•    look and be your best,
•    improve your wellness, and
•    advance your personal and professional image goals.

But, have you been reconsidering the image and wellness resolutions you made in January at the time you were full of conviction?  What’s happened as the days and weeks have begun to tick away?  Yes, life happens and we get distracted...all of us. So, here are some tips to get you back on track and ready to feel amazing.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Let me introduce Jamie G. Dougherty, Owner and Founder of JAMIE|LIVING, Health and Lifestyle Consulting. 
Jamie works with offices around the country to help employees discover what foods work best for them and how to feel amazing both in the office and out. 

Here are some of her great tips to help re-energize your health and wellness resolution and get you back on track.  

1.    Bad Fads – No fad diets this year, thank you very much!  As anyone who’s ever tried it knows, strict regimented eating only leads to feelings of deprivation, anger, anxiety and of course, “bad food” binges.  This year, approach your food in terms of all the delicious things you can eat, rather than the ones you can’t.  No need for iron-clad willpower when you truly enjoy everything that’s going into your body.

2.    Go Green - Going green is great for the planet and office and even better for your body! Divide your plate into quarters and make half of it some sort of green vegetable.  Yes, salad is okay, but dark leafy greens are really the key.  Kale, cabbage, collards greens, bok choy, broccoli rabe, and Swiss chard are not only loaded with vitamins and minerals but are also very helpful in detoxing your system of holiday treats.

3.    Plan ahead - Getting your food back on track in 2009 is all about laying the ground work to take care of yourself.  Simply take 15 minutes on a Sunday to think about what you want to eat during the week. Once that’s done, choose your shopping day and stick to it. Planning ahead guarantees healthy food options when you need them.

4.    Sweet Treat - If you find yourself needing something sweet in the afternoon, try a sweet vegetable!  I know a cookie may sound more appealing, but I promise that these veggies will get the job done - and with no guilt attached.  Try coating parsnips and carrots in olive oil and baking them to make crispy fries, or bake a sweet potato and sprinkle with cinnamon and toasted pecans.  These sweet vegetables are delicious, portable, and a perfect afternoon office snack.

5.    Be Gentle and Let Go – This tip may be the toughest of all.  Naturally, we want change to happen immediately and when it doesn’t, we tend to give up.  This year, try to be gentle with yourself and let go of the self–imposed judgment and pressure.  I promise that feeling better in your body does not happen with a diet but rather with deliberate steps to take care of yourself every day. 

These five tips are the perfect place to start achieving your goals for a healthy 2009.  Just remember that the key to success is not about acquiring more self-discipline or willpower.  It’s about personally discovering what nourishes you, what feeds you, and ultimately, what makes your life extraordinary.  To learn more about how to bring JAMIE|LIVING to your office, visit www.jamieliving.com


WARDROBE BUILDING (In Your Closet)

The economy is on your mind, right?  You’re not alone.  Late this fall we learned from the media that, guess what! we’ve been in a recession for a year already.  I knew that.  All I had to do was look at my business and I began to see that more of my wardrobe consulting business was coming from working in my clients’ closets…with clothes purchased previously.  My clients want me to share the trends and the looks of the season, but don’t want to spend a lot of money right now.   My sensitivity to my clients’ needs started a new trend. 

One day, I said to a client, “Would it be useful to you if the next appointment isn’t a shopping trip but a closet visit instead?  Would it be helpful if I came back to your closet and created outfits for you for the next month or two?” 

“Would you do that?”  she exclaimed in a voice that surprised me.  It was as if I was offering her a pitcher of water after a long journey across the desert.  She was so grateful.  There will be things that need replacing, but my goal is to create current looks with existing garments and accessories.  I’ve learned how to document the outfits I pull together in a binder that you can refer to in the weeks ahead.  You’ll know I’m there with you every day when you get dressed.

If I haven’t worked with you before, my first bit of advice is to let go of the poor producers in your closet.  In business if you were the boss, after a while you would have to let go of staff that was taking up space but not producing.  The same goes for your wardrobe.  If you haven’t worn something for a year, it is taking up too much space and making you feel guilty, right?  Get rid of it, clear the clutter; and if needed, let’s find a great piece that contributes to producing exciting combinations. 

I travel throughout the country, so if you’d enjoy having me come to your city to work with you or a group of friends, please email me at mlgellatly@powerful-presence.com and we’ll discuss the options. 

If this isn’t in your budget but you’d like to fine-tune your wardrobe in 2009, I invite you to order my newly-released book, called Image Power.  Twenty top image colleagues co-authored this book with me to share what we know to look and be your best.  Click here to learn more.