101 Ways To Shrink Your Waist

Measure your waist in line with your belly button.  Breath in, then exhale and relax… no sucking in!  Take the measurement in inches and write it down.

Follow these simple steps over the next 4 weeks and you’ll see the kind of inch loss you thought was impossible!

Before you start your 4 week plan…

1. A watched waistline never shrinks.  Don’t measure it again until after 4 weeks!

2. Forget about the 3 bad P’s – Pills, Potions, and Patches.  They don’t work.

3. Remember the 3 good P’s - Plan, Persevere, Praise.

4. Plan… design a timeline for the 4 weeks, identifying all potential setbacks.

5. Persevere… think about how you’ll get back on track after each setback.

6. Praise… for each setback you get through without giving up, praise yourself!

7. Avoid perfectionism at all costs.  It’ll never be perfect.  Ever!

8. Understand that losing inches is a 4 week marathon, not a 3 day sprint.

9. Visualise how you’re going to manage the hurdles along the way.

10. Your goal is to cross the finish line, not give up at the first hurdle!\

Your 4 week waist shrinking nutrition…

11. Set yourself the goal of tracking your nutrition every day for four weeks.

13. Request a free nutrition tracker from everythingzing.com and update it daily.

14. Use it to plan your meals as well as keep a diary of everything you eat.

15. Aim to eat a good breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, no skipping meals.

16. Breakfast should be good quality, ‘slow-energy-release’ cereals with milk.

17. Try all-bran / branflakes / weetabix / shredded wheat / museli / porridge.

20. Replace sugar with sweetener, or even better sprinkle dried fruit on top.

18. Avoid buying sugary cereals or bars – you’ll end up scoffing them at night!

19. Lunch should be good quality protein with rice / potato +  mixed veg / salad.

20. The portion = 1 hand protein, 1 hand rice/potato, 2 hands mixed veg/salad.

21. ’1 hand’ is the amount of food that would sit on your open hand.

22. Example – chicken breast (1 hand), rice (1 hand), mixed veg (2 hands).

23. Dinner should be good quality protein with mixed veg / salad.

24. The portion = 1 hand protein, 2 hands mixed veg / salad.

25. Example – 2 egg omelette with onion, pepper and mushrooms and salad.

26. Between meals snack on yoghurt / fruit / cold meats / low-fat cheese.

27. Strive to fill your diet with colour – reds, greens, oranges, purples.

28. Ideally eat every 2 to 3 hours, avoiding large gaps in between meals.

29. If you’re serious about shrinking your waist, don’t eat after 9pm.

30. Once you’ve planned your meals for the week, go to the shops and stock up!

Things to avoid for 4 weeks…

31. Cut out all beige foods – bread, pasta, crisps, cakes, sweets and biscuits.

32. Even the ones that have been artificially coloured… nice try smarty pants!

33. If you are a ‘beige addict’, it’s easier to go ‘cold turkey’ than ‘in moderation’.

34. A simple way to cut it out? Keep yourself full with good quality food.

35. Keep telling yourself – “after a week without beige food, I won’t even miss it…”

36.  You will miss it, but for the love of God keep telling yourself you won’t!

37. Try to limit alcohol to just one night per week, you’ll save 1000s of calories.

38. Remember… our fat burning metabolism works best when fuelled so,

39. Avoid ”end-loaded nutrition” – undereating in the day, scoffing late at night.

40. Avoid “polar nutrition” – undereating in the week, scoffing at the weekend.

…Have you done your shopping yet?!

Managing your friends, family and colleagues for 4 weeks…

41. Tell your friends and family what you’re up to, you’ll need their support.

42. Even better, get them to do it with you, the more the merrier!

43. Take a tupperware box with your lunch and snacks in with you to work.

44. Get into the habit of preparing your lunch each morning or night before.

45. If you’re offered beige foods, a swift slap will show them you mean business.

46. For the less violent, just say “No”.  It works for drugs.  It’ll work for beige.

47. If you have kids then avoid the 1000s of calories of leftover food.  Bin it.

48. Never underestimate how ‘smidgens’ add up to massive guts.

49. Never say no your Gran’s cake, no waistline is as important as Gran’s cake!

50. Just get back on track after – remember the bit about hurdles along the way?

Fat burning exercise for 4 weeks….

51. Set yourself a goal of completing 140 minutes of aerobic exercise per week.

52. Try 20 minutes a day… 20 x 7 = 140 minutes.

53. Or 35 minutes 4 times a week… 35 x 4 = 140 minutes.

54. Or even 70 minutes twice a week if you feel like a challenge!

55. Don’t beat yourself up if you skip the odd workout, just make up for it.

56. Use your food diary to track your minutes of exercise each day.

57. Use a 1 to 10 scale to find the right intensity – 1 easy, 10 maximum effort.

58. For optimum fat burning, exercise at a 6 to 7 out of 10.

59. No pain no gain is out.  You don’t have to hurt, you just have to sweat!

60. Always listen to music during workouts, you’ll burn more and enjoy it more.

Some good fat burning options….

61. If you go to the gym use the treadmill, crosstrainer, bike, rower or stepper.

62. Avoid boredom by mixing up different pieces of equipment.

63. Try 5 mins bike, 5 mins cross trainer, 5 mins rower, 5 mins treadmill, daily.

64. Never underestimate the cumulative benefit of daily 20 minute workouts.

65. Set yourself mini-challenges – how many calories can you burn in 20 mins?

66. If your local gym isn’t for you, try walking, jogging, cycling or swimming.

67. Get your best friend / partner / pet chiwawa to go with you for support.

68. Feeling social? Then try local dance classes or group exercise classes.

69. Move more… take the stairs, walk to the shops, hide the remote.

70. If it gets you out of breath then it counts towards your 140 minutes!

Waist toning exercise for the 4 weeks….

71. Set yourself a goal of 350 sit ups a week for the next 4 weeks.

72. Break it down into 50 situps a day, or 100 sit ups every other day.

73. Remember, if you miss a few days you can always make up for it!

74. The perfect situp is performed at a speed of 2 sec up, 2 sec hold, 2 sec down.

75. Think ‘control’ – If you look like you’re having a fit, you’re doing it wrong.

76. Keep your chin off your chest at all times to prevent strain on the neck.

77. Learn how to engage your ‘core muscles’ for optimum results.

78. If you’re not sure, hire a personal trainer to show you the correct technique.

79. The best time to do them is straight after your aerobic workout.

80. The more you do them the easier they’ll get… so don’t be afraid to do extra!

Some other things that will help the waist shrinking cause….

81. Yoga or Pilates. One class a week will really help you learn ‘core control’.

82. Hula Hooping. All that hip swivelling has to do something, right?!

83. Martial Arts. If Bruce Lee’s waistline is anything to go by.

84. Boxercise. Lose inches, and all your pent up aggression.

85. Horse Riding. A great waistline workout, on and off the horse.

86. Lift weights.  It boosts metabolism, which means you’ll burn more fat.

87. Good posture. Stand up tall, draw your tummy in and hold. Forever.

88. Relax more.  It reduces corsitol levels, a hormone that increases belly fat.

89. Get more sleep.  You’ll feel more awake and crave less beige foods.

90. Drink more water. It helps to reduce appetite and calorie intake.

Staying motivated…

91. Email your food diary to a friend each day.

92. Even better, email your food diary to a skinny friend each day!

93. Write a list of all the good things that come with a slimmer waist.

94. Keep it with you and read it whenever your motivation is flagging.

95. Every morning, visualise how you’ll look and feel with a slimmer waistline.

96. Challenge a friend or colleague to see who can lost the most inches.

97. Even better, challenge your whole office to see who can lost the most inches!

98. Print off this list and keep it by your bed.

99. Every night run through this list to see how you’re doing.

100. If you’re hitting 50 or less, challenge yourself to do better tomorrow!

101. And remember… it’s only for 4 weeks!

And when the 4 weeks is up…

You might not have followed all 101 ways to the letter, but if you’re doing more cardio, more situps, eating more regularly, and cutting down on beige foods… you’ll be amazed by the results!

latest trend

eXAM fEAR

How to Get Motivation to Study for Your Exams

Interesting ways to get motivation to study

How to Increase your Motivation to Study

1A. Reward yourself for studying and working on assignments. However, you need to do this after you’ve done everything you planned to do!

2A. Study with others (But make sure you work and don’t just socialise.)

3A. Keep your long-term goals in sight. They’ll slip through your fingers if you don’t do the work.

4A. Cut out distractions. If you’re surrounded by things that you’d rather do than work, you’ll probably abandon your boring studying.

5A. Develop an interest in the subjects you’re studying. That way, the work won’t be such a drag.

6A. Take regular breaks. These should be at logical points in your work. That makes it easier to resume your studying, and to remember what you were working on before.

7A. Work somewhere bright, warm and comfortable.

8A. Set reasonable study goals for each session.

9A. Start early in the day at weekends, and early in the evenings on week days. The longer you put it off your studying, the harder and more onerous it seems.

10A. Just do it. It’s surprisingly rewarding to do something that’s tough!

His/her Favorite Ice cream??

Study a Person Character using His/her Favorite Ice cream

Do you know our personality had a link with our favorite Ice cream?

Identify a person character using their favorite ice cream

What your favourite ice cream says about you?

I’m not sure the experts would agree with this, but it’s fun to see if your favourite ice-cream provides insights into your personality.

1A. Vanilla Ice Cream Lovers: You are described as being colorful, adventurous, a risk taker, and an idealist – ironically with a tendency to be dependent upon others. Essentially, you’re a very private person who prefers to hang out with a few close friends. Your personality is best suited to the kind of person who likes rocky road or vanilla ice-cream.

2A. Double Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream Lovers: You are described as someone who likes to be the centre of attention. You tend to be rather self-absorbed, and may be over-dramatic at times.  You’re also stylish, vivacious, charming, perhaps a bit flirtatious, and the life and soul of the party. You have a low boredom  threshold and are drawn to novel experiences. Your personality is best suited to the kind of person who likes butter pecan or chocolate chip ice cream.

3A. Strawberries and Cream Ice Cream Lovers: You are described as being more withdrawn and introverted. You often find it hard to cope with pressure and stress, and these tend to leave you feeling worn out, overwhelmed and irritable. Your personality is best suited to the kind of person who likes chocolate chip ice cream.

4A. Banana Cream Pie Ice Cream Lovers:  You are described as being balanced, laid back and empathic. You are rarely reactive and generally have a calming influence on people and situations.  Your personality is best suited to the kind of person who likes vanilla, double chocolate chunk, strawberries and cream, chocolate chip, butter pecan or another banana cream pie ice cream lover.

5A. Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Lovers: You are described as being driven, ambitious, organised, competitive, and proactive. You have excellent people skills, and know how to get what you need out of others. Your personality is best suited to the kind of person who likes butter pecan or double chocolate chunk ice cream.

6A. Butter Pecan Ice Cream Lovers:  You are described as being a person of integrity. You like, and abide by, guidelines and rules. You are also smart, conscientious, dependable, reliable and a bit of a perfectionist. You can be competitive - but are also aware of your flaws, weaknesses and shortcomings. Your personality is best suited to the kind of person who likes mint chocolate chip ice cream.

7A. Strawberry Ice Cream Lovers:  You are described as being more of a follower than a leader. You don’t seek, or particularly like, the limelight. However, you make a great team player. Your personality is best suited to the kind of person who likes rocky road, vanilla, mint chocolate chip or strawberry ice cream.

8A. Coffee Ice Cream Lovers: You are described as being the kind of person who lives life to the full. You are passionate, enthusiastic, dramatic – and may also be viewed as being seductive and flirtatious. You live in the moment, follow your heart, and tend to rush full steam ahead – and only think about the consequences later on. Your personality is best suited to the kind of person who likes strawberry ice cream.

9A. Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Lovers: You are described as having a strong cynical streak. You like to know and weigh up all the facts. You are also an analytical thinker, have tendencies towards being contrary and argumentative, and are realistic when setting goals. You’re cautious and careful, especially when it comes to planning for the future. Your personality is best suited to the kind of person who also likes mint chocolate chip ice cream.

10A. Rocky Road Ice Cream Lovers: You are warm, friendly, charming and engaging when you are in social situations. However, you’re focused, driven and goal-oriented at work. You also have a tendency to be impatient, and don’t always suffer fools gladly! Your personality is best suited to others who like rocky road ice cream.

how to Deal with Jealous Feelings

7 Amazing ways to Deal with Jealous Feelings

Best ways to cope with jealous feelings

How to Cope with Jealous Feelings

Here are some best tips to cope with jealous feelings.

1A. Understand what jealousy is. It’s a mixture of fear and anger – usually the fear of losing someone who’s important to you, and anger at the person who is “taking over”. Recognise that it’s a destructive and negative emotion - and often nothing good comes out of it.

2A. Try and figure out why you’re feeling jealous. Is it related to some past failure that is undermining your ability to trust? Are you feeling anxious and insecure? Do you suffer from low self-esteem, or fear of abandonment?

3A. Be honest with yourself about how your jealousy affects other people. Do friends or partners always have to justify their actions and thoughts, or always report on where they were, or who they were with? That kind of pressure is destructive in the end, and puts a strain on relationships. 

4A. Find the courage to tackle your feelings. Decide to question your jealousy every time it surfaces. That will enable you to take positive steps to manage your feelings in a healthier and more constructive way. Some possible questionsto ask yourself include: “Why am I jealous about this?”; “What exactly is making me feel jealous?”; “What or who am I afraid of losing?”; “Why do I feel so threatened?”

5A. Work on changing any false beliefs that might be fueling your jealousy. Start this process by identifying the underlying belief, for example “If X leaves me, then I won’t have any friends”; “If Y doesn’t love me then no-one will ever want or love me”. Understand, that beliefs are often false – and that they can be changed through choice. If you change your belief, you change the way you feel.

6A. Learn from your jealousy. Jealousy can help understand ourselves better – and teach us important lessons. For example, it’s natural to feel frightened when a relationship is new, and you don’t yet feel secure. This is normal and commonplace! Also, some people DO have a roving eye, and they may lack commitment in the longer term. Better you know that now, than later on.

7A. Work on accepting and trusting yourself. That makes it easier to trust others, too, and lessens our tendency to feel jealous of others.

Music and Brain

Do you Move while listening Music Beats?

Interesting research on Music beats and Brain responses

People who are better able to move to a beat show more consistent brain responses to speech than those with less rhythm

Study suggests musical training could possibly sharpen language processing

People who are better able to move to a beat show more consistent brain responses to speech than those with less rhythm, according to a study published in the issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. The findings suggest that musical training could possibly sharpen the brain’s response to language.

Scientists have long known that moving to a steady beat requires synchronization between the parts of the brain responsible for hearing and movement. In the current study, Professor Nina Kraus, PhD, and Adam Tierney, PhD, at Northwestern University examined the relationship between the ability to keep a beat and the brain’s response to sound.

More than 100 teenagers from the Chicago area participated in the Kraus Lab study, where they were instructed to listen and tap their finger along to a metronome. The teens’ tapping accuracy was computed based on how closely their taps aligned in time with the “tic-toc” of the metronome. In a second test, the researchers used a technique called electroencephalography (EEG) to record brainwaves from a major brain hub for sound processing as the teens listened to the synthesized speech sound “da” repeated periodically over a 30-minute period. The researchers then calculated how similarly the nerve cells in this region responded each time the “da” sound was repeated.

“Across this population of adolescents, the more accurate they were at tapping along to the beat, the more consistent their brains’ response to the ‘da’ syllable was,” Kraus said. Because previous studies show a link between reading ability and beat-keeping ability as well as reading ability and the consistency of the brain’s response to sound, Kraus explained that these new findings show that hearing is a common basis for these associations.

“Rhythm is inherently a part of music and language,” Kraus said. “It may be that musical training, with an emphasis on rhythmic skills, exercises the auditory-system, leading to strong sound-to-meaning associations that are so essential in learning to read.”

John Iversen, PhD, who studies how the brain processes music at the University of California, San Diego, and was not involved with this study, noted that the findings raise the possibility that musical training may have important impacts on the brain.”This study adds another piece to the puzzle in the emerging story suggesting that musical rhythmic abilities are correlated with improved performance in non-music areas, particularly language,” he said.

Kraus’ group is now working on a multi-year study to evaluate the effects of musical training on beat synchronization, response consistency, and reading skills in a group of children engaging in musical training.

This research was funded by the National Science Foundation.

The Journal of Neuroscience is published by the Society for Neuroscience, an organization of more than 42,000 basic scientists and clinicians who study the brain and nervous system.

Know Yourself Better

Interesting Questions to Know Yourself Better

1A. If you could change one aspect of your life or personality, what would it be?

2A. Are you “your own person” or are you defined and pushed around by others?

3A. Is there any area of your life where you feel out of control?

4A. Do you feel more comfortable in an organised or chaotic environment?

5A. How comfortable are you with spontaneous ideas, or a last minute change in plans?

6A. Do you feel renewed by being around others, or is it crucial for you to have time on your own?

7A. Are you motivated, or undermined, by competition?

8A. Do you work well under pressure, or do you tend to fall apart?

9A. Are you better at praising and complimenting others, or at consciously affirming and building yourself up?

10A. Are you a morning or an evening person?

11A. Do you persevere, or do you give up easily?

12A. Do you like to go with the flow, or take control of your own life?

13A. Are you more of a thinker or a feeler?

14A. What are your passions and goals?

15A. What would your perfect day look like?

Jingle bells Jingle bells...

Wear saree with a modern twist

Modern interpretations of a sari, the six-yard wonder wrap of ethnic Indian wear, are becoming a rage among women, who like a western and functional touch in their ensembles.
Premier design label Satya Paul's sari collections have several options for fashionistas:

Ready to wear
Try suspender and armhole saris. Divided palazzos of the suspender sari don't restrict your movement and the unstitched pallu can also be worn as a stole. You can literally 'slip into' the pallu of armhole saris as these have pre-stitched opening for the arm. You need not pin it up.
Demi Couture
The sari gown is a no-fuss drape. It has a sleek pallu fastened over the shoulder. It can also be worn as a dress. Wear a belt or kamarbandh on top of it to highlight your waist.
Festive collection
Wear pre-stitched kaftan sari as an off-shoulder dress or with blouse to maintain the traditional look.

Easy makeup tips for bride-to-be

To make a beautiful bride, just use a little common sense!

Make sure the salon uses waterproof eye makeup
Most brides cry at their weddings. Even if you don't think you're the crying variety, with so many waterproof products out there, why take a chance?

Use a long-lasting lipstick
When they first came out, most were dry and not suitable for a day-filled with close-ups and endless congratulatory kisses. But the new generation wised up with separate colour and moisturiser. Apply the colour once at the beginning of the day, and re-moisturise a couple of times to keep lips luscious and picture-perfect.

Employ a spot checker
This could be your cheeky sister or your dedicated best friend or the over-enthusiastic aunt who wanted to get you married the day you were born… Your mother is another good candidate. Ask them to keep an eye on you and let you know if you need a touch up. They might also do you the favour of stashing your lipstick in their purse for easy access.

Stash backups!
Stake out the bathrooms or changing facility at the venue. Stash an emergency kit including powder to beat down shiny noses, a hairbrush, hairspray, lipstick, a small perfume, and safety pins, along with anything else you think you might need.

Take a test run
Make sure you test out beauty products several times-you wouldn't want to find out the morning of your wedding that you're allergic to that luscious gold gloss!

Chuck brushes to apply make-up

Be it washroom or dressing table or bag, make-up tools always manage to find a place -- thanks to our need to apply make-up.
Instead of splashing out a bomb on the tools and filling up your cabinet with numerous brushes, choose items that are easily available and are pocket-friendly too.
Huffingtonpost.com shares a list of items that can be used to apply make-up:
Wedge sponge
Not only are they perfect for applying foundation and concealer, they also work well to put eyeshadow.

Tissue
If powder is not within reach, use tissue to set make-up. Separate the tissue in half, pulling it apart, and then set the inside of the tissue on the face. The fibers from the tissue can be used to blot or as an anti-shine.
Cotton pad
Use circular cotton pads to apply blush.
Toothbrush
A clean and unused toothbrush can work wonders for brow grooming and to exfoliate your lips.

Beauty TIP OF THE WEEK

One of the most exciting trends in hair today is the creative use of braids to enhance and accent styles. If you want to liven up your look, take a page from Xena’s Beauty Company in New York, New York, for this immaculate style that adds texture and increases appeal. “Braids have been in style for a few seasons,” says Stylist Xena Parsons. “This soft side braid can be worn casually as shown or add a rhinestone clip and you’re off to the opera. And you can easily twist the braid into a knot to create an elegant chignon.
” Follow these steps for your own braided beauty:
1. Section the hair into three parts from ear to ear and with a side or middle part.
2. Use a cream or wax to smooth the hair as you braid.
3. Begin the braid in the back section; as you braid begin to incorporate pieces from either side.
4. Wrap the ends with a cord or strand of leather for the finishing touch.

fantastic braid! must try

hair care winter tips

Winter can be SO harsh on your hair.  But, there is one big bonus (my favorite)- no humidity!  Despite not having to deal with frizzy-ness from humidity, your hair can start to get too dry and brittle.  Here are my best tips to share with you all 

1.  Don’t over-wash your hair.  You do need that pesky oil to keep your locks looking shiny and healthy.  Sometimes, I have the urge to wash my hair too much but it is ok to let your hair go for a day and try to train your scalp to even out its oil production.  The reason my hair seems to get oily so quickly is because frequent washing strips your scalp of it’s natural oils and in turn it overcompensates to try balance out.  Don’t play with your hair too much either, it will get greasy the more you touch it so – hands off!  I use the weekends to let my hair washings spread out a bit and I can tell my hair feels better afterwards!  I also just invested in a good dry shampoo.  I haven’t had a chance to try it as much as I would like but I will fill you in!  If you have light or blonde hair, baby powder works great as well.

2.  Don’t bleach too much.  Frequent processing on your hair makes it extremely brittle and it will break.  Thank goodness that ombre hair is in right! Now it’s totally in style to let those roots grow out and have that natural “I just let my sun-kissed hair grow out from the summer look”.  If this just isn’t your style try an all over color or go for some low lights  Want more darker hair inspiration?? Check out my Pinterest boards HERE, and look through my “Locks and Looks” or “Dress Me” boards.

3.  Let your blow dryer and flattening iron take a little hiatus.  It’s ok to let your hair air dry once in a while.  If you have naturally curly hair like mine I simply throw some product in and let it go.  I actually like to use a pomade.  Ha! Believe it or not I steal from my hubby’s hair products.   The Got2B pomade (HERE) gives you a non-frizzy wave that isn’t crunchy, and you don’t need to use a lot.   Those beachy natural waves are in people!   If you do often blow dry your hair check out the split-end treatment I shared on my Must Have Products post HERE.  I have already had one reader of the blog share that they absolutely loved this product!

4.  Schedule a trip to your stylist.  Getting a frequent trim will keep your hair healthier and they can suggest the best products to deal with every type of hair.  They have the best expertise and knowledge and you should take advantage of that.

FAVORITE COLOR REVEALS PERSONALITY TYPE

Black is one of the most beautiful colors and yet it is the absence of color. Black want everything done in detail. If a job needs finishing, these are the people to finish it. These personalities need leaders, though, to tell them what needs to be done. Under guidance, they are able to get to the crux of the matter and solve very large problems. When put in a position to find the mistakes of others, they are right at home. They like puzzles, and finding others' mistakes brings out their tenacious spirits. Black will sometimes intentionally find mistakes just so that they can repair them. Sometimes, when one wears black, they do not want to be touched. Putting a barrier between themselves and others is the purpose of this color. Black is a relief color for most people, like "Mom's apple pie". It makes them feel comfortable and even, in some cases, smaller, allowing them to hide from the world.

Blue is an emotional color. Blue stay inside themselves and do not trust people very much. They watch every move others make. Pale shades of blue show someone who wants everything in order. Their closet is immaculate. As blue moves to the deeper end of color, it becomes more moody and shows it. People who prefer this color frequently use their emotions to make decisions. They are also easily affected by the moods of those around them. They sometimes expect you to feel down whenever they are. Showing signs of co-dependency, they need you to be by their side experiencing their feelings.

Green is the color of healing. Green want to help every one. These people can usually be found in the medical profession or some occupation which helps people. Preferring to watch rather than to become involved in others business, they usually keep their thoughts secret. Others see them as good listeners because of this quality. This characteristic makes them wonderful counselors. Greens make others feel at home in their house by putting them at ease immediately. They try to take care of others and they want harmony in every one's life. Greens make the best of friends because they are jovial, caring and can keep a secret. In order for Greens to feel good about themselves, they have to be helping someone or something. Nurturers by choice, they are the ones who take care of other people, animals and plants.

Orange are nature lovers. Being sports minded, they love anything to do with the outdoors. Taking long walks in the woods revives them. Trees and animals mean a lot to them and they want to be a part of nature. Good professions for orange include farmers, ranchers, football players, and guides. People always say good things about these down to earth people. Although they may sometimes invoke anger from others, it usually doesn't last very long. Who can remain mad at someone so helpful? Tending to support the underdog, they will try to help someone who they feel needs assistance. Always aware of their surroundings, they tend to be more adventurous than most. Even though they are impulsive and thoughtful, they generally are very much aware of what they are doing. Learning and remembering through experience is a strong suit of theirs. Orange believe they are meant to have all the good things in life.

Purple is the color of spirituality. Purple are always striving to be better than they consider themselves to be, both on a spiritual, emotional and mental plane. Needing more knowledge, they become avid readers. Trying to become what they think they should be, they search their own lives and the lives of others to find the answers. The study of religions makes them feel as if they are accomplishing something bigger than themselves in life. A good theological discussion is right up their alley. Wanting to help as many people as they can, they are more than willing to give you the benefit of their education. Trying to achieve perfection, they seem to struggle with themselves more than most because they tend to be so critical of themselves.

Red is the color for passion, energy, and money making. Red with orange overtones are dynamic and love the outdoors and anything to do with people. Red with blue overtones can be energetic people with high emotions. Reds in their true red mode are sexy and seductive. Men prefer to watch a women wearing red, even though she may not be the most beautiful woman in the room. It is also the color for someone who wants to have power and be in control. Business people who want to win wear this powerful color to meetings in which they want to stand out. Red makes one feel more energetic or activated. Stop signs are red. Red gets your attention. This energetic personality craves attention and what's more they get it. Being quick with their emotions, they may erupt into a temperamental volcano right in front of you then simmer down just as quickly.

Yellow are business minded and want others to know they are well educated. They strive to attain success through anything that requires mental abilities. Making good leaders, they generally make up their mind in a methodical way. Every detail needs to be analyzed before they make a move. Any strategic game peaks their interest. Chess is the game for them. Yellow may be a little stubborn. When the color moves toward a mustard shade yellow feel that they are the only ones making the right decisions. This tends to make others a little suspicious of their motives. The true yellow makes wise decisions after considering all points of view. Women would rather be in business, than mothers, but can do both and be quite adept at doing so. When these people are under stress, they feel that they need to hide their emotions. If they show stress, it is a sign of weakness and vulnerability. They try not to let you see them sweat. Keeping to themselves without inviting many others into their lives, they generally only have one or two good friends. These friends are usually people who are also business minded, although the true yellow depends on no one but themselves. Adoring tailored clothing, they usually dress quite professionally. Although the women may add larger accessories, they dress with a simple flair.

White is the color of purity. The color of new snow or light from above. What we fail to see is that snow and light have impurities in them but seem to be the purest of all sights. Shyness comes with this color but it is not a true shyness. Waiting patiently for others to notice them before they make their thoughts known, they tend to appear shy but in truth, they are very outspoken. Virginal attitudes abound with these people. They feel pure no matter what they do. The virtue of purity is attributed to them by others as well, whether they deserve this characteristic or not. White feel they are right in their belief structures although they are not sure they want to discuss those beliefs with others. The fact that they know they are right is enough for them.

Pink  want to draw the little smiley faces on everything. Pink are usually either in a blissful state or looking for one. Pink try to see the best in others. If they don't find something good in a person, then there has to be a very good explanation in the pink's mind as to why not. Pink quietly study the best way to approach problems and then take action. Pink see the world through rose colored glasses. The truth of the matter is that it might be nice if we could all put those glasses on now and then. They are shy, very intelligent, hard working people who wish they were more part of the mainstream but are frightened of moving too quickly. Pink watch what they do or say because they are afraid that others may see them in a harsh light. They try to make everyone happy.

halo braiding: under middle for dutch, over middle for french.

tutorial: straightened braid waves

 When I had originally tried this on my hair, it didn't work very well. I tried it in a variety of ways and shared what worked best. The other day I had the urge to try this again in a way I hadn't tried before. The results? It was easy aaaand my hair went from super straight to wavy in no time! Here is what you do...

1. Braid your hair into several braids. I have pretty thick hair and only needed 6 braids. If you have thin hair, maybe try 4 braids. I just used clear elastics to secure the braids at the end.

2. Loosen the braids A LOT. I made mine as flat as possible. It was like a thin sheet of braid.

3. Starting from the top of the braid, clamp your straightener down. Hold it in place for a second and then open it up, move it down and clamp again. Repeat until you reach the end of the braid and then repeat on all braids.

4. Once the braids have cooled, spray with hairspray if you have some that you like. Then unbraid all of your braids.

5. Run your fingers through the braids to loosen the waves and do a quick tease with your fingers at the root of your hair to create some more body.'

Don't Get Defensive: Communication Tips for the Vigilant

When we get defensive, we make it that much harder for our conversational counterparts to hear what we're saying. We also make it harder to really listen to what they have to say. Soon, we're shadow-boxing, defending ourselves against attacks that aren't real, and wasting energy-and relationship capital-on damage control instead of solving the problem at hand.

This post originally appeared on Harvard Business Review.

If you get hooked into defensiveness-and most of us do-you probably already know it. It's likely come up in conversations with your boss or your spouse. And when it did, you probably got defensive about being defensive. After all, it felt like you were being attacked! What else were you supposed to do?

Well, I'll tell you. It's a procedure I call "three strikes and you're in." After someone has said something that causes you to arch your back and want to become defensive:

Strike 1

Think of the first thing you want to say or do and don't do that. Instead, take a deep breath. That is because the first thing you want to do is defend yourself against what you perceive as an attack, slight, or offense.

Strike 2

Think of the second thing you want to say or do and don't do that, either. Take a second breath. That is because the second thing you want to do after being attacked is to retaliate. That is only going to escalate matters.

Strike 3

Think of the third thing you want to say or do and then do that. That is because once you get past defending yourself and retaliating, you have a better chance of seeking a solution.

The main reason to stop getting defensive is that it usually triggers the same response in the other person. If instead you look for ways to be more solution-oriented, you will soon find yourself on your way to more cooperation and collaboration. If you're struggling with what that non-defensive, non-retaliatory, solution-oriented statement might be, focus on being a "plusser." A plusser is someone who listens to what the other person says and then builds on it.

One way of plussing is to use the phrase, "Say more about ______." Think of the words they used that had the most emphasis and invite them to say more about that topic. You will buy yourself time to think and calm down, let your counterpart feel heard, and disarm a counterpart who has bad intentions. Another way to do it is to say, "If we do that, what would be the next step to keep it going?" or "If we do this, what would be the way to get the most out of it?"

Similarly, you can replace "yes, but" with "yes, and." As you probably know, when you say, "yes, but" they hear, "Everything up to now was just being polite and should be disregarded; now I'm going to tell you what the real deal is and you better pay attention." (Isn't it amazing how "yes, but" can mean so much more?). "Yes, and" validates what has been said-and adds to it. For example, "Yes, that's a good point and to make it work even better..." or "Yes, I heard everything you said and help me figure out the way to make sure it gets incorporated..."

If you often find yourself in defensive conversations where you can't figure out why you're arguing-if you find yourself frequently saying, "Hey, I think we actually agree here..."- you might be guilty of saying "yes, but" when you actually mean "yes, and." But what if the person is genuinely unfairly attacking you? What if they've said something you really believe is untrue-you can't say "yes and," or "say more about ____" in that case, can you?

In that case, you might try a "controlled confrontation." You do this by pausing after they speak for a full count of three in your head. This will both take the conversation away from escalating and may cause the other person to become nervous. If they do, that will work in your favor. When you don't take the bait, they are in unfamiliar territory and this can have a slightly disarming effect. At that point, look them squarely, calmly, and firmly in the eye and say, "Whoa! Let's each take a breath here because I am feeling very reactive and I know until I calm down a bit, whatever I say or do now will only make this conversation worse. And I am not going to do that."

Then take that breath and say, "Okay, what's clear to me is that something is frustrating you. What, in your mind's eye, would you like me to do to make that frustration go away? If it's doable and fair to you and me and everyone it affects and in their best interest, I think I'll be happy to oblige. If however it isn't fair or in everyone's best interest, I'm going to have a problem going along with it." Then be quiet, let them respond, and if it doesn't seem fair and in everyone's best interest say, "I'm having some difficulty understanding how that will be fair to everyone and in their best interests. Perhaps you can explain otherwise or we can brainstorm on how to make it so."

By being unflappable and standing up for the principles of fairness, and reason, and mutual best interest, you will be better able to stand up for what's right-and stand up to them in a way that is neither defensive or provoking.