Aviesta Members-Only Shopping Site GIVEAWAY

When Aviesta wanted to host this giveaway, I was really excited to share this with my deep thinkers. Why? 





Since you all know I've been trying to be more conscious of my fashion choices (trying not to look like the librarian widow) - and my wallet - I thought this opportunity to shop at discounted prices would be really cool to share with you.   

Aviesta is a members-only shopping site that offers deep discounts in fashion, beauty and lifestyle products (the word "deep" was the real clincher - get it? deep thinkers? Ok, I'm very very corny, I know).  

Aviesta goes live on Feb. 1, 2011. What's cool about this is that if you register before then, you will automatically become a VIP member. Click HERE on the HerDeepThoughts affiliate link to register! (see disclosure below) What's even better is that if you, my deep thinkers, refer a friend, then you will get a $10 credit upon purchase.

What I like about Aviesta is that the content is available in either English or Spanish and that they also showcase Latino(a) designers within their line up. Members get weekly videos on Monday's discussing the products that will go on sale that Tuesday morning (perfect for a little fun time when we jump on our LushLunes missions, let me tell you!).

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Dressing the Part and Feeling Good

Image Credit of SJP from BeautyChatBlog.com

Recently in my post Where's Your Swagger I basically talked about getting your mojo back. And for me, that's something I've been working on during the never ending better-me process.

Although it's less about clothes and more about my mind set, toward the end of 2010 I started to dress really crappy because I was feeling out of shape and basically uncomfortable with myself. 
 
In an attempt to get over my crappy self, for New Years I bought a new blouse. Also because part of the New Years superstition in my familia (one of many superstitions) is that you must wear new clothes on that day – otherwise the rest of the year will be cursed with old clothes. I know, it’s crazy, but I went with it. 

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#LushLunes - Window Shopping For Dreams

LushLunes gives us something to look forward to on Mondays. We've been doing this exercise for a while now, but just in case you're new to this, click here for some LushLunes background.

The LushLunes mission ranges from quiet time to active fun time.Today's LUSH LUNES ASSIGNMENT is purely fun time:

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Untying the Pink Ribbons In My Hair

Photo Credit: www.djibnet.com

I grew up with Amazon women - that is, if Amazon women can be described as petite, ferocious, independent little Puerto Ricans in Brooklyn. My mom was the leader of the pack. The pack were her sisters.

These women always conveyed to me that marriage should be last. "Live your life first," because when you're married, "its all over." Their experience was that men were restrictive forces in their lives. They were only truly free to live the lives they wanted when the were divorced or widowed.

So I grew up believing that men will keep you down, especially if you are an independent and liberal woman. This mentality often became a self fulfilling prophecy with the men I would date. They would be possessive, controlling, with archaic perceptions of relationships. Yet, my own perception of relationships and a doom-filled marriage was archaic. (Holy hypocrite). Then those relationships would fail, and rightfully so.

But men had little to do with it. Despite all the liberal influences in my life, I still felt the influence of the traditional notions of what it meant to be a "good girl"...a good woman.

Is this the dichotomy within my culture talking? As a Latina, we are expected to be successful in career, education, marriage, families, following a rigid line without offending ones cultural norms in the process... thus being a "good girl." I think therein lies the problem.

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Wordless Wednesday: Don't Rub Your Nose In It

Resolving to be healthy

Image Credit

I am resolving to be healthy and lead a more balanced lifestyle...again. This time, I want it to stick. Not for the sake of the New Year, but just for the sake of getting healthy once again. 

I don't do resolutions. I have goals. I post them up on my vision board. And I try to be realistic. 

But thinking about what I want is not enough. I needed to propel myself into action. And that meant being serious about living a more balanced and healthier lifestyle.

There was a time where fitness was part of my routine. I don't diet. I have never dieted. I just watch what I eat and I eat in moderation.  But since my yoga, my running, and my exercise came to a stand still a few months ago, at the golden age of ...er... never mind... non-dieting alone was not cutting it. Shocker. 

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LushLunes: Free Your Mind

LushLunes is our active ME time. It's a reason to celebrate a day that we really try to avoid thinking about - Monday. 

Why am I such a Lush Lunes pusher? Click HERE for some background. If after reading that you feel inspired to join my LushLunes mission, then you're ready for today's LUSH LUNES ASSIGNMENT:

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Is It OK to Spoil Yourself?

I got a purple Coach tote over the holidays from my almost-sister-in-law.  I would never buy myself a purple handbag. Why? Well, because I always ask myself this question first: "Do I need this?"

The answer is almost always "No, I don't." 

Screen Shot from Coach.com - but mine is purple

Why? Because as a child I remember my mom telling me on a shopping trip, "we can only get things that we need." And since I was such a rule-follower, it stuck with me. 

I'm not one to flash logos, but Coach is one of my fave brands of leather bags. I just can't afford to spend like that these days. So this was a real treat. Especially since I've denied myself a new bag for a long time. 

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Wordless Wednesday: "..Some Say In Ice"

Guided Meditations & Free Stuff

screen shot from the Chopra calendar

I've been trying to get back on track with meditation for a while. When I start to get antsy with one type of meditation, I frequently go to free guided meditation sites to mix up the routine. 

One site I frequent a lot is that of Deepak Chopra. There are numerous guided meditations on that site, and podcasts that you can download to itunes for free. Check out the guided meditations here.

In my venture through his site, I recently found some cool stuff offered from the Chopra center.

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#LushLunes - Being Grateful

LushLunes gives us a reason to take the mundane feeling from Mondays and make them Lush. Besides, its a good excuse to allow ourselves a little ME time. 

Click HERE for some background.

Today's LUSH LUNES ASSIGNMENT:

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A Pocket Full of Motivation

Image Credit

Over a year ago I read this article on Eva Mendes in Marie Claire that really stuck with me. 

On Eva's key chain, I spot 10 or so credit-card-size things in bright colors. They look like larger versions of the discount passes big-box stores give out. Eva won't tell me where her cards are from, but ...After some good-natured begging on my part, she cops to the fact that each one holds some aphorism, something to provide focus and balance for her daily quest — the kinds of affirmations that toe the line between recovery literature and the change-your-life-now chart-busters found in every airport bookstore in the country.

Gamely, Eva agrees to read one aloud.

The line comes out like a confession. "How can I choose to have a good day today?" she says, and half-shrugs.

"I guess I'm just a total dork like that," she says.

  Read Entire  Marie Claire Article HERE

I'm a total dork like that too. While I've been reading my newest assignment from my acting coach (I know I've been a bit tight lipped about my acting classes lately.. I don't know why that is).

 

I came across some exercises that I wanted to remember. The dork in me wanted to put up post-it notes on my mirror (but I'm trying to stay away from the How Do You Know type of post-it clutter)...but then I remembered the key chain tags. 

Aside from that I also wanted to put up a bunch of positive statements to motivate me every day. So I made my own key chain tags. 

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Wordless Wednesday - The Court's Caped Crusader

Where's Your Swagger?

"the female... and this is pure science – heats up… slowly over a low heat, like a tasty stew.”

- From the novel The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

Penelope Cruz, via google images

It takes time to develop swagger - it takes time to turn it on, and get that fire blazing. 

I define swagger as the certain je ne sais quoi that makes heads turn when you pass by. It’s your sex appeal, your inner hotness, and your confidence. And I’m certain everyone has it… but it takes time to build, especially if it has been shattered. 

How can you recognize swagger? For a woman, it's the shimmy in the hips when you’re walking with purpose. It’s the batting of eyelashes when you like what you see – even if you don’t realize you’re doing it.

It’s the toss of your hair that makes you look like you’re in a shampoo commercial when you’re just trying to wash the dishes. It’s the biting of the lip when you’re working a sudoku puzzle.  It’s in the way your face lights up when you laugh because of the joke your enamored made. Swagger.

If you’ve been juggling quite a plate, or have been though a divorce or a break up, you may not be aware of your swagger. You may think you’ve lost it. You may think you’re a walking ice cooler.

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LushLunes 2011 - Intentions

Monday is the first #LushLunes of 2011.  That means our Mondays don't suck because they're Lush! Click HERE for some background.

LushLunes gives us a reason to make a day, an hour, or a minute, all about ourselves - because most of us need a reason to allow ourselves a little ME time. And this is it.

To make today a LushLunes, you can think up your own creative way, or you can share my mission, which we call the LUSH LUNES ASSIGNMENT:

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