Chrissy Teigen Won Grammy's Best Dressed

Hands down Chrissy was the best dressed at last nights Grammys. She wore an orange ruffled Yanina Couture gown which partnered the right amount of flare to skin ratio. Partnered with her layered ombre Bob haircut and makeup she got the entire look right from head to toe!

Build Your Brand 2020

One thing that celebrities understand more than most is that you are your biggest asset in regards to your brand. YOU sell you and what you're pushing. Whether that's your expertise as an employee or actual tangible goods, you create and dictate the narrative. Do you honestly believe that those celebrities you follow on social media are always happy, overly joyous and continuously live exaggeratedly beautiful lives??? If you do then they've accomplished selling you their brand. The illusion that you too can get a piece of what makes them SO happy by purchasing that "it item" they're pushing or if you go to the same places they've visited. It's all an illusion and the gift of social media. It's what made Kylie a billionaire without a single advertisement! So how can you build your brand in 2020?

• Use social bookmarking sites to push your social media site and brand pages. Social bookmarking sites use tags or keywords to get your site or topics picked up by Google faster. The list of bookmarking sites are:
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Mix (formally Stumble Upon)
  • Digg
  • Reddit
  • Slashdot
  • Dribble (for designers)
  • Pocket
  • Weheartit
• Engage and interact regularly. Respond to post on your links and reply to interact with those who follow you. It allows your audience to feel apart of your community and personalizes the experience to promote repeat visits and follows. Users are also more prone to recommend you and your brand if you engage them.
• Ask your audience to share. Share their thoughts on their platform about you and your brand. It promotes a homegrown trustworthy community for your brand and comes across more authentic and natural.
• Conduct live events and Q&A's about your brand and your expertise. Personalize the experience of your community with direct contact with it's creator.
• Create tags and slogans. Especially when using Twitter and Instagram. It allows users to follow your tag for more exposure. Decide how you want to be seen or what you want in a brand and stick to it! Be consistent and promote content that supports the narrative you're curating and design all your tags/slogans around that narrative.



Beyonce's Adidas Ivy Park Collaboration

It appeared that the promotional box that Beyonce sent to EV-ERY-ONE worked because the entire line is sold out online currently. However I did not realize it was unisex until I saw some men in the line and it works! I'm not sure I would like my husband and I to be fighting over the same jumpsuit but if it works for some then OK.  One thing I didn't see on the Adidas website though were the Ivy Park sock booties and the parachute jacket. I like the price point of this line as well. It's not overpriced and definitely reasonable. All of the pieces are priced at the same price point as normal Adidas attire or similar sportswear brands. Although it was sold at a few Sports stores such as Finish Line, Foot Locker and Nordstrom, it seems to be absolutely sold out everywhere which is great for Beyonce. It's definitely sold out on the Adidas website so you'll need to join the waiting list to get your items if you're looking for them.

Life on Purpose!

This morning while scrolling through my feed, I stumbled on a question of how do you find your life purpose? As I scrolled through the comments I saw a pattern that repeated the question saying “I would love to find out that answer”. Then it continued with more questions than answers. That got me to thinking and it pains me to say this but more times than not, most of us are living life coasting on autopilot. I know I’m definitely guilty of auto-pilot living. I believe that’s how I lost my wedding rings! Not fully being aware of my actions and just coasting. I think I went to the bathroom and took them off, added hand cream and got side tracked forgetting them somewhere. I know… sounds insane but it happens. There was a study conducted a few years ago and 96% of those surveyed exhibited signs of living life on auto-pilot.

How can you tell if you’re on auto-pilot and how it impacts our ability to live in our purpose? There are a few tale-tell signs that you’re coasting.

1. You hate what you’re currently doing professionally and live for the weekend! This is definitely A LOT of people. You perform your daily task routinely so it requires little effort or brain power to perform your duties. You already know how your day is going to work out. However you find yourself fully invested on planning what you’ll be doing starting 5pm on Friday through Saturday night.
2. You automatically check you feed and cellphone. Despite not looking for anything in particular, it’s a habit to surf your phone and scroll social media or email. That’s autopilot! It’s filling your day with emptiness and that time could be spent doing something more meaningful.
3. Checking out mentally! Do you find yourself daydreaming? Or replaying a scenario from the recent past in your mind re-evaluating how you responded or how someone else responded? Thinking about would’ve/ could’ve type scenarios??? Auto-pilot darling!!! You aren’t mentally thinking of what you’re presently doing. Don’t daydream about your potential. Live all those hypothetical moments out loud and savor them. Deep down you feel your potential to do MORE then and you’re robbing yourself. Do it!
4. You have poor memory? Can’t remember conversations or discussions and feel like you’re in a fog searching but your recollection is foggy? Another sign that you were cruising on auto-pilot during that time.

So how exactly do we live a life of purpose? Your live is an ever evolving entity. Purpose changes as your life evolves so that answer is really unique to you currently. However there is one thing that remains constant within that evolution and that’s no matter what you should leave each encounter and the earth better off than how you found it. Small incremental steps make a huge difference long term. At the same time make sure you’re giving back to people you encounter and the universe. Smile and be pleasant! Start a small book club or social club where people can just vent, chat and interact with like minded people. Start a small garden and grow your own produce. In exchange give some of that produce out when your harvest is greater than you can consume. You can definitely control how you interact with others and you never know how your little act of kindness helps someone in their process.

All of this is no secret. You already enjoy giving back in some capacity. Ever look forward to giving someone their gift that you got them? It’s the reward of feeling gratitude that you brightened someone’s day with your gesture that you look forward to. It’s rewarding to put a smile on another’s face. It makes you happy to see others happy and as you grow with those gestures you’ll do it more. You can even join a larger group that have substantial impact potential that will definitely be rewarding to you as a participant. So in short the answer to finding your purpose is to find what makes you happy and do them. Then bring yourself to do those actions with others and try giving back to those around you anyway that you can. Even if it’s with polite conversation. You’ll definitely feel satisfied in life and that’s all that matters. Your act of kindness will impact someone else and they’ll do the same. It’s definitely a chain of events. Allow yourself time to process all of those actions entirely and move slower so that you’re fully in the moment. Now go out there and be great and grateful!

2020 Job Trends

If part of your new year resolution is to get a new job then you may be at a crossroads wondering which job is best for you. Figuring out which direction to invest your interest can be difficult and if you're like most more money is generally at the forefront of your decision making. It's fine to start your job search using money as a gauge in deciding the best fit for you and your time. You're working for a salary and demanding the most money for your time while gaining self satisfaction for your work should be high on your list of priorities within any new job search. Another topic of concern can be deciding which careers/markets are expected to see growth so that you know there's security in this new chosen profession. The job market experiences rapidly changes as of late and we're constantly witnessing jobs phasing out and growth in sectors that most aren't even aware of without doing a bit of research.
Employment based sites like Indeed.com compile their data and create trends based on average salaries and potential growth in the market which allows job seekers to better understand the job market. If you're like most you aren't aware of all the new potential changes in the job market and careers such as machine learning engineers weren't even on your radar but it should be. With an average salary of $146K annually and growth of 344% between 2015-2018 a machine learning engineer is looking quite tempting when comparing for a switch. Especially if you're already employed within the I.T. industry. It's safe to say that this is the wave of the future and if you're interested in expanding your knowledge base and raising your bottom line then its worth looking into what it takes to transition into that job. Data scientist and machine learning engineers work together to stockpile organizational data and then design systematic approaches to assist in optimizing the business. For analytical technology workers these jobs expand upon your current responsibilities involving processes and data analysis. On the contrary if data scientist seems more your speed then they have a average median salary of $131K annually with a 78% growth rate. Either way the technology market is stacked on the list with potential new endeavors.
On the chart below you'll find further information that can assist you in determining the correct path for you. Happy New Year and I wish you a prosperous 2020 on the job front.

News Today...

New segment for the new year! News today will be what's in the news and our perception on it.
New news today is Tiffany Haddish being on Wendy today Thursday 1/9. Tiffany was a good guest but Wendy thought she could depend on their budding friendship to ask Tiffany on camera about who bit Beyonce and Tiffany immediately shifted energy. You could physically see the shift and you also saw witnessed Tiffany's growth as a celebrity and knowing that hierarchy chart. Wendy is good at putting people on the spot by using that camera and mic to apply pressure but Tiffany replied perfectly! At first she replied with "why are we even still talking about this" and Wendy's reply was "well you have never been on the show to address it" and also through Tiffany in the equation as a potential suspect which I never heard but I took it as a way for Wendy to try to get Tiffany to deny it was her and to point the finger but she caught that curve ball. Tiffany's reply was no it wasn't me because I would never have my mouth that close to another female and said you know exactly who it was. Which in terms suggested that people follow the accusations from way back then as it being Sanaa Lathan. However Sanaa denied it but also threw in that if she had bit Beyonce that it would have been a love bite so it's sort of safe to say she did it but was trying to be "cutesy" and it backfired. Back to Tiffany though on Wendy. It's a 2 year old question and the fact that Wendy addressed it in 2020 was Wendy's way of trying to determine a pecking order as her way in with gossip and Tiffany shut that down and I was here for it! Great TV to witness that odd moment because you could clearly see the tension. There really isn't any loyalty in that celebrity world but Beyonce is as A-list as it gets and Tiffany understood that a squashed the rehash completely! On a side note Wendy looked good on the show today in her all black and so did Tiffany. That ponytail was snatched!!!


Next in today's new is Meghan and Harry throwing up the deuces to the royals and their titles which I think is a total BOSS move! Clearly they wanted them to get down or lay down and they were like NOPE! Really there has to be something to accusations of those family rift rumors. I believe if it were just the media harassing them then they would be able to get through all of that with the support of their family. However I think the support wasn't there and I do believe that there was a bit of jealousy from Princess Kate. Really tie all the latest news together in a timeline and you can see it.
Harry and Meghan decided to skip the tradition of joining the royal family for the holidays. Why??? The holidays are traditionally closed off to immediate family and they chose to opt out. Most people do that to avoid seeing certain family members. Then you have the press release from the queen with her subliminal picture placement showing her "beloved" family members. Clearly Harry and Meghan weren't in those pictures. Then you have that publicized shoulder shrug from Kate when William went to touch her shoulder during a taped royal Christmas engagement. I know they tried to spin it in the media as her sticking to protocol in regards to displays of affection in public but I don't believe that. William just tried to put his hand on her shoulder as anyone would with someone their close with or chatting with and she set him straight with the small gesture. Being a wife sometimes you use little things to subliminally say "not so fast buddy" as a reminder of a disagreement still being on-going. Either way there was all kinds of family drama between all of them and Harry and Meghan and I'm sure she her only resort was to distance herself and to let them know that she has option. Checkmate!

If she heard she's a gold digger only out for his royal money. Guess what... they're like we'll make our own. Or any of the other crazy accusations they've been throwing their way they've clearly weighed their options and know that their celebrity is already established. They can go on and make money independently of that split $5 million dollar annual salary Harry gets as a Royal. Speaking engagements will surely surpass that alone. Also if Meghan decided to return to acting I'm sure the demand would be overwhelming because her involvement would be sure to bring in box office dollars.  She could command millions if she returned to acting as I'm sure she would be one of the highest paid actresses based on all this scandal alone. She could start a fashion line and it would constantly fly off the shelves too. Their brand potential is unlimited and they are both still youthful enough to push many ventures so it's definitely safe to say they'll be better off financially without the salary tied to their royal duties.  Most likely they'll be much happier as well with their independence. Now only time will tell if Harry takes well to these new changes in lifestyle. He will forever be a royal and it's really been all that he's known. They deserve and need the security detail because they are still known globally as public figures. However even if the cost of security isn't covered by the royals I believe they'll be able to cover those cost. Best of luck to them and I'm astounded by the strength and deliberate defiance to break protocol. I'm sure that middle finger had to sting. Also it's great to see all the people who said "if you aren't happy then leave" now flipping because they actually agreed.

Best Breakfast Smoothie Recipe

Prepping for work is not an easy feat. Especially coming off of a holiday break when we're home more, it's dark when we awake and it's cold. Breakfast is usually a nice to have or it's easier to grab something quick on the go. That quick on the go bite is the problem though for a lot of us. Breakfast sets the tone for our day and it's best to have something on your stomach within an hour of waking. Also studies show that eating breakfast that has protein and fiber keeps your appetite in check throughout the day which eliminates munching on throughout the day. What better way to ensure you're on the right path than to prepare? Below are a few fiber rich breakfast smoothie a that will benefit that diet and get your day started off on the right track. My favorite smoothie that I prepare for my family that we all love is the Fruit Punch! Fruit Punch is packed with vitamins! You'll definitely hit your daily does of vitamins with this one.  

- Vitamin A (206%)      - Vitamin K (650%)      -Vitamin C (140%)     
- Calcium (9%)            - Vitamin B6 (35%)      - Potassium (9%)          
- Copper (10%)           - Potassium (24%)        - Magnesium (15%)      
- Iron (4%)                 - @10 grams of dietary fiber 

 You'll need a juicer, glass mason jars (with lids) and a blender. I first juice a small bushel of kale, 2 large carrots (cut in half), 3 apples, half of small lime, 4 stalks of celery.  Then I pour the content of all those juice into a blender with a banana, frozen mixed berries and a  scoop of organic vegan protein powder. It comes out great and the best part is it's not gritty from the protein powder and my kids love it!  You're getting all your veggies raw which are the best form for optimal nutrients. In addition you're getting fiber and protein all in your breakfast. You can store the excess in your mason jars with lids or if you're prepping for more than just you then you now have breakfast for multiple people and it's filling and nutritious.