Get Your Sparkle On

I have long been a fan of all things glittery, sparkly, shiny, and pink. I love champagne and how it combines all these things and can make you feel sexy in a way nothing else can. Add to this my love of glamour, class, and the ladies of old time Hollywood (Think Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, and Audrey Hepburn). With these loves, I naturally fell in love with The Champagne Diet and Cara Alwill Leyba. When I had the chance to become part of her Bubbly Brigade, I threw on my 5-inch heels, pearls, channeled my inner starlet, and said "Oh, be a dear and pick me!" Lucky for me, she did pick me. Of course, I think it was a natural match.

I adore Cara's everyday inspirations. Whenever I see something from her, I just want to prance around the house in stilletos sipping a glass of champagne. (Even better if its pink!) I love that Cara and I have the same idea about being fabulous and treating yourself magnificently. When you do this, you feel better, stand up straighter, and believe you deserve the world.

As part of the Bubbly Brigade, I had the honor of reading Sparkle by Cara Alwill Leyba and toasting to its success with her and an amazing bottle of champagne. The first week Sparkle was released, it was an Amazon best seller. This is no easy feat for a first time author.

As soon as I received my copy, I dove in and had it read in two days! I just couldn't put it down. Sparkle is full of stories, fabulous quotes, no-nonsense-get-off-your-butt advice, and affirmations that each and every one of us are fabulous. Reading Sparkle was like sitting down with that best girlfriend who tells you what needs to be said, even if it is "Girl, you've lost your shine!"

That is exactly what Sparkle did for me. Cara sat me down and said "Cupcake, you are fabulous, but you are no longer glittery. You have to get off your ass and channel your inner Marilyn!" I could even hear her voice. She also game me permission to remove the toxic people from my life. I have been working on this for a while, but I am just going to go ahead and do it all at once. Kind of like pulling a band-aid off.

Step one is basically done. No more emailing, calling, or worrying about the toxic people. To be honest, I'm not even giving an explanation- if they don't know, then nothing I say will make them understand. If they don't make me feel sparkly inside, they have no place in my life. No one is immune from getting the boot (at least it has a gorgeous heel!)  Luckily my husband makes me shine like no other can.

Cara even writes about exercise and removing the negative thoughts from your mind. She writes about eating healthy foods but allowing yourself to indulge. She tells us to pour a flute of champagne. Why? Because it only has 100 calories. I do have a plan to follow her advice, but that is going to take a little more teamwork and comittment to lose this 50 pounds I want to banish.

The other thing Sparkle did was show me that I am not being true to my inner Marilyn. I am not that girl that is content lounging around in yoga pants. It just isn't me. I am happiest in an amazing pair of shoes, a huge cocktail ring, and something silky or glittery. That is also the person my husband fell in love with. Thanks to Cara, I have a plan. It may be easy to throw on yoga pants, put my hair in a pony, and not wear any makeup since I work at home. All it does is make me feel frumpy, ugly, and uninspired. (Uninspired is not a good thing for a logo designer to be.)

I am going to make a commitment to learn something new. I will sign up for a french class and learn how to decorate cookies. I will do this as my "me time." I will admit that it is impossible for me to do nothing- my brain goes 90-miles-a-hour all the time. Even when I relax in a bubble bath- I read a business book.

I am also going to start treating work like I am going to an office. I will dress the part and make myself a schedule, instead of working when I can squeeze it in.

At least once a week, I will take the time to celebrate myself. I will toast to something, even if it is for not burning dinner. I will celebrate myself and take myself seriously. I will channel my inner Marilyn. I will sparkle again.

Cara, Thank you for being blunt with me and telling me to get off my ass and find my glisten. Thank you for allowing me to be part of the Bubbly Brigade. Thank you for being an inspiration. Thank you for the journey, it has been FABulous!

To my readers: I have four assignments for you- I promise you will feel totally glamourous!

1. Grab a glass of bubbly!
2. Get a copy of Sparkle: The Girl's Guide to Living a Deliciously Dazzling, Wildly Effervescent, Kick-Ass Life
3. Channel your inner Marilyn (or Elizabeth, Audrey, or whoever your starlet is)
4. Sparkle!