Life and Gratitude...

Ever wonder what your purpose is here on earth? If I could offer you a magic potion that would make you happier, healthier, more optimistic and more productive, and tell you that potion would cost nothing and will require very little effort to use, would you be interested? Sure you would. This blog is about life, and gratitude. My grandmother used to always tell me "Michele, life is a gift from God, do not take it for granted!" These are words that we hear daily, but do we really understand them and appreciate their value? My guess is "absolutely not!" Life is good, but on a daily basis we are witnesses to those around us who are good and bad. I tend to be the optimistic one and always look for the good qualities in people, even when others cannot see it. Sure people call me crazy, but I listen to my heart, and go with my gut. There was only one time in my life that I did not listen to my gut and it almost cost me my life.

Have you, my friends even had an experience that happened so quickly yet you couldn't explain it nor did you remember all of it in its entirety? God has a plan for all of us, sometimes we just can't see it. Its funny how you think about things at weird times. I have been on vacation for the past week. I needed to get away and relax. Right before my kids and I went snorkeling I had chest pains. I looked at my two kids (whom took me on this beautiful trip to Hawaii) before diving into the water and said, if anything happens to me, I love you, and you've just inherited 2 panty companies. They of course looked at me as if I were bonkers and said "Yeah,OK mom!" In reality though, I was quite serious.  Hey listen,... you just never know when your time is up. 30 minutes later I got kicked in the head by a woman who obviously thought that the Pacific Ocean wasn't big enough and got a little too close to me. The kick forced me under water and I became lodged between sharp coral reef. I don't remember anything. I remember not being able to move and struggling with sharp coral at least 10 feet under water. It felt as if my leg was pinned in between rocks. I saw tropical colored fish everywhere and all around me and I watched my snorkel gear rise to the top of the water. That's all I remember. Then I found myself  floating above the water and my two kids screaming at me. They couldn't find me and they were in panic mode. I last thing that i remembered was seeing the sunlight above the water and bubbles all around me. Sounds crazy huh? You should have been there. What was happening to me? This is a true testament that I am STILL here on this earth for a reason and I fear nothing...not even death itself. It makes you really sit back and wonder "Why am I still here?" 

 I believe that I am here because I have a lot of work to do. I don't mean growing my lingerie businesses, that will happen. I am here to make others laugh, to build people up and to give them the support that they need to push them to the next level, to teach them to trust and whom to trust, to smile and say 'everything is going to be all right!' I am not a very religious woman but I do believe that I have a mission, a course of action to take to make others feel as good about life as I do. It's all about being positive and gratitude my friends.

 I am not, nor have I ever been a woman to take 'no' for an answer. I value life as a true gift and I cherish everyday I have breathing and being near to loved ones and people that are positive in my life. After all, negative people are harmful to us and if you have these "Negative Nancy" type people in your life...get rid of them now, as they will not stop until you feel as shallow and powerless as they are. Don't you deserve better for yourself? I certainly do. My grandmother used to also say to me "Michele, God puts certain people in our lives for a reason, you may not know just what that reason is, but someday you will look back and that 'one' people might have been the one to have made all the difference in how you turned out months, or years later." Do I believe this? Yes, I do.

My grandmother was my best friend, that one person that I could tell all of my secrets to knowing that whether what I was sharing was good or bad, she found justification for, helped me to see what I was doing whether it was right or wrong, and I learned from it. She taught me to love everyone. Sure that made me a bit naive, nonetheless, it built character, something everyone needs to survive.

Life is not about how quickly you rise to the top my friends, whether it be for business or personal reasons...it is about the knowledge that you gained while you were on the rise. Do a good deed for someone everyday. Pay it forward. It works trust me. It can be someone as little as holding the door for someone, or smiling at them. I was raised to never brag about what I had or did not have. Material things are a dime a dozen. If you have to brag about what you have, as my grandmother said, really you have nothing at all. You cannot buy your way through life, nor can you buy good friends. Some however are like an acquired taste. Not all of them will be easy to befriend, but do not give up, that one person that was so difficult to break down that barrier wall could be the one person that you save. 

While I was on Hawaii this past week with my kids on a family vacation we took many tours and everyday the bus driver/tour instructors told a store about their culture and why they are so friendly. We should all be like they are. Everyday there in Honululu is a celebration of life. So they said to us;  Mahalo nui loa na ho'olaule'a me la kaua, which means, thank you for celebrating with us. Life is a celebration that we take for granted. We get caught up in our daily routines and before we know it, life passes us by. Don't allow your life to pass you by.

 They rarely say Aloha as a goodbye, although it does mean, hello and goodbye. Instead they will say; A hui hou kakou, which means until we meet again my friend. You see, they do not believe in goodbyes. As you go back to work today, or to the park with your dog or your play with your children, to take a lunch break, dinner or happy hour, or to your doctors office,...to the gas station or to a car dealership to shop for a new vehicle...whatever takes you out and near new people, smile at them, because your smile may be the only thing that has brightened their day. Pay it forward my friend. Life is good. Give thanks. A hui hou kakou!

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First Impressions

There's an expression that says "you never get a second chance to make a first impression." This is especially true when it comes to dating. That impression will be formed on that first experience and, although that impression can be altered over time, that first impression is what they are going to remember.
The point is that we all form that first impression and we always remember it. That is why your dating manners need to be top notch!!

You only get one opportunity to make that first impression. That first date is the most important opportunity. So, we're going to offer you a few special tips for your first date. You should know the proper dating etiquette. You may not know this but there are some basic principles you should know so that you'll have healthy dating experiences.No one taught me these tips. They'll help make a great impression......Remember, relax, be yourself, no phony bologna! No one wants that. Most people want to see the "real deal!"

The expected behavior of men and women are different when it comes to dating. So, we want to make sure that the guys and gals are prepared. What are the dating rules? We're about to discuss a few....that way, you will always know what you should be doing on a date as well as what to expect from the person you are dating. It seems like one of the hardest things to do on a first date is to find something in common so that you have something to talk about. There is nothing more uncomfortable than a first date with boring conversation where there is too much silence. Allow me to rescue you from this tragedy with ideas for first dating discussions.

Impressing someone on a date is not always what you say and how you act. The impression you give is also based on how you look. We'll provide you with tips for dating fashion etiquette. Let the way you look speak volumes about the type of person you are by outfitting yourself in the best clothing and dress possible.  Confidence speaks volume! Show him/her that that you have confidence in yourself and the determination to be at your best....that's all that you'll need.

How you look is also part of dating etiquette.You want to shine.....remember, there are men and women everywhere and you are replaceable. No need to look like a freak show,.....that's a turn off...Don't wear a lot of make up. If you do, perhaps cut back a little. My grandmother always used to say that a man should see the same woman that he spends all day with when he awakens....this means, you should look the same (appearance wise...) in the morning when you roll out of bed as you do most of the day. If you wear 5 layers of make up, you're covering up your true beauty and you certainly won't look the same when you wake up until you put your face back on. How can you possibly shine under all of that make-up? Show him the real you! As much as some of you don't want to hear this.....guys dig the girl next door look. Go simple, elegant and stunning......straight cut dress....scoop next but not too low, enough to show your curves...remember, you want him to notice and remember you, not the boobs and ass,.....Yes, he'll notice and he'll see a vision of true beauty. You want to be the last thing he thinks about before he closes his eyes, and the first thought in his head when he awakens. You want to get in his head, and above all, in his heart!

Speak with volume, stick with professional topics, never go religion or politics on a first or second date unless you are prepared to possibly see fireworks, and I don't mean the enjoyable ones. Shit is going to hitteth the fan if your selection in topics clash, especially topics as such. Here's the safe zone subjects;You can ask about their career, their family and by all means, talk about the news, I mean CNN News not E-News!...Know your current events! Beauty and brains are quite the package and such a turn on to a man. Talk about yourself so that he gets a better understanding of who you are, only then will he begin to understand your likes and dislikes, in reality, this all takes time.....Always ask her/him a variety of questions to keep the conversation flowing....Get a good feel for her/him, and if you make it through the first date, your second one will be a lot less stressful! Trust your instincts.

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