Skin in the Game

After reading the above book I coined the term Bite of Life as in taking a Bite of Life.

For Beauty Individuality Truth and Empathy. This is what I believe in.

My view runs counter to the Dermalogica founder author. She doesn’t like and use the word beauty. I beg to differ.

Seeing beauty in the ordinary–in the broken; in the struggle; in the people, places, and things no one else deems beautiful–is a gift each of us can give each other.

What I seek to do is Celebrate Life by dressing up; by making art out of the everyday; by spreading joy and optimism in a world full of despair.

Read Skin in the Game to get a shot of confidence. Jane Wurwand’s life story could be any of ours with a twist. She had a failed first marriage by the age of 21–and things could’ve gotten worse.

Wurwand is living proof of what I’ve written before that where you start out is not where you have to remain.

That ambition born of altruism is the right way to lead in business and in life.

Wurwand references Madam C.J. Walker in Skin in the Game. How could she not. Walker was a radical beauty entrepreneur in her time.

Reading Skin in the Game I thought: “She could do it. So can I.”

Though I checked the book out of the library I recommend you buy it. It’s worth taking the gems of advice to heart.

You want to conquer a market. Or succeed in any venture. Be kind and care about people.

That’s what Wurwand made her mission as the founder of a skincare line that grossed $1Million in its first year in 1986.

How to Date Your Wardrobe

How to Date Your Wardrobe is a gift book hardcover packed with ideas and insight.

Page 79 sums up author Heather Newberger’s ethic:

“Instead of wasting your time wishing you were a different person, it’s important for all of us to let go of who we think we should be–so that we may enjoy the individuals we already are.”

This sentence has haunted me as it gets at what I’ve been reckoning with in my life. As hard as it can be to act true to ourselves in a society where you’ve expected to conform, I say being who you are is the only way to succeed in life.

The new electric purple lipstick I bought tells it like I am: The shade is called Unconventional Babe.

As sixty beckons for a lot of us it’s the time to do things differently. I recommend trying out a new haircut or taking up a hobby like cooking or starting to exercise.

It’s the perfect time to date your wardrobe and “revive, revitalize, and reinvigorate your style” like Heather Newberger advocates.

Simply creating new outfits has improved my outlook and given me incomparable joy.

Forget following fashion trends. If you don’t feel comfortable in what you’re wearing you won’t feel good or look good either.

I bought this book and refer to it often.

It’s my contention that when things aren’t going right in your life doing what comes easy to you that you like doing will save you from sinking into despair.

In one instant I changed my thinking. Talking about clothes and fashion isn’t frivolous when doing so can lift up others.

Men are not given grief for talking about and following sports.

Why should women be tsk-tsked for talking about dressing up and enjoying clothes?

I tell you it was liberating to get rid of the donation bags.

When you finally own only what you love to wear it makes getting dressed easier.

Seeing those beauties in my closet puts a smile on my face.

Read How to Date Your Wardrobe. Doing so you just might realize that changing your view of yourself can be as simple as changing what you wear.

Wallet Activism

The above book is the best of its kind that should be required reading by everyone in America.

The author talks about effective ways to tackle pressing issues like climate change and runaway consumerism.

In my life I choose not to travel long distances on airplanes that use fossil fuels. That’s the way I have of making a difference.

The second thing I’ve done is that I don’t eat meat. Not only for health reasons I do it because of the impact of CAFO slaughterhouses on the environment and degrading treatment of the workers there.

The third prime thing I do is to not shop on impulse. I hold onto the clothes I buy for at least five years or longer.

This year I’m going to retire the winter coat I’ve had for 11 years. Hopefully I can find a 100 percent wool coat this fall.

In the last 3 years I’ve donated 15 bags of clothes to the Salvation Army. The reality is most donated clothing winds up in a landfill in Ghana, Africa after being sold to resellers there.

My goal is to only buy clothes I’ll wear until they’re no longer wearable. Instead of accumulating un-wise buys I bring home that I rarely wear.

Cue the violins for the items I call “1990s office worker” shirts that I’m tossing in a new donation bag.

They. Are Not. Who I Am Today.

I turn 58 this spring. On a kick I am to upend the status quo.

Two years shy of 60 if you’re like me you’ll be reassessing everything in your life.

We’re getting closer to what I call the This is It! decade.

With my time here on Earth getting shorter I don’t want to waste my time money energy or effort on things that don’t positively impact my life or other people’s lives.

I’ll end here by saying that none of us should fear becoming older. Or fear speaking out on the things that matter to us.

The author of Wallet Activism revealed that the ban on plastic straws adversely effected individuals with disabilities. A lot of whom cannot use a paper straw to drink.

The list goes on of “green” practices that aren’t really effective when scrutinized further.

Read Wallet Activism and decide for yourself what measures you want to and can take to protect our Planet–and more than that the People living on our Planet.