Come out to Bike 4 Willie, a benefit fundraiser for Willie Shuford.

Willie has been diagnosed with a rare cancer known as multiple myeloma and is in need of medical assistance. Willie has been a successful flight attendant for 30+ years. The treatments for this rare blood cancer is very costly, this is your chance to reach deep into your pockets and help this wonderful man.

Bike 4 Willie is a fundraiser event that will bring many together to tune up your bike, go for a ride, and enjoy a buffet.

1:00-2:45pm
Meet up your fellow riders for a free bike clinic outside of Tin Fish Restaurant at 3000 E Calhoun Pkwy, Minneapolis, MN 55408.
2:45-5:00pm
Take a casual ride around Lake of the Isles, Lake Calhoun and Lake Harriet.
5:00-8:00pm
Silent Auction and Buffet Dinner at Uptown Tavern and Rooftop at 1400 Lagoon St, Minneapolis, MN 55408.

$50 to participate in the whole day
$20 to attend the silent auction and buffet dinner only

All donations can be made payable to Humbleslice LLC

If you are interested in volunteering at Bike 4 Willie, have questions about the event or want to share words of support to Willie Shuford, please email info@iammoody.com

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By Dr. Mercola
Many people spend their lives waiting to be happy. You may think, “if only I had more money,” or “could lose weight,” or you fill in the blank, then I would be happy.

Well here’s a secret: you can be happy right now. It’s not always easy, but you can choose to be happy, and in the vast majority of circumstances there’s no one who can stop you except for yourself.

The truth is, happiness doesn’t come from wealth, perfect looks or even a perfect relationship. Happiness comes from within. This is why, if you truly want to be happy, you need to work on yourself, first.

22 Positive Habits of Happy People

What’s the secret to being happy? You can learn how to do it, just as you can learn any other skill. Those who are happy tend to follow a certain set of habits that create peace in their lives; if you learn to apply these habits in your own life, there’s a good chance you’ll be happy too.

The featured article compiled 22 such behaviors that you can use to enhance your life and your happiness:

1. Let go of grudges
Forgiving and forgetting is necessary for your own happiness, as holding a grudge means you’re also holding onto resentment, anger, hurt and other negative emotions that are standing in the way of your own happiness. Letting go of a grudge frees you from negativity and allows more space for positive emotions to fill in.
2. Treat everyone with kindness
Kindness is not only contagious, it’s also proven to make you happier. When you’re kind to others, your brain produces feel-good hormones and neurotransmitters like serotonin and you’re able to build strong relationships with others, fostering positive feelings all around.
3. Regard your problems as challenges
Change your internal dialogue so that anytime you have a “problem” you view it as a challenge or a new opportunity to change your life for the better. Eliminate the word “problem” from your mind entirely.
4. Express gratitude for what you have
People who are thankful for what they have are better able to cope with stress, have more positive emotions, and are better able to reach their goals. The best way to harness the positive power of gratitude is to keep a gratitude journal or list, where you actively write down exactly what you’re grateful for each day. Doing so has been linked to happier moods, greater optimism and even better physical health.
5. Dream big
Go ahead and dream big, as you’ll be more likely to accomplish your goals. Rather than limiting yourself, when you dream big you’re opening your mind to a more optimistic, positive state where you have the power to achieve virtually anything you desire.
6. Don’t sweat the small stuff
If the issue you’re mad about will be irrelevant a year, a month, a week or even a day from now, why sweat it? Happy people know how to let life’s daily irritations roll off their back.
7. Speak well of others
It may be tempting to gather around the office water cooler to get and give the daily gossip, but talking negatively about others is like taking a bath in negative emotions; your body soaks them up. Instead, make it a point to only say positive, nice words about other people, and you’ll help foster more positive thinking in your own life as well.
8. Avoid making excuses
It’s easy to blame others for your life’s failures, but doing so means you’re unlikely to rise past them. Happy people take responsibility for their mistakes and missteps, then use the failure as an opportunity to change for the better.
9. Live in the present
Allow yourself to be immersed in whatever it is you’re doing right now, and take time to really be in the present moment. Avoid replaying past negative events in your head or worrying about the future; just savor what’s going on in your life now.
10. Wake up at the same time every morning
Getting up at the same time every day (preferably an early time) is deceptively simple. Doing so will help regulate your circadian rhythm so you’ll have an easier time waking and likely feel more energized. Plus, the habit of rising early every day is one shared by many successful people, as it enhances your productivity and focus.
11. Don’t compare yourself to others
Your life is unique, so don’t measure your own worth by comparing yourself to those around you. Even regarding yourself as better than your peers is detrimental to your happiness, as you’re fostering judgmental feelings and an unhealthy sense of superiority. Measure your own success based on your progress alone, not that of others.
12. Surround yourself with positive people
The saying “misery loves company” is entirely true. That’s why you need to choose friends who are optimistic and happy themselves, as you will be surrounded with positive energy.
13. Realize that you don’t need others’ approval
It’s important to follow your own dreams and desires without letting naysayers stand in your way. It’s fine to seek others’ opinions, but happy people stay true to their own hearts and don’t get bogged down with the need for outside approval.
14. Take time to listen
Listening helps you soak in the wisdom of others and allows you to quiet your own mind at the same time. Intense listening can help you feel content while helping you gain different perspectives.
15. Nurture social relationships
Positive social relationships are a key to happiness, so be sure you make time to visit with friends, family and your significant other.
16. Meditate
Meditation helps you keep your mind focused, calms your nerves and supports inner peace. Research shows it can even lead to physical changes in your brain that make you happier.
17. Eat well
What you eat directly impacts your mood and energy levels in both the short and long term. Whereas eating right can prime your body and brain to be in a focused, happy state, eating processed junk foods will leave you sluggish and prone to chronic disease.
18. Exercise
Exercise boosts levels of health-promoting brain chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which may help buffer some of the effects of stress and also relieve some symptoms of depression. Rather than viewing exercise as a medical tool to lose weight, prevent disease, and live longer – all benefits that occur in the future – try viewing exercise as a daily tool to immediately enhance your frame of mind, reduce stress and feel happier.
19. Live minimally
Clutter has a way of sucking the energy right out of you and replacing it with feelings of chaos. Clutter is an often-unrecognized source of stress that prompts feelings of anxiety, frustration, distraction and even guilt, so give your home and office a clutter makeover, purging it of the excess papers, files, knick knacks and other “stuff” that not only takes up space in your physical environment, but also in your mind.
20. Be honest
Every time you lie, your stress levels are likely to increase and your self-esteem will crumble just a little bit more. Plus, if others find out you’re a liar it will damage your personal and professional relationships. Telling the truth, on the other hand, boosts your mental health and allows others to build trust in you.
21. Establish personal control
Avoid letting other people dictate the way you live. Instead, establish personal control in your life that allows you to fulfill your own goals and dreams, as well as a great sense of personal self-worth.
22. Accept what cannot be changed
Everything in your life is not going to be perfect, and that’s perfectly all right. Happy people learn to accept injustices and setbacks in their life that they cannot change, and instead put their energy on changing what they can control for the better.

A Healthy Lifestyle Naturally Enhances Happiness

You may have noticed that some of the habits of happy people are one in the same with those that are essential for leading a healthy lifestyle – exercising and eating right, for example. Once you adopt a happiness mindset, and even before you do, embracing healthy habits will help keep your mood elevated naturally even in the midst of stress. Happy people tend to behealthy people, and vice versa, so in addition to healthy food and exercise, the following lifestyle strategies can also help to support emotional wellness:

• Proper sleep: Sleep deprivation is linked to psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and bipolar depression, while getting the right amount of sleep has been linked to positive personality characteristics such as optimism and greater self-esteem, as well as a greater ability to solve difficult problems.
  
• Animal-based omega-3 fats: Low concentrations of the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA are known to increase your risk for mood swings and mood disorders. Those suffering from depression have been found to have lower levels of omega-3 in their blood, compared to non-depressed individuals. Krill oil is my preferred source of omega-3 fats.
• Regular sun exposure: This is essential for vitamin D production, low levels of which are linked to depression. But even beyond vitamin D, regular safe sun exposure is known to enhance mood and energy through the release of endorphins.
• Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT): If difficult life circumstances and the negative emotions they create are making happiness hard to come by, try EFT, which is a form of do-it-yourself psychological acupressure. This simple technique can help clear your body and mind of negative emotions so you can implement positive goals and habits more easily in your life.

Original sources include (http://successify.net/2012/10/31/22-things-happy-people-do-differently/)

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One of our favorite stores; La Bratique is now hiring for a Full Time Assistant Store Manager/Bra Fitter for their New Store Braboleta on 50^th and France! Below is a job description and details. Good luck!

Braboleta, a new concept bra fitting store located at 50^th and France in Edina is looking for an Assistant Store Manager dedicated to making every young woman feel confident in her own body.  If you are a high energy leader with an entrepreneurial spirit, self-confidence, a flair for merchandising, are reliable & organized and want to make a difference in how a girl views her world, please apply.  Braboleta’s vision is to become the national resource, partner & destination for girls and their mothers to learn about their changing bodies, how to care for it and offer tips to gracefully bloom into their full potential. We are looking for a positive role model.

Hours: 40 hours per week,  Monday – Saturday,  11-7pm, with some flexibility in schedule.

The assistant store manager is responsible for ensuring the smooth and successful operation of the entire store; with a primary emphasis on bra fittings, merchandising and social media marketing.

Team Leader:

· Act as the lead bra fit specialist and teach on-going fit technique to other staff members to ensure proper fit is carefully selected for each customer.
· Provide direction to sales associates & bra fit specialists to ensure smooth operation of the store.

· Motivate & educate staff to be knowledgeable on products, store marketing strategy and event details.

∙ Assist in training staff in all areas of appropriate register usage and maintenance.

∙ Assist in the development of associates sales techniques to maximize sales and cross sales.

∙ Responsible for opening and closing the store.
· Provide feedback and suggestions to owner

Customer service:
· Provide excellent and friendly customer service to all guests. Make customers feel at ease & confident by educating them on their changing bodies, and creating a positive body image.

· Encourage clientele to be self-empowered.
· Ring up and wrap in-store purchases and process returns.
· Process special orders, transfers, and holds.

∙ Resolve all client problems and complaints quickly & effectively, ensuring client satisfaction.

· Answer phone calls and schedule fitting appointments.

Sales/Events:
· Work with store manager to plan and execute sales, special events and store marketing strategy.
· Market events, sales, health education & girl empowerment via Facebook, Twitter and in-store displays.

· Facilitate and educate groups as presenter during in-house seminars.

Merchandising/Inventory:

· Assist with inventory selection & buying

· Build inventory into POS system.
· Plan window/display themes and change displays monthly
· Pull down and re-stock merchandise
· Maintain optimal inventory levels
· Receive new merchandise and organize backstock
· Process defective items
· Help minimize shrinkage

General store duties:
· Keep bags, gift boxing, and office supplies stocked
· Dust, sweep, and vacuum sales floor
· Take out cardboard and garbage
· Additional duties as requested

Qualifications:

∙ 1 – 2 years of Assistant Management or Team Lead Experience.

∙ Experience creating and executing store & window merchandising displays.

∙ Current on Twitter and Social Media use.

∙ Strong sales experience with a record of meeting sales goals.

· High energy, detail-oriented, pro-active, hard-working, enthusiastic, reliable team player.

∙ Bra fitting experience a bonus, but not required.

∙ Capable to stand and walk during scheduled hours.
· Capable of lifting shipments & moving store fixtures weighing up to 40 lbs.
· Good computer skills: Word, Excel, POS system

∙ Excellent communication skills both verbal and non-verbal.

You can contact Tracy or Jackie at:

Phone: (612) 325-6620

Email: tanderson@labratique.com

Website: http://www.labratique.com/

Address: 5007 France Avenue S
Suite 1 (2nd floor)
Minneapolis, MN

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Mint green is hot this Spring 2013. If your in the midwest, Winter is hanging on for everything it’s worth. But despite the snow and cold, the cool tones of mint green are making styles and trending super hot. Mint green is a relaxing color that brings out the Spring vibrancy that we all need.

One of the best ways to sport mint green is to pair it with a bold color such as pink or orange. The coolness of the mint paired with a warmer color are just a perfect match. Earth tones as well can be a good match including nudes, beige and light browns.

Because mint green is such a cool and refreshing hue, it can be used in a variety of ways but we recommend it most as tops and dresses. When worn as a dress, flashing it up with a patterned top such as a floral print can really make the mint pop.

Getting married this Spring and Summer? Don’t overlook mint green for your bridesmaid dresses. So often we see bridesmaid dresses that are dark and unflattering. Whereas a mint green is a more inviting and flattering color. A great write up on mint green for weddings, visit Best Bridal Prices.

Wearing accessories are what make the style complete. And choosing a mint green as your color of choice, can add enough pop to finish the look off. This mint scarf can be found at Walmart for less than $10. Additionally you can just sport mint green as a nail color too, this Mint Candy Apple from Essie Nail is an inexpensive and refreshing.

Lastly but certainly not leastly, makeup! Whether it’s Liquid Light Lasting Eye Color from Mally or an entire makeup pallete like the Lorac Mint Edition Pallete from Sephora, mint green is a very versatile color that can be used effectively in a wide variety of applications. Be sure to visit Pinterest too and find your own mint green inspiration. But our favorite spot to get your mint green fix, is at ellelauri. Have a look see at a few of the items ellelauri offers!

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The Kid Icon Talent Search is a talent competition showcasing varied acts from kids ages 4-13, selected through auditions that will draw statewide competitors. Chosen acts compete for the winning title of their category and a grand price of $250.00 to help performers further their ambitions. The event will feature performances from established guest performers and appearances from a panel of local influential judges.

Live auditions were held Apr 6th and 13th, 2013 and the big show will be:

May 4th, 2013 from 1-4pm
Sabathani Community Center Auditorium
310 E 38th St
Minneapolis, MN 55409

To get more information, purchase your tickets to this lively event and get maps and directions to Sabathani, visit Kid Icon Talent Search 2013.

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No plans for the weekend? No worries! If you enjoy being a part of the local fashion/music/art scene, we suggest checking out City Pages Envision Artopia this Saturday. Anticipate a night of mingling with Twin Cities’ urbanites to the sounds of DJ Bryan Gerrard, a runway event with a plethora of local designers and boutiques such as Martin Patrick3, Marissa Bridges, and Cliché, and a chance to participate in a silent auction of several paintings to benefit Free Arts Minnesota, a non-profit organization that teaches at-risk children how to use artistic expression to externalize their emotions, boosting their self-confidence. Here’s the details you’ll need to make it, hope to see you there!

Envision Artopia

Saturday, April 13^th

9pm-12am (VIP Entry at 8pm)

Graves 601 Hotel, 5^th Floor Ballroom:

601 1^st Avenue N, Minneapolis, MN55403

612-677-1100

Tickets will be $25 (advance tickets are no longer available)

To learn more about what Free Arts Minnesota does and for donation information, click the link here: http://www.freeartsminnesota.org

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April is a month of change. Spring signals not only a season change, but a shift to lighter and more revealing clothing. Capitalizing on the maximum range of spring fashions is easier when a person has a more physically fit physique.

Granted, it is difficult to have fashion and physique at the forefront of one’s mind when winter has chosen to go out like a lion. Armed with scarf and shovel, rather than running shoes, the attainment of looking good through exercise is not an easy thing to come by with the weather so formidable.

For the portion of the population stuck inside without a gym membership, focusing on diet is an initial way in which one may prepare for the fashions of spring. However, it is important to create a realistic and healthy eating plan in the pursuit of trimming up in time for warmer
weather. In an age where even the fashion industry has recognized the dangers of cutting calories to lose weight, focusing on eating healthy, rather than less, is of the utmost importance.

As women prepare for the inevitable dressing room stressors of spring, let this serve as a reminder for them to enact healthy tactics in their plan to trim up in the name of fashion. Eating well, rather than less, naturally leads to weight loss, and is a far healthier alternative to wacky diet regimens.

A recent study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, has shown that individuals whose diets are rich in Mediterranean foods, versus merely a low-fat diet, are 30% less likely to experience a fatal cardiac event such as a heart attack. A Mediterranean diet is described as being
one that focuses on vegetables, fish, fruit, legumes, and olive oil. With flip-flops and sundresses not far on the horizon, this is definitely food for thought.

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“Fashion for Life Styling”
Thursday, April 11 5-8 pm
Second Debut, 4300 West 36 ½ Street, St. Louis Park
952.922.9640

This is sponsored by the Minnesota Women’s Sale Council with a $5 donation to benefit breast cancer research for Susan G. Komen. The focus is “Nine to Nine … and All of the Playful Layers in Between” – styling tips for women and men on mannequins plus volunteers from the audience.

Come support our local store Second Debut, Minnesota Women’s Sale Council, and breast cancer research for Susan G. Komen!

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Does anyone else feel like Mother Nature is playing a huge practical joke on all of us?!  It was just officially the “first day of spring” and there is still two feet of snow on the ground… Come on now, enough with the snow! All I want is a little Vitamin D and sandals! With all of this depressing weather I wanted to try to brighten up the day with these top three trends to try this spring.

Checkers is not only a board game, but one of most fashion forward prints you can try this Spring…. And it is not just black and white! Have fun with colors, like Louis Vuitton’s stunning 2013 Spring/Summer Collection. If you haven’t checked out his insane runway show, you definitely need to “YouTube” it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYNLh_gLtv0   Aquilano Rimondi has a Queen of Hearts vibe from Alice in Wonderland,  if only she was the Queen of Diamonds or rather Checkers instead. The reason I love this trend so much is that it has kind of mod and punk feel, yet is still very feminine.

Louis Vuitton Spring/ Summer 2013

Aquilano Rimondi Spring/Summer 2013

Electric Colors are a must for spring, because they have the ability to make any skin tone glow. Diane von Furstenberg’s (DVF) lime green ready-to-wear dress is eye catching with its fun cut-outs on the bodice and playful skirt. Monochromatic colors are also playing a big role this spring. Try mixing different shades of the same hue like DVF did with the neckline and silhouette. Gucci’s Electric blue suit is on point with fashion forward business women. I can see her going head to head with the men kicking butt in her stilettos.

Diane von Furstenberg Spring/ Summer 2013

Gucci Spring/ Summer 2013

Exotic Prints are a sure fire way to make a statement with your outfit this season. Think outside of the box rather than your tradition Zebra and Leopard print; try a garment with saturated and rich colors like these J. Crew Collection silk pants. Floral prints have continued to be a recurring trend in the past few seasons, but what sets this season apart is that the colors are so wild and vivid! Mixing prints is a talent and Carlos Miele does it beautifully with this strapless dress layered with a chiffon poncho from his Spring/Summer 2013 Collection. When mixing prints make sure that the main color of one pattern is repeated in the second pattern, so that each garment has one color in common. For example, Carlos Miele’s dress is yellow zebra print and that is the main color of the pattern; the main color of the poncho is blue, but there is yellow in the pattern too. Because the color yellow is repeated in the two pieces, that is why it works so well.

J. Crew Collection silk pant in painter’s floral

Carlos Miele Spring/Summer 2013

This Spring should be full of fearless fashionistas testing out these three top trends; Checkers, Electric Colors, and Exotic Prints. I also can’t wait to see all of the creative prints and patterns that will be mixed!  Enjoy the color… We all need an extra-large dose after this winter!

Author & Editor

Jordan J. Nentl

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