Volume 3 • Issue 9
September 2014
Shalanda Turner Engineer by day Fashionista by night
KARMA
CAUSE
&
EFFECT
FALL FASHION
2014
Warrior Fuel For POWHERFUL
LIVES
about Hat Trick (noun): 1. A sports metaphor for three achievements by a single player in a game. 2. A magic trick. We happily accept both definitions. Hat Trick Magazine is a special project targeted at sharing spiritual and professional growth with likeminded people from around the world. We share strategies that truly will change your life, business and career (with a little help from some pro friends). We’ve all been there: under/un/employed, in a bad situation, in transition, wondering what the options are and not knowing the skills we would need to get us there. We won’t lie to you. Coming out the other side isn’t easy, but we can show you what we learned along to way and help you get the confidence to turn that leaf over and pursue that which is your destiny. Knowledge is power. Not everyone fancies themselves to be an entrepreneur but the truth is, even when seeking employment these days, pulling together your resume requires some sly articulation to showcase your skills, be keywordoptimized and with a strong, personable presentation to get noticed. We feature inspirational people who have great careers, amazing businesses, tips and a host of amazing stories will inspire and amaze you. Our editors and contributors are some of the most connected in their industries and specialisms. Hat Trick Your Life! Take control of your lifestyle, your career, your dreams and your journey. We’ll share what we know and we invite you to join us. If you or your business would like to be featured or simply would like to contribute a feature in an upcoming issue, please email us on content@hattrickmagazine.com
Hat Trick Strategies cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited coverage made by our contributors including reviews, articles, manuscripts or photographs of products, services. While every care is taken, prices, details or availability of items are subject to change and we cannot accept responsibility for omissions or errors. We reserve the right to publish and edit letters or correspondence received via email, social media or other communication. All advice is given in general terms or as a matter of opinion, for entertainment purposes only, and may not be exhaustive nor suitable for all situations. Always seek specialized professional advice, specifically suited to you or your business needs. Absolutely no part of this magazine should be taken as medical, professional or other advice - always seek the advice of a qualified practitioner. © Hat Trick Strategies, 2013 All Rights Reserved
Make Somet hing Magic al Happe n
Published by
Hat Trick Strategies
TM
Unit 4 Vista Place, Coy Pond Ingworth Road, Poole BH12 1JY, United Kingdom Registered in England and Wales Number 07819796 UK: +44 1383 279 879 US: +1 501 588 2248 clientcare@hattrickstrategies.com
Editorial Team
Michelle Fitz Editor-In-Chief, Page Design
Michael Hartley Associate Design Editor
Michelle is originally from Arkansas and the head of Hat Trick Strategies, a UK firm for Emerging Technologies, Business Change and Corporate Strategy. Her firm has served US and UK household names, government departments and a portfolio of business coaching clients, based globally. Michelle produces all page layout, custom graphics and ad designs for this publication. She holds professional qualifications in LEAN Six Sigma, PMI PMP, is a Practitioner in both PRINCE2 and MSP and is a leader in digital synergies linking content, the customer journey, social media and customer care words/SEO.
Michael is a British entrepreneur based in Manchester, England and is an expert in graphic design, digital artistry, branding and design management. He is a trained violinist, and brings a tremendous breath of creativity to projects. His firm, Michael Thomas Designs, are experts in brand research for target demographics, image and the production of a consistent brand identity for mid-sized companies. Michael understands how to get at the heart of a firm’s offerings and customer base and works closely with select web designers to implement a consistent look and feel across digital, print and online platforms.
Eleni Sofroniou Illustrator
Andrea Sullenger Business & Tech Editor
Eleni is an illustrator based in London and owns Fall Into London.
Andrea is a mix of “kick butt” sales/marketing coach and inspirational possible-i-tarian. She has been working with solo-entrepreneurs for the past 16 years, helping them build their own thriving transactional businesses all while creating streamlined and successful digital products to maximize and leverage their income streams.
She produces the majority of the illustrations which appear in Hat Trick Magazine (which compliment and give our magazine its distinctive look and feel). She has previously created pieces for ELLE Magazine, Essex Style Magazine, and The Female Entrepreneur Association. As well as creating personalised illustrations, Eleni’s illustrations can be purchased from her website.
Andrea shares many of her strategies via Hat Trick Magazine, but to get the latest, subscribe to her list.
Editorial Team
Sandra Cunningham Career & Learning Editor
Shalanda Turner Style Editor
Sandra contributes to the Careers column for the Financial Times and is the owner of Outside In Coaching and Communications, where she helps mid-career women make a successful transition from a soul-sucking, dead-end job to a meaningful and fulfilling career, while creating a lifestyle they can afford and enjoy. Sandra truly believes it’s possible to be wildly successful doing work you love whilst having the work/life balance most people can only dream of. Visit her website for free articles, resources and to sign up for your free e-booklet “21 Pointers to Sharpen Your Career Edge.”
Shasie has a B.S. Degree in Chemical Engineering and works as a Project Engineer for a Specialty Chemicals company in Houston, Texas. When Shasie is not at work, she moonlights in the Fashion Industry. She is the creative voice behind the top Fashion Blog; Live Life in Style, Founder of Houston Fashion Bloggers, Style Editor for online media site FashionMingle.net, Fashion Brand Ambassador for Monarch Magazine, Owner of Shop Shasie’s Closet and Houston Fashion Examiner for Examiner.com.
Charlene SanJenko Wellness & Learning Editor
Amanda Cook Beauty Editor
Charlene SanJenko is a serial entrepreneur with a successful lifestyle and fitness practice serving Canada. She is an accomplished figure competitor and has served her community in local government.
Amanda Cook is an award winning Certified Health Coach who helps women look & feel naturally radiant!
As a social entrepreneur, she believes there is an intrinsic link between physical and emotional fitness, leadership and excellence. She is a thought leader whose emphasis is in helping transform ordinary ladies into “HIP�, High Impact Performance women. www.powHERhouse.com
Through her online and inperson classes and workshops, Amanda teaches her clients to eat healthy whole foods, detox their beauty routines, feel good in their skin, and tap into their natural energy stores. www.vintageamanda.com
Editorial Team
Tanya Jackson Food, Home & Family Editor
Karen Salmansohn Faith & Self Help Editor
Tanya is the author of our popular Southern recipe column and the editor for our Food & Home section. She is married to a pastor, her high school sweetheart, and is a proud Southern mother and grandmother. Tanya has lived all over the US, but wherever she has lived, she has brought her love and curiosity for local foods and flavors. Tanya believes the best aspect of having cooked in the four corners of the US, was learning to cook what grows around us; because it is our families that make a difference in our lives and sharing our love and enjoyment of good food together goes hand-in-hand.
Karen is an ex-Senior VP, award winning ad writer/creative director (at age 27) who left her successful advertising career (having worked as a writer/creative director/ image consultant for numerous household names), to pursue her passion of writing. She owns notsalmon.com, is an Oprah columnist and a best selling author and book packager with over 1 million books sold. Some titles: How to Be Happy Dammit; Enough Dammit; The Bounce Back Book; and many more. Journalists call Salmansohn “Deepak Chopra Meets Carrie Bradshaw�, merging empowering psychology/ philosophy tips with edgy humor and stylish graphics.
Contributers
Lorraine Hill Head of Global Planning
Michelle Holmes Business Contributor
Sorelle Amore Style Contributor
Mina Muirhead Health Editor, Lifestyle
Gina Hussar Lifestyle Contributor
Manuela Wahnon Lifestyle Contributor
Mellissa Mallaya Lifestyle Contributor
Dara Avenius Career & Learning
Suzanne Perry Faith & Self Help (Victim Support)
Katie Clifton Faith & Self Help (Christian)
Cherie DeBurger Home Contributor (Life & Family)
Sukh Pabial Career & Learning
Marina Berberyan Style Contributor
Lisa Wynter Style Contributor
Joey Phelps Cartoonist
Amber Hamilton Henson Associate Home Editor
Ann Pissard Graphic Artist
Michael Phelps Cartoonist
Kate Spencer Lifestyle & Wellness
Nathalie de Ahna Lifestyle & Wellness
Katie Geddes Business Contributor
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From the Editor
Business & Tech Tips
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The Power Of Saying Yes
Makeup LeRenda Howard Hair Hollye Ballard Photographer Jay Marroquin
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Domain Gamechanger
Career & Learning
Cover Story
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The Truth & Lies Of Realising Your Potential
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Jarring, Facilitation & Positivity
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Faith & Self Help
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Style & Beauty Fall 2014 NY Fashion Report: Shasie shows us what’s hot and what’s not in this Fall 2014 New York fashion week report
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Karen Salmansohn
Christian Columnist: Entitle
My Rocky Road to Meditation
Lil Nipper Snapper Cartoon
Lifestyle & Wellness
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Warrior Fuel By PowHERhouse The Only 5 Products You’ll Ever Need For Glowy Skin The Law Of Karma: Cause & Effect
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Food, Home & Family
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Pork Roast
The “I Love Lisa” Legacy
Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com •
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From the Editor
Why It’s Okay To Be
Multi-Passionate
This month, we decided to feature our own Style Editor, Shalanda Turner. An engineer by day and style guru by night, Shasie embodies many struggles and triumphs of a modern woman. As a professional engineer, Shasie has worked extremely hard to learn the skills required of a complex role in a traditionally male-dominated
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field. She talks us through what that was like but also how she embraced her passion in fashion blogging and events, and has managed to carve out an online and industry presence in both Houston and around the world. Although many may be surprised by her talent and success in seemingly polarised fields, Shasie is an example of someone who refuses to narrowly define herself or her career. People like Shasie amaze me because they have taken the stretch in their stride and actually maximised it as a business opportunity which results in a following based on their opinions, expertise and consultative advice. While only Shasie can explain her passion for fashion and the specific “thingâ€? that compelled her to pursue a proper career in tandem, it is a living, breathing example of how it pays to be multi-passionate. Throughout history, professionals have found themselves in either a role which represented ambitions or training in a field chosen at an early age. If our taste and values are subject to change, it is without question that our interests and passions would evolve, too. In the same vein, it is not uncommon to love two things (or more) at once, or even to be exceptionally good at them, all at once. In fact, the commercial workplace often commands this, in practice. Letter From the Editor, Michelle Fitz •
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I think it started when the internet and desktop computing became the norm in office and administrative settings. Gone were the days of marketing or design as exclusive teams offering end-to-end services in product development companies. These days, a project manager, a writer, a scientist can manage at least some of these tasks using a wide spectrum of software an apps at their disposal. I often find it fascinating to hear older colleagues share their “war stories” from the 80s and earlier. Musings of a time when there was a secretarial/typing unit on staff, a photocopying department, literally typing a memorandum which was hand delivered by pages to literal physical “in” and “out” trays which sat on desks are just two immediate examples of roles which are now obsolete entirely, in favour of every role assuming their own. When I was at university, and working my first roles in projects, this was becoming increasingly evident as technical writers were being phased out or combined in favour of the more hybrid business analyst / release note manager. We also were expected to be experts in a variety of page layout software and graphic design was also an increasing accountability. When it comes to blogging, these days, entrepreneurs accept that an online presence and digital marketing and engagement are simply part of the package. With a reputation at risk of virtual napalm simply at the failure 16 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
to respond to social media comments and complaints, whether they do it themselves or outsource/hire someone to do the task for them, it’s just another port of the increasing grey line. Even within my own firm, we have embraced these varied skills and passions which gently fold into the modern umbrella called “digital”. But if you really think about it, much of what we provide on our services list would certainly not be on a menu in the 90s for one firm. In the past, having a hobby in photography (for example) did not a career make. With technology at our fingertips and the ease of public exposure to our work, there are millions of us who enter selfemployment and in fact business based on validation of our many passions by virtual passers-by. So, it pays (literally) to be multi-passionate, and to pursue your dreams or hobbies. More so than ever! If you think this may resonate with you, try blogging and see what happens next – either by strategy or by accident, to your career. #HatTrickYourLife
By MICHELLE FITZ, Editor-In-Chief
Michelle Letter From the Editor, Michelle Fitz •
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Cover Story
Shalanda Turner Engineer by Day Fashionista by Night Makeup LeRenda Howard Hair Hollye Ballard Photographer Jay Marroquin 18 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
Shalanda Shasie
Shalanda ‘Shasie’ Turner is an Engineer
by day and Fashion Blogger by night. She lives the double life that some of us only dare to dream about. She’s a modern day, real-life superwoman. Having found success in both careers, Shasie’s life is both challenging and rewarding. This September, our resident Style Editor, will be heading to New York Fashion Week to view and report on the Spring/Summer 2015 Collections. Hat Trick Magazine had the chance to sit down with Shasie and ask her a few questions about her life and careers.
Let’s start from the beginning. Which came first: The Engineer or the Fashion Blogger? Haha, well technically engineering came first. I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Bucknell University in 2006, but I’ve always been into fashion. My parents have pictures of me trying on my mom’s jewelry and heels, and striking diva poses at a very young age.
If you’ve always loved fashion, why didn’t you choose a degree in a Fashion discipline? The quick and easy answer to that question is job security. I’ve never been a fan of the starving artist idea, and I wanted a job where I knew I would receive a paycheck every week. And honestly, having my nine to five has allowed me to participate in lot of fashion opportunities because of said paycheck.
Why Chemical Engineering? Surely there are easier degrees to obtain that would have offered job security? Shalanda Turner: Engineer By Day, Fashionista By Night •
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...then suddenly one of my online friends suggested I start a fashion blog to capture all of my outfits. My response? “What’s a fashion blog?” I’m a nerd at heart...what can I say? I fell in love with Chemistry during my Advanced Placement (AP) Chemistry class my senior year of high school. I really loved my teacher and I was on the Science team. I had already accepted my offer from Bucknell University to study Business Management, but I submitted an official change request to the Engineering program. At the time Bucknell was ranked 4th in the Nation for Chemical Engineering at an Undergraduate school, and the application process was different. In order to switch into the Engineering school, I had to receive a B+ or above in Calculus, Engineering 101 and another course first semester freshmen year. Clearly I passed! Ha!
Wow, that’s amazing! I don’t meet a lot of female engineers! We’re out there! 22 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
So that explains your nine to five. How did you transform your love of fashion into a career? I guess we can blame Facebook for this one! In college, my girlfriends and I would take pictures of ourselves in our going-out outfits and post them to Facebook as our profile pictures. (This was back when Facebook allowed fullbody profile pics!) This trend continued well after college, then suddenly one of my online friends suggested I start a fashion blog to capture all of my outfits. My response? “What’s a fashion blog?”
It must be funny to think back on those words now that you’ve been fashion blogging for what, 4-5 years? I’m currently in my 5th year of blogging. I started February 10th, 2010, 2 days after my 25th birthday!
You are now one of the top fashion bloggers in Houston! That’s pretty impressive for someone who didn’t even know what a fashion blog was. How did you get up to speed on blogging? My friend told me to visit What I Wore, a popular fashion blog by Jessica Quirk, and I just fell in love with her blog and the concept of fashion blogging. A whole site where I could showcase my personal style? Sign me up! It might sound a bit narcissistic 24 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
to some people but I don’t think of it that way. Artists paint pictures to express themselves, and musicians write music, I create looks! Once I knew what a fashion blog was, I had to get on board. I reached out to Jessica and asked her a bunch of questions. I’ll forever be grateful to her for taking the time to answer my “newbie” questions. It’s one of the reasons I love helping the members of my group, Houston Fashion Bloggers, because someone helped me when I first started.
I do what I need to do to get my content out there and increase my following. Sometimes this leads to late nights and lack of sleep, but I have a strong work ethic when it comes to my blog and I take it very seriously. It’s no longer just a hobby. Shalanda Turner: Engineer By Day, Fashionista By Night •
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On top of being a 40-hr a week Engineer and fashion blogger, you run an organization too?! Haha, yes! When you say it like that, it does sound crazy, but yes, I’ve been the founder of Houston Fashion Bloggers for a little over two years now.
Tell us more about Houston Fashion Bloggers? Houston Fashion Bloggers is a group I accidentally created, (and I say accidentally because I never planned to create it...it fell into my lap), back in December of 2011. I hosted a coffee shop meet up for all of the bloggers I had met around the city up to that point. We decided to keep up the monthly meetups and the group went from casual to a 100+ member organization.
I bet the bloggers in Houston are thankful for such an organization? For the most part! We have our ups and downs like any other organization, but the core of Houston Fashion Bloggers is networking and support, and hopefully me and my co-chair, Taylor Brione, provide that for the members.
Let’s go back to your personal blog career. You’ve done so much in 5 years. You’ve been on Great Day Houston (not once, but twice), been to New York Fashion Week, interviewed heavy hitters in the fashion industry such as Badgley Mischka and Nicole Miller, and worked with major brands. How did these opportunities come about? I’m a firm believer in the quote, “Nothing in life worth having, comes easy”. Basically, I work really hard on my blog. Fellow bloggers and fans of my blog consider me to be a prolific blogger. I do what I need to do to get my content out there and increase my following. Sometimes this leads to late nights and lack of sleep, but I have a strong work ethic when it comes to my blog and I take it very seriously. It’s no longer just a hobby. Also I’m a gogetter, and the easiest way to obtain an opportunity is just to ask. What’s the worst that could happen? They say no? It’s better to receive a “no” than to never ask in the first place and always wonder.
Tell us some of the brands you’ve worked with? Shalanda Turner: Engineer By Day, Fashionista By Night •
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This could be lengthy, but I’ve worked with Garnier, Macy’s, Saks, Pepsi, Hyatt, Ford, Cadillac, Chevy, just to name a few!
What’s a typical day like for you? My boss likes me to get to work between 7am and 8am. On average I typically get in around 8am (I’m not a morning person). I wake up at 6:30am. I’m currently managing seven projects so my day is pretty busy at work. Over lunch I do some things with my blog, whether it’s Instagram, checking emails, or posting on Facebook. I leave work between 5:30pm and 6pm every evening and this is where the real fun begins. An average week for me involves attending 3-4 events a week. They all typically start between 6-7 pm, and as you can imagine, this leaves very little time to go home and change, but I make it work! Sometimes I wear what I plan to wear in the evening to work, or I’ll bring clothes in my car and change on the spot. I keep my camera and tripod on me at all times so I can take outfit shots whenever I want, as weall as to cover the various events. After these events I come home, turn on the laptop and get to work on the blog. By now it’s about 9-10pm. The average bedtime for me is between midnight and 1am.
And then you wake up and do it all over again, off of 5 hours sleep? I can’t imagine! Sounds 28 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
“ The overall future goal for my site would be for it to become the one-stop fashion destination in Houston. You know? The Fashionista.com of Houston...”
Cover Story: Redesigning Eva •
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exhausting! How do you balance it all? It is, but I love it. I love the duality of my life. I think it makes me unique. Balancing sometimes gets hard; I’ll be at work and someone calls me or needs me to do something for the fashion side, but it has to wait until I get off work, etc. The job that pays the bills needs to always take top priority. It also helps that I’m not married and I don’t have kids, so allocating my evening time is pretty easy. I don’t have to pick anyone up or cook dinner for anyone. I do have a cat though, and sometimes she’s high maintenance. Ha! When it comes to the work/life balance it’s also good to recognize when you need help. In addition to working full time, blogging at Live Life in Style, running Houston Fashion Bloggers, I’m also the Style Editor here at Hat Trick Magzine, FashionMingle.net and Houston Fashion Examiner for Examiner.com. In order to keep all of these going, it’s time for me to bring on a blog partner, intern, or virtual assistant.
You mentioned bringing on help? Is that a part of your future plans for Live Life in Style? Yes. The future goals for my blog will definitely require assistance. I’ll need contributors and I’m currently working on adding video interviews to my blog which will require a crew. The overall future goal for my site would be for it 30 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
to become the one-stop fashion destination in Houston. You know? The Fashionista.com of Houston, and then eventually a friendly national competitor to sites such as Refinery 29, Fashionista.com, Who What Wear, and Women’s Wear Daily. I read all of these sites religiously and I love them. All of them have multiple writers and contributors. I would love for Live Life in Style to one day be on that list.
I work just as hard in my engineering career as I do in my Fashion career. It can be challenging going at 100% all of the time ... so you have to find time to wind down and take time to take care of yourself.
For your Engineering Career? Currently I’m a Project Engineer. I would love to eventually be promoted to Senior Project Engineer. I work just as hard in my engineering career as I do in my Fashion career. It can be challenging going at 100% all of the time, all day in and out, so you have to find time to wind down and take time to take care of yourself. I’m not the best at the latter Shalanda Turner: Engineer By Day, Fashionista By Night •
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right now, but my body is forcing me to chill a little bit! I’m no longer 21! Ha!
Do you have any tips for Bloggers that may also be living the dual life, or just bloggers in general? Yes! Whatever you are doing, or decide to do, please make sure that you are doing it because you love it. First and foremost...love what you do. “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life”. It may sound cliché, but never give up. Rome wasn’t built in a day, so why would you see success in a day?
To find out more about Shasie you can find her on the following social media sites. Just click the icons below: Blog www.live-life-in-style.com Facebook www.facebook.com/livelifeinstyle Twitter www.twitter.com/livelifeinstye Instagram www.instagram.com/livelifeinstyle
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Business & Tech Tips
The Power of Saying
! s e Y Yes!
Yes!
Yes! FIND ME ONLINE HERE
By Andrea Sullenger 34 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
Life Lessons To Grab Hold Of: What and where a “yes” can take you can be exhilarating, scary, adventurous, challenging and profitable in more ways than just monetarily. I have had the privilege of learning first hand how powerful being and staying open can be for the work you do, the work you want to do, and the soul.
AT
the end of 2012 I was facing some big career decisions and to be honest some were easy and some felt horribly hard and painful to make. Navigating my way through each portion of decision making that I knew I had to make was teaching me a lesson. Some lessons I saw, felt or heard right away and they made sense to me and others were more covert in their “showing up” for me to witness. I became aware that these lessons were here as gifts but it was my choice to decide to accept the gift and really learn from it. In my hindsight wisdom I can now recognized two things that I did in the winter of 2012 and all through 2013 that have completely changed the trajectory of my life for the better.
Lesson #1
Listen To Your Soul The first gift I was given and decided to accept was the gift to listen to my own soul, spirit, intuition, whatever you want to call it, I listened. In 2012 I was up against a wall. From The Power of Saying Yes! •
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outward appearances I was successful in all areas of my life, relationship, career, finances etc, etc. I was respected in my work, I was earning a healthy six figure income, I had time and freedom, I had healthy kids and an amazing husband but internally I knew something was NOT right. I knew I needed to resign from my position and head down a new path. It was gut wrenching, heart breaking and scary. My soul would not let go from this message for me to close that door and move in a new direction. How was I going to explain this to my husband, my friends, family and to those I worked with? None of this was going to make sense to the outside world but I knew it didn’t matter. I knew that the line in the sand had already been drawn and I had to make a choice. I also knew that if I did nothing I would continue to feel sick and empty in the work and impact I was having on those I worked with. I knew that there were bigger things for me to do and I could not accomplish them while staying safe in the cocoon I had so diligently created for myself. I also had to recognize that closing the door I knew I needed to would also come with some hard realities to tackle. I knew it wouldn’t just be easy and smooth sailing and guess what, it wasn’t. There were times I looked back and questioned myself and the decision to leap out of 36 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
the comfort of familiarity and security and cried. I cried because that was easy and this was now hard and unsure. Lessons are brought to each of us and in the moment we accept them we also create a silent and secret pledge with ourselves to honor the lesson and to take action. Once we step in to take action the lesson begins to take root and we are saying, “yes I really heard the lesson, I really get it, I really accept it and I am ready.”
Lesson #2
Be Open to Say Yes I distinctly remember a door being opened in a new arena of business for me early in Feburary of 2013 and I was filled with a rush of excitement for what it could be. I was also rushed with insecurities, fear, doubt and questions of how could this even work. I allowed all the negative but real feelings, real questions and real doubt settle into my soul. It begin to dictate to me how and what I was going to do until one day I literally just stopped myself in my tracks, in mid thought and asked…”But what if I just say yes? What if I say yes and don’t know how it will work out or how I will accomplish it? What if I say yes and it works itself out, I learn, I grow, I am challenged and I become better?” Without really knowing it then I was being given a powerful lesson, a powerful gift. It was the gift to just say yes. Please hear me, I am not advocating that you say yes to literally everything in the world. What I am saying is that The Power of Saying Yes! •
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you enter each conversation with a yes first rather than a no or prove it to me attitude. I am saying you listen to your soul and if you feel prompted to say yes, even without all the information or all the details of what, how, who and so on you just say yes what would or what could happen to your life and to your work? The coolest piece of learning to say yes is to also realize that you also have the power to say no or to pause the yes or to stop the yes. If you say yes to a possibility of a new work project you also have the ability and power to say, “this needs to slow down or I think I need to stop this project.” See, the cool piece is that you can only go as far as you can see and you can’t see farther until you choose to say yes and move farther. Saying yes brings incredible people into your life. It brings challenging new work opportunities into your life. Waiting to answer the call and say yes until you know everything and the outcome means you become stagnant. It means you are complacent. It means your impact will never have a shot at really growing and creating ripple effects.
Choosing to listen to your soul and choosing
Yes!
to say yes can be scary but I believe it won’t steer you wrong. Your soul and your yes will also never be in conflict. If you begin to say yes but internally you feel a “hold on” or a flat out “NO” then don’t say yes. That is conflict. Stop, slow down and listen to your soul. When you are in
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! s Ye
complete alignment and you say yes it also won’t mean that you are nervous or a little afraid. Recently I was reminded to be open, to say yes and then to move into action and because of it I took off traveling once again, met some amazing and uber talented people that I would never have met otherwise and began the process of writing over $6 million dollars in new strategic partnership deals. WOW! How is that for listening to my soul, saying yes without knowing if it for sure would work out and then taking action?! Pretty incredible.
I challenge you to pause today and ask yourself what areas of your life are you ignoring your soul, what areas can you say “YES� to?
WITH S E M L O H MICHELLE Click to Watch Online!
“There is a certain relief in change, even though it be from bad to worse; as I have found in traveling in a stagecoach, that it often a comfort to shift one’s position and be bruised in a new place.” Washington Irving Tales of a Traveller (1824)
Embody Your Sexy Geek Quick Techie Tips to Let Your Sexy Geek Shine
Domain Gamechanger
New domain extensions proclaim your uniqueness
FIND ME ONLINE HERE
By Katie Geddes
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Have you heard about all the new TLDs that have started to become available? TLDs = top level domains, what you’ve gotten used to in the online world as the extension at the end of a web address, such as .com, .org, .net, etc. You need to purchase a domain name with its accompanying extension in order to put up a website and be found online. Well, look out masterminds because a whole new world is opening up for you. A large number (900) of new domain extensions offer fantastic news for those of you looking to have a great online presence and name. There’s an art to creating a great name and a great domain name is a subart of that.
Web Branding Grows Up These new options allow you to create shorter, simpler domain names because you don’t have to hope to find .com or .org with the name you want to use. These new options also often make a lot more sense along with your business name and are fun, memorable and catchy. Now that the world at large is familiar with the web, this development Embody Your Sexy Geek •
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allows a level of branding that’s new. Results can be more relevant and catchy.
Current New Options Here are some current options, meaning you can already snap these up:
.academy .cool .today .dance .works .tools .photography .photo This is a small sampling of some I personally like. There are about 900 new names, many already available, many more coming up this year.
Tips for a Great Domain Name Professional domain name creation is something I’ve done for years. Creating a good domain name, like so many undertakings, requires more than meets the eye, or in this case, also the ear. 44 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
Here’s what I strive for when creating a great company and domain name -- and they’re not always identical, btw.
5 Keys to a Great Name I look for five things in a great name: SHORT needed for advertising, layouts etc. CLEAR unless a made up word, which can work MEMORABLE easy to remember (and ideally spell and speak) FUNNY optional and good to have SMART optional and good to have Names are how products and services stick or not in customers’ minds. Give your naming its due and it’ll pay you back. Literally.
Naming Systems We’re all told to “think big” in business. One of the best ways to do this is to consider naming components of your business as a whole system from the get go. An easy Embody Your Sexy Geek •
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example of this is Apple’s iPad, iPhone, iPod etc. Creating a cohesive naming system ties all the pieces of your business together, allowing them to “talk” to each other and to get into customer’ minds much more easily. As entrepreneurs with online businesses and programs, many of us end up with dozens of domain names. Now’s a good time to hone in on the clarity of your names.
The Look of a Word How the letters of a name look matters also, in attracting attention, creating a great logo or logotype and in your audience’s reaction to your name. Different letters feel very different. Play around with your options and don’t neglect to consider the look of the letters in your cool new name.
New Opportunities This is a gamechanger for the world of domains. I’ve had conversations with major registrars about the ramifications of this big change in how we use URLs (website addresses). The logic of your site’s name can be more inventive now. Here’s a fun example: omg.coffee
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Here’s one of mine: embody. vision Don’t limit yourself to the way you’ve thought about domain names in the past. Being open to change is a key component to successful entrepreneurship. It always feels weird when something you’ve come to rely on shifts but at the same time, it allows for amazing new possibilities. Go grab that great name you’ve been considering. Create something just right for you that expresses your uniqueness.
When to Buy Domain names are big business and the cost of these new extensions is generally higher than .com or previous TLDs. They range from about $29 to several hundred dollars but are usually under $100. These higher prices prohibit grabbing a ton of them for most of us but still make them attainable when you find one you love and gotta have
Pre-Registration Period Before they’re available, the industry drums up interest by Embody Your Sexy Geek •
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offering pre-registration. In my techie opinion, I’d bypass this stage. The domains cost more at this time and buying one doesn’t guarantee you’ll get it. It’s like any other auction-type situation; you’re taking a risk. I personally feel you might as well wait until the name you want is available and then go for it at the best price when you know you do or don’t get it.
Good Places to Register GoDaddy is one of the most widely used domain registrars. They can be great to work with and I’ve worked with them for years. However, note that especially with this major shift in domain extensions, other registrars may be more competitive in pricing and may have the new extensions available sooner. Here are two other reliable sources you can check for and purchase domains with the new extensions:
m o c . p a e h C e m a N DirectNic.com The world of domain names is forever changing. Get in on it so you can benefit now. You can monitor the availability of the new names at any of these sites.
About Search Engines If you’re wondering about how these new domains will 48 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
show up in search engines, rest easy. According to Google, the new TLDs can perform equally well compared to existing ones in terms of search engine optimization. Google has a lot of experience in returning relevant web pages, regardless of the top-level domain (TLD). Google will attempt to rank new TLDs appropriately but I don’t expect a new TLD to get any kind of initial preference over .com. Matt Cutts, Google
What About You? What unique, smart, simple and/or fun new domains can you cook up? I’d love to hear them and will share some of the best ones in print (with your permission), giving you an extra boost of visibility. Send me your brilliance at: sexygeek@embodyart.org.
Lovin Bytes, Katie xx Katie Geddes can be found geeking it up at Embodyart.org, where she’ll show you how to profit from your passion. Katie designs thriving businesses for playful, spiritual entrepreneurs. E-mail Katie at sexygeek@embodyart.org to say hi, ask a question, sing a song or apply for a FREE discovery session that’s worth a friggin’ fortune.
Embodyart.org
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Career & Learning
The Truth & Lies Of Realising Your Potential Hello - it’s that annoying person in the bathroom mirror again. Yes, they’re looking at YOU. And they just asked you that question - AGAIN.
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By Sandra Cunningham 52 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
Are you realising your full potential? Take a good look at them. How do they appear to you? Relaxed, joyful and at peace with themselves? Or anxious, shameful and dissatisfied? I’m guessing it’s not the former. Contented people tend not to read articles like this. So, take another look.
This is you. Now. In this present moment. This is how YOU are being with YOU. How does it feel? Familiar? Probably. Easy? I guess so. Energising? Life affirming? Soul boosting? Doubtful.
I Feel Like I’m Not Realising My Potential The quest to realise our potential is very ‘in vogue’ these days – Google alone returns 53 million+ items about the subject in its search results. It may not surprise you that: ‘I feel like I am not realising my potential’, is one of the most common sentiments expressed by many clients when they first contact me. The happiness ‘gurus’ don’t help: on one hand they tell us The Truth & Lies Of Realising Your Potential •
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a fulfilled life means meeting one’s potential, and on the other, they tell us to accept ourselves just as we are. So it’s certainly something that preys on a lot of our minds, causing no end of anguish and self-doubt. Part of the problem as I see it, is in our understanding. ‘Potential’ means the capacity to do something in the future, i.e. at a point in time that hasn’t occurred yet. So how can a person’s potential ever be fully realised? “Learn from yesterday, live for today, look to tomorrow, rest this afternoon.” Charles M. Schulz, Charlie Brown’s Little Book of Wisdom Our potential continues to grows as we grow - there is always further capacity. Always. You can’t put a ceiling on potential. So there’s a certain futility about expending excessive amounts of energy thinking about it. Today you are here and you are breathing. And things are okay. Tomorrow is likely to be the same.
But Isn’t Your Life Wasted If You Don’t At Least Try To Realise Your Potential? Undeniably, many in our ‘have-it-all-do-it-all’ generation 54 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
have grown up with the idea that unless we ‘realise our potential’, then we will have led a sub-optimal life. Somehow we will have failed. And if we fail, it means we’re not complete. We’re not whole. We then project this belief on to our families, our children – and our friends. However, I have often found this to be less about individual potential, and more about living up to others’ ideals about what it means to be successful. And instead of creating true happiness and contentment in our lives now, we spend much of our time and energy thinking around in circles, never getting clear answers and not really knowing what to do for the best. All because of a popular belief that if we don’t have the ideal job, a 6-figure salary, perfect husband/ wife, gorgeous kids, a 6-figure mortgage, and a gasguzzling 4x4, by the time we’re 35 years old, then we’re not realising our potential.
Oh, and did I mention status, validation and approval? Is it any wonder so many of us end up feeling inadequate, lacking, confused and down-right drained? The Truth & Lies Of Realising Your Potential •
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The Reassuring Truth ‘Potential’ is not something you need to aspire to. Nor is it ‘out there’, waiting for you to find it. It’s not the happy ever after. And it’s certainly not the panacea for all your fears, weaknesses and limitations. You are already complete. You already have enough to live on this planet. Your potential is here, within you – right now. You are living it. Could you live it more fully? Very likely. Yes, we can all do more, and better. We can grow from within ourselves, change our course and alter the impact we have in the world, including the people around us. But that’s a matter of individual choice. It comes from desire - not from obligation. It comes from a place of wholeness, and working with our constraints and limitations - not pretending that they shouldn’t exist. It also means accepting that we are imperfect beings – mistakes, difficulties and failures are an inevitable part of our experience and our growth. And it means doing whatever you do because YOU want to, for your own self-affirming reasons, and that you see genuine value in it. Not because some else said you should. 56 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
We Can Learn From Nature’s Wisdom (It wouldn’t be a Walking Coach article otherwise) When we look at a flower in full bloom, or a playful dog wagging its tail, or a bird singing its heart out on a treetop, what we see is true presence and beauty. Pure and simple/ Nobody can argue with that. Nobody would even think to judge it. We don’t see any of these ‘other than human-beings’ worrying about whether they are ‘enough’ of a flower, a dog or a bird. We don’t see them questioning their worth. They aren’t tussling with their thoughts over whether or not they are living up to their full potential.
They don’t need validation. Or approval. They are simply being exactly who or what they are, and doing what they do, naturally instinctively, fully and joyfully. They are living freely in their innate potential. And so do you - whenever you commit wholeheartedly to living, loving and working at your best. “The key to a life lived well is to know yourself. And in knowing yourself, you can work with the flow of yourself, rather than against it.” The Truth & Lies Of Realising Your Potential •
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Now, Ask Yourself The REAL Question Do you know who you are? Do you know what energises you? Fascinates you? What really lights you up? Do you know where you shine? Your virtues? What’s really, really important?
Why? The key to a life lived well is to know yourself. And in knowing yourself, you can work with the flow of yourself, rather than against it. If you embrace your story – talents, warts, weaknesses and all - unfettered by the expectations and opinions of others, it will powerfully resource you to meet the opportunities and challenges of the life you choose to lead. As a result, you will be able to be far more creative and powerful than you may have thought. This is not a process you can rationalise or entirely control, though it is the source of everything that will feel most meaningful and true to you.Go ahead. Dream into the future. Imagine what you would love, love, love to accomplish in your life. And go for it. But be yourself. And do it because it has meaning to you - and value. Be clear about your Why. (I am sure it will NOT be because you want to realise your potential.) 58 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
In so doing, you may well find yourself at some point in the future where you are able to look back and it will all make sense. You will most likely discover that indeed you lived your life well and you did it full-out.
You did your best. And that was more than enough.
“The art of life is a constant readjustment to our surroundings.� Kakuzo Okakaura
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Jarring, Fascilitation & Positivity Some months back, I was munching and lunching with Doug Shaw and we were talking about a good number of things. In particular we ambled on talking about helping groups with positive actions and positive behaviours who may not be ready for it.
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By Sukh Pabial 60 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
Facilitation, when done well, is by essence a positive experience. It normally helps a group move forward and progress their thinking. Facilitators are mindful of energy levels, positive interactions, feedback, techniques and more besides. All this fits into the kitbag of what the facilitator is capable of doing and how they work with a group to reach an agreed outcome. One of the important tenets of positive psychology is accepting that sometimes bad things happen. That definition of bad is as broad as it needs to be. It includes personal slights, significant events, workplace problems, global catastrophes, warring countries, relationship troubles and even mental illness. What’s not important is defining ‘bad’ in this context. What’s important is recognising that something is not right. I’ve said before, and will say again that positive thinking in this type of instance is unhelpful. You can’t just positively think you’re way out of feeling like something is jarring with you. It’s important to recognise what that jarring is, address it and find a way to move forward once you have acted on making it better. And sometimes, that’s the piece we can get stuck with. It happens in organisations too. A team that is not a team Jarring, Fascilitation & Positivity •
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because they’re not working together, won’t be an effective team unless they accept one another. It doesn’t matter if they haven’t normed or stormed or whatever, or if they haven’t identified who’s completely finishing and who’s off planting. What matters is if they have a basic work ethic and trust with one another. If they can’t do those essentials with team members, then they won’t be able to positively work together.
“ In most cases we can brush things off, or accept them because of the personal situations we may be faced with. When that jarring, though, means we are stuck, that’s when we need to address it” In fact, I’d go so far as to say that focusing on a positive outcome without the team being ready for it could do more harm than good. Why? Because they’ll only be cynical about the tasks or activities they’re being asked to carry out, and when they’re back in the workplace nothing will change for them. I remember facilitating a team event with a team who were asked to take part in a games based activity. It was meant to be a pat on the back for them and a recognition of their hard work. They did what they were asked to, and when they were back in the workplace, went back to all their negative behaviours. That happened because, with hindsight, we didn’t address what was the reality for them. It didn’t matter that they were being treated to a day out, they needed to address their team issues. 62 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
The clear outcome from dealing with bad things is that we know we can overcome them. Sometimes they seem insurmountable, but often it’s an attitudinal blockage as opposed to anything else. Personally, too, we experience jarring of all sorts. In most cases we can brush things off, or accept them because of the personal situations we may be faced with. When that jarring, though, means we are stuck, that’s when we need to address it and find a way to act on it. In this context, it can be hard to make that happen if we are unaware of what actually needs to be done. A coach, a trusted friend / other or a trained counsellor can help in these instances. When people enter into long term discussions focused “That’s why us on one issue or another, L&Ders exist. We those are important facilitate. We make moments to help progress the hard easy. We happen. I believe it’s make the hard important to encourage positive behaviours where better. We make possible too. Supporting the hard more people to engage with manageable. ” positive actions can be really hard. Jarring, Fascilitation & Positivity •
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At work, this could be talking to your manager about your growing workload from them. It could be about finding ways to better manage your constant urgent and important actions. It could be finding better ways to manage your projects. It could be dealing with a difficult colleague. It could be going for that promotion. It’s hard to do all of the above. That’s why us L&Ders exist. We facilitate. We make the hard easy. We make the hard better. We make the hard more manageable. We make the hard easier to understand.
Your takeaway? Accept that sometimes things jar. When you address it and find a way to act on it, you allow yourself the space to act positively for your own wellbeing.
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Faith & Self Help
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By Karen Salmansohn
Entitle
Dear Friends,
I have missed you. I have missed sharing the truths God reminds me of and how He whips me into shape. I have missed emailing with you and praying for you over the past few months and I want to ask you to pray for me to remain committed to sharing my journey. Writing is something I know God has asked me to do for Him and It has been too long since I sat down with this computer. I like to call it writers block, because it sounds nicer than disobedience. But here I am. Again. Sharing the mire I get stuck in and ever so thankful for the manna He reigns down on me. A warning for you, dear friends: Please do not encourage me to cut my kids some slack. Please do not remind me FIND ME ONLINE HERE
By Katie Clifton, Christian Columnist 68 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
that they are normal. I am not trying to raise “normal” kids (witty and full of clever sarcasm, yes. But not normal). My calling is to raise godly people, who care for others, who embrace humility, who love radically, clothed in the love of Jesus.
Now, we may proceed. A few months ago, one of my children (who shall remain nameless) and I had a come to Jesus meeting after she was repeatedly caught not taking care of her clothes. Her closet was basically declared a natural disaster. During our encounter in the closet, I may or may not have completely lost my cool/mind. I ended our little meeting with, “you will not be ungrateful. You will be a good steward. And you will learn this by purchasing all of your own clothes until this lesson has been learned.” (Yes, I know. Worst mom ever.) I walked away from tear filled blue eyes that screamed the anger I know she must have been feeling inside. I am certain I felt the same emotions when my own mom was angry over the very same things with me 20 years ago. This conversation took place just as the summer was about to begin and this particular child was in need of summer attire. And do you know what? She bought them. All of them. Her swim suit, shirts, shorts, a dress, flip flops, everything - I am just that mean. It is a good thing this particular child is a hoarder of money. Let’s just all agree I am a tough mom, shake hands and move on. Ok? Thank you. Let’s fast forward into the summer. Another child (who shall remain nameless) approached me with a great argument Christian Columnist: Entitle •
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in favor of an “My mom tells me to allowance. “I mean, cut myself some slack... mom. We do a lot. The dishes, trash, and maybe I should. But we keep our rooms God loaned me four clean, we help little people and I am with laundry, I am learning to mow.... suppose to not screw I just think, you them up. I want to teach know, that maybe them to be thankful we could get paid for our work.” I for the good gifts we stared at him for have...” a good minute without talking. Just blinking. No talking. This is a scare tactic I prefer to use to allow our kids to rethink something they just said to me. He nervously smiled and then said, “Ok, I will just keep doing all of that stuff and be glad I get to eat. Ok?” Now if you knew this kid, you would know he was actually pretty serious. He got shot down but he took a minute to realize he is thankful for what he has. He quickly walked away and as I am writing this, I am now fairly certain he was hiding the same angry blue eyes his sister had flashed me months before.
You may be reading this thinking,
“Katie is strict. Katie is unfair. I give my kid an allowance, so what?” And you would be right. If you give your kids an allowance, that is awesome. My intentions are not to criticize you - at all. I had one. I turned out pretty good. And if our son presents the same argument in a few more years,
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I just might cave. So, I am not saying never - just not now. I wrestle with motherhood far more frequently than I admit. My mom tells me to cut myself some slack (moms always know best) and maybe I should. But God loaned me four little people and I am suppose to not screw them up. I want to teach them to be thankful for the good gifts we have, since all good gifts come from above. I want to teach them to appreciate the little things and all things. I want to teach them to work hard, to not hold their hands out for more, to give to those who ask, to love and serve with generosity and gentleness. Being a mom is so hard sometimes. My flesh wants to spoil them rotten, yet I get angry when they sound entitled. My flesh wants to offer them the world, yet I don’t want them to expect the world to be handed to them on a silver platter. Our bigs are getting bigger by the minute and I am realizing the years I have left to lead them will pass so very quickly. It makes my stomach feel sick thinking about it. I sat down today and prayed for them, for an uninterupted hour. I told the Lord my fears. I asked Him to show me how to teach all 4 of our children how to be thankful in all circumstances, to be content and joyful. I told the Lord that I was not sure how to raise kids in a consumer culture where materialism is our way of life. I know the Lord has asked me to cultivate characteristics in them that are counter cultural. I desperately want to not raise normal kids - I want to raise kids with an eternal perspective. Christian Columnist: Entitle •
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And just like Jesus, He heard my prayer and then He spoke words I needed to hear:
“Katie are you modeling gratitude in your own life? They are watching you. Katie, are you giving thanks to Me in all circumstances? When you have little? When you have plenty? Katie, have your eyes been open lately to the people I have placed in front of you to love? Are you joyful or just happy?� It occured to me that I am the issue and
not my kids, not society, and not even my disciplinary techniques. The model before them is a broken one. My husband and I use to serve the homeless weekly, with our oldest kids beside us. We ate with homeless friends, we gave out hygeine kits and meals, I provided haircuts and we grew to love the least. Our kids knew them all by name. Our kids would ask their homeless friends how they were feeling and they would hug them and engage them in conversation. We took them to Kenya. We loved on orphans. We hugged and played and laughed and cried with children who have nothing. We all fell in love with the least. And the last big mission for our family was 17 months ago. Seventeen months. 517 days. That breaks my heart.
How can I just expect children to live
out actions their mom is not living? Going on a few mission trips will not permanently fix their minds and hearts for
others. Adopting a few babies does not show them how to daily, live missionally. Sponsoring kids through Holt will not just automatically encourage them to be thankful for what they have. I am called to be a living example, daily. And I have been slacking. I get busy living life, working, shopping, doing laundry, consuming - existing. I get very busy making excuses. Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica and urged them to not “live idle lives.” Oh how I have been idle. In Luke Chapter 12 Jesus tells us a parable of the rich fool. Someone yelled out to Jesus from a crowd and Jesus is quick to remind the man that life is far more than a collection of material possessions. Jesus said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” (Luke 12:15)
Paul writes again, this time to the church in
Colosse, and these words are the words I need to read each day when my feet hit the floor. Applying these words to my life, daily, will teach my children more than any fit I could throw about ungratefulness and entitlement:
“Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, (Katie, be patient with your kids) and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Christian Columnist: Entitle •
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Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all toghether in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom He gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” (Colossians 3:12-17) Paul wrote this while in prison for radically living out the Gospel of Jesus. I have been in chains to my excuses, my very own entitlement, chasing desires, building treasures. I have confessed it before the Lord and now I am sharing it will you. Being a mom is tough. Living a life for Jesus is tougher, but how great it is that the two go hand in hand. I think you and I have been given a wonderful gift to equip us to raise amazing people who make a Kingdom difference. The gift was Jesus. And with that knowledge, action is required.
I am taking my kids to serve. I
will serve along side them. I will express my thanks to God for all things and not allow my kids to hear me fuss and
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complain. I will be generous and joyful in my generosity. I will be intentional about living out the character traits of Christ that I am praying my children clothe themselves with. Will you join me? Can we hold one another accountable?
Do you have ideas on how to model
generosity and thaksgiving with your own littles? I would love for us to share ideas, share struggles, connect and encourage one another on this journey so that we could all stand and humbly say:
“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:11-13)
I love you friends. Thank you for the grace and mercy you always
show me as I share my heart. I am so thankful you journey with me.
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My Rocky Road to
Meditation
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By Gina Hussar 76 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
Full disclosure. I’m kind of a commitment phobic. I have a really hard time saying “yes” to things because then I am expected to actually do them. That’s how it works right? And I definitely don’t want to be one of those people that posts on Facebook about all of the amazing things they are planning to do only to crawl sheepishly into the corner when they STOP training for that marathon. There is one particular practice that I have resisted with such fervor and determination you would think it had insulted me at a party or slept with my husband— meditation. I have read a boatload of personal development and wellness books and every single one sings the praises of quiet meditation. No, really. Every. Single. One. I just didn’t get it. First of all, it felt like a waste of time. Why sit quietly with my eyes closed when there was perfectly insane reality TV to watch? It turns out that I also have three small children. We’re busy. When I think “meditation” I picture some holy, quiet woman sitting Indian style with a monk on a hill. She probably gave up coffee and sugar ages ago and never says the F word. That’s just never going to be me. I’m Italian. There’s nothing quiet about me. It’s not like I didn’t try. I bought the book Meditation for Dummies. It suggested all kinds of different methods for beginners. My Rocky Road to Meditation •
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There was the counting method to clear your head. There was the breathing method of course which just reminded me too much of childbirth. (This is supposed to relax me, not produce post traumatic stress symptoms.) And then there were the projection methods that involved picturing an apple, picturing a movie screen etc. None of it worked. I have no attention span and was bored out of my mind. I gave up. Fast forward a few years and a third kid later and I dragged out the candles again. I decided this time to “become one with nature” and headed outdoors for my meditation time. Here’s how it went:
“Ok. I’m sitting. I am sitting in the grass. What if a bug crawls on me? Am I allowed to smack it? Focus. Breathe. What is that noise? Who in the hell cuts their grass at 6:30am? Focus Gina. Breathe... I smell bacon. I wonder who’s making that? I should have eaten first.”
And that was it. The past year, however, something
shifted. Life happened. My third child was born. I dissolved one of my businesses. I felt overwhelmed. Lost. I bought more books and of course at least once in each of them the subject of meditation came up. If you do the research,
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which I begrudgingly did, it turns out that pretty much every important person in history who contributed anything of value to the human race practiced some form of meditation. (Sigh.) I couldn’t put it off any longer. There were things in my life that I was looking to change and this was the one thing that I hadn’t tried. I mean, hell, if it was good enough for the Dalai Lama, Deepak Chopra and Russell Brand, maybe it would be good enough for me.
“I am keenly aware that something is different about me. I am judging no one. I am feeling something that I cannot put my finger on, but it’s fantastic. I am at peace.”
A friend of mine who I consider to be quite enlightened (and who also happens to be a millionaire) meditates regularly. She advised me to start slowly, committing to just two minutes, twice a day. You might think that sounds entirely doable, but if you’re a mom you know that peeing alone is a feat of Olympic proportions, so four uninterrupted minutes are hard to come by. As a coach, I know this is an excuse. If a client said these things to me I would call it “resistance.” For myself, however, it’s perfectly justifiable right? Wrong. I set my alarm to ring a bit earlier and start with two minutes. I close my eyes for a bit, check the clock once to see if I can quit. The next day I up it to three minutes. Something My Rocky Road to Meditation •
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shifts. I feel really relaxed when I open my eyes. I feel like there isn’t anything that can rattle me; not the morning rush before school, not traffic or a fussy baby. I am super calm. Calm is a foreign feeling to me at this point. I continue to up it one minute each day that week. By Friday night as I am sitting at dinner with friends, sipping my wine, I am keenly aware that something is different about me. I am judging no one. I am feeling something that I cannot put my finger on but it’s fantastic. I am at peace.
By the following week I am up to ten minutes
and I suddenly find myself wishing for more. It is at this point that I stumble on this video from Deepak Chopra. It’s a short, guided meditation. Deepak says, (and I’m paraphrasing) that many people mistake meditation as a practice that is meant to help you tune out, when in fact the beauty of the practice is to help you tune in. Meditation
Click to watch!
takes you to the space between your thoughts and that space is meant to be a portal to voice of the Infinite. It is in your quiet time that ideas will flow, that your perspective will shift. Take a look.
It’s not about chanting. It’s not about getting into (and holding) some perfect yoga pose that only 20 year olds who have never given birth are meant to get into. It’s about being still. It’s about shutting off the phone and just BEING. Listening. It is in this quiet time that you invite the voice of a higher power to speak to you, to guide, and to fill you with peace and healing. And guess what? It works.
There are people who have reported incredible transcendental experiences during meditation, almost like lucid dreams. There are folks who say that some of the greatest inventions and masterpieces of our time were shown to their creators during deep meditation.
I didn’t have anything trippy like that. I didn’t see an image of the next great invention. I didn’t get the formula for the next breakthrough cure. What I did get was a new level of peace, a new space for hope, a new feeling of being one with a higher power, and 90% of this article. Hey, it’s a start. I’ll take it. My Rocky Road to Meditation •
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“It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.� Charles Darwin
By Joey Phelps & Michael Phelps Lil Nipper Snappers Cartoon •
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Style & Beauty
FALL 2014 FASHION REPORT
For the September Issue, our Style Editor, Shalanda Turner is bringing you the hottest fall trends from the runways of New York. From ready-to-wear to evening gowns, there’s something for everybody! FIND ME ONLINE HERE
By Shalanda Turner 84 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
EXAGGERATED SLEEVES
BCBG Max Azria
Š2014 Jane Kratochvil
Noon by Noor
Photos in spread by Jane Kratochvil (www.janekratochvil.com)
&
Marina Marston (www.squareearthstudio.com)
Carolina Herrera
Mark & Estel
BLACK OUT
Angel Sanchez
Koonhor
Carolina Herrera
Marc Jacobs
COLOR BLOCKING Rebecca Minkoff
BCBG Max Azria
PRINTS
Carolina Herrera
Clover Canyon
WHITE
OUT Tess Giberson
Tadashi Shoji
FABRIC BLOCKING
J. Mendel
Johnathan Simkhai
Mara Hoffman
Noon by Noor
Nicole Miller
MIXING PRINTS
PERFORATIO Tadashi Shoji
Vivienne Tam
Moniq
ONS
que Lhuillier
Monique Lhuillier
Cognac
Aurora Red
Royal Blue
Cypress
Radia
ant Orchid
FALL
COLOR PALETTE Aluminum
Sangria
Lifestyle & Wellness
Warrior Fuel
By PowHERhouse
What’s The Deal With Maca?
FIND ME ONLINE HERE
By Charlene SanJenko
I love teaching a style of training that requires minimal equipment and works your entire body from head to toe through a series of sequential exercises performed with minimal breaks focused on form, isolation, body awareness, mind-to-muscle connection, and intensity through quality. This simple yet highly effective style of training (“Warrior Workouts”) requires the body to be well-fueled, nourished, rested and hydrated to perform a really great workout and enjoy it! Warrior Workouts require Warrior Fuel. It makes perfect sense to call this article “Warrior Fuel” because in order to perform this workout at your fullest potential (once you learn it), and in fact, to perform in all areas of your life at your highest potential – you need to fuel your body optimally. What do we mean by “optimally”? Let’s break it down because I think many women make it far too complicated (read: overwhelming) so they never start.
Kill the empty calories: We all want to
the biggest bang for our buck. In terms of optimal fuel, that means anything passing your lips requires maximum flavour, satisfaction, satiety and energy while maintaining a nutrient dense base. Warrior Fuel by PowHERhouse: What’s the Deal With Maca? •
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r latest Here’s a sample of ou r Workout PowHERhouse Warrio
Cut the crap: In our opinion, anything processed
and white does more harm than good to our systems. This includes white sugar, white flour, white rice, white pasta, etc.
Get off the tightrope: This is a tough one
for a lot of women. They get themselves on harsh calorierestricted diets that they realistically can not sustain for the long-term. Their metabolism slows down, their moods worsen and they become almost neurotic as there quite literally aren’t enough nutrients going to their brains. Their existence and their relationship to food becomes a toxic tightrope walk.
Dig into your digestive health: Many
women are bloated, gassy, backed up (literally!) and not assimilating, metabolizing and eliminating their food 102 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
optimally. This MUST change. Educate yourself on the benefits of digestive enzymes, probiotics, acidophilus, hemp and chia seeds, olive or flax oils, and begin to eat for digestive health.
Get back to basics:
Follow the 80-20 rule. Build a strong foundation first. Don’t worry about the latest and greatest supplement or diet aid until you can show me (and yourself) a solid foundation for optimal fuel. My book, Freeway To Fat Loss, is a great place to start.
Once you get these critical Top 5 Warrior Fuel Factors under your belt, you can start to educate and experiment with SUPERFOODS such as Maca. We recently interviewed Registered Holistic Nutritionist, Char Conlin of Revive Nutrition to help us understand what Maca is and how it may benefit us: Maca is the root of a South American plant that has been hailed as a superfood for centuries. It is the highest altitude crop that is part of the brassica family – broccoli, cauliflower, radish etc. Incan warriors ate it before battle to improve strength and stamina. I know of some other warriors that may benefit from Maca! Maca is a very unique nutritional powerhouse that contains an enormous amount of amino acids, over Warrior Fuel by PowHERhouse: What’s the Deal With Maca? •
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20 fatty acids and a wide array of vitamins and minerals including all the Bs, vitamin C, calcium, manganese and is also a great source of poly-saccharides. What’s most impressive about Maca’s unique nutritional components is together they modulate our endocrine system – our hormone system. Our hormones regulate every function in our body from metabolism, digestion and brain function to sexual and reproductive health. Maca is a strong adaptogen, which helps your body deal with cortisol and other stress related hormones.
The health benefits of Maca are numerous: • Reduces symptoms of PMS and menopause • Clears acne and other skin problems • Increases libido and fertility • Increases energy and stamina • Increase muscle growth and strength • Aides in mental clarity • Used as a blood cleanser • Used to treat chronic fatigue and depression • Used as a warming food in cool climates (TCM) 104 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
Three important things to note when considering if Maca is for you: The root is very fibrous and can be hard to digest so Maca is often consumed in gelatinized or powder form but can be juiced or cooked in its root form. Maca is not for everyone. It is a strong stimulant and can increase your heart rate so if you suffer from conditions like anxiety, insomnia or cardiac illness you should avoid taking Maca, or at least start in small doses. Maca is high in iodine an can be helpful in treating hypo-thyroidism but should be avoided if you suffer from Grave’s disease, hyperthyroidism or goiters. Maca extracts might act like estrogens so you should avoid maca if you have hormone-sensitive conditions like breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometriosis or uterine fibroids.
START WITH THE BASICS
LIE A STRONG
F O U N D A T I O N AN D BUILD FROM THERE
Warrior Fuel by PowHERhouse: What’s the Deal With Maca? •
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Here’s a great super-charge protein shake to try: Garden of Life Raw Protein (PowHERhouse will be representing and distributing this Fall) – or your favourite variety
• 1 tsp Maca powder • 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries • 1-2 cups almond milk or water (depending on how thick you like your smoothies) • 2 ice cubes • Blend well
If you need help putting the pieces together, our next 12-Week Online Transformation, PowHERful Living Explored, begins September 15th. You can click here to register now and hold your spot. Stay strong. Be powHERful!
YOUR AD HERE CONTACT US AT CONTENT@HATTRICKMAGAINE.COM FOR FURTHER DETAILS
“ Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence� Helen Keller
The Only Five Products You’ll Ever Need For
Glowy Skin
FIND ME ONLINE HERE
By Nathalie de Ahna 110 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
I used to spend a fortune on face care products. Anti-aging creams, moisturizing lotions, firming serums, anti-puffiness gels, exfoliators for dry cheeks, pads for the oily T-zone, anti-blemish blends … you name it, it was in my bathroom cabinet. Of course, I knew that marketing claims tend to be a little exaggerated, but who doesn’t want a flawless complexion?! Unfortunately, all my magic elixirs didn’t work as promised. Quite the contrary, they actually made my skin worse. Dryer. Duller. Blotchier. Until one day I got rid of all my expensive jars, bottles and tiny capsules and replaced them with organic vitamin cures, DIY concoctions and herbal remedies. I wanted to start from scratch the all-natural way. Today I’m completely happy with my skin and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that good skin care doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive. The Only 5 Products You’ll Ever Need For Glowy Skin •
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These are the only five products you’ll ever need for beautiful skin:
A mild cleanser No matter what label
says: I have never come across a foaming cleanser that did not somehow irritate my skin. Foaming agents such as sodium lauryl sulfate strip away your skin’s natural oils and leave it dry, brittle or taut. Also, they can cause blemishes or skin rashes because your skin’s natural balance is completely disturbed. If you really want naturally beautiful skin, find an organic product which doesn’t foam: try oil or cream cleaners, or simply use water and a microfiber washcloth. How often you should use: twice a day
An all-natural toner Our skin’s pH
is pretty delicate and can be disrupted by many different things: beauty products, a lack of sleep, a poor diet, too much stress, pollution etc. A simple, all-natural toner which helps you manage your skin’s pH is apple cider vinegar. Simply mix one part organic apple cider vinegar with 2 to 4 parts water, pour on a cotton pad and use like regular toner. Bonus: If used regularly, the anti-bacterial properties of ACV also fight acne and can even lighten age spots to some extent. How often you should use: twice a day
A vitamin exfoliator Even though
your face wash and toner already do a good job cleansing your skin — in order to remove dead cells and give you an even complexion, you also need to exfoliate. My favorite vitamin exfoliators contain vitamin C and/ or salicylic acid: Simply mix a teaspoon of ascorbic acid (vitamin C powder) with some almond milk until you get a nice paste, massage it into your face with a little brush and rinse with lukewarm water. Another idea: Mash two to three strawberries with a fork until you get a paste and rub onto your face. Rinse with cold water. How often you should use: Once or twice a week.
Sunscreen The most effective anti-wrinkle
protection. Exposure to UV radiation is said to be responsible for 80 to 90% of the symptoms of premature skin-aging. So why not simply make it a habit to use an allnatural sunscreen on your face before leaving the house in the morning? On workdays, when I don’t spend too much time outside, I use a mixture of 8 parts sesame oil and 1 part carrot and raspberry seed oil each to protect my face from UV radiation and the wrinkles that go with it. Of course, this does not provide sufficient protection for a longer stay outside in bright sunlight. On cloudy or winter days, however, it’s a great alternative to day creams with no SPF at all. How often you should use: daily The Only 5 Products You’ll Ever Need For Glowy Skin •
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A moisturizing night cream or stay-on face mask The final touch you need for gorgeous, plumped-up skin is a moisturizer to use in the evening so that it can do its magic at night. This can be an organic, store bought product, a DIY cream or a “stay-on” face mask which is not rinsed but only wiped-off the face. There are plenty of allnatural options for all kinds of skin types and, personally, I like to vary my night care depending upon how much extra moisture my skin needs. If it’s really dry, for example, I like to use avocado oil. How often you should use: daily.
Naturally, I also pamper my skin with an occasional face mask or peel to make sure it looks even, rosy and plumped, and a healthy lifestyle is crucial, too. For my daily or weekly skincare needs, however, the above products are the only ones I use and my skin has never felt or looked better! 114 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
natural
health & beauty.
Find simple tips & recipes at VintageAmanda.com
The Law Of Karma
Cause & Effect Part of the ‘Twelve Lessons’ series, available to read here!
“I must have been wicked in a past life,” is something that people say, usually when their circumstances are less than perfect in their current situation. Although a throw away comment, there is some truth in this statement and there is a universal Law of Karma that plays out for all of us. FIND ME ONLINE HERE
By Kate Spencer 116 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
An easy way to understand this concept is the idea of Cause and Effect: the age old principle that whatever you give out you will get back at some stage, in this life time or another. As a past life regressionist, I believe in past
lives and the imprints they leave in the fabric of your soul, as well as the karma and the contracts that they imbue. I have helped and supported people who have had physical symptoms in this lifetime, emotional responses, fears and phobias or relationship issues to release and heal the cause of these through their past lives, and create massive change in their current life. Under hypnosis they describe how they have often chosen to incarnate with the same souls again, as part of a soul group in order to resolve karma and pay back karmic debts that were created in other times and places.
These members of your soul group usually represent friends and family or key people in your life here on earth, and The Law of Karma can often highlight why we experience such dramatic life lessons and challenges in close relationships at times.
It’s important to add that you cannot ‘clear’ karma
unless someone has worked through it and understood the underlying lesson and reason behind it. Karma can be quick and come back to you almost immediately, or it can
The Law Of Karma: Cause & Effect •
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take weeks, years or lifetimes. Sometimes it is necessary to go back to the initial experience or incident either with the help of a practitioner or yourself in a meditative or reflective state, and to consciously look at the lesson in order to release it. You can find that there is some sort of specific action you need to take—for example breaking a vow or agreement, exercising forgiveness or offering an apology.
Knowing about the existence of karma and
understanding it can mean that you change the way you are living your life and can help you towards being more conscious and considerate. No thought, action, word or deed goes unnoticed by the universe and the Law of Karma. It’s all recorded in your soul or Akashic Records.
The returning of your karma may not be an
exact replica of the energy you sent out there in the first place, but there is nearly always an association. For example, if you are a person who pokes fun at other people and has a critical attitude you may find that the universe interprets this as you taking away the self-confidence of others. In terms of karma you may find there is an incident of random identity fraud that means money is stolen from your back account. This is the universe taking from you and also affecting your worth, therein lies the association. Each example is completely individual and therefore trust your own intuition and gut feelings about what is playing out in your own life. It’s been framed up this way so that you can recognise the lessons and grow. Interpretation is as individual as the lesson itself, so if you
do seek guidance from a practitioner make sure that you only take what resonates with you. We must all remember that even the best psychics, readers and healers are here in a human body and as such they are filtering information through their own brain, belief system, ego and personality. So if they say something that you feel in your own intuition is not right for you, then empower yourself and don’t take this on board.
Past Life or Spiritual regression can be very
useful because this process will help you to channel the information that you need when in an altered state, so it will come directly from your higher self and will not be filtered through someone else.
A skilled practitioner will not lead you with their questioning and will facilitate but not influence what you are receiving through. Karma can be released this way.
Another important thing to note about karma is that it repeats until it is resolved. If you have a karmic lesson coming up in your life, you will find it manifests in different guises over and over until you recognise the essence of the lesson, or experience that you need to learn, resolve and release. It’s often a clue in your life that you
The Law Of Karma: Cause & Effect •
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have something karmic playing out when you keep drawing in situations and people that bring the same type of challenge.
Even though you have worked on your energy and consciousness to change your resonance to these, you may find that they are still attracted into your life because of the karmic link that you have not as yet resolved and that Cause and Effect is playing out. You may find that you keep bringing experiencing a circumstance or type of person over and over again and you don’t know why things seem to keep turning out the same way, even though there are different players on the stage and there is a different setting. This is another clue for you that there could be karma involved.
You may find that through your meditation,
intuition or work with a practitioner you have made vows and agreements in past lives that are still active in this life. An example would be if you have been married before and vowed and promised yourself to one person and then find that this overshadows your current life relationship, or perhaps you have taken vows of poverty as part of a religion or spiritual ceremony. 120 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
These really can have a knock on effect in your life now, and once they have been identified on a conscious level and the time comes to release them you can use this affirmation: “By divine decree and in the name of my God Presence I AM, I now break any and all vows, oaths, covenants, agreements, contracts and binds in relation to (insert name or situation) that I am ready to release from my consciousness, energy body, cell memories and karmic records now.”
Hold the intention that you are asking for a
dispensation because you have learned what is it that you needed to experience, and that you are in gratitude for this and also for the release and resolution. You may need to use the affirmation several times if the karma is multifaceted and change the wording each time, for example this could be about a relationship breakdown but might also affect finances and your self-confidence. The Law of Karma can also return goodness into your life that you have sent out in the past, it doesn’t all have to challenging The Law Of Karma: Cause & Effect •
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or negative. And the good thing about this is that when you live consciously you can look for opportunities to practice kindness, gratitude, forgiveness, grace and much more, that will help towards your future karma in either this life or the next. Be mindful of the concept of Cause and Effect, and start banking good karma that will be returned when the time is right.
What are the repeating lessons and experiences in your life that you feel could be karmic? What do you need to work on, learn or release in order to resolve this? Are you ready to do this work now or do you need to wait for a time in the future? “I AM releasing all vows, contracts, oaths, contracts, binds and agreements that are karmic in nature that I am ready to resolve now.”
Love Kate 122 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
“ Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life – think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success.” 123 Swami Vivekananda Universal Magic: You Are a Creator •
About a Homemade Year
Food, Home & Family
Pork
Roast Feeding a family is a lot of responsibility. You have to make the meals tasty, nutritious, and at the same time easy and exciting for yourself. Here is one of my favorite family meals: Pork Roast with gravy, rice, sautéed onions, green beans, cornbread, fresh salad, and don’t forget, fresh iced tea with lemon slices!
INGREDIENTS 3-4 pound Pork Roast • Crock-Pot bag & seasoning • 1 tbsp chopped garlic • 1 chopped onion • Juice from roast • Corn starch • Can of green beans • 1 tsp bacon grease • White rice uncooked • Corn bread mix packet • Salad greens • Tomatoes • Cucumbers • Salad dressing (if desired) • Sweet onion
By Tanya Jackson 126 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
Method!
• Clean and chop greens for salad. Cover and place in fridge. • Cut up tomatoes and cucumbers and set in separate bowl covered in fridge. • Place a 3-4 lb pork roast in the cooking bag. Add seasoning mix, 1 tbsp chopped garlic, 1 chopped onion and ¼ cup of water. Tie up and place in Crock-Pot on a low heat for 6-8 hrs. • When roast is done continue to make rest of meal as follows... • Put rice in rice cooker and cook according to instructions. • Prepare cornbread mixture and place in muffin tins. Cook according to directions on packet. • Heat green beans on a low heat with 1 tsp bacon grease. • Make the gravy: dissolve 2 tbsps of corn starch in cool water, then add the juices from the pork roast. Heat and stir in a pan until thickened. • Slice 1 onion and sauté in the leftover gravy juices. • Put salad together in large bowl. Serve with dressing if desired • Serve with fresh iced tea with lemon slices!
The
I Love Lisa
Legacy
Cherie began as a weekly columnist for the main local newspaper in her area. Her articles focus on a humorous look at married life with five children and the ups and downs we can all relate to. She has won 2 international short story contests as well as being published in Our Canada magazine. Cherie is a breast cancer survivor and a huge advocate of self-exams.
By Cherie DeBurger 128 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
My sister, Lisa, and I are living proof that siblings can be total opposites. We have different tastes when it comes to men, food, and even lifestyles. Although we all have the same parents and were raised in the same house with consistent rules and traditions we are all very different. My sister and I are both female and that is approximately where the similarities end, we don’t even look like sisters. Lisa has short straight blond hair and I have long curly brown hair. She exercises everyday and has a great body to show for it, I on the other hand have a shirt that says “If you see me running there is something chasing me!” She is up on current fashions and is always coordinated and in style, I grab what’s not wrinkled. (In my defense I have to say since my mastectomy I have found the need to accessorize more. I don’t know exactly how that works in my mind but somehow the removal of my breast made the need for earrings and necklaces a must.) My sister never had the desire to have children, her dream was to have a career and travel the world. I always wanted children and a lot of them. I dreamt about having a big house and being a stay at home wife and mother. Since our lives are so different we always say we live vicariously through each other. This way we have the best of both worlds, she loves to spoil her nieces and nephews and I love to hear every detail about her adventures. The ‘I Love Lisa’ Legacy •
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There are times when she calls me and says, “You’ll
never guess what happened” I don’t even try because outlandish and unimaginable things are always happening too her. The situations she gets herself into remind me of a modern day I Love Lucy, if anything is going to happen it will happen to her or around her.
Due to her non existent maternal instincts Lisa was not high on the list of babysitters. I remember when my first born, Tabitha, was six months old and I had to go to an appointment. I was stuck with no one to watch her and I couldn’t take her with me. It was only going to be for about an hour and I had no one else to turn to so I called my sister. Lisa reluctantly agreed only because it wasn’t going to be for an extended period of time. I argued with myself about my decision but came to the conclusion I was being an over protective first time mom and to relax. I drove over to her house and carried my pride and joy in one arm and the diaper bag over the other shoulder. Lisa greeted us at the door actually looking a little excited until I handed her the diaper bag.
“What’s this for?” Lisa asked. “It’s Tabitha’s diaper bag,” I answered. “What do I need that for?” “In case she dirties her diaper,” I said looking at her just as confused as she was looking at me. “Didn’t she already go before you came over?”
Lisa asked. “She’s a baby!” I exclaimed, “She doesn’t even know her hands are part of her own body!” Against my better judgment I did leave Tab there but wasted no time getting back.
After that experience we decided it was better
for all involved to wait until the child could walk, talk, and use the bathroom on her own. As my daughter grew so did the closeness between her and my sister. Lisa would paint Tab’s nails and do her makeup for her, have pretend tea parties and would let her play dress up in Lisa’s huge closet. We decided by the time Tab was ten it would be safe to let her spend the night at her aunts. They spent weeks planning their itinerary, which included dinner at a fancy restaurant, doing hair and make-up, playing dress up in all her Aunts fancy clothes, staying
“ Lisa grabbed the jug off the table as she felt the burn of the vodka that had been mixed into the orange juice travel down her throat.”
The ‘I Love Lisa’ Legacy •
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up late and eating lots of junk food. My sister was a little nervous because she didn’t want anything to go wrong. She knew we were waiting for something outrageous to happen and the I Love Lisa legacy to rear its red head.
The next morning, with no mishaps to report, my
sister breathed a sigh of relief and triumph. She had actually made it through the night without any outlandish occurrences that could only happen to her. She made my daughter some breakfast and poured her some orange juice. As they sat together and enjoyed their breakfast at the kitchen table my daughter complained that the orange juice tasted funny. Tab was a bit picky when it came to her food so Lisa just told her that her Uncle had just made it the
132 • Hat Trick Magazine • hattrickstrategies.com
night before so it couldn’t be bad. Tab continued to eat and had a couple more sips of her orange juice and but couldn’t get past the bad taste and she spoke up again asking her Aunt to taste it because she really thought something was wrong with it. Sure that it was just fine my sister took a big sip from Tab’s glass ready to tell her to stop being so picky. Lisa grabbed the jug off the table as she felt the burn of the vodka that had been mixed into the orange juice travel down her throat. Lisa had always said she wanted to take Tab out for her first drink but I don’t think any of us thought it would happen so soon. So close and yet so far when the “Lisa Legacy” struck again. So along with so many others, this story is stored away in our memories, ready to be pulled out at a moments notice. It’s a good thing we all Love Lisa.
If you have any comments please fell free to email me at lifes.moments@live.ca
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