture and Swiss cheese. Serve hot.

Note: For bubbly, golden brown cheese on one half and a toasted roll on the other, place assembled sandwiches on a baking sheet, open-faced, and place under broiler. Broil 1 to 2 minutes, until cheese melts and bread is toasted.

Ascending Butterfly wants to feed you and your favorite eating buddy! We are trying something new with this giveaway, We are going to select an Ascending Butterfly Facebook Follower, an Ascending Butterfly Twitter Follower and an Ascending Butterfly Ning Group Follower to win. If you are already following on Facebook, Twitter and are a member of our Ning Group, that gives you EXTRA entries!

WIN IT! - THREE lucky 'Ascending Butterfly' followers will have the chance to win TWO Tyson® Heat ‘N Eat Dinner Meats product coupons!

How to Win: (1) You must be a follower of Ascending Butterfly to be eligible for this and all giveaways. Indicate in your entry that you follow (if your 'comment name/user id' differ from your profile id, please let me know what name you follow under) and (2) Answer the following question: Which Tyson® Heat ‘N Eat Dinner Meats variety will you buy with your coupon if you win? (3) You must also leave your email address somewhere in your comment. (You can format it this way for security, example: ascendingbutterfly AT mail host DOT com). Please follow the easy 1, 2, 3 steps to winning! This giveaway is open to USA residents who are 18 years of age or older.

Please follow directions or you will be disqualified! All comments are moderated, they may not appear on the site right away (comments like "I want this or I want to win" will not be entered). You have from Saturday, December 12, 2009 until Saturday, December 19, 2009 at 11:59 PM (EST) to comment and be entered for a chance to win. You will have 48 hours to confirm if we do not hear from you we will be forced to move on to an alternate. (We only notify winners DIRECTLY via email, so if your profile or your comment does not have an email your entry will not be processed)

EXTRA CREDIT:

* Blog about this giveaway, linking to this giveaway post. Leave the URL in a comment

* Grab our Button and put it on your Blog. Leave the URL where we can see it in a comment (if you already have our button, just let us know, you will still get extra credit!)

* Follow me @Tracy_Iglesias on Twitter (this is ascendingbutterfly’s editor) and give me your twitter ID in a comment

* Tweet this: I just entered @Tracy_Iglesias Tyson® Heat ‘N Eat Dinner Meats #giveaways #ascendingbutterfly Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ- http://tinyurl.com/y94jcwl

(Leave a comment with the tweet’s url so you can get a valid entry (click on the time your tweet was sent to get the direct URL and then copy and paste it here). You can Tweet ONCE A DAY. If you Tweet more than that, that entry will be disqualified.)

* Follow Tyson Recipes on Twitter HERE

* Digg about this giveaway and leave your digg username in your comment

* Fave this blog on Technorati and leave your Technorati user name in your comment

* Vote for Ascending Butterfly on: Fuel My Blog

*Follow Ascending Butterfly on Facebook HERE

* Follow Ascending Butterfly on Networked Blogs HERE

* Join Ascending Butterfly's Ning Group HERE

* Subscribe to receive Ascending Butterfly emails using our Feedburner widget on the upper right hand side of the page below the follower thumbnail pictures!

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Tyson® and GolinHarris provided me with product coupons to evaluate the product and also provided the coupons for the giveaway. This is NOT a paid endorsement, nor a paid insertion. All opinions are expressly my own!

Friday, December 11, 2009

Friday, December 11, 2009 - Today's Words of Inspiration and Great Giveaways!

Is Your 'Ho-Ho-Ho' M.I.A.?

Is Your 'Ho-Ho-Ho' Missing in Action? Is it you, a co-worker, friend, family member or neighbor that just doesn't seem to have that *holiday spirit* this year? Are the holiday decorations around you stressing you out? Does someone around you seemed stressed, are they *snapping* at you?

Not all of us have an overflowing cup of holiday cheer this time of year. Some of us are facing reminders of terrible loss, of loved ones we miss or relationships that have crumbled, jobs we lost (at just the wrong time of year). There are many reasons you may feel like the Grinch stole your holiday cheer.

And while no one, including myself, is going to tell you what to feel or not to feel this time of the year; I can and will remind you, that what you think, is really what you create. If the holidays are just a period of 'annual doldrums' for you, unfortunately they always will be if you don't actively try to change that.

Is there a way for you turn that pain, anger, loss or lack of enthusiasm into a dynamic force of positive change?

There are so many places, people and things that are available to you this time of the year, don't throw these opportunities to make new connections that will enrich your life away. Don't use the weather whether it's cold and blistery where you are or it's oppresively humid, those are just obstacles my friends, NOT roadblocks.

I know we are all of different beliefs, but REACH out, whether you are the one alone during this time of year, or a neighbor or family member or friend or co-worker who seems more down at this time of the year than ever. It doesn't have to be a religious worship center if you are atheist, make your holiday a happy one by attending a tree lighting ceremony, going ice skating, donating time to a shelter. Wish a stranger a happy holiday today that you pass on the street. Just like a really awful moment that occurs during the day stays with you, so does a pleasant one. When your soul expands, be it in service to others, a random act of kindness or even shopping for a home bound neighbor, you are doing way more for your self than that person than you even realize at the time.

Ascending Butterfly has a NING group, and anyone who finds themselves 'home for the holidays' and not very *happy* about it are more than welcome to join in, participate in forums, and live chat. You are NOT alone! You are amongst a community of inspiration seekers, who are learning every day that inspiration comes in all forms!

Don't let Mr. Grinch steal your holiday cheer, everyday we remind you here that attitude really does determine altitude. Don't just nod your head in agreement today, actively seek ways to enrich your holidays, to make them more joyful for yourself. The happier you are, the more happiness you project and the more happiness that will come back to you. Sometimes in very unexpected ways, holidays are not considered 'magical' times of the year for nothing!

Hanukkah begins at Sundown today, and I wish my Jewish readers and friends, a healthy, happy, safe and joy filled Hanukkah! Shalom! שלום

Use 'Today's Words of Inspiration' as a breathing meditation to still your mind, quiet your thoughts and bring in positive energy. As you inhale bring in only positive energy by saying in your mind, I breathe in positive energy (or you can say creative energy if that is what you wish to create more of) and as you exhale, Affirm out loud today 'I will NOT let the Grinch steal my holiday joy. I will actively seek to enrich my holiday season and open myself to projecting and receiving joy, hope and opportunity.'

Spend some time each day enjoying focused breathing AND soul guided meditative visualization, in doing so, you can bring about amazing, profound and powerful changes in your life.

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.