You have a wonderful guy that adores you but doesn’t crowd you either. So what could be wrong with you? Everything is going well and your life is wonderful. All of your friend’s envy you, your parents are proud of you, what else is needed to make you happy again?

Maybe that gray hair is getting more and more visible each time you go to the salon for a cut. You have noticed your hands are starting to look a little aged, and the wrinkles around your neck have popped up over night. Oh my gosh, you are starting to look older!

Well guess what?
You are getting older! So grab life by the horns and take it for the adventurous ride it is! Time is marching on and you need to make sure you are in front of the parade. So you have some gray hair.  If you don’t think it’s your color then get a box of hair color at the local drugstore and get rid of it.

Six weeks later when it’s time to color again, go with a different color! As far as the wrinkles around your neck and face, that is your character, so show it off. Every wrinkle on you reflects a time of happiness or a time of worry in your life. You should learn to love yourself for who you are now.

Come to terms with who you are as a person and where you are at this time of your life –right now. Learn to accept and love that woman you are.  The sooner you do it, the sooner you’ll find that internal happiness again. Be honest about what you can do differently that will make you happy again.  You need to be happy where it really counts, on the inside.

You may have a wonderful job, but is that really what you want to do?
Is your hobby what you want to do for a living?
You can get that hobby going with a little more zest and start a part time business on the side with it. If you want it bad enough, go for it with all you’ve got!

Before you can be really happy though, you have to accept who you are and that means every wrinkle, every gray hair, every creek of your joints, it’s all you. Those are the things that make you who you are today from the history you have lived.

You are who you are, love yourself!
Accept that and be yourself girls. With all that in place, you can love yourself.

The slightly worn furniture at Goodwill or the Salvation Army has a new appeal to those who would otherwise  only shop at high-end stores before. Pre-worn clothing is now a staple for many families getting their kids ready for school.

Those of us  who are still lucky to have jobs or may be short a paycheck in the family are trying to stretch that dollar a little further these days.

You know what though?
It’s not just the everyday person shopping in those second hand stores now. All over the country, it has been reported that Hollywood stars like Drew Barrymore have been seen wearing outfits they purchased in a thrift shop!

Ms. Barrymore was pictured recently in an $8 skirt she bought at a second hand store in Austin Texas paired with designer shoes.  She gave a second hand skirt a little extra flair and style and saved money while doing it!  According to StyleList she  was also noted for wearing a $25 vintage dress on the Red Carpet,  the “dress was a particular standout both in design and affordability.”

For some celebrities like Sandra Bullock though, it is also a matter of being green too!
Recycling everything from paper and cans to clothing!

Why not?
They don’t have to worry about meeting the fashion trends.
They ARE the ones setting the fashion trends!

Shopping second hand is not only a form of recycling, but when buying from a Goodwill or Salvation Army store it is also a contribution to a good cause.

You know those magazine pictures you see of stars homes that have that beautiful country-chic look through out?
Stars like Joan Rivers will tell you upfront and on camera, she found that handsome hutch in her breakfast room at a flea market and couldn’t pass it up!

She most likely has more money than many of us could ever imagine, but even she knows a good bargain when she sees one. She saw it, she liked it, she wanted it and she bought it!

Shopping resale shops is such a popular trend now. It has become so popular that these stores are opening up all over the country and not just in low-income areas. The famous shopping areas in L.A. and the high-rent districts in New York are finding their share of them as well. You never know who you are going to see coming in there either!

So what can you learn from this article?
You don’t have to buy new and expensive to look and live like the stars. You can buy name brand, designer label and you can buy it on the common person’s budget and still dress like a star! Even your home can have star quality when you shop yard sales and flea markets.

Remember that stores like Goodwill, the Salvation Army and your corner thrift shop have hidden treasures where you are not only saving money, but you are often helping a good cause too.

Save money, be stylish and do what Sandra, Drew or Joan would do, don’t you think?

Until one day your husband comes home with bad news. The company is closing the branch where he has worked the past 10 years. He has now joined millions of others in the unemployed ranks.

Your world just came crashing down around you. You and your husband talk to the kids and reassure them that things will be okay. Inside though, you both wonder how you can make it work. Your monthly expenses will eat up your savings quick. What are you going to do?

Since the beginning of time the man has been the primary or sole family provider. He hunted and he fished to feed his family. As time evolved he became the bread winner by going to work while the wife stayed home and took care of the kids and the house.

Then as World War II called men to serve, the women of the house had to get out and take jobs. Not only for income purposes to support their families, but to keep the country going too.

So as history has proven, women are strong and resilient. Women can and have provided for their families. We are the backbone of our families. So what are you going to do?
You will find a paying job!

Maybe you haven’t worked since the kids were born, but regardless of how much education you have, you have a lot of skills and plenty of talent. Most importantly, you are a strong and independent woman!

So you don’t have a resume?
Now is the time to take a pen and paper then start listing your skills and talents. List the things you have been doing for the past ten years. Maybe you are a soccer mom who assists the coach with administrative duties such as collecting money for trophies, coordinate the snack schedule with the other parents or the travel arrangements for away games.

Does your child’s school hold an annual fundraiser that you participate in? Perhaps you volunteer in the office or assist teachers in the classroom. List what activities you performed during those times and put a job skill label to each one of them.

Another big issue at hand though is the family finances. If your husband was the sole bread winner, he may have paid the bills and kept tabs on the family’s finances. Do you know when the bills are due or where to mail them?

Maybe all the bills are paid online or by automatic draft from the checking account. If you don’t know, it’s time for you to get in there with your husband and get yourself informed. After all, earning the supporting income has just become your responsibility. You should know how it’s being spent too.

Yes, your life was picture perfect and comfortable just last month. Things change though and YOU lady have it in you to do whatever it takes to keep your family happy, healthy and secure.

You will find comfort again … it’s just with a different approach gals!

But that should in no way  affect your ability and inner strength  to reach out for success.  Just as these women proved that even with the extra weight around themselves, they have the courage and talent to make it big in their lives.

America Ferrera

America’s “Ugly Betty” gained her fame for being the fashion addicted not-so fashionable assistant to Daniel Meade. She is cool and doesn’t bother about her weight much. Her acting and talent are more the subject of talk than what she is wearing.

She was photographed in a bikini once, but she didn’t shy away. Photographs show her gleaming smile as she waves to the cameras- that’s what makes a woman- happiness from inside.

Oprah Winfrey

Being on Oprah Winfrey’s talk show is like a status symbol for celebrities around the world. Talk show host, author, philanthropist and someone with more brains than the perfect figure, no one cares about her weight or how she looks anymore. There was a time when Oprah’s weight was the talk of the town.

Now with her magazine, O, Oprah has shown the world that it is not always about what it looks like from outside. Her success is a lesson to all us women who think that to be in front of the camera, we need to fit into a particular size 0f clothes with heaps of fake make up.

Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe

Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe is probably the “fattest” actor Hollywood has seen playing the lead character in an Oscar nominated debut film- Precious. At a time when most women feel they have to fit into the thin bracket or hide in the closet, Gabourey gave acting a try.

She managed to impress Oprah, who produced the film and bagged the role of Precious- a troubled sexually assaulted and abused teenager.

It also won her a nomination for best female actor in a lead role at the 82nd Academy Awards. She is a success story and there is no reason why others can’t be.

Queen Latifah

Queen Latifah must be the queen of plus sized success. Large and proud of it, she is a success as a singer, a rapper and an actress.  She is also one of those great actors who has a wide range in the roles she is offered and is not stuck doing comic roles alone.

In her career that has been spanning for more than two decades, she has won a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six Grammy nominations, an Emmy Award nomination and an Academy Award nomination.

Quite impressive, eh?
And she has no qualms about being beautifully large.

This is an example of only a few who made it big in the glamour world with their extra curves. Look around and you will see more women in their plus sized bodies living plus sized lives.

If you do want to change how the world looks at you, you need to change how you look at yourself.

The constant strain and stress of the day keep women so active that the thought of taking any amount of “me time” gets pushed to the side in favor of completing yet another seemingly more important task.

However just taking as few as 15 minutes out of your busy day for a little rest and relaxation can really improve your life in many different ways. The improvements that are made can allow your inner beauty to sparkle through.

• Less Stress. Just taking a small amount of time for yourself can relieve the amount of stress throughout the day. Even if it feels as if everything is falling apart around you, taking that small amount of time to relax and regroup can really offer a renewed look on whatever situation you are facing. Relaxation also changes how you will deal with stressful situations by having a more focused and centered look at whatever is going on.
• Renewed Energy. Relaxation can actually serve as a battery recharger so you can function full power throughout the day. Just taking that moment for your body to recharge can act as an energy booster. Without energy many movements lack the liveliness (dull) or sharpness that people come to associate with grace. A bit of energy can really bring out your inner beauty and make your  actions and movements  sharper.
• Confidence. Taking time for yourself will result in a boost of confidence. That little amount of time that you take for yourself will improve your work quality. It allows the tasks that you complete throughout the day to be done more efficiently. This allows confidence to shine through in any situation and comes across as sheer elegance.

Relaxation can come in many different forms. Depending upon the person it can range from taking a hot bubble bath for a half hour to reading a good book with a cup of coffee or tea. Whatever your prefered form of relaxation, the important part is devoting the time to yourself .

So find what works for your “me time” and give it a try!
You’ll be amazed by the changes you will start to see in such a short time.