Your image is just as important as your reputation. In business we work hard to make sure our first impression is a good one. When networking, we dress professionally, take care that we are well groomed, and have business cards on hand. We network to develop business relationships. Getting referrals in business is a natural byproduct of those relationships. Showing up consistently, arriving early, staying late, being an attentive listener, and seeing how you can help others get what they need first will pave the way for business to come you. Have you considered that what you do after the event may matter even more?

If you have offered to make an introduction for someone, or if they have indicated that they would like more information about your products or services, it’s a good idea to follow-up promptly. Wait too long and they may not remember you, or they may no longer feel that same level or urgency. Forget to follow-up and they may worse yet lose trust altogether. A great way to develop these relationships and follow up is to show appreciation. You should be generous with your appreciation if you have received referrals even if the referrals do not immediately result in an order. “Reward good behavior”. Greeting cards are no longer common with all of the other technological tools at our fingertips, but receiving a card still evokes a special feeling like no other. It makes someone feel special and they will recognize and remember that you took time and the extra step. A simple handwritten greeting card does go a long way to establish you as a business owner with a good reputation. That, my friend, in the long run is worth millions!

If you know them well enough, a gift (perhaps something from www.bangleandclutch.com) can be appropriate and will certainly endear you to them indefinitely! Your image is important for first impressions as well as lasting ones. How you behave during networking events helps others form opinions about you, but the follow-up can make or break the deal. To connect with Patti Glick (author of this post) or learn more about networking, appreciation marketing, and follow-up visit www.HandtoHandContact.com or www.SendOutCards.com/HandtoHandContact

This post is part of our guest blogger series meant to inspire and motivate women. They do not necessarily reflect the political, religious or other view points of http://www.bangleandclutch.com , Nannette Bosh, Nannette Bosh Inc., AskNannette Bosh, http://www.asknannette.com  or http://www.nannettebosh.com . Thanks for the inspiration Patti!!!

Remember the saying, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder?” It is time to remind ourselves everyday as we look in the mirror beauty is starring right back at us. As woman we tend to forget the true definition of beauty. We read magazines, watch TV, compare ourselves to others and forget the true being of who we are. It is not about a dress size, but the size of our Heart & Character. Beauty is about confidence, no matter what size you are, you can walk into anywhere, own every step, every move and love who you are! Curved Beauty is about loving your curves, embracing them and not being afraid to show them off …It’s time to Curve your outlook on who you are and to focus on the elements you love about yourself.

After working as a Makeup Artist for over 6 years, I have seen women of all shapes; sizes and looks sit in my chair. Yet, there is one thing they all have in common …everyone has at least one beautiful feature about them. Whether you are a stay at home mom, a teenager, a celebrity or a career woman, each demographic represents a form of beauty we can learn from. Also, I can guarantee we all have imperfections. Marilyn Monroe once said “Imperfection is Beauty”, a true statement just to think if everyone was “perfect” how exciting would the world be.

Unfortunately, we have been programmed to want to immediately change our flaws …nip, tuck, refine, and replace. I am all for wanting to improve and define what God has given us, but it is important not to lose a sense of who we are along the way and become obsessed with outer beauty. People tend to forget, no amount of makeup, surgery or clothing will upgrade your beauty status. If inner confidence and self love is not present, it will overpower any cosmetic alterations attempted.

As woman it is important for us to define a sense of WHO we truly are and teach generations to come that beauty is not something you buy, it is something discovered inside. If not, beauty will lose all sense of meaning. So next time when looking in the mirror, picking apart your flaws or “imperfections” , remind yourself “Imperfection is beauty” and those aspects contribute to who you are, embrace them and remember to be a beautiful, confident, you!

This blog post was written by Makeup Artist, Tiffany Hall-Scarmana. If you would like to connect with Tiffany directly visit her on the web at http://www.curvedbeauty.blogspot.com . We would like Tiffany to invite her clients to check out http://www.bangleandclutch.com/jewelry . This post is part of our guest blogger series meant to inspire and motivate women. They do not necessarily reflect the political, religious or other view points of http://www.bangleandclutch.com , Nannette Bosh, Nannette Bosh Inc., AskNannette Bosh, http://www.asknannette.com  or http://www.nannettebosh.com . Thanks for the female inspiration Tiffany!!!

Mother’s Day is a recent memory. Like most moms I was treated to a day where I could do whatever I wanted. I was Queen of the remote control. The lunch menu detailed food that I wanted, and I didn’t have to cook it. My daughter, young as she is, made several Mother’s Day cards at school, church and home with various scrapbooking adornments, which she proudly presented to me and begged me to select my favorite one. The sun was shining, and the day was happy. There are times in our lives where thi9ngs may not seem happy or joyous at all. Events happen and steal our joy. How do you recover from this?

Where are you going to get your joy? I must confess life is not all roses. My six year old daughter’s favorite sayings is; “It’s not fair”. She is learning that life isn’t fair at times. What would life be like if we had everything we wanted? King Solomon had it all; power, fame, fortune and wisdom. Yet, he put his happiness in temporal things and became very unhappy. Have you ever said to yourself, I will be really happy when……….? How long does this happiness last? What about when you have achieved a great accomplishment, the next one must be bigger and better right? It’s never enough and the cycle continues. Searching for the “happiness high” that you’ve experienced before can go on forever. What makes you happy? I’m not talking about for a few hours or days; I’m talking about happiness for awhile long, happiness that has staying power.

I encourage you to try these four suggestions on living a happier life: 1. Think of the small things that make you happy and write them down. This could be a sunny day, the smell of fresh cut grass or even hearing your favorite song on the radio. 2. Keep everything in perspective. Put things in their proper place. If something makes you unhappy, consider the scenario in the big scheme of things. Will it really matter when you are 80 years old? 3. Look at the root cause of what makes you happy in your life. Remember what it is that gives you joy. 4. Put yourself second and serve others. Happiness in serving another person first rather than ourselves; is a humbling experience and can be very rewarding. Have you ever heard the saying “Giving the shirt off your back”, if so have you ever given yours?

Happiness is a great feeling. The wonderful thing about happiness is that it can be found in small packages. Why not take time to look for the small stuff that makes you happy today???????? This blog post was written by Darcy Keith award winning speaker and author.  If you would like to connect with Darcy directly visit her on the web at http://www.DarcyKeith.com . We would love to see Darcy in our Carmel Pendant necklace. http://www.bangleandclutch.com/jewelry/necklaces/carmel-necklace.html/

This blog post is part of our guest blogger series. These posts are meant to inspire and motivate women. They do not necessarily reflect the political, religious or other view points of http://www.bangleandclutch.com , Nannette Bosh, Nannette Bosh Inc., AskNannette Bosh, http://www.asknannette.com  or http://www.nannettebosh.com . Thanks for the female inspiration Darcy!!!!

Do you allow other people’s opinions to dictate your opinion of yourself?  If someone tells you “You aren’t smart enough”, “You aren’t pretty enough”, “You’re too slow”, “You’re not capable”, “You come from the wrong side of town”, “You’re stupid”, “You’re living in a fantasy world”, “You’re not nice” “You’re a fool” or “They don’t like you”,  do you automatically get defensive?  Do you take their words to heart?  Do you believe them?  Keep in mind that that in your journey of life you will meet thousands of people.  It is said that people come into your life for a reason, season or a lifetime.  Some people you will only encounter once or twice and others will play an intricate role in your life.  Let me ask you, what makes this person an expert on your life? Are you letting people’s opinions of you determine your life, when they may not even know you very well?  Many people let what acquaintances say about them get to them. 

Let’s say that we are talking about those people in your life that are there for a lifetime: your parents, your children, your siblings, your spouse and maybe a few friends.  They may mean well, but each of these people has their own unique opinion of who you are.  It’s their right to have this opinion based on their own life experiences, morals, values and beliefs.  They will each have opinions of you that are both good and bad.  Other people’s opinion of you does not have to become your reality. Your family and loved ones are not experts on your life either, you are the ONLY expert on YOUR life.  You know your deepest darkest secrets as well as your burning desires that are waiting to be manifested.  Don’t allow another person’s opinion to stand in the way of you living your life the way you see fit.  Their opinion is right for them, not for you.  Be true to yourself.  Every person wants to be loved and accepted for who they are.  It is for this reason that many people will turn to others to build their self-confidence.  Your confidence comes from within, from your inner being.  Relying on other people’s opinions to determine your own self worth is external.  It is impossible to live up to another person’s expectations 100% of the time.  You will spend your life thinking you are not worthy, because of another person’s desires and beliefs.  You are not here on Earth to live your life through other people.  Regardless of how many people “approve” of you, you can only find true self-confidence from within yourself. 

I encourage you to not allow others to dictate or have the power to determine who you are.  It has often been said, “Your opinion of me is none of my business.” If someone doesn’t like you, or thinks you’re incapable, or whatever, it really is none of your business.  They have a right to their opinions and beliefs just as you do.  You cannot change another person’s perspective, so why waste your energy trying?  Keep in mind that when people say nasty and cruel things to you or they reject you or they hurt you, that you have not lost your value.  Their words and actions are a direct reflection of what they are feeling and have absolutely nothing to do with you personally.  Learn to trust your instinct.  Constantly tell yourself that you like yourself and that you are worthy.  There will always be constant chatter in your head.  Make it positive don’t let other people’s opinion take control.  You have the power to choose the thoughts in your head.

So what do you choose?  Learn to receive gifts of love and compliments from other people.  To build self-confidence and to be truly happy you must learn to give and receive. Just as it is impossible to only breathe in and not out, you need to give to and to receive in order to live a full happy life. You can’t be happy and self-confident unless you are being true to yourself. Create balance in your life by following your heart’s desires. Give and receive based on the talents and gifts that make you UNIQUELY you!

This blog post was written by Cindy Holbrook.  If you would like to connect with Cindy directly visit her on the web at http://CindySense.com . This blog post is part of our guest blogger series. These posts are meant to inspire and motivate women. They do not necessarily reflect the political, religious or other view points of http://www.bangleandclutch.com , Nannette Bosh, Nannette Bosh Inc., AskNannette Bosh, http://www.asknannette.com  or http://www.nannettebosh.com . We welcome your comments and questions. We would love to see Cindy wearing our Clyde Spring Pendant Necklace. http://www.bangleandclutch.com/jewelry/necklaces/clyde-spring-pendant.html  Thanks Cindy!!!!

Did you know that the quieter you become the more you can hear? I have learned that to grow, I must clear space for my inner wisdom to flourish. In my physical world I must clear the clutter in my mind I must “quiet the noise”. Removing anything that no longer serves me is vital. Instantly I begin to experience more calm when I eliminate some of that “stuff” that was blocking my flow of energy. I’m not sure what it is about creative thinkers, but somehow we are also the ones with the mind clutter. We gather lots of stuff that we think is critical to our environment. We honestly believe it supports our creative stimulation. But truth told that stuff is really blocking any new inspiration from getting through. It’s actually distracting. All that busy-ness doesn’t help either. Trying not to miss an opportunity to learn something new, we end up exhausted, never able to explore our evolving possibilities. So how is that you find some peace?

1. Turn off the TV or computer for 15 minutes each day. Sit in quiet, listen and reflect.

2. Tackle a simple clutter task first before a larger one. Maybe you have a favorite counter top that is your dumping ground CLEAR IT OFF.

3. Clean out your closet a little bit at a time. Rarely used belongings can be lovingly donated to your favorite non-profit thrift store. If you don’t have one then you may want to try http://www.trash2treasure.org.

4. Make a rule that if you bring something new into your space, something old has to leave.

5. Information gathering is a clutterer’s excuse to hold on to things that are no longer relevant. One or two binders worth of information is enough. Get rid of the rest.

6. To ease up your scheduled responsibilities, pick one thing to eliminate. Give yourself permission to say “NO”. Still struggling? Send me an email with a list of everything I’ll help you gain clarity.

7. Embrace the power of affirmations. Simple positive statements short circuit the negative noise and remind us that “we can and we will” no matter what.

Bonus tip: Even if the only time you have is while you’re showering turn your attention to the quiet water running and try to tune out anything else. I feel a new sense of calm already, just envisioning it, don’t you?

This blog post was written by Nanette Saylor. Nanette is an author and if you would like to learn more about her or connect with her directly you can visit her website http://wisewellwomen.com . This blog post is part of our guest blogger series. These posts are meant to inspire and motivate women. They do not necessarily reflect the political, religious or other view points of http://www.bangleandclutch.com , Nannette Bosh, Nannette Bosh Inc., AskNannette Bosh, http://www.asknannette.com  or http://www.nannettebosh.com . We welcome your comments and questions. This post was provided courtesy of AskNannette.com. We would like to see Nanette wearing our Bangle Bid to Win Rose Hill Rhinestone necklace. http://www.bangleandclutch.com/trunk-treasures/rose-hill-rhinestone.html   Thanks Nanette!!!!!

Have you ever worked really hard to learn how to do something? Something you thought you SHOULD learn how to do. How much value do you place on your ability to do that? I’d venture it’s of a much higher value to you than the value you place on your natural gifts and talents. Now ask yourself what do others appreciate in me? I bet it is things you don’t value, rather than the thing you worked so hard to learn to do.

Most of us know the saying “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence”. Well that applies to your gifts, talents and skills too. I’ve often noticed this when I read people’s hands. Whatever they do naturally and easily, they place little value on. Whatever someone else does easily and naturally they admire and wish they could do. Often we make ourselves wrong for not being able to do certain things and at the same time we discount what we do very well. It takes other people noticing and complimenting us, sometimes for years, before we can finally give in and recognize the inherent value of what we do.

How do you open your heart to embrace your gifts?

1. Notice what you do so easily. See the impact it is having. Allow your attention to focus on how much that means to the recipient.

2. Pay attention to how you feel when use your natural gifts. Are you enjoying yourself? Are you enthusiastic? Do you feel like you’re getting filled up inside with joy?

3. Also you need to pay attention to the compliments you receive. Thank the person. Stop and breathe in the words and the feelings being expressed to you.

 4. Watch your inner dialogue. Don’t allow your ego to tell you what you did is not important or meaningful. Also don’t let your ego overinflate a compliment received and make it into how special you are. There’s a two edge sword to avoid here because minimizing or inflating are both insidious to your genuine open-hearted acknowledgment.

5. Self-love truly must come from the self and not from what others tell you. Yes barrow their belief in you until you have your own. That’s a good way to climb a step of your staircase. Just don’t rest there too long without looking for ways to cultivate genuine self-appreciation and acknowledgement.

I’ve found that your gifts and talents are usually part or your Life Purpose. Once you recognize them and use them intentionally they contribute to living a life that is fulfilling to your soul. Make this the year you own and express your gifts.

This blog post was written by Rosemary Heenan and she sends her warmest regards. If you would like to connect with Rosemary directly visit her on the web at http://www.rosemaryheenan.com . This blog post is part of our guest blogger series. These posts are meant to inspire and motivate women. They do not necessarily reflect the political, religious or other view points of http://www.bangleandclutch.com , Nannette Bosh, Nannette Bosh Inc., AskNannette Bosh, http://www.asknannette.com  or http://www.nannettebosh.com . We welcome your comments and questions. This post was provided courtesy of AskNannette.com. We would love to see Rosemary wearing our Cedar Beach necklace http://www.bangleandclutch.com/jewelry/necklaces.html/ . Thanks Rosemary!!!!

When people hear the word Tantra they usually think of kinky sex, the Kama Sutra, something they say on HBO or on Sex & the City. That’s if they’ve heard of it at all. Tantra means expansion through awareness, transformation through pleasure. What this means literally is that your whole being is expanded, increased through awareness of your senses, feelings and energy. This includes awareness of your breath “the basis of all forms of meditation” with the addition of your sexual energy increasing your ability to feel- specifically pleasure; different from other forms of meditation. So what is the big deal about? Why is Tantra this ancient science and set of practices resurfacing in our culture today? Well people feel little if anything and we are mostly living our lives inside our thoughts, judgments, evaluations and assessments, essential living in our heads. As far as pleasure most are lacking. When most people feel it seems like they feel bad, sick, hurt, victimized or they are complaining. In fact some feel no pleasure at all. Pleasure shows up as anticipation rather than a sensual experience, one that can be sensed and felt. Remember really wanting something like a new car? Most likely when you got it the pleasure didn’t last very long. It wasn’t the feeling you expected from acquiring the new car right?

The powerful mind can imagine something that will bring us feelings of pleasure, but it actually takes the body to feel it. For many women, feeling strongly passionate was discouraged we were often told we were too emotional. Things were said to us such as “What are you having your period?” So we learned to bury our feelings and experience life in our heads. Our bodies became useful for wearing decorative adornments (attraction) and for getting us somewhere like from meeting to meeting (movement). In essence our bodies have become something we do and not a source of inner knowledge. Not bad, just not pleasurable and not healthy. Many women have become automatons rushing to work, caring for children and family members and trying to be loving partners. When it comes to relaxing and taking a breath we cannot seem to do it. We tend to focus on the pleasure of others not our own there never seems to be time for us. It is your birthright to feel pleasure and it’s also the feminine aspect of life to feel in essence you are honoring yourself as a women.

When you start this way of breathing and sensing you will naturally feel better, happier, passionate and more alive. Okay what does this have to do with Tantra? In Tantra you will learn to breathe properly along. Kegel exercises are taught; using your muscle contractions to build a charge in your body using the vital force of sexual energy. Once we learn to feel our feelings we can then learn to release them. Tantra teaches us to transmute the sexual energy into a spiritual connection with our “higher selves”; the result is eradication of feelings of shame and guilt as well as any other trauma we may have experienced earlier on in our lives. The outcome is pleasure, permission for unabashed life at its fullest “body and mind” connected working in union.

 Why you may want to practice Tantra:

1. Feel good about yourself, more attractive, self-confident and increase your capacity for pleasure. Learn to experience joy and fulfillment as a way of life.

2. Empower your well-being, eliminate toxins, eliminate stress, accept yourself as you are and release deep painful cellular memories so you can feel safe and whole.

3. To become focused and be able to set your intentions, do the practices and watch the laws of attraction bring what you want into your life.

4. Uplift your relationships and see others for who they really are, relate to their divine nature and trust your intuition.

5. Experience the expression of your deepest emotions. Know rapture, love, passion and BEYOND! BECOME your own BELOVED!  

This blog post was written by Laurie Handlers. You can learn more great tips from Laurie by visiting her website: http://www.butterflyworkshops.com or http://www.sexandhappiness.com .This blog post is part of our guest blogger series. These posts are meant to inspire and motivate women. They do not necessarily reflect the political, religious or other view points of http://www.bangleandclutch.com , Nannette Bosh, Nannette Bosh Inc., AskNannette Bosh, http://www.asknannette.com  or http://www.nannettebosh.com . We welcome your comments and questions. This post was provided courtesy of AskNannette.com. Thanks Laurie!!!! When you’re going out on the town we would love to see you in one of our event bags, you will find them at http://www.bangleandclutch.com/bags/event-bags.html/ .

Beautiful eyebrows frame the face and enhance your eyes. A set of well-defined eyebrows give a woman that polished look. So whether you’re browsing, (pun intended), at Bangle and Clutch or out enjoying these gorgeous summer days, everyone wants to look their best. Some women have naturally sparse eyebrows others may have gone a bit overboard with plucking. If that sounds like you then you know it can be a disaster. Filling in brows is the cure for a skimpy brow and can be done quickly and easily in a few steps.

1. Brush your brows with an eye brow brush (or you can use a baby toothbrush) in an upward motion.

2. Trim any long or straggly hairs (the ones closest to your nose) with small scissors.

3. Choose a brow pencil 1-2 shades LIGHTER than your hair color and using small strokes moving in the direction of the brow, filling in the sparse spots. For an even more natural look, try a firm angled brush and a brow powder.

4. Brush brows into place this helps blend the color beautifully.

5. To keep eyebrows locked into place all day, spray a bit of hair spray on your brow and brush lightly. VIOLA, the perfect brow!

This blog post was written by makeup artist Keira Karlin and is part of our guest blogger series at  http://www.bangleandclutch.com .Provided courtesy of http://www.asknannette.com These post are meant to inspire women and do not reflect the political religious or other views of Nannette Bosh, Nannette Bosh Inc., Bangle and Clutch or Ask Nannette. If you would like to connect with Keira please check out her website http://www.KeiraKarlin.com . Thanks Keira!!!!

You’ve built a business and now the money and the customers should be knocking down your door; right? WRONG! How are they going to find you? How do they know you exist? How do you reach your public? If you these answers have you stumped, then a quick lesson in PR is just what your business needs. Obtaining publicity may seem intimidating initially; as the media may critique our products or services. To some degree they seem to hold the persuasive power for your prospects. Yet, if you reach out to the media and offer your product or service, the media will seem a bit less intimidating. Essentially, you would set the tone to inform the media outlets about you, your services, any upcoming specials, and offer a discount or a freebie to the media. Ok: if permitted! Seriously it is a lot easier to make contact with someone from the media than you might think. Here are (3) sure fire strategies that you can use to get optimal results.

1. Research- During this step, you should perform your due diligence to read & study the media for which you would like to be featured. This media can range from your local paper, industry publications, mainstream magazines, popular websites and yes even television. Whichever route you choose, start to notice how business are covered or represented. Take notice of the industry journalists, their writing style and other pertinent information that may give you insight on how to send your press release. Submitting your publicity and/or new release is FREE!

2. Hot Trends & Topics – When reading your chosen paper or industry publication, what are the latest trends or hot topics that are being covered and how are businesses responding? Start to pay close attention to what your competitors are talking about it. If it is out of your niche area, become informed while leveraging your strong business contributions. Your goal is to tap into what the media is making a hot topic! You are an expert in your field so tout that knowledge and leverage it in the topic of interest. The journalist will notice your sheer tenacity and commitment to service.

3. Add Some Punch- We all know sex sells, but so does a punchy story. Start to think in terms of going against the grain to gain the following of the media. For example, if you own a hair salon, you may conduct a survey on the “sexiest haircut” for your customers. The media will pick up the story and voila you have coverage. It will best serve your business to start thinking outside of the box without becoming offensive or brash. Be bold, be coy, but be truthful!

This blog post was written by Antoinette Sykes. Thanks and we would like you to try one of our Carmel Exclusive Necklaces:  http://www.bangleandclutch.com/exclusives.html You can learn more great tips for your business by visiting Antoinette on her website: http:///www.growyourbusinessgirl.com .This blog post is part of our guest blogger series. These posts are meant to inspire and motivate women. They do not necessarily reflect the political, religious or other view points of http://www.bangleandclutch.com , Nannette Bosh, Nannette Bosh Inc., AskNannette Bosh, http://www.asknannette.com  or http://www.nannettebosh.com . We welcome your thoughts, comments and questions. This post was provided courtesy of AskNannette.com. Thanks Antoinette!!!

Are you considering dating after a divorce? What to do is daunting to consider dating after experiencing a divorce, especially after spending ten or more years with someone. By implementing these tips I am certain you will become more comfortable and even enjoy dating because it is a process that can be structured to fit your needs. There is no right time to start dating. Being ready to date is less about a timeline and more about how ready you are to have companionship in your life. If you are harboring negative feelings about your ex, are angry or resentful, are going through a legal battle you are most likely not ready. Or if you find yourself obsessing or continuously talking about your divorce with your friends so much that they are sick of hearing about it, you are not ready. Get busy and do things you enjoy. Try doing something that you have always wanted to do but did not because you were taking care of the household. You may want to take classes to explore what you want to create in your life now. Take your time meeting new people and learn about them over time. Put less focus on dating and more focus on you experiences new things and new people with the goal of creating a new you and your new life. On the other hand, if you are considering the following questions you may be ready to start dating. What do I want my dating experience to be like? What to I want the second or third date to be like? How soon will I have sex when dating? When will I introduce my date to my children/family? When will I feel comfortable with my date knowing where I live? How do I want to be treated during the date and by my date?

Dating is a healthy choice when you are madly in love with your “SELF”. Know how you want your dating experience to look like is an indication that you are complete with your past relationship, and that you feel excited about your new found freedom. This blog post was written by Dr. Dar and is part of our guest blogger series. I you would like to connect with Dr. Dar you can visit her on the web at: http://www.relationshipsuccessexpert.com .

These post are meant to be inspiring to women and do not necessarily reflect the religious, political or other view points of Nannette Bosh, Nannette Bosh Inc., http://www.bangleandclutch.com, Ask Nannette, asknannette.com or nannettebosh.com. As always we welcome your thoughts and comments. We think Dr. Dar would look good wearing http://www.bangleandclutch.com/jewelry/necklaces/alexandria-violet.html/