This week I attended the launch of an amazing product I can not wait to share with you.

But first I want to introduce you to the amazing lady who hosted the event. I was supposed to interview her, but as luck would have it…she’d lost her voice. None the less, I am looking forward to interviewing her and for you all to be able to hear her story.

For now, an introduction in the form of this blog post will have to suffice 🙂

Lu Camarena Meshulam’s story is exactly the kind I like to tell and will be telling many more of. She is a regular “you and I” kind of woman, a single mom to a pre-teen son, a woman with passion and a dream.

The daughter of a Mexican immigrant mother raised in Greeley, Colorado, she moved to New York in her late teens with a dream of working in the Cosmetics Industry.

She had to work hard to overcome many barriers and odds set against her, but after working in sales and as a make up artist to a growing client list, she started her own cosmetics line, LuMESH, working with natural ingredients to blend shades for all ethnicities and complexions, and creating products that work with the skin to illuminate from within.

Being in competition against large and established brands is extremely ambitious and it has not been an easy journey.

But as the saying goes; ‘Fortune favors the Brave’.

Her passion and belief in enhancing womens’ beauty from within through nature caught the attention of a man who was looking to introduce a new natural product found in the bogs of Ireland to the world. He has now partnered with Lu to bring this product to the United States. This was the launch I attended.

Irish Organic Skincare system comes directly from Ireland. Its key ingredient is organic peat, composed of thousands of years of nature’s own marshy mish mash of partially decayed vegetation. I know that does not really sound nice, but back in the day, the natives would run around in it and while every one else was down with the Flu during the winter months, they just never got sick. When they had burns, scrapes or wounds, a dip in the bog was a natural healer.

Lately, much scientific research has been conducted in this area and it has been found and proven that peat has amazing preserving properties which contribute to its ability to combat aging and enhance health. Its excellent moisture retaining qualities improve skin elasticity. Peat improves blood flow to the skin, is anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory and restores the skin to it’s natural pH.

There were a lot more things said and shown at the presentation that I can not recall now, but to me, it sounds like a ‘cure-all’. I mean, it was even used to treat soldiers during World War I and to treat infertility in German clinics.

Incorporating this peat into a skin care system is revolutionary…and did I mention NATURAL!!! In fact, this is the only certified 100% organic peat skincare product on the market.

LuMESH Cosmetics will be bringing this amazing product to you exclusively through their online store this September, and I will be bringing you Lu’s amazing and courageous story as soon as she feels better and is able to speak normally again.

Till then, Remain Inspired!

 

The IOS is applied to the skin and washed off approximately 15 minutes later leaving the skin glowing and refreshed.

The Goodie bag with LuMESH Lipsticks and Lip Gloss as well as tubs of IOS.

I LOVE the colors of the LuMESH lipsticks! It’s like they are made for me, they look so good. And they last!!! I also love that each lipstick and lip gloss container has its own little mirror. No need to go digging for your mirror in your bag or using your reflection on the Subway door.

Yeah, you know…

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lu and me

 

 

There is no doubt that this princess is going to be the subject of much conversation for many years to come…

An amazingly inspirational video reminding us that nothing is impossible if we truly want it, and that you are never too old to keep doing what you love

Enjoy and Stay Blessed 🙂

As you all know, I am very passionate about the Earth, the biggest Mother of all.

And She, like many women is taken for granted, under appreciated, disrespected and abused.

It breaks my heart to see how we destroy her with our actions every day and I have huge respect and love for those people who care for her and do everything they can to save and protect her. We should all be part of this movement, playing as small or as big of a part as we can. Without Her, we could not exist.

To Celebrate Earth Day this year, I am sharing TWO videos – The First is the Earth Day 2018 Google Doodle. I chose this because 1) it sends a beautiful and poignant Earth Day message and 2) it is presented by Jane Goodall…A WOMAN!!! 🙂 So it fits right into The Woman Hood.

The Second video is the song “Colors of the Wind” from the movie “Pocahontas”, performed by Vanessa Williams. I chose this because 1) it says beautifully the words that remind us that we are not alone on this planet. That every being, every animal, every plant, every river etc are interconnected. We are ONE! 2) I love the line “how high does the Sycamore grow? If we cut it down, then we’ll never know…” So True!! and yet, we cut, cut, cut…trees, animals, people.

Enjoy! and Stay Blessed!

 

 

 

 

 

I found this article interesting when I came upon it. I wasn’t sure if it was a joke or not when I saw the title because…well, don’t we all braid each others hair? I know I used to braid my cousins’ hair for extra money when I was a teenager and I have braided lots of peoples hair as favors and for money over the years. Now to think I might have needed to have a license??? Oookay!!!

Doesn’t really make sense to me, but ok…

Tennessee Has Fined Residents Almost $100,000 for Braiding Hair Without a License … Seriously

I am never one to jump at the race card, but these are definitely things that make you go hmmm!!!

I guess I can understand that the Government needs to keep track of who is running what businesses in their state, so I understand that they would want natural hair practitioners to register and pay a fee to be allowed to practice. (I guess)

But then there is the bit about having to go to cosmetology school? Really? For braiding? Regardless of race, do we need to go to cosmetology school to do the most natural thing all women have done with their hair for as long as we have had hair.

But this is a very real matter, as I found out in a second article featuring the same problem in Oregon…

“Amber Starks (left), who is fighting to change state law to allow hair braiders to work without earning a full cosmetology license says: “Braiding can be a way for women to start to get comfortable with wearing their hair naturally. That’s what it was for me.” Braiders typically do not use chemicals, heat or scissors, thus practitioners say they should not be required to go through the 1,700-hour training required of cosmetologists…Read More

Kudos to Amber Starks and Fatou Diouf for fighting this and standing up for ‘natural hair rights’ 🙂

 

To All You Beautiful Women Everywhere:

As we look forward into the year 2018;

Let us open our hearts to Love, Peace and Hope;

Let us prepare ourselves for Success, Prosperity and Abundance;

Let us take time everyday, to commune with our inner self,

And to listen to what the Higher One is telling us.

Let us Love ourselves and others from a place of Abundance

And as we give of ourselves and share of ourselves,

May we be continually ENRICHED!

Happy New Year!

This essay is being shared and re-shared in Facebook today and my husband sent it to me. And I knew I had to share it with you here.

It is a beautiful piece that says so much!

I believe every woman can identify, even if your way out is not alcohol. Just the fact that we need to find something to deal with life is enough of a problem.

This is an awesome conversation starter. Share your thoughts….

After some technical difficulties, I have finally been able to download …or is it upload???..the further parts of our Posture Series.

Karin does an excellent job teaching me some exercises to help me strengthen my core, maintain good posture and relieve my back pain.

I have been practicing these for a while now, though not as regularly as I should, and I must confess that I do feel a difference. I especially constantly correct my sitting posture at the office and if all else fails, I just get up and walk around to give my back a break.

I hope you gain from these videos too.

Please let us know your experiences and feel free to contact Karin through our contact page.

Power!

 

 

Yes, you read right!!

There is a correct sitting posture!!

Here is Karin again, in Part Two if our Posture series…

PS. I look crazy!!! LOL

Looking back at my life, I have always had a tendency to procrastinate, but since becoming a mother and juggling all the responsibilities of life, I have become worse because I now have “legitimate” excuses.

I am, of course, lying to myself. Excuses are excuses and as a result, procrastination has wreaked more than enough havoc in my life.

Recently being faced with a problematic situation resulting from procrastination at work, I have come to the firm decision that my chronic procrastination must end…NOW!

The first problem with procrastination is the most obvious one – the pile up of things that need doing; I have too many examples of these to count;

I started reorganizing our basement about 2 years ago. I have started several times and to this day still have not completed the project. Not because of the legitimate interruptions to my flow of work, but because when I could be doing it…I am not.

I will come back to it later, I tell myself, later when I have more time. Ha!

When people see my computer desk top at work, they always react in shock. This is because I have the entire screen covered with file icons. Why? Because I use a file, and instead of filing it away where it should go right after I use it, I tell myself, I’ll just save it on my desktop for now and I will come back to it…needless to say, I never do. (Disclaimer: that is not actually my desktop, but very much like it)

I have family, friends and colleagues waiting for responses to emails they sent me. Well, you guessed it; I read the email, plan to respond at a later time, and then move on to something else, and never come back to it.

I have a neat heap of clothes needing minor fixing stacked in my bedroom. This is how that happens; I notice the need for a fix, tell myself I will take care of it…later, add the item to the heap and….never come back!

I could go on, but I don’t think I need to. You get the idea!

Keep putting things off and soon you will have piles of clutter and things to do. And let’s be honest, you will never be able to get to it, because as more things accumulate, you have less and less time to catch up.

The second problem is the loss of your brilliant ideas.

I have had the idea of “The Woman Hood” for a long time.

I actually have my sketch of the logo pinned up on my woefully incomplete vision board (another procrastination) and it has been there for at least 3 years.

When I first got the inspiration for the name of the site, I went to GoDaddy.com and did a search for the domain name: TheWomanHood.com

It was available. I basked in my brilliance for a few minutes and then I did the least brilliant thing; I logged off meaning to come back to it later that day.

I came back a year or so later and it was gone! A movie called ‘The Womanhood’ had taken it.

I was devastated. I looked for similar names I could use instead, but since I didn’t love them as much as my first choice, I logged off in frustration planning to return when I felt less disappointed and mad at myself.

It took months before I came back and when I did…even some of my original substitutes were taken. Now there were organizations, businesses and all sorts using some variation of the name.

I cried out to God! Hey, I said, this was MY idea!!!

The Bible says that the gifts of God are without repentance. If you are gifted at something, this will always be the case. You may get rusty if you don’t use your gift, but it will still always be there.

However, when God sends out an inspiration, a creative idea, into the Universe…you need to ACT on it…NOW!!!

Because that idea is just a thought in the spirit realm, a vibration, that anyone can tap into.

It may not be exactly your idea, it may be a variation there of. And if they act on it before you do….well, there you go.

In some cases, you may still be able to redeem the idea and work it out, but in other cases…that idea maybe gone!!!

Time and inspiration waits for no one.

You need to act in the moment.

At once!

Or that moment, that chance, that opportunity, and possibly that idea itself, could be lost forever.

The third thing about procrastination is a stealth evil.

Fear!

Loss of self esteem and self worth.

You are not a woman of your word. All the things you said you would do, you have not done.

You are a fraud and are afraid you will be discovered.

You begin to withdraw, ashamed.

Your sense of self-worth is spiraling out of control and before long, you are depressed.

I know it sounds drastic. But this truly can and does happen. I know this from personal experience.

This is the most dangerous problem procrastination can cause.

When procrastination begins to whisper in your ear, run the other way!!!

 

So I have made the decision to quit!

STEP 1:

As with all reformation, the first step is to admit there is a problem:

“Hello! My name is Susan and I am a procrastinator!”

STEP 2:

The next step is to take action:

…For the things that are already piled up – get help. Hire someone. Ask family or friends for help. Get it done! Do away with the clutter. Do away with the piles. You will feel a lot better once the piles are gone. You feel lighter and as though you are starting on a clean slate.

…Do away with the word “Later”. It is a useless word because later does not exist, it is an illusion. There is no later. There is only the present moment – the Now. Once you find yourself saying or thinking “I could do this later” STOP! And do it NOW! If it is something you really honestly cannot do at that moment, SCHEDULE IT! and get it done then. Warning! – Don’t just say ‘later’!…Put a specific time on it!

…Do everything NOW.

STEP 3:

And the last step is to take it one day at a time:

Be patient and loving with yourself. I know I have to be. I have procrastinated as far back as I can remember. It’s going to take some time and persistence to change this chronic bad habit. But I intend to stick to it and you can hold me to it. Check in with me on this….”later”. wink wink…that word is allowed in this context…right??

You can join me if you share this problem, I know I am not the only one. Join me, share your story and remember…

Love, Peace and the Present Moment! 🙂

Woman out!