Magnificent Living Magazine by Kristie Kennedy

CONTENTS 05

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Perfection Verses Progress Melissa Marchonna

The Story of Red Cami Baker

Gateway to Greatness 05 06 08 10 12 14

Live in Awe Rashida A. Marshall Six Steps to Finding Balance While Rising to the Top! Kimi Johnson How to Detox Your Way to a Happier, Healthier, More Productive You! Alison Kero The Story of Red Cami Baker We Are Worthy Of Our Food! Laurie-Beth Robbins Perfection Verses Progress Els Pontin

Feed Your Body, Mind and Spirit What it Really Needs Nancy Popkin

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“Friends.” Dr. Asha Fields Brewer

Everything You Truly Desire Is Within You Marisa Ferrera

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Jewels for the Journey James Bonds

In My Korner Dr. Alicia Ritchey Five Methods to Keep Track of Your Time Lucinda Cross

The Achilles Heel of Power Kristie Kennedy The Gateway to Greatness Gaelle LeCourt

New Year’s Success Soiree with Kristie Kennedy

Yes You Can Win Again! As I reflect over the radiant pearls nestled in this opulent year, the words of former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela whisper in my ear, “There is no PASSION to be found in playing small-than settling for less than you are capable of living!” That is the heart and soul of Magnificent Living Women’s Empowerment Magazine. I want every queen with BIG dreams to be filled with inspiration to achieve extraordinary things! One of the most soul shaking events that I experienced was the death of my dad on February 18, 2016. He was a loaded pistol! One of those straight shooters who said what he meant and meant what he said. We didn’t always see eye to eye especially about me pursuing my wild and crazy dreams as an entrepreneur. Yet, that didn’t matter to me because of what I knew for sure was that he loved me unconditionally even if I chose not to get a regular j.o.b. In times past when adversity or hardship would occur it would be easy for me to disappear in my emotions. The proverbial funk. Have you ever mentally just checked out? You were present in the physical sense and dressed for success but on the inside complete and utter emptiness. Until you draw your invisible line in the sand of your life you will never reach your full potential. When life hits

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hard, you must hit harder and come back stronger! I have had more highs than lows because my focus remains things above and not beneath my feet. Recently, I heard from a young lady who said she was stressed out about everything in life and she wanted to find a place to hide for a while. There was another mother who was in desperate need of new clients or she was going to have to take her child out of day care. When one of us suffers, we all suffer. If you are in a dismal place and uncertain of which road to take, I want you to rest assured that you can win again! This is not the time to quit, this is a defining moment designed to reveal these pertinent truths: you are stronger than your struggle; you can persevere through the pain; you can live large and in charge and you can play by the rules you write! On this journey to greatness, the race is not given to the swift, nor the battle to the strong but it is given to the one who will endure until everything is all said and done! There is no force outside of God, greater than the power of a woman determined to rise and shine! Allow me to challenge you to count the limitless blessings in which you have been fortunate enough to receive from the smallest to the largest you were born to walk in victory! I am quite

sure when you take inventory you will gladly see that you are already living a life that is rich in abundance, wealth and prosperity! Oftentimes it is merely a matter of perspective. When you shift the way you see things, the things you see will powerfully shift. From this day forward, begin to see yourself as the head and not the tail, above only and not beneath, a winner and not a loser! Inspire yourself to do more than you ever dreamed of, inspire yourself to pursue your passions, inspire yourself to rise above adversity, inspire yourself to speak your truth without fear, inspire yourself to dare to step out into the unknown, inspire yourself with the confidence to conquer anything, inspire yourself to love again, to hope again, to believe again, to dream again, inspire yourself with the wonders of your imagination and create a beautiful life to be celebrated morning, noon or night. If you find priceless treasures in this work of art, don’t keep us a secret, share freely with other women in need. We are always seeking high caliber content for any writers who would love to partner with us. Thank you in advance and have a spectacular holiday season filled with joy, peace and goodness! Successfully, Kristie Kennedy, MLM Publishing Editor

Live in Awe!

Wonder: to be filled with admiration, amazement, or awe; to marvel.

rom time to time, I find myself engaged in certain conversations that leave me thinking about the road we choose to travel in life. At what point did many of us lose our sense of wonder? At what chapter in our lives did we begin to feel that our dreams were no longer important? Or that our goals were too big for us to believe that they can no longer be accomplished? What is it that occurs in our unique experiences or interactions with certain people that causes to feel that we should no longer be allowed to dream?

I was recently listening to a speech by motivational speaker, Mel Robbins, who spoke on how for each one of us, there is a one in four billion chance of us being born. Meaning that you and no one else, was supposed to be in the place you’re in. Out of 4 billion different possibilities, your presence, your talents, and your gifts are a unique contribution to society that has graced us here on this earth. Yet, for many of us, we go through life day in and day out doing what we think we’re supposed to do, living the life that we probably have been told were supposed to live, all the while being molded and shaped into the person that we think we’re supposed to be. Even though in the back of our minds, we may still carry

with us that wonder, that dream, that vision that keeps us awake late at night. That crystal clear picture that we hold in our head that still gives us daydreams, no matter what age we are; daydreams that are more vivid and entertaining than anything we’ve ever watched in a movie theater. Yet for some reason, we may choose to not go after those goals. We reach a certain age or a certain “point in life” where that dream is no longer realistic or anything that we should be focused on achieving.

But my question to you is, ‘why?’. If it keeps you up at night and drives you to do what you do from 9am to 5pm so that you can enjoy it from 5pm to 3am, then why aren’t you going after it? What’s stopping you? Although I haven’t lived long, and I’m certainly still learning my way in the world, I’ve found that one of the greatest feelings is knowing that I made the conscious decision to live out my dreams and go after what I truly desire. Has this been an easy thing to do? Of course not. Life often times gets in the way. Those who I believed were the closest to me became roadblocks and deliverers of toxic energy. Even my own fears, doubts, and negative self-talk has clouded my vision from time to time. However, I make an effort to remind myself that this is my calling, my own

path in the world which is different from anyone else’s. You are a unique treasure unlike anything else anyone has seen, and that wonder that you carry with you from day to day, no matter how big or little and no matter how much life has tried to bury it underneath societal expectations, is unique to you. That vision you have that awakens your spirit is one that the world needs you to live out.

Admiration of our dreams leads to an aching curiosity which propels us to take action and find out what is out there and possible for us. I urge you to not only continue wondering and dreaming, but to also put your feet to the ground and move in the direction of what is tugging at your heart. Make your life what you want and step into the role that is only available to you. The amount of greatness and potential you encompass is too valuable for you to ever lose your sense of wonder. Rashida A. Marshall is a fitness coach with Skillfully Sculpted Health & Fitness and the editor-in-chief of AFIYA Magazine. She is a graduate of Florida State University. Visit her online at www.afiyamagazine.com MAGNIFICENT LIVING MAGAZINE | 5

aintaining a balanced lifestyle is essential when achieving success. As you journey through life striving to reach your goals, it is easy to push your personal life to the side, working to meet the demands of your career. Having an unbalanced pursuit of success can ultimately cause you to feel over worked and under paid, diminishing the gift of excitement accompanied with connecting to your purpose. Here are 6 steps to find balance while rising to the top.

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6 Steps to Finding Balance

WHILE RISING TO THE TOP!

Seek God and Keep Him First, Family Second

Embrace the Power of Saying No

The most important step to achieving balance is seeking God and keeping family first. As you experience success, keep God first by maintaining a lifestyle of prayer. Often times our career can fill up our schedule as we constantly seek out ways for selfimprovement. Inadvertently, this takes us away from the time once spent in prayer. On the other hand, we tend to neglect our loved ones, placing our desire to be successful before them while rising to the top you must remember to keep God and family high on your priority list.

“No” is a powerful word. As you strive to maintain balance in your life, embrace the power of saying no. Rising to the top does not mean trying to take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way. Create goals and a mission statement. When opportunities come your way, refer to your goals and mission statement to see if the present opportunity is right for you. If it does not connect with your goals, say no. Time is precious; use every minute wisely.

Plan Ahead

When planning ahead use a planner and a to-do list. At the beginning of each day, make a “to do” list. This will help keep you on task as you work towards your goals. In your planner, organize your day by applying time management skills. For example, you may write in your planner “9 am – 10 am: Update Blog.” You will be surprised at how much you can get done by breaking your tasks up one at a time and assigning a time frame. This can aid greatly in your level of productivity. Utilizing a planner can also eliminate overly committing yourself. Look at what you already have planned before you commit to doing something else.

Connect with Role Models

Surround yourself with successful people who share similar goals and interest. Spend time with them and ask questions. Don’t be afraid to glean from them. Take notes, and use those notes to help you personalize your plan. Learn from their mistakes, and use them to shape the decisions you may have to make.

Schedule a Mandatory Meeting with Yourself

As you rise to the top, it is important for you to commit to meeting with yourself to review your goals and progress. Things are constantly changing, and this may require you to revise your goals and deadlines to meet those goals. Assess yourself

honestly. Think about things that you could do differently to better yourself and implement a plan to do it. Keep a journal of the things you accomplish month to month so you can always review your progress. There may be times when it seems like you are not accomplish anything. This can be discouraging. Keeping a journal of your accomplishments will remind you of all your hard work and keep you motivated.

Reward Yourself

Rewarding yourself is very important. Reserve a space in your busy schedule for you. This could be one day or one hour. If you can, silence your phone, escape social media, and use this time to focus on you. Cater to your desires and needs. Use this time to do something you enjoy. Get a massage, take a trip, visit the hair salon or day spa, get your nails done, go shopping, ordo something different that you have always wanted to do. You deserve it! Maintaining balance is a journey, not a destination, so embrace the journey and make the best of your life while rising to the top!

Kimi Johnson, an emerging author and publisher of Purpose Driven Woman magazine. Connect with her at www. pdwmag.com.

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How to Detox Your Way to a

Happier, Healthier More Productive You!

like to think that any time of year is the perfect time to create some positive shifts in my life. One of my favorite activities for better physical, emotional and spiritual health is to declutter my home, office and life – I like to think of it as an outward detox that has great inward benefits. While some people may see decluttering as an awful chore, I see it as a way to easily free myself of old, unwanted things, feelings and memories. It’s literally a physical, emotional and spiritual detox meant to leave you feeling happier, healthier and more productive with a side benefit of helping you improve some very necessary life skills. Here are my 5 favorite quick tips to help you feel happier, healthier and more productive:

For More Productivity, Remove off Season Items from High Trafﬁc Areas

The entryway to your home gets a ton of traffic and as a result, probably holds the most amount of clutter. You can detox this area by taking anything that isn’t being used this season and storing it elsewhere until the correct season is upon you. By storing only what you’re currently using this season you’ll cut down on time and productivity wasted and trust me, you’ll feel much happier knowing you can find what you need when you need it.

Detox Your Wardrobe for a Happiness Shift

By detoxing everything except what you currently like, use and need in your wardrobe, you’ll find that quality trumps quantity. Your closet will also look great, be less cluttered and you’ll never waste time looking for your favorite outfit or declare out of frustration, “I have nothing to wear!” Trust me, owning fewer 8 | MAGNIFICENT LIVING MAGAZINE

but better outfits feels a whole lot better than a cluttered closet stuffed with items you don’t even remember owning ever will.

Detox Your Kitchen For Weight Loss

When your kitchen has too much stuff in it, it’s hard to use it properly. The clutter is also likely to cause you to feel overwhelmed, making it hard to make smart decisions or want to stay in the kitchen so you’ll be more likely to grab unhealthy food choices just to leave the space, which can lead to weight gain. Detox your kitchen of unused items will help you utilize what you need to make healthy food choices and may even lead you to detox your refrigerator and stock it with healthy fruits and veggies!

Detox Your Bedroom of Electronics & Reading Materials For Better Rest Einstein proved that everything is energy and electronics give off a lot of energy. If you can’t remove them, shut them off or cover them at night.

Reading materials also give off energy and that energy is information. It’s difficult to rest easily when you treat your bedroom, which is designed for rest and rejuvenation as your work space because your brain thinks you should be working, not sleeping. By removing these 2 items, setting and sticking to a specific bedtime and allowing for enough hours of rest, you should start feeling increased levels of energy, productivity and happiness.

Detoxing to Build Up Life Skills:

Organizing involves 5 life skills: priority setting, establishing healthy boundaries, making self- love based decisions, developing systems and building up our intuition. As we declutter items, people and activities that aren’t supporting our priorities, decisions and boundaries, we build up these skill sets and it leads to a life of freedom, happiness and empowerment. As these skills improve, we’ll see an internal change that the outward world will love seeing and want to emulate.

The more we all seek to become happier, healthier, more productive people, the better our planet as a whole becomes. We are all worthy of creating lives that feel empowered, joyful and free and these tips can help you start to get there. Keep going, never give up, especially when it feels hard (that usually means it’s working) and ask for help and support! Remember: you’re worth it and you deserve to feel happy and healthy. Alison Kero Owner, ACK Organizing “In order to have a happier, healthier, more productive life, you must start by choosing yourself first.” http://www.ackorganizing.com

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The Story of Red O

nce when I was a real estate agent, I had an assistant named Monique. While she worked for me, she was always complaining that she didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have money, the kids needed food/clothes, her rent went up, etc. etc.... Basically, she was the kind of person who wastes money on things like cigarettes but then complains about how lean times are without taking their spending into consideration at all. I wanted to help Monique, so I assisted her in becoming licensed as a real estate agent so that she could work with buyers who called on my listings and make money.

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I had high hopes of her becoming a licensed real estate agent so she could find the salvation in all of the things that a new career had brought me and that she claimed to want more than anything. However, her excuses continued and were now about how this, too, would never work for her she shouldn’t even bother trying. Every day, she gave a never ending list of what she didn’t HAVE, which always included not having business clothes to wear. In her eyes, there was no way she could DO the activities that would have her BE successful, happy, proud and selfassured, while having a new career path and a doubled income. These were all the things she said she claimed she wanted to be, while continuing to find reasons why she couldn’t start. So I shared with Monique the story of “Red”, which changed my life and now inspires thousands of others.

When I first became licensed as a real estate agent, I was green. Was I entrepreneurial? YES! I’d been finding ways to make money since I was eight years old. But I was still so naive and ignorant about the world of business, and that needed to change.

Joan was so very, very wise. She knew right away that I would have been embarrassed and humiliated if I knew at the beginning that she had purchased it for me, so she told me it was her suit

Then, I met Joan, who was a wonderful woman who had been in the industry for 30 years. She saw right away that I was hungry, tenacious and determined, but that I also needed help because I was struggling to step up to the plate the way she knew I needed to in order to succeed. One day, Joan came to me and said, “I have a suit that I have outgrown and I think it would look great on you! Would you like it?” I graciously accepted and she handed over “Red”. This was a two-piece red suit with matching shoes that fit me perfectly. Let me tell you, I wore that suit with pride! After all, not only was it the only suit I owned, but it was first Joan’s and I looked GREAT in it! All of my headshots, promo pieces and first couple hundred listing appointments looked sharp thanks to Joan and the beautiful “Red”!

About six months into wearing the suit everyday (after all, each and every day was a new appointment, so my real estate clients didn’t know it was the same suit!), Joan pulled me to the side and said she needed

to tell me something. She started with, “You know that red suit I gave you a few months ago?” I replied, “Know it!? LOVE it! I wear it all the time and I can’t thank you enough for giving me your old suit!” Seriously, I had worn “Red” all the time and had made several thousand dollars already as a result of feeling so professional and so powerful in it.

Joan went on to confess, “I did not outgrow that suit. I bought it for you because I could see you needed it. In fact, I bought it from the Salvation Army, off the sales rack for $3.00, which included the shoes.” Joan was so very, very wise. She knew right away that I would have been embarrassed and humiliated if I knew at the beginning that she had purchased it for me, so she told me it was her suit. She told me the truth six months later because she knew that I had grown enough as a businesswoman, and as a person, to appreciate the truth and to know we would laugh about it, and we did. I LOVED that suit and wore it for years after that confession. I still felt just as proud as ever. I shared this story with Monique as her biggest hang up was not HAVING the right clothes to wear. I ended my relaying of the story of “Red” by saying, “You see, Monique, even if you splurged and spent $10, you could get a suit, too, just like I did. And that suit can change your life. Are you going to let $10 keep you from BEING a powerful agent who will DO what a powerful agent will do so that you can HAVE what that agent would have?”

Sadly, Monique’s actions spoke loudly as she never took advantage of the opportunity that had been handed to her. But years later, thousands of people from live and virtual stages continue to hear Joan’s lesson of “Red” loud and clear. BE the person you want to be, so you will DO that which that person would do, to HAVE all that they would have. Cami Baker America’s Networking Maverick “Your Net Worth is in direct proportion to your Network...who are YOU networking with?” mingletomillions.com

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We Are Worthy Of

Our Food! As women we’re often all things to other people. We’re a mother, sister and daughter. Those are just a few. With this in mind, and with too many of us plagued with that insidious entity called, “Body Hate;” we opt for diet programs or gym memberships and with us signing up for each and every class, yet to an exhausting and impossible to comply with and quite draining degree.

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ur systems - “overworked yet underfed” - don’t believe that we’ll ever become truly healthy and thin.

Humbly, gratefully, and yet also unafraid to reveal that I am not immune to “issues & tissues” any more than the next one, (yes plenty of issues albeit things I face and commit to moving through, and too, solving on every day), I oddly did NOT get that shameful fear of food. Ever.

To me food is not only “NOT” the enemy, but I indeed have a delicious obligation therefore, to help other women embrace their meal every day – not just on Christmas or on a birthday – but as a God given luxury or, “Celebration,” and complete with candelabra, Joe Cocker music (if desired) and indeed the Full Monty of fantastic and healthful things. We are worth it. And if WE shall not stand up, plate our food with at minimum a single modicum of artistic décor (throw some parsley atop if

nothing more even, but give it some love) then what is the message that we are sending to those who court us? How do we feed ourselves and deem ourselves worthy, at minimum, (or not) of a proper meal and on every day? This says so much about the kind of mate whom we attract! Think I’m crazy? Eat junk food for the next 10 days straight, and then see how you feel. Afterward, just see whom you attract during the ten days that follow. But here’s a better plan…

Instead, just choose to first and foremost listen to your own body, food cravings, and sources all around you to guide you toward healthful versions and of everything you love!

Decide that from this second on, that almighty “Oxygen Mask” (albeit from your kitchen – yes – you’ve “got this,” you really do) shall be placed on YOU before you go assisting others. And then see how you feel when listening to an inner need to be “loved, wined and dined” and all the while in the style that we as women are so worthy of! So many of my contemporaries reveal, “Well, it was just ME the other night. And so I just had half of a protein bar after the gym. And then, the end of the hotdog that my son didn’t finish later.”

Worse even, they continue with, “If Bryan is home, then I will make a REAL dinner.” (The gal referring to her husband). “But if it’s just me, well then I’m certainly not going to go cook, or make a mess, and just for me, in the kitchen.” So here is your assignment lovely lady: GO MAKE A MESS IN YOUR KITCHEN! You can thank me later…

Yes today, and from here and evermore, the ‘eating concept’ begins with YOU!

Not only are we halting our own self-worth, and when we only “make effort” to please a dinner guest (whether it be our sister, a man we married or the UPS man who got stuck in our driveway due to the ice storm even – am I the only one?) but we deliver one sickening disservice to our such precious selves, when not choosing to feed, nourish, celebrate and toast - daily - to US. And for being alive even! Gratitude, attitude and yet also one helluva good meal, is indeed at minimum (amid a shake & fast & cleanse & pill form of a culture today, in the name of nutrition) worth the EXPERIENCE, in tandem with the vitamins and minerals which hail from real food. Yes we are worthy of the ritual, each day, and of sitting down and celebrating, “Just for US”.

For when you think about it, that sensual, sensational and savantesque mystique, that we as women do ‘bring to the table’ lucidly and without trying even, is a mighty powerful, beautiful and still today, rare thing. So why don’t we step up and appreciate it fully thus? In turn, we shall uncork, uncage, unleash, and UNIVERSALLY start showing up to every platform that we are blessed to attend. And then? We’ll also be ordering accordingly! We’ll be selecting the foods, moods and broods or whatever it be, that help us to foster.

Laurie-Beth Robbins Writer, Speaker, Gourmand & Wine Tasting Conductor. “Fasting One Can Do In The Grave!” Contact: LaurieBethRobbins@gmail.com

Instead, just choose to first and foremost listen to your own body, food cravings, and sources all around you to guide you toward healthful versions and of everything you love! Decide that from this second on, that almighty “Oxygen Mask” (albeit from your kitchen – yes – you’ve “got this,” you really do) shall be placed on YOU before you go assisting others

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PERFECTION VERSUS PROGRESS “Let’s teach our daughters to worry less about fitting into glass slippers, and more about shattering glass ceilings.”

ow many times over your lifetime have you stopped yourself undertaking something that if you’d faced and overcome the fear might have turned out to be magnificent? What if you’d taken just one step - a leap of faith - to see what happened? I took that one step.

Was it terrifying? Yes. Does it continue to be terrifying on a daily basis? Certainly. Will I keep going? Absolutely.

I could have happily lived every day in convention - for the rest of my days. Successful career, lovely house and family, smile plastered on, doing what was expected of me by society as a middle class, Type A woman. 14 | MAGNIFICENT LIVING MAGAZINE

But then something else came along - a sense of purpose. It wouldn’t go away. The only way to make this happen - was to teach myself to let go of perfection and focus on progress. If I had remained focused on perfection - the fear of imperfection alone would have held me back from stepping into the light.

During the last eighteen months, and despite my sixty hour work week and one hundred mile daily commute, I’ve certified as a Professional Business Coach, we’ve moved home, I’ve flown to California and back for a career experience (I’m based in the UK,) created a garden from a field, whilst also currently training for a triathlon, planning my wedding and establishing my dream business.

I’m now able to work with clients from all over the world, and celebrate with them as they create their new realities, their new businesses and their definitions of success. The next mission, will be stepping away from the corporate world which has both nurtured and cocooned me for the last fourteen years, and wholeheartedly embrace entrepreneurship.

I’ve managed all of this because I’ve faced the fear of breaking out of convention, and asked myself daily: ‘What is the one step I can take today, to move me closer to my dreams?’

I’ve challenged myself to set a vision, to fiendishly organize my time, to address how purposeful I’m being on social media, to embrace delegation and outsource the non-essential. I’ve had to accept that done is better that not, that in all this madness a positive mindset and focus on wellness are non-negotiable, and that persistence and resilience are key. How many Cinderella’s out there never made it to the ball - because their foot didn’t fit perfectly in the glass slipper? Or - to view it from a different perspective, the people that surrounded them physically or metaphorically chose to tell them that their foot would never fit the glass slipper? How many Cinderella’s never stepped into the pumpkin carriage because they’d not finished unloading the laundry and the fridge needed cleaning? Or decided that Prince Charming would just have to wait as Cinderella was too busy juggling the day job, the commute, the household, the parents and the kids?

If you were to sit down with your Fairy Godmother beside you right now

How many Cinderella’s never stepped into the pumpkin carriage because they’d not finished unloading the laundry and the fridge needed cleaning? Or decided that Prince Charming would just have to wait as Cinderella was too busy juggling the day job, the commute, the household, the parents and the kids

what would she say? What are you trying to create?

What would make the difference for you?

What are you too scared to try, but keep on returning to, as it’s calling you too loudly to ignore? She might also add…in a loud stage whisper:

“Now throw away those glass slippers…they were never comfortable, and shattering glass ceilings is far more fun!

Action negates fear. The challenge to be perfect can hold you back from taking even one step into progress. Don’t let perfection stop you.

Let it inspire you to greatness. Els Pontin

Els Pontin is a Professionally Certified Creative Business Coach. She helps women entrepreneurs define a clear vision, take purposeful action and create brilliantly balanced businesses. You can find out more about her over at elspontin.com.

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Feed Your Body, Mind and Spirit

n my mid-fifties I can honestly say I am the healthiest I have been my whole adult life. I can easily run several miles. I can deadlift more than my weight. I have corrected my bad posture. I have nearly eliminated chronic migraines. I lost 15 pounds without dieting and I have maintained it, even if I am on vacation or have enjoyed a couple of good restaurant meals over a weekend. I recognize that I am at a time of life when many women are battling to lose the same 5 or 10 pounds over and over again. I wish I could say I had an easy, magic answer. But I can tell you that the changes I made in my body and my health were not due to my gym routine - although I do resistance training, attend yoga classes and run. It wasn’t due to my foods - although I do make conscious choices about what I eat - “good” and “bad”. And I didn’t have any medical or surgical interventions. Here is my secret: I got real with myself and truly connected my mind, body and heart. That is no new-age, esoteric mumbojumbo jargon. It’s the real deal. That’s why, when I relaunched my business last year, I called my company “Love More, Eat Less” and my passion is to help my clients do just that. My own journey is one that I share to inspire other women to take care of themselves. Eleven years ago, after going back to school to change my career, I built a nutrition counseling practice. I loved helping my clients

reach their goals, improve their health and do the same for their families. My oldest child - then 13 developed a serious health condition. Feeling I had no option, I stopped working almost completely. I became totally immersed in the worry, fear and anxiety of having a child with a life-threatening chronic condition. I remained suspended in fear for more than five years - never tending to my physical, emotional or spiritual needs. The lessons I learned from that experience, are the basis for my approach with my clients. I know we all have a work-family balance

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that we’re juggling. Many of us have responsibilities and relationship issues that make it challenging to eat and take care of our bodies the way that we know would be healthy. The stress causes cravings and zaps our motivation to make a change. And, once we are ready to make a change, it can be hard to know where to start. The first step is to become aware of the habits and behaviors that aren’t serving you. As you move through your day, notice the food choices you make. Are you stressed? Are you tired? Are you bored? When is food your fuel? When is it your comfort? The second step is to tune in to your body. By tuning into your body, you will receive the cues you need to determine what will nourish your body. Many of my clients tell me that they don’t experience hunger cues. Yet knowing the difference between real hunger and when we need a hug or a bath or to meditate is key to balance and our best physical,

emotional and mental health. Feel your feet on the ground when you take a walk. The next time something touches you emotionally, locate the part of your body where that feeling is located. Take time each day to sit and breathe. Begin to get in touch with your physical self.

When you are more in touch with your body’s needs, you can ask it what food it needs. One of the biggest mistakes, in my opinion, that my busy professional clients make before we

start working together is eating the same thing every day at the same time of day regardless of physical activity and the level of stress the day will present. Once you tune in to your body, you will know when it feels hungry, tired and stressed. Make a plan based on what each day looks like. A colleague of mine says: You wouldn’t go on a long car trip without filling up your tank and knowing that there will be gas stations along the way. Don’t start your day without knowing what food and movement you will need to be your most productive self.

Now I know all that advice is easy to give and hard to put into practice. And, you won’t even consider making a change without motivation. So, imagine yourself living the life of your dreams. When I first tried this I was stumped. I hadn’t thought about what I wanted for myself in years. It took some time. As I began to see myself in a better place, I imagined how I would feel in my body: strong, sexy and lithe. That feeling was my motivation. And as I went through my process, my body felt more and more like my “dream” self. That was further motivation until the changes became habit and following my body and my heart became my lifestyle. Nancy Popkin, Nutrition Coaching via phone & Skype, Heal your relationship with food for more energy, balance and body-love. LoveMoreEatLess.com. Receive her free audio + workbook here http:// lovemoreeatless.com/love-eat-lessdemand-workshop/

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Friends

If I had to reflect on my highs of the year thus far, I’d simply say “Friends.” I’m quite the ambitious person. I have a full time job, and I manage a nonprofit and a passion business. I am also a leader in my church, a community volunteer, and a dedicated very involved mentor to a number of young adults and college students. Balancing all of this and more makes for a very busy schedule— a schedule that sometimes does not include being the best friend. While I know my true friends understand my absence from important functions, my three-day delay between text messages, and my virtually non-existent phone calls, it doesn’t make it right. I’m reminded of Proverbs 18:24, “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” No matter how busy I am, how driven I am, or how focused I am— I don’t want to be responsible for someone’s ruin, because I am an unreliable friend. God placed our friends in our lives for a reason. To some, we are their prayer warrior:

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we intercede to God on their behalf, and we advocate for them on a spiritual level. To some, we are their architect: our encouragement builds them up, and our social therapy keeps them standing. To some, we are their blacksmith: iron sharpens iron, and though we may go through the fire, we come out in better shape than when we went in.

So how can you be a reliable friend this month and the rest of the year? I challenge you to show your friends some love as we enjoy the final lap of 2016. With the shift in the season, this is a time many people struggle to feel validated and loved. Don’t let that be anyone who is connected to you. Make a list of ways you can intentionally invest in your friendships and your relationships overall. Start with this prompt: “How can I overcome my busy schedule and be a better friend?” Dr. Asha Fields Brewer Creator of Healthy Conversations Speaker, Writer, Educator, Radio Personality Website: www.doctorasha.com

In My Korner

May I Borrow Your Bear?

hen my siblings and I were younger, we would often refer to our Mother as Big ‘O’. She seemed fearless, afraid of nothing. With nine children, she and my Dad were strong disciplinarians. Interestingly, however, if there was any chastisement to be done, Mama, being the more assertive and conservative of the two, would gladly enforce correction. Thinking herself to be less of a Sergeant than was Daddy, she would say things like, “Do you want me to tell your Daddy about this?” In our minds, we would be begging her to tell Daddy, our liberal parent, but we had better sense than to disclose this to her. Mama’s conflict resolution and management style was to deal with conflict head-on. If ever there was a problem, where she was being accused of wrongdoing, she would call together all the parties involved. On the spot, she would deal with her accusers, and before the close of the meeting, all lies would be dispelled. Amongst ourselves, we would tease about her strong temperament and her large-size hands. We thought, “Mama is not afraid of anything. She’s like a bear; look at her hands!”

Unlike Mama, my usual personality was not to straight forwardly deal with conflict. It seemed much easier to stay clear of certain individuals: those

who were prone to initiate trouble, individuals with whom I could not reason, or those who did not see the world in the same way in which I did. I would rather not engage with them on any level. And this was my typical, though flawed, way of managing my interpersonal relationships.

Recently, I was faced with an encounter. Eleven years prior, I had faced this same issue… with the same individual. While the initial thought was to follow my old tradition—to run away from the individual, I was put in a situation where I couldn’t take flight. I had to address it face to face. But how was I to do that? How could I operate outside of the normal space of my personality? Mama came to mind. I considered how she could easily resolve this one. For her, this would be a cinch, a no-brainer. However, Mama wasn’t there, at least, not physically there. But she was there; she was there in spirit.

I prayed that she would be with me as a mentoring spirit to guide me through the resolution process. Reminded of her courageous demeanor, I looked at the matter and faced it. What had held me fast for the past 11 years, I was finally able to break free. Figuratively speaking, I had borrowed Mama’s bear. Perhaps, there is a matter to which you have been held hostage, a matter

you need to face. Dealing with the issue may require you to enlarge yourself by calling upon the mentoring spirit to show you how you can be victorious in a contesting moment. The mentoring spirit comes to bring wisdom and strength to those in need, and to give us the courage to conquer all fears. So, you don’t have to run in hiding. You can, in fact, boldly face the giant, in whatever form the giant comes. And be assured that Mama will allow you to borrow her bear, her fearless stance to resolve conflict and her valiant disposition to overcome the challenges of life. Oh wow! Time has slipped by so quickly; we’ll have to talk again sometime later. It’s always a pleasure spending time with you, my friend, and… that’s right! “I’m counting on you to stay In My Korner.”

Dr. Alicia Ritchey is known as the indigoLife Woman, one rooted in positive character, who seeks to sustain a brand of goodwill in her home, her community, and in the marketplace. Her writing centers on topics that encourage sincere introspection and reflection as necessary strategies for ensuring healthy personal and interpersonal relationships. To enjoy more of her writings, find her at www. indigolifeonline.com/publisherskorner/ MAGNIFICENT LIVING MAGAZINE | 19

5 METHODS TO KEEP

TRACK OF YOUR TIME L

Setting your priorities and sticking to them is a great step towards reducing your stress, but it won’t help much if you don’t have time to finish all the other menial tasks that are involved in running an at-home business. Items like billing, filing, ordering ink for your printer, and a million other little things that pile up over time still need to be done.

et’s look at five methods to help you keep better track of where your time goes, and keep on top of your schedule.

Write everything down.

Famous productivity expert David Allen, author of Get It Done, recommend getting your to-dos out of your brain and onto paper. I can attest that this method works! When I’m feeling overwhelmed, I have found one of the greatest ways to de-stress is to sit down and write out everything I have to do that’s got my head spinning. Whether those are big projects, little five-minute tasks, or anything, it all goes down on paper as my brain is churning out the words. When I can actually see my thoughts on paper, I can start sorting and prioritizing.

Keep track of how long a task takes you.

It’s a common psychological trick we play on ourselves – we overestimate how long it takes to complete unpleasant tasks, and we underestimate how long we spend on pleasant items. Get real by writing down the actual time it takes you to do things like file papers, log receipts, and any other tedious task. Then you have a concrete estimate the next time you think, “Oh, that’s going to take all day!” 20 | MAGNIFICENT LIVING MAGAZINE

Minimize interruptions.

Turn off your email alert noise, put your phone ringer on mute, and clear your desktop before you jump into a task that requires concentration. Fewer interruptions and distractions allow you to get in that concentrating “sweet spot” where you’re humming along and working at a pleasant clip. That means you’ll get your work done faster and be less stressed. Constant interruptions ultimately result in needing to re-prioritize your day, over and over and over again. You can see how the stress you feel just keeps escalating without minimizing the interruptions each day.

Break down large projects.

Big projects – website overhauls, writing reports, planning marketing campaigns, creating a newsletter – can be overwhelming. When faced with a large project, break it up into tasks you can complete in one sitting, preferably in under 20 minutes. That way, instead of looking for a free afternoon to tackle the project all at once (which you’ll never get!), you just need to squeeze in 20 minutes here and there until the project is completed. I don’t know anyone who can’t find 20 minutes, but ask an entrepreneur to block out 8 hours for a project, and you’ll receive in turn a stunned glare.

Take advantage of “lost” time. Our days are full of five minute

breaks between activities. We call these “dead” time. You may be sitting in car-line at your child’s school, or in line at the pharmacy, or even waiting for a pot of water to boil. There you are, simply waiting for something to happen. Keep a notebook with a running list of tasks that can be completed in 5 minutes or less. Schedule an appointment, call a friend to set up a lunch date, clean out your voice mail, file your nails – anything that you know you need to do but don’t get around to doing. Now when you have “dead” time, glance down at your notebook with the list of 5 minute tasks and start at the top. Work your way down the list every time you find yourself with a few free minutes. You’ll be amazed at how much you accomplish when you’re ready to go!

The power of time management can have you thinking you can do it all now! You are Superwoman! You are Supermom! But, before you go leaping those tall buildings, stop and take a deep breath. There are still things beyond our control. Yes, we can do a lot, but we can’t do it all. Life sometimes gets in the way, even of the most on-task entrepreneur. Lucinda Cross, is an activation Coach. Author. TEDx Speaker. TV Personality. Visit her online at www.lucindacross. com.

ftentimes you look for validation outside of yourself and if you don’t receive it, you feel “less than” or unworthy. You must look within yourself, not only for validation but for EVERYTHING that is important to you. If you continue to look outside of yourself for your happiness, for love, or for fulfillment, for example, you will continue to be disappointed, for True happiness, True love and True fulfillment can only be found within you. You have the power within you to manifest all that you truly desire in your life and in your relationships. You need only believe in this power and tap into it in order to benefit from it. Before you can experience anything of lasting value in your outer world, you must first align yourself with the vibration of calling it forth, and this can only be done by focusing on your inner world. So what would this look like in a practical sense?

Everything You Truly Desire Is Within You You must have a clear vision of what it is you REALLY want. When you think you know what you want, dig deeper and ask yourself some questions so you can uncover your reasons for wanting it. Is it to prove

something to yourself or others? Is it so you will feel worthy, lovable, successful? What is underneath your desire for what you think you want?

You see, many times what you think you want isn’t what you want at all, and until you can identify and connect with the desires of your heart and soul, your Higher Self, you will continue to manifest from a place of lack and limitation and will not be happy or satisfied with the results.

You have a wealth of power and wisdom within you that wishes to authentically express itself through you and into your world. Let go of your need to be acknowledged, recognized or validated by others and give this to yourself. Once you fully embrace the magnificence of who you are, nothing and no one can take this away from you. Marisa Ferrera Soul-Centered Relationship Coach MarisaFerrera.com

Jewels for the Journey I dare you to remember that you are love in those moments. When you are about cry, explode or break down, stop and remember that you are love. Make remembering that you are love your mission

ou might be saying, yes all fine but when I get upset, angry or frustrated with something or someone then I am not love. I cannot and do not love in that moment. And yet you are still made of love. No matter how hard you fight or resist this idea you are still love. Also the frustrated, angry, depressed and upset you are love. Now here is my challenge for you: I dare you to remember that you are love in those moments. When you are about cry, explode or break down, stop and remember that you

are love. Make remembering that you are love your mission. Make it your mission to stand in love and simply love. It is the path of least resistance, for every human being. Including you. James Bonds As founder and CEO, Coach Bonds launched Well Driven Life.com, an online environment for people to experience engaging, honest and un-biased life changing and motivational content. www.welldrivenlife.com MAGNIFICENT LIVING MAGAZINE | 21

The Achilles Heel of Power Take a deep breath for a moment and get centered within your mind. Allow me to speak into your life for a few moments free from distraction and all that is clamoring for your attention. As you sit in a state of peaceful rest with no internal conflict let’s address the enemy of your power. You might think it is some huge monster like fear, poverty or hatred when in actuality it’s something very subtle in nature and I call her politeness.

he basic definition of politeness is showing regard for others in manners, speech and behavior. It means having consideration for others, not rude. Allow me to state this, it is honorable and always appropriate to possess good manners especially to those called to public service. The problem arises when we fail to tell our truth for the sake of being polite.

If you desire to walk in power you must learn to stand gracefully in your truth no matter how uncomfortable it may seem. As you practice voicing your true thoughts, your internally satisfaction will increase. The premise of authentic living is based on your ability to create a fulfilling existence honoring your true desires.

Are you able to recognize the still small voice of truth inside of you or has the voluminous distractions of the world crowded it out? Every day countless commercials are being advertised on the screens of our mind beckoning for our attention and little Ms. Polite is ready to comply. The trouble arises when she is allowed to be the sole guide in your life. At the intersection of gracious and goodness one must travel down the road of

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verity (which means truth).

If you are blindly unaware, your Achilles heel will strip away your garment of greatness. It will cause you to blend in like a wallflower when you were created to be a beautiful centerpiece of power. Your essence flows from a stream of truth that only you can tell. We are called to do good to others but not at the demise of dwindling ourselves beneath the ground.

The issue arises when we yield so often to being polite that we no longer execute our power to decide what is best for our own lives. How does this look in practical terms? A business woman in the name of politeness chooses to lower her prices in order to accommodate a client who does not appreciate the value of her service. It is seen in a social media post by an individual seeking validation from her peers, who asks the question which computer should she buy because she doesn’t trust her own instincts. We see politeness raising her heels in the face of the employee who has been loyal to a corporate organization for years. Yet she refuses to speak up for herself even after being given more

work than she can handle with no additional compensation. It is seen in the entrepreneur who gives away mounds of information and makes not one sale because she is too polite to ask potential clients to invest in her business.

What are we going to do about Ms. Politeness? It’s time to put her in her place! The inherent trait of politeness is that it always asks for permission to do which is the exact opposite of power which is fueled by the grace to be. The moment you start asking for permission to be great, to use your gifts, to start a business, to wear a certain outfit, to live out your dreams, to be a part of an exclusive society you give away your power. Everything you need to live a rich and rewarding life resides not in your heels but in your heart! Kristie Kennedy, certified impact coach who empowers ordinary women with BIG dreams ready to do EXTRAORDINARY things! If you are interested in coaching or image enhancement services book an initial consultation at https://calendly. com/kristiekennedy/klaritykall.

New Year’s Success Soiree with

Kristie Kennedy Saturday, January 7, 2017 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Tallahassee, Florida

Imagine...

The confidence to do anything. The ability to call the shots.

The power to start something beautiful.

Are you ready for a new year and a new you? It’s time to shift and shine! You are in prime position for ascension into the next dimension. If you lack clarity, confidence and creative solutions you will forfeit this next stage of greatness. During our time of empowerment you will learn how to embrace your unique talents and abilities, uncover hidden

fears masked as excuses which are robbing you of your potential, gain the boldness to say yes to success and nothing less, experience the power of visualization, journaling and affirmations, discern quality alliances, guerilla marketing business start-up secrets, eliminate procrastination and poor habits, understand the advantages of a positive mindset and ignite your life with limitless possibilities. When you can SEE it, you can SEIZE it! At this exclusive world class gathering you will gain access to one of today’s leading lady, Kristie Kennedy Ward, certified impact coach has over 16 years of entrepreneurial experience. Through simple strategies you will discover how to transition from goal setter to goal getter. She is a transformational teacher who will empower you to break down your

complex vision into daily action steps. Small adjustments lead to BIG attainments. One miniscule act can create MASSIVE IMPACT!

SPECIAL GRAND PRIZE WINNER!

Yes You Can Event Ambassadors: The person to invite the most attending guests will win 6 one to one Massive Momentum strategic coaching sessions with Kristie. It’s time to SAY YES TO SUCCESS and nothing less! If not you then who? If not now then when? Dress for Success: Attire is Business Black with Red Accents

Limited booth spaces available for premiere business owners. For more information contact our customer service line 888.982.0224, email info@kristiekennedy.com or visit www.kristiekennedy.com. MAGNIFICENT LIVING MAGAZINE | 23

The Gateway to Greatness The universal and predictable response of humans to change is: To try to avoid it!

Understanding the brain’s chemistry and mechanics improves people’s abilities to adapt to new ways of doing things by ameliorating the pain of change. WHY CHANGE IS SO PAINFUL?

Change brings psychological and physical discomfort.

The prefrontal cortex is firing up when change happens. This part of our brain is fast, agile, able to multitask and manage multiple threads of logic at once to enable quick calculations and decisions.

But it cannot do it infinitely. When dealing with too many concepts, it reaches

its limit. That translates into a palpable sense of discomfort, it can produce fatigue and even anger. Closely linked to the prefrontal cortex is the amygdala, the primitive

emotional center of our brain which controls out fight-or-flight response. The prefrontal cortex crashes easily because it burns lots of calories coming from

glucose or blood sugar which is metabolically expensive for the body to produce.

On the other hand, the part of the brain that consumes less energy to run is the basal ganglia. It has huge storage capacity and that is where we can find the hardwired memories and habits that make our lives. Doing something without having to think about it is so much easier! The

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basal ganglia controls habit-based behaviors and more or less run the show (and our life) most of the times. HOW CAN YOU EASE THE PAIN OF CHANGE? Thankfully, our prefrontal cortex is also capable of insight and selfcontrol. That means we can become aware of our habitual impulses and do something about them. We have the power to make a decision about how much we are influenced by our animal biology. So, how does one pacify his prefrontal cortex to avoid having an army of defenses

being called in? By living epiphanies! These insights appear to be very soothing for the prefrontal cortex. Getting support to come to your own resolution regarding the concepts that cause your prefrontal cortex to crash down will lead to epiphanies. It’s most likely that during one of those insightful moments (big or little), there is a reward system kicking into the brain which calms down the prefrontal cortex. Just looking at a person’s face during one of these moments tells you that something positive is happening. THE PERFECT TOOL TO SUPPORT YOU THROUGH CHANGE. Coaching is an awesome technique to come to those epiphanies. By asking my clients powerful questions, I allow them to voice their ideas focusing solely on them. Both of

those activities lead to more connections being made in the brain. By the simple fact of talking about

their own ideas and developing them, there is more activity and connectivity in the brain than just hearing me telling them an idea.

Once my clients have this initial insight (or epiphany) that change is necessary, they need to repeat it to experience the potential pleasure derived from it, again and again. The new brain connections that are formed during the epiphany need to be supported to hard-wire them into the realm solid memories and habits.

To erase a strongly wired habit, you need to integrate the new pathway that is created so it can become your new pattern. This is the reason why it is so important I keep reminding my clients of their insights. I am also constantly asking them about the actions they decided to take as a result to help them in their process. By learning new insights, they reframe the change they perceived as bad into something that could turn into an opportunity and be of value to them. That’s one of the secrets of very successful entrepreneurs. About Gaelle Lecourt:

After a successful career in research in France, Switzerland and the US, Gaelle left corporate America for a laptop lifestyle. This freedom allows her to share her life between Mexico, US and France. She now mentors women who want to start or just started their coaching business to get consistent clients so they can have financial & personal freedom to travel, getting paid to do what they love from anywhere in the world. Visit www.gaellelecourt.com for free resources and more information

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Kristie Kennedy Empowerment Enterprises, LLC DBA Magnificent Living Magazine P.O. Box 6464 Tallahassee, Florida 32314 www.kristiekennedy.com, info@kristiekennedy.com (888)982.0224 Cover Photo Credit Simply Beloved Studio Kimberly Traylor