Relax the Sensual Way with a Hot Bath for Two

My dream bathroom is a far cry from what we have at our house now. We have a tiny bathtub that refuses to hold water. I am planning my dream home and the bathroom includes the largest, soaking whirlpool tub that we could possibly purchase! 

I would love to drop our boys off with grandma and grandpa while my husband is at home preparing the bath. I would tell him not to light too many candles. Two or three is enough to keep the tub romantically lit.

Soaking in Warm Water with Jets

Warm water with lots of jets is key to soothing your tired aching muscles and bubbles are essential. Not only can bubbles lightly scent your bath they give you something to play with, other than each other!

Have a Bath Pillow

A bath pillow will help cushion your head as you relax with one another. Nothing is more uncomfortable than resting your head on the hard surface of your tub. If you don’t have a pillow then resting in the arms of your lover works well too!

Love and Drinks

At our home we don’t drink wine but I love sparkling grape juice. I would make sure my lover had a bottle and two glasses sitting next to the tub. It would be slightly chilled but not too cold to offset the warmth of the water. Make sure you have some sweets on hand, such as a good box of chocolates, or some strawberries just in case you get hungry and don’t want to leave the tub.

Coming Home to a Hot Bath

Coming home I would slip out of my clothes and slip into the tub. When my lover joins me I would treat him to a massage because my bath would be perfect.

The warm water would spill over us as we touched each other, exploring each other through the bubbles. When we make love, it would be slow and gentle and very romantic. 

After making love in the tub we would move the romance to the shower where we would wash off the bubbles and gently caress each other. After drying each other off I would lead my lover to the bedroom, close the door and fall asleep!

by Lisa Hayes

Forms of Beauty

A friend of mine, recently, sends me a picture of something (actually someone) that he, in fact, most of my friends, except me, consider beautiful. It is a picture of a female, devoid of clothes in vital areas and curves.

Though you may argue that the picture was sexy rather than being beautiful, let’s face it, ugly can’t be sexy. But that’s not what my argument is about; here I want to enlighten my same friend about the forms of beauty.

A winter’s evening ,when the sun has just been confined beyond the horizon and varying shades of wild, red forms abound the sky and the shadows slowly stretch to be united in the dark and a thin , hazy mist descends down to veil the crisp, cold air and a frightened child cuddles in her mother’s arms…….is this beauty?

Or on a rainy, wet afternoon, when schools are closed, and the children come out in street to dance around in the tiny refreshing drops, and the feeling of genuine amazement and wonder which lingers on their face and how the freshly cleansed air and the resplendent greenery echoes with their pure laughter……is this beauty?

Or as the vast ocean extends forever and you stand on the shore feeling liberated as if everything is possible and your imagination runs wild as the waves crash on the sand and echo the air around you with unbound energy and you feel you are ready to take on the whole expanse of world…….is this beauty?

If you believe in either of them, then my dear friend, true beauty has no form; it’s just what nature (read God’s canvas) presents to us. It’s there for you to see, feel, imagine, hear every day and every moment of your life…….be liberated!

And otherwise, of course, on a winter’s evening as pretty girls stroll in streets with tight sweaters and even tighter jeans, that’s beauty. Or on a rainy day when their drenched clothes hug their wax like bodies, that’s beauty. Or as the vast ocean ends in a beach and you let your imagination run wild as the two piece clothing reveal the real curves…..that’s beauty.

My Beautiful World

Beauty Tips for Legs

Beautiful legs add an extra charisma to your look. Thus, you must be acquainted with some of the effective beauty tips for your legs. With other body parts your legs are no less important for you and need a special care. Besides going to the beauty salon once a month for a pedicure treatment, you also need a day to day care to make them healthy and problem free. A number of brands have included various heel and leg massaging creams and other feet related beauty products to make your feet beautiful. You can have them at your local stores; however before going for a product, little bit research is necessary as you should buy the right product for you. You can also go for home pedicure. Several pedicure kits are available in the market which you can easily buy. They also provide the user guide. Lets’ peep into some of the essential leg beauty tips.

Leg Care Tips

You must follow a regular leg care regime. After returning home, wash the legs properly with an herbal or a mild soap. Apply an herbal moisturizing lotion right after that. You can also go for an oil massage three days a week to get a glowing skin.

Always use herbal oils for massage. Moreover footbath is a must for your legs health. Take a bucket of lukewarm water and pour shampoo and two or three drop of oil. Now soak your half of legs for at least half an hour. After that, clean it with the help of a scrubber or a pumice stone. You should do it once a month. 

You can keep your nails healthy and problem free by going for a pedicure treatment. Let’s have a look on the procedure.

Pedicure for your nails

Are you a busy corporate person and don’t have so much time to have a pedicure treatments in a parlour? Here you can have an easy pedicure method which can be done at home. Buy a pedicure kits or the following tools and try it at home. It is an easy affair.

Tools for pedicure:

   -  Small cotton balls

  -   Cuticle pusher and cream

  -   Herbal moisturizing lotion or cream

  -   Nail file and clippers

  -   Orangewood sticks

   -  Acetone

Pedicure method:

   -  First of all you have to take some tepid water in a bucket.

  -   Pour your hair shampoo and oil on the bucket full of water.

  -   Soak your feet. Leave the feet for at least fifteen minutes.

   -  Now take out all the dead skins with a pumice stone.

  -  Take nail clippers and shape your nails. Do it with proper care.

    - Take cuticle cream and massage your nails with a gentle hand. DO it for some times.

    - Now soak your feet in lukewarm water. Wait for some times.

Now the whole process has been completed. Apply a base coat on your nails. When it dries you can colour it with nail colours of your own choice.

Essential Beauty Tips for legs

    - Apply mild soap or body shampoo on your legs. Never use any cheap product.

   -  If you want to go for a waxing at your home, then learn the proper method. Otherwise go to any reputed salon.

   -  Try to maintain a healthy diet. It is not only good for your health but also good for your overall health and skin.

Source: Beautytipshub.com

My Beautiful World

Beauty Secrets

Who doesn’t want to look beautiful? Women have considered that looking beautiful is an essential part of their being. Although beauty lies within it doesn’t mean that you must ignore your outer appearance. It is your outer appearance that people are going to notice before they actually learn how beautiful as a person you are. Since ancient time women have discovered many beauty secrets which have helped them to defy time and stay younger for long. They have discovered the secrets of beautiful, radiant skin.

No other field has performed as many researches as the field of beauty and cosmetics has got. The efforts are still continuing in discovering the ultimate beauty secret which will freeze our beauty in time.

In the ancient time people used to use natural remedies for their beauty problems. But, since then researches on this field has undergone sea changes. We now have an array of developed medicines, surgical procedures, and cosmetic and make-up solutions to solve our beauty problems. With today’s beauty solutions you can now literally take care of any beauty issues.

Daily skin care regimen

Looking beautiful doesn’t have a quick fix; rather, you have to undertake a daily skin care regimen which will help improve your overall appearance. Therefore, an important beauty secret is to take care of your skin on a regular basis.

Cleansing, scrubbing, toning and moisturizing are the four pillars of your daily skin care.

Cleansing: Everyday your skin gathers pollutants and dirt particles which make your skin look dull. This dirt keeps accumulating to cause more serious skin problems. Cleaning your skin daily with a good cleanser is therefore an essential beauty tip. You can find a good cleanser from a drugstore near you.

Choose a cleanser that suits your skin type. But, you must never use soap to clean your face. Depending upon your skin type you may clean your face once or twice daily. But, too much cleansing would make the skin lose its natural moisturizer and elasticity, which will escalate aging.

Scrubbing: Our skin gathers layers of dead cells everyday. This makes your skin appear dull and lifeless. Exfoliating your skin once in every week would make it appear more youthful. There are several ways available for exfoliating: Microdermabrasion, chemical peels and retinoid. These would help rejuvenating your skin and give it a youthful look.

Toning: Scrubbing and cleansing must be followed by toning. Toning will help in closing the pores that were opened during the scrubbing and cleansing process. Toning further removes any trace of oil and make up from your face and tighten it. Toning also helps in reducing the age lines from your face.

Moisturizing: Your skin care routine can’t be complete without a good moisturizer. Make sure that your beauty kit always has a supply of a quality moisturizer.

Apply enough moisturizing cream in the face and neck area. Some of us tend to overlook the neck region in daily beauty routine but that is a grave beauty mistake.

Sun screen: Sun screen is an essential beauty product. It protects your skin from the harmful rays of the Sun. Sun rays can cause, tanning premature aging and dark spots which will make your skin appear dull. Hence, apply sunscreen of at least 30 SPF before going out in the day time.

Sun screen cream should be applied on all the bare parts of the body. One can even use sun screen while going out in the evening as a protective shield against the harmful particles of the atmosphere.

Eye care: While you are taking care of your face don’t ignore eyes since eyes are one of the first to show signs of ageing. The skin around the eye is thinner than the rest of your body and hence, it requires special treatment. Similarly, tired eyes are big beauty faux-pas. Hence, don’t hesitate to invest in a good under eye cream. There are eye creams available in roll-on tubes which will help reducing under eye puffiness.

Rinse your eyes with distilled rose water. Rose water is known to de-stress your eyes and add sparkle in it.

Lip care: Smooth and full lips are the sign of youth. Our lips get thinner as we age. Hence, one must include proper lip care in her daily beauty regimen.

Keep your lips moisturized to prevent it from chapping. There are now lip balms and lipsticks available with SPF to offer protection against harmful sunrays. Honey is a natural moisturizer and using it daily can add the radiance in your lips.

Scrub your lips with a brush while brushing your teeth to remove the dead cells from your lips. You can see immediate changes in the appearance of your lips by doing this.

Hand and feet care: If you ignore your hands and feet you can’t achieve the full result of your beauty regimen. Regular manicure and pedicure can help in preserving the beauty of your hands and feet. Maintaining healthy and clean nails are also important for your hygiene.

Soak your hands and feet in lukewarm water with a foot soak. Then clean them with hand and foot shampoo. Trim your nails and push back the cuticles. This can be done once in two weeks for better results.

Look ageless: Age would take a toll on our skin whether we like it or not. But one can prevent aging by following a proper beauty routine. An anti-aging or anti-wrinkle cream is therefore an essential product. There are now many anti-aging creams available in the market for you to choose from.

You may go for a Botox treatment to get rid of the crow’s feet and laugh lines. When you are aging avoid using powder base make-ups. Instead of caking your face with a base you can switch to tinted moisturizer for the same flawless finish. Powder base make-ups have a tendency to cling on to the lines of your face; making them prominent.

Improve your life style

Along with your daily skin care regimen it is essential to improve your life style for better results. Face is known as the mirror of mind and stress and disturbance that you deal with in your everyday life will take a toll on your skin as well. You can achieve a healthy skin by practicing the following lifestyle improvement tips.

Rest: Everyday 7 hrs to 8 hrs of sleep is essential for our body to get back its strength. Resting would refresh your body and mind. You will find anew energy in dealing with your life’s chores.

De-stress: De-stress as often as you can. Put your worries and anxieties at the back sit. Aerobics and yoga can be helpful in unwinding your mind. One can even combine Pilates with Yoga for better result. Exercising is also a great way to achieve a healthy and fit body.

Cut smoking and drinking: Cut back on the number of cigarettes you smoke daily. Apart from achieving a great skin, quitting smoking has other health benefits as well. The same applies to the consumption of alcohol as well.

Detox: Detox your body by drinking enough glasses of water everyday. While cleanser cleans your skin from outside, water will clean your body from within. Ideally, one must drink 11 to 12 glasses of water everyday.

Balance diet: Balance diet is essential for healthy body and skin. Include green and leafy vegetables, fruits and almonds in your daily diet. Avoid oily and greasy food to avoid problems of pimple and acne. Take enough vitamin supplements. You may ask a professional dietician to draw you a proper diet chart.

Importance of make-up

One can’t deny the importance of make-up in looking beautiful. However, one needs to know the right way of applying make-up for the best results. Your skin is important and hence you must avoid buying cheap make-ups and cosmetics.

While buying make-ups and cosmetics test it against your skin to ensure you are not allergic to it. Further, change your cosmetics after every three months. Especially, the eye make-ups should be changed on a regular basis.

Also, while applying make-ups always ensure that you use right and clean applicators and brushes. Always remember to clean brushes after use to avoid getting rashes.

Mineral make-up products have become the newest trend. These have no side effects and also give great finish. Hence, you may try out some mineral make-up products next time you go shopping.

Hair styling

You can’t ignore the importance of hairstyling in beauty secret. A hair cut can help you get the necessary makeover. Change your hairstyle regularly for a fresh look. Try highlighting your hair to add the light and shade effect, which in turn will create the illusion of more volume. Use hair mousses and serums for perfect styling.

Wearing your hair the same way for long time can make you look older. Hence, changing your hairstyle can also help you in looking younger. You may ask your hairstylist to suggest you couple for changes which can help improving your looks.

Acknowledgement: Beautyhub.com

My Beautiful World

How to Add Romance to Your Relationship

After a few years of being with that special someone, everything becomes a routine and this is one of the reasons why a relationship fails.

In today's world, most of us involved in a relationship have a job, family, and other responsibilities that take up too much time of our lives and by the end of the day, we are so tired that don't make tip to do something different and fun with our significant other.

In order for a relationship to work and last, we need to communicate, trust, support and do fun things with our loved one. Here are some romantic ways to keep the flame alive.

1. Get home before your partner and trace a path from the front door to the bedroom with lit votive candles. In the bedroom, have lit candles, a bottle of wine (or the drink of your choice), and strawberries covered with chocolate.

2. Make a reservation at a hotel for a night but don't tell your partner. Just have her/him meet you at the hotel's bar for a drink. Make sure you have lit candles and rose petals spread on the bed when you get to your room.

3. Put a romantic note in his shirt or pant's pocket or her purse and let her/him find it.

4. Send and e-mail just to let her/him know you love her/him.

5. When having dinner at a restaurant, go to the restroom, take off your underwear, put it in a little bag or box and give it to your partner when you return to the table. Make sure she/he sees it at that moment. Your partner will be so excited you probably won't finish your dinner.

6. Leave a note on your partner's pillow letting her/him know how much you want or need her/him.

7. Light up candles in the kitchen, have chocolate, strawberries, whipped cream and any other food you like. Blindfold your partner and feed her/him. Experiment eating off her/his body.

8. When at a party, from time to time, whisper something sexy on your partner's ear. Do this when she/he is in front of other people. Watch her/his reaction.

Other examples are buying certain things from the frozen food section of a supermarket that will send shivers up your partner's body or you can learn to touch or lick special areas that will arouse her/him. There are indefinite ways to make your partner feel loved, wanted and interested in you. Don't let routine destroy your relationship.

By Maria Estarellas 

  

Living a sensual life

Did you know that making love is the only endeavour which simultaneously engages and excites all six senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, taste and that sixth sense when you just know this is right or wrong for you?

We are born sensual beings. Studies have shown that babies that are touched and held develop far better and quicker than those who are left alone. Watch any child discover its world through its senses. It will touch and taste everything from sand to perfume.

When our sexuality starts to awaken, we are reprimanded for touching ourselves and whilst doing this in public is not always a good thing, we confuse the instruction and somewhere along the line we begin to believe that it is a bad thing – always. Most of us lose touch with our sensuality. We begin to operate using only one or two senses.

You may be a sight person. Blindfold yourself for half an hour and see how quickly the other senses heighten. Imagine living a life with all your senses heightened?

Imagine discovering the power and joy of your own sexuality and then sharing that with your partner. We can learn to re-awaken our senses. Martha Beck said ‘Make your life a romance adventure and love will find you’.

Here are some tips on how to engage those senses:

Sight – Glance my way

Wear tantalising underwear, always. Throw out those stretched panties now!

Create a romantic ambience in your home and your office. Fill it with paintings that reflect your personality. Light candles when you eat, when you bath or in the garden.

Watch your favourite sensual movie or just your favourite scene.

Sound – Whisper to me

Play some soothing music. The best music for that massage shouldn’t have words. You don’t want your partner singing along. ‘I will survive!’ would be so inappropriate.

Three minutes of whispering sweet compliments, appreciation and love declarations into your lover’s ear, is more foreplay than most of us can handle. Do it often.

Why not try your hand at writing an erotic poem and reading it to your partner? If you can’t then what about reading your partner someone else’s.

Smell – Scent of a Woman

Always wear perfume. It will give you such joy. If you are a man, know that there is nothing better than a man who smells good enough to eat!

Light incense. Find one that doesn’t smell too sweet and doesn’t give you a headache.

Erotic aromatherapy oils such as Sandalwood, Ylang-Ylang, Rose and Jasmine can all add to that romantic mood. Use them in massage oils or burners. When he closes his eyes he should remember your smell – in a good way!

Taste – Lick me slowly

Nothing tells a girl more about a potential lover that his kiss.

Add delicious delicacies to your lovemaking – strawberries, cream and honey can all be served on your lover’s body parts.

Chocolate body paints – in different flavours - need I say more!

Always make sure that you are fresh enough to eat.

Touch – Feel me now

Soft fabrics like silk or fur will serve to heighten your sense of touch. Add a blindfold and watch the goose bumps.

Remember that touch helps to connect – touch yourself and your partner – often.

Indulge in that sensual massage. Learn how to give one and then teach your partner how to return the favour.

Sixth Sense – Are you there

Fine-tune that sense. You know when something feels right. You also know when a boundary is being crossed. Trust your instinct and say no.

Always have a safe word that your partner knows. When you say that word no matter what you are doing, stop. For a fulfilled sexual experience with yourself or your partner you need to trust.

Try to enhance one of your senses very day. Set aside special sensuality time when you focus on stimulating other senses rather than the genitals only. Be essensually you.

By Sharon  

My Beautiful World

Tried and Trusted Tips to Care for Hands and Nails

Every day the hands of a person are at work. The hands are in constant use, often exposed without protection to extremes of weather or immersed in all kinds of liquids and chemicals harmful to the hands and nails.

Housework and gardening damage delicate skin and makes nails brittle, while stress also affects the way hands look. They are a true mirror of a person’s age because there is actually little that can be done to repair the ravages of time if the hands were not cared for on a continuous basis.

Regular grooming and care is essential to keep hands looking youthful and smooth and nails healthy and strong.

Beautiful Hands

For dry hands: Once a week bathe dry, chapped hands in lukewarm olive oil or sunflower oil for 5 minutes at least. Gently massage the oil into the cuticles.

For cracked hands: Rub petroleum jelly into cracked hands. A mixture of equal parts lemon juice, honey and glycerine is also very effective.

For hand massage: Mix one teaspoon of vodka with five teaspoons of lemon juice. Pour the liquid into a cupped palm and massage it over damp hands. Repeat regularly.

For nicotine stains:  Remove nicotine stains from fingers by rubbing the skin with lemon juice. Rinse off after a minute.

For smelly hands: If hands smell of fish, onion or garlic, dip them in milk or rub them with coffee grounds or moist salt.

For chopping vegetables: Before chopping vegetables, rub olive oil into the hands to prevent them from absorbing the smell.

Washing hands: After washing hands, apply massage oil or hand cream. Knead the fingers separately from the tip down, working over the palm and up over the knuckles. Put each hand on a flat surface and repeatedly stroke the back, from the fingertips to the wrist.

Perfect Nails

For brittle nails: Brittle nails and torn cuticles will benefit from a soak in lukewarm almond oil.

For splitting nails: Use oak bark tea to strengthen brittle, splitting nails. Make it by simmering 20g chopped oak bark in 250ml water for 30 minutes. Bathe the nails in the tea. Alternatively, blend ground almonds with lukewarm water to make a finger bathe.

For nail massage: Avocado oil is a rich base oil that can be used on its own as a vitamin-rich massage oil or blended with other oils or creams. Use regularly to coat the nails and massage into the nail beds.

A person’s touch when first shaking hands or just when touching hands is very telling. Hands that are taken care of feel soft and look well-groomed.

Nurture hands and nails; then it can be displayed with pride.

By Hendrik de Villiers

True Enemies of the Skin

Healthy skin is a valuable asset to anyone’s appearance, whatever their age.

First impressions of a person make a lasting impression, and among the details we first notice about others are their facial features and their skin.

For thousands of years, women especially, have been using lotions and creams to keep their skin silky-smooth. Legend has it that Cleopatra bathed in milk to preserve the beauty of her skin. Today it is indeed a proven fact that milk contains fruit acids currently being hailed as the most significant anti-aging cosmetic discovery! New and costly products are constantly being developed, offering the promise of a more beautiful and above all, more youthful skin.

But all will be in vain if the true enemies of the skin are ignored or a blind eye is turned. The enemies’ list is long and sometime scary.

Enemies’ lists

1. Baking in the sun may feel good and a beautiful bronzed tan may look good, but it is the worst thing that can be done to your skin. The sun’s ultra-violet rays can cause wrinkling and skin cancer. (Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers. It accounts for nearly half of all cancers in the United States. More than 2 million cases of non-melanoma skin cancer are found in this country each year. Melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, will account for about 68,130 cases of skin cancer in 2010 – American Cancer Society)

2. The wind dries and toughens the skin. Cover up on windy days – even if it means to wear a scarf to protect your face – and use a moisturizer regularly as preventative measure.

3. Dry air, whether hot or cold, robs the skin of moisture. In winter use a humidifier or boil a kettle in your bedroom before going to sleep. Plants are also good humidifiers since they emit water vapour.

4. Smoking is bad for your skin. Nicotine constricts blood vessels, interferes with the flow of oxygen and nutrients to skin cells, and can emphasise crow’s-feet. (Women smokers may develop crow's-feet earlier than women who don't smoke. According to Dr. Weiss, smoking makes you unconsciously squint as your eyes try to avoid the smoke's irritating and drying effects – MotherNature.com)

5. Hot baths can take moisture out of your skin. The longer the soak, the more moisture you lose. Go easy on these, as well as hot showers.

6. Poor nutrition affects the whole body, but the skin may show it first.

7. Inactivity means sluggish skin. Exercise increases blood flow and bathe the skin in its natural moisturizer – sweat.

8. Facial exercises designed to fight wrinkles may instead actually produce them, since they tend to crease the skin into set patterns.

In conclusion, for skin care, simpler is often better. For instance, you’ll find that wearing protective clothing to shield yourself from the harsh elements is a better method of skin care than using very expensive beauty creams.

By Hendrik de Villiers

My beautiful world

Beauty Tips to Create Sexy Cleavage

Do you wish to enhance your breast cleavage?

It's easy to use make-up to create the illusion of bigger boobs with a plunging neckline, but do it subtly.

To create the illusion of having more cleavage, simply apply and blend a little dark colored bronzer to the area between your breasts where the cleavage is supposed to be.

If you don't have any bronzer handy, try applying a little white powder on the top halves of your breasts first, then apply a dark eye shadow colour between them.... blend well.

Think about flattering necklines to make the most of what you've got. Contour seaming, halter necks and cross-your-heart necklines all enhance a small bosom.

A bustier or corset top is guaranteed to create a cleavage where none exists, but make sure you don't overcompensate by choosing one that's too tight.

Don't ruin everything by wearing an ill-fitting dress that you can't fill out. There's no shame in wearing silicone inserts - and they make your clothes look a hundred times better.

 By Beverly Smith

My Beautiful World

Actions Are More Attractive Than Words

One of the most common mistakes that men make, that can literally kill attraction in women, is bragging.

"I am intelligent."

"I am smart."

"I am rich."

"I am honest."

"I am trustworthy."

"I am successful."

"I have a great sense of humour."

"I work out a lot."

"I like to play hard and work hard."

Avoid making such claims. You will probably come across as arrogant, and turn women off quicker than bad breath.

Instead, if you want to communicate certain good qualities of yours, do it INDIRECTLY. Do something that would make a woman infer that you have those great qualities.

Instead of saying that you are funny -- tell her a joke.

Instead of saying that you are smart -- share your view or opinion on some controversial political or philosophical issue.

Instead of saying that you like to work hard and play hard -- take her out for a run/hike or to play tennis.

Instead of telling her that you like classical music -- put your favorite CD on for her in your car or at your place.

Actions speak louder than words and they are sure more attractive to women than words.

Keep this in mind and you will get much further with the women you meet and like.

My beautiful world

Mr. Wonderful - The Man of Your Dreams

You have met Mr. Wonderful and you are on cloud nine. He is just what the doctor ordered. Handsome as they come, charming as hell and so very chivalrous that it makes your heart wobble just to think of the awesome ways in which he chugs at your being. Really, you can find nothing wrong no matter how unflinching the scrutiny you put him through.

He not only knows the important details of your life, but also remembers the names of your best friends and their sun signs. At this stage if you ask me, there definitely seems to be great potential. Maybe it is much too early to tell if this is really Mr. Wonderful or Mr. Fantastic or whatever name you choose to give him. It sounds like you have found someone great.

But does Mr. Wonderful bring out the Miss Wonderful in you? Do your best qualities seem to shine when he is around? Do you feel all warm and cared for just thinking about him, even when he is not there? More importantly, when you think about your future, is he in the picture? And more significantly, are you in the same picture with him?

Let me tell you about the first Mr. Wonderful of my life. The last but one year of college and he walked into my shy, cloistered life like a breath of bold sunshine. All the girls swooned when he was around. His was the wrist on which sparkled the maximum number of Rachis as well. Was not exactly good-looking, certainly nowhere near the image of that bone-melting Mills and Boon type of hero I was enamoured of.

But he wore spectacles that made him look awesomely intelligent, spoke about other brainy guys like Freud and Camus almost as if he had played marbles with them. And I, poor me, from a strict convent background, was most impressed by the sensible way he spoke about things like sex and sensuality. When we walked into restaurants he would pull up chairs for the ladies to sit on and insist on paying the bill.

I was just so bowled over by him that I believed I was the luckiest girl in the world because he had deigned to call me 'his girl'. Lord, that hint of possessiveness just took my breath away. My most informed friend from a co-educational school educated me on how to recognize whether this was the perfect relationship. She said, do you feel a kind of electric current running through you when he looks into your eyes? (I could not tell for sure but there was something there of course that was different from the way I felt when my girl friends exchanged looks with me).

Chemistry is just the foundation you require to build a great relationship. Then you add some trust, communication and respect, a dollop of humour and romance and you're set on the course of a lasting relationship. And try to remember, if he’s not the one, its okay. Someone better will come along. Youthful romantic love is always a win-win situation!

What my friend did not tell me was that when Mr. Wonderful decides you are not his Miss Wonderful anymore, it can prove to be a gut-wrenching experience for you. Just because someone wipes out your name from the slate of his life, it is not that you cannot feel angry and used, you won't feel the loss and you can't cease to stop berating yourself for being such a dumb fool. You feel all of it and worse. It is the loneliest point of your life till then.

But time, the master healer comes along and you live and you learn. My advice to women let down by the Mr. Wonderful in their lives is to remember that there will lonely moments, nights and things you miss about that person. But do not let the emptiness fool you. That wasn't real love.

Besides, he just wasn't worth you. Now it is time to pick yourself up and come up with a game plan to deal with the next chapter of your life! Tomorrow is always another day, isn't it?

By Sarathy

My Beautiful World

Woman to Woman

Are you the office pest?

You could have irritating habits at work which might be embarrassing for you and your colleagues.

We all have them: days when everything goes wrong. You oversleep, which makes you late – yet again – for an important morning meeting. Your computer crashes. The heel of your shoe breaks. You start moaning to all and sundry; even though it's painfully obvious that no-one is remotely interested.

Recognise yourself? If so, you could very well be an office pest.

1. Space invaders

You are trying to finish something important. One of your colleagues is talking non-stop and you don't have the nerve to tell her to keep quiet or to tone it down a notch.

An open-plan office might not have four walls and a door, but that doesn't mean no work takes place there. Think of the desk next to yours as your colleague's office and respect it. When she looks busy, pretend that the door is closed. Don't interrupt until you pick up a signal that she may be willing to talk. Don't stand around waiting if you can see someone is on the phone or talking to someone else. It's unpleasant to have to cut a conversation short.

When you're the busy one, don't make eye contact if you don't want to be interrupted. Consider putting up a "Do Not Disturb" sign and tactfully letting your colleagues know that they should respect it.

2. What's that smell?

Avoid making your workplace into a mini cafeteria. Not everyone may like the smell of last night's leftovers. Also, don't marinate yourself in your favourite perfume. You may think that it smells heavenly, but your neighbour might choke on it. If you can smell your own perfume, you're wearing too much. Less is definitely more.

3. Temper tyrant

To be successful in the workplace, you not only have to respect your colleagues, you also cannot afford to let them lose respect for you. So, before ranting to your team member about how you're fed up with her nonchalant behaviour, consider postponing confronting her until you've had time to cool down and think more clearly. Taking time out means that you'll never have to apologise for your lack of respect and it will enhance your relationship as well.

4. Dressed for success

The way you look and act determines what people think of you: if you smile, people perceive you as pleasant; if you wear the same skirt three days in a row, people may think that you don't care.

Some environments, such as in the medical profession, have dress codes that all who work there must follow. Dressing provocatively in a corporate environment may not go down well.

Remember how you dressed for your interview? If you're not sure about your work dress code, look around: you'll find that most of your colleagues are dressed in a similar way. Of course, this doesn't mean that you have to give up your individuality, simply use your surroundings as a guide.

5. Devilish deadlines

Some of us work best under pressure, craving the adrenaline rush. As time ticks by, we get more stressed out. Some people might work well under pressure, but research shows that most of us procrastinate because of a lack of motivation and poor time management.

If you postpone doing something because it requires a lot of time, break it into smaller tasks. Make sure that you know what's expected. For example, before starting a project, ask about its goals, get it in writing and make sure that you understand what needs to be done.

6. Telephonic terror

Part of doing business means using the phone, but regarding your office phone as a free chat line to plan your son's birthday party isn't appropriate. Have you given any thought to who's covering the costs?

Before talking about very personal or confidential matters, consider this: your voice projects. Not only does open office space offer little privacy, listening to someone else's conversation is extremely distracting. Contrary to what you may think, no-one in the office is likely to be interested in your dinner plans.

If you have to make some personal calls at work, try doing it during a coffee break or over lunch, and keep your voice down – you're in the office, not in your living room at home.

7. Personal problems

Your husband tells you over dinner that his mother will be moving into the spare room ... for good. You're very unhappy about it. Are all your colleagues soon going to be aware of this as well? Admittedly, a crisis rarely happens in such a way that you can neatly fit it into your schedule, but deadlines and work pressure don't ease just because you're in the middle of a personal drama.

If you really cannot cope, think twice before sharing your misery with the support staff or the managing director. Divulging too much of your private life doesn't just mean overstepping boundaries: you might be embarrassed later when the situation has sorted itself out.

If your personal crisis might interfere with your work, inform your supervisor, but decide beforehand what you want to divulge. If possible, try to take a day or two off from work to sort things out.

8. Through the grapevine

In any work situation, there'll occasionally be times when colleagues gossip and spread rumours. If you are forever in the centre of this action, you should ask yourself why.

Whether Martha from Accounts' son came out of the closet or your boss is going through a divorce, it's none of your concern. Stick to business and steer clear of gossip. It is never harmless. You also lose credibility with your colleagues and managers: if a sensitive deal is about to be clinched and your manager tells you about it, and later that information becomes common knowledge, no-one is going to believe you when you proclaim your innocence.

9. Easy come, easy go

We all need to take time off for a doctor's appointment or to attend a meeting at our child's school. However, for some of us, our lives constantly seem to be in disarray. If you often arrive late or have to leave work early, the warning signs should start attracting your attention.

You are not only doing less work than your colleagues and increasing their load; you're also stealing your employers' time.

10. Beware of bullying

People are not considered bullies because of their personal charm and friendly demeanour. It's often because of how they operate at work and their manipulative ways. Asking someone's opinion and then embarrassing her in front of a group of people by disregarding her input, is bullying. Perhaps it's time you addressed the real issues: you are possibly feeling inadequate, for example.

On the other hand, if you are the one being bullied, do not allow yourself to be intimidated. Bullying is a two-way street and no-one can bully you if you don't allow it to happen.

Source: News24.co.za

Woman to Woman

My Beautiful World

Chill out!

Bogged down by deadlines, family commitments and a demanding social life? Take a deep breath...

You don't always need acupuncture, aromatherapy, hot-stone therapy or an Indian head massage to relax. There are many things you can easily do in the comfort of your own home to get rid of some stress.

Wash away the stress

Water has been used as a stress reliever for centuries. Go for a swim, sit in a sauna or relax in a Jacuzzi. Twice a month, soak your body in a hot bath to which you've added a cup of sea salt and a cup of bicarbonate of soda. It will relax your muscles and make you drowsy, helping you have a good night's rest and ensuring you wake up feeling refreshed and energised.

Shake it off

Exercise releases endorphins (feel-good hormones) and also burns off excess energy, which would otherwise make you feel grumpy or irritable. Try Tai Chi, an exercise regime from the East, which has been described as movement meditation or an alternative form of yoga. It aids flexibility and relaxation. Here are a few exercises for you to try:

- If your body is feeling tired and stiff, lie on your back on a firm, flat surface with your feet slightly apart and your hands at your sides. Relax your arms and turn your palms upwards, with your fingers slightly bent. Lie in this position for 10 to 20 minutes while concentrating on your breathing. Before getting up, turn onto your left side and place your left arm underneath your head. Lie like this for at least two minutes before pushing yourself up with your right hand.

- Lie on your stomach with your legs slightly apart. Put your hands on top of each other, with the palms facing down and turn your head to the side so that your cheek is resting on top of your hands. Close your eyes and breathe rhythmically through your nose. This exercise is especially effective for calming you down after you've had a fight with someone.

- Sit with your feet shoulder-width apart. Rest your palms on your thighs. Close your eyes. Spend five minutes passively listening to sounds in the distance, until you feel relaxed. You can do this behind your desk or in a parked car. Try it after struggling through traffic on your way to an important meeting or after a disagreement with a colleague.

Sweet dreams

Lie on your back in bed. Close your eyes and place your hands in a comfortable position behind your head. Press your thumbs into your ears to shut out the external noise. You will hear a sound rushing through your head – that's completely normal. Listen to it for 10 to 15 minutes, then bring your arms down to your sides, relax and go to sleep.

Vitamin C

Researchers at the University of Trier in Germany have found that vitamin C helps us to relax and lessens our stress levels. Research subjects exhibited a marked lowering in levels of the harmful stress hormone cortisol, as well as lower blood pressure after taking 1 000mg vitamin C three times a day.

You can bolster your levels of vitamin C naturally by eating lots of citrus, strawberries, broccoli, guavas, spanspek, green pepper and tomatoes.

Laugh it off

When you laugh, feel-good hormones are released that inhibit levels of the harmful stress hormone cortisol, and bolster your immunity.

The joy of music

Some types of music, especially baroque music, calm you down by slowing your brain waves. Try listening to music composed by Johann Sebastian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi (especially The Four Seasons) or Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart when you're feeling stressed.

Acknowledgement:  Ideas.co.za

Woman to Woman

My Beautiful World

A CUTE POEM FOR A BEAUTIFUL GIRL

You changed my world with a blink of an eye

That is something that I can not deny

You put my soul from worst to best

That is why I treasure you my dearest Marites

You just don't know what you have done for me

You even pushed me to the best that I can be

You really are an angel sent from above

To take care of me and shower with love

When I'm with you I will not cry even a single a tear

And your touch have chased away all of my fear

You have given me a life that I could live worthwhile

It is even better every time you smile

It so magical those things you've made

To bring back my faith that almost fades

Now my life is a dream come true

It all began when I was loved by you

Now I have found what I am looking for

It's you and your love and nothing more

Co'z you have given me this feeling of contentment

In my life something I've never felt

I wish I could talk 'til the end of day

But now I'm running out of things to say

So I'll end by the line you already know

"I LOVE YOU" more than what I could show

Woman to Woman