Today I was watching "Good Morning America" (people who think I'm one-note, please keep reading; this isn't a political post) and Catherine Zeta-Jones was on the show talking about the movie "Playing for Keeps." After talking about the new film, Elizabeth Vargas asked her about her bipolar disorder. Catherine said something that struck me: "I'm tired of talking about it. I never wanted to be the poster child for this. Everyone has their own thing and we all deal with it the best we can and then keep going."
I feel like even though Catherine Zeta-Jones doesn't want to be a spokesperson for bipolar disorder, just saying what she said will inspire people with bipolar disorder. She has it and is coping quite well. People who have bipolar disorder and are struggling will be able to see her success and be inspired to get their lives back on track.
I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia almost a year ago and narcolepsy six months ago. While I don't want to come across as a victim or define myself by my medical diagnoses, I feel like it is important to talk about it. I agree with Catherine in that playing a victim is not the way to handle it, and everyone has their own thing going on in their lives. I disagree with her, though, in that I think it's important to talk about it and raise awareness.
I have been on experimental medicine for the last month and am going off it next week. I can't wait! I feel like it's made me lose 20 IQ points, I can't focus on anything, and I've gained six pounds in a month. When I get my brain back, I'm planning on writing an e-book about being a young person with fibromyalgia. So many young women are being diagnosed with it and coping is incredibly difficult. I want to write the book to help people, not to whine.
When I was diagnosed in January and having a breakdown about it, my fiancé told me, "This is something that will make you stronger in the long run. Right now it feels like you're in the furnace, but you will come out a stronger person." It's so true. I feel like I'm on the cusp of getting out of this metaphorical furnace. It hurts every day and it will continue to be hard, but it's going to be okay.
Actually, it will be great. I won't settle for anything less.
"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi
Showing posts with label confidence. Show all posts
Showing posts with label confidence. Show all posts
Friday, December 7, 2012
Thursday, October 18, 2012
2012 VS Fantasy Bra! Commit to Confidence!
Before I get started with this non-political post, I just want to say: keep working for whatever campaign you're working for! I know you're tired of campaigning and seeing political posts in your feed--I am! I have Facebook friends threatening to "unsubscribe" from anyone who continues to post political statuses. But we only have 2 1/2 weeks left until this election! Keep fighting for the candidate (or candidates, if you're working on senate or local campaigns, as well) you think will help us the most. Also, if you're suddenly interested in politics just because of the election, try staying interested in politics and what's happening in our country after the election! Election-time-only interest does not a politically-minded person make. It's like being a "Creaster"--going to church only on Christmas and Easter. ;)
This year's Victoria's Secret "fantasy bra" was revealed recently*. It cost $2.5 million to make. Here is a look at some of the "fantasy bras." The first five fantasy bras aren't included in this slideshow, so I looked around and found this fantastic blog that has photos of all the fantasy bras.
The table of the history of the fantasy bras below is copied from Wikipedia.
Now, if I did the math correctly, making 17 fantasy bras has totaled $116 million. Wow. That is a lot of money. I started freaking out when I saw this. Where do these bras go? Who buys them? Is there a museum where $116M of diamonds, sapphires, and other precious gems is just sitting on busts?
None of the bras have ever been sold. Wikipedia cites this article from the Wall Street Journal saying that the 2004 bra was purchased, but in the WSJ article, it states, "None of the fantasy bras offered by Victoria's Secret each holiday since 1996 has ever sold, though a 42-carat Harry Winston diamond on the 2004 bra found a buyer." Actually, the bras are not even kept after the fashion show, according to this other Wall Street Journal article; they're dismantled! Fashionologie says that it actually took Victoria's Secret until 2010 to admit that they had dismantled the previous bras. I don't know why it took them so long! I think it would actually allow women like me, who think the fashion show is ridiculous, to appreciate it a little more.
So, what does this year's $2.5 million bra represent?
This year's Victoria's Secret "fantasy bra" was revealed recently*. It cost $2.5 million to make. Here is a look at some of the "fantasy bras." The first five fantasy bras aren't included in this slideshow, so I looked around and found this fantastic blog that has photos of all the fantasy bras.
The table of the history of the fantasy bras below is copied from Wikipedia.
| Year | Name | Model | Value | Appeared in fashion show | refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Million Dollar Miracle Bra | Claudia Schiffer | $1,000,000 | No | [97] |
| 1997 | Diamond Dream Bra | Tyra Banks | $3,000,000 | No | |
| 1998 | Dream Angel Fantasy Bra | Daniela Pestova | $5,000,000 | No | |
| 1999 | Millennium Bra | Heidi Klum | $10,000,000 | No | [94] |
| 2000 | Red Hot Fantasy Bra/Panties | Gisele Bündchen | $15,000,000 | No | [95] |
| 2001 | Heavenly Star Bra | Heidi Klum | $12,500,000 | Yes | [98] |
| 2002 | Star of Victoria Fantasy Bra | Karolina Kurkova | $10,000,000 | Yes | [99] |
| 2003 | Very Sexy Fantasy Bra | Heidi Klum | $11,000,000 | Yes | [100] |
| 2004 | Heavenly "70" Fantasy Bra | Tyra Banks | $10,000,000 | No | [101] |
| 2005 | Sexy Splendor Fantasy Bra | Gisele Bündchen | $12,500,000 | Yes | [102] |
| 2006 | Hearts On Fire Diamond Fantasy Bra | Karolina Kurkova | $6,500,000 | Yes | [99] |
| 2007 | Holiday Fantasy Bra | Selita Ebanks | $4,500,000 | Yes | [103] |
| 2008 | Black Diamond Fantasy Miracle Bra | Adriana Lima | $5,000,000 | Yes | [104] |
| 2009 | Harlequin Fantasy Bra | Marisa Miller | $3,000,000 | Yes | [105] |
| 2010 | Bombshell Fantasy Bra | Adriana Lima | $2,000,000 | Yes | [106] |
| 2011 | Fantasy Treasure Bra | Miranda Kerr | $2,500,000 | Yes | [107] |
| 2012 | Floral Fantasy Bra | Alessandra Ambrosio | $2,500,000 | Yes | [108] |
Now, if I did the math correctly, making 17 fantasy bras has totaled $116 million. Wow. That is a lot of money. I started freaking out when I saw this. Where do these bras go? Who buys them? Is there a museum where $116M of diamonds, sapphires, and other precious gems is just sitting on busts?
None of the bras have ever been sold. Wikipedia cites this article from the Wall Street Journal saying that the 2004 bra was purchased, but in the WSJ article, it states, "None of the fantasy bras offered by Victoria's Secret each holiday since 1996 has ever sold, though a 42-carat Harry Winston diamond on the 2004 bra found a buyer." Actually, the bras are not even kept after the fashion show, according to this other Wall Street Journal article; they're dismantled! Fashionologie says that it actually took Victoria's Secret until 2010 to admit that they had dismantled the previous bras. I don't know why it took them so long! I think it would actually allow women like me, who think the fashion show is ridiculous, to appreciate it a little more.
So, what does this year's $2.5 million bra represent?
- A $10.7 billion U.S. lingerie industry ($29B global market)
- Victoria's Secret, worth about $4.5 billion
- A $12 million fashion show
- Alessandra Ambriosio only five months after she had her baby!
- Thousands of little girls who hope to someday get their "Angel Wings"
Now, I am not going to sit here and pretend that I don't like Victoria's Secret or I don't wear it or anything like that. I wear Victoria's Secret lingerie almost exclusively. I think I have one or two Calvin Klein things, but other than that, it's all VS. I worked there for a summer job a few years ago. Here are some of the things I learned while working there that stuck with me:
- Feeling good about yourself shouldn't have to come from the outside, but having adorable bras sure helps.
- PINK (the teen part of VS) has some incredibly suggestive sayings on the butts of their underwear and watching middle schoolers buy that underwear is sickening.
- Feeling sexy, regardless of age or size, is attainable. You do not have to shop at VS to achieve this.
- VS bras are pretty much the most comfortable bras I've ever had.
I love lingerie, as you all saw in the yoga photo I posted a while back. I think it's great! It allows you to dress up, it's fun, it's cute, if you pick out it right you get something that fits like a glove, etc. It's not always easy, though. What if you're having a "fat" day? What if you're massively insecure and you put on this amazing lingerie that is supposed to make you feel so good and you just look at yourself in the mirror and see the problem spots that are now exposed (this can happen in any outfit, but lingerie really exposes it)?
I think that we need to learn to feel sexy because of who we are, not because of what you stuff your body into on any given day. I sometimes feel the sexiest in sweats and a t-shirt, just being me, because it's me. Not me dressing like some model in $75 lingerie, but me being comfortable in my own skin and not needing to dress it up, because I look great and I feel great, even if I'm just in sweats.
Close to 10 million of us are going to watch the hour-long Victoria's Secret Fashion Show this year while feeling envy, admiration, and excitement. What if 10 million of us committed to feeling as good about ourselves as we are jealous of those models for an hour? In my experience, the women I envy most are not the ones with great bodies, legs for days, or giant boobs. The confident women are the ones I envy. So be confident! If it takes a new bra set, a new haircut, or a new shade of lipstick, that's fine! Just take that immediate boost of confidence that you feel when you put on that new popping lipstick with you even after you take it off! It makes all the difference!
10 million strong! This is my challenge to you, with you. Please share this post with everyone you know, and come up with a way to show that you commit to "10 Million Committed to Confidence" and post it with the hashtag #committoconfidence! The VS Fashion Show is going to air on December 4. I think we can have 10 million people commit to feel confident for one hour by then. Let's do it!
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| My commitment to confidence! |
"Be the change you wish to be in the world." --Gandhi
*Due to possible copyright issues, I am not including a photo of the new bra.
Friday, September 28, 2012
5 Ways to Feel Good in 5 Seconds
In accordance with what has turned into "Feel-Good Friday" I thought it would be nice to have a short and sweet post about ways you can make yourself feel good in only 5 seconds! 5 seconds doesn't sound like a lot of time, but if you think about it, 5 seconds is a decent amount of time to get all of these things done if you commit to it wholly for the full time. I mean, we're all busy; even those "Get Abs in 20 Minutes a Day" things seem like they take too much time. So take 5 seconds! These are not methods that I have researched or have necessarily been scientifically proven; they're just things I do when I want to turn my day around and feel happy!
1. Smile at yourself. This one can have a huge effect on you. If you live alone or you don't see the person you live with in the morning, starting off with a smile from yourself is actually a great way to greet the day! Think about a silly joke, make a funny face, or remember a time when you laughed really hard. Make sure those eyes crinkle at the corners! Smiling with just your mouth doesn't do it.
Caveat: While looking in the mirror, do not focus on what you don't like about what you see. That will just make you stay sad or grumpy.
2. Get moving! Now, if you take 5 seconds to get off the couch, you can't count that as the 5 seconds of moving! Once standing, run to the other end of the room you're in and back. Or do 9 jumping jacks in 5 seconds. Or drop to the ground, do a push-up (a real one; no knee push-ups!), and then jump up as high as you can (don't do this one if you have low-blood pressure, because you might pass out). Do something that wakes you up quickly--then go do your regular gym routine that takes longer than 5 seconds. :)
3. Tell yourself you're great. We don't have cheerleaders to get our confidence up, 5 seconds are definitely enough time to give yourself a decent pep talk. Tell yourself why you like yourself and mean it! Feel that confidence boost and take it with you for the rest of the day!
4. Take your vitamins! Half the time research says vitamins are good for you, half the time they're supposedly bad for you. All I'm saying is that when I take mine, I feel better than when I don't take them. And it takes literally 5 seconds. Well, unless you get the giant horse pill kind...those take longer to swallow. ;)
5. Feel love. There are three options for this one. Choose whichever one is right for you.
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| Don't know who did the original, but I absolutely love this! |
1. Smile at yourself. This one can have a huge effect on you. If you live alone or you don't see the person you live with in the morning, starting off with a smile from yourself is actually a great way to greet the day! Think about a silly joke, make a funny face, or remember a time when you laughed really hard. Make sure those eyes crinkle at the corners! Smiling with just your mouth doesn't do it.
Caveat: While looking in the mirror, do not focus on what you don't like about what you see. That will just make you stay sad or grumpy.
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| http://www.letsmove.gov |
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| So cute! |
3. Tell yourself you're great. We don't have cheerleaders to get our confidence up, 5 seconds are definitely enough time to give yourself a decent pep talk. Tell yourself why you like yourself and mean it! Feel that confidence boost and take it with you for the rest of the day!
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| funnyjunk.com |
4. Take your vitamins! Half the time research says vitamins are good for you, half the time they're supposedly bad for you. All I'm saying is that when I take mine, I feel better than when I don't take them. And it takes literally 5 seconds. Well, unless you get the giant horse pill kind...those take longer to swallow. ;)
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| My kittens! |
5. Feel love. There are three options for this one. Choose whichever one is right for you.
- For the people in love with someone else: Feel it and embrace it!!! You know exactly what I mean about love making you feel good.
- For the people who don't believe in love with other people and now think this post is ridiculous since I brought up love: Remember the feeling you got when you fell in love with something, whether it be your job, your hobby, your cat, your favorite TV show, anything! Feel that excitement and joy and contentment.
- For the people who feel like they should be in love because they used to be, but aren't anymore (this can pertain to a person or a thing or a situation): Why did you fall in love the first time? Let that feeling completely envelop you. Maybe you'll get that little spark back! :) Take it with you!
I hope all of you have a great weekend! Thank you for making this week such a great one for me! This blog and all of the feedback I get makes me feel great because I know you guys are reading it and it helps some people. :) I really appreciate it! Writing it takes a little longer than 5 seconds, but it still makes me feel good!
"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi
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