Women of Rubies, Author at Women of Rubies

In Inspiration March 8, 2021 By Women of Rubies

International Women’s Day 2021

Women throughout history have worked hard and are still working hard to make sure women are not silenced but are heard and able to use their talents and potentials in their industries and various work places.

Regardless of whether it is in athletics, innovation, tech, politics and activism.
Women are going the extra mile to challenge the norms and create avenue for equality while advocating for a better world and equal opportunities.

Powerful women accords several continents and nations like Deola Sagoe, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Michelle Obama, Malala Yousafzai and Serena Williams have been a source of inspiration to girls and women all over the world and constantly serve as proof that women all over the world can challenge norms and break ceilings.
They have demonstrated and shown that failure shouldn’t stop you from achieving your goals. They have shown you can have strength and work out purpose with confidence while still holding on to your vulnerability.

In celebration of International Women’s Day 2021, I have put together, a list of inspirational quotes from powerful women to serve as a reminder that through consistent action and belief in yourself, you can do all you set to do.

Think on these quotes:

“Girls are capable of doing everything men are capable of doing. Sometimes they have more imagination than men.” – Katherine Johnson, mathematician and one of the first African-American women to work as a NASA scientist
“I have learnt that if you face the challenges with positive energy, you are most likely to get better results.” – Adenike ‘Nike’ Ogunlesi
“The success of every woman should be the inspiration to another. We should raise each other up. Make sure you’re very courageous: be strong, be extremely kind, and above all be humble.” – Serena Williams, professional tennis player who has won more singles titles than any man or woman.
“True success is about a passion to create a better world, live a life that you can look back on and be truly proud of.” – Dr. Ola Orekunrin (Flying Doctors)
“In my experience, women tend to create a collective around them and then it is ‘let’s go into battle together’. For me, it is this type of collaborative, collective thinking that is useful in this industry, an industry full of innovation.” – Emma Kaye.
“I might fail in a business venture but I do not consider myself a failure until I have given up. Failure is giving up on my goals and dreams.” – Damilola Solesi
“We need to understand that there is no formula for how women should lead their lives. That is why we must respect the choices that each woman makes for herself and her family. Every woman deserves the chance to realize her God-given potential.” – Hillary Clinton, former Secretary of State and first woman nominated for U.S. president by a major political party
“Women should do for themselves what men have already done—occasionally what men have not done—thereby establishing themselves as persons, and perhaps encouraging other women toward greater independence of thought and action.” – Amelia Earhart, first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
“Don’t be afraid of criticism, research shows that in cases of men and women with the same type ‘A’ personalities, a man will always be seen as a go-getter and ambitious and the woman will be seen as bitchy and loud; understand it and move on.” – Ethel Cofie.
“I raise up my voice—not so I can shout but so that those without a voice can be heard… We cannot succeed when half of us are held back.” – Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate.
“Nineteen people may love your work, but the twentieth one will hate it and will tell you so; you cannot allow that to affect you. That may sound trite, but there is huge risk in letting criticism get you down.” – Carrol Boyes
“I really think a champion is defined not by their wins but by how they can recover when they fall.” – Serena Williams
“Start at the bottom. You need 100% passion, 100% guts and a total belief in your vision and your determination to succeed. Be prepared to put in crazy work hours and all kinds of sacrifices, but most important.. NEVER GIVE UP!” – Bev Missing“
“Failure is necessary for any learning curve. Failure makes you stronger, bolder, and less scared of taking risks.” – Nkemdilim Begho
“Always aim high, work hard, and care deeply about what you believe in. And, when you stumble, keep faith. And, when you’re knocked down, get right back up and never listen to anyone who says you can’t or shouldn’t go on.” – Hillary Clinton
“Think like a queen. A queen if not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.” – Oprah Winfrey, media mogul and North America’s first black multi-billionaire.
“If you’re always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.” – Maya Angelou, Pulitzer-prize nominated poet
“Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.” – Marie Curie
“There’s power in allowing yourself to be known and heard, in owning your unique story, in using your authentic voice.” – Michelle Obama.
“Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” – Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
“Minister to the world in a way that can change it. Minister radically in a real, active, practical, get your hands dirty way.” Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
“You don’t make progress by standing on the sidelines whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas.” – Shirley Chisholm
“Do what you feel in your heart to be right–for you’ll be criticized anyway.” – Eleanor Roosevelt.
“Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.” – Ruth Bader Ginsburg
“Technique and ability alone do not get you to the top; it is the willpower that is most important.” – Junko Tabei, first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest
“Do not stop thinking of life as an adventure. You have no security unless you can live bravely, excitingly, imaginatively; unless you can choose a challenge instead of competence.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
“The most difficult thing is the decision to act. The rest is merely tenacity.” – Amelia Earhart
“Success is only meaningful and enjoyable if it feels like your own.” – Michelle Obama
“I’ve been absolutely terrified every moment of my life—and I’ve never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do.” – Georgia O’Keeffe, painter often recognized as the “Mother of American modernism”
“Every moment wasted looking back, keeps us from moving forward…In this world and the world of tomorrow, we must go forward together or not at all.” – Hillary Clinton
“Let us make our future now, and let us make our dreams tomorrow’s reality.” – Malala Yousafzai
“If I can change the life of one person it makes a whole difference because behind that person there is a whole family. It’s a family, it’s a society, it’s Tanzania.” – Victoria Kisyombe
“I am guided each day by these three questions: ‘What are you fixing?’ ‘What are you making?’ and ‘Who are you helping?’

I hope these quotes inspires you to act and be all that is in you to be and above all, I hope it makes you choose to challenge the norms and break limitations and societal ceilings.

Happy International Women’s Day 2021.

In Health March 7, 2021 By Women of Rubies

How to Stay In Shape In Just 3 Easy Steps

Staying a shape for a lot of people can be rocket science as it seems not just impossible but difficult. For some, it is even harder because they have to work from home and are used to sedentary lifestyle.

How then do you stay in shape without doing too much?

Healthy Eating

Here are some healthy hacks for fat loss:

Keep tinned and preserved food in storage for emergencies, but eat fresh on the daily. Purchase or procure real food like vegetables, fruits, and meat whenever you can. A lot of people are now turning to urban homesteading. If you can’t grow your own greens, find out where you can get your fresh foods in your immediate vicinity.
Leave out processed food out of your grocery cart. You can’t eat something that’s not present in your home no matter your midnight cravings.
Follow food blogs who prepare healthy meals that you are partial to. Avoid videos about desserts and sweets.
Keep a journal and take photos of your healthy meals.

Not only will these improve your eating habits, these tips also double as healthy hacks for fat loss.

Movement

Coming from a day of hard work (while trying not to catch anything) or having to stay at home for days on end, especially if you work from home, it’s easy to just Netflix and chill, literally. The body’s natural response to stress is usually a surplus of sleeping or eating, or both.

To keep your health and your immune system up, make sure you are doing healthy movement everyday. And yes, this means some form of exercise. Instead of passively gaining weight, you can take this opportunity to build the body you’ve always wanted.

Here are some tips to get you moving:

If you like dancing, build a library of your favorite zumba or dance routines on YouTube done to your favorite songs. It’s a great way to keep motivated when you enjoy the instructor and love the songs your bopping to.
There is a plethora of free exercise videos on YouTube. Take your pick from gentle tai chi, heart-pounding cardio, or stretchy yoga. Mix it up every other day to keep it exciting.
If you prefer using an app, find a free exercise app on the App or Play Store. Even better, they have tracking features that will let you see your progress.
If you are blessed with a lawn or a backyard, take advantage of the warm weather by doing some gardening. Plant greens that can be harvested fast and/or regrow food from scraps. Not only will you be moving your body, you’ll also be getting sunshine and healthy greens for your meals.

Now, if your goal is weight loss, here’s something interesting. Most health experts believe that weight loss is a combination of exercise and diet. However, exercise is often said to be 20% responsible for a person’s weight loss.

Cardiovascular exercises like jogging, aerobics, and biking are excellent for circulation, heart health, and increasing lung capacity. Strength-training exercises are excellent for protecting bones and disease prevention. Once you lose weight, you still want to maintain a long, healthy lifestyle.

Hydrating

Did you know that stress and water are directly linked?

When you are undergoing stress, your heart rate goes up and you breathe more heavily. This results in the body losing more fluid. To add to that, people often forget to eat and drink when they are heavily distracted by anxiety triggers. Keeping this in mind, make sure to stay hydrated during these stressful times.

If you’re in a space where you feel a hunger pain, drink some hot water with lemon first. In many cases, people eat with the assumption that they’re hungry. In reality, the body is craving more water. If you love the fizzy, carbonated sensation, pour some carbonated water on ice.

When the body remains hydrated, you’ll give your body the foundation it needs to work efficiently. Plus, juice, lattes, and other sugar-filled drinks are loaded with calories. Decrease your intake of liquid calories by drinking lots of water instead.

In Fashion March 6, 2021 By Women of Rubies

A Quick Guide to Finding the Best Nail Shape for You

Playing with different kinds of nail colors is fun and relaxing. But when it comes to truly making your hands beautiful, it’s not all about the color or finish of your manicure. To have beautiful nails, don’t just look at your polish. You also have to know how to find the best nail shape for you.

Each hand, finger, and nail shape is different, and we are all born with various features. However, with the right nail shape, short fingers can look longer and hands can look daintier, edgier or more sophisticated to go with a particular look.

Get the right shape that accentuates those beautiful hands with these tips on how to find the best nail shape for you:

Round

This type is the simplest and most natural look that you can do for your nails. It is effortless to maintain, especially if you have time growing your nails.

To achieve this look, simply cut your nails to create an arc similar to the arch of your cuticles. Then, file off any of the rough edges.

A round nail is best when you are after strong nails. If you have visually long nails even after cutting, this makes your hands look very feminine and beautiful. Gel manicure would look lovely over it.

Oval

This shape is quite difficult to execute. The form should be symmetrical, and the point is a little between oval and almond. If you file it too much, you could end up getting either one so it would take time to file your nails to get the perfect shape.

It’s perfect for people with long fingernails who want a beautiful, sophisticated look because it creates a more feminine vibe.

Almond

Almond shape looks lovely on glamorous, eye-catching events. It looks a little like an oval, but it is more tapered on the sides to shape more like an almond. To make it noticeable, you have to have longer nails.

To get the perfect shape, make sure to ask your nail salon to do it for you. It is one of the most playful designs you can get because it works for medium length nails. When you get tired, you can turn it into a squoval – a square or even an oval shape.

Square

Square nails are the easiest to make. To achieve this look, just file your nails down and make sure that ends become perpendicular to the nail. It is one of the most versatile looks because it works for either short or long nails.

However, if you already have short nails, the square may make your nails look even shorter. If that’s the case, go for an oval, round or squoval to make the shortness look less noticeable.

Squoval

It seems the most natural because most people are already born with this kind of nail shape. That’s why it is suitable for both long and short nails.

For the nails you currently have now, you only need to file a little bit to get the perfect squoval shape and you’re good to go. If you want the square look but hate how sharp it is around the edges, this would work best for you.

Ballerina

As the name suggests, the ballerina is a nail shaped like a ballerina’s pointed shoes. It is a longer version of a square, but it is a little more convex with a straight tip. It is slightly tapered like the oval. Instead of an arc, the tip is flat.

The ballerina works best for people who love growing their nails long or for people who love going to nail salons. It’s ideal for people who love putting on gel manicures or acrylics to achieve a longer nail and avoid damage to the natural nail.

Stiletto

Stiletto nail design looks intimidating and deadly. Both sides are tapered to create a pointy end. It’s very dramatic, edgy, and can be best left in the hands of professional nail salons.

For this, you need the help of nail extensions or gel overlays to create the look. Your nail techs will shape and design your overlays to create the pointed tip for each nail. It also works best for gel manicure because the polish makes the design look more prominent.

Lipstick

Going for an out of the box look for special avant-garde events? Choose the lipstick.

The lipstick is like a simple square nail but only longer and asymmetrical, meaning it is just tapered at one side of the nail. It creates an uneven look that is too risky, eye-catching, and highly unusual. It works best for an equally experimental or innovative fashion style.

There are plenty of options for you to choose from, but what would be best would totally be up to you. This guide on how to find the best nail shape for you is just here to help you out.

If you want feminine looks, you can make your hand look dainty and slender by choosing rounder nails shapes like round, oval, almond or squoval. If you want strong, intimidating nails, you can choose between the square, ballerina and stiletto.

In lifestyle March 5, 2021 By Women of Rubies

5 Reasons Why You should Travel Alone

Do you usually feel stuck? Are you tired of your hectic, daily routine? When did you last take a break to unwind and treat yourself? Are you truly free? In fact, when have you ever had a whole day to focus on your desires, thoughts, and needs?

In truth, life can sometimes feel so overwhelming, and you need to take a break to freshen up your mind and to sharpen your focus. But which is the best way that will make you feel this alive again?

The answer is pretty simple; adventure solo travel! Of course, for a majority of people, the idea of solo travel can be a huge challenge. Yes, it makes us uncomfortable, causes too much thinking, and we often have to face our fears alone. However, once we choose to ignore such awful feelings, there are several incredible benefits of solo travel especially when it comes to personal development. Take a look!

Teaches You to Be Brave

What is ‘fear’?

We can describe it as hard work, taking risks, letting go, and jumping deep into nothingness. If you’re willing to accept those things, you’ll enjoy a high sense or exhilaration, excitement and most importantly, achievement.

Now, traveling solo requires a significant amount of courage. Remember that you’ll be in the woods or in the wild alone trying to pass through different obstacles. Here, ignoring the problem or sleeping it off will not work.

Instead, you have to tackle the challenge head on! The good thing is once you make it through, the realization that you did it by yourself is quite empowering.

It Teaches You How to Accept Uncertainty

So, you’ve chosen the best place to travel solo, but keep in mind that things are bound to go wrong. For instance, the bus may break down, you might misplace your passport or even get food poisoning after overeating in a fancy restaurant. However, you’re exploring a fantastic destination and you have no time to be sad or miserable.

You’ll have to accept the course of things, search for solutions, and make the most out of the entire experience. We should definitely adopt such an approach in our daily lives. After all, it would make us happier, more relaxed, and focused on attaining our goals.

Travel for Development of Personal Authenticity

You’re just a traveler moving from one country to another. No one knows you or your past. They don’t know what type of car you have, how ‘perfect’ your marriage or relationship is, and they don’t even follow you on social media.

Amid such anonymity, there’s a strong feeling of equality. It’s complete freedom where you have the chance to be anything you want to be with no pressure or expectations.

As you travel for development, you’re like a blank page with the perfect setting to have a fresh start. It’s here that you’re reduced to the core of your essentials without the ‘distractions’ of friends or even family. Eventually, in such clarity, you’ll realize your destiny.

Understand the Importance of Connection

Don’t forget that you’ll be alone almost every time. You’ll go searching for a fun conversation or maybe just a friendly gaze. Once you get what you are looking for, it’s hard to hide the excitement and high feeling. It almost feels like a huge part of you has changed.

These moments can actually increase your well-being and happiness, especially while traveling. As human beings, aren’t we here to connect and love each other?

It Improves Communication

Have you ever talked to a local who didn’t know your language or speak it well? If you have, then why do you think you were able to converse flawlessly without using words?

Now, you might not know this, but it’s because you were not only curious but also made an effort.

How do you think your daily encounters would change if you adopted such a method?

Try turning off your cell phone and give a friend or colleague your undivided attention. You’ll realize that it takes a lot of energy to listen to and connect with someone’s feelings and experiences.

If you can’t let go of your device, then you could also open a travel blog or website.

We’ve discovered that travel blogs have become an excellent avenue for sharing exciting outdoor experiences. Here you can share the ‘beauty’ of solo travel with your readers. Tell them all how you’ve learned from a journey you took to South America or Asia and create a section where they can write their comments.

Conclusion

We all know that transformation doesn’t happen overnight. It takes a well-executed plan and a strong support system. So, jumpstart your transformation and soon, you’ll reap the benefits of traveling solo.

Be brave, be authentic, learn how to talk, and come up with solutions. Know how to connect with diverse people as well. After all, don’t you feel that these traits are all you need to be successful?

In Inspiration March 4, 2021 By Women of Rubies

To Anyone Who Is Struggling… A Letter

Sometimes, you meet people struggling with issues and you are lost for words to say or where to begin.

I once met someone who is struggling due to lack of friends, family, motivation, poor self-image and lack of confidence.

I feel for her because I know what it’s like to struggle, to feel down and even depressed, to have no motivation. I have suffered from confidence problems, many times.

So I’m writing this for her and every other humans who are struggling.

You are struggling, maybe even hurting. And that is really difficult. It can feel hopeless, lonely, confining.

These feelings are very real, and really hard. How do you climb out of this when you don’t have the motivation to change? How do you make friends who can help you if you don’t feel the self-esteem and confidence?

I am sorry you’re hurting and struggling. But know that even if you feel alone, you are not alone. I, for one, am connected to you because I’m thinking of you, all of you. I’m connected to you because I too have suffered in similar ways. We have shared pain, shared hopelessness, shared loneliness.

And it’s not just me: every single human being who is alive has felt this kind of pain, hopelessness, and loneliness at one time or another. We are all connected through this shared pain and struggle. We feel alone, and in this we are connected.

The feeling of being alone, separated from the rest of the world, is an illusion. Sure, it’s an illusion that feels very very real. But it’s not true.

Consider: you are supported by millions, even billions, of people. You are using electricity that is powered by an electric company, with thousands of employees working to give you that electricity. You drink water brought to you by yet more thousands of people. You eat food raised and harvested and brought to you by thousands of people. Brought to you on roads built and maintained by thousands of people, on vehicles (ships, trucks, cars, planes) built and run by thousands of people. You wear clothes, use gadgets, sit on furniture, all built and brought by thousands of people. And all those thousands and thousands of people are themselves supported similarly by thousands more.

You are supported by millions of people, and those millions are supported by millions. The entire world supports each other. We became the people we’ve become only because we’ve had that support, we’ve connected to share ideas, learn from each other, serve each other.

I believe this is a miracle. We each are supported by a miracle of connections to every other person on the planet. We feel alone, but it is only an illusion.

The way to rise from this struggle is to turn from your own pain to the pain of others. Who else around you is struggling? How can you offer them love? How can you help them, ease their pain in some way?

By turning outwards, toward the pain of others, we can fill our hearts with love for them, wanting nothing but happiness for them. Then, by this simple turning, we have hearts filled with love. I think that, too, is a miracle.

I can’t take away your pain, but I can offer you two miracles: the love that comes from turning toward other human beings, and the connection we have to everyone on Earth. I feel connected to you, and my heart is filled with love for you.

I hope this makes you feel better and I hope you find the strength and courage you need to go through life.

In lifestyle March 3, 2021 By Women of Rubies

10 Reasons Why Should You Travel

There are plenty of things one can gain from exploring different places. The list includes gaining new friends, new experiences, and new stories.

When you start exploring new places, you get a better understanding of the people living there, including their culture, history and background.

Studies show that travelling can improve your overall health and enhance your creativity. Therefore, you need to take time out from your daily tasks, office responsibilities, hectic schedule, and everyday pressures at least once in a year. Plan a tour to a new city with an open schedule and let life present you with the numerous opportunities.

If you need more convincing, here is a list of all the benefits of travelling.

1. Improves Social and Communication Skills.

One of the main benefits of travelling, especially to areas where your native language is not widely used, is that you learn how to communicate better with other people. Brushing up your knowledge on the most commonly used phrases or questions tourists ask can help you reach out to and relate better with the locals.

2. Ensures Peace of Mind.

We all have stress and tension in our lives. Travelling forces us to temporarily disconnect from our normal routine, helping us appreciate the people and things we have around. As per a famous saying “we never know what we have until we lose it.”

3. Helps You Get Original and Creative Thoughts.

It is believed that if someone gets out of their comfort zone, the mind gets more creative. To develop new neural connections that trigger original and creative thoughts, you must explore new places and break out of your daily routine.

4. Broadens Your Horizons.

Travelling helps you connect with different people from different cultures. This gives you the opportunity to see issues and daily life challenges from a different angle.

5. Enhances Your Tolerance for Uncertainty.

While travelling, you will find yourself stuck in situations where things don’t always go as planned. Such situations will help you learn to cope with the uncertainties in life.

6. Boosts Up your Confidence.

Being in a place where you do not know anyone will assist you to gain confidence and presence of mind. You will develop the ability to cope with obstacles, which will make you a confident person.

7. Gets You Real-life Education.

Meeting different people from vast cultures and societies provides an education that is impossible to get in a traditional school, college or a university. There is no substitute for the real thing.

8. Creates Memories for a Lifetime.

If you travel with friends and family members, traveling helps you build stronger bonds and make memories. You can also save memories of a lifetime by creating photo albums or sharing photos in social media.

9. Helps You Have Fun.

No matter how young or old you are, there is always a time when the child in you wants to have some fun. When you travel, you do not care what you do at all and you can just break free from the norm.

10. Aids you Get to Know Yourself.

While travelling, you might find yourself stuck in situations you won’t normally experience in your daily life. This can help you understand yourself and how you react to such circumstances, preparing you for future similar situations.

Although travelling offers many benefits, it also has some disadvantages if not planned carefully. If you are a patient and taking medication for a disease, do not forget to carry your medication. Keeping jet lag pills handy saves you from unnecessary discomfort.

Those susceptible to allergies should carry allergy medication. Plan your tour in advance, prepare a checklist to keep yourself healthy while traveling, and pack important items before you travel.

Travelling is good for the health so decide a place now and pack your bags. Remember, you only live once, so start travelling to different places and get some life-altering experiences.

In Health March 1, 2021 By Women of Rubies

Two Steps To Building Resilience

When life is shaking us up and we’re feeling stressed … it can be tough to feel resilient.

Resilience helps us to deal with the chaos and overwhelm … but how to we create it when we feel like we’re underwater?

The first step is to remove things that are adding unnecessary stress. The second step is to do things that help us feel replenished.

Those two steps won’t get us all the way to full resilience, but they’re a huge huge start.

Remove Extra Stress…

Some stress is inevitable — wishing for a life where we feel zero stress is just going to add more stress.

But if we are flooded with stress, removing some of it can help us to clear the space to create even more resilience. If we don’t remove the extra stress, we’ll never do the things we need to take care of ourselves, or to train our minds to be more resilient.

So removing unnecessary stress is the first step.

Some examples:

If you’re drinking a lot, reduce down to 1-2 glasses of wine a night. Zero might be even better for some, but it’s useless to ask someone to quit alcohol when they’re flooded with stress.
Similarly, reducing smoking or other narcotics or drugs would be a big help.
If you’re working late into the night, creating a stopping point earlier would be a big help, if possible.
Cut back on your workload a bit, if you’re able to. Delegate the ones you can. Create a to-do list and prioritize the ones you can’t delegate.
Stop saying yes to everything, and take fewer meetings. Don’t be afraid to turn down excess workload as well.
If you’re fighting a lot with someone, refrain for a bit. Take a breather and let yourself settle.
If you’re watching things or playing games late into the night and getting little sleep, cut back on that.
If you’re watching news or reading things online that really get you angry, stop that for awhile.
Cut out social media if that gets you anxious.

And so on.

Removing these stressors will help you catch your breath.

…Then replenish yourself.

I don’t mean that you have to take a spa weekend (though that would be great!) … I mean doing little things that help you feel more recharged and settled.

These things fill you up, so that you can better take on the world.

For example:

Go for walks out in nature.
Create space for reading, having tea, taking a bath, journaling.
Talk with someone regularly, in person or over the phone.
Take naps.
Get better sleep.
Take a weekend off.
Get some sunshine, if there’s any where you are.
Take moments of stillness and deep breathing during your day.

These little things can make a huge difference.

You won’t get all the way to resilience with these two steps — but you’ll have given yourself what you need to take the further steps of shifting your thinking patterns and practicing resilience.

In Inspiration March 1, 2021 By Women of Rubies

A New Month Is A Fresh Start

At the beginning of every month, it’s like a blank slate: the month can be whatever you want it to be.

This is freeing, exhilarating, magical.

Take advantage of it.

Of course, we always have the magic of a fresh start available to us — in any day, any hour, any moment. Every morning is a beautiful fresh start! In fact, right this moment, you have the opportunity of a fresh start.

We should take advantage of these opportunities to see the freshness of the moment in front of us.

Start at One — this is one of my mantras this year. You can make it yours, even as you begin a new month.

Let’s look at how to practice with this during each day, and a couple ways you can take advantage of Starting at One as we look at this beautiful year in front of us.

Practicing a Fresh Start in Each Day

Every morning, you get to ask yourself:

What would I like to do with this incredible day?
What would make today incredible for me?
What am I feeling called to do today? What’s most important?

You can wipe the slate clean of whatever happened the day before (no matter what it was), and just start anew.

And then you get a couple hours into it, and maybe you find yourself off course. You’ve gotten distracted, or caught up in busywork.

Start again.

Take a breath, and imagine this next moment is a blank slate. What is most important right now? What would you like to do with this incredible hour in front of you?

Start again. And find gratitude that you get to start again, over and over.

Practicing with the Blank Slate of the New Month

We’re about a couple of hours into the new month, and you might have already started to lose the freshness of this month. But we’re just starting out! We’re at the very beginning, and we can do whatever we like with this month.

What would make this an amazing month for you?
What is possible for you this month?
Who would you like to be?

Take a notebook and pen, and spend 30 minutes thinking about this fresh space, and writing out some notes.

Is this the month you finally write your book, launch something, create something? Grow your business to a new level, launch a new mission, help others in a big way? Tackle something hard and scary and meaningful?

Are there new habits you want to create?

This is your month, to use however you like. What magic can you create?

Putting It Into Action

Once you have an idea of what you’d like to do or create … it’s time to make it actually happen.

Write it down and commit to it. Tell others and promise to report to them weekly. Adjust your plan each week, with the blank slate of the new week. Do a review each week and get yourself back on track with each fresh week.

One small step at a time, make it happen. One fresh start at a time.

Cheers to an amazing month ahead.

In lifestyle February 27, 2021 By Women of Rubies

Why You Should Fast from Social media

Take a minute to think about how much information you process every day. If you’re like me and a lot of other people, you get a lot of your news on the Internet, and you also read a lot of blogs. You might also read books and magazines and newspapers. You probably also watch a lot of TV, where you get entertainment and news. You might watch a lot of movies and listen to the radio on your way to work.

At work, you might get memos and emails and a billion other pieces of information coming at you. You might be a part of an online forum, or social site, or newsgroup, or mailing list (or several!).

It’s information overload.

Our brains are not made to process this much information. We can do it, but it gives us a lot of stress, and we cannot think about any of the information long enough for it to give us real value. We are in the middle of a vast river of information, and it just flows by us constantly.

And then there’s all the time we spend on all this media.

Take a minute to think about how much time you spend online (typically a few hours), watching TV (typically a few more hours), and reading all the other stuff mentioned above (another hour or two). Now think about how many goals you could accomplish if you cut those activities out of your life. The time you would gain would be tremendous.

So what do you do about it? Sometimes it’s good to get drastic. Try a media fast. But is it even possible?

Yes, it is. Here are some ideas:

If you’re feeling bold, cut out everything for a week. Well, everything that isn’t completely essential — you might need things like email for work, but can you really say that reading your blogs is essential? Is TV essential? Most likely not. Cut it out and see if you can make it a week.
Fast for a day. Can’t hack a week? Try one day. Cutting all Internet, TV, radio, and reading (other than fiction) for a day would be pretty drastic for most of us. See if you can last.
Fast on specific media, and take turns. Instead of cutting out everything, try cutting out only TV for a week. Then try cutting out newspapers and magazines. Then … if you dare … try cutting out your blogs. Then your favorite websites.
When you fast, work on specific goals. Don’t replace one media with another, or with another time-waster. Have a goal that you’d like to accomplish for that day, or week. See if you can use the time you’d normally spend on media to accomplish actions that further your goals.
If you’re not sold, track your time. Try logging your time spent on media for one day, without actually cutting back. Add it up in a spreadsheet at the end of the day. See how many minutes you devote to each type of media. It might be an eye-opener.
Once your fast is over, re-think your media intake. You may discover that cutting out TV, for example, wasn’t as hard as you thought, and that you were able to get a lot done. Maybe you want to stay off TV for good, or at least cut back on it drastically. Instead of launching right back into your old media habits, use your media more thoughtfully from now on. See if you can live with less, and work on your personal goals more.

Imagine the peace of mind that could come from shutting off the river of information that comes at you daily. Imagine the focus you could find without all the distractions.

Imagine that your life can be changed for the better with this one little edit. It may seem difficult to quit an addition, but don’t you think it might be worth it? At least give it a try.

In lifestyle February 26, 2021 By Women of Rubies

15 Fun Things You Can Try This Weekend

It can be easy to lapse into a predictable routine at the weekend, especially if you’re on a strict budget.

However, there are plenty of fun things to do on weekends! Here are examples of activities to liven up your free time. They are cheap, fun, and entertaining, so give them a go!

1. Go For a Walk: brisk walk is healthy and can be a fascinating pursuit.

2. Dance: Turn on the music, or stick on your earphones, and dance away to your favourite songs.

3. Join a Film or Book Club: Most film or literature fans will be able to find a weekly club. Here you’ll be able to meet like-minded people and discuss your hobby.

4. Visit Friends: Organize to meet with friends and spend the day talking and having fun.

5. Volunteer Work: Consider doing some volunteer work for a charity. As experience it can go on your CV, can introduce you to new people, and provide a welcome feel-good factor.

6. Bake some bread or cake using online recipes from YouTube or food channels on TV.

7. Netflix and chill: Netflix.com is a very cheap online streaming video service. Sign up to watch amazing shows such as Breaking Bad and Arrested Development.

8. As an alternative to Netflix, you can watch Free Films on YouTube: Typing “Full Movie” into a YouTube search brings up dozens of free films to watch. Check Rotten Tomatoes to gauge if they’re any good.

9. Go On a YouTube Marathon: It’s an amazing resource for fun and creative videos; go on a wild search for the funniest videos you can find.

10. Blog: If you want to write digitally you can start a blog (free on sites like WordPress) and connect with the world.

11. Have a Board Game Day: Want a break from the internet? Try these classics: Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit, Scrabble, Chess, Risk, Cluedo, Checkers, Battleship, or Snakes and Ladders.

12. Listen to Podcasts: Podcasts can be entertaining and informative at the same time. It is a free and accessible form of entertainment as it can be accessed anywhere using just your device.

13. Read: Reading is a great accompaniment to your life. Head to your local library for classics. You can search the internet for free books or ask your friends to recommend books to you.

14. Learn a Foreign Language: Nothing is stopping you from taking up French, Japanese, Italian etc. A foreign language can come handy, you just an never tell when.

15. Take an Online Course: You can learn anything you like at Coursera and Teachable. Just explore all the skills or interesting things you’d like to learn more about and take one of those courses.

Women of Rubies