So, this morning I woke up and was horrified when I quickly scanned through the email I sent you last night and I realized that I made a really stupid mistake!
I felt so silly... but truth be told that I am known to be a bit of a "blonde" sometimes... :)
At first I was distraught and immediately I was considering writing you an email to apologize for my grammatical and 'lapse of concentration' error... but then I immediately burst out laughing out loud when it dawned on me how funny the whole thing actually is... I hope some of you got a little chuckle out of it.
Yes, I have been to Greece a couple of times, but I played the part of 'Frenchie' in the musical GREASE! Sometimes it is glaringly obvious that my mind is in more than one place at a time. All I could do was laugh about it... out loud, a real belly laugh, what else is there to do?
Laugh at Yourself
Hey look, I know that was not exactly a serious or life altering mistake, but I think it is always important to maintain a healthy sense of humor about your own mistakes and shortcomings. I mean, stressing about doing something wrong or making a mistake is not going to change the fact that it is done.
So why get yourself in a 'tizzy" about it? No matter what it is... life has to go on. So laugh about it, get over it... and then find a way to correct it, or if it isn't something you can fix... look forward, move on, tomorrow is always a new day with new possibilities.
Learn from your mistakes... next time I'll read through my email one extra time and make sure I am completely in the moment while doing it so I don't make another error like that.
By being able to laugh at your own mistakes, you might even brighten up someone else's day...
There is nothing wrong with planning your day, or your week... as a matter of fact - I encourage you to do that because that way you are setting goals for yourself and having goals to achieve is always a good thing.
The only thing is, we so often tend to step in the trap of not living in the moment... being so focused on reaching that goal, getting to the next place... doing the next thing... worrying about what to do next, that we forget to appreciate the moment... the moment that is now.
But that is not the only distraction... we have many other distractions like the television, the newspaper... magazines... these distract us from stopping and smelling the roses.
I'll give you an example of what I mean...
I was in the gym tonight... and as I think I might have mentioned before, the gym is right in the front of the ship.... the view from there is spectacular... we are at sea so we are surrounded by the ocean.
But tonight I was in the gym at the right time to witness a most spectacular sunset. I couldn't help, I had to just stop what I was doing for a moment and watch the sun go down....
There were some clouds in the sky and the colors in the sky varied from deep reds and oranges to bright purples and soft pinks as the big red sun set on the horizon. The reflection on the water made a clear trail from where I was standing and the water was so calm it looked almost like I could walk on it and follow that trail all the way to the end of the earth.
I felt a smile on my face and gratitude in my heart.
This is the actual sunset...
I had my camera with me in the gym that day
But as I looked around me... every single other person in the gym had their eyes on a tele... even though all the treadmills and the ellipticals are facing the ocean, each of them had a screen obstructing their view and they were totally unaware of the beauty around them.
So we often go through our day and we miss the precious moments because we are too busy getting where we are going, or we are being distracted by the news media or our worries about yesterday or tomorrow.
In the Pizzazz Factor I encourage you to live in the moment and to let the beauty of life around you help you find your inner smile... that smile that makes you attractive and magnetic... that smile that makes you radiate from the inside out.
Take some time today, to smell the roses and live in the moment... and try every day from now on, to keep that in mind.... Life is much too short to let those special moments slip away unnoticed.
Kind regards
Vanessa Bader
P.S. I am lucky to be surrounded by the ocean and beautiful sunsets... but no matter where you are, if you take the time to look... you will see the beauty...Whether it be a precious flower, a bird in a tree, the sparkle in someone's eye or maybe some beautiful architecture... if you look, you will find the beauty there.
Your Very own Big Budget Movie...
Tuesday, 01 April 2008
Imagine yourself as a brilliant actor, and you have this once in a lifetime role to prepare for. Only thing is - the character you are going to be playing in this movie is YOU!
For this big budget movie you are playing the lead part of the most confident, most charismatic, suave, attractive and magnetic you!
How would you prepare to play this role?
How does any good actor prepare to play a specific character in a movie?
Of course every actor has his own process, but let's look at the basic steps...
First you would read the script and get an overall idea of the plot. Then you would study your character in depth. You would imagine how this character would walk, talk, sit and stand. You would imagine the kind of mannerisms and you would even imagine what kind of voice such a character would have.
Then you would start practicing these mannerisms and vocal tones, you would put yourself in that character's mindset and try to embody everything such a person would be so that you can start to feel what it feels like to be that person.
The more you walk, talk and act like that person, the more comfortable you will start feeling in that characters shoes so to speak. Eventually, you would become that character after some intensive rehearsal and repetition.
Now you are ready to play the part in this box office hit movie!
First you have to have a vision... you have to be able to imagine what the image is you want to project - in detail...
Your life is your very own big budget movie in which you play the lead character...
You need to start living that image and before you know it... that confident, charismatic and poised version of you, is second nature!
In the Pizzazz Factor I take you through the steps and I show you exactly how that improved version of you walks, talks and acts... it is much easier than you think. Once you master these principals of the Pizzazz Factor your self-confidence will sky-rocket so you can live your life to the fullest and you can be a "big-budget" success in everything that you do!
Kind regards
Vanessa Bader
P.S. Start thinking and imagining how you want your movie plot to go and what kind of character you want to play - and start living it today!
Reach for More...
Tuesday, 01 April 2008
Today my dad said something to me that sparked a thought I want to share with you.
I was telling him how I have found this new role model and how I am working towards having a body just like hers. She is a fitness model and has a phenomenally hot, toned body. She is the new picture on my fridge.
Anyway, so my dad said to me: "but my darling, you shouldn't be competing." He was exactly right. But the thing is, I am not competing with her, I am simply using her as a role model, setting a goal for myself.
See, there is a difference. Firstly, I could never directly compete with this girl as she is probably at least 10 years younger than I am, and my body is different from hers... I will never look exactly as she does.
But what I can do, is strive towards being leaner and more toned like she is.
So this is my point. You are unique... you should never directly compare yourself to someone else and think that you can achieve exactly the same results. But what you can do, is use that person as a role model... as a way to set a goal for your self... someone that inspires you.
And this does not only go for weight loss or getting the body you want. This is true for most things in life. There are all kinds of very successful people in the world at all kinds of different skill sets... you might admire someone who is a very successful business leader or a top athlete.
What ever it is that you are interested in achieving, it is a great thing to find a role model - someone that inspires you and encourages you to be better.
Of course there are certain situations in life where we do compete... maybe in sport, or athletics, or chess or on the debate team... yes, we do engage in competition and we can strive towards being as good or better than someone else, but we can never aim to be exactly like someone else.
Because as much as I would like to have a body like this girl... our proportions are not the same, and we are not the same age and we do not have the same body types or even the same metabolisms.
But having her picture on my fridge or my desktop is what inspires me to go to the gym and work even so much harder and eat so much healthier.
So yes... there is a big difference between competing and setting goals... finding a role model and striving to be more like that person.
So don't feel like you should directly compare yourself to anyone... but rather find that person that inspires you to set a higher goal for yourself and gives you the drive to reach it! Someone who encourages you to reach for more...
Kind Regards
Vanessa Bader
P.S. In both my Pizzazz Factor and my Hot Burning Body Systems I encourage you to develop self-confidence and a healthy self-image so you can be the best YOU!
(Thank you daddy for always giving your solid and sound advice! You and mom are always right!)
How do you walk?
Wednesday, 12 March 2008
As you probably already know, I am on a cruise ship at the moment in the Caribbean. Garin and I are performing again at the end of the week and I am really looking forward to it. It has been a month or so since we have been on stage.
But this afternoon I was at lunch and as usual watching people as they go by. We were outside on deck by the pool and I watched young and old walk by as if they are at a funeral... rather than on vacation on a beautiful Cruise ship on a warm sunny day.
But not only that... ladies, come on... walk with grace and pride. Yes, maybe these ladies are on vacation, but is that a reason to drag their feet and slouch?
Poor walking posture Walk nice and tall
I know I can be sure that this is how these girls walk every day... not just today because they are wearing flip flops and a swimsuit... Actually, all the more reason to pick their your feet and walk tall.
I hear so many people say, I don't want to build too much muscle because what if I stop working out, is it going to turn into Fat?
OK, now let us talk about this for a moment, maybe I can make this a little clearer for you, how this exactly works. Let me start by saying... muscle can not turn into fat, and fat can not turn into muscle. You can however gain muscle and lose fat... or vice versa.
Fat and muscle are two completely different things.
Fat is stored in layers on top of the muscle and comes from excess calories. Muscle is made up of fibers that contracts and releases to produce movement.
The best way to build muscle is to do some kind of progressive strength training and you need to feed your body enough healthy, lean calories. So naturally if you are working out really hard, you will be feeding your body accordingly. You will most likely consume more calories to feed the muscles because you are now using much more energy in your workouts.
Now that your body is active, you need to eat more to maintain good energy levels and health. Then what generally happens when people stop working out, is that they don't decrease their caloric intake.
They think they can continue eating like they did when they were working out... that is when they lose muscle and gain fat! So that is why they think when they stop working out, their "muscle is going to turn into fat".
The lesson here is? When your activity levels decrease, so should your caloric intake. That way you will maybe lose some muscle but you won't gain fat....
Makes a little more sense now? I hope so. I created the Hot Burning Body Workout so you can gain lean muscle and lose fat at a drastic pace. And you will enjoy this workout so much that you won't want to stop so you never have to worry about losing muscle and gaining fat!
Kind regards
Vanessa Bader
Move in Multi Dimensions
Wednesday, 05 March 2008
One of the greatest ways to get your body into tip top shape is doing body weight exercises. The Hot Burning Body workout is jam packed with some of the most effective exercises to help you burn the most amount of calories in the shortest amount of time.
The different variations of body weight exercises are endless, and the cool thing is that the way I put these exercises together challenges your body on so many levels, because I used my knowledge and skills as a dancer to put these exercises together in a way that challenges your body in a multi-dimensional way.
Move your body in different and multiple directions
Most of the exercises that you will do in the weight room, with dumbbells, barbells or any kind of machine is completely two-dimensional i.e. up and down, left and right, or forward and back, pushing and pulling, or lowering and lifting.
Let's face it, that is not how we move in every day life!
That is precisely why people end up injuring themselves. Because they don't condition their bodies in a way that prepares them for every day activities.
Now of course as in anything there are the exceptions to the rule, and don't get me wrong, I am not against weight baring exercises at all - as a matter of fact, I am also a Kettlebell instructor and that is an amazing way of conditioning the body in a very functional manner with the use of weights...
But once again, if not taught correctly, that kind of training can also have its disadvantages.
Believe me, the exercises in my Hot Burning Body workout was very well crafted and I teach in a step by step manner so you will know exactly what you are doing.
But whatever exercise you do at the moment, get creative and try to think about ways you can adapt your exercises to make them work on different planes of motion and in different directions, so you can be sure to get the most out of your body conditioning and to prevent unnecessary injuries.
Always try to include dynamics to your workout - change it up... make sure you get your heart pumping: some lifting, some jumping, lots of motion, circular motion if you can, and definitely some stretching. That way you are getting a well-rounded workout.
Kind regards
Vanessa Bader
P.S. You need to stabilize as well as mobilize your body in order to be in the best shape possible - the Hot Burning Body workout has all that! All in One! Why look any further?
Attitude and Mindset is Everything
Wednesday, 05 March 2008
Those of you who already own the Pizzazz Factor know that I emphasize the fact that you need to make your posture and your body language your own. You need to feel comfortable and natural in your own skin in order to exude confidence and radiate a magnetic presence.
The mirror is your best friend and practicing in front of the mirror allows you to get more comfortable with the movements and postures I show you.
You see, I can show you what perfect posture is and how to achieve it, and I can tell you what positive body language signals you can use to make unforgettable first impressions... or how to take someone's breath away, or how to look really confident even when you are crumbling inside... But you could end up just looking like a programmed stick figure...
In the Pizzazz Factor I explain to you how important it is to not only practice, but to infuse your newfound great posture and body language with radiant energy and positive attitude - that is precisely what is going to make you stand out from the rest of the crowd.
By using your powerful posture and your positive body language signals every day, you will get increasingly more comfortable with them and you will feel your self-confidence improve. Once you have a more healthy and positive self-esteem it is pretty easy to have a good attitude and radiate contagiously radiant energy!
Attitude and mindset is everything. If you have the intention to impress and then the know-how of how to implement it, well, then you have got it made!
