The Simply Luxurious Life's Newsletter 45

Published: Fri, 04/22/11

"You can't go through life quitting everything. If you're going to achieve anything, you've got to stick with something."

~from the television show Family Matters

No. 45 Friday, April 22, 2011

must admit, I will miss The Oprah Winfrey Show when its last show wraps up on Wednesday, May 25th. I appreciate the attention to living one's best life. I appreciate the belief and confidence the show instills in its viewers that we truly can create a better life for ourselves and a better world to live in. I will miss this positive outlook.

On a show this past week, she interviewed Tom Shadyac, and one of the statements was "If we don't do what our heart wants us to do, it will destroy us." And while this seems like a very drastic statement, it immediately resonated with me.

We all have innate abilities, many that take time and conscious effort to discover. We all have unquestionable passions - things we enjoy immersing ourselves in and can get lost in for hours without recognizing the passage of time.

The beauty of following our heart, listening to our inner compass, is that it is very rarely wrong and becomes more and more accurate the more we choose to listen to it.

And while following our passions may not lead to a steady paycheck initially, with patience, persistence and a stubborn focus on the goal that refuses to blink, the ability to one day do what we love will materialize.

So often it feels like we will never reach this point, but just as often too many people stop just short of the ticker tape. Just as in the photo above, the Chrysler building appears a gigantic leap away, the truth is, it is within reach. Complete the race. Go the full distance. You've come this far. Don't stop now. Keep toiling, keep working. The passion you have for what you are doing will continue, and you will be very glad that you pushed through the pain and questioning once you reach your destination. After all, we are only allotted so much energy on any given day, so why not expend it on aspects you value and deem important rather than the alternative?

Excellence Awaits

In today's newsletter you will find a very French giveaway. The Simply Luxurious Life has been much overdue for a giveaway gift, so be sure to enter , as the winner will be announced Monday, April 25th. Also in Wednesday's Why Not . . .? post I finally decided to share something I've been contemplating for a long time. While I've always found comfort in time to myself, I wasn't sure if my readers would agree. However, the feedback has been very positive, and I want to thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. Do stop by and check out the post - Why Not . . . Revel in Solitude? as there is an empowering quality to being able to be comfortable with alone time.

I don't know about you, but I am aching for my weekend. Time to catch my breath and not be ruled by the clock. Last week, so many of you sent emails regarding the newsletter, and I want to thank you. I can't tell you how much I enjoy hearing from you whether you are commenting, questioning or looking for advice. There has been a few questions regarding my choice of clothes in my Style Suggestion at the end of each weekly newsletter, so I would like to explain why I choose often times high end (and thus high priced) clothing. I'm a dreamer, as many of you may already know, and I assume my readers are people who truly are seeking the best life for themselves. Each of us has a different definition of what a best life looks like, however with that said, when it comes to style, I want to bring you the best possible visuals on what an outfit can look like. Honestly, I would never be able to purchase all of the items I select, but it gives me, as a lover of style, a starting off point. Once I have a visual, I believe that so many of us can then take that image and mold it and shape to what it works for each of our lifestyles, whether it be choosing one high end item and pairing it with trends that don't cost nearly as much or purchasing none of the suggestions, but now having an inspiration for the next shopping trip to a favorite boutique.

I cannot emphasize enough, how my purpose with the weekly Style Suggestion piece is simply to inspire and help rev up your fashion senses so that when an item appears on your next shopping trip, you might have a new approach on how to include it in your wardrobe or maybe even pull something from the back of your closet and refresh its life.

So with style on the tip of my tongue, I wish you all a stylish, fearless and fun weekend. Until next week, I'll see you on the blog.

-Shannon

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