Through an application process at the Bridges for Women Society, one deserving recipient will receive an award valued at over $2000:

• $350 cash award
• Complimentary attendance at the October 6, 2012 and March 9, 2013 yoUnlimited Conferences – value $298
• One Year “Flirty” Membership with Passion & Performance – value $600
• One Month Unlimited Yoga at Moksha Yoga Victoria – value $150
• Selection of inspirational books from Chapters Victoria – value $100
• Coaching for a “Career Breakthrough Package” or “Work,Life and Motherhood” Package from Possibilities Coaching Group – value $450
• Rejuvinating Facial from Newera Wellness – approximate value $50

On May 3^rd, more than 50 women had a spring in their step, as they made their way into the Ambrosia Centre in downtown Victoria for another yoUnlimited Women in Business networking luncheon – two hours of lunchtime fulfillment, celebrating Mind, Body, Spirit and Community.

Grateful for the chance to connect and enjoy a delicious meal, the luncheon began with an opportunity for guests to express gratitude, share their week’s highlight or a recent learning opportunity, with a game that Linda Hunter of Living With Grace has been playing for years with those who grace her table.

Presentations began with the birth of Melinda’s Biscotti, an inspirational speak by owner, Melinda Cownden on a quiet dream that Melinda has nurtured with the support of others and her continued journey of learning; about her craft, being an entrepreneur, personal resolve, owning a small business; finding courage to continue, holding fast to memories and trusting in dreams for the future.  Celebrating her current success, Melinda is already giving back to others who have a dream and supporting them as they move in the same direction as she is – forward!  Watch Melinda’s story here.

Celebrating all that’s natural, Megan Johns then introduced the ugly truth about the unnatural products many of us are using in our daily routines and on our bodies.  Her upbeat and simple message encouraged all in attendance to increase their personal awareness, to ask more questions, to search out healthier alternatives, along with her offering of a very personal solution, her beauty bar, The Green Kiss.  Check out Megan’s ‘top ten’ list here

Thinking beautiful thoughts, our afternoon continued to bloom as Anna Harvey presented on “potential” and invited each of us to examine our personal story to see what state of growth we are in, and to ask ourselves if we are doing what it takes to bust through our limits on our way to blooming and to fully realizing our own potential.  For added inspiration, check out this video clip of time lapsed blooming flowers – this will make you think Spring and ‘potential’.

The final presentation continued the theme of supporting growth with the introduction of the 1Up Single Parent Resource Centre by Kerry Walsh, who very eloquently offered up some facts around single parent families in Canada and what the Victoria centre, one of only three in the country, is doing to support the one in five single parent families in the area with half living of those living below the poverty line.  Learn more about the Centre here and then help the yoUnlimited community along with the Because We Can group continue to support the Centre’s efforts with their latest donation theme – Towels.

As the luncheon wound down, and just before we headed out armed with inspiration, Carolyne Taylor, the founder of yoUnlimited announced the exciting news that Danielle LaPorte, author of The Fire Starter Sessions will be coming to Victoria to speak at a fundraiser that will support  Bridges for Women, one of the many women’s organizations supported by the yoUnlimited community.

Want to get in on the inspiration… join us on June 7^{th –} Register now.

Linda Hunter is a professional writer and event planner who is open to possibility and dedicated to service and can be found blogging at www.livingwithgrace.ca

 1.     Reduce Your ‘Chemical Body Burden’ and Take Control Your ‘chemical body burden’ is a term referring to the build up of chemicals in your body.   The chemicals come from different sources.  Many of which you have little power of controlling such as chemicals in the air you breath or the water you drink.  You do, however, have control over what you put onto your body.  We know that a certain percentage of what goes onto our body, goes into our body, so take control, and start reducing the amount of harmful chemicals in your body care or makeup.

2.     Don’t Get Duped by ‘Greenwashing’   It is what is on the back of the product that counts – not the front.  Products with natural or organic plastered on the front of their labels, may not actually be all that natural, not to mention organic. Just because a product contains certified organic plant ingredients, doesn’t mean that it doesn’t contain synthetic chemicals as well. Read the ingredients.  Use common sense.  Start by reducing the synthetic chemicals in your products.  Then start to find products that contain certified organic ingredients, or better yet, products that are certified USDA organic.

3. Learn What ‘Pinkwashing’ means, and Take a Stand.   Pinkwasher: (pink’-wah-sher) noun. A company or organization that claims to care about breast cancer by promoting a pink ribbon product, but at the same time produces, manufactures and/or sells products that are linked to the disease (source: www.thinkbeforeyoupink.org).  So….common sense right?  Companies selling makeup for example, in a cute pink compact, donating a portion to breast cancer research, shouldn’t be using ingredients linked to breast cancer.  However, it is very, very, common.  Check out the website www.thinkbeforeyoupink.org to find out more

4.      When Switching Over to Natural Products , Start With The Basics  This is just common sense.  Assess what products you use every day.  Next time you buy them, switch them out for something with less synthetic chemicals (preferably no synthetic chemicals).  For most women, this means shampoo, conditioner, skin care products, deodorant, mascara and foundation.

5.      Learn the Difference Between Soap and Detergent Soap: Soap is made by combining fatty acids (natural oils like olive oil, coconut oil, or cocoa butter) and an alkali ingredient (lye or sodium hydroxide).  The combo creates soap.   Detergent:  Detergent bars of ‘soap’ are not really ‘soap’ at all.  Detergent bars of ‘soap’ are often referred to as ‘body bars’ or ‘beauty bars’, and are typically sold at grocery or drug stores.  Detergent bars are made from petroleum products. They typically contain many artificial preservatives and antibacterial agents, which do not have an agreeable smell. Because of this, detergents often contain fragrance to counteract the odor.

6.     Fragrance: The Mystery Ingredient That You Should Avoid   Fragrance. You may have friends who get headaches from it, but you may not know about the other health risks associated with your favourite perfume…  While companies are legally required to list what goes into their products, they are not legally required to list what goes into their fragrance.  Fragrance is therefore considered to be a ‘mystery ingredient’ because you never know what is in it.   More often then not, fragrance will include a class of ingredients called Pthalates.  They are added to extend to the life of the scent, to make it linger on the skin longer.  However, phthalates are linked to a whole slew of health issues including hormone disruption and cancer.  See what The David Suzuki Foundation has to say about them here: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/health/science/toxics/chemicals-in-your-cosmetics—dibutyl-phthalate/

7.     Avoid Product With Parabens  Ingredients in the paraben class of ingredients are linked to hormone disruption, reproductive issues, skin irritation and dermatitis.  They are also linked to breast cancer.  A study in 2004 found that parabens were in the tumors of 19 out of 20 women with breast cancer.  To learn more, check out this link from The David Suzuki Foundation: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/health/science/toxics/chemicals-in-your-cosmetics—parabens/

8.     Avoid Products With Sodium Lauryl or Laureth Sulfates A few reasons here.  This is the same ingredient in your dish soap, or garage floor cleaner.  So, should it really be going onto your head?  It is what makes shampoo and body wash lather. It gives you that squeaky clean feeling.  But it also strips your hair of all of its natural oils – drying out your gorgeous locks.  For information on health concerns related to this ingredient, read more here: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/health/science/toxics/chemicals-in-your-cosmetics—sodium-laureth-sulfate/

9. Beware of Bandwagons.  The more you start researching the overall topic of toxins in body care, the more bandwagons you will come across.  I have been duped by them myself.  So be aware.  An example would be the issue of Lead in Lipstick.  To cut a long story short, I, like many of us involved in the natural product industry, was appalled when the FDA recently found lead in hundreds of lipsticks.  However, I then realized that a natural lipstick brand had been tested, and shockingly contained lead.  I quickly went to the brand’s website to find their ingredient list.  I found it to be shockingly similar as one of the lines that I carry at The Green Kiss.  How could this be?    After much more research, I found that lead is a contaminant in the natural pigments used in pretty much all lipsticks (unless synthetic colourants are used).   I then found that lead is also a contaminant in drinking water, and in vegetables even.  Bottom line, from my research, is that anything that comes from the earth – may have trace elements of lead.   While I don’t think this is fabulous news, it is seemingly unavoidable at this point in time.  So, energy is better spent trying to avoid synthetic and/or harmful chemicals, than it is lead.   Point being:  Continue your research, ask questions, and be careful of bandwagons sweeping the internet.

10.Stop thinking natural products are not as effective.   It is very common, for people to think that natural products are not as effective, when in reality, they often work better for people than their non natural counterparts.  Natural products are healthy for your skin, and for your body. Many have great staying power, many are long lasting, many have a 2 year shelf life even. Like with anything, you just have to find the ones that work the best for you.

Where to buy in Victoria:

Body Care

The Good Planet Co. – http://www.goodplanet.com

Rocky Mountain Soap Company – http://www.rockymountainsoap.com/

Free Spirit Botanicals – http://www.freespiritbotanicals.com/

Nezza Naturals – http://nezzanaturals.com/

Makeup, Skincare & Body Care

The Green Kiss – http://www.thegreenkiss.com/

Megan Johns was a speaker at the May 2012 yoUnlimited luncheon, and is the owner/operator of the Green Kiss, a retailer of safe, smart and sexy cosmetics from North America’s most effective safe cosmetic brands.  Your style and your health are our priority!

She is based out of Victoria, BC Canada.  The beauty bar is located at 764 Fort St. in the heart of downtown Victoria. She has started as a innovative ‘store within a store’ model and is located within The Good Planet Company.

Today’s recipe comes from a member of our yoUnlimited community, Susan Pearse, founder of The Green Diet and Because We Can.

Lemons are citric acid but in our body, they become a potent alkalinizer for good health. They are also a low glycemic index fruit and a mild, natural diuretic.

If you roll a lemon on the counter, with fairly firm pressure down on it, as you roll it will yield more juice? Try it!

Lemonade

• 1 cup of juice from fresh organic lemons
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 4 cups water

Boil 1 cup of water with sugar until the sugar dissolves – cool.

Mix sugar water with remaining water and lemon juice and store in a glass juice container.

Pour over ice and enjoy.

* Note, you could substitute agave for the sugar if you like.

Our afternoon began with gratitude, and a beautiful guided meditation that encompassed much of what Terri Davies had recently discovered on her seven week sojourn in India at the Oneness University, while studying Deeksha.  Incorporating blessings from so far away was the perfect beginning to a luncheon that focused on Health and Wellness for Mind, Body, and Spirit and also for the Globe, as the fourth pillar of yoUnlimited, Community, was formally unveiled.

Lowell Ann Fuglsang of Workstyle-Lifestyle Consulting was the featured speaker and her gift to the audience was a speak designed around doing business “in the feminine way”.  Highlighting her own anecdotal studies, Lowell Ann offered up brain research and noted authors on the topic and invited guests to discover a more ‘feminine’ approach to doing business, to supporting others with a model for encouragement that she says is often lacking in the world of business.

Feeling inspired and liking the skin they were in, the conversation turned to muscle and Karen McCoy told a truly inspiring story of her fall from grace; a heartwarming and healing personal journey that includes body building, weight lifting, spirituality, health and wellness, along with a decision to share her story and her son’s terminal illness in her new book One Rep at a Time. The shift from inspired to empowered was felt throughout the room as women found themselves tuning into their own story and finding new strength from Karen’s speak.

Souls were fed and Ambrosia Catering did their usual fine job of feeding us a nutritious and delicious lunch as we moved from thinking about our own lives to the lives of others and the community speakers took the stage.  Susan Pearse of The Green Diet introduced their latest theme, for the community venture behind the group Because We Can, a group of dedicated individuals seeking ways to help others, and using their connection to community to provide for those who are in need.  This month’s theme of hygiene saw all sorts of related donations being distributed to the Single Parent Resource Centre, and the next theme, of ‘used jeans’ was offered up for those attending the next lunch or staying in touch through facebook (Because We Can).

And finally, from the local community to the needs of the global one, Frances Litman added another level of excitement and energy to the room with her announcement of the first annual Creatively United for the Planet Festival, set for Earth Weekend (April 20-22^nd). Her passion for the environment and her desire to pull together this amazing event included enthusiastic invitations to all to participate in or attend the Festival, one dedicated to bringing awareness and much needed funding to environmental charities.

If after reading about this fabulous luncheon, you are feeling left out and would like to feel the connection, you have an opportunity to join us at our next luncheon, on May 3rd. – and remember to bring your jeans!

Linda

Linda Hunter is a professional writer and event planner who is open to possibility and dedicated to service and can be found blogging at www.livingwithgrace.ca

What’s the best part for you of being part of yoUnlimited?  Meeting a room full of amazing women!

What qualities do you admire in others:  I value authenticity most of all, as well as kindheartedness, curiosity, love of learning, positive nature, humour…the list goes on!

What’s on your bucket list?  A few things are to go to Macchu Picchu in Peru, teach at a creative retreat somewhere else in the world, walk the Skywalk at the Grand Canyon with my mom, and write a book.

What is your favourite activity?  Oh I really hate picking favourite anythings but let’s say writing. Love it.

If you could only do one thing, what would that be?  Work whenever it suited me, at any hour. I love having a flexible schedule.

What or who inspires or moves you?  I’m inspired by anyone living their dreams and doing what they want to do. People unafraid to take risks, especially creatively.

What is your personal philosophy?  “Things always work out for me.”

Advice you would pass on to yourself at 19?  I would tell myself to stop thinking that I had to be older to be taken seriously doing what I want to do. Now I know that you’re never too young to be a leader.

Who is your favourite community organization for charity?  Oh I’m biased since I also work there! Volunteer Victoria, because we support almost 300 other nonprofit agencies doing amazing things all over Greater Victoria.

What moves you to tears?  Injustice, when other people are hurt or upset, how beautiful life can be, how much I love my daughter.

Where do you find your joy?  Being with my family members, laughing over good wine and food with friends, travelling to different places in the world, continuous learning about exciting things.

What is your most proud moment?  Finishing my master’s degree in 2005. It took me moving across the country, studying at four schools, and five years, but in the end I set life challenges aside and just finished it. I was only the second person in my extended family (of over 100 aunts, uncles and cousins, parents and brother) to do a graduate degree.

How to reach Beth…

250.686.0036 | beth@bethcouglerblom.com

Website:  www.bethcouglerblom.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/bcouglerblom
Twitter: www.twitter.com/bethcouglerblom
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bethcouglerblom

There comes a time when you must stand alone.

You must feel confident enough within yourself to

follow your own dreams.

You must be willing to make sacrifices.

You must be capable of changing and rearranging

 your priorities so that your final goal can be achieved.

Sometimes, familiarity and comfort need to

 be challenged.

There are times when you must take a few extra chances and create your own realities.

Be strong enough to at least try to make your life better.

Be confident enough that you won’t settle for a compromise just to get by.

Appreciate yourself by allowing yourself the

opportunities to grow, develop, and find your true

sense of purpose in this life.

Don’t stand in someone else’s shadow when it’s

your sunlight that should lead the way.

Work hard at what you like to do and try to overcome

all obstacles

Laugh at your mistakes and praise yourself for

learning from them

Pick some flowers and appreciate the beauty of nature

Say hello to strangers and enjoy the people you know

Don’t be afraid to show your emotions laughing and

crying make you feel better

Love your friends and family with your entire being

they are the most important part of your life

Feel the calmness on a quiet sunny day

Find a rainbow and live your world of dreams always remember life is better than it seems.

Author Unknown

It ended up being a really great game in which attendees got to explore the exhibit tables and find out what the passion or inspiration of the exhibitors were – plus say what their own passion is.

Some powerful words!