Hello, hello – and happy Saturday!

As many of you all know, I use this blog to share communications tips and tricks, but also to give you a true look at who I am and what I am about. I feel that many people get lost in the idea of projecting perfection and so many people are devoid of a real sense of humanity in their posts.

Remember – the more people can relate to you as an individual, the more they will trust you and build a genuine connection with you and what you’re about.

Authenticity is the name of the game here and I’m going to put myself on the spot as an example. Here’s a quick snapshot of what is physically going on around me at home as I type this.

• Just picture: In the name of improved posture, per a random Business Insider article I read about an etiquette expert in China, I am typing this with a ribbon tied under my arms and around my neck. It’s working, though I’m not sure it won’t be soon replaced by a more professional device.
• Marley, my little low-rider long-haired dachshund, is staring at me with disdain. My extremely food-motivated furry companion is officially on a treat-free diet because his chunky self will not take walks like a normal dog and is comfortable waddling through life. He is not happy and he is not in silent protest – whining at the food bowl and lots hateful stares.
• Pandora is playing the Guardians of Galaxy Official Motion Picture Soundtrack station over my Amazon Echo Dot which is overlayed with the dishwasher going and the laundry being washing. The soundtrack to my life – in this moment – is a lot of oldies and the whirring and draining and drying of working machines, which I am thankful for.

Now as for the generalities of life and random things I’ve liked and loved recently:

• Netflix took me down the rabbit-hole of Chinese dramas, which are immensely entertaining and just as indulgently addictive as any Mexican Telenovela. Accidentally in Love and Meteor Garden are my jam. My curiosity on the culture was piqued and I am now working on Chinese on DuoLingo. Let’s just call it an exercise in keeping my brain active – but I can proudly share I can count to ten in Mandarin, which means I essentially have 10 characters down and thousands to go.

• Book: Never Split the Difference – This has been such a fun book to read. I love business and negotiation – one of my favorite business classes at Baylor, by the way! – and this book teaches negotiation from the perspective of a former FBI lead international kidnapping negotiator Chris Voss who, together with co-author Tahl Raz break down these strategies so that anyone can use them. An awesome read!

• Bliss Kiss Nail Oil – This has been a miracle product for my nails and has transformed them from weak to strong in literally no time at all.  Find it on Amazon and thank me later!

• Chrissy Teigen’s Banana Bread – A holiday-ready recipe (or what to do when you forgot about your bananas and you really have to do something with them before you have to throw them away.) This recipe is delicious. I subbed the flour for King Arthur’s gluten-free flour (my favorite GF flour of late) and didn’t use the coconut because I didn’t have any on hand, but my work friends loved it!

• Moon Juice Brain Dust and Dream Dust – Ok. This is pretty woo-woo and I know it. Considering that the first time I heard about this brand was on Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle site, Goop, AND that I bought a sample box of the adaptogen supplements at Sephora, we are together in that there were hesitations about trying the product. Adaptogens are, and I’m saving you a Google here, “(in herbal medicine) a natural substance considered to help the body adapt to stress and to exert a normalizing effect upon bodily processes. A well-known example is ginseng.” Well, I drank the kool-aid dust – and I was impressed with their effects on my overall sense of well-being accompanied by clear focus and positivity. Brain Dust gave me clarity and focus and I wake up refreshed with the Dream Dust. I could do a whole review post on this, but I recommend buying the sample kit at Sephora and seeing how all six different types (Beauty, Brain, Dream, Power, Sex, Spirit) affect you.

I am happy and blessed and productive this Saturday – but I am a far cry from that perfectly styled Instagram photo. What new things do you have going on in your life? What have you loved (or totally disliked) and what new things are you exploring? How are you growing? Let me know!

xoxo