Search Results for: miracle morning

Accomplish: Entrepreneurship

November 11, 2019 by DetroitDuchess Leave a Comment

When I chose “accomplish” as my one little word for 2019, I knew this was the year I would finally take the leap and become an entrepreneur. My entrepreneurial journey has been a long time coming. Even with the creation of this blog in 2013, I had entrepreneurship on the brain. I’ve always had business ideas pop in my head, but it wasn’t until I read Rachel Hollis’ book, Girl Wash Your Face, in summer 2018 that a plan started to form.

As a 15-year veteran of the PR industry, I had worked for a number of agencies and companies throughout my career, but one thing always weighed on my mind. Whenever you made a move to a different company, you couldn’t take your clients with you. After spending years building brands and relationships, you had to leave that all behind and start over again from scratch. I liked the idea of building something that I owned. After working at other agencies for years, I wanted to build something different. A way to help clients and future employees live their dreams.

For years, I had been inspired by the entrepreneur community. I started my Be the Best You Campaign after reading The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod and listening to the Side Hustle School podcast by Chris Guillebeau. All of these things were pushing me to just get started. So in 2018, I started making a business plan. I developed a concept, a name, and a plan of action. When Christmas rolled around that was pretty much all I could talk about at every holiday party we went to.

Every business owner I spoke to kept pushing me to get started. “What are you waiting for?” was asked frequently. It ended up being a few things that pushed me to take the leap, but even then I wasn’t exactly ready. What did give me confidence was having a solid business plan outlined and ready to go. As soon as I left my previous position I had a clear list of things to do get started and keep the momentum going.

As I approach the six-month mark of launching LINC Detroit, I wanted to encourage everyone out there to start making a plan to live your dreams. The reason I was able to move forward with such conviction was because I had the plan ready to go. I was talking to a few friends that are dreaming of starting their own businesses and my best advice is to just get started. Buy your website domain, start on a small scale until you’re ready to take the big leap. The more details you have mapped out, the more comfortable you will be making the change.

If you’ve started your own business, I would love to hear your journey. What inspires and motivates you to keep moving forward every day?

Filed Under: Be the Best You Tagged With: Be the Best You, Entrepreneurship, Hal Elrod, Rachel Hollis, Side Hustle School, The Miracle Morning

Pantone’s Color of the Year: Ultra Violet

January 29, 2018 by DetroitDuchess Leave a Comment

“We are living in a time that requires inventiveness and imagination. It is this kind of creative inspiration that is indigenous to PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet, a blue-based purple that takes our awareness and potential to a higher level. From exploring new technologies and the greater galaxy, to artistic expression and spiritual reflection, intuitive Ultra Violet lights the way to what is yet to come.”

-Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute

I am so excited about Pantone’s choice for the 2018 color of the year! I can have a lot of fun with Ultra Violet.

I love that Ultra Violet stands for non-conformity and has been associated with mindfulness practices. I may have to incorporate it in my Miracle Morning meditation. The New York Times also wrote a great overview on how we’ve already incorporated this color into our lives. Here are a few ways to incorporate Ultra Violet into your environment:

Salame Jewelry Designs Amethyst Lariat Necklace ($98)

This amethyst necklace set is stunning. Did you know that the Greeks believed that amethysts could protect them from intoxication? Something to think about for your next night on the town.

Fold-Over Card Holder ($16.90)

This is nice if you just want to incorporate some purple into your wardrobe but don’t want to spend a lot of money on a new bag.

Dot Grid Bullet Journal ($16)

This would be a great journal for The Miracle Morning!

Sam Edelman Women’s Hazel Suede High Heel Pumps ($72)

I love this color and the idea of pairing these with an all black outfit for a pop of color.

Farberware Colorvive Cookie Pan ($11.99)

After going nuts with Christmas cookies last month, I realized that I could use some new cookie sheets and this is so fun!

MAC Parfait Amour Eyeshadow ($16)

This is one of my favorite eyeshadow colors for a night out on the town. Just a little on the eyelid takes it up a notch.

Anne Klein Jacquard Fit & Flare Dress ($88.99)

This is one of my favorite cuts and it just looks so stunning with the color!

Quartz Bottle Stopper ($12.99)

These are always necessary when you need to keep your champagne chilled in between pours.

Bright Solids Sherpa Decorative Throw Blanket ($22.22)

I like the idea of a throw because you can change up any look easily depending on your mood. I am a firm believer that you can never have enough throws.

OPI Do You Have This Color in Stock-holm? ($10.50)

Purple is so fun, especially for the summer months. You can also find the gel version here.

Manduka Pro Lite Yoga Mat ($82)

I love my Manduka mat – it is absolutely worth the price in my opinion. Mine is a teal color and I wish they would have had this color when I bought it.

INC Mock-Neck Cutout Sheer-Sleeve Sweater ($69.50)

I love all the fun details of this sweater – the cut outs, the sleeves, the color.

Gold Dipped Amethyst Cluster ($22)

How perfect is this little gem? All you have to do is mist the plant every now and then and that’s it. I could probably get away without killing this one.

Michael Kors Sadie Large Top-Zip Satchel ($238.80)

I love the detail on this bag. I also love a purple handbag, I carried the last one I had until it literally was no more.

Ray-Ban Original Aviators ($178)

These would be so great for summer! How have I not purchased a pair of aviators yet?

Keyhole Ruffle-Sleeve Sweater ($35.99)

I was trying to wrap this post up when I stumbled across this, which I know is similar to the first one, but I still love them both!

Have you spotted any Ultra Violet items that I should add?

You can also check out my post about the 2017 color of the year, Greenery, 2016 colors of the year, Rose Quartz & Serenity, 2015 color of the year, Marsala, and the 2014 color of the year, Radiant Orchid.

Filed Under: Beauty, Fashion Tagged With: beauty, color of the year, fashion, Pantone, Ultra Violet

Just Drink It with the Hidrate Spark

November 26, 2017 by DetroitDuchess 5 Comments

One of my long-term goals has been to drink more water. If you need more reasons why you should drink a gallon of water every day, here are some of the most beautiful celebrities in the world espousing the benefits.

I’ve tried a number of apps, like Plant Nanny (which I talked about here) and bought fun water bottles but nothing was really getting me to drink more water. When I started doing my Miracle Morning, I added a water-drinking affirmation “I will drink a gallon of water every day.” This has been hard for me to stick to. I started chugging water at certain points in the day if I hadn’t hit my hourly goals.

Back in December 2016, I started seeing ads for the Hidrate Spark, a smart water bottle and I saved the ad on Facebook to go back to later. When I added the goal to my Miracle Morning, I remembered the bottle and decided to try it for myself.

The Hidrate Spark was created in 2014 by a group of U of M students for the Google Startup weekend in Minnesota. They built this bottle in just 54 hours! That is amazing! About a year later, they were able to launch their business. Go Blue baby! After reading that, how could I resist springing for my own bottle? I settled on the teal color and waited for it to arrive.

The first day I had the bottle, I hit my water goals no problem. It was so fun! After the novelty wore off, I went back to my average daily amount and had to work up to hitting my goal. That’s where the Hidrate Spark really shows its value. You can set the bottle to light up when you are behind on your water goals with a variety of settings. It is pretty funny to be in a meeting and your water bottle starts blinking. I’ve received so many funny looks about this bottle at work. The second part and my favorite, is that the bottle texts me with all sorts of funny things to remind me to drink up. Here are some samples from the past few days:

The bottle is powered by two coin sized batteries that you can get at the drugstore. The company gives you an extra set to start with. I also loved that the Hidrate Spark connects with my Fitbit app so you can keep everything in one place. Another cool feature, is that the water intake goal changes based on your weight and the temperature. So if it’s hotter outside your goal will increase.

This app has the capability for you to compete with friends too. Unfortunately, I don’t have any friends with the Hidrate Spark yet so let me know if you get one and we can be friends!

After about 3 or 4 months after getting my first bottle, Hidrate Spark came out with a limited edition blue bottle and I couldn’t resist getting it. I figured it would be nice to have a second bottle so I could wash one and use the other and then swap them out. You can put the bottle and the top in the dishwasher, you just have to take off the sensor stick. I usually remove the little tie on the back too. They bring back this blue color every so often, so if you want to get that one, just sign up for their emails to be notified when it comes back.

On a side note, this is not a sponsored post, I purchased both of these bottles myself and love them. A few months ago I dropped my teal bottle one too many times and my cap broke and wouldn’t snap shut. I contacted the company about a replacement cap (which I would have purchased) and they asked me a few questions and ended up sending me the replacement for free! Talk about great customer service.

If you’re looking to increase your water intake or for a great gift idea for that health conscious person in your life, I highly recommend the Hidrate Spark. Let me know if you have any questions about the bottle and I would love to answer them.

For more Be the Best You posts, click here.

Filed Under: Be the Best You Tagged With: Be the Best You, Goals, Hidrate Spark, Miracle Morning, Water, Water Bottle

Celebrating Four Years of Blogging

August 1, 2017 by DetroitDuchess 6 Comments

Four years ago I took a leap of faith and hit publish on this little blog of mine. Since then, I’ve learned so much about blogging, writing and social media and had a lot of fun in the process. I’ve had some amazing opportunities with partners and sponsors and am always honored when amazing companies want to work with me. I mentioned in my Miracle Morning post at the beginning of the year, that this last year was personally very difficult for me. My posts have been fewer and further between, but I’m glad I pushed through and didn’t give this up. For those of you that have kept reading, I LOVE having you here. My sincerest wish for this site is for you to imagine we are enjoying some girl talk over a glass of wine.

As I tried to take some photos, Sport kept trying to eat my candle – this little boy brings me tons of joy! I thought Sport and I would announce my annual blogiversary giveaway with a month of giveaways. Enter the giveaway below and each week I will choose another winner.

Week 1 – August 8

I started The Miracle Morning this year and it has changed everything! I want to help someone else change their life so I’m giving away a copy of Hal Elrod’s The Miracle Morning as my first prize.

Week 2 – August 15

This year, I was able to attend a screening of Beauty and the Beast and this was one of my favorite movies. Of all the Disney princesses I most identified with Belle. As a child I always had my nose in a book. I loved the live action movie so much and want to give away a little piece of the story to my readers. My second prize is this Beauty and the Beast stained glass rose compact. It is so beautiful!

Week 3 – August 22

Speaking of movie screenings, I covered 50 Shades Darker this year and had SO much fun at the screening and pulling together Anastasia’s looks from the movie. I’m a huge romance novel fan (my guilty pleasure) and 50 Shades is one of my favorites. I recently re-read the books and wanted to give one reader her very own masquerade mask. This is the authentic Samantha Peach mask that Anastasia wore in the movie.

Week 4 – August 29

Last but not least, is this adorable little pineapple planter from my Summer Favorites list. I am obsessed with pineapples right now and I thought this would look perfect in someone’s home.

You can enter the giveaway here, and I will announce a new winner each week. Thank you for all of your support over the past four years!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: 50 Shades Darker, Beauty and the Beast, Blogiversary, Detroit Duchess, Giveaway, Hal Elrod, Miracle Morning, Samantha Peach, Sport

Set Your Intention with Aroma Foundry Essential Oils

May 24, 2017 by DetroitDuchess 13 Comments

I received complimentary samples from Aroma Foundry in order to provide a review. All opinions are my own.

If you’ve been following the blog for a while, you’ve probably noticed my Miracle Morning journey. I’ve just crossed over 120 days and am always looking for ways to enhance my morning routine. When Aroma Foundry reached out to me, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to incorporate essential oils into my Miracle Morning routine and maybe even create my own Miracle Morning blend.

Essential oils are all-natural and extracted from plants. Aroma Foundry sources Native Oils where they are first known to have appeared. For example, Aroma Foundry Rosemary is sourced from Morocco. Each of their oils has a little history attached to it. Rosemary has this background: “Going back to the time of the indigenous Berbers, fields of wild rosemary were sustainably harvested and utilized for many centuries.”

If you are thinking of incorporating essential oils into your Miracle Morning routine either by diffusing, smelling or applying them, here are a few to consider:

Rosemary

Rosemary is the perfect oil to diffuse during your affirmations and visualization time. It is known to promote memory retention, concentration and productivity. It also uplifts and stimulates the mind. You can also take it with you during the day and take a quick inhale whenever you need a reminder to stick to your goals.

Bergamot

A type of orange, Bergamot has a calming effect and its citrus properties will help to uplift you during meditation. Aroma Foundry sources their Bergamot from the Netherlands where it is popular as a fragrance, in teas, and even in beers.

Peppermint

Aroma Foundry sources its Peppermint from Washington which surprisingly produces more mint than any other region in the world. Who knew? Peppermint can be used as an energy booster and to promote concentration. It can also stimulate clear thinking. It would be great in a brainstorm or when you are doing your visualizations. You may try taking a whiff of this when you first wake up in the morning.

John and I used Peppermint during a road trip to stay alert and energized.

Lemongrass

If you are hitting your yoga mat every morning, consider diffusing Lemongrass or applying it to your wrists prior to practice. Aroma Foundry uses Lemongrass from Guatemala because the climate produces some of the most fragrant oil. Lemongrass will invigorate your senses and open your mind. It’s also perfect for those sore muscles and can be used in massages.

Lavender

Source in the United States, Aroma Foundry’s Lavender is 100% pure and not diluted. Lavender can help relieve nervous tension and depression. To ensure you get a good night’s sleep, rub some behind your temples before bed and visualize the next morning’s routine.

Grapefruit

This grapefruit oil is sourced from Florida and has a stimulating effect on the body and the mind. It’s another mood lifter, perfect for your down days or when you need to focus on your goal with clarity.

Lemon

Aroma Foundry’s Lemon oil is sourced from California. Lemon promotes concentration and can help calm you when you’re exhausted or feeling angry. This is a good one for an early morning meditation when you really don’t feel like doing it that day.

It’s your lucky day, because Aroma Foundry has generously offered to give a $25 gift card to one of my readers. I am thrilled to share this with you so you can kick start your Miracle Morning practice using essential oils. Enter the giveaway below and I will select a winner on June 5th:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more posts about the Miracle Morning, click here.

Filed Under: Be the Best You Tagged With: Aroma Foundry, Be the Best You, Bergamot, Essential Oils, Grapefruit, Lavender, Lemon, Lemongrass, Peppermint, Rosemary, The Miracle Morning

Refresh Your Fall Beauty Routine with Meijer

September 6, 2016 by DetroitDuchess 3 Comments

Disclosure: I received sample products and a gift card from Meijer in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Fall officially starts on September 22nd and I don’t know about you, but I want to spend the next few weeks refreshing my wardrobe and beauty routine. Sort of like a bear hibernating for winter, except I just stock up on beauty products so I don’t have to leave the house. Here are a few things I am stocking up on this fall:

1. Olay Eye Lifting Serum

How many of you use eye cream both in the morning and at night? You may not think its important now, but the habits you create now will keep your skin looking great five years from now. Olay Eye Lifting Serum uses an advanced Amino-Peptide and vitamin complex to plump the eye area and reduce under eye bags.

2. Pantene 3 Minute Miracle Moisture Renewal Deep Conditioner

One habit to start for fall is a weekly hair treatment. I liked this Pantene 3 Minute Miracle because it was fast and easy. My hair was SO soft afterwards, but I still had great volume. I will definitely be adding this into my weekly routine.

3. Yes to Coconut Ultra Light Spray Body Lotion

Who doesn’t love coconut?! Normally coconut oil is a big mess to use as a moisturizer. You have to warm up the oil and then it can be a goopy, greasy mess. Not this Yes to Coconut Spray Body Lotion! It is easy to use and not messy at all. Plus coconut is a great way to keep summer alive during fall and winter. I’ve never used a Yes to product before, but I didn’t realize they have a whole line of coconut products as well as cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, blueberries, and grapefruit.

4. L’Oreal Pure Clay Mask and Biore Deep Cleansing Charcoal Pore Strips

Every Sunday I have a treatment ritual which includes using a Biore Pore Strip, using my PMD (post coming soon), and following up with a mask. I was excited to try this new clay mask from L’Oreal. It uses eucalyptus to unclog pores and remove impurities. I love a clay mask; I feel like it really gets in there as opposed to a peel off or brightening mask. I have big oily pores that need a weekly deep cleaning!

5. Maybelline Color Jolt and L’Oreal Brow Stylist

Fall calls for perfect brows and a bold lip. I really liked the flocked tip applicator for the red lip, it made it easier to put on. I do my brows every day. If I had to cut out most makeup I would keep brows, mascara and lips. Having defined brows ties your whole look together. It is also great when you are in between brow jobs.

What new things are you incorporating into your beauty routine this fall?

For more Meijer posts, click here.

Filed Under: Beauty Tagged With: beauty, Biore Charcoal Deep Pore Cleansing Strips, fall, L'Oreal Brow Stylist, L'Oreal Clay Mask, Maybelline Color Jolt, Meijer, Olay Eye Lifting Serum, Pantene 3 Minute Miracle, Yes to Coconut

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