There’s a saying - “Smile and the world smiles with you.”  It’s great advice.  It’s even better advice when you realize that smiling can actually change the chemical reactions in your brain - in a good way.  Smiling when you’re unhappy can actually make you feel good.  Even if you don’t feel like smiling, give it a try anyway.  Yes, you might have to start by faking a smile, but before you know it, it will become a real smile.  It also doesn’t hurt to laugh.  Laughing increases the oxygen levels to your brain, which in turn releases chemicals called endorphins.  Endorphins are good chemicals that make us feel awesome. Keep yourself as healthy as possibly by eating properly, getting enough sleep every night, and exercising regularly.  But at the same time, don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day or two - you are allowed to have a break.  Keeping yourself healthy also includes managing your stress levels.  Keeping the stress in your life as low as possible will lead to many other healthy side effects, and you’ll find yourself in a better mood more often.  Take a moment for yourself, and yourself alone, every day. Consider getting massages, pedicures, etc., whatever makes you feel relaxed, on a regular basis. Don’t use a scale.  Sometimes seeing a number on a scale can have a massive emotional impact on us, yet that number doesn’t necessarily relate to how we feel or what we think of ourselves.  Don’t set yourself up for disappointment. Self-image is the mental image you have of yourself.  It’s directly related to self-esteem and self-confidence.  Your self-image is built-up over time based on your personal life experiences.  If your experiences have been mainly positive, you’ll most likely have a positive self-image, and vice versa.  If you’ve had negative experience, and therefore a negative self image, you’re more likely to doubt your abilities. Having a positive self-evaluation leads to empathy skills and feelings of contentment.  Sit down and make a list of all your positive qualities and abilities.  You may surprise yourself as to how accomplished you are, and how proud you should feel.  Try not to compare yourself to other people, whether they’re celebrities, friends or family members.  You are not them, so there’s no need to compare yourself to them.  You are your own person and comparisons are not required. Learn to love you self - as you are.  You’re unique and that’s awesome!  No matter what you’ve experienced in your life, it’s been a long and difficult journey and you survived. It’s amazing how much you hair can impact every thing you do!  If you have a haircut you really like, it’s easier to feel confident and happy.  If you don’t like your haircut, it can really bring you down and annoy you.  The next time you go for a haircut, take a moment to plan ahead to ensure you get the best possible haircut for your needs and wants.  Go through a list of questions with yourself about your hair, then base your haircut request on your answers:  Do you need to be able to tie your hair back? How much time do you have to ‘do’ your hair each morning? What styling tools (blow dryer, flat iron, etc.) do you have and know how to use?   Google hair styles and review the images.  If you see something that matches what you’re hoping to get, print it out and bring it with you.  This works really well if you’re looking to get your hair coloured.  It’ll save you trying to describe the shade of colour you want in words. Provide as much detail as possible to the stylist before they start.  Explain exactly what you want and what you need to do with your hair. During or after your haircut, ask your stylist for advice on how to style your hair properly.  You may not be able to do it exactly the same way they can, but they can teach you several tricks. If you look confident, you’ll feel confident.  But that means you have to wear your clothes, and not let them wear you.  When trying to dress confidently, you want to make sure you’re using colours and styles that match your personality and your figure.  You want to dress to express your personal style, not the style of others.  Most importantly, you want to feel comfortable in the clothes you wear.  Accentuate your best ‘assets’, as opposed to focusing on hiding the things you don’t like about yourself. Wear something that you’ll be known for - like a trademark.  Maybe that’s always having really awesome earrings, or always wearing bright coloured shoes.  Whatever works for you. If you’re not sure where to start, consider making an appointment with a personal shopper at your local mall.  They can help you sort through the bazillion options available and choose which ones work for you. And stop slouching!  Easier said than done unfortunately!  Good posture equates to muscles that are balanced and aligned properly.  Bad posture equates to muscles that ache and are painful.  Good posture also affects your joints and can help prevent arthritis.  In addition to all the physical benefits of good posture, it can also make you appear confident and ready to take on the world!  Standing - keep your shoulders back and relaxed; pull in your abdomen; keep your feet hip distance apart; balance your weight evenly on both of your feet; and let your hands hang naturally at your sides.  Avoid tilting your head in any direction, or locking your knees.  Sitting - make sure both of your feet can rest comfortably on the ground while your knees are level with your hips; sit back in the chair; put a rolled towel or pillow behind your lower back (if the chair doesn’t have lumbar support); pull your head towards the ceiling; tuck your chin in a little; keep your upper back and neck in a straight line; and relax your shoulders.  Sleeping - maintain a position that keeps your back curved naturally; try to avoid sleeping on your stomach; firmer mattresses are better than soft mattresses; and if you sleep on your side, put a pillow between your knees to keep your upper leg aligned with your spine.  Lift with your knees, not your back.  When you’re lifting something heavy, keep your back straight and bend your knees.  When you stand up, straighten your knees.  Don’t bend forward at the waist to pick something up.

Summary: Smile. Stay healthy. Have a positive self-image. Get an awesome haircut. Change up your wardrobe. Stand up straight.


You should never put stained clothes into the wash without treating them first, because the water can set the stains. Spray a stain remover, like Shout, OxiClean, or your other preferred brand, onto the stained area and let it sit for about 30 minutes. After the solution has soaked into the stain, you can put it in the washer and run it through the cycle as normal. Before you wash underwear with blood stains, rub a pinch of salt into the stain. Then, run the stained area under a stream of cold water to remove as much of the blood as possible.  The salt works to pull out the blood while the cold water loosens it from the fabric. Never use warm water to remove blood stains, as this sets the stain and it will be impossible to remove. Light colored underwear and bras can get sweat stains, especially in the warmer months. Rub a mixture of equal parts dish soap and 3% hydrogen peroxide on the stain and let it sit for 30 minutes. After the mixture has soaked into the stain, place the garment in the washer and wash as normal.
Summary: Apply stain remover solution onto soiled garments. Put a pinch of salt on blood-stained underwear, and run it under cold water. Mix dish soap and 3% hydrogen peroxide to remove sweat stains.