Becoming Your Best You: Articles, Tools & Resources You Can't Afford To Miss! (Compliments of: Brenda Curtiss of "Your Best You")

By: Brenda D. Curtiss of "Your Best You"

Following is an edited excerpt from a training module I wrote recently, challenging people to move beyond the average, into the world of choices, dreams and a life that is chosen and striven for, not just something one fell into. Attitude and demeanor isn't everything... but almost!!!

Do you feel like life drags you along day to day? You get up in the morning, go through your routines and pretty much do the same things day in and day out. You race off to work each day and try to do what you can to focus enough to put in a good effort, keep your job secure and cover your bills. I mean isn't that what you're supposed to do? At 5:00 you race out either to hit the traffic or race for the bus for the hour or two it takes to actually get home to either flop down in your easy chair in front of a sitcom or maybe the news. Or, you may be the one who keeps on going for a few more hours until you fall into bed literally exhausted after taking care of your family's needs for much of the evening. And for some, life is often made up of time periods that are somewhat like showing up to a movie 45 minutes late & just trying to figure out what's actually going on! One day runs into the next, you pretty much "react" to life as it continues to meet you head on with it's ups and downs.

If I had a way to throw in a "sound effect" here, I would make it one of those heart stopping rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr zipppppppppp rewind sounds. But wait! There are those even here among us that have chosen to say no to going through the routines and reactions to life and instead, respond to life by taking on challenges above and beyond all the requirements of the "stuff of life". They may take educational or spiritual enrichment courses, choose to do volunteer work or get involved in various ways at their church or community outreach on the weekends. Or, do a number of other things to make a positive impact within their "sphere of influence", all above and beyond their day to day routine. What gives some people the drive, desire and determination to respond to life in such ways; to go above and beyond merely reacting to the requirements and routines of life? Will they be rewarded ultimately for choosing to better themselves and/or impact others in positive ways? Of course they will! Often you hear about those people that go above and beyond... You respect them. Do you want to be one of them? You can if you choose to.

Actually you can choose to make your life larger and more fulfilling but it will cost you some things. It will cost you time to learn how to first break out of your comfort zones and then it will definitely cost you discomfort and some moments of failure as you learn to walk and operate in new and better ways away from your "former" comfort zones. And THAT is where the choices come in to play. Every success in whatever form it takes comes with a single moment of decision and then many many moments of being true to that decision; paying the costs and moving forward when it is uncomfortable and even painful to do so. Each of us can choose to move forward (or not). We can choose to step outside of our comfort zones and take on the challenges to be all we can be, to become our personal best. We all have the opportunity to affect not only our own lives but many around us just by choosing to go the extra mile; choosing to do what it takes to become our best . Choosing to succeed, instead of continuing to rush through life; remaining in our repeated routines and comfort zones.

Here is my challenge each and every one of us: Live well. Live beyond mediocrity. Live your best. Go the extra mile and choose to succeed. You are worth it, and the world needs you to be all you can be. All that stands between you and I and becoming our best us to achieve the level of success that awaits us, is one thing: Making the choice! (And then choosing to fuel ourselves so we can continue to move forward into that choice to succeed; to be our best: each day, each hour, each moment.) Here's the deal: If you don't make the choice to move forward you will become stagnate. It's time... Your time... Will you take the challenge to Choose to succeed?

"The choices we make dictate the life we lead.
To thine own self be true." ~William Shakespeare

YourMakeOverArtist© 2006 All Rights Reserved

By: Brenda D. Curtiss of "Your Best You"

It's true you know... How you dress speaks volumes about you. Not only about who you are, but also about how you feel about yourself. If you walk out the door wrinkled, clothes dingy looking or that don't fit properly you best believe it will reflect on you. Is that fair? Yes, I think in many ways it is just reality. Even at my largest I am very aware of what I wear... Even more so than when I was much smaller. No matter what your size, you personal style mixed with the best choices for your body type can be a hugely positive asset for you; not only in business, but in your personal life as well.

Personally, I am quite short and carrying quite a lot of weight on my medium frame right now. I would be foolish not to dress without fully considering those factors. I wear mostly dresses and skirts because I don't like the way I look in slacks or jeans. And I often wear either a long vest, jacket or light over-wrap with a long scarf to tie the colors together. I love purple so I probably too often have purple in my clothing. I don't do white well (I get it dirty and feel huge in it) so I don't wear anything mostly white. I like black so I often wear a black long skirt and top (or dress) and add colors from a jacket or scarf or other accessories to jazz it up. I wear more casual dresses with wedge type flip flop sandals for dress down or Saturdays, and a bit more dressed up with scarves etcetera with wedge heeled shoes for more business or a bit dressier mode. That's me... I wear jewelry... Not big or bold costume type jewelry but lots of rings (usually 6) which my Mother has said more than a couple times was excessive lol. But that's what feels "right" for me. My personal style, a genuine reflection of who I am. I wear a couple small sterling silver bracelets with genuine stones and one of two pair of sterling silver earrings, one tiny diamonds and one pair are amethyst. A sterling silver amethyst necklace completes my jewelry. When I was younger I wore lots of different jewelry to match various outfits; I don't anymore. I stick with what I like, which for me, with exception of a couple earring choices equates to the same jewelry every day. For some that would be boring or stifle their style. My Mother for example has lots of jewelry sets; beautiful necklaces and earrings that compliment her outfits. That's her personal style and it works beautifully for her. My point here is that not only is important to enhance your body type with the right type of clothes but to also make sure that how you present yourself in all ways (hair, jewelry, clothes, makeup and attitude...) speaks uniquely about who you genuinely are (or want to be).

Years ago I used to tell my (now adult) son that his handwriting "spoke" about who he was. A person's clothing, makeup, hairstyle and just attention to how they walk out the door speaks loudly whether positively or negatively. Do you know what your personal style is? Does it work for you or are you hiding behind outdated clothes or sweats and t-shirts? For more fit folks it is typically easier to find appealing clothes that suit their style than it is for us larger body types. But ALL of us feel better when we know we look good! I shop the sales and have always been very budget conscience. There are lots of ways to find what works best for you and do it inexpensively! Stay tuned for some great tips, ideas and resources to identify what would be some good choices to consider along with meshing them in with your own personal "style".

YourMakeOverArtist© 2006 All Rights Reserved

By: Brenda D. Curtiss of "Your Best You"

Not so long ago I lived a life that appeared wonderful on the surface. People made comments that my (now ex) husband and I were the perfect couple... made for each other. Little did they know that behind closed doors the relationship was far from what it appeared on the surface. I lived a very unhealthy and depleting personal life that I am convinced would have eventually taken my life physically as well as spiritually. There are only a very few people that knew the inside truth of what was happening and they were concerned for my well being and thankful for my "deliverance" into life again. In my community I was on TV regularly, known and well liked by many even stopped regularly with recognition for the weekly TV spots and commercials, owned and helped run one of the two businesses with my (now ex) husband (he ran the other). We were very involved with the Chamber of Commerce and had (have) plaques and various awards for our volunteer work in various capacities. I sang for various benefits and events in the community and had lots of friends, including all the movers and shakers and anyone with any kind of title in town. And yet... I was miserable, absolutely empty and sad and felt like a walking dead woman. During the day at our shop or on TV or with friends at times I would feel like "me", but most of the time I felt like I was watching myself from a corner somewhere as I performed through life. I felt like a walking zombie at home and many times while at work. I laughed and pretended everything was OK... but it wasn't OK... not nearly OK... I was getting sucked into a life without God... a life full of darkness and obsessions that left me deplete and at the door of not caring if I went to heaven or hell or what happened to me anymore. I was full of shame and regret and felt unworthy of God's forgiveness and love. But God in His love and mercy rescued me and delivered me and restored me into life again... real life in HIM. When I think about how I feel now, so full of life and hope and purpose, knowing who I am in HIM, it fills me with so much joy that is impossible to describe adequately in words. But God, The Lord Jesus Christ, has literally loved me back to life.

Your life may be a genuinely good life, or it may be like mine was: a mess. Either way, without God at the center of your life, there is a void, an emptiness that only HE can fill. I pray you ask HIM to make HIMSELF known to you in a personal way. You will be amazed at the fullness and purpose you will come to know in HIM. HE is life, HE is love and HE loves you personally.

Our outward appearance is a reflection of many things and important to take care of. The body is precious and also worthy of caring for well. But the spirit, your spirit... it is the most important part of you... as it is also of me. I found that only God could breathe life into me. I searched in all the wrong ways and places for the love and purpose I so strongly ached for and I nearly allowed myself to be destroyed in the process. I am so thankful for HIS love and care, not only for the restoration HE has done in my own life, but also for the hope and purpose HE has instilled within me. And something I am not sure anyone could have explained to me well enough for me to understand the impact of: the unimaginable gift of the active place HE has taken in my life. I am God's girl now and very thankful and proud to be so. I invite you to ask HIM to show HIMSELF to you and breathe HIS life into you. HE is amazing... beyond description.... Here is a very cool flash type link that will speak to this very thing: LIFE: http://www.gotlife.org/intro.html

YourMakeOverArtist© 2006 All Rights Reserved