Sunday, December 31, 2017

Starting the Year with a Vision Board

I’ve always known what a vision board was. I've heard my friends Robin Beazley and Rachel Hunter talk about their impact for years. Taking the life and goals you vision for yourself and putting those images together on something concrete. However, it wasn’t January 2017, when I was invited to Keep Collective's Director Retreat in Tucson, that I went through the exercise myself.

When we were presented with 12x12 inch foam core boards, scissors and magazines I got excited. I used to be a big scrapbooker in high school. It was really my first experience with graphic design, something that I have a passion for, but now use Photoshop and InDesign to make my visions come to life.

While I was at the retreat, surrounded by other entrepreneurial women, I started to think about what was important to me and where I wanted to take my business, career and personal life. As I cut and pasted pictures that represented my vision I knew that they were all things that I wanted, but looking back a year later I really didn’t know how much of an impact my board would have on my life.

My vision board sat on my shelf behind my desk, and everyday when I walk into my office it greeted me. The first big vision that came to fruition was I knew that I had to make a change in my career. For 10 years I climbed the corporate ranks landing in the director of marketing position for one of the fastest growing agriculture companies in the U.S. Despite how much I loved my job, I just couldn’t do it anymore. It kept me on the road all the time, and if I was going to make our family more of a priority in 2017 something had to change.



My Keep Collective business was exploding and I knew financially it could take me further than working in a corporate setting. Two phrases on my board “what does life look like” and “signs you’re working too much” were daily reminders that change needed to happen. In February, I finally summoned up the courage and walked into our vice-president’s office to quit my job. She is the most incredible boss I have ever had. Instead of leaving the company, we worked out a new structure and position giving me the flexibility I needed. #success

Other graphics on my board represented the continued growth that I wanted to see in my KEEP business. A picture of my bracelet engraved with the phrase #armpartysquad. At the time our team wasn’t a Director team - YET. In April, my team rallied around me and we officially hit Director status. A 10 to represent being in the Top 10 of sales and sponsoring at our convention in July. I earned number 1 in the company for sponsoring and was also in the Top 10 for sales. And finally the number 250. I knew that would be approximately the number of women we would need on our team to achieve Senior Director status by the end of 2017 and earn a $5,000 bonus. In October we achieved that number and in November I was named a Senior Director. Today our team represents nearly 300 women from across the U.S. and Canada. You might say I became a believer in vision boards.


Tips to create your vision board.

Get comfortable.
Give yourself some space to spread out and get creative. Invite a friend over or do the activity with your spouse so you can plan together. This can play into accountability when others know your goals. Wine will be involved in my activity ;) 

Gather your supplies.
Grab glue, stickers, washi tape, scissors and lots of magazines. Be careful to not only pull from the magazines around your house. By grabbing a couple magazines from your local drugstore or grocery store that you normally wouldn't read you will expose yourself to future that you haven’t imagined yet.

Don’t be seduced by marketing or follow clichés.
Just because everyone in the magazine has a fast car, big house, and “perfect” body doesn’t mean that doesn’t mean that is what your vision should be. Look beyond the images for deeper meaning or use words to describe your vision.

Keep it simple. 
My vision board was clearly displayed where I could see it ever days in an area where I was actually working on those goals. However, I also love the idea of taking a picture and storing it on your phone or using it as a screensaver on your phone or computer. 

This is a process you should enjoy and allow self-reflection. I would love to hear if you create a vision board for yourself and what tips you have to share. 

Friday, December 22, 2017

5 Foundations I Used in 2017

It’s the base of all my make up. I have definitely developed my favorites over the years, but as seasons change I often change up my foundation. This year, I jumped around between a few different brands and how I applied them. Step 1 is finding the right foundation for your skin type and tone, Step 2 is making sure you are using the right tool to apply. 


1. NARS Sheer Glow: This was the foundation that I carried over from 2016. I am typically a full coverage foundation gal, and what I loved about this one is it is definitely buildable. The foundation dries down quickly so you want to work in small areas. I found it best applied with a Beauty Blender sponge or something like the Sephora Pro Airbrush #55 foundation brush. Color: Gobi 

2. Ever DaylightRadiance Moisturizer Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 32 with LSR10®: In April, the boy and I headed to Punta Cana on my Keep Collective award trip. I knew I wanted something was easy to apply with my hands, and that would give me SPF coverage. I really liked how this product evened out my skin tone, however I’ll admit that even the light was a little dark for my skin tone. The good news is Ever coming out with an even lighter color so I’ll be giving this product another try this spring and summer. Color: Light but when their new shade comes out in a few weeks I’ll be going with Extra Light. You can earn $10 off you order with my Ever referral code: https://www.talkable.com/x/DaUsjE 

3. Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick: This was the first time that I used a stick foundation. This year I started using a lot more Hourglass products (obsessed with their Veil Primer and love their highlighter palette). Two things with this product: 1. You don’t need a lot of it, and 2. You definitely want to use it with a dense brush to make sure it is blended well. This product is high cover, comes in a TON of shades, and a little bit goes a long way. Color: Alabaster


4. Urban Decay All-Nighter Foundation: If you want full coverage this is the foundation for you. Not quite a cream, but definitely not super liquidly this product was best applied by putting 3-4 dots on my Morphe Deluxe Buffer brush and then working it across and into your skin. I love the matte coverage, but color matching can be tricky. The foundation definitely oxidizes. This means that it changes color as it dries. I would have never been able to color match my skin type without going into a store.  Color 1.5



5. Josie Maran Vibrancy Argan Oil Foundation Fluid: I just switched to this foundation in November and I loving it. It gives a very dewy finish, but coverage is still medium when first applied and buildable. I feel like this foundation gives me an immediate healthy glow. This foundation is SUPER liquid-y. I find it best applied by putting one pump on the back of my hand and then using the Sephora Pro Airbrush #55.



And don't forget the tools and a good primer are key to making your foundation last and look good.




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