Growing up, I used to love the smell of freshly washed towels. Whenever the breeze would blow as they hung on the line to dry, I’d get a waft of fragrance that somehow made me think of all things lovely: a warm bath on a cold winter night or coming home after being away on vacation.
What I didn’t know back then was that comforting, fresh smell was actually nasty, toxic chemicals… chloroform, ethyl acetate and limonene (among many others)… dressed up as flowers, luring me in, to believe that I was as close to a lavender field as I could get without actually being in one.
After Michael Jackson passed away, I was inspired to write a piece that I thought I’d reprint to celebrate his life, one year after his death. I hope you enjoy…
1. Live with the belief that anything is possible. No matter how the media portrayed him or any of the obstacles he faced, Michael Jackson continued to believe. In his words: “In a world filled with hate, we must still dare to hope. In a world filled with anger, we must still dare to comfort. In a world filled with despair, we must still dare to dream. And in a world filled with distrust, we must still dare to believe.” You don’t need to be a pop star, politician or philanthropist to see your dreams actualized. We all have the power within us to dream big and reach awe-inspiring heights in our everyday lives. All we need do is see it, believe it and take action. Getting specific with your goals is also a great way to see your dreams come to fruition. Get a helping hand with Jack Canfield’s The Success Principles.
I’m extremely picky when it comes to what I put on my skin, and even more picky when it comes to suggesting brands to use, whether they’re vegan or not. Just because a product is vegan doesn’t mean it’s good idea to put it on your skin. Enter beauty buff and holistic entrepreneur Sam Sample and her 100% vegan and natural skincare line Be Genki. This is one range I’m happy to give some blog love to.
You just have to browse the web or your nearest book store to see the world is obsessed with dieting. Yet if statistics are accurate, we’re not just tipping the scales, we’re on our way to breaking them. It has taken many of us years of restrictions and meal replacements to figure it out: diets don’t work.
From calorie counting to cutting out carbs, a Pandora’s Box awaits those who still dare to follow the latest diet craze. Yet achieving and maintaining your ideal figure is actually more simple than what we’ve been lead to believe—and it comes with a bonus: vibrant health.
Shannon Dunn is a writer and Reiki Master. Her passion for living simply and naturally is reflected in her creative and healing work. Her philosophy of adopting healthful habits, through the food we eat to the thoughts we think, strikes a chord with those who are seeking a natural way to optimal health and well-being. 
