Define Fabulous:

Extremely pleasing, extraordinary, exceedingly......

Do these things describe how you feel about yourself? I can say (just a few months ago) no, I felt anything but fabulous. I was blog hopping when I happened to come across yet another mom who was longing to be the fabulous woman she once was & feeling bad about it. WHYYYYY?????

It is hard for us to let go because for all those years that was all that we knew but we are chameleons. It's in our DNA, why else would God have made us the sole person responsible for the home if we didn't naturally have those adaptive qualities? It just makes sense.... but the key is not to long for the woman you were, its to "adapt" to your knew environment & reflect that change as a PART of who you are. Not EVERYTHING that makes you who you are.

What I'm talking about is balance....now I'm sure many of you are saying to yourself I understand but how do I "balance" when I don't know who I am anymore? Good question... who you are can never be lost cause it's always in you , it's a matter of having that AHA moment! That moment where you can declare this is who I am... now! A moment where you feel comfortable with embracing that: yes your life has changed AND that's okay cause you still have a grasp on who you are as a person AND as a mom. They have to exist in your mind simultaneously cause if you focus on one or the other too much you will lose sight of the big picture.

The big picture is this: There are many aspects of our being that make us who we are, as women, as daughters, as friends, as mothers, as wives and the list goes on & on. Now back to the point... fabulous is how we all should feel. Does that mean that we don't make mistakes? NO. Does that mean we are perfect? NO. However, it does mean that we can embrace who we are & enjoy the change it brings around us and the impact it will have on those closest to us. It is important for us to set an example by being an example. Nuff said! With that in mind, I cooked up some more tips for achieving that balance...

* Simplify your beauty regimen - How you feel on the inside will reflect on the outside ... whether you like it or not. When you look good you feel good so put a little more effort into your regimen - you can do a lot within 5 minutes. if you can change diapers lightning fast after 3 kids you can certainly do this in less than 5! Concealer, lip gloss & mascara will change your life. Forget the other stuff, chasing after your lil' ones will give you that "glow" that blush can't. If you are more dedicated or have more time, go for it honey! Add some blush and sweep on that smoky eye! Shout out to Renee - You help us all get our sexy back one flick of a lash at a time!

* Organize your wardrobe - Looking good as I mentioned before is a part of feeling good. No doubt about it. The issue for most of us is when we open our closets we have a hard to pieceing "outfits" together cause we don't have the basics. We routinely go shopping and say ohh I love that, buy it get home and darn! we have nothing to wear with it. Organize your casual clothing, dressy clothing and the pretty in betweens into separate sections. That way no matter what occassion - grocery shopping or dinner with the hubs - you gon' look put together girl! Wondering what basics you need? I'll have another post on that shortly - stay tuned.....

*Get your routine & schedule in check - As much as i HATE to say this... it is the truth. Making time slots for what you can "actually" do within a 24 hr. period outside of sleep & eat will help bring"calm" into your day. Whatever falls by the wayside - don't stress over just pray the sun will come up tomorrow and you'll have another opportunity. Some of what works for me is cooking all of the meals for the day during the morning hours after breakfast. It translates to more "free time" (if there is such a thing, lol) later on in the day or using leftovers helps too. It also helps me to regulate when I'll have some time to myself and to be sure I'm spending quality time with Leia just having fun. It doesn't have to be set in stone either - do what works for you. You know what you are capable of so....like Nike, just do it.

* Make sure you are on top of your health - Most of us know that health is wealth. I can personally testify - cause all the makeup & pretty clothes in the world don't help when I feel sick. Many of us feel worn out & tired because of our horrible eating habits. We eat junk food & fast food all day & then wonder why we feel lethargic & have no energy.... try to dedicate some of your time to adopting some new healthy recipes or eat a salad for a change. I love that new show - Cook Yourself thin- what an incentive - cook healthy great tasting food & lose weight? You can't beat that with a stick! Try a cereal bar versus a snicker bar lol or swap out the sweets for some sweet fruit. The name of the game is to swap not just starve.

Whatever you take a way replace with something healthy & tasty and you'll be happy. If you don't have the energy to try to help your self look better it could be because internally something is off and it's about time to make a change. Don't let time teach you a lesson - I've been there and believe me sittin' in that class is no fun. Besides if you aren't around to care for your loved ones...who will be? So keep that in mind next time you go all day workin' without eating.

* GET OUT! - Most of us are stuck in the: "Well I have no where to go" syndrome. Make plans to go somewhere - ANYWHERE! Sometimes I just get dressed cute of course with my lil' cutie pie in tow & we just go to the bookstore, library, park or to the mall. Just to get out and see things & people can have an effect on your well being. Believe me I have suffered these past 5 years. I left all that I knew & all those I loved to start a new life in FL and it was sooo lonely. I cried a lot and became depressed about it for YEARS but then I realized that even if I was to remain by myself , I couldn't allow the lack of companionship to keep me from living. AND NEITHER SHOULD YOU! I eventually found that if I was out & about that God would bring people into my midst by chance & some great relationships were built out of that. Don't limit yourself to the four walls of your home. You just never know who you may meet, encourage or set an example for.

- Just a "few" thoughts....

Ladies if you have any other examples or tricks that help you stay sane regarding health, beauty & wealth, email them to me at: candace@jcsevents.com. Shortly I'll be posting some videos!!! pray they come out well LOL! Take time for you... You deserve it!