You are What You Eat!

Have you ever heard the saying, “you are what you eat?” Well, if you haven’t… now you have! This saying not only applies to your overall health and nutrition, but to how your skin looks and feels as well. As the largest organ in the body, your skin can benefit from the same nutrition you get from different food groups that have a positive effect on your heart health and other organs. Crazy, right?

Good nutrition is key when it comes to having a happy heart and healthy lifestyle. Instead of constantly being on the latest fad or “quick fix” diet, focus on finding a lifelong, realistic approach to healthy eating, and eat with joy, flexibility, and, most importantly, balance. Instead of cutting out pizza completely, make homemade cauliflower crust with fresh vegetables as toppings. Are you craving something extra sweet for dessert? Make a “chocolate shake” using Shakeology and add a few of your favorite sprinkles. Are you thinking of having a burger and fries for dinner? Make your burger bunless and make homemade sweet potato fries. There are so many ways to be flexible with your nutrition, YET still live a balanced and healthy lifestyle. Allowing yourself the ability to figure out what works for you when it comes to maintaining your health by focusing on your nutrition will only benefit you in the long run.

Taking control of your nutrition plays a huge role in your mental health. Properly fueling your body with the nutrients needed to get you through the day allows you to be in the right headspace all day long. What we fuel our body with makes all the difference and directly impacts the function of your brain and well-being. Eating high-quality foods that contain vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants will nourish the brain in a positive way. Positive attitude = a happy YOU!

Your nutrition plays a huge part in what makes you, YOU! You’re worth the time and energy, so put in the work to kick your nutrition into gear! You’ll be happy you did!

xx

Love your Heart!

I can’t believe February is over, and we are also (almost) all the way through winter. I don’t know about you, but so far, the year has been flying by. I don’t want to go into Spring without channeling our attention towards one of the most IMPORTANT months of the year — February! Why is February so important you might ask?! February is American Heart Month, and we use this month to raise awareness about heart disease and the many ways you can help yourself, friends, family, and the community with fighting for their health.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Every year, 1 in 4 lives are faced with death because of it. Heart disease has affected all of us in some way, shape or form, and it is important to know that there are things you and your family can do to help prevent heart disease and make healthy, lifelong choices!

Here are THREE very important tips to keep your healthy lifestyle in check and your heart health strong!

Tip #1 Take inventory of your kitchen

In order to take control of your health, you have to take control of what is in your kitchen. A great starting point for kick starting any health journey is decluttering (especially in the kitchen), and that begins with eliminating the junk foods lurking in your fridge and cupboards. I encourage you to filter through your kitchen and toss any empty-calorie foods. You’ll thank me later!

Tip #2 Forget all of the excuses and cook at home

There is a laundry list of reasons out there for everyone as to why it is easier to eat out — “I’m too busy,” “I don’t like to cook,” “I got to get the kids to practice,” and the list goes on. There are plenty of healthy and easy ways to cook a hearty meal at home for you and your family. You don’t have to be a gourmet chef to use Pinterest (which gives you hundreds of easy recipes to use at the click of a button). Believe me, if I can find time to cook, so can you!

Tip #3 Start moving, and keep moving

Regular exercise is crucial for heart health, but there’s another habit that’s just as important, and that’s to KEEP MOVING! Making small strides to meet your goal is always beneficial. Instead of taking the elevator, take the stairs! Instead of driving around in the grocery store parking lot to find a front row spot, park towards the back and enjoy the fresh air. Small steps = lifelong victories!

I hope these tips are things you can incorporate into your everyday lifestyle!

Enjoy your day, and be well!

xx

Wisdom from a SPARKLY Stylist

Plan your day, don’t let it plan you. Look for opportunities, they don’t always come knocking. You’ll never go hungry if you pack your lunch. Fuel your body with nutrients, not Diet Coke. Treat every guest like ROYALTY, they are the ones that keep your lights on. Say thank you ALOT-it means more than you think. Say Please, because your mom would be proud. Annie was spot on-you’re never fully dressed without a smile. Don’t be lazy, sloths are overrated. Keep your work station clean, it shows you care. Invest in yourself, so you can invest in others. Don’t complain-You get to make others feel beautiful-thats not a shabby way to spend a day. It’s always about the guest. Travel for education, it will be the best money you ever spend-you sometimes have to step away to be truly inspired. Speaking of inspiration, offer ideas to your guests, no one wants to look the same year after year. Send your guests a 

hand written note, everyone loves to know they are being thought of. Don’t underestimate your ability to make someones day. BE ON TIME, and thats all I have to say about that! Look the part, no one wants to go to an frumpy stylist-TRUST ME!  Use the best tools, it will create your best work AND protect your body. STRETCH- your body and your mind! STAY HUMBLE, no one likes a DIVA!  Pay it forward for the guidance you received, take someone under your wing! SHARE YOUR GUESTS, last I checked they aren’t property of ANYONE. Do your own hair and makeup-EVERYDAY!  Teaching your guests requires product, don’t be afraid to recommend it!  GIVE BACK! PRACTICE GRATITUDE-someone would kill to be in your HEELS! 

Stairway to............

And  I'm  Buying a Stairway to…………..

The Coiff Reno is officially 3 months old!  Our prayers were answered, God continues to provide and the concrete is complete!  This may not seem like a huge deal, but when you are breaking ground October 13, in Michigan no-less, nothing is a sure thing! 

I feel like Kenny Rogers in The Gambler- We HELD our cards, right down to the final hours that concrete can be poured and the work guaranteed!  (phew)  Now,we can finally start to see the transformation taking shape!  I never knew I could be so flippin’ excited for new steps, or get so many compliments. Our peeps are going crazy over the new entrance! (and it is not even done ;-) )

With all the new comes anxiety of what’s to come!  Did I chose the right layout?  Will everything appear as it has in my head?  Which My hubby thinks is a scary thought or place!  haha SQUIRREL!!!!!!!

In all seriousness, this has been a dream for so long, that I still can’t believe its happening!  The team has been tremendous in their ability to improvise when needed. You would never think that the sunroom, a mere 100 square feet, when unavailable would make such a HUGE difference. It served as our meeting room, Coiff-y talk room and so much more!  We have maxed out every nook and cranny like you wouldn’t believe. BUT, it’s framed in and a few short months from now, it will be our new HOME!!!!!!!!

Power of a THANKFUL Heart.

As I ponder thanksgiving weekend and this past year, I am again in awe of all of it’s blessings!  I am grateful for health, family, friends- both old and new and of coarse the Coiff!   Then there are certainly the things that we all seem to take for granted- clean water, warmth, shelter, the freedom to worship, and to vote with our dollar.  That last part was something I learned from a dear friend and mentor, Carol Macy.  She was the BEST so wise and caring, Carol is no longer with us.  Today I am grateful for those who have touched my life….like Carol.  Life is short and there are no guarantees for a tomorrow.  

I am grateful for protection-the kind that comes from “no’s” and closed doors, because I know in those moments that God had my back. We don’t often look at those situations in a positive light-we are programmed to see them as a negative. Instead, we should embrace the protection that is  provided in those situations.  If we are grateful, that means in all circumstances, not just in the ones we like!

Tonight, I am dancing with strobe lights while enjoying Sunday dinner with my peeps… blessed with a house FULL of LAUGHTER, LOVE, FRIENDS and MUSIC!  Take time to party with those you love!  Take time to relish!  Make the most of the rare moments of joy, they go by in the blink of an eye!  These are memories that I will tuck away for when the rain falls in life and there are more clouds than sun.  

I encourage you to incorporate this into your daily routine, not just during the holidays, but every day.

1. Begin a GRATITUDE JOURNAL!  Take time to DOCUMENT!!! There is far more that we are grateful for than we recognize. When we take time to sit and ponder-it becomes so abundantly clear and  provides us with the opportunity to look back and offer praise for the GOOD times!  It does not have to be elaborate, just list 3 things each day you are thankful for.
2. Take time for those you LOVE!  Man, if I were honest, I would tell you that TODAY I had no ambition.  I wanted to just check out with NETFLIX and not do a single thing.  But you know what?  I made a  CHOICE!  I love to cook for my family and friends and those are the most sacred, precious times that I have.  So I picked up the phone, called my besties and started cooking.  Needless to say, the strobe lights, music, my family, and friends led to the perfect ending to a weekend.  Sometimes you gotta JUST DO IT!!!!!
3. Take time to GIVE BACK!  Whether it is a smile, quick note or on a larger scale, acts of kindness are the way quickest way to find joy.  Be a Daymaker!

So , I leave you with this-

Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not.  Remember that what you now have was once among the things you hoped for.  

-Epicurus 

Thanksgiving pushes out complaint, anxiety & envy.

There is NO reason we can’t give THANKS everyday like we do on THANKSGIVING!  

XXOO 

Mar

Count to 10...the hiccups will pass

Count to 10……the hiccups will pass!

No renovation is without a few hiccups right?  I spent the last few weeks, along with my kickass builders holding my breath.  I couldn’t be happier to report that the little green house is still standing!  

Imagine being close to 100 years old and enduring a facelift!  It all makes sense now why no one jumped at the chance to tackle this project.  Fortunately, the Fearless Phil and  Conscientious Connie  were up to the challenge.  Not sure any of us understood what we were getting into, but hey, its too late to back out now. 

I find myself ironically pondering the importance of a strong foundation and a solid infrastructure. Although, the little green house needed some reinforcement in this area, luckly, I did not.  My faith is strong and my foundation is secure in the knowledge that God is in control.  Didn’t hurt that my church, Ada Bible began a series on just that-choosing Joy under Pressure (insert Queen for all of you 80’s peeps).  It’s pretty amazing how life aligns sometimes. Most peeps may ponder a verse or two to get them through, I however have been singing to Carrie Underwood, Jesus take the wheel. Amazing how I have had peace that passes understanding.  

MY FOUNDATION IS STRONG!

What about my INFRASTRUCTURE?  That is the support system that surrounds me.  I have been blessed to have family and friends that I can lean on-DAY OR NIGHT!   A team that adapts to adversity and change with a smile! They have my back in all of my endeavors and cheer me on even when things get tough. I couldn’t be more grateful! 

 I leave you with this-no matter what the storm- “How’s YOUR Foundation and how’s YOUR infastucture? Be sure to have faith and joy in all circumstances and surround yourself with a

 kick ass team cheering you on!

No Turning Back Now

No turning back now!  

We are in full demo mode at the salon, and needless to say, I have been hit with a flood of different emotions!

What began as anticipation, quickly shifted to nostalga as I reminisced about all the memories of this quaint green house.  From the day I received the key, and was able to call it my own, to present day- I have in a way grown up in this house.  I have met friends that are now family in my team, guests and community.  I have managed to raise my sweet kiddos without missing the big stuff in each of their lives. (If you remember, this is why the venture began).
And SERIOUSLY!!!!!! The lessons I have learned throughout this journey have been invaluable.  There were hard lessons along the way, with tears of both joy and sadness, frustration and pride.  I had no choice but to rely on my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who gave me peace in the midst of the shit.  I also learned to create balance by feeding my mind, body and soul what it needed to thrive.  I have refered to this as my "mid-life-crisis" - we will discuss that another day ;-)

Watching the demo happen is kinda like I was saying goodbye to an old friend. Our crazy green house, whose walls were eroding, with wires all askew, leaky plumbing and squeaky stairs….I had to take pause to mourn the loss of my dear friend.  And in true form my team was there,  I wasn’t alone in this mourning process.  Turns out, we were all struggling with the same emotions.  To ease the pain, we took lots of pictures!  And we will always remember all of the stories, we may even share a few!!!

BUT!!!!  As amazing as this little green house has been, THERE IS NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT-to refresh, make new and restore its glory! (Besides its going to fall down if we don’t) 

The little green house can actually be a metaphor for life. Who doesn’t need a little maintenance, nip and tuck and a possible face lift from time to time- metaphorically!  We all need to take the time to invest in our well-being, growth-both spiritual and physical and from time to time DETOX-body, mind and spirit!

So, as the pipes are cleaned, the floors are leveled, the paint is refreshed and the salon made new- I want to take the opportunity to thank my TEAM-for their tireless effort to provide extraordinary care to our guests.

And to our friend the little green house, as Kid Rock would say-“we never met a mothafucka quite like you!”   THANK YOU!

Don’t be afraid to give up the good and go for the GREAT!

Don’t be afraid to give up the good and go for the GREAT!

Fixer Upper, Property Brothers, oh my gosh…..Renovation is everywhere! Why or why do they make it look so easy?My dream had always been to own a salon.  There was a darling green house that was located right off the main drag in East Grand Rapids-The Coiffeteria Salon. I heard through one of my besties that the owners were looking to sell.  This was so incredibly timely and had been a needed answer to prayer.  At the time, my career with Aveda took me on the road and away from the 3 most important peeps in my life- my husband and 2 kiddos. I went in like “WHOHOO”…Wish that had worked the way I had expected.  Change is hard for people, and I found that to be particularly true when it came to trying to manage the old, while creating the new.  I had the business acumen and the  street cred at Aveda, but when it came to my new team…not so much. I tried to implement the Aveda business model that I was so aligned with, but as someone that wanted to be liked, it wasn’t fun or easy.  For anyone-team included. Over the years, I began to realize that my own insecurities led to my wishy washy-ness. I had been  confident and secure in my role at Aveda and the direction I gave on behalf of them.  This was all new to me! I made changes to the Coiff…some well received and others not as much. 11 years have passed, and now it’s time to reinvent again.   This time, I am healthy-physically, mentally and spiritually, where as before I couldn’t say that.  I had been trying to pay homage to the old owners and their vision of what they had created. I began to really ask myself- what is MY vision. What do I want the salon to look like, and feel like for my team and guests. Anyone who knows me, knows that I am colorful, loud, sparkly and a bit quirky. HOWEVER….that said, I also am sophisticated, and chic, if I do say so myself. I want the salon to have that same sass, with a huge helping of class! 

I thought-how hard could this be?  I know exactly what I what to do for the first time EVER!  Every possible hiccup, setback and road block I assure you, I have encountered.  There were times where I thought-SERIOUSLY?  There has been rezoning challenges, unhappy neighbors, tons of delays- and this is the best one-NO ONE TO DO THE JOB!  It was enough to drive any sane person CRAZY!  Fortunately, I have the BEST team ever-they kept encouraging me to keep moving forward, no matter how slow the pace. Listen, I use the analogy of running because its so fitting-this is a flipping marathon.Although I hate running, I do it- the feeling at the finish line trumps it ALL! Tonight I sit here, Finally confident and ready to share this journey with you. PRAYERS APPRECIATED AND WELCOMED!