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Moisturizing and Sealing Natural Hair

The Lupie Chick

Moisturizing and sealing natural hair is one area that new naturals often find difficulty in, when they’re initially learning how to care for natural hair. Moisturizing and sealing are two basic steps that can be done in a matter of minutes.


The first thing that you need to know is what should be used to accomplish both parts of the process. Moisturizing should be done with water alone, or water followed by a water based leave in conditioner. Sealing is done with natural oils, to prevent moisture from leaving the hair. Natural oils are not moisturizers because most natural oils will not penetrate the hair shaft.

Below are the steps I take to seal and moisturize my hair:


Step 1Find A Water Based Leave In Conditioner
You want to be sure to stay away from products that contain petroleum, mineral oil, lanolin oil, and alcohol because these ingredients are notorious for blocking moisture from entering the hair strand which causes hair to eventually break. Look for natural ingredients like glycerin and natural oils, with water being one of the first three ingredients listed. I make my own leave in.

Here’s the recipe:


Aloe Vera Juice
Rosemary Essential Oil
Lemongrass Essential Oil
Jojoba Oil
Vegetable Glycerin (optional)
Distilled Water
Spray bottle

Fill up 50% of the bottle with aloe vera juice, leaving space to add the essential oils, jojoba, glycerin, and water. Next add 10 drops of rosemary and lemongrass essential oil and three to five drops of jojoba oil. Add a small amount of vegetable glycerin ( 1-2 cap full). Lastly fill the rest of the bottle with distilled water and shake up

Aloe Vera moisturizes the hair and keeps it soft. It is packed with vitamin B12, vitamin C, amino acids, minerals, and salicylic acid. It has been used for general hair health, hair growth, and also as a hair shampoo and conditioner.

Rosemary Essential Oil stimulates hair follicles, therefore increasing hair strength, hair growth, and for dry and flaky scalps. It has also been used as a remedy for mental fatigue.

Lemongrass Essential Oil stimulates hair follicles and also adds a refreshing citrus fragrance to the leave-in conditioner. It has anti-bacterial properties and is calming and soothing to the body.

Jojoba Oil is the closest oil to skin’s sebum. Therefore, is extremely healing and moisturizing for the hair. It is a non-greasy oil absorbing immediately into the hair. This will help with hair frizz and dryness.

Vegetable Glycerin is known for being a humectant. It is an amazing ingredient to add when air drying hair. It is amazing for curly hair and really dry hair. It should be used very sparingly so that it doesn’t create a sticky film.

Some commercial Leave in conditioners that are worth a try are:
Kinky Curly Knot Today and  Giovanni Direct Leave In

Step 2Choose A Natural Oil
Natural, unrefined, and virgin oils work best. Extra virgin olive oil and unrefined coconut oil not only seal moisture into the hair but it improves the health of hair as well. Jojoba oil is a good sealant for people who are acne prone since it’s lighter and less likely to clog pores. ( I use a mix of coconut oil, Amla oil, grapeseed oil, and castor oil)

Step 3Moisturize Hair
Starting with wet hair, Split hair into 4 sections. take a quarter amount of leave in , spread it between your hands, and distribute throughout your hair ensuring that you saturate all the strands. Use more for longer and thicker hair and less for shorter and thinner. Be sure to pay extra attention to the ends of your hair since they are prone to drying and breaking.

Step 4Seal In Moisture With Your Oil * optimal on (co)wash day(s)*working from the same 4 sections. Spread a dime size amount of oil in between hands and distribute to each section. Avoid applying more than a dime size amount of oil to each section or hair may become too oily.

Continue the steps until all sections are completed.

Step 5

Style as normal. When I’m not in a protective style, my styling choices are twist outs, braid outs, and buns.

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Removing Lint From Loc’s

The Lupie Chick

Few things look worse in locked hair than lint. What causes lint to build up in locs? It could be a particular product causes your hair to absorb lint like a sponge. Pillow fibers might cling to your locs at night. Your towel lint might be having a party in your hair. Whatever the cause, you want to get rid of it.

Commercial products that remove lint

A good clarifying shampoo might be all your hair needs to remove lint build-up, especially if you don’t have much to contend with. Here are a few products that get locked hair lint-free:

Aubrey Organics Green Tea Clarifying Shampoo ( from website)

This fast-acting clarifying shampoo deep-cleanses with just one application and rinses clean to leave hair shiny, bouncy and full. Herbal extracts deliver beneficial nutrients quickly and reduce drying time for fast and easy styling.

The Lemon Drop is made with an aloe base and is packed with essential oils geared toward soothing oily hair and scalp – lemongrass, lavender, cedarwood, and aloe. It can be used as a clarifier to get rid of product build-up. It can also be used for teen and mature locs.

Invigorates and refreshes the scalp with cooling Peppermint Oil
Deeply cleanses and removes product build-up and daily toxins, without stripping away essential moisture
Restores your hair to its original shiny, healthy state.
Has Rosemary Extract to deliver antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits to hair and scalp. Has Moisturizing Marine Extracts (Algae, Carrageenan, Spirulina and Seaweed) to provide hair and scalp with nourishing hydration
Helps to smooth, soften and boost shine.

Natural remedies to get rid of lint

Apple cider vinegar rinse – An apple cider vinegar rinse works as a natural hair cleanser by gently removing build-up. The rinse can produce a shine because apple cider vinegar naturally closes cuticle scales found on the hair shaft’s surface.

Create an apple cider vinegar rinse by combining:
* 1 cup distilled water
* 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

*Optional* add 5 drops of lavender, rosemary, lemon , sage or rose essential oil to the basic vinegar rinse recipe.

Pour the mixture over your hair as a final rinse after you shampoo. You might have to do an apple cider vinegar rinse a couple times before you see results.

Baking Soda – This is a powerful way to remove lint from your locs. Baking soda works as a clarifier, leaving your locs squeaky clean.

Make a baking soda clarifier by combining:
· 1 tablespoon baking soda
· 1 cup water
Pour the mixture over your hair, squeezing it into the hair and focusing on troublesome locs. Massage it into the hair for 1 to 2 minutes and rinse thoroughly.

Bentonite Clay – No, it will not build up in your locs. Just be sure to rinse thoroughly. Bentonite clay pulls chemicals and metals out from our bodies, like a magnet. When applied to locs, bentonite clay pulls dirt, lint and product build-up from our hair. When you apply bentonite clay, be sure your locs are freshly shampooed.

Mix equal parts of the following in a non-metal bowl with a non-metal spoon: (If you use metal, you will activate or de-activate certain properties in the bentonite clay)
· Bentonite clay
· Apple cider vinegar
It is normal for the mixture to sizzle. If you think the mix is too thick for you, use a few drops of lukewarm water. The consistency will be creamy. Place the clay directly on your locs, and leave it there for about 20 to 30 minutes. Rinse your hair thoroughly. The lint will come to the surface and easily be removed.

Tweezers – Use tweezers to perform surgery on your locs. Carefully remove lint from wet locs with the tweezers. (Some prefer using a pin or a straightened paper clip). Make sure you actually have lint to begin with! If the stuff on your locs disappears when wet, you have build-up. If the fuzz remains, it’s lint. Go for the tweezers. Be careful you don’t thin your loc out. If it becomes too weak, you will have to cut or repair the loc(s).

How you can prevent lint from getting trapped in your locs
· Wear a scarf at night, when cleaning or doing other chores that might get your hair into close contact with cling-happy fabrics.

· Use dark-colored towels when drying your locs. Light colored towels can shed lint into your locs.

· Avoid products with petroleum in them, hair butters and creamy conditioners because these substances attract lint and other unwanted residue on your locs.

· Stay away from hats and scarves that shed, like angora or wool.

· Check your locs from time to time for lint. It is easier to remove lint off the surface of your locs, rather than having to remove embedded lint.
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Product Junkies- Clutch ya Wallets!!!!!!!!

The Lupie Chick

Are there products out there you’ve wanted to try, but you cant bring yourself to pay the high price tag? Do you have “stuff” cluttering up your cabinet? Are you a product junkie, that will try anything-at least once? If so, you need to check out Lolas Green Hair – #1 spot for purchasing or selling gently used hair care products. This INGENIOUS online listing service is a one-stop shop to purchase new, nearly new and gently used hair care products, at a fraction of the cost. There is no haggling or bidding, and details such as shipping costs and how much of the product is left are clearly stated in the description. I saw a jar of Miss Jessie’s buttercreme for $4.50 ( 75% of a 2oz jar- THAT’S A DEAL!!!!!)

Here’s how it works

Sellers of new, nearly new, or gently used products register on the site, and then list the product, pictures, and the price. You will be notified of potential buyers via email, you then request payment, and ship product(s). Use the social media icons to Tweet, post to Facebook, and use other channels to spread the word about what you’re selling!

Buyers click on ad your interested in, complete the form to contact the seller, and submit payment through Paypal to complete purchase, then await your product(s) to arrive in the mail.

LolasGreenHair.com saves some green, and keeps our environment a bit greener to boot.”Go check it out, you may find some goodies you’ve wanting to try. Or maybe this is your opportunity to clear out that shelf of products that aren’t being used.

aunaturale, autoimmune, depression, detox, diet, headache, insomnia, meditate, migraines, miss sixx, mz sixx, natural hair, peace, reflect, relax, skin care, skin disorder, womens health

Day 9: Younger Looking Skin plan

The Lupie Chick

Reflect and Relax
By Amy Wechsler, MD

Reflect on Your Journey This is the final day of the Younger Looking Skin plan! Think about how the last 9 days have been for you. What’s gone well? Do you feel physically and emotionally different than you did last weekend? What helped you most? Was it getting more sleep, connecting with friends, having more sex, or learning to meditate?

Take Two Just for You Pick the stress buster that you’ve liked doing best — meditating, breathing, making love, having a worry session, whatever — and do it twice today.
And don’t forget to get your beauty sleep, be positive, foster friendships, move your body, eat clean, go green, relax, and simplify.

You’ve completed the 9-Day Mind-Beauty Makeover and tapped the power of The Mind-Beauty Connection to start reversing the effects of tension and time. You should be looking and feeling not only younger but also happier, healthier, and more whole; less stressed, more you.

By continuing even some of the new habits you’ve picked up in the last 9 days, you’ll keep looking and feeling terrific, not just for now, but for life. Use these tips to nurture the beauty in you:
Stick to your newly formed habits as best you can over the next several weeks as your body continues to adjust and respond.

Feel free to add and subtract things that worked especially well for you, or didn’t. The point is to discover what helps you, and that’s going to be as individual as you and your life are. Use Dr. Amy’s 7 Habits for Healthy Skin to stay on track.

Focus on making your daily activity something you look forward to. Get inspired with these videos.

Keep a handle on stress, don’t skimp on sleep or healthy eats, and don’t get lured in by the latest beauty products.

Tell someone else how the mind-beauty connection can reverse stress aging and bring out the best in her looks.

The information included on this blog is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan.

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Day 8: Sleep more for younger looking skin

The Lupie Chick

Get Enough Beauty Sleep
By Amy Wechsler, MD

Get More Beauty Sleep If you don’t have any early obligations today, sleep in as long as you like. If you have to get up early, take a nap later in the afternoon. The ideal time for a nap is about 8 hours after you get up — that’s when your body temperature naturally takes a little dip (a sleep inducer); it’s part of your normal biological rhythm. So give in, and experience the beauty benefits of a little power nap.

How to Power Nap
Take off your shoes, and get comfy on a reclining chair, couch, or bed.

Close the blinds, or turn away from any direct sunlight.

Set an alarm for 30 minutes. That gives you 10 to fall asleep and 20 for your actual nap.

Avoid napping after 3 p.m. — it can disrupt your nighttime sleep.

Here’s a great reason to get more sleep.
Keep focusing on your inner beauty, fostering friendships, moving your body, eating well, going green, relaxing, and simplifying.

The information included on this blog is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan.

aunaturale, autoimmune, beauty, gratitude, lupie chick, lupus, meditation, miss sixx, mz sixx, natural hair, stress, treatment, womens health

Day 7: Be positive for younger looking skin

The Lupie Chick

Focus on Your Inner Beauty
By Amy Wechsler, MD

Today is all about inner beauty. Use these inside-out beauty tips to get the radiant glow that comes with inner peace:

Focus on the Positive Try this tonight: Make a gratitude list for the day. Write down three great things that happened during your day. They don’t have to be out of this world. They can be as simple as the fact that you ate well all day, or that you hit a big deadline at work, or that the sky at sunset was beautiful. Just three good things, simple as that.
See how being positive can keep your heart young and help you avoid these.

Meditate Stress Away Stress takes its toll on your skin, your hair, and your natural good looks, so make sure to keep stress well under control. Meditation is a great way to work through stress, calm your mind, and keep your brain functioning at its peak. In the hour before your bedtime tonight, try this simple meditation.

Continue to foster friendships, move your body, eat well, go green, relax, and simplify.

The information included on this blog is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan.

aunaturale, autoimmune, awareness, immune system, lupie chick, lupus, migraines, mz sixx, treatment, womens health

Day 6: Quality time for younger looking skin

The Lupie Chick

Have Fun with Friends

Spend Quality Time with Friends or Family Spend time today with people you care about. If you love to cook, invite them over for a scrumptious meal. If you don’t want to cook, go out. The point is to get together with people who are meaningful in your life — who make you laugh or inspire you — and share stories and time. Put together the perfect dinner-party menu with healthy recipes from the RealAge Recipe Finder.

Extend the Evening for Extra Value If you and your dinner mates live close to one another, invite them back to your place for dessert or an after-dinner drink. If it’s winter, light up the fire; if it’s summer, sit outside in candlelight (for more vitamin G). Just make sure you’re not up past your bedtime. Keep moving your body, eating right, going green, relaxing, and simplifying.

The information included on this blog is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan

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Reap the Benefits of Physical Activity

The Lupie Chick
Day 5: Be active for younger looking skin

By Amy Wechsler, MD

Get Moving for Better Skin, Better Sleep
Do at least 30 minutes of physical activity today, and schedule some time for a few more active half hours over the next few days. Whether it’s taking a class at your gym, going for a power walk with friends, taking a bike ride, or playing Frisbee in the park — there are lots of options for doing your body good. Choose something you enjoy.

There’s no point in being miserable.
Try one of these free workout videos — there’s something for everyone.
And get this: Exercise during the day helps you fall asleep at night and improves the quality of your beauty sleep. Just another one of the health benefits of physical activity.
Remember to eat well, go green, relax, and simplify.

Treat Yourself to Something Special
You’ve hit the halfway mark to better skin! Block out an hour today or tomorrow — 1 full hour — to do anything you’d like. Veg in front of the TV; go shopping for new makeup at a department store where you can get some TLC (check out Dr. Amy’s Most-Worth-It Beauty Splurges); get a manicure and pedicure or the massage you still haven’t had yet. Just make sure it’s fun and relaxing. This is quality you time.

The information included on this blog is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan.

aunaturale, autoimmune, awareness, lupie chick, lupus, Omegga fatty acids, skin disorder, vegatables, womens health

Eat Foods That Are Good for Your Skin

The Lupie Chick
Day 4: Best foods for younger looking skin

By Amy Wechsler, MD
Avoid Food That’s Bad for Your Skin Focus on eating as cleanly as possible today. Avoid fast food, fried food, and anything processed. That includes refined sugar, soda (diet and regular), and processed meats and cheeses. Why? They keep your body and your skin off balance. Instead, eat foods that are good for your skin. Here’s a quick list of foods for healthy skin:
Oranges
Cantaloupe
Tomatoes
Leafy greens
Salmon
Tuna
Firm and Bright
You’re probably up to your eyebrows (Botoxed or not) with the mantra “eat more fruits and vegetables.” But if you’ve yet to take that advice to heart, maybe knowing that they prevent wrinkles will do the trick.

The skin doc’s three top picks: sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and cantaloupe.

What they do: Replenish your skin’s supply of antioxidants, so they’re ready to scarf up free radicals whenever they make an appearance. Free rads are highly reactive oxygen molecules that damage cells and contribute to just about everything that can go wrong with skin, from dryness to wrinkles.
Fresh and Juicy
Your body can’t store much wrinkle-fighting vitamin C, so you need to top up your supplies regularly. The easiest way: Have some citrus every day.
The skin doc’s four top picks: oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit.
Ounce for ounce, oranges are the top citrus source of C, but you can only eat so many, right? For variety, make lemonade; squeeze limes on melon; add grapefruit to salad; and, instead of drinking soda, fizz OJ with sparkling water. It all adds up.
What they do: Keep skin’s vitamin C levels high. While C is a nifty antioxidant, that’s not the key reason it’s here. It helps keep collagen — the supportive protein fibers that stop skin from sagging — strong and resilient. (Flimsy collagen means lines and wrinkles.) Since collagen breakdown really picks up in your mid-30s, eat citrus early and often to head off aging.
Smoothing and Soothing
There’s a particularly potent antioxidant known as EGCG that does all kinds of good things for skin. The best place to find it? True teas: black, green, or white (not herbal). Brew a full teapot every morning so that sipping 4 to 6 cups throughout the day is a no-brainer.
The skin doc’s #1 pick: green tea.
While all true teas contain EGCG (by the way, that stands for epigallocatechin-3-gallate), the various types of green tea have the most. Dr. Wechsler’s personal favorite is hojicha green tea (available at http://www.adagio.com). “The roasting process that turns this green tea a brownish color also lowers its caffeine content,” she says — handy if you’re caffeine sensitive or it’s one of those days when you don’t need another stimulant.
What it does: Gives your skin a healthy dose of EGCG, which is a great multitasker. EGCG puts a damper on inflammatory chemicals involved in acne and sun-related skin aging, it helps prevent skin cancer; and it has a lion-tamer effect on tumor cells. What’s more, green tea contains L-theanine, a de-tensing amino acid — and anything you can do to stanch the flow of the stress hormone cortisol helps keep collagen fibers intact.
Dark and Green
Certain dark green vegetables, whether they’re fresh, frozen, raw, or steamed, really deliver on vitamin A, one of the most skin-essential vitamins going.
The skin doc’s three top picks: spinach, turnip greens, and broccoli.

What they do: Deliver a hefty supply of vitamin A, which supports skin-cell turnover, the process that keeps cell growth and development humming along flawlessly. Without enough A, skin becomes dry, tough, and scaly.
Fish Faves
Several cold-water catches give your skin a double benefit: age-fighting omega-3 fatty acids and the restorative powers of protein.
The skin doc’s seven top picks: salmon, trout, tuna, sardines, Atlantic mackerel, Pacific herring, and most shellfish.

Just don’t, uh, go overboard. As good as omega-3s are for skin (and the rest of you, too), worries about the amount of mercury in many fish mean it’s smart to limit seafood or freshwater fish to two meals a week. That’s a must for young children and for women who are pregnant, who may become pregnant, or who are nursing. (Go here for the government’s fish guidelines.)

What they do: Omega-3s fight inflammation, now considered one of the top skin agers, and they also help protect against sunburn, enhancing the effects of your sunscreen’s SPF. Protein is required to build and repair skin cells and to make enzymes and hormones that help keep it glowing.
Fill your grocery cart with all of these foods and you won’t just look younger, you’ll be younger. Eating at least one serving of fish a week and getting the right amount of antioxidants through diet or supplements lowers your biological age.
Click here to find more food that is good for your skin
Curb Cravings
To curb cravings and make sure you’re eating only the best foods for your skin, drink water or (green)tea throughout the day. Mix it up with sparkling water, a splash of natural (no sugar added) cranberry juice (rich in antioxidants), or a wedge of lemon, lime, cucumber, or melon.

The information included on this blog is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan.
40th birthday, lupie chick, lupus, miss sixx, mz sixx, natural hair

Today is my Birthday- I’m Fierce, Fabalous, and FORTY!!!!

The Lupie Chick

Today I turned the big 4-0- yep- I’m 40 years old today. I must say that I’m proud of who I’am and my accomplishments. As with alot of people life and situations crept in and took me on a different path than the one I had set out for myself. I’ve been told a hundred times, your path and destiny has been pre determined-EVERYTHING that has happen in my life WAS SUPPOSE TO HAPPEN! ( including having Lupus).

I have 3 beautiful children, a beautiful grandson, husband and family that love me FAULTS AND ALL ( praise and testimony moment). I have a loving mother that blessed me with life and made many sacrifices to bring me to where I’am today.

The days leading up to my birthday I had time to reflect. I’ve noticed that I’ve become a “creature if habit”. Which is neccessary in some suitations, but not every suitation.

I had several conversations about some of the things I’d dreamt of doing. My homeboy ( Malik) told me ” you’re never too old to live out your dreams”. The only thing or person stopping you from living out your dreams are Y-O-U! I knew that, but hearing that, at that moment hit home. It was my ” ah-ha” moment.

Ya’ll know I posses alot of talent and sometimes my plate runneth over because I’m always doing something..lol..lol.. After giving it much thought- I realize that I had ALOT of things I wanted to do. Some simple, others more complex. Here is what I came up with, in no particular order of importance:

1. Bring awareness to Lupus
2. Launch my lupus foundation
3. Sponsor a awareness walk for Lupus
4. Make a family recipe book
5. Write more personal letters and create personalized cards
6. Establish a holiday tradition (Thanksgiving, Christmas, 4th of July) with my grandson

7. Learn to crochet
8. Learn a foreign language ( specifically Spanish)
9. Wear more skirts and dresses
10. Take a cruise
11. Take a once in a lifetime trip. (Africa, Italy, Spain, Rome, or Greece)
12. Grow a veggie garden (those who know me will attest that this will be a very big challenge. I have black thumbs).
13. Have 12 hours of good sleep.
14. Read a whole book – one a month for a year.
15. Go to a cooking class with the hubby
16. Eat vegetarian for a week.
17. Tell the people who mean the most to me that I love them more often.
18. Renew my wedding vows in a destination ceremony
19. Find the perfect little black dress
20. Get back to a healthier weight (under 200 lbs) and fitness level (strength building).
21. Wear a bikini – and look fantabulous in it!
22. Have a “true” emergency fund.
23. Declutter and live a simpler lifestyle.

24. Bi-Monthly massages and facials ( more pamper me days)
25. Take my multivitamins every single day without missing (at least for a month).

26. Run (rather, walk/jog) a (5K) marathon
27. Start using coupons more
28. Have a thriving side hustle that will move me towards my goal of financial independence.
29. Go to New York City and be a complete tourist
30. Get a Mac (computer)
31. Take more walks
32. Learn to bake
33. Watch less TV
34. Attend Essence Music Festival
35. Pay off my car(s) ( and don’t buy another one)
36. Sing a karaoke song ( alone)
37. Get a bikini wax
38. Go on a no soda challenge for a month
39. Learn how to calm down
40. Visit a new east coast state
41. Attend a runway fashion show at Fashion Week
42. Try something new at my favorite restaurant
43. Go fishing ( catch, cook, and eat the fish)
44. Go to a concert ( the one and only concert I ever attend was New Edition – I was 13 yrs old)
45. Wardrobe haul ( only keep clothing and shoes that I actually wear)
46. Take a pole dance class
47. Learn how to mediate
48. Do a burlesque photo shoot
49. Trace my family roots ( ancestry)
50. Reconnect with my faith (attend church regularly)

“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve”

I considered while writing my list is that each task/goal should be SMART. You’ve probably heard that acronym before – it stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timed.

Specific is what it is – you must be able to say exactly what you want to do. For instance, with #8, I didn’t just say that I want to learn a foreign language; I specifically said that I want to learn Spanish

Measurable means that the goal must be something that can be quantified or tracked. Some of my goals are rather vague – for example #50 – I said that I want to go to church “regularly”. What is regularly? That won’t mean the same thing to everyone. However, I couldn’t go much further with that. I didn’t want to say every Sunday or every Wednesday because I don’t know when I will go.

If something is attainable, that means that it’s possible. All of the things I’ve listed here are within reach. I may have to work hard to make them happen, but they are all within reach.

Relevancy is subjective. What’s relevant to me may not be relevant to you. However, all of my goals are VERY relevant to me.

Timed goals are set into a time box of sorts. All of these goals, I want to achieve by the age of 45. There’s my time box.

I am looking at turning 40 as my new lease on life. I’m a little bit older, a whole lot wiser and most definitely, sexier!!! Does this mean that I am officially a “grown-up?” LOL!!!

Life Really Does Begin at 40!

So, what’s on your list? How are you holding yourself accountable?