An excerpt from last week’s newsletter,
in case you missed it…

Question: My hair is wavy and fluffy and I just want it to be smooth.  What can I do to fix it?

Embrace the wave and work with your hair.  Get products that are specifically formulated to tame wavy or curly hair, and even encourage the wave.

When you towel dry your hair, just squeeze the excess water out of it.  Don’t rub it, because that can damage the hair.  If you blow dry your hair straight, use a smoothing product, dry it about 80% with your fingers, and then dry it with a round brush.  Add a shine product if you want more sheen.  To keep it wavy, put some mousse or curl cream in your hair after towel drying and let it air dry.  Brush your hair before you shower or comb it during your shower.  Do not brush or comb it after you get out.  This will preserve your waves and keep down the fluff factor.

Creating confidence comes from accepting the facts.

In general, creating confidence and a sweet hair style comes from accepting the facts.  When you accept the facts of your hair, your body, your personality, and your life and work with them instead of against them, you’ll be surprised at how wonderfully things turn out.   If you fight them, you’ll never win.  Love what you’ve got and go with it.  Good luck and remember, you’re worth it!

Love, CarolAnn

Don’t miss another confidence boost!
Sign up here to get them delivered to your inbox every week.

Valentine’s Day is the day to celebrate Love.  Most people just think of romantic love on Valentine’s Day, and the beautiful thing about love is that it’s much bigger than just that.  We have love for our spouses, love for our families, love for our friends, and love for ourselves.  Treat the people around you – and yourself – with extra love today.  Most importantly, make sure they know how you feel about them! Enjoy this Valentine’s Day and remember, you’re worth it.

There’s me and my beau, Kyle Buzzard.  He’s the best!  He’s the sweetest guy I’ve ever met, and he’s so talented.  He’s a great daddy to our pup, he’s an amazing business man, and he’s incredibly considerate and loving.   He’s whip-smart and funny and cute.  He’s my man!

I know I’m gushing, and I want to share with you one of the secrets to lasting and real love: appreciation.  Kyle and I tell each other what we love about each other.  It not only strengthens our bond, it also encourages us to keep making the effort for each other.  You can do this in any relationship, of course, not just romantic ones.   Let your boss know that you’re glad to work with them.  Let your brother know that you’re proud of him.  Tell your daughter that you appreciate that she hugs you.

I appreciate and love you all.  Thank you for reading and being a member of the CharismaU community.  It means a lot to me!

What are you doing to show someone you care this Valentine’s Day?  Leave a comment!

Love, CarolAnn

An excerpt from last week’s newsletter,
in case you missed it…

Question: I’ve been depressed for a while. I want to move on. What can I do?

These suggestions are good ones. Getting involved with friends, family, and activities can help build up your confidence and sense of purpose, and provide a support system to you for when you’re not feeling  your best. Remember that you’re not alone. Find people who have gone through similar things and are doing well now. Look online for a message board or forum for people who are in a similar place.

Outside of that, the first practical step for you to take is to choose to start living again and choose to be happy.

Charisma training 101: happiness is a choice.

Of course you can be sad at times, that’s natural. And the key to getting out of a depression is to notice things that are wonderful, beautiful, or make you smile. Actively seek out things that you like, or that you used to like. Listen to birds singing. Watch the sunrise. It may sound cheesy, and anything you can do to lift your spirits is a step closer to happiness.

Remember that you’re strong enough and you have enough help to get through this time and on to the next thing. You have the power!

Love, CarolAnn

Don’t miss another confidence boost!
Sign up here to get them delivered to your inbox every week.

An excerpt from last week’s newsletter,
in case you missed it…

Tell them what you really think.

Sometimes people (especially women) get caught up in secrecy and mystery. They act like people should be able to read their minds. And if he doesn’t already know what’s wrong, they’re not going to tell him.

Okay so you’re certainly not like that, and you’ve had your moments, right? Remember this – honesty is always the best policy when it comes to relationship maintenance. They can’t read your mind, so give
them a break and just tell them. Clarity goes a long way towards an agreement, and agreements are the basis of any successful relationship, personal or business.

Honesty and clarity create super confidence

and great relationships.

So next time, when someone asks you “what’s wrong,” just tell the truth. Skip the scripted “nothing,” and go on to what you really want. Be honest with yourself and the people around you, and you’ll see your relationships improve. Remember, you have the power!

Love, CarolAnn

Don’t miss another confidence boost!
Sign up here to get them delivered to your inbox every week.

An excerpt from last week’s newsletter,
in case you missed it…

Create your ideal shape with clothing

What’s your ideal shape?  The ideal feminine shape for most people is the hourglass.  They key to this shape is a small waist.  Many of us don’t yet have exactly our ideal shape, and that’s okay.  You are perfect as you are in the process of getting healthy.  Here’s the secret: you can have this shape visually before you have it physically.

Shape your body and get instant confidence with clothing.

How do you do it? Create it with clothing.  The general idea is to have clothing that fits your body and skims your shape, and has a little volume to it.  So, wear a wide leg trouser or jean to create a straight line from your hip to the floor, an A-line skirt that skims your hips and then sits away from your legs, or a nice flow-y blouse.  The key is to also accent your waist, or the smallest part of your torso.

For some women, this is the natural waist.  If your natural waist (about an inch above your belly button) is the smallest part of your torso, go for wrap-style dresses and tops, belted jackets and overcoats, and anything with an accent, belt, or tie there at your waist.

For other women, the smallest part of the torso is the ribcage, right under the bust.  The empire waist style is for you.  Look for dresses and tops with a belt or band right below the chest.  Make sure your chest fits into the top of it, and then the band hits your smallest part.  Go for a wider band to keep this area looking small.  A small band can create a maternity look.

Keep these tips in mind, and always dress your body now.  Loving the you in the mirror will help you take even better care of yourself.  Remember, you’re worth it!

Love, CarolAnn

Don’t miss another confidence boost!
Sign up here to get them delivered to your inbox every week.

An excerpt from last week’s newsletter,
in case you missed it…

Question: Is making an effort with your appearance strictly a “woman thing?”

Absolutely not.  It’s an “I know I’m worth it” thing.  It tells other people that your respect yourself enough to treat yourself well, and you respect others enough to be appropriate and polished.  Keep in mind that every time you leave the house, you’re presenting yourself to other people.

That’s why style is so important to charisma training.

Make sure you’re okay with the message you’re sending.  Remember, you’re worth it!

Love, CarolAnn

Don’t miss another confidence boost!
Sign up here to get them delivered to your inbox every week.

My friend Katy over at ModlyChic runs a feature on the 4th Friday of each month called Friend Friday, where fashion bloggers comment on various topics.  Check out this week’s topic: Trends.

Fashion week is coming…

that means new trends and looks in the stores. To some, this can be an exciting opportunity to spruce up their wardrobe. To others, it can be an exasperating time.

Are trends confidence builders for you?

Do you feel like you need to change out your whole wardrobe each spring and fall? Unless fashion is a very high priority for you, chances are, you’d like to spend your money somewhere else.

Here’s the good news: you can have the best of both worlds. You can save your money and have fun participating in the modern world.

The trick is to bring the trends you love into your wardrobe in small steps, and mix your trendy pieces with the flattering classics that you know are great on you. In essence, the trend pieces should be smaller or less expensive things that help give your outfit real interest. You may only wear them for one or two years, so quality is not quite as important as it usually is.

You want to use your trendy-stuff budget to buy high-impact items. That will show that you’re modern, fresh, and aware of what’s going on around you without breaking the bank.

The most important thing is to have fun with your style. You’re not required to participate in trends that don’t interest you. Remember not to take yourself too seriously and try things on. The worst thing that can happen is the trend doesn’t work and you get a good laugh out of it. Remember, you’re worth it!

Love, CarolAnn

What I’m reading: Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.

Okay, it’s sort of shocking that I haven’t yet read Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich. I finally downloaded it onto my phone, so now I’m checking it out.

A lot of my friends and colleagues have read this book, as well as tons of personal coaches and experts on personal and professional development. Most of those who have read this book swear by the wisdom contained in it, and if the first chapter is a representative sample, I’d agree. I’ve already found some wonderfully useful nuggets, and I hope to find more information specific to creating confidence in the main substance of the instruction.

Think and Grow Rich was published in 1937, so some of the language and cultural references are outdated, and it’s really impressive that it’s still so popular today. It really speaks to the power and truth of the principles in the book.

Have you read this book? What did you think? Please leave me a comment!

Love, CarolAnn

An excerpt from last week’s newsletter,
in case you missed it…

Get an instant breast lift… no surgery required

It’s a fact of life.  As time passes, our faces and bosoms slowly drift apart.  But there’s something you can do about it… posture.

When you straighten your spine, your chest instantly comes forward and up, enhancing the look of your curves significantly.  Plus, practicing good posture strengthens the muscles in the back of your body, so that it will become easier and easier for you to stay like that.

And I don’t need to tell you that a breast boost could be an instant confidence boost.

For years, women have tried to enhance their bust line by working their pecs with padded bras, sit ups and exercise contraptions.  What they didn’t know is that working the front of the body too much can actually have the opposite effect.  If you work out the front of the body, it contracts and becomes tighter, closing the shoulders and hunching the back.  When you work out the back of the body, including the triceps, the lats and the lower back, your posture improves and so does the look of your bust.

So if you’d like a higher, perkier chest, work your back and stand up straight!  Remember, you have the power!

Love, CarolAnn

Don’t miss another confidence boost!
Sign up here to get them delivered to your inbox every week.

An excerpt from last week’s newsletter,
in case you missed it…

Question: What should I wear to my teaching jobs?

Just dress professionally. Go for trousers and knee-length skirts, cardigans, blouses, button-down shirts and jackets. Wear real shoes that cover your toes. Go for pumps and flats, mostly (rather than sandals). Your jewelry can be bold, just keep it to one or two major things.  Wear color, pattern, texture and sheen to make your outfits more interesting, and choose soft color combinations.

Dressing professionally will give you

executive charisma.

All of these things together will give you an authoritative and approachable look, perfect for a teacher.  Remember, you’re worth it!

Love, CarolAnn

Don’t miss another confidence boost!
Sign up here to get them delivered to your inbox every week.