Feng shui, a word that still has people guessing as to the correct pronunciation, has practically become a household word.  What is it?  It is simply a body of knowledge that can be used as a tool to “manage” the energies of your environment.  By consciously placing yourself within your environment to your best possible advantage, you create a space for your life to unfold in the highest possible way.

When you are supported by your environment, you feel more energetic, you are more productive, things seem to flow better, the people in the environment get along better, and you won’t have as many distractions.  Are you financing your environment with your precious life force, or are you gaining energy by being there?

The following are some simple concepts used in feng shui that you can put into practice immediately to create more positive energy in your life.

ENERGY MUST FLOW:  Reduce your clutter. Clutter creates stagnant energy and prohibits energy flow leading to fatigue and lack of motivation. Your energy is tied up in the clutter of the environment and it not only weighs you down, it keeps you stuck in the energy of the past while subtly contributing to obstacles and frustrations.  Clear out things that are no longer relevant to your life.  Remember how good it feels after you’ve cleared out your closet!

©istockphoto.comaliceinoue

HAVE ONLY WHAT YOU LOVE AROUND YOU: Every single thing in your environment holds an energy – an energy that either supports you, or drains you.  Take away that which you do not absolutely love and what you have left will support you 100%.  If there’s something that you don’t like, honor the intent and get rid of it, even if it was a gift.  Surround yourself with things you love to bring more harmony into your life.

PAY ATTENTION TO THE PICTURES ON YOUR WALL:  The pictures on your wall are “speaking” to you on a constant basis.  What are they saying to you?  Do you have pictures that denote desolation, emptiness, loneliness, turbulence and fatigue, or do you have images that speak of life force, abundance, vitality, peace and harmony?  It’s important to have pictures that speak positively to you.

©istockphoto.com/aliceinoue

LOOK AT YOUR ENTRY OBJECTIVELY:  Imagine yourself a visitor to your home or business.  What impression would you get from your own entrance?  The entrance affects a lot about what happens inside.  Make sure it is inviting, “entrancing” and a welcoming transition from the outside.  Clear anything that is in the way that would prohibit a smooth entry.  Place life force in the form of plants by the doors to attract energy.

By taking the time to incorporate just these few basic concepts into your lifestyle, you will be on the road to using one of the most effective methods available to create a new flow of energy for yourself, your family and your business.

***

Alice Inoue is a life guide that uses the modalities of feng shui, astrology and spirituality in her work. Her offerings include award-winning, mind-body-spirit themed books, as well as a series of feng shui instructional DVD's. For more information visit www.aliceinspired.com. Sign up for her newsletter to receive monthly articles on feng shui, astrology and life wisdom.

OTHER FENG SHUI TIPS FROM ALICE:

• When searching for “good” Feng Shui colors, when in doubt, if you choose a color you can find in nature you will find support from the energy of the color.

• Use water features near the entrance and position them so they flow inwards.  Keep water features out of the bedroom.

•  The door is the entry point for all energy.  Make sure the key doesn’t stick, it opens effortlessly, there are no squeaky hinges and there is no clutter stacked behind the door.

• Use plants to add life force and to round out corners and chose plants (real or artificial) that are “soft” and rounded vs. “spiky”.

• Choose furniture without sharp corners whenever possible to enhance flow of energy.

• Angle furniture to break up linear energy to promote movement and ease.

• The hallways of a home or business are like the arteries of a house.  Make sure they are not cluttered, and if they are dark, make sure there is adequate lighting.

• Keep your bedroom sacred and maintain balance and serenity in this area since we spend approximately one third of our lives here.

• Do not place your bed against the wall of a bathroom.  Bathrooms are considered draining energy and this position will drain vital life force from you when sleeping.

• Use pairs of items or pictures of pairs in the bedroom to symbolize healthy partnerships, happiness and fulfillment in relationships.

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Oprah – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af5f9UHl614

The View – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUbGoBrUy_E

TLC ’10 Years Younger’ – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkaZog69ZhA

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I know, I know: it’s not always easy to tell the underqualified from the qualified because everyone puts their best foot forward at first but that’s why you’ve gotta do the work. You’ve gotta take your time. Collect evidence. Do your research.

I myself have failed to do this. Gone too fast. Ended up with some heartache.

Solution? Take the things that you complain about – yeah, you know, those things you’ve said to your girlfriends, or the things that he’s done wrong to you, etc. – and make an “I have someone to introduce you to” scenario.

For example…let’s look at an underqualified guy and create an “I have someone to introduce you to” scenario. What if someone said to you – “Wow – I have this great guy. He’s 24 years old, he lives with his parents, he’s a virgin, he can never sleep over.” Would you want to meet him?

Here’s another candidate for a fix up: He’s 25 years old, never graduated college, got kicked out of college for selling drugs, is addicted to pain killers, smokes cigarettes, got sued for a half-million dollars, disappeared on his last girlfriend – she thought they were working on getting back together and she just never heard from him again.

Would you want to meet either of these guys?

So…why do we…accept ‘em?

As women we fall in love and start to overlook “bad” qualities. We are more forgiving when it comes to looks but I’d also argue that we are more forgiving when it comes to underqualifications.

We will find things to fill in for the things we feel are missing. Well, he’s not really confident but he’s really nice. Well, he can never sleep over but he’s really honest.

But we forget about the things that are important to us, about our needs. WE ARE PLEASERS. And at the end of our pleasing, if it doesn’t work out, what we are really upset about is our own actions: That we were willing to sacrifice our own needs and desires in order to accept someone we considered underqualified/incapable of giving us what we need, only to have them throw us to the curb or it not work out.

Classic case of the old rose-colored glasses. We often refuse to see the bad, preferring instead to be (insanely) optimistic about our partner, fantasizing about who they are or could become, with us. We make ourselves see him in a perfect, loving, flattering light. When we neglect our own needs and wants and make our ideas realign to fit our desired reality…we are not only uncomfortable, we’re also usually setting ourselves up for failure.

Remind yourself of that “I have someone I’d like you to meet” scenario each time you are unsure – is this a guy you would be excited about, hearing his description?

To date or not to date, that is the question:

• He’s taken your best friend on a date. Ask her first. If she says yes, give him a chance. After all, you and he have similar taste in women. You go out to dinner with your girlfriend all the time.

• He cheated on his last girlfriend. No way. Do you want to be cheated on next? I don’t think so.

• He lives with his parents. At first seems doable but is really not.

• He lives in another state and is NOT planning on moving to your state – and you’re not planning to move to his. Why are you wasting your time? See: “Are you afraid of love?” and consider.

• He’s addicted to any sort of drug. NO. NO. NO.

• He is always late. It’s a probably sign of something else rumbling beneath his exterior. Is there a reason for this lateness that you should be aware of…?

• His family hates your family. Since you can’t divorce your family, this seems like a bad idea.

• His family hates you. NO!! Aren’t there enough haters in the world? Surround yourself with people who love you.

• He talks non-stop about himself. UGH, there are enough narcissistic people to entertain us and make us laugh on reality TV. This is a No.

• He’s a virgin. If you’re a virgin, consider, of course. If you’re not… really really consider whether this can work for you.

• He has no friends. This is usually a warning sign. Tread carefully.

• He has no money. Is he smart? Do you believe in him? Is he motivated? If you said yes to these questions confidently and you are not being delusional, then date him. If he has no money because he is lazy and will never have any money to support you and your future family – pass.

• He is unhappy. Is it situational? Figure out the situation and if it can be solved. If he is unhappy for reasons that are much bigger than you and these reasons don’t seem like they’re going away anytime soon, move on. Men who are unhappy in life will be unhappy with you.

• He talks badly about his last girlfriend. Watch out. You are probably next. A real man can take half of the blame for his half of the problem.

• He hates his mother. How a man treats his mother is normally a telling sign. Woman-issues stem back to early problems with their mothers. In fact, make sure you ask him what his mother is like in the early dating stage so you can get a feel for how he feels about her. If he isn’t too fond of her, yells at her a lot, treats her disrespectfully… BEWARE.

• He is too attached to his mother. You need a man, not a little boy. A man who is still attached to his mother will not be fully available to you.

• He is too short. Stop wearing heels.

In the wake of getting dumped by her live-in boyfriend, Lindsay was completely devastated. (Stayed in her pajamas in bed for months, weeping – you know the drill.) But after a few months passed she picked herself up, dusted herself off, and started her quest for answers. Filling her weekends with relationship seminars, Lindsay searched for meaning behind her own heartbreak and studied expert findings about men, women, and how they interact. She became so enamored with renowned relationship expert Alison Armstrong’s teachings that she went through the entire PAX Mastership and Leadership Program, becoming (at only 22!) Armstrong’s youngest trainee ever. The insight-inducing conversations she had with women from around the world gave Lindsay the idea for her new site, as she kept hearing those words – “If only I knew at your age what I’m discovering now!” Realizing she could offer other young women the same education she was receiving, and maybe even help protect them from some future heartache, she was inspired to take action. Lindsay is also currently working on a book – called It Has Nothing/Everything to Do With You – which will act as a more informative, thorough guide, based on her extensive research and findings.

I received an email from Gordon, asking how to best protect a home from burglary using feng shui.  He shared that in the past three months, 163 burglaries of homes and cars has occurred in a two-mile radius in his neighborhood.  Gordon, this is an excellent question! Let’s look at how one can best energetically protect a home from unwanted intruders.

Ultimate Balance

Although much of feng shui is about creating a “welcoming” feel and increased energy flow into your home, it is important to diminish vulnerability by ensuring that your home is not too open energetically.  You must strike a balance between being welcoming or being too vulnerable.

Stand back and take a new look

Start at the entrance by circling your home and objectively analyzing it in terms of welcoming versus vulnerable spaces.  Take note of where you want to make some changes to “protect” the interior view from unwanted eyes.  How much can you see of the interior of the home? Does your door have a window that allows you to see in?  Can you peek in and see things of value? Are your windows missing shades or have curtains with holes in them?  Does your sliding glass door have a view to the interior of your home?  Could applying frosted film be a simple solution?

Think “teenage daughter”

To help you understand the energetic concept behind being welcoming and being too vulnerable, imagine that you have a teenage daughter who is going out on her first date.  You would likely pay attention to what she wears because her choice of clothing will make her either discreetly appealing or vulnerable to unwanted advances.

Similarly, when your home is too enticing or too open, it could be an invitation to burglars. It is important that your home is welcoming, but appropriately discreet.  When you take steps to create balance between “welcoming” and “vulnerable” energy, your home will send out the right signal.

Feng Shui Protective Items

At the grocery store the other day, Edith asked me what kind of feng shui items she could use in her home for protection.  Sometimes placing items in and around the home can add a tangible source of helpful visual support.

Bagua Mirror

The bagua mirror, a popular symbol in feng shui, is round and encased in a hexagonal frame.  It is usually placed above the main entrance facing out to welcome harmony into the home while blocking out “negative” energy.  You can purchase bagua mirrors in Chinatown, online and in all feng shui stores.

Protective Animals

Animal statues and imagery can be used to provide protection and peace of mind.  For example, bat symbols, figurines, or pictures can be used to energetically deter “negative” energy while dragons at the front entrance can be used to boost energetic protection to your home and family.  When placed inside your home facing the entrance, lions, owls, tigers, rhinos and elephants can provide protection from violence and burglary.  Fu Dogs are another protective symbol (a combination of lion and dragon).  They come in pairs and can be placed facing out near your front door or your gate.  The male should be on the left and the female on the right as you look out from inside.

How to view protection

The desire for protection should not come from fear, but from the basic understanding that a wide variety of energies surround us, and some are better left outside of our own energy field.

Alice Inoue is a life guide that uses the modalities of feng shui, astrology and spirituality in her work. Her offerings include award-winning, mind-body-spirit themed books, as well as a series of feng shui instructional DVD's. For more information visit www.aliceinspired.com. Sign up for her newsletter to receive monthly articles on feng shui, astrology and life wisdom.

It’s amazing how much stress and pressure can accrue during the day! In my case, I have an active & soon to be 1 year-old son who demands approximately 79% of my daily attention; but this is in addition to my two teen divas and my blogazines (my other babies) with editorial tasks such as interviews, content reviews, partnered/affiliate issues…this can go on and on!

But, what keeps me balanced is my daily ritual. I am a natural water creature, meaning I thrive best in and around water. Whenever I have to relax & release, it’s usually during my bath time. Something about the flow of the water seems to purify and renew my essence as I vividly witness the daily stresses trickle down with every beaded drop!

But on another note, shopping also gives me a sense of satisfaction as well! But this Budgetista finds it very hard to pass up on deals and promos. With all of this in mind, I’ve embarked on an interesting journey to provide you, my readers the very best.  So look out for Shop-A-Holiq Boutique, coming soon to Media Maven! Here you will find premium products at unbeatable prices – from some of the most trusted and coveted leading designer brands available on the web; who also happen to be our partners ! Promos will be published daily in addition to the Diamond Diva Deals! This campaign is for my fellow Shopalistas who adorn the diva-centric trendsetting attitude!

Check out these promos and drop us a note (in the comments, on Facebook or Twitter) explaining why you love our promos so much! Trust me, your emails, comments and tweets truly make my day!

Enjoy,

XOXO Sapphire Kharyzma, Media Maven

For FOUR days only get up to $50 OFF orders from now and save on for 2012. Check out the new arrivals and be the first to get what’s now and what’s next! See details below:

• Get $25 off you purchase of $150 or more from bebe.com! Promotional Code: BOLDLOOK (Valid 1/12 – 1/15/12)

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Media Maven brings you massive savings on the Beautorium January Clearance…

Kick off the new year with these hot new promotions at The Body Shop!

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And don’t forget,

Make 2012 the year of great skin with an updated regime from Sephora. This month Sephora is all about skincare with products & promotions to help you find the right routine. Their annual Skincare Sample Bag is bigger and better than ever, with 14 top selling treatment samples. Get yours free with any $25 purchase while supplies last. And don’t forget – you can always book a personal skincare consultation with one of their experts at your local Sephora store!

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Brazilian Peel $78

Boscia Black Luminizing Mask $34

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Keeping with the whole “beauty” theme, this week we’re focusing on how Lily Lolo’s stunning mineral cosmetics can give you the extra boost during the dull winter months with an airbrushed complexion that everyone will admire. With a wide variety of mineral cosmetics available in a multitude of shades, you can’t go wrong with Lily Lolo!

If the thought of a flawless face isn’t enough, Lily Lolo offer FREE DELIVERY on all orders over £50 and will also send TWO FREE SAMPLES when you spend £20 or more!  Free delivery at Lily Lolo with orders over £50

The generous people at Lily Lolo understand how hard it can be to get the right colour for your skin. That’s why they are offering two free sample sized products with every order over £20! Once you add your full sized items to your basket, you will have the choice to choose two of the following sample products; Mineral Foundation, Finishing Powder or Mineral Bronzer. All these sample products are available in a variety of shades to help you choose the perfect make-up for your skin tone and condition. Free samples at Lily Lolo with orders over £20!

Find your perfect mineral foundation shade with the Lily Lolo Ready Set Glow (£11.99) sample starter sets, available in Light, Light Medium and Medium. These nifty little kits contain 3 sample size foundations in three colour varieties and also include flawless silk finishing powder and a baby Buki Brush.

Lily Lolo’s Eye Spy Kit (£14.99) gives you the choice of three vibrant mineral eye shadows, packaged beautifully in a pretty gift box. Make your own colour collections with your choice of 29 shades, all ready to be mixed and matched in your Eye Spy Kit box. This is a great present for someone who starting to experiment with make-up, or for the make-up savvy girl looking to create a new look.

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• Receive an extra 15% Off- even on clearance- at macys.com. Offer valid 1/12-1/17

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There are countless reasons a relationship might end. Not all of them are about you. Not all of them make logical sense. Not all of them are easy to accept. Today’s blog post, however, I want to devote to one particular reason things can break down and a man might leave – which is something you can actually do something about!
Here it is plain and simple: A man often leaves a woman who he feels he cannot make happy.
I know this happened to me with my ex-boyfriend Josh. And I know it’s happened with some of my girlfriends, too.
Ironically, at first I thought Josh left me because I couldn’t make him happy. But when I looked closer at our relationship, I realized that the only thing that I was doing to make him unhappy was not being happy!
The situation looked like this: I was unhappy with myself – therefore, no matter what Josh did, he was not able to make me happy.
I’d constantly deny this unfortunate arrangement – not only to myself, but to Josh too. I was always telling Josh how much he made me happy. But because I remained unhappy inside, Josh didn’t believe me. He kept telling me he felt like he was failing me in some way if I was so depressed and unsatisfied with my life. In Josh’s mind, if only he could somehow do or say something different, better, more – then he’d be able to make me a happy woman. Basically, Josh completely connected the concept of “me being happy” with the concept of him being “successful in our relationship.”
At breakup time, Josh expressed the situation to me in words I will always remember. He told me he’d been feeling a lot of stress out in the world, with work and all else, and then when he came home from the day’s battlefield, he felt stress again with me – because he felt like he was failing at home with his girlfriend!
Josh isn’t the only guy who is susceptible to feeling this way. At a relationship workshop I attended, I once asked a man: “What’s it like for you when you can’t make a woman happy?” He replied, “When you can’t make a woman happy it’s a form of torture. There’s nothing left to do so you say ‘game over’ and you walk away because it’s torture. We are programmed to provide. It makes us very happy.”

Listen up, girls! Men are success oriented! When a man thinks he’s failing at making you happy in the relationship, he will feel like a failure, become miserable and want to leave you! End of story! End of relationship!

So, why didn’t I just allow Josh to make me happy? Because I didn’t really know how to make myself happy. I was focusing far too much on what was wrong in my life, instead of focusing on all which was right, beautiful, joyful. I wasn’t living in the present moment. I was focused on regrets in my past and fears about my future.

So, what can we all learn from this? It’s important to come into a relationship happy. Not only for yourself – but for the other person too! If you don’t take charge of your own happiness, then your partner won’t feel successful and may want to resign from loving you. And believe it or not, resignation isn’t easy. It’s damned difficult to quit – be it a job or a relationship. But quitting is something a person feels is imperative to do when they feel they have failed at something, and there’s no path back to success.

If you’re unhappy, you’re not only personally suffering, you’re causing your partner to suffer too, by setting him up for failure! And what you want to do instead is set up your partner to win in the relationship!

YOUR ASSIGNMENT: Starting today, I want you to do what you can to make yourself a happier person so your partner can feel like a winner in the relationship. You can start by creating a stronger sense of who you are – and what you have to offer the world. I think I was so unhappy because I didn’t fully know myself. My identity was based on things outside of me. Therefore, whenever my outer circumstances changed (as they are bound to do), I’d always feel doubt about what I had to offer the world and go into a tailspin. You can help yourself to create a strong sense of self by making a list of your four best qualities. These are the 4 things that you’re most passionate about, proud about, talented at, excited for! After you write up your list, put it all into action. Do the things which allow you to express these qualities regularly! Much of our inner happiness comes from engaging in actions which make us feel happy, proud, passionate, excited. Know what you have to offer the world, then go out there and offer it! You’ll be happy that you did!

In the wake of getting dumped by her live-in boyfriend, Lindsay was completely devastated. (Stayed in her pajamas in bed for months, weeping – you know the drill.) But after a few months passed she picked herself up, dusted herself off, and started her quest for answers. Filling her weekends with relationship seminars, Lindsay searched for meaning behind her own heartbreak and studied expert findings about men, women, and how they interact. She became so enamored with renowned relationship expert Alison Armstrong’s teachings that she went through the entire PAX Mastership and Leadership Program, becoming (at only 22!) Armstrong’s youngest trainee ever. The insight-inducing conversations she had with women from around the world gave Lindsay the idea for her new site, as she kept hearing those words – “If only I knew at your age what I’m discovering now!” Realizing she could offer other young women the same education she was receiving, and maybe even help protect them from some future heartache, she was inspired to take action. Lindsay is also currently working on a book – called It Has Nothing/Everything to Do With You – which will act as a more informative, thorough guide, based on her extensive research and findings.

Hello Lifestylistas,

On December 31, 2011, the year-long contract renewal negotiation between Walgreens and Express Scripts expired, leaving Walgreens pharmacies nationwide & Duane Reade pharmacies in the NYC area, without a pharmacy provider network as of January 1, 2011. What does this mean for pharmacy patients? Well, it forces them to go elsewhere to use their in-network pharmacy benefits; causing many to change their pharmacists and to venture further to get prescriptions filled at pharmacies with less convenient hours, which is not cool for the busy diva-centric female with a hectic schedule. What is the deal Express Scripts? Everyone knows that Walgreens offers 24-hour and drive-thru pharmacies, which tops many other pharmacies in the country! And to add insult to injury, patients can expect NO price cuts in exchange for the unnecessary inconvenience. In fact, you can say that “it’s all pain with no gain.”

In Walgreens’ defense, the pharmacy offered to hold rates for a new contract and did not seek an increase in rates, however “Express Scripts insisted on being able to unilaterally define contract terms, such as what does and does not constitute a brand and generic drug, and also proposed to slash Walgreens reimbursement rates to levels below industry average cost per prescription” – Walgreens.

Express Scripts blatantly admitted that clients can expect no significant savings from excluding the pharmacy giant from its network, and predicts cost might actually increase without Walgreens’ competitive pricing, additional savings through dispensing generic drugs and savings through 90-day supplies of medications at Walgreen’s retail pharmacies versus three, 30-day refills.

Express Scripts prefers to “pass on offering substantial savings to its clients by promoting 90-day refills at retail pharmacies, but it conflicts with its own mail order 90-day prescription business that it profits from. In addition, while profits per prescription among retail pharmacies have been flat or declining in recent years, Express Scripts’ profits have grown at a rate more than two times the average of peers in health care” – Walgreens.

America, this affects you the most because one of Express Scripts’ clients is Tricare, which is the health and prescription drug program for America’s military service men and women.  Walgreens stated that during negotiations, “we took the unprecedented step of offering Express Scripts an ironclad guarantee that our prices would match or beat the average costs per adjusted prescription of all other pharmacies in the Tricare network.”  Walgreens wanted to prevent American military personnel from being caught in the middle. Walgreens also offered the idea of a separate contract with Express Scripts for Tricare from other Express Scripts commercial business, but was rejected.

A note from Walgreens to concerned patients – “Only patients with certain prescription insurance plans managed by Express Scripts are impacted. It is best to check with your local Walgreens pharmacist to find out for sure if you’re impacted. Patients also can check the back of their prescription insurance card – if it has Express Scripts’ name there, then they may be affected. If it doesn’t say Express Scripts, then they are not affected.” If you have any further concerns, you are strongly urged to contact your local media outlet and have your voice heard! Feel free to also comment on this post as Media Maven will be following this issue very closely to keep you updated and to help your voices and feelings be heard in reaction to this ordeal! If you would like to support Walgreens and stay updated, “like”  Walgreens on Facebook and follow Walgreens on Twitter @Walgreens.

For the unnecessary inconvenience, Walgreen is offering a special discount on annual membership for its Prescription Savings Club at Walgreens. An individual can join during a special January promotion for only $5, or $10 for a family membership, and receive savings on more than 8,000 brand name and all generic medications. More than 400 generics are available with a three-month supply for less than $1 a week. Regular annual membership is $20 for an individual and $35 for a family.

According to a recent Walgreens proprietary survey of 823 executives and managers who are key decision makers for pharmacy benefit decisions or provide input found that 82 percent of employers said that they would not exclude Walgreens for less than 5 percent savings on their total pharmacy spend. Sixty percent of employers would not exclude Walgreens for less than 10 percent savings, and 21 percent would not exclude Walgreens from their network regardless of the amount of savings. These findings on employer attitudes are consistent with recent research published by several leading equity research analysts.

Facts About Express Scripts

Express Scripts acts as a middleman between pharmacies providing the health care service and employers and health plans who pay for the medications. Many health plans and employers are making decisions to continue to ensure access to Walgreens because they find the prices to be competitive and believe that we can lower overall health care costs.

“Express Scripts continues to gain financially from its position as a middleman as its profits have grown at a rate more than two times the average of peers in health care. Historically brokers in a marketplace take a percentage of the cost of a product for putting the buyer and seller in contact.  In Express Scripts’ case, the broker is growing profits faster than the provider of the service.  When the middleman is more profitable than the providers, the relationship is out of balance” – Walgreens Pharmacy.

Express Scripts wants customers to use their own mail order pharmacy business instead of your community pharmacy whenever possible. In reality, this could threaten all community drugstores in your area.

“Remember, community pharmacies are a valuable presence in your neighborhood when you need a pain medication as you leave the emergency room at 2 a.m., or need a flu shot and haven’t been able to get to the doctor’s office. Community pharmacies are often the first point of entry for many people into the health care system, and the value they provide by lowering overall health care costs should be recognized by Express Scripts” – Walgreens Pharmacy.

Sarah Tracey releases sexy retro spy video….

Check it out HERE!

While Sarah Tracey can jump from one runaway train to another at a speed of 90 miles per hour, she can also deliver delicious harmonies for the soul, clever lyrics for the head, and a voice that goes straight to the heart.

So, it’s no surprise that in dreaming up her debut full-length album, Tell No One, she slipped into the stiletto boots and fearless drive of a glamorous spy girl, writing dizzy fantasies of jet-setting around the globe and uncovering decadent and dangerous secrets along the way!

What if I told you that the position of your bed and where you sleep each night has a great effect on your life, your health and your disposition?  Would you believe me?  I didn’t believe it until I started this line of work and witnessed hundreds of cases of “proof” that there is something to it.

Bed positioning is extremely important in feng shui. No matter what school of feng shui you follow, it’s a foundational aspect of the philosophy, as it has a relationship to how you position yourself in life, which in turn has an effect on how empowered you are and, to a degree, how successful you are.

©istockphoto.com/aliceinoue

Gangsters and animals know positioning

The next time you watch a movie that shows a head mob guy sitting in a restaurant, notice that he’s always sitting in what is known in feng shui as the “power position”. He is far from the door, usually in the far corner, facing the door, so that no one can surprise attack him from behind, and he can see who comes in the door.

In the same way, animals position themselves to face the door so that all they need to do is open one eye to see who is approaching.

Empowered Bed Positioning

Feng shui uses the same concept in bed positioning.  If you put yourself in an empowering position you create a better energy for you to be empowered.  Here are the “power position” guidelines:

• Be Able to See the Door from the Bed.

This means that when you are lying in bed, you need only open your eyes to see the door; you don’t have to turn your head or crane your neck. At our deepest level, we feel most secure in this position.

• Be as far from the door as possible.

There is likely more than one place to put your bed, and if you have a choice and it is aesthetically pleasing to you, place your bed as far from the door as possible. The best position for your head is in the corner farthest from the door.

The further from the door you are, the more empowered the position is. In the gangster example, the further he is from the door, the safer he is. He has more time to prepare himself to fight any “enemies” who might walk through the door.

• Avoid situating your bed in the direct path of the doorway. 

Stand at the entrance of your bedroom and imagine a light the width of the door shining into the room. Anywhere the light hits is considered the “path of the doorway”. This path is like a strong windy tunnel of unseen, fast-moving energy. When you sleep in the path of the doorway, you have to work to “fend off” this strong flow, thereby losing personal energy while you’re sleeping. It’s energetically calmer to sleep anywhere in the room other than in this pathway.

A common misconception is that sleeping with your feet pointing at the door is “bad”. This is a problem only if your feet are pointing at the door while you are sleeping in the path of the door.

If you have no choice but to position yourself in the path of the door, with feet pointing at the door, place a small table at the foot of your bed with a plant or large crystal that will buffer some of the energy so you don’t have to process it all.

• Avoid having the wall to the bathroom behind your head.

The bathroom consists of many drains, so the energy of the bathroom is draining. When you sleep with your head against the wall of the bathroom, it “pulls away” some of your body’s energy. The most energetically draining wall is the one with the toilet attached to it.

If you have no other choice but to keep your bed in this position, place a small mirror on the headboard, or on the wall just below the top of the mattress, in the approximate area where you lay your head, with the mirror side facing the bathroom. You can purchase a four to six inch diameter mirror at a craft store and use double-stick mirror tape to attach it.

This will energetically serve to deflect the draining energy of the bathroom. Hold this as your intention when you are installing the mirror.

• Consider the bigger picture

Some people position their beds against a solid wall because they have read that it is “bad” feng shui to have your head under a window. Although having your head under a window is not as favorable as a solid wall, it’s far better than to sleep in a position where you cannot see the door.  If you have a window above your head, close the curtains or shades at night to cover up the “hole” in the wall to be energetically protected.

• Use your down time for support

            By sleeping in an empowered position, you can use the “down” time while you are sleeping to your utmost advantage – not only get more peaceful rest but to give yourself an opportunity to be your best self each day!

©istockphoto.com/aliceinoue

Alice Inoue is a life guide that uses the modalities of feng shui, astrology and spirituality in her work. Her offerings include award-winning, mind-body-spirit themed books, as well as a series of feng shui instructional DVD's. For more information visit www.aliceinspired.com. Sign up for her newsletter to receive monthly articles on feng shui, astrology and life wisdom.

The beginning of the New Year is an exciting time for setting personal goals, whether it’s weight loss, financial targets, or volunteering more in your community. No matter what your New Year’s resolution, feeling good about your appearance helps you put your best foot forward. Here are four easy, but truly effective, ways to update your look and bring about a more confident, beautiful you in 2012.

1. Play Up Your Lashes So You Need Less Eyeshadow
Most of us don’t have enough time in our morning routine to apply a perfectly blended eyeshadow design—and you don’t need to! Instead, focus on emphasizing your lashes with a great mascara and sweep a thin or smudged liner across your lids for a sophisticated, beautiful look. And don’t forget to fill in your brows because they’re the frame for your eyes!

This classic look is universally flattering and a chic way to emphasize your eyes in no time flat. To take it a step further, groom and enhance your brows following our step-by-step guide. You’ll look more put together, so you can confidently take on whatever new project, challenge, or celebration the New Year brings.

How to pull it off: Paula’s Choice Great Big Lashes Mascara ($9.95), Physician’s Formula Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum ($10.95), and Browlistic Long-Wearing Precision Brow Color ($9.95).

Physicians Formula Eye Booster

Browlistic

2. Add a Touch of Radiance to Your Complexion
Adding an “illuminating” effect to your face creates a healthy, warm glow and a more youthful appearance. You can highlight features such as the cheekbones, inner corner of the eyes, bridge of the nose, brow bone, or above your cupid’s bow by applying a small amount of illuminator and gently sweeping it out to blend in with the rest of your skin, making sure there are no harsh edges.

Beware: Too much shine can make your skin look greasy, and products with overt sparkle or glitter look more tacky than classy.

Fail-proof skin illuminators: Avon Mark Get Bright Hook Up Highlighter ($6), Paula’s Choice RESIST Cellular Defense Daily Moisturizer with SPF 25 & Antioxidants ($24.95), and Yves Saint Laurent Teint Parfait Complexion Enhancer ($42).

YSL Teint Parfait Complexion

3. Experiment with Lip Color
If you are stuck wearing the same lip color season after season, or even worse, year after year, consider breaking out of your comfort zone and adding a pop of color to your lips. This is one of the simplest ways to transform your look, it doesn’t add any extra time to your makeup routine, and it can enhance and spice up your look every day.

In a rut with pale pinks and nudes? See what a raspberry shade does for you. Tired of your same classic red? Experiment with a coral or pinkish mauve color. Not every lipstick color under the rainbow is going to suit you—the key is to try several and see what works for you. It might surprise you at how stunning you look in a new shade—and the change is sure to garner some compliments from people who are used to seeing you wear the same color day after day.

Lipstick collections with gorgeous shade options: Paula’s Choice Sheer Cream Lipstick SPF 15 ($10.95), Giorgio Armani Rouge D’Armani Lipstick ($30), and Mary Kay Creme Lipstick ($13).

Giorgio Armani Holiday Makeup Collection

4. Schedule a Professional Hair Consultation
If you’ve been sporting the same hairstyle since “The Rachel” from Friends, you’re due for an update! Perhaps you’re using your long locks as a security blanket, but the majority of the time they look dull, damaged, and limp. Or maybe you’ve always gone with bleached-blonde tresses, even though there are plenty of other beautiful options when it comes to color. Whether you’re interested in changing up the color or going for a new cut, the key is to find a style that you love but that also is manageable on a daily basis.

Most salons offer a free hair consultation prior to scheduling an appointment, which is a great way to find out what the pros think best suits your look and lifestyle, without the pressure of doing it right then and there. Well-trained stylists take several factors into consideration, such as your face shape, eye color, skin tone, the way your hair parts, your personal skill level when it comes to styling, and so on. It’s perfectly fine to give yourself a couple days to mull it over before booking an appointment, but don’t wait too long or you might chicken out and fall back into your same old rut.

Click here for more hair-care advice!

Matching your New Year’s resolution on the inside and on the outside can bring about a new confidence that enables you to achieve more than you ever dreamed, and these four, easy makeover tips can help you get there. Share your New Year’s resolution and transformation story on our Paula’s Choice Facebook page!