Filipinos have a significant presence in Canada, with a large nationwide community. Filipinos are one of the fastest-growing immigrant groups in Canada. They contribute to the country’s cultural diversity and economic growth.

Filipinos in Canada are dispersed throughout the country, but they have significant concentrations in urban centers such as Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary, among others. These cities offer employment opportunities and established Filipino communities that provide support to newcomers.

Many Filipinos in Canada work in various sectors, including healthcare, education, hospitality, and caregiving. Many Filipino immigrants are employed as caregivers under the Live-In Caregiver Program, which allows them to gain permanent residency after fulfilling certain requirements.

Filipinos contribute to Canada’s cultural landscape through their vibrant traditions, cuisine, music, and festivals. They actively participate in community events and celebrations, promoting Filipino culture and fostering multiculturalism.

Christal was born and raised in Toronto and is of Filipino descent. She talks about her love for Mexican wrestling and beauty contests.

Christal welcome to my series on Millennials. Tell me a little about you.

My name is Christal. The best way to describe me is that the best things come in small packages! I am 23 years young, born and raised in Toronto, and of Filipino descent. I’m passionate about health and beauty.  I am a nurse and a lash artist. I love animals. I am a dog mama of two. Music has always been the fruit of my soul ever since I was a child and lastly, Lucha Libre brings me life!

Talk to me about your experience of winning the beauty pageant here in Canada and your trip to India.

I never thought I’d be able to participate in a beauty pageant in my life, so winning Mrs. Empress Universe Canada was an honor out of the many who competed in Canada. Visiting India at the international grand finale for a week, with the other contestants around the world was a great learning experience. I was excited to explore a new country and connect with all the beautiful souls globally, now I have many sisters in various countries! The week was a roller coaster, but I took so much knowledge back to guide me if I ever decide to pursue this again in the future.

Share your passion for nursing and your business.

Currently, I work full-time at a medical cannabis clinic in Toronto. By nature, I love helping others and I want to break the stigma against the use of cannabis. It has incredible benefits for people who continue to suffer, even after having tried almost everything including traditional and alternative medicine. Whichever field of nursing I am in (previously I was in pediatrics and cosmetic dermatology), I am dedicated to my patient care and no doubt will advocate for them.

On the side, I am a lash artist offering beauty services including classic eyelash extensions and eyelash lifts and tints. I mainly do this for friends and family, as I have a hectic schedule but I would love to do it more often. What got me into this was getting extensions done on myself years ago and I decided to pursue it. I love beauty in general and how it can enhance one’s self-confidence. I also do make-up for fun. I am now enjoying experimenting with looks and colors on myself. Hopefully, I can go to makeup school in the near future and get a certificate for it.

What do you like about the present world?

I like that the present world is starting to open their eyes and become more acceptable and inclusive. For example, in regards to gay marriage, cannabis legalization, animal rights, skin color, gender roles, etc. Some of these issues were never spoken about or shunned if you were “different”. Today, views in society have changed. We are starting to speak up for ourselves, finding equity among each other. We are reaching out with open arms slowly and though the entire world isn’t on board, we are slowly making progress and that’s what really matters.

What should we know about Millennials?

There’s always something the new generation nowadays is following that Millennials made popular whether it is the latest fashion trend, the most creative food invention, the next vacation spot, or the newest music. Millennials are trendsetters. But most importantly, Millennials are goal diggers. We lead ourselves towards paths never thought imaginable by our own parents. We are the ones capable of making a significant change for the world’s tomorrow.

Talk to me about married life and the ups and downs haha?

I think that married life for me feels the same as my relationship was from the beginning. My husband and I were already living together before marriage. Now, we just have a legal title and I finally have a Spanish last name! The biggest positive is knowing that someone else (other than your family) loves and cares for you unconditionally, and that “home” is not defined by a house but rather a person; my husband. The downside for us is probably finance. But I think money is always an issue for people unless you are rich and living a lavish lifestyle. Either way, we are working on it and trying to save more for our future! Money can’t buy happiness.

How did you become so interested in Lucha Libre?

It all started when my husband introduced me to a show that used to be on Netflix called “Lucha Underground”. I used to really love wrestling as a child growing up so I thought, why not? I forgot how much I enjoyed wrestling and found a new style I am in love with which is Lucha Libre! Personally, I’ve met a few luchadores from Mexico and we keep in touch here and there they’re not only great fighters but great people too. The best thing is going to live Lucha Libre events in Toronto. The most memorable events I attended were hosted by Demand Lucha–everything was so up close and personal! I really want to go to Mexico City and see what it’s like over there… Viva la Lucha Libre!

What does WCW, MCM ICYMI Yaaas catfish mean in millennial speak?

Honestly, these acronyms make me laugh but shake my head. It reminds me of a bunch of “new school” talk which I am guilty of using sometimes, especially yaaassss!!! And my husband? He’s my “MCE” or man-crush every day! Oh, and catfish isn’t just a fish that you can eat!

How do you balance faith, finance, food, and fame in your life?

Sometimes in life, it’s hard to find a balance between finance, food, and fame because one can outweigh the other, but as long as you have faith and trust in the Lord, then everything will come along in time as God knows His plans for us.

Name some good Filipino restaurants in Toronto.

Hands down, the best cooking comes from my mother-in-law so if you want mouth-watering Filipino food then you are more than welcome to come over for dinner! But, if I were to tell you about a good Filipino restaurant, it would have to be “Tinuno” (pretty much meaning to cook over a fire or grill) near Sherbourne & Bloor, in Toronto. They have some great food to offer with their Boodle Fight option–where food is placed in the center of a banana leaf and eaten using your hands with a group of people. You should check them out for a delicious and authentic experience.

What is your favorite quote?

I love Bible passages but one quote I live by (and got tattooed) is “Cero Miedo” which translates to “Zero-Fear” in Spanish. It’s one of my favorite luchadores, Pentagon Jr’s slogan in the ring. I believe that the best things in life come when we step out of our comfort zone. Life may not always be in our favor, but once we let fear overcome our thoughts, we create “what ifs” instead of learning from our experiences. True warriors are afraid of nothing and embrace their fears to make themselves better people.

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Arooba Najaf is your typical millennial.

International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8 globally to highlight the economic, social, political, and cultural achievements of women. It is a day for a call to action for accelerating women’s equality.

Aruba is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea. Arooba Najaf calls herself a #typicalmillennials. She likes being on the move, jumping between tasks, and looking forward to the future possibilities that will come her way.  Arooba Najaf is a visual entrepreneur, social media influencer, blogger, and motivational speaker. I catch up with her about what inspires her to show the beauty of her work.

Arooba, I love your name. Does it mean something?

My name means Congrats in Arabic.

Please tell my audience something important about you.

Something important about me is that I am very passionate about the arts and helping others.

Walk me through the city you live in, the culture, the food scene, and name three good restaurants?

The city I live in is Matawan, New Jersey. The culture in this small town is very diverse, vibrant, and full of life. The town is represented for its sports. We are a close-knit community. What I love about Matawan is the people and stories within the town. We all come from different backgrounds yet our struggles make us close. In the town of Matawan, the food scene is very diverse. There are so many amazing restaurants to taste as well as discover such as Angelos Pizza, Aby’s Mexican Restaurant, and Amravathi Indian Restaurant.

What does women’s empowerment mean to you?

To, me women empowerment is women having the power to change the world.

In terms of career, what are you doing and what are the future plans?

Right now, I’m a freelancer in the visual content business and a creative entrepreneur. My future plans are honestly uncertain but whatever the future has in store I’m ready for it. Yes, there will be roadblocks and obstacles but life is about taking chances as well as learning.

How has social media impacted your society?

Social media has impacted my society that sometimes what we see isn’t worth it. You have to work hard and hustle. Instagram, for example, shows that you need to travel and be pretty, in reality, it’s an optical illusion.

I have a 15-year-old daughter, what advice would you give her?

To teenagers today, the advice I would give them is to be yourself and don’t get caught up in high school drama. Enjoy, high school but live in the moment, not for the likes but the experience. Because life is full of experiences and memories.

Rapid Fire Questions:

Favorite food:  Chicken Tikka

Favorite dish:   Chicken Biryani

Favorite movie: The Glass Castle

Favorite actor:  Bri Larson

Favorite city:   Los Angeles and San Francisco although I never been

Choose three people you would like to have a meal with. Why? What is one question you would ask them?

The three people I would like to have a meal with would be my grandma, Gary Vee, and Marie Forleo. I would ask them what inspires them to keep going and to motivate others.

If you were chosen to go to Mars. What five things would you take with you?

The five things I would take to Mars would be my camera, photos of my family, tons of food, sunglasses, and Polaroid.

If you had a choice which century would you prefer to live and why?

The century I would love to live in would be the 60s. I love the fashion during that time and the vintage feels from that century. I know I’m a bit old school but I love this century for being bright yet full of colors. I learned a lot about it through the show Mad Men.

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What is self-care? Self-care is the intentional and concerned process of taking care of and improving your mental, emotional, physical, financial, and spiritual health with a balanced lifestyle. During this pandemic, it can be stressful and self-care is important. I strongly recommend that you eat well, sleep 8 hrs a day, maintain your social network, exercise, take care of your spiritual needs, have financial security and focus on the end of the tunnel.

Self-care is taking care of yourself and it is very important.

I have gone to the gym and eaten healthily for most of my life. I have taken care of my finances. These are examples of self-care. One area I was neglecting was my emotional self-care. I volunteered as a financial counselor, helped many friends go through a divorce and their own emotional challenges. I neglected boundaries and realized my gifts are not in the area of counseling and giving emotional support. I was burned out and it was impacting my marriage and parenting.

We can embrace busyness because that is the status symbol. We try to be busy so that we can feel important. I have learned to say NO to a lot of volunteer and other positions offered to me. I had to have a holistic approach to life.

The moment we align our goals, values, and ethos with our job, friends, charitable giving, and the various organizations that we are part of, cognitive dissonance disappears. We are happy. We live a purpose-driven life. Everything makes sense.

Over the next couple of weeks, this is what I want you to do. The job you have. Do you love it? Are you passionate about it? Does it work with your core competence and skillsets? The friends you have. Are they toxic? Do you hang out with them because of your own insecurity? Are they taking you to where you want to go in life? What about where you live, where you worship, and other organizations that you are part of?

I am asking you to take an inventory of where you are at. We get so caught up in financial net worth that we forget about our emotional, mental, psychological, spiritual worth? What is your identity?

It is 2022. We are still in the midst of a pandemic. Please stay safe and take care of yourself.

Josie D is the creator behind The Cheetah Buzz, a unique lifestyle blog on fashion, beauty, and travel. I catch up with her and talk about personal style, beauty trends, and self-care.

Josie, I am excited to talk to you about fashion, travel, and beauty. I want to know something about you?

Thank you so much for interviewing little ole’ me. I feel so humbled and blessed for this opportunity! One thing about me is that I was born in Accra, Ghana and I came to the United States when I was 6 ½ years old. I believe it will be about 22 years since I’ve been living in the States. I’m also a big fan of yellow cake and anything sweet!

I like The Cheetah Buzz. How did the name come about?

Thank you so much! During my freshman year of college, while I was chilling in my friend’s dorm room, her roommate busted in and told me I looked like a cheetah when I smiled lol. I thought it was really funny and it just stuck in my head. In 2017, when I started a portfolio of my pictures on Instagram, I named it The Cheetah Buzz and that snowballed over to the name of my blog!

I want to know how does one find our own personal style and not get caught following the crowd?

One thing I always stress is figuring out what colors you like to see yourself in, from there, you can build and figure out what textures and fabrics to gravitate towards. My recent blog post about finding your personal style touches more about this topic. To stand out from the crowd, it’s also important to not follow trends as they come and go, but instead be comfortable in doing your own thing. Let people copy off of your style not you copy of off theirs. Be a trendsetter!

Give women some tips on how they can dress better?

One way to learn how to dress better is to download fashion apps like the Combyne app and the Closet Love app. These apps will help you create and style different outfits so you can see which shirts, jeans, shoes, and accessories pair well together.  Once you do that, then you can implement some of those ideas into your own closet and see what pairs well together there. Another tip is to pick one accessory such as a pair of shoes or a silver necklace and create a look around that one item. You can turn this into a fun challenge!

My daughter is 16. What are some self-care drug store products she must own?

When I was 16, I wish I had the Clean & Clear Day & Night Face Wash 2 Pack to keep the pimples away. This product is both oil-free and hypoallergenic. Also, at this age, I was experimenting with lots of makeup, so the Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Wipes and the Lypsyl Lip Balm always came in handy. The wipes removed all of my makeup and the lip balm kept my lips super moisturized.

What are the beauty trends for 2021?

I’m not really sure what the beauty trends for 2021 will be as 2020 has been a stay at home look for a lot of people due to the lockdown. But what I’m hoping is less is more and loving the skin you’re in will be the beauty trend for women in 2021. Based on what I see on social media, fashion runways, and in music videos, it looks like lip glosses, defined eyebrows, colorful makeup, bejeweled eyes, and big lashes are staying strong; so maybe they might roll over into 2021.

Self-care, Self-love is not selfish. Please comment?

If something or outside forces are hurting your mental health and overall wellbeing, it’s definitely not selfish to put yourself first and treat yourself back to health. What good are you to others or to society if you don’t take good care of yourself or even love yourself? When you take care of yourself first, then you’ll be more productive in helping others, and that for sure is not selfish.

What does women’s empowerment mean to you and what is it not?

Women’s empowerment is uplifting and fixing another woman’s crown when you see it tilt. This can refer to a lot of things. When you see, hear or read that another woman is going through some hard times or is feeling weak, reach out and lend an ear to them and let her know that you got her back and you are there to listen.

Woman empowerment is speaking out on issues that are hurting or will cause a problem for other women in the community. Woman empowerment does not mean bringing other women down so you can make yourself feel better. It’s also not being envious of other woman’s achievements or successes just because you are not successful yourself. I like to be in the mindset of when one woman is successful at something, we (women as a whole) are all successful too.

Talk to me a little bit about Ghana. I want to know about its vibrant culture and food scene?

Ghana is a beautiful country. I recently traveled to my hometown of Accra, Ghana back in 2018. My sister and I stayed in a local city called Agbogba. The streets were filled with tons of cars, buses, taxis, and lots of vendors trying to sell people things. There were tons of palm trees nearby and the sand was like a beautiful dark, orange-brown color. The houses were big and beautifully made with their own personalities. People were always smiling and happy about life. It’s definitely a great place to retire lol.

The locals spoke a lot of different languages including Ga, Twi, Ewe, and English of course. I believe the food was the best part of Ghana. You had a wide variety of savory foods to choose from like fufu with palm nut stew, banku with okra stew and crab, jollof rice with lots of goat meat, and kenkey with shito and fried fish, among many others.

I was never a people pleaser. I sleep better. You talk a lot about how people-pleasing can be destructive. Walk me through how it can be harmful?

Lol lucky you! Yes, I have always been a people pleaser since I was little. I think it was just embedded in me to be that way as a child. I was always taught to follow orders and help people out whether I wanted to or not. If I didn’t and told someone no, the guilt I would feel almost made doing the thing for that person better than the feeling of telling them no.

As a people pleaser, it hurt my personal self-care because I always put others’ needs before my own which made me rely upon and put my trust in people. And then when people would disappoint me, the hurt cut through me more than anything — and that is the destructive part about it. Now as a recovering people pleaser, I know I cannot put my trust in others anymore and I cannot be afraid to say no especially if hinders my mental health or overall wellbeing.

I love the fact that you talk about positive affirmation. Share a little about that?

Positive affirmations are so powerful! When you recite positive affirmations, the words can shift your perspective on how you see yourself. Though your circumstances or surroundings may be poor, if you tell yourself I am rich every day, you will start to believe that and that can manifest into you finding ways to become rich or make you look at different parts of your life in a positive way and know that you are rich in other ways: you are rich in health, rich in life, and rich because you have a family that loves you and so forth. Positive affirmations can make a world of difference.

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Kylie is a personal trainer, fitness nutritionist specialist, and mother. She is a firm believer in women empowering themselves and to practice intentional living. This intentional living is a blessing that gives you the power to nourish your body and soul and to thrive with self-love, self-worth, and confidence. It will make you radiant in every area of life.

Kylie, tell me something unique and different about you?

I love journaling! I once heard someone say, “Wisdom lies in the questions, not the answers.” It is through journaling that I truly understood how powerful questions are. The prompts in journals always set me off into deep thoughts and reflections, uncovering so many insights and clarity. Journaling has expanded my views and guided me to give thoughts on critical issues and aspects of life that I normally wouldn’t have given much attention to. So, I am constantly on a lookout for good journals!

I love the word empowering and intentional living. Talk to me about how you use it in your practice?

To bring health and nutrition effortlessly into your life, it’s crucial that we look at your life in its entirety rather than just solely nutrition. You are a real person with a career to excel in, family to raise, and passions to pursue. Your life doesn’t revolve just around nutrition. It’s not realistic to focus only on nutrition and neglect other aspects of your life. Merging intentional living with nutrition will allow these two components to sync and flow seamlessly; rather than trying to fit things in haphazardly. Intentional living is integrated through journaling components in the Nutrition Blueprint that my clients will be crafting.

Talking about empowerment, there are many ways to empower oneself. There are also many ways people give up their power unknowingly. In the case of nutrition, some of us change and compromise our lifestyle to adhere to meal plans or diets. We are giving up our rights to live life the way we desire and often end up feeling miserable. Education is one way of empowering yourself to take your power back but there’s a catch.

Knowledge is important but the ability to apply this knowledge safely, effectively and consistently is critical. True empowerment through education is achieved when you combine knowledge with skillsets to implement them. Information alone seldom leads to results. You can buy as many meal plans, fitness plans or courses as you like. If you don’t work on them consistently or if you don’t apply them appropriately, nothing will work.

It’s not my practice to give my clients a meal plan or diet and ask them to “Follow this and don’t deviate.” I equip my clients with essential nutrition knowledge, so they know the reason why they are doing something. They will know the purpose of every step and action plan. It will never be a case of “doing it for the sake of doing” without understanding. I also develop their skillsets to implement nutrition principles so that nutrition flow into their life and is sustainable. These skillsets will also work for other aspects of their life, be it picking up a new hobby or a new habit. Combining knowledge, skills, and clarity, my clients will truly be empowered. They can confidently make adjustments and be flexible about how they integrate nutrition principles into their life.

What kind of a coach are you? I like that you say if someone is looking for a quick fix then you are not the right fit.

I’m a firm believer that it’s not what you do that matters, it’s whether you can do it consistently. No matter how small the action is, if you can do it consistently, you will see results. Most importantly, it will last. Never undermine the power of small, consistent actions. Quick fixes may give you great results, but if it’s not a lifestyle that you can keep up in the long run, the results won’t last. You will go back to where you began and start over again and again. It becomes a vicious cycle that repeats indefinitely. You will be deflated and feel like a total failure even when it’s not exactly your fault. It’s just a fact that quick fixes are not meant to yield long-term sustainable results.

I know life is busy and can be messy, which may be the reason why quick fixes seem so attractive. No matter which stage you are in your health journey, I will meet you where you are. Together we will work with your lifestyle, your schedule, your level of ability, your resources, your environment, your preferences, etc. It’s about integrating things in a harmonious manner rather than forcing nutrition into their life.

Walk me through your struggles with motherhood, what changed and how are you a different person?

I have had several health issues that I needed to deal with postpartum. Juggling motherhood and health issues were tough. I constantly felt guilty when I needed to take some time off for myself. I also felt like a failure when I couldn’t manage the daily responsibilities of taking care of a newborn, housework, etc. I crumbled under the stress. I knew I had to work through those struggles but there was no clear solution.

On a random day when I was observing my child fumbling with her toys and trying to figure out how the toy works, I had a sudden realization. I felt so much joy seeing her explore. Even when she made a mistake, I would still cheer her on. We are so forgiving towards babies who are learning and yet we are so harsh on ourselves when falling short on our own expectations and mistakes. That moment, I knew how I can work things out. That is to act from a place of love.

I stopped picking on my shortcomings. I reminded myself that I am still learning as a first-time mother and patient. I focused on my strengths and what I can do best for my child and my health. I cheered myself on, just like how I cheered my child on. With this approach, my blind spots slowly surfaced. It’s like I’m learning about myself all over again. I’ve re-learned so many values and mind-sets together with my child.

Since then, I see myself as a student of life, always learning and growing. Challenges are lessons that life uses to nurture and teach us. It’s ok to stumble and fall, just like a baby falls while learning to walk. It’s also important to have some form of a self-care routine to help you rest and rejuvenate. It’s only when you are in a great space mentally and physically will you be able to give your 100%. It’s true to say, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.”

We are living fast lives and never slowing down at the expense of our health and nutrition. Give me a more realistic way as to how we can approach this?

In this hectic world, we are constantly multitasking and even operating on auto-pilot mode. It’s no wonder so many of us are burned-out and stopped noticing the little things in life. It may even sound daunting to allocate time for health and nutrition.

Truth is, we don’t need big and extreme actions to improve our health and nutrition.

Remember we discussed small consistent actions earlier on? Here’s how you can approach it:

1. Decide on an area you would like to improve on or a goal you would like to achieve.
2. List down actions that you think will help you in reaching that goal.
3. Pick one action you are confident in implementing successfully.
4. Ask yourself if the action is small enough to be acted on consistently on a daily basis.
   1. If yes, decide how exactly you are going to do it and then do it!
   2. If no, think about how you can break that action down into smaller steps that can be acted on consistently every day.
5. Once you feel comfortable and are able to act on this action consistently, you can repeat the process to select another action.

The key is to make that step small, easy and quick to do. It may be as simple as drinking one extra glass of water every day or doing a 5 minutes’ stretch every morning. As long as you can do it consistently, you are doing great! You can download the cheat sheet here for quick reference.

If I hire you as a coach, can I go to Mcdonalds, have a coke, and eat ice cream?

Yes, you can! In fact, McDonald’s’ is my favorite fast-food chain. I love their Fillet-O-Fish burger, French fries, and Hot Fudge Sundae! Adhering to any particular diet or cutting out any food category is not necessary unless it is due to a medical condition or required by your medical doctor. There’s no “bad” or “good” food. It’s how we eat and how much we eat that matters. In excessive quantity, even beneficial nutrients like Vitamin A can become toxic.

Talk to me about the city you live in. I want to know the food scene and the amazing restaurants and why should we visit?

I’m from the sunny island of Singapore! It’s summer all year round over here. If you love the sun and beach, our island is the perfect travel destination.

Food Centres are where the locals usually go for our daily meals. There’s a wide range of tasty food selection, all at affordable prices. The best part is you can enjoy Michelin Starred food at the Food Centres without breaking the bank! Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice is possibly the most famous chicken rice in Singapore. Its flagship stall is at Maxwell Food Centre. American celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain once commented that the rice from Tian Tian is exceptionally fragrant, flavorsome, and is delicious on its own. There was an exciting “Hawker Heroes Challenge” in 2013 which Gordon Ramsay took part in and lost out to Tian Tian. So be sure to try Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice when you visit Singapore!

The post Practice Intentional Living appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

Sharon Hussey is a senior hairstylist who works in the Durham region. Sharon Hussey works for L’Oréal Professionnel Canada as one of their Artistic Portfolio Artists. She travels to teach master classes and present stage work for the current looks and trends for L’Oréal. She has been working as a stylist for a decade and comes from a wonderful family of 8 (4 brothers and 1 sister). Sharon along with her three younger brothers were adopted. This has changed her life and so much of who she is.

International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8^th every year. It is an important day for women’s rights. On February 28, 1909, the Socialist Party of America organized a Women’s Day in New York City. In 1910 at the International Socialist Woman’s Conference, German delegates Paula Thiede, Kate Duncker, and Clara Zetkin suggested a ‘special Women’s Day’ be organized. In 1917, women gained suffrage in Russia and March 8 became a national holiday. Women’s Day was celebrated only in communist and socialist countries. In 1967, the feminist movement adopted it. In 1977, the United Nations began celebrating it.

Four Columns is all about inspiring and empowering women to live a balanced life. To celebrate Women’s Day, I am interviewing various women, from different backgrounds.

I love your exotic and beautiful hairstyle posts on Facebook. Sorry, I cannot be your client, but talk to me about different hairstyles, faces, looks, and what is in style right now?

The great thing about fashion and trends currently is that anything goes, there’s a lot of modern inspirations from previous decades which I can appreciate. I could spend the whole blog on this one question but I won’t and keep it short and straight to the point.

What makes you so special about being a stylist and why should my audience come to see you?

I have always cared about helping others. I want them to feel their best. As a hairstylist, I have the opportunity to spend time with my friends, family, and clients, getting to know them, who they are, who they want to be, and be a small part in making them feel they have their best foot forward. My job is so much more than hair. I build relationships, go through many life experiences, both exciting and amazing, and also horrible and tragic. I have lost clients to health problems, old age as well as see them get married, have babies, graduate from elementary school to finishing their masters. I think my heart for community and my passion for the beauty industry has put me in a unique position to have real conversations with no topics off-limits as well as an unbiased ear to listen when a client needs it as well celebrate when the celebration is a must.

I have seen you perform on stage and I like your funky styles. Help me understand some of the challenges you have faced in life and how did you overcome it?

Fashion and style have always been a fun way to express me. I like to keep my style interesting and current with what’s going on in the industry. My obsession as some may say has been a part of me as early as my memories go. Its hard to explain, but as a creative person both in art and music, I find that fashion is just the extent of that in my life.

My faith has always been a central part of who I am. I think that understanding where I came from and what God has for me has been the foundation of overcoming challenges and obstacles that come my way. I have amazing parents who have always tried their best to guide me and teach me what really matters and that I am stronger and capable of great things even when I don’t feel it.  I think it’s crucial to have mentors and wise people that are further along in this journey of life and so I have surrounded myself with those types of people in all areas of my life. We cannot do life alone, nor should we, so it’s important to know that and seek others that can help you navigate through all that life throws at you.

Time and time again I hear single women tell me the dating scene is horrible in the GTA. What can men and women do better?

I wish I had an answer to this. I don’t think there is a perfect answer that I know of, or at least short enough for this blog.  I just keep doing me and don’t stress or worry about being single. I love where I’m at and what I have accomplished. I refuse to miss out on life, longing for something or someone that isn’t. So that would be my advice, be content and ok in singleness, and don’t put life on hold until a relationship happens. It will happen when it happens.

Rapid Fire Questions

Favorite restaurant in Toronto: El Catrin (Mexican style) -Distillery District

Favorite Café: Jet Fuel – Cabbage Town which is in my neighborhood or Boxcar Social on the Toronto Harbour Front

Favorite Shopping Mall: Toronto Eaton Center is my go-to because its the closest to me but I also love a good outlet with lots of good sales.

What are you reading presently: I am not a huge reader, but started reading Michelle Obama’s book “Becoming”. She’s such a leader and her story is so incredible from where she started in Chicago to then becoming the first lady. She had so many obstacles but never let that stop her from pursuing her dreams and I find that so inspirational.

What are you listening to these days: I listen to a lot of podcasts. Most are about true crime, comedy, and personal growth, it all depends on what I’m feeling as I’m commuting to work. I have to say it has made commuting so much better and less frustrating.

Favorite Quote: I don’t have a favorite quote but my favorite poem is: Our Deepest Fear By Marianne Williamson

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness
That most frighten us.

We ask ourselves
Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.

You’re playing small
Does not serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking
So that other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine,
As children do.
We were born to make manifest
The glory of God is within us.

It’s not just in some of us;
It’s in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine,
We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we’re liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.

Choose someone famous you would like to have a meal with: It’s actually a famous couple, Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell. I find them funny, smart, and fascinating.

You are on your feet a lot and are constantly working. How do you balance faith, finance, time with friends, and food?

Oh man, this is the golden question. To be honest, it’s a constant struggle and I’m still trying to figure it out. Some days I am great at it and some days I am horrible at it. I think the key is to recognize the importance and put a plan together to make sure that there is some balance. I have gone down to 4 days at the salon, so when I work my contract work with L’Oréal, I am working a 5-day week and not a 6-day week. I’m learning to say no and not yes to every commitment asked. I’m really paying attention to my limits. I try to see friends at least once a week and sometimes more and talk to family a few times a week, especially if I can’t see them. It’s really all a juggling act and I’m constantly trying to figure it out and keep it balanced.

The post Sharon Hussey: Swagger, Sympathy and Sensibility appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

Ashley Wray is a Millennial. She is barely 25 years old, got married, divorced, has seen 26 countries, and is starting a business. She is honest, real, vulnerable, and in touch with what is going on in her life. I got together with her over a coffee to talk about love, peace, food, faith, family, finance, travel, spirituality, nature, women empowerment, the future, and about her being a Goddess.

International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8^th every year. It is an important day for women’s rights. On February 28, 1909, the Socialist Party of America organized a Women’s Day in New York City. In 1910 at the International Socialist Woman’s Conference, German delegates Paula Thiede, Kate Duncker, and Clara Zetkin suggested a ‘special Women’s Day’ be organized. In 1917, women gained suffrage in Russia and March 8 became a national holiday. Women’s Day was celebrated only in communist and socialist countries. In 1967, the feminist movement adopted it. In 1977, the United Nations began celebrating it.

Four Columns is all about inspiring and empowering women to live a balanced life. To celebrate Women’s Day, I am interviewing various women, from different backgrounds.

Ashley Wray, you are one of the most real, vulnerable, open people I have met in my life. So, tell me a little about you?

Firstly, I just wanted to thank you for interviewing me and having me on your blog.

I haven’t quite figured out my “life purpose”. I know for sure that part of my purpose is definitely making other people feel validated and loved in this life. I was bullied when I was younger and that helped me realize that I wanted to work in a field where I could positively impact and help people. I love exploring different healing modalities. I’m currently exploring shamanic healing. I find shamanic healing very interesting.  I hope to be able to one day offer this healing to my clients around the world. I love traveling. I’ve traveled to 26 different countries with Guatemala, Mexico City, and Arizona next on my travel agenda. I’m a modern Goddess, feminist, and lover of all living things.

Ashley you are barely 25, have been married for a couple of years and divorced. Walk me through the experience and what did you learn and how did you change because of it?

Jerry, I’ve always thought about writing a book, about how my early days impacted me so strongly and made me the woman I am today. It’s hard to go really into those experiences without writing pages and pages worth but I’ll do my best to really give your readers an idea of who I am today and my story.

I moved to England when I was 19. I was very unhappy and I was wanting to escape a very abusive situation. I had this dream to start fresh and couldn’t think of a perfect place to do it but to move to a country across the world. The thought of being foreign in a foreign place where I knew absolutely no one and no one knew me was the perfect scenario.  This was the first time I had left the abusive situations that I had been in and out of for over 10 years.

It wasn’t until I left Canada, that I felt safe enough to start the self-healing process. Within that healing process, I meet my ex-husband a couple of weeks after moving to England. Looking back, I understand that the attraction to each other was so deep because we were both wounded soldiers.

What I learned most from that situation was the “Law of Attraction” and how real it really is. Like attracts like. He intensified all the wounds inside me, the feelings of not being worthy of love and not being good enough to receive love is what I felt most when I was with him. I continued to pretend that I was fine but I was desperately falling apart on the inside. On the outside, I was posting the most Instagram-worthy photos of us in love. I wasn’t authentic, but it wasn’t because I didn’t want to be but that I was ashamed to express the real me and what was going on in my world.

This was a long lesson that lasted 4 years and I’m so grateful for all it taught me. I learned that the people that we attract are mirrors of what we are needing to experience or lessons we are meant to have in this lifetime. It’s all for a reason and maybe that reason will never be known :). 

What does female empowerment mean to you in the 21st century?

Female empowerment to me means feeling empowered to rise in our own unique ways and support each other and all the woman around the world on their journeys. It is such an important historical time to be a woman. Women all over the world are rising and stepping into their power. It is  F*#^!N$ AMAZING to be a part of and to be a woman in 2019! For so long women have been suppressed and to finally be a part of this generation, to be able to break free of the suppression is amazing. We can stand together knowing that we have each other’s back. I am all for the #metoo movement, #timesup movement, and #freethenipple movement.

You are a big fan of getting in touch with yourself. How did you come to this revelation and how are you helping other people heal?

I’m able to get in touch with myself the most by disconnecting from the world and connecting to the universe. I love planning a 2-day retreat or solo vacations when I’m feeling like I need to realign with myself again. I’ve found that having a strong self-care foundation is really important for me and so I’ve found things that I know bring me instant joy. These things include a special hot chocolate recipe, a walk by the water, a foot massage, writing in my journal, and meditation. I believe that I’m helping others heal by being my most authentic self. I’m working through the feelings of shame and guilt and giving myself permission to be free by being ME. I hope that allows other people to feel like they can be themselves also.

What do you do for work and do you feel fulfilled with what you’re doing?

I work at a clinic in Toronto called Province Apothecary doing intuitive organic facials and I also educate health-conscious brands on the benefits of natural health and skincare. I’m in the middle of creating my business called Moonspace which is a healing space for the modern-day woman. I’ll be offering personalized intuitive readings, energy medicine treatments, and meditation circles. I really want to create a beautiful space where women can be honored and celebrated. My intention is that women will leave the space feeling restored and empowered.

Let’s talk about spirituality. I am a big fan of unconditional love, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, compassion, do good to others, overcome evil with good, charity and forgiveness. Do we have anything in common here? What is your spirituality and is there a place for God in that?

I’m definitely a spiritual person- I believe in the oneness of the universe. I like having an open mind and being open to everyone’s beliefs. I love learning about different religions and creating something that works for me. Sometimes I pray to God, other times Buddha. I chant, I sing, I dance. I consistently live from my heart, a place of love for others and the world. I’m grateful either way for the source that watches over me and listens and responds to all my prayers.

Food nourishes the soul. Is this sentence relatable to you?

Food is my medicine and so is drinking plenty of water. Eating healthy is important to me because its another form of self-care and love. My body feels more alive when I’m eating fresh foods and I have a diet rich in fruit and vegetables. I love cooking and I love getting inspired by cookbooks and travel. I’m not a vegan or vegetarian which I think most people think I would be. I love tuning in to my body and asking my body what it needs. Sometimes my body will tell me it wants a plant-based diet for a week or so and then it will totally switch things up and wants a chicken burger. Someone once asked me if I was a “flexitarian” SURE! If I need a label… call me a flexitarian ;).

I love nature, it is the best gift we have received from our creator. How do you connect with nature?

I feel so connected when I’m in nature. I’m so grateful that we are able to have a connection with nature. I love the warmth and I feel like I come alive the most when I’m in warmer climates because I’m consistently connecting with nature.

I find my relationship harder with nature living in Toronto in the winter because I find it difficult to be outside in the cold. I am totally a tree-hugging hippie lol- I’ve hugged so many trees.

When my ex and I first broke up and I moved back to Toronto in the summer I would go to the lake every single day. I would whisper to the lake, the flowers, the birds, and the trees and tell them my worries. I felt listened to, I felt held and I would always leave feeling lighter and more connected to myself. I can’t explain the healing that started to take place by connecting to these elements but I wanted to give back to nature. I felt like I was receiving such an abundance of healing that I wanted to give back to Mother Earth the way she gave to me so I would bring the birds seeds and I would pick up garbage by the lake.

Nature has healed me in so many ways. I’d love to move somewhere warm one day. I went to Hawaii for vacation a couple of months ago and took surfing lessons WOW! A totally different connection to nature. I’d love to surf every day and be in warm saltwater.

How has meditation helped you in dealing with stuff?

Mediation has become a part of my everyday morning ritual when I first wake up. It’s time that I dedicate myself to breathing and connecting back to myself. Meditation has taught me how to breathe and how important my relationship with my breath is. Our breath is what keeps us alive and we can always use our breath as a compass for how we are feeling. If our breath is very fast, we are probably feeling anxious and if we control our breath, we can help feel less anxious and calmer. Meditation has given me clarity on what I’m wanting to manifest in my life. Quieting my mind and listening to my soul’s sweet whispers. Where will she take me next?

Ashley, at a young age you have seen a lot, done a lot, experienced a lot. What is next?

Thank you, Jerry. I’m not sure exactly what is next. I’d love to continue to fall deeper in love with myself, build an empire, continue to rise with other women, fall deeply in love one day with someone who worships me, travel more of the world, have a home somewhere hot by the beach and feel so much joy and happiness in my life.

The post Ashley Wray: The Love Goddess appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

We all need help in our lives.

Life is full of challenges. No one escapes it.

I truly believe that everything that happens to us is ten percent. Ninety percent depends on if you get up and face the reality of life.

For many of us, 2020 will go down as the worst year of our lives.

In 2020, my wife got diagnosed with cancer, I faced unemployment, a friend committed suicide and both my parents are 83.

When we are faced with a challenge, the easiest thing to do is crawl and hide. I wanted to do that. I did not want to ask for help. I was challenged to ask for help. The response to my help was overwhelming.

People started driving Debbie to her appointments for chemo, radiation, and other appointments. Friends and neighbors made sure we were fed. People were lining up to repair our fence. Women would give my daughter makeup and all kinds of goodies.

Asking for help is not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength. As we enter 2021, I strongly recommend that if you are facing issues that you get help. It will be a game-changer in your life.

Hannah Siller has a Master of Science in Counseling with an Emphasis in Trauma and Crisis (MC). She is a life coach and also blogs on many issues covered here in this interview. I have learned a lot from her blog as she goes into details on various topics covered in this interview.

Hannah, welcome to Four Columns. I want to know something important about you?

Mental health is my life. I have a master’s in counseling with an emphasis in trauma and crisis and am currently a doctoral candidate in psychology (PsyD.). This passion was born from my own struggle growing up in an abusive home and suffer from complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). My main goal in life is to make sure that everything I went through was not in vain. I have done this through my experience as a clinical counselor and by educating others about mental health and raising awareness of trauma with my blog and public speaking. The trauma will never go away but if I can help others then that is enough.

Talk to me about what is life coaching? What is your approach as a life coach?

Life coaching is the basic level of support a person can get with the difficult things that life throws at us. It is mostly for people with situational distress such as divorce, career changes or to help manage personally viewed flaws like organization and improving communication skills. I personally have a background in clinical therapy/counseling, so my approach is very similar to traditional mental health support. Nonjudgment is my number one goal. I’m here to help the client find the best of them possible. Only they will know what that looks like. I like to think of myself as a dream maker. Helping them find their dream and get there.

I get confused between a life coach and a counselor. Is there a difference?

There is a huge difference between Coaching and traditional therapy/counseling! The biggest difference is diagnosis. Only a licensed therapist/counselor can diagnose an individual. This is important because if they cannot diagnose, they can also not treat an individual. Therefore, they cannot work with a client that NEEDS diagnosis and treatment. This limits their scope of practice to issues not in the diagnostic manual (DSM-5).

Can: Stress, non-clinical anxiety, life changes, health, and career.

Can’t: Depression, trauma, clinical anxiety, Bipolar disorders, and so on.

I got laid off, lost two of my closest friends, the wife got diagnosed with cancer, all in a short time? How do you help someone in a situation like that?

The foundation of a situation like this is going to be grief. There is a lot of loss hitting all at once and in a variety of different ways. Not only will this individual need to vent and process all of the changes they are experiencing but they will need to sort out the questions of what next? This might look like finding new forms of support systems, learning self-care techniques to cope, gaining access to resource information to help manage the bigger situations like job and wife’s medical needs, and assessing personal emotional state.

I want to know how we can use patience, kindness, gentleness, compassion, charity, unconditional love, grace, and forgiveness in being allies of mental health?

Being an ally for mental health comes down to empathy. Rather than judgment, we can try to understand the things that others struggle with. Through empathy, we find the motivation to learn about things we don’t understand in order to understand it better. Through empathy, we are more willing to practice patience, kindness, gentleness, compassion, charity, unconditional love, grace, and forgiveness. Empathy allows us to care for others as we would care for ourselves. When we can do this, we can be an ally the world needs.

How important are eating, sleeping, and self-care as part of our health?

Mental health and physical health go hand in hand. When we don’t take care of our mental health our physical health suffers. We have less desire to eat healthy, exercise, and take care of ourselves. Likewise. When we don’t take care of our physical health it can actually impact our mental health increasing the chances of developing depression and lower self-esteem.

In the last couple of years, what are you noticing about your patients?

The main pattern I have noticed is a decrease in people’s knowledge about self-care and emotional regulations. I would say half of my sessions are focused on teaching breathing techniques, education, and problem-solving self-care options, and helping clients learn how to manage their emotions in a positive way.

What is your Fav Disney movie?

Lion King (animated) although Belle is my favorite Disney Princess.

Why are you fascinated with Harry Potter?

I grew up in an abusive home at the same time that the Harry Potter books were released. These books became my escape. As I got older the books got darker and more serious just as I myself was coming to terms with the abuse I had faces. The subject of grieving the pain of things lost was huge. Harry took a horrible tragedy and accepted his fate in all of it. In the end, he was stronger because he chose to love and forgive rather than giving into pain that should have broken him.

Why do you like Star Wars?

Princess Leia was the first strong female role model I was exposed to. This left a lasting impact on me. Plus, lightsabers are cool, and Harrison Ford is in it and I’m obsessed with Indiana Jones.

I want to know some of your favorite books? 

The Harry Potter series followed closely by Pride and Prejudice and Little Woman.

What do you like about gaming?

I have been playing Dungeons and Dragon-type games for almost 10 years, not counting the brief encounter I had in high school. There is something very therapeutic about this type of gaming. Being part of a group that counts on your contribution, having a similar goal you have to work together to achieve, plus the pure creative joy. In D&D you get to be the hero. So much of my own struggle and positive qualities come through in your characters. It is a beautiful experience.

What is your favorite object to photograph?

My absolute favorite type of photography I have ever done is starscapes. But since I rarely have access to several thousand-dollar specialized telescopes I usually photograph my second favorite subject, nature. Although recently most of my effort has been dedicated to my niece and have become my sister’s private photographer.

Is writing cathartic for you?

I write a great deal about my own struggle with mental health as well as my childhood trauma and abuse. With subject matter like this it can actually be incredibly stressful and draining. I don’t do it because the act brings me joy and relaxation. I do it because I have the ability to make a difference with my story and knowledge. Helping others, that’s what makes it worth it.

What are your current projects?

I have two major projects currently active.

The first is my personal blogging project “Diary of a Trauma Survivor.” This project focuses on my own story of childhood abuse and discusses the way trauma impacts our lives. The goal of this project is education and awareness. For so long trauma, especially abuse, has been a taboo subject. With this has come an increase in stigma and a decrease in the intervention. Through my story, I hope to help those who struggle with trauma as well as help those without experience to understand.

My second project is called the This Is Me Mental Health Representation Project. This is a collaboration project that is open to all forms of creative expression that depict what mental health means. The goal of this project is to raise awareness of the mental health struggles that everyone faces. Since not all those struggles are writers this project uses a unique approach of allowing artists and poets to participate. Don’t consider yourself creative? Interview questions are also available for those who have a story to share but not sure how to start.

The post Helping people find their dream appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

Anna is 31 years old from Stavropol, Russia and has lived in St. Petersburg for 15 years. She graduated with a degree in clinical psychology. However, she did not pursue it as she did not like it. She presently works as a purchasing manager for a chain of stores that focus on clothes for tourists.

She loves dancing, listening to music, photography, traveling, painting, spending time in nature, by the sea or in the mountains and leading an active life. She is not interested in going to Mars and loves Earth and everything it has to offer.

Anna wants people to know that Russians are “kind, sincere, hospitable, united and fair people. We do think differently. We are a resistant bunch as life is difficult in Russia. However, we enjoy life.”

For the first time, I have conducted an interview through Google translate which made it interesting.

Talk to me about the city you live in? What is the food, restaurant, and fashion scene? Why should we visit it?

Stavropol is small, beautiful, and picturesque with a population of 900 thousand people. In 2018, it was in the top 10 cleanest cities in Russia. Stavropol has a rich history, is close to the mountains, and is incredibly beautiful. We do not have a lot of restaurants. However, our cuisine is famous for its dishes that are hearty, spicy, rich, and colorful. The food is like our people, temperamental and welcoming. As our guest, you will be well-fed, cheerful, and happy. Once you visit Stavropol, you will never forget it. When you visit, see the sunrise against the mountains as a backdrop. The mountains are 3257 meters above sea level. Also, drink our delicious wine and dance the folk dances with us.

How important is your family to you? What are some of the fun things you do with them?

Family is a sensitive and very difficult topic for me. My father passed away eight years ago. I live with my mom and we focus on enjoying life. My mother makes very beautiful jewelry with her own hands. I love to visit the mountains with my mother and she paints beautiful landscapes. I also snowboard.

We have a family curse which is funny and mysterious. We have all had our front teeth knocked out during childhood. When I was 7 years old, a boy from high school pushed me. I fell and knocked out a tooth. My dad at the age of 8 had his tooth knocked out while playing hockey with a friend in the yard. My mom at the age of 9 was involved in ballroom dancing and accidentally knocked off her front tooth.

What does women empowerment mean to you as a 21st-century woman?

The woman of the 21st century has been given many rights and this has led her to become stronger, powerful, and independent. Men are not taking care of women and cannot accept matriarchy in a family setting. Women take care of everything in the home and cope with all the issues. I find it a challenge to find a man to start a family with. I had a few relations with men and found them weaker morally.

Life is difficult for all of us. Help me understand something difficult you went through and what you learned from it?

The death of my father has been the most difficult and tragic event for me. It affected me personally. I had to grow up, make decisions and become responsible fast. Until my father’s death, I was a carefree person. I knew my dad would always be there to take care of my problems. My mom got depressed and we dealt with his death together.

My paternal grandmother had a tough time as she buried her husband and her only son. I spend a lot of time with my grandmother as she gets lonely. I go to the park and the movie theatre with her. I have it good and do not complain.

How has social media changed you?

Social media is part of our everyday life. My day does not begin with coffee but going through the news feed on Facebook, Instagram, and VK on my smartphone. You soon realize you get so immersed in it that it takes all your free time. You do not have time to develop an independent mind or read literature or go to the theatre. You get caught up in it and see other people live their lives. I finally realized that it was invading my private space and so I do not see the news feed as often.

If you had a choice to have a meal with 5 men or women who would it be and why have you chosen these people and what question would you ask them?

I would love to go for dinner with my father and talk to him about how much I miss him and how life is not the same without him. The second is Lesh. I would not go to a restaurant with him but to the seashore. I would make a tent and have a romantic dinner with sandwiches and a thermos of herbal tea. The third would be Jared Leto. I am fascinated with his creativity and outlook on life. I just want to be around him and enjoy the meal. I would like to have dinner with Pavel Durov the founder of VK and Telegram in a luxury restaurant in Dubai. I admire him and his success and would like to ask him about his business skills, taking on risks, and embracing failure. Finally, it would be someone from a teenage shelter. I would like to mentor her. I would tell her to stay from alcohol and drugs and to become the best she can.

Talk to me about things you want to change about Russian men?

I want Russian men to become teetotalers. Alcoholism is rampant and has created lots of problems. Other than that, I like everything about Russian men.

The post From Russia With Love appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

What is women’s fashion style for 2020? Jenisha Patel a DIY fashion blogger answers questions on fashion and food.

Jen, welcome to four columns, a lifestyle blog on food, faith, finance, and family. I want to know something about you that no one else knows. 

I’m just a girl, who loves fashion and secretly wants to be a personal shopper. I love learning new things and I am crazy about k-pop.

What is Jeny’s Closet all about? Who is your audience and why should we visit your blog?

Jeny’s Closet is a blog about lifestyle, fashion, trend, style & how to’s. I share an outfit every week & talk about the latest trend & how you can style a piece of clothing. My audience is those, who are looking for styling tips & tricks with minimal clothing & accessories. I created this blog to share my views on fashion & styling.

Walk me through what is different and unique about your women’s fashion style?

My way of dressing is comfort, minimal and classy. It’s not something you wear, it’s how you style it.

Explain to me what fashion means to you?

As I described in my last blog “Fashion is not about wearing expensive clothes or wearing fewer clothes, it’s about how you style and reform that piece of clothing to express oneself.”

Which city do you live in? What is exciting about it? Tell me a little about the food, fashion, and the music scene?

I’m currently living in Vadodara, (Gujarat, India). I moved here 10 years ago. It is home to me and I never want to leave. Vad in the Gujarati language is for the banyan tree. That is why it is called the city of banyan trees (Vadodara).

Vadodara is known for its industries, furniture, textiles, palaces, museums, and handicrafts.

Food — It’s a city with food culture. It is famous for many mouthwatering dishes. Famous dishes are — Sev Usal, Gujarati Khichdi and lots of street foods.

Fashion — It goes from western to traditional clothing. India is a country of festivals, cultures, and traditions. People here love to get dressed up for a festival. They are many textile & handicraft industries, which are often visited by many successful Indian designers.

Music — There are many music festivals or events always taking place. You can always hear music rhythms from a marriage,  concert or festival. Many people take part in learning music regardless of their ages.

Jen, help me understand what does women’s empowerment means to you?

As an Asian country, some women here are still dependent on others for their living. So I wish I could encourage those women to have their choices, dreams, and voice. I just want to say this to every woman all around the world — Ladies, be educated, keep learning, be strong and you can achieve anything in life.

Your generation has amazing opportunities that the previous generation did not have. Name me some of them and how are women taking advantage of it?

In my opinion, previous generations of women didn’t have many opportunities. There were only two choices, you either got educated or you got married. But nowadays, I see many women coming forward, accepting to learn more, work more and get settled on their own terms. Women today have made a significant contribution to society.

Life can be challenging…can you relate to this statement?

Yes, it is challenging and it will always be. Because I think I’m still struggling, still learning and still have many failures. But I guess I started taking my problems as a challenge, that how can I overcome my fears, my failures & my lacking self-confidence. To begin this “JENY’S CLOSET” itself was a challenge for me. Whether I should do it or not, am I capable enough to inspire others, or will I get a positive response or negative one. But I decided not to think much and rather do it. And here I am answering these questions. I feel proud of myself for overcoming fears and not quitting it.

Food, faith, finance, and family…What is important to you and how do you balance it all?

In order of importance, the family is first for me. I am grateful to my parents for working so hard and to give us this beautiful life. Second is faith as, without faith, we cannot achieve anything in life. Whether to have faith in oneself or others. The third is finance — It also an important factor. I grew up learning how to control money. I wonder how my parents raise us with our endless demands. It’s important to learn to invest in something that we need instead of what we want. Food in the last place is because without above all the factors, there’s no food.

Please, complete Love is… Food is…Without love there is…

Love is eternal.

Food is life.

Without love there is nothing.

The post 2020 Women’s Fashion Style appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

Self-care for women involves taking intentional actions to prioritize and maintain their physical, emotional, and mental well-being. It’s important to note that self-care is a personal and individualized concept, and what works for one person may not necessarily work for another.

Regular Exercise: Engage in activities that you enjoy, whether it’s going to the gym, practicing yoga, dancing, or taking a walk.

Healthy Eating: Nourish your body with a balanced diet that includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains.

Adequate Sleep: Ensure you get enough restful sleep each night to support overall health and well-being.

Mindfulness and Meditation: Practice mindfulness or meditation to reduce stress and promote mental clarity.

Therapy or Counseling: Consider seeking professional help if needed to address emotional concerns or life challenges.

Journaling: Write down your thoughts and feelings as a way of processing emotions and gaining insight into yourself.

Set Goals: Define personal and professional goals and work towards achieving them.

Learn Something New: Pursue a hobby or learn a new skill that interests you.

Read for Pleasure: Take time to read books or articles that you find enjoyable and fulfilling.

Quality Time with Loved Ones: Spend time with friends and family who uplift and support you.

Establish Boundaries: Learn to say no and set boundaries to protect your time and energy.

Cultivate Friendships: Foster positive relationships with individuals who share similar interests and values.

Pamper Yourself: Treat yourself to a spa day, a massage, or a relaxing bath.

Enjoy Nature: Spend time outdoors and connect with nature, whether it’s a hike, a walk in the park, or simply sitting in a garden.

Unplug: Take breaks from technology to disconnect and recharge.

Positive Affirmations: Practice positive self-talk and affirmations to build self-esteem.

Celebrate Achievements: Acknowledge and celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how small.

Forgive Yourself: Be kind to yourself and let go of self-criticism.

Remember, self-care is not selfish; it’s an essential aspect of maintaining overall health and well-being. It’s about recognizing and meeting your own needs so that you can better navigate the various demands of life. Adjust these suggestions based on your personal preferences and circumstances.

Self-care means taking good care of yourself. It is also about being kind to yourself and practicing self-compassion. However, not everything like drugs, alcohol, over-eating, or risk-taking that feels good is self-care. There is a big difference between self-care and unhealthy coping mechanisms. Self-care is good for you and has long-term benefits for the mind and the body. I catch up with Nadine and discuss self-care.

Nadine, thanks for connecting with me on social media. Please tell my audience something important about you?

Hi Jerry…I am pleased to be here. I am quite honored to have been blessed with this opportunity!  I come from a very small town in northern Saskatchewan where I grew up on a cattle/grain farm. I am the eldest of 4 siblings. I/we were raised to know right from wrong, always be honest, stand up for the truth, and what you believe in, and listen to your gut instinct, that first instinct will never steer you wrong. I was almost eaten by a mother pig when I was about 6 twisted my ankle at the age of 8 and thrown from a horse at about 12.  I am a Scorpio.

The most important thing that I can tell anyone that meets me or is around me, is that I am not what some people expect me to be.  I tend to have to find my way to make things seem right for me. I think in 3D, just because sometimes the answer looks obvious to some of us, sometimes there is always more than one way to look at something.  I like to march to the beat of my drum.

Talk to me about your blog. What is it about and who are you trying to reach?

My blog started as a place for me to let my emotions out. It is about self-care. I felt like I needed a bit of anonymity that Facebook could not give me.  I also knew I was at a crossroads, sort of, I knew where I had been, what I had done to overcome certain issues that arose in my life and I knew where I was going.  I started this blog as a place for me to share the journey I had been on and how I decided to take life into my own hands through self-care activities.  I was tired of allowing life to happen to me.  After some time to teach myself and my hubby how to talk positively to ourselves and learn to live life again, I felt that there were other people out there in this world who could relate to that.  After almost losing my hubby due to a heart attack, to losing his young daughter, to a move, the inability to find a job, to finding a job in another town and me moving again, to almost losing my hubby again and him having a quadruple bypass. I quickly learned that I had a choice and that choice was going to be positive and I was going to start living again.

We live with the fact that he may not be around in the next 10 years but we cherish the moments every day that we have.  We all have the same 3 choices in life…give up…..give in……give it all you’ve got…..and I know which one I am choosing. I guess I am trying to reach anyone in life that is struggling at this very moment, bad stuff happens in life that we do not always have control over but everything happens for a reason and it is our job to see what the lesson is in every situation even when the lesson is unclear.

I was reading your blog and you have been through a lot. Help me understand some of these challenges you have been through and how you have overcome them?

Let’s chat about challenges…I did touch a bit above I think…..so when my hubby had his first heart attack, we spent almost an entire day waiting to stabilize him so he could be airlifted to a bigger, more capable center, and our life changed drastically, everything from the groceries I bought to the food we ate, that was entirely for his health but as I look back now, choosing to switch out a lot of our eating habits has helped us hugely.  With the loss of his daughter, I would say I will probably never understand that except for the fact that she probably taught me to love more openly and wholly, we never know when someone will leave this earth and this is something that maybe I had to learn the hard way but it has definably softened my character. When we purchased our second home in another town for his work, I did not have the opportunity to move any time soon, we had to sell our first home before I could move, that took a few years and when I finally did move, I was unable to find a job.  Fast forward a bit from there, I moved back to the town we sold our first home in and have been working back there for the last 5 years, at some point we will hopefully be reunited back in the same town and under the same roof.  Throughout all of the challenges I could have chosen to lay down and stay surrounded by a dark cloud and the negative thoughts, but I was not about to let that happen to either one of us.  This is the time when Essential Oils walked into our lives and they helped our healing journey tremendously as well. Oddly enough, I live in a 21′ camper in a nonelectrical campsite all summer long and I love it!! Life does not get any better than that! 

What does women’s empowerment mean to you?

To me, I think women’s Empowerment means being able to take life into your own hands.  Being able to get up in the morning and feel organized…. feels like a million bucks!!  Whether that is through uplifting quotes, a tip from me on how to organize your to-do list, a simple ‘looking good’ post, affirmations, journal tips, or self-esteem builders, for me, building my confidence was key!  I tried several things and altogether I found a routine that has worked for me and it always comes back to having the courage to change and the accountability to be courageous, not just for yourself but for others as well.  We all struggle but if I can help lessen the struggle. then I am doing what I set out to do.

My mission statement for my page is ‘To empower myself and others to live a confident, abundant life with authenticity, honesty, and integrity.

How have marriage and motherhood made you different?

Honestly, I am not married but I have been with the same amazing man for 20 years, this year.  We have no children together but we did raise his girls for some years.  I think walking the tightrope of the stepmother is a tough role but rewarding just the same. I am not sure what else I can say in this department.

I find writing very cathartic. How about you? How has writing helped you?

Yes, writing has helped me let go of some of the things I was struggling with inside.  It makes a lot more sense when I can write it out…. almost like a counseling session for me. It is self-treatment.

Do you also work besides blogging on self-care treatments?

Yes, I work full-time as a prep cook in a train station restaurant. I also run an essential oil business.

What have been some of the challenges you have faced as a blogger?

As for challenges, I want to say it has been finding followers but every good thing happens at the right time, exactly as it is supposed to.  Plus, the SEO thing still boggles me but when I write from the heart, that’s not a top concern of mine.

How has faith, food, finance, and family made a difference in your life?

For me, I don’t want to say I do not believe in God. I believe there is a God or guidance out there of some sort and he or she works in mysterious ways but always has my best interests at heart.

Food has played a major role in our home. I have always been a vegetable eater, hubby, not so much but we have been able to switch out healthier choices where we can.  Finance has made a difference for me in how I budget and again, I learned the value of budgeting at a very young age, we were a farming family so we had struggles in the early years when you are starting a farm and a young family all at the same time, even though I was young I understood.  Family, I think family is who has shaped the person I am today in terms of instilling values as those are quite often learned in the early years, we have the ability to shape ourselves throughout life but the foundation is laid down in the early years.

If there is one piece of advice you have for my audience what would that be?

If I could give someone one piece of advice, it would be to take every day in stride and not spend too much time dwelling on the small stuff, even when you may think at the time, it is really big.

In the whole scheme of things, all that energy you are spending worrying about is not doing anyone any good.  The solution will come, you will learn to breathe and make it through whatever situation it is.  A few months ago I ran a 3 Day Self Love Photo Challenge, and in this challenge, there was a task every day…the basis is to post a photo of yourself with an explanation for whatever the daily task is, and one day’s task was to post a photo of yourself when you were younger and then explain a few positive, life-affirming things that you would like your younger self to know.  It was an amazing experience and every time I do it, the participants learn a lot and I do as well.  But the biggest takeaway women took from this challenge is the fact that we all struggle, we are all women, but when we learn that we all struggle at one point or another, and we as a society can really work together and understand what each is going through, we can become united.  The one thing that hit home for some of these women is judgment and how easy it is to judge ourselves and others and sometimes we do not even realize we are doing it. So do take care of yourself. Self-care is important.

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