“All that Glitters is Gold! Only shooting stars break the mold” – Smash Mouth
That’s right! Our hearts, our energy and our hard work is GOLD! We’re all shooting stars but we must challenge the status quo and push ourselves in order to keep shining bright and break the mold. We can only SPARK when we allow ourselves to shine. So Let’s SPARK together!
As women, we juggle a lot. A LOT. Luly B gets it. She’s one of us. A mom, a wife, an entrepreneur, a woman and a natural juggler.
I’m all about empowering women so that’s why I’m partnering with her to invite you to SPARK with Luly B for this unique event geared towards successful women of South Florida. This is more than a conference. It’s a day dedicated to meeting like minded women who support and uplift each other while we learn, get inspired and… party! Yep! On a Thursday. Why? Because we can!
Give yourself a break and join me on this very special event on May 4th. Click on this link HERE to get your tickets NOW! Don’t forget to bring your amigas! Prices increase on April 28th.
I’ll see you there! Let’s SPARK together! #SPARKwithLulyB #SPARKbecause
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via email using ZaniaSala@gmail.com
This Saturday March 8th is International Women’s Day!
Happy Women’s Day to all you strong, beautiful and powerful women out there! You are a force to be reckoned with and you deserve all the praise. No matter your age, what you do, where you live or who you are, I’m certain these following links will surely inspire you to be better, be whole and continue to be happy.
How are you doing with your holiday shopping? If you need a little help figuring out what to get for your peeps, here are some of my favorite items, gift guides and websites from this holiday season. Good luck!
For the men in your life, Uncommon Goods has some creative and unique items that will surely grab your attention. I like the Working Man’s Hygiene Kit. I got my brother the mixtape glasses as a birthday present from this online store and he loved them! Another great thing about this online store is that it gives back to the community by donating a portion of their sales to charity. My friends and I are all over this site.
If you’re in the mood to make your own gifts this year, LaurenConrad.com offers a great DIY Gift Guide. From a Gingerbread Cookie in a Jar to a Personalized Pillow, you can basically do it all and gift it all. We made a body and lip scrub for Yahoo’s Miss Ideas and it was fantastic! It really works and it’s also a great gift! For a list of the ingredients in Spanish and English click HERE and watch the video below:
Exfoliantes naturales | Natural Exfoliants Episode #10 (7.24.2013)
For the babies and toddlers in your life, check out this adorable Gift guide curated by one of my favorite bloggers, Joanna Goddard from A Cup Of Jo. I think this double decker bus from The Land of Nod is too cute.
Credit: LandOfNod.com
Give the gift of healthy living! I am in love with the Tone It Up fitness routines and recipes created by Karena and Katrina. I do their routines every morning! Gift the Beach Babe DVD to your girlfriends and they will thank you forever. You can also start watching their new show Toned Up on Bravo TV on January 2nd! I’m so excited!!
Credit: BeachBabe.com
Board games are always a good idea too! I am a huge fan of Ellen Degeneres and she created the Head’s Up Game App which has now been made into a board game. This is seriously so much fun to play!! My family and I once played this for 2 straight hours! This Christmas I’m also getting Cards Against Humanity. I still haven’t played it, but everyone says it’s great! It’s like an adult version of Apples to Apples. I’m all over it. Oh and you can buy it for $25 or download it for FREE!
Credit: EllenTV.com
Credit: CardsAgainstHumanity.com
Need Stocking stuffers? Gift cards are always a good idea. Here are some great ideas on how to snag Gift Cards for less! (via PureWow.com) You can also check out The Container Store’s Stocking Stuffers List. I practically want everything in this list. I own this Travalo Easy-Fill Perfume Atomizer and I take it everywhere I go! So cool!
Credit: ContainerStore.com
Then, if you need help wrapping those gifts, you can watch our Gift Wrapping video from Miss Ideas for some ideas. Shameless Self-Promotion, baby!
Wheww! Hopefully this list has helped you a little bit with your shopping. I know it definitely helped me! Gotta love online shopping! Let me know if you ended up buying anything from the list!
Thanks for reading and Happy Holidays!
(FYI… this is not a sponsored post. I researched these sites and I genuinely like everything that I mention above).
How many of you want more money? If you didn’t say “me” then there’s something wrong with you. LOL! We all want more money! And guess what? There’s absolutely nothing wrong with saying that. Saying you want more money doesn’t necessarily mean you are greedy. You want more money because you want to put yourself in a position where YOU and your clients seriously respect and value YOU. You want more money because YOU want to provide security for yourself and/or your family. You want more money because having it feels Hella Good! Doesn’t it?
Then ask yourself this: Are you worth what you’re getting paid? Are you working yourself to the core and not seeing financial results to your liking? What are your thoughts on Money? Ultimately, do you know your financial worth?
All of these questions were addressed last week at the Women’s Success Summit in Miami which is organized by the charismatic and award-winning entrepreneur, Michelle Villalobos. I went to the first summit in May (read that post HERE) and it was so good I had to come back. This summit gives women entrepreneurs the tools and guidance to dream big and help them grow their business. This time, the theme was; “Show Me the Money”. That’s right. Money. I second that. Woop Woop!Here are 7 quotes and lessons that I found interesting, insightful and helpful. If you follow this advice your money ‘mojo’ will surely change! Most attendees, including myself, had some serious “Ah-ha” moments. I’ve narrowed them down for you here.
“When women have money, businesses, communities and charities do better” – Michelle Villalobos. This is so true. You may have read in my post (HERE) about the CNN Movie “Girl Rising” that women are the direct agents of change in developing countries. Why? Women are naturally wired to GIVE. Women are innate caregivers and like Michelle said; “We have the ability to increase power and influence“. Amen sista’. This is why the women of this world need more money.
An important aspect of money is how you think about it. That’s called your Money Mindset. This is most likely what is hindering you from getting more of it. As the powerful Mina Shah states; “Being smart doesn’t guarantee financial success… Working hard is just one ingredient in creating financial success… Making a lot of money doesn’t necessarily mean financial success… Money is neutral” – Mina Shah. How do you look at money? If you fear it, then you have nothing to gain from it. You have to think of it as a neutral, non emotional thing. Don’t fear it. Retrain your brain to look at it differently. During her exercise, I started to see that for me Money = Peace of mind. No need to get nervous, anxious or fearful. Your Money Mindset is crucial in taking the right steps that will lead you to financial freedom. Mina is a powerhouse. You should read more about her HERE.
This money mindset goes hand-in-hand with the quote from Wayne Dyre that speaker Bert Oliva repeated several times for a very good reason, “change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.” I love this quote and it is absolutely truthful.
“Use philanthropy to tell your story. People will fall in love with you.” – Jessica Kizorek. Having traveled all over the world documenting the calamities, problems and breakthroughs of other towns and cultures, Jessica explains how telling potential clients about your support for charities lets them know that there’s a higher purpose behind your work. Companies also benefit from this for numerous reasons such as marketing. This will surely help you make more money in the long run.
“Lack of trust makes everything slower and more expensive.” – Joachim de Posada. This is a big one. By taking full control of everything (aka lack of trust, aka micro-managing) you lose money. Whenever that happens, you have set yourself up for failure because one person will never be able to handle what 3 others were hired to do. No one will ever work exactly as you do because there is only one You! Get over yourself! Delegate. (I don’t mean to be harsh, but I’ve seen this one with my very own eyes and it is lethal to your mind, your body and your company). You are not able to do it all. Get help in those areas that you are not good at or hate doing. You’ll reap the benefits in the end. Which is a great segue into…
“Sacrifice now to get paid later.” – Joachim de Posada. This is called self-discipline. A million dollars overnight only happens to lottery winners and most of them end up spending it all. This is exactly what I’m doing now, my friends. Sacrificing now to get amazing results later. It is one of the hardest things ever, but I believe in myself now more than ever and I vow to not let myself down.
And most importantly, “Have a plan” – Jody Johnson. Three little words that will make a hell of a difference. You should try it. It works.
These were some of the suggestions that I took from the event. (There were many more, but these seemed fitting for this post). Now it’s time to implement them. That’s the hard part. It takes a lot of brain power and courage to break down the walls and move forward. In the end, I know my worth. I know the value of my time. I also know how to decorate. So, this means that pretty soon you will see the cost of my services go up. Why? Because I love what I do and I do it well. In the meantime, I’m doing more and more planning. At least you get this blog for Free! LOL!
Did any of the points I mentioned above hit you in the gut? Or maybe gave you an “Ah-ha” moment? Want to learn more about the speakers mentioned above? You can read more about them here:
Joachim de Posada, motivational speaker and author of “Don’t Eat the Marshmallow, Yet!” – @JoachimDePosada – www.joachimdeposada.com
Watch Joachim de Posada’s insightful Ted Talk Here:
Thanks for reading, and Go out there and make some Money Honey!! Oh, and don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter in the above column on the right. I promise I won’t send you a million emails. I hate it when people do it to me, so I won’t abuse it.
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, I’ve created this Think Pink board with all things pink that will definitely leave a smile on your face. I surely had fun picking them out. I just love how they all look classy and fun! Check it out!
1. Strut X-Large Table in Watermelon from Blue Dot – This glossy baby is a looker. Would work great as a conference table too. Who wouldn’t want to work with this as a backdrop?
2. Dozi Paperclip Holder by Alessi – This magnetic porcupine is so cute it hurts! Ouch!
3. Tori Collection Pink Diamond Tufted Headboard – No matter her age, the gal who sleeps with this headboard behind her will definitely have sweet dreams.
4. Woopsy Hot Pink Desk Lamp – Looks so real! Kids of any age will love this little piece of design in any space.
5. Jonathan Adler Throw Blanket Nixon Hot Pink at Layla Grace – I’m a huge fan of Jonathan Adler and this throw is just one of the many pieces I love from him. So soft too.
6. Picnic 100% PVC recycled rug from Surya – If recycled isn’t enough, this is also an indoor/outdoor rug! How convenient!
7. Painted and Digital Pink and Orange Pattern Art – A series of three of these would be great on any wall. A nice touch of modern.
8. Jonathan Adler Wallpaper Sun Pink at Zinc Door – I mean, just look at this wallpaper! A touch of flare (pun intended) and whimsy from the man himself. Lovely. Try this on a niche, the inside of a trunk or accent wall!
9. Worlds Away Charleston Pink Indoor/Outdoor Bench – This is a great way to add color to any modern space. Imagine this over a green lawn! Beautiful combination of colors!
10. Pink Eames Management Chair on eBay auction – I love a comfy office chair. I hear Herman Miller doesn’t disappoint. Well, honestly, who cares about comfort if your chair looks this good! LOL!
We all know someone who’s been affected by breast cancer. If you can, make a donation to Susan G. Komen for the Cure HERE. Your help will be greatly appreciated. Also, ladies make sure to get screened for mammograms! Early detection is key!
As a side note, every year, Eugene, our Halloween skeleton (he lives on our front door for 31 days) wears his Pink Ribbon on his chest supporting the cause. Here’s a pic!
I hope you are all doing fantastic and are planning fun Halloween festivities with friends and family.!! I’ll be sharing mine on Instagram! Have a great day and thanks for reading! To see the more Think Pink! images on my Pinterest board click HERE.
Side note: Thank you for your patience while moving this site to this new self-hosted site. We had some glitches along the way, but that was to be expected. After working in the technology industry for 5 years, I know that nothing is ever a smooth ride. As time goes by, I will be making improvements, additions and some editing on the features you see here. Thanks again for all your love and support! xoxo
On September 12-14 I had the pleasure of attending the Hispana Leadership Summit at the Disney Grand Floridian Resort in Orlando, Florida. This event promotes the importance of leadership in Hispanic women in all aspects of life. This event surfaced those conflicting and guilt driven conversations we have with ourselves. It brought to life the things we know and talk about but fail to put into action. Speakers, panelists and fellow attendees managed to share their wisdom and experience to help those women who need inspiration and motivation to get back on the horse.
Here are some quotes and thoughts from some of the speakers at the event that struck a chord with me:
“The pursuit of perfection prevents progress” – Luly Balepogi “Balance is Bull$h!t” www.LulyB.com @LulyBTweets
“Live life. Don’t let life live you.” -Bert Oliva “Body Talk” www.Bowaworld.net
“You are not your mind.” Cecilia Ramírez Harris, “The Power of Positive Thinking” Univision Networks “Nuestros Hijos”
“I’m dispatching trucks while tweeting to a fan who’s at Walgreens looking for deals. It’s all about the interaction with people and loving what you do” – Myrah Duque “Latina Blogger Success Stories” www.CouponMamacita.com
“Changes happen. Adapt and overcome” – Irene Zoppi “Courageous Leadership” Commissioner for the state of Maryland
You see, sometimes we lose ourselves in our work, in our families, in our relationships and in our thoughts. I’ve been there before and I bet you have too. We need to find a way to recognize those symptoms and then pull ourselves out and back in control of our life. The choices we make on a daily basis can get us there. Are you making yourself a priority? Are YOU a leader in your own Life? Are you happy?
Luly B. couldn’t have said it better, “Put your oxygen mask on first and then help the person next to you” Sounds simple, but can be so difficult to obtain.
Feel good dancing during Bert Oliva’s talkPutting in my 2 cents during Luly B’s keynote
Take a moment to think and ask yourself; are you a leader in your own life?
Hello beautiful readers!
For some time now, I’ve been very intrigued by the Huffington Post’s Third Metric initiative to transform the definition of Success. Not so many years ago, success was defined as Money + Power = Success! After a recession that made us reflect our true needs for survival and truth, the definition of success has taken a turn and is not completely seen as the result of Money + Power anymore. We are slowly but steadily shifting the meaning of success. Would you agree? Take a look at the infographic below for example:
Credit: HuffingtonPost.com Third Metric Infographic
Isn’t it interesting? I bet you hear lots of people say that achieving happiness is their ultimate definition of success. However, don’t you think that attempting to reach happiness is somewhat unattainable if you can’t be happy NOW?! If you want happiness in life, then you have to live happy everyday. Look around you and notice the things that give you joy. That’s where you find happiness! I look around and see success in my loving husband, my cute apartment, my morning green tea, the nice breeze and the fact that I am alive. I believe I’m already successful but I must keep working at being successful, at being happy, to remain happy. Just remember, we can only use the present moment to change or improve our future. Now a question for you: How do YOU define success?
Attached are a few links that I found interesting:
In two days we celebrate our Independence day. As we approach this day I usually picture a hamburger on the BBQ, Adirondack chairs, fireworks and kids chasing each other with water balloons. But today I think, we are lucky to live here. The land of the free. I recently saw the CNN Film “Girl Rising” where nine girls from developing countries share their stories of survival, education and hope. The film was a reminder that we should be grateful for our liberties and our education.
“Educating a girl is one of the highest returns on investment in the developing world.” www.girlrising.com
Here in the USA, it doesn’t matter which political party you are affiliated with or which religion you follow, you have that choice. Despite the flaws in our education system, we are offered free education no matter your gender, race or culture. Despite the flaws of our government, we should be thankful for democracy. Despite disagreements and political outcomes, we have a voice. We have laws that protect us and people that enforce it. For the most part, we feel safe. Of course there is always an exception but we should be mindful of the fact that in some developing countries girls are deprived of an education and some are even killed for voicing their opinions. WE ARE LUCKY. Women should be educated and empowered because in doing so they have the ability to change everything.
I wake up everyday knowing that my dreams are alive and free in this country. We should celebrate this country’s independence day as our own. Happy Independence Day gals!
“Educating a girl is one of the highest returns on investment in the developing world. 66 million girls are not in school… When a girl is educated she can change her life, her family’s life, her community, her country, our lives”
I’ll tell you a little story… Back in 2004 a representative of the Miss Puerto Rico Petite Pageant asked me if I wanted to compete for that year. I shut it down immediately because it wasn’t something I was interested in. After they insisted, I took a meeting only to bolt out of there when they told me that they would have to plump up my boobies. I think I laughed out loud as I picked up my purse. Sorry boys! That just wasn’t going to happen. I was, and still am happy just like this, A cups and all.
That said, I understand that plastic surgery can be a touchy subject. I’m ok with plastic surgery only if it’s done for the right reasons. What do I mean by right reasons? Read on…
1. Make sure that whatever it is that you are planning on changing is something that you’ve thought about for a really long time. By long time, I mean years and years. With this, you will be able to differentiate impulse from reality. Suggestion: Use the age of 21 as a benchmark. If at the age of 21 you’re still thinking about breast augmentation then go ahead. If you’re doubting it, extend the benchmark to 25. If at 25 you’re still doubting it, then that’s a clear sign that you’re probably better off not doing it. My mom always said “When in doubt, say No”. I refer to that all the time and it works!
2. Make sure that you are doing it for yourself. You should not, by any means, go under the knife because a boyfriend, a parent, or pageant is telling you to do so. This is your body NOT theirs.
3. Consider that some of these surgeries are serious. You may need general anesthesia, you are being cut open and your body needs a long time to recover. Oh, and you will be in pain or discomfort for a while. Think about it. Is it worth it?
4. Can you afford it? Big one. Don’t do it if you can’t afford it. Just don’t. You have to make sure your are financially secure first. What if you suffer some complications after surgery? An infection perhaps? You might need to cover that on your own.
5. Have you considered counseling for those drastic plastic surgery procedures that you are yet unsure of? Maybe there is an underlying issue that’s clouding your judgement.
6. Get an excellent plastic surgeon. Look for recommendations and talk to ex-patients. Make sure the doctor is fully qualified and once there ask as many questions as you can. Your doctor must be attentive and make you feel comfortable. If he/she says “Ain’t nobody got time for that” RUN.
Remember that all celebrities look amazing on the cover of magazines because they are AIRBRUSHED! ¡Asi cualquiera! I encourage you to first love yourself! You are beautiful & unique! Watch this short video “All Airbrushed Anyways” on how this is affecting what women think of themselves. The very best way to be happy and beautiful is to feel it! xoxo
Credit: MAKERS.com
This post is inspired by a recent article published on Endi.com (El Nuevo Día – Local Puerto Rican newspaper) about our Miss World, Nadyalee Torres having undergone plastic surgery to improve her nose and breasts. While she looks great, I just hope she did it for herself and not for the pageant. Read article here (in Spanish).
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On Tuesday, May 21st and Wednesday, May 22nd 2013 I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the Miami Women’s Success Summit at The Light Box at Goldman Warehouse in Wynwood. I heard about the event through two very talented and hard-working women, Maria Elena Holguin from Holguin Interiors and Luly Balepogi from Luly B. They both spoke wonders about the event and about its founder, Michelle Villalobos, a skilled and successful business woman. Signing up was a no brainer!
Michelle Villalobos and Me!
The summit’s theme this year was Shameless Self-Promotion, something that I and many women struggle with. We tend to believe that promoting ourselves shamelessly is self-centered and can be interpreted as bragging. We get insecure and start to make up excuses for not being up-to-par with what we really want. Well, this summit trumped it all. In order to get business we have to stand up and lean in. We have to push ourselves and get out there. Let the world know who you are and scream it out loud. Don’t be ashamed! This is your life, your business, your money! Continue reading “The Women’s Success Summit VII: Shameless Self-Promotion”
