Motivation Mondays: Start to Finish

This is how I would describe my feeling of accomplishment

As I sit here extremely discouraged about my new fitness journey I started a little over a month ago, I figured this would be the perfect blog post to not only continue to motivate myself but perhaps motivate some of my wonderful readers. For starters I am a HUGE procrastinator and I might be a self-proclaimed "Queen B" of starting multiple projects and not finishing - and YES, I am that one who will get annoyed when people ask me when I will finish some of those said projects (lol). Sometimes I lose my drive, maybe the financial burden was too strenuous, or perhaps I discover along the way that I just don't want to finish the project for whatever reason. I know first hand how hard it can be to finish what you start, especially when life has a crazy way of throwing you off track from time to time. Right now I am on a new fitness journey for better health and weight loss. This is a lifestyle change for me, but I have to stick with it long enough for the change to take place. I have to keep reminding myself that working out is good, potato chips are bad and the life change will benefit me in the long run.

Here are some things that I do to try and encourage myself to keep going and finish. I hope you will find one of these five tips useful in helping you get over that hump we all have to get over when things get a little difficult on our various journeys:

1. Visualize the end: For example, when I was working towards my degree I always knew what job I wanted to apply to and I kept in touch with people in that field because where they are is where I knew I wanted to be some day. I am doing the same thing with my current lifestyle adjustment and workout plans, I stay looking at before/after pictures of other people to keep me motivated.

2. NEVER put an unfinished project away. When you put that project away, it is human nature to adapt the "out of sight, out of mind" philosophy. That unfinished blanket you were crocheting for your friend's daughter will remain unfinished for 10 years if you toss it away in a closet and forget about it [#truestory].

3. Set a goal, work at your own pace. Never let the people around you make you think you are taking too long, moving too slow OR going too fast for that matter. Remember your goal is to finish what you start -- but in the end you have to make sure YOU did things to YOUR satisfaction and that it was done the way YOU wanted it to be done.

4. Ask for help. It is okay to ask for help, as they say "team work makes the dream work" and I do believe that applies some of the time. Sometimes you need a tutor to help you understand your school work, you might need an editor if you're writing a book, and you may need an investor to help finance your dream business.

5. P.U.S.H. yourself to finish. Pray Until Something Happens. This might mean working on your days "off" or working through the pain. That is all part of the sacrifice you sometimes have to make in order to finish the things you start. Pray your way through whatever it is. The value of what you started will only be as good as the time you invest in it.

Like I said, these are just a few of the ways I motivate myself to finish the various things that I start. I'm so stubborn sometimes that I have to get even more creative to motivate myself but I always start with at least one of the above. If you are a fellow Queen B of starting and not finishing things like myself, at least one or all of these tips will help you. Trust me, you will start to feel better about yourself once you actually notice yourself finishing things, instead of leaving them undone. You will then realize that the wonderful feeling of accomplishment cannot be beat.


Smooches,
      Natruly Stylish

"The world would be a better place if everyone found their T.R.U. S.T.Y.L. within."

Pretty Polish: Top 5 (brands)

What are your top 5 nail polish brands?

I can't say that I have just one favorite, but I can definitely think of a "Top 5" list of brands that are my go-to selections when I'm either shopping or grabbing my next color to paint with. Here goes my list in no particular order:

1. Zoya

2. Sally Hansen Hard as Nails (Xtreme Wear)

3. Orly

4. China Glaze

5. OPI

Honorable Mention: Color Club


Some of my Zoya collection

I luv all of these brands for many different reasons but today I will elaborate on why I put Zoya on the list. If you are not familiar with the Zoya brand of nail polishes, I suggest you check them out at www.zoya.com immediately. I remember the first time I ordered from them a couple of years ago, I purchased a few bottles on sale. I have been hooked on their polishes ever since. My Zoya collection is small compared to others, and so is my overall nail polish collection BUT given the chance I find my self exploring my next Zoya color options each chance I get. Besides the cute bottle design, I like the size of the brush and the wide array of color options. Zoya does not have as big of a color selection as maybe China Glaze or OPI, and you won't find the chunky glitter or confetti infused polishes on their site, but keep in mind those other two companies are veterans in the game. As far as I know you can only order Zoya online, (you can check their website to verify), but the ordering experience is THE best. Each polish color not only has a description attached, but also an opacity chart (which I luv because I ONLY aim for opaque colors), and any pictures or ads featuring the color are shown on the site also. Customer service is superb and if you see a color on the site that you aren't sure about, you can order "color spoons" and what you put towards a color spoon can be used as a credit on your next order. Not to mention they are always doing giveaways and promotions on Twitter and Facebook. I could go on and on but I digress.

Cute Zoya bottles!

Please share with me your top brands of polish. I am always looking to try new brands and colors!


Smooches,
    Natruly Stylish

"The world would be a better place if everyone found their T.R.U. S.T.Y.L. within."

Motivation Mondays: Family Ties

Family and my relationship with my immediate family members is VERY important to me. I try not to go to bed mad at my husband or kids and I teach my kids that instead of fighting each other, they must be prepared to fight for each other and have each other's back. Lord knows with me having two younger brothers I know all about sibling rivalry, BUT if my kids get to arguing around me it can only go so far. Quite a few years ago I lost one of my brothers, and no matter how annoying I thought he was from time to time I would give anything to have him back here with us. Reminiscing about your childhood is no fun when the bulk of your memories consist of a person who has passed away.

Growing up I did not attended many family reunions and I was not extremely close to many members on my mom or dad's side. On the other hand my husband's family (on his mom's side) has get togethers all the time. Every event they have is like a mini family reunion. When I fell in love with my husband I also fell in love with his family. I won't act like I've never had drama with any in-laws over the years, but I don't skip out on family gatherings for nothing! My hubby's family knows how to keep drama to a minimum [when there's a gathering] so there's usually no fighting or arguing with his folks and I love that.

I believe that we as humans take time for granted. Life is too short to be mad at anyone, mainly family. Now I know there are some serious issues or family secrets that will keep kin from speaking, but my hope is that families start seeking therapy for those kinds of situations. When the same blood is running through your veins, nothing should get in the way of two people loving each other like the family members they are. It takes a very humble human being to forgive. If your relationship with mom or pops is damaged, repair it. Don't wait for them to make the first move because there is nothing but pride in the way of reaching out first. Call and talk to your sibling that you haven't talked to in months or years. Reconnect with your favorite cousin from childhood. Don't expect anything in return, but realize that your random act could spark a chain reaction that might bring a once distant family closer together. I am now in the process of rekindling family ties and I would like to plan a gathering from me and my half siblings, some of which I've never met in person. Wish me luck.

I have been to enough funerals and witnessed too many sudden life changes and from those things I am reminded about what is most important. If you can't depend on family, who can you depend on? Yes, it's definitely good to have lifelong friends who are like family, but even the tightest friendships can be outgrown. You can never outgrow your family, you all can grow together, as long as you make sure the family tie does not come undone.


Smooches,
    Natruly Stylish

"The world would be a better place if everyone found their T.R.U. S.T.Y.L. within."

Pretty Polish/NOTW

This weeks Pretty Polish post is featuring the lovely brightness of China Glaze's "Def Defying". This color is from the Cirque du Soleil Worlds Away 3D Collection that was released Winter 2012. Although I've had this color a while, I'm not really big on green so I had actually purchased this color for my daughter because green is her favorite color. Well now that I've worn it for a couple of days, it might just become one of my favorite nail colors to wear. This shade is described as a lime green and I would say that fits the description perfectly. It looks almost neon in my picture above, but it does not have a neon cast. Even though this color was released for a winter collection, I would say this shade is perfect for spring/summer -- or if you're like me, you will just wear it whenever you feel. I did two coats here and it was pretty opaque. The only thing I did not like about this color is the application was streaky and the polish was kind of thick. For my polka dots I used "Hanging in the Balance" from the same collection, and I made the dots using a dotting tool I purchased from Avon on sale a while ago. Nothing fancy, at. all. The blue color is very beautiful and I felt the two shades made the perfect combo. Both my base and top coat are from Seche Vite and as long I as avoid washing dishes by hand, this will be my NOTW ;)


Smooches,
    Natruly Stylish

"The world would be a better place if everyone found their T.R.U. S.T.Y.L. within."

Motivation Modays: Embracing & Enhancing YOUR Gift

What is YOUR gift? What is something you are good at, you can do with no effort and you enjoy it? Some of you will have to think hard about the answer to these questions & some of you won't. Some of you are so pre-occupied with other people & their gifts that you fail to recognize your own. Others of you lack the confidence you need in order to see that you actually have a [God given] gift. I believe that EVERYONE walking this earth has some sort of gift to offer others. Unfortunately, I also believe that some people live and never even realize their full potential. If this is you, make it a point to change that TODAY.

One of my [God given] gifts is writing (ain't that a big surprise?). I discovered my own gift back in high school when I would write a random paper the night before it was due and get A's (or high B's) EVERY time. If I didn't make A's on nothing else, I always made my BEST grades on written papers. Whether the content was right or wrong I could write it out & make it sound good either way. That same bad habit carried over to college & now here I am writing every chance I get. Yes, I actually discovered my own gift by being a slacker but the important thing IS that I KNOW what MY GIFT(s) are :) I have written poetry, songs (no #1 hits tho), a few people have asked me to help them write books and I am working on my own book. The best thing about my gift is that I LOVE to write. Sometimes I feel like I can write better than I can verbally communicate. Sometimes I wish I had been blessed with a voice to sing or the rhythm of a dancer but I know there are NO mistakes in how we are created. Plus, who's to say that I won't wake up with the blessings of other particular "gifts" one day? (LoL) We live in what I call a "fish bowl" society -- there are those who make moves and "swim" around in society (aka the fish bowl) while the others stand still and just watch.

Try not to waste your time focusing on other people's gifts and talents and invest time in discovering and embracing your own. If you don't feel like you have a gift to offer the world, think about the things you enjoy doing and consider those things that come easy to you. You may not have kids, but people around you might have noticed that you work well with kids -- perhaps mentoring is in your future. People in your office might always notice that you dress well and your makeup is always on point -- perhaps personal styling could turn into a profitable side gig for you. Whatever your gift is, make sure you share it with others. What's the point is being blessed with a gift that nobody knows anything about? Please know that you are an individual and you are special and you have a gift to offer the world. Use today to start anew and discover (or re-discover) your gifts and then offer your wonderful gift(s) to the people around you!! You never know how your actions might motivate others to do the same. Have a wonderful Monday!!


Smooches,
   Natruly Stylish

"The world would be a better place if everyone found their T.R.U. S.T.Y.L. within."