Smitten by Spanx

PLEASE tell you you've read Forbes magazine before.  And you were totally bored with most of the articles unless they mentioned the mansions or the luxury vacations right?  No?  Just me?

If it's not the fancy things that catch your eye, maybe it's the social responsibility articles you like.  Millionaires make money by not screwing up environment or employees lifestyles and actually pay fair wages! (it's like finding a needle in a haystack but good guys do exist) I like those articles but everything else is SO boring.  Wow, a rich white guy gets richer?  Wow an old white guy gives his company to his son, who would have thought....I'd rather learn about the underdog.  Because, let's face it, I'm the underdog. 

So as I'm sitting at the doctor last Thursday I began to read the World's Billionaires of 2012 issue.  I officially have my first girl crush.  Sara Blakey created my FAVORITE accessory.  Not shoes, not a new purse, it doesn't even have anything to do with diamonds.  She created SPANX and became a billionaire in the process.

If you are a woman and you enjoy working and making money.  Or if you are at a point in your life and you are thinking there is SO much more you can do and you just don't know what it is.....read this article! 

Sara was doing fine.  She had a great sales job and excelled at her job!  But wearing panty hose in the Florida heat did not cut it for her.  She loved the control top, but not the sweaty legs.  She needed a product that nobody was making.  Her confidence from her sales job and her business background propelled her into the youngest woman self-made billionaire in this issue.  Please please please read this.  Go to the doctor and read it there!  Or buy a freakin' issue.  I hope she inspires you.  Like I said, I'm in love with her confidence and her drive to excellence!



Another thing I learned from this issue: Walmart execs are so freaking rich they make up something like 5 out of the top 10 USA billionaires.  Boycotting Walmart will not save the starving children.  They are 'Too Big to Fail'. 
     Warren Buffet, Christy Walton, Jim Walton, Alice Walton, S. Robson Walton


Living Life to the fullest finding inspiration in underwear!

My Favorite Bloggers

Time to share with you a few of my favorite blogs!!

Melissa from 320 Sycamore shares her AMAZING home renovations
Seriously, check out her Kitchen redo! 

Michelle at The Vintage Apple is a elementary school teacher
in a low income school district and while her day is worse
than I could ever imagine (think of re-living those years in elementary school where everyone hates you) she seems to find the silver lining in her day!
She also just got married and has an amazing husband and a doggy!
My kind of lady!

I love Jamie's blog title because I'm pretty sure it has to do with a beautiful song I hear at tons of weddings.  Jamie puts tons of Pinteresting images up every Wednesday. I love the dresses she shares!  Also, because I love her blog design I revised my blog (once again) thanks to her designer!  It's really simple!

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Another blogger named Michelle...Has a beautiful family, a loving husband and is having some issues fitting in with her neighborhood stay at home mothers. 
She does alot of pinning also!

I might need to make this into a page on my blog....I have a TON of other favorites including some personal friends of mine!  Stay tuned!

Live Life to the Fullest....one inspiring blog at a time!

-Rachel

ACE OUT HUNGER with WTA and USANA

USANA HEALTH SCIENCES AND WTA LAUNCH “ACE OUT HUNGER” PROGRAM

100% of Proceeds to Benefit Children’s Hunger Fund

USANA Health Sciences, Inc. announced that it will donate $10 for every ace served at WTA events throughout the 2011 season, beginning with The Championships at Wimbledon. The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) will support USANA’s contribution with a $25,000 donation. All proceeds from the “Ace Out Hunger” program will benefit Children’s Hunger Fund (CHF), a global nonprofit organization fighting hunger in impoverished regions around the world. 

Source

 

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Yep, THAT Wimbledon


“In tennis, an ace is a point‐winning serve that isn’t returned by the opposing player,” says Dan Macuga, USANA’s VP of Marketing and Public Relations. “It is considered a demonstration of strength and strategy—qualities that represent USANA. Through this charitable program, we’re able to provide food, nutrients and vital resources to children in need. This is a program that is meaningful to us in many ways.”

“When you consider that an estimated 1.4 billion people live on less than $1.25 a day, $10 can really go a long way,” says Dave Philips, CHF president. “We will be tuning in closely to every match, cheering whenever an ace is scored, knowing what a difference that single serve can make. We cannot thank USANA and the WTA enough for their compassion and generosity.”

“We are thrilled to contribute to the Children’s Hunger Fund through the efforts of our world‐class athletes,” said Stacey Allaster, CEO & Chairman of the WTA. “USANA is a fantastic partner of the WTA and this program will make a real difference in helping children in dire need.”

“I’ve had a chance to learn more about Children’s Hunger Fund and am impressed by how effective they are at distributing resources,” says Liezel Huber, former WTA No.1 doubles player and USANA brand ambassador. “About 99% of CHF’s total contributions go directly into their programs. This is a charity that is doing what it promises to do, and I’m proud to support them.”

In 2010, over 12,000 aces were scored in the season and as many as 596 in a single tournament.  Do the math: at $10 per ace that's $120,000 towards the Children's Hunger fund.  What an AMAZING company USANA is!!  To date, USANA has donated over $11 million in monetary and in‐kind contributions to Children’s Hunger Fund.

If you'd like to join a winning team like USANA's call Rachel Kellar today!  www.livinglifetothefullest.usana.com

Article Source

Goodwill

My favorite new store is GoodWill!!

Check out these 'vintage' purses I bought for $8.00 total!  ($4.00 each).

I can just picture that straw clutch with my bright green 'golf' shorts, a flowy white top and bright wedges.     The colorful clutch would be great with an all white outfit or an all tan outfit.  I think it would really pop!  The bright pink sticker is just the price tag I haven't taken off yet.

Living life to the fullest...with Good Will

I just kicked genuine love to the curb

When the NCAA Women's basketball tournament was in town the company I work for was to be at the Alamodome all weekend. I was to be with the crew in getting them fed and hydrated. My co-worker was dedicated to the teams locker rooms and all that. But on prep-day I got this HORRIBLE pain in my backside. I showed up to work and walked miles around the dome, but when it was time to put on a smile for the client I burst into tears because of the pain!

That night the pain was so excruciating I couldn't sleep - I drove myself to a Texas Med Clinic was given a steroid shot and a pain killer shot in my buttocks, sent home and passed out. Only to wake up the next day in even more pain! I have no family in San Antonio - only (drinking/college) friends and ex-boyfriends. So I called my ex and he drove me to the doctor - but he needed to be at work and left me at the doctor to find another ride (hence why he's the ex) I called another friend (we'll call him an ex too, even though it was a VERY short-lived relationship). This guy picked me up and took me home. He's old-school and who really believes in that "rub an egg on it" trick. Well, I didn't let him rub me down with an egg, but he did help me.

I won't go into details - but the source of my pain was very awkward. And this guy stayed by my bedside for 2 days and nights. He made a hot bath for me every night to help me relax, he cleaned my apartment, he popped a pain pill in my mouth when I woke up crying from the pain. Seriously - I didn't know I had anyone in my life who would do that - and I especially didn't see these actions coming from this person. I'm not sure if I have anyone in my San Antonio life that I would do that for...kinda sad, I know.

Well that was Sunday. Yesterday after 7 days and 24 hours together I had had enough. I couldn't handle the attention and the service. It was driving me crazy. Aren't I a horrible person? "Hey buddy, thanks for being there when I needed you, but you can leave now."

It got me thinking about this thing I recently heard: The 5 languages of love
This guy’s love language is "quality time" all he wants is to be with you....no need to talk, no need to touch, no need to do anything - just be together. I'm NOT a quality time person. I don't have time to be a quality time person. I'm an "acts of service" person - do something for me and I'll appreciate it and likewise, when I love you I'll provide acts of service for you.
Then it hit me - is this was marriage is like? I mean when you're married you spend all your time with that one person, maybe not all your time, but they are there when you go to bed and there when you wake up (AHH!). Do I need to become a quality time person? I can't just throw out my husband when he isn't doing acts of service like I did to this poor guy. I know there's compromise in a marriage, but yikes! I might need to *gasp* change. or maybe when the right person comes around I will be a quality time person... because I will want to spend time with the person I'll spend the rest of my life with. Let’s hope that’s the case – if not I’ll be calling my ex’s until the day I die.

Being Nice is Good Business

I just finished reading and commenting on this Nice Guy Blog. I also re-tweeted it so that others could read along. But now I must continue the discussion in my head. Cara Stewart with Remarx Media left the following comment for Peter:


"Peter, after reading this post, I don’t know whether to cry, cheer or break something. You’re right on. I’m nice. And female. Which translates into “she must be weak.”... I always take the first call, meet for that cup of coffee and share a piece of advice that could prove useful to someone. I participate in my community. I trust employees, clients, friends and relationships. Until I no longer do because they’ve proven that they’ve crossed that line; they confuse nice with weak and take advantage or worse...."

I didn't even think of it from a female point of view! But this is extremely valid - it's difficult being a female in the work place vs. being a man. Women can be portrayed many different ways in the work place. A few examples:
a) the 100% complete b*tch - as a woman I am not afraid to say this person does exist
b) the woman having a bad day and people still call her the B word - again, sad but true
or
c) the really nice girl who gets walked all over (and quietly hides her fangs)
Most of the men I've worked with show off their 'fangs' weekly and not to benefit the company, just to make sure everyone knows they are the ones with the bigger fangs. *Note: this is not the case in my current working environment - for those of you who know the men in my workplace, you know they are the nicest guys...and my boss is a woman.

A while back a friend of mine commented on my tweets. He said it was like an extremely happy cheerleader was typing them - overly excited, overly happy, borderline annoying cheerleader. I don't consider myself overly happy - I am happy, but I do see the negative in the world. This person is not a very positive person to begin with. He obviously wasn't reading into my tweets or clicking on the links I Re-Tweet. He would see my avatar pop up, put the high pitched cheerleader voice in his head and portray me in that way he felt fit.
This person is actually a personal friend of mine who I haven't seen in 2+ years. We reconnected on twitter, but we haven't physically seen each other in a while. We've both changed during our absence. He's been traveling the world and I've established myself as a career woman. He might remember me as this overly optimistic person (and heck- I'd love to be that girl again too) but as Peter says in his blog: Nice people have fangs too.

Like I mentioned earlier being a woman with fangs can come across in different ways than a man with fangs. Men are the "hunters" who are out there "killing" for profit. While in some cases it's the women who comforts the client and builds a true B2C relationship. I'm going along with Peter and Cara, I'm going to be the nice person I genuinely am. That's the way I want to do business. I will love my job and my clients better if I am acting as my true self and being true and nice is good for business.