Success Is A State Of Mind

Let me ask you a question:  What will it take for you to be successful?  In other words, what do you need to accomplish in order for you to consider yourself having reached success?  Perhaps a more relevant question is what is your definition of success?  The former dictates the latter.  What kinds of standards do you set for yourself?

All of these things inevitably affect how you will succeed, and what this success will entail.  If you only do the minimum to get by, you might accept the smallest triumph as a victory.  On the other hand, if you are a perfectionist, you might sense failure when you don’t cross your T at a square perpendicular angle.

The trick to this, as is with anything, is to find the balance.  Where is your ideal medium?  This will be dependent upon your lifestyle, routines, and natural habits.  How high can you place your goals and standards before they cease being beneficial and begin becoming inefficient, tedious, and inhabiting?

Where does success come from?

Success itself is comprised of opportunity, ambition, and potential.  Opportunity is related to what is happening, being offered, or who is present in the society.  Ambition is the hunger or drive to be successful and potential is defined as how capable one is to achieve their goal.

There are some characteristics that can be traced throughout history as being present commonly among successful people.  These Include:

An Unwavering Passion.  Pursue that which you love.  Be passionate for what you do, only then will you try your hardest to reach it.  If you pursue that which you have no passion for, you risk abandoning it for something more appealing.  Commit and be dedicated.

Open Mindedness.  Have the imagination of a child.  Even the most intelligent realize that they will be forever learning.  Be flexible, at times you might start from one direction and end up in another.   Make the most of wherever you are and be open to new ideas!  The result might be better than you imagined.

Hunger.  Starvation for excellence.  Desire to be an expert, to master the craft, and to make it bend to your will.  Never lose sight of what you are striving toward.  This trait in particular helps with “hopeless” circumstances.  Sprint, don’t run.  Most people walk and even wait motionless.  Sprint.

Progression.  A forward-looking approach.  Learn from the past and move on.  Take the wisdom and experience and leave the rest.  Use it to better your future approaches.  This is the only way you will grow to your fullest potential.  Optimism is king, and the means to become one.

Creativity.  A constant flow of ideas.  Amazing problem-solving and innovation.  Love for the art of your specialty.  Never stop creating.  This is the life-line to your brand.  The most successful people always have a constant flow of new products or services to keep them relevant and profitable.  How can you be innovative?  Better yet, how can you be innovative with your previous innovations?  Offer your audience complete originality.

GOOD LUCK AND NEVER GIVE UP!

The Life We Live...

I don’t believe in sizes, and I don’t believe in diets!  Anyone that has worked a day with me is aware that I eat constantly.  I have an immense love for food, but even more for taking care of myself.  If it’s not the amount of food you eat, it’s what you eat, and how frequently.  Every individual body is constructed uniquely and thus should be cared for in the same fashion.  Here is a diagram of a balance chart in the shape of a triangle. 

Create your own balance chart by starting with 2 centerpoints: caloric intake and caloric outtake.  Take in consideration the things you need to be consuming, staying away from, and genetic deficiencies you need to be aware of.  Build your scale to your custom diet and achieve the things that keep you balanced: peace, happiness, and relaxation!

The entertainment industry is especially competitive when it comes to setting the standard for looking good.  But the same industry has room for all people, not just beanpole models!  Unless you are a runway model, there is no professional need to be smaller than a size 4.  Realistically, if you take care of yourself the way you should, and know your particular body type, you’ll look amazing no matter who you are or what your shape is.

If you get to know your physical body entirely, you won’t have a problem sticking to the foods you should and feeling amazing every day!  There are so many ways this can be done in a healthy manner that fits into your lifestyle, and doesn’t include a chanced diet.  Everyone has individual nutritional genes and needs.  Some things that would be beneficial to learn about yourself are:

·         Any genetic or current health risks/concerns such as high cholesterol, diabetes, anemia, thyroid disease, etc. (make sure you counter these with specific super foods or medication).

·         How it feels when you have particular nutritional deficiencies (low blood sugar, low iron, etc.)

·         Your blood type (this greatly affects how your body takes nutrients from certain foods)

·         How you feel when you eat specific foods (meets, vegetables, etc.)

·         How you feel when you are ACTUALLY hungry (dehydration often shows the same symptoms, know how this feels too!)

Another tip is to replace harmful or damaging foods and drinks that may be countering your efforts to be healthy.  Drinking tea instead of coffee is one example.  A cup of java a day can boost your metabolism and give you energy, but the caffeine dehydrates you and an accompanied glass of water or two is recommended.  If you haven’t been sleeping much and hitting the extra java, you could be confusing dehydration for fatigue.  Make sure you get extra water in on days you over exert yourself or don’t get enough sleep.  Another example is eating a sweet fruit instead of a candy bar, or replacing pop (soda) with juice.

Have you ever noticed some people look amazing on vegan diets, while others look horrible?  This is because NOT EVERYONE should stick to greens and vegetables.  Although amazingly beneficial, you should read more about eating based on your blood type and determine the right diet for your own body.  Some people should implement more red meat into their diet, while others can cut it out with positive health effects.

Here are some general tips that can make anyone look thinner and feel better all of the time:

·         Drink more water throughout the day.  The more hydrated, the higher your metabolism.

·         Eat less sodium.  Dehydration causes water retention and bloating of the skin.  If you can’t resist a salty snack, flush it down with two tall glasses of water.

·         Eliminate pop (soda) from your diet, and especially drinks containing high fructose corn syrup.  This literally makes your body move slower.

·         Minimize the amount of coffee and excess sugar you consume.  Replace them with tea and fruit.

Back To The Basics

A little inspiration for my readers:

Can you remember when you were little?  Think back.  I mean REALLY little; your mother still holding your hand to the school bus little.  Do you remember how you used to act, how you used to think, feel, and be?

You were careless and were concerned with a different set of priorities.  You had other pet peeves and triggers.  Simpler things made you happy and you were more family-orientated.  Instead of worrying about what others will see you in and spending hours to pick and reevaluate your outfit, you styled yourself with whatever suited your mood and were done with it.  And I’m pretty sure a lot of us had little bloated baby tummies and did not flinch once in front of the mirror.  We loved running around, being reckless, and rolling in the mud.  Getting dirty was an adventure, not a chore.

Remember how we used to interact with others.  Without troubling ourselves over future possibilities and scenarios, we acted upon impulse.  Although taking certain consequences into consideration is sometimes crucial in the decision-making process, why should it affect the way in which we converse with others?  In other words, why should the prospective reactions from others determine our initial actions?  At the risk of sounding cliche, my perfect world is one in which all are true and sincere without the fear of judgment on their conscious.  It is your life you’re living, so why should others dictate your story line?

Dance for all that are watching.  Speak for all who are listening.  Shine for all those residing in darkness.  Be yourself for the world.  Be true and self-fulfilling first, burdened and careful last.   IT IS OKAY TO PLAY NOW, PAY LATER (thanks, Mishon).  You could spend your life dreaming of living, which sounds redundant, doesn’t it?  It is always good to work then play, to balance yourself in order to survive, but remember also that youth is for doing things you cannot do with age.  And why should your age signify the number of regrets you collected along the way?  “Playing it safe” may look appealing at the moment, but deciding not to do something could be just as regretful as the alternative.

The longer you prolong a decision, the more attention you are taking away from others to be made.  You could spend just as much time considering an action as you could spend completing it.  For example, while you are trying to decide if you are going to participate in the bull-riding contest in front of hundreds, you are diverting your concentration from other opportunities you may have.  In this time, the prize could be claimed by another contender, the love of your life could be considering introducing him/herself to you, or your favorite celebrity could be behind you in line for the contest.  I’m not trying to pressure you into becoming a Yes-man, and some decisions require more consideration, but definitely do NOT hesitate and miss an amazing moment due to fear.

There are a million scenarios that could occur as a result of participating in such a contest.  You could fly off and break your arm.  You could accidentally rip your shirt and expose yourself.  You could fall off the fake bull after the slightest movement.  BUT sometimes the pain of today is worth the memory for tomorrow.  Five years from now, does it matter if Jessica Alba point-blank witnessed you rolling ridiculously, unnecessarily, and embarrassingly off the fake bull before it even begins to jerk you?  You fall flat on your face, and happen to be wearing a skirt or extremely short shorts, slightly exposing yourself.  But what do you do when you pick yourself up?  The moment has begun and you are helpless to that fact.  But your next move makes your story.  Get up and run out the door?  Or hop up, shake it off, and get back on the bull?  Most of the time, the important factor in a situation is not what happens, but how you handle it.  The world is filled with unfortunate events, but succeeding against all odds is always admirable. 

When you are old, wrinkly, lacking full mobility, and left to your thoughts alone, what will be memorable to you?  Rolling out of the spotlight and sneaking off to blend into normalcy, or getting back on the bull, winning the contest and a high-five from Jessica?  Even if you don’t win the contest, you still might get the high-five, which might just be as satisfying.

Today, a lot of people are preoccupied with being leaders, not followers.  So when you are older, will you be a speaker or a listener?  Will you be passive, and reminisce with others of their tales, or will you recount your own, and continue to awe your audience?

Better Yourself. Better Your Lifestyle.

HEY GUYS LISTEN UP!  Today’s blog is REALLY going to help you out.  Trying to tone up or build that muscle?  Below are some tips that are simple to follow =).

REMEMBER: The KEY is being consistent!  It’s easy to lose muscle mass with only one week of inactivity!  Get to know your body and stay in tune with your fitness and health.  No one knows you better than yourself!

SUPPLEMENTS & NUTRITION

Water – essential in every aspect.  Your body canNOT function properly without being hydrated.  Drink plenty BEFORE your workout, only drinking enough DURING the workout to prohibit the presence of thirst.  Drinking too much water during your activities can cause severe and painful cramps.  Consume more water after the workout.

Protein – your main muscle builder!  Make sure you are getting enough: to maintain your current shape, to replace the amount used during your workout, and to continue building more muscle.  It is extremely crucial that you monitor your protein intake so as to ensure you are getting a healthy amount!

Calcium – your muscles will NOT grow without this!  A good supply of calcium is vital to muscle construction and long-term bone density.  If you are not receiving an adequate amount, your body WILL take it from another source!!

B Vitamins – great source of energy!  Don’t forget to take your B12!

Sports Drinks – use sparingly and with care.  Although riddled with beneficial factors and keep us moving from time to time, this drink is often abused.  Drinks such as Gatorade have the power to dehydrate you.  They are designed to RE-hydrate, so pick a time to have one and stick to it: during your workout or shortly afterward.  Just remember to get your fill of water, also!

Coffee – really??  Believe it or not, coffee might be the trick to your success if you normally have difficulty executing a great workout.  Besides the digestive benefits, it is a wonderful supply of energy to get you moving.  It also slightly increases your metabolism.  HOWEVER, this is a dehydrating drink, as well, so have a cup of water with your mocha!

ACTIVITY

Warm-up – Running is a good way to loosen your muscles before training; it engages your core, back, arms, and legs.  Also, it creates a nice balance between cardio and the remainder of your workout. 

Muscle building (Strength)– heavier weights, fewer sets.  As you are lifting, go slowly to increase tension and resistance.  Concentrate on using your muscle fully and keeping it properly positioned.  The slower your pace, the more you strain (workout) that body part.

Toning (Strength)– just as important as muscle building!  Since mass and shape are two separate concepts, we have to make sure we implement both aspects into our workout.  Focus on endurance; lighter weights with more reps.  TIP: Go as quickly as you can for as long as you can, UNTIL YOU ARE FORCED TO STOP.  Take a FIVE SECOND break and start again.  The initial set will be the longest.  The important thing is the feeling of strain you are acquiring.  It is okay (and typical) to do fewer repetitions for each additional set.  Do about 4 or 5 sets.  THE OBJECTIVE here is to burn out your muscles to the max, allowing your muscles to continue their own workout throughout the day.

Cardio – a fancy word for keeping your heart rate above normal.  It takes a minimum of 30 minutes of cardio to begin to burn fat, so plan accordingly.  Cardio is the ONLY way you burn fat during a workout.  It is important to alternate between cardio and strength exercises on a daily basis.

6-Day Muscle Building Cycle – When you exercise, you cause your muscles to break down, a necessary step in the process.  It takes about THREE days for your body to rebuild the lost muscle, and an ADDITIONAL THREE days for you to finish gaining the excess muscle.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Pick 6 areas of your body.  Concentrate on one of these each day, creating a 6-day rotation.

Run daily.  Accompany this with a daily core workout and push-ups.  It may be helpful to break up your run with periodic points at which you pause and do some push-ups or sit-ups before resuming.

Alternate between strength and cardio exercises.  On days specified for strength training, alternate between muscle building and toning.

Drink water!  You lose a LOT of it while working out.  It also acts as a regulator and flushes out abnormal levels of chemicals in your body.

Stretch properly.  Make sure you do not rush or improperly execute this process, which is crucial to your future comfort and health.  Without stretching, you are more likely to pull, stretch, or damage muscles and tendons.  You are also more likely to experience discomfort in the form of Charlie Horses, caused by the accumulation of lactic acid.

Chocolate milk.  Yup, I said it =)  Chocolate milk might just be the secret to a post-workout remedy.  It provides an EXCELLENT source of protein, calcium, etc.  Nesquik provides a higher amount of the pair, and Silk’s almond milk has an extra dose of calcium, as well.  Go ahead, tend to your sweet tooth after a valiant attack on those calories!

Beer.  Thought the chocolate milk was an interesting item to add on this list?  If you are a marathon runner, beer is proven to have restorative properties that promote cell recovery.  Best news you heard all day?  The perfect excuse to hit happy hour to celebrate your completed 10K!

THE BEST ADVICE I CAN GIVE YOU IS “EVERYTHING IN MODERATION.”  Even the healthiest of things can cause damage when abused or overused.  Taking care of yourself is a full-time job, but it gets easier when you get to know your body personally and learn what it means to maintain your body composition.  This is the most basic and easily attainable information; all you need to determine future nutrition and workout plans.

Have more questions?  Always feel free to ask!

The Girl Behind the Blog

I became a model for the beauty…and fell in love with the art.

I am primarily a high fashion runway model from the Twin Cities.  I have been modeling since I was a young teen, starting with swimwear and lingerie lines.  I was that one youngin’ that no one knew was underage!  Talk about long discussions with venue owners just to get me in some of the spots!  This is where I planted my modeling seed and saw some promising buds spring to life!  I had a small following of fans coming to my bimonthly shows and showing support!  Thanks to everyone who saw me take my first step (literally) onto the runway!  Nothing but love for my TC fans and fam!

I have lots of anatomical knowledge from a lifetime of playing every sport imaginable, and excelling greatly in those that I am passionate about.  I have been holding a basketball since it would fit in my little hands, and grew to love baseball, also.  However, my true passion is volleyball, which I continued to play at the college level and against D1 teams.  I attended Emory University, notorious for its pre-med program, where taking extensive health and nutrition classes are a requirement.  Furthermore, I have crossed the paths of countless models and actors, from legends like Morgan Freeman to those appearing in their first show/film.

After I moved to Atlanta and attended college, I chose to jump back into the industry of beauty and art without regrets!  I have been doing every kind of modeling in Atlanta, from hair shows to runway, to promotional and print work.  I have become an actress, as well, and have been featured in many TV shows and films.  For a partial actor’s resume, see my profile on www.exploretalent.com/ktred.  I have done a VERY large handful of music videos and expect to go international very shortly.  I am also skilled in hair and make-up and I have an intense creative eye.  I am able to assist with directing, styling, and coordinating almost any type of modeling event or video.  For a glimpse at a small collection of my modeling work, see my rough portfolio at www.modelmayhem.com/1025696.

I have strong beliefs and ethics, and am consistently fueled with inspiration, motivation, and passion.  I love to love and be happy =) and I can turn anyone into an optimist in a matter of moments!  I love to create art that inspires.  I strongly believe in energy; that you reap what you sow and the power of positive vibes should never be underestimated!  I like to send out the most inspiring texts to my closest friends, hoping they keep up all their hard work and dedication.  Teamwork and collaboration are extremely important in this industry because it is so easy to become disheartened.  Showing support is a requirement!  Anything more you would like to know that was not included in this overly brief synopsis, just ask!  Thank you to all my gorgeous readers =)

Some artists and actors I have previously worked with:

Morgan Freeman

Robert “Bobby” DeNiro

Kevin Kline

Michael Douglas

Romany Malco

Michael Ealy

50 Cent

Sean Paul

Arash

Tyler Perry

Chad Michael Murray

Gary Weeks

Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s newly signed Fast Life

Lester Shaw aka L2

Oso Krispie from TLC

Timbaland’s newly signed Brasco

Diggy Simmons

Brea Murphy

Teyana Taylor

Damien Dante Wayans

Craig Wayans

Kevin Hart

Ice Cube

Gabrielle Union

Lisa Vidal

Agnes Bruckner

Jenna Dewan Tatum

Julia Ormond

Kellee Stewart

Shawty Lo

Youngest 1s

Tatyana Ali

……….And more of course!!

Beauty Pioneer: Pharaoh of the Nile

Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator

In a time and world where men ruled and it was possible to get slaughtered just by irritating the wrong man, a woman of gold was born and brought to rule through her own seduction, wit, beauty, zeal, and charm.  At the time, all thrones were being handed to blood that flowed through men of the royal families.  However, the royal women of Egypt were of a different breed. 

Cleo IV had an extremely theatrical lifestyle, described as a “mistress of disguise and costume.”  She was known for her ornate and exquisite shows of splendor, many of which add to the myths we hear today.  She kept constant the mystique and illusion her entire reign over Egypt.  She strongly likened herself to the goddess Isis, and retained the nickname “New Isis” by her people.  Her appearance was so entrancing, like that of a siren, that her only possible relation could be supernatural.  When she was given the power of dominant rule at 18 and chased away by her own kin not long after, her comeback was so dramatic, it goes hand-in-hand with her depictions today.  She raised an entire army of mercenaries and returned to Alexandria a year later, snuck into her own palace, and was rolled out secretly in front of Julius Caesar, current ruler of the Roman Empire. 

“For she was a woman of surpassing beauty, and at the same time, when she was in the prime of her youth, she was most striking; she also possessed a most charming voice and knowledge of how to make herself agreeable to everyone.  Being brilliant to look upon and to listen to, with the power to subjugate everyone, even a love-sated man already past his prime, she thought that it would be in keeping with her role to meet Caesar, and she reposed in her beauty all her claims to the throne.”

It was here that she captivated Caesar for life, taking ownership of his heart and protection for the rest of his life.  Her son, Cessarion, was declared sole heir to his throne until disputed and claimed by Caesar’s other son and general.

This general, Mark Antony, fell in love with Cleopatra VI, as well.  She snared his heart when she arrived on the shores of Tarsus with the robes of Isis billowing in the ocean breeze.  It was rumored by many that she was a sorcerous, and cast spells and held men under her control.  After she stole Mark Antony from his wife and lover, he then rejected them in public in order to be with her and wage war on Rome.  They were then defeated and became the last and richest independent state to fall to the Roman Empire.

The queen did everything she could to keep her country prosperous, happy, and sovereign.  She fought bravely for it like no man would.  She used everything she was given in order to remain in power.  Many describe her as able to appear likeable to anyone, with a “sweetness in the tones of her voice” and intelligent wisdom in her words of counsel.  She was ethnically Greek, as was the majority of the people in Alexandria, who descended from Alexander the Great’s general Ptolemy I.  Those who sat on the throne before always chose to “isolate” themselves from the remainder of Egypt.  However, Cleopatra had portraits depicting her as traditionally Egyptian made for her Egyptian audience.  She knew multiple languages, unheard of by her predecessors.  She had all of the tools to be the greatness she was, and she used them.

Appears in hieroglyphs as:             

The great Lady of perfection, excellent in counsel

The great one, sacred image of her father

The goddess Cleopatra who is beloved by her father