How is your self confidence

I want to talk about a topic that is really close to my heart. Something that so many people suffer from and it effects every area of your life...

"It is impossible to consistently behave in a manner inconsistent with how we see ourselves. We can do very few things in a positive way if we feel negative about ourselves" - Zig Ziglar

Having self confidence is so important, It makes us feel good about ourselves. It helps us to take action to achieve the things we want because we believe they are possible for us!!  IF you don't have self confidence we won't take action because we won't believe it is possible!

Signs of low self esteem

1. Social withdrawal

2. Anxiety and emotional turmoil

3. Lack of social skills and self confidence. 

4. Depression and/or bouts of sadness

5. Eating disorders

5. Inability to accept compliments

6. Accentuating the negative

7. Exaggerated concern over what you imagine other people think

8. Self neglect

9. Treating yourself badly but NOT other people

10. Worrying whether you have treated others badly

11. Reluctance to take on challenges

12. Reluctance to put yourself first

13. Reluctance to trust your own opinion

14. Expecting little out of life for yourself.

I went through 30 years of my life barely having any. I couldn't understand why I found it so hard to make friends, be around new people, succeed and sometimes it even stopped me leaving the house.

I am doing a FB live series in January and February 2017, sharing with you how I grew my self confidence and the techniques I learned to feel not good but amazing about myself!!

Head to www.facebook.com/ashlyraeceo to check it out and grow your self confidence today!!

Send this to 3 people who you think this may help!!

 Ashly xx

www.facebook.com/ashlyraeceo 

January 30 day plan... what am I doing??

Hi all,

well it has been a wee while since I spoke to you all! How are we? So many exciting things have happened over the past few months, business has exploded, I have moved... but that is for another day! We are here to discuss this 30 day healthy living plan that everyone is talking about!!

So what is up with it and why is everyone jumping on the band wagon with it and getting involved?
Well number 1 is probably because it works, you feel and look so much better, you loose weight (if thats what you eat) you aren't hungry, you don't deprive yourself and 2 because it is to transform your lifestyle to healthier not just a detox or a point counting system that you can't possible maintain forever. Healthy living isn’t about eliminating all of the foods you love or pushing your body to unhealthy limits. It’s about finding a balance between the physical, emotional, nutritional, and motivational elements in your life.

What happens on it?
Well it is 30 days long.  You buy a pack which contains everything you need in terms of digestion aids, teas, shakes, meal plans, guides. You are given all the information, support and guidance to help you and then you just get started!

Do I get hungry?
Absolutely not! If you are hungry then you are doing something wrong.  There are plenty of quick and easy snacks and meals you can have. We have recipe guides and shopping lists.

But what if I can't stick to the 30 days?
Don't worry about it.  Give it your best shot.  Most people find once they get going they see results pretty quick (I do in first few days) so they want to stick to it.  We have massive support in our Facebook group of over 400 people!!

400 people all doing this together? YES!! It is so fun!! I love being a part of it, making new friends, getting healthier and being proud of myself and my body!

Will I loose weight?
The chances are probably yes! No guarantees obviously, it depends if you stick to it or not.  There are added weight management aids you can use to boost your metabolism and help you stay full which taste yummy and work really well if you are eager to shift a lot of weight.

So what makes it different to any other diet out there?
The Arbonne 30 days to Healthy living plan is about finding a sustainable lifestyle, not making radical changes that are unrealistic for you, your family, your schedule or your interests.

Healthy living isn’t about eliminating all of the foods you love or pushing your body to unhealthy limits. It’s about finding a balance between the physical, emotional, nutritional, and motivational elements in your life.

So how do I find out more info?

Simply pop in your email address below

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or Add me on Facebook
www.facebook.com/ashly.rae.5

A L E R T ! ! ! H U G E N E W S

Hey all!

So I have been blogging for quite a while now.  I started a youtube channel some years ago but was just never happy with it (watch video below to see why).  Here is my brand spanking new channel and my first video on it!!  I hope you like it, I am so excited about it and everything I have planned!!  Check it out!!

Ashly xxx

What you didn't know you could do with Protein Powder

I love my protein powder (the healthy, vegan, non dairy/non gmo variety might I add).  A lot of people associate protein powder with body building or big bulky guys at the gym, this is not true! There is a plethora of ways you can use protein powder to make healthy snacks, meals and deserts.

(I would say make sure you choose your protein wisely as there are a lot of cheaper varieties out there that contain a lot of nasties. I use this one)

Here are my favourites!!

1. Lemon Chia Seed Protein Cookies

2. Chocolate Protein Ice pop (recipe coming soon)

3. Vanilla protein Pancakes

4. No Bake Strawberry Chocolate Protein Balls

5. Glazed Protein Doughuts

6. Strawberry & Chocolate dip (recipe coming soon)

7. Chai Latte (recipe coming soon)

8. Gluten Free & Flourless Protein Brownies

9. Zucchini and Banana bread

Now get baking!

Love Ashly x

Arbonne RE9 cellular renewal mask review

I aim to use the purest, cruelty free, natural products I possibly can.   This can prove difficult when you need a product that works and works well.  Today I am excited to review the Arbonne RE9 Cellular Renewal Mask (£52) for a couple of reasons.  Firstly because it is VEGAN and secondly because it actually works!

Here is what Arbonne has to say:

"Enhanced formula with gentle cellular exfoliation visibly improves skin tone and texture, minimises the appearance of pores, and provides skin with an immediate, radiant glow"

Directions are as follows:

"Use 1–2 times per week at night. After cleansing and drying skin, smooth a generous layer of masque over face, avoiding eyelids or getting into eyes. Leave masque on for 5–7 minutes. Slight transient tingling or redness may be experienced and is normal for a masque of this type. If irritation occurs, stop use immediately and consult a dermatologist. Rinse with tepid water or use a warm washcloth. Pat dry and follow with serum and night crème".

I have been using the mask as adviced and seen massive results.  At first I only left it on for 2 minutes because I started to feel it tingling, now 4 months later I can leave it on for around 7-8 minutes.  Afterwards my skin feels like silk. I do get some redness after use which disappears after 10-20 minutes.

I found it especially useful if I had a breakout, using this on 2 consecutive days would dramatically improve my skins overall condition.  It is great to know that when those pesky sposts appear, I now have something which actually helps.

I have just finished my first tub after 4-5 months and purchased my second.  The RE9 Cellular renewal mask is quickly becoming one of my desert island products.

"Algae extract supports collagen through moisturisation to help diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles" and "Pineapple and papaya enzymes gently exfoliate and remove dead skin cells".

Overall I am really impressed with this product - hence my excitement to share it.

Ashly x

Detox Results!!!

Through out January and February I embarked on a Detox! I am not going to lie at first it was tough, very tough. Check out my update posts below

Not the 1st January Detox | Details
Week 1 Update| Not the 1st January Detox
Half Way update | Not the 1st January Detox
Not the 1st January Detox | Things keeping me going

But, I am very pleased to say my detox ended on the 4th February and here are my results

Overall experience
Detox, in particular caffeine and sugar withdrawl are not for the faint hearted. My head literally felt like there was a little army of men inside it with hammers. However, once the pounding headaches and wee trips every 45 minutes subsided around day 6-8, I really started to feel the benefit of not having those 2 devils in my life.  

As time went on my enegy levels improved massively. The biggest thing for me was having a constant energy level throughout the day, rather than feeling like I could fall asleep by 3pm. This actually improved my confidence too, I knew I could book meetings for later in the day and that I would still be raring to go.

At no point did I feel hungry. And I never felt like I was depriving myself.

I had a few remarks from people toward week 3 and 4 that I had lost weight and I could feel my jeans felt looser.

Results
I didn't actually weigh myself before and after because I did not want this detox to be about loosing weight. However, I definitely lost weight, perhaps as much as a jean size. My stomach is flatter, my love handles are a lot smaller and over all I look a lot healther.

My skin is also a lot better, I literally have had no spots or any redness on my skin. Thumbs up there.

Verdict
I absolutely loved how the detox left me feeling.  It changed the way I think about certain foods. In particular white bread, sugarry treats muffins cakes etc and caffeine. It is now 3 weeks since I officially finished my detox and I still haven't had any caffeine. And you know what? I don't want it because I know how much better I feel without it.  I have decided that this is now a way of life for me and I will be eating what ever I like at weekends but stick to the no added sugar, no white refined carbs during the week.

I also realised something else HUGE.  For years I had a very bad habbit of popping to costa or starbucks and grabbing a coffee and a muffin when I was hungry, instead of getting something healthy and nutritional. So when I couldn't have either of those things it foced me to get something else, like a salad and mint tea, that actually gave me energy.  I never even realised what I was doing... feeding my hunger with a coffee? how bad it that!

Tips 

• Choose a time to detox when you actually have a chance of succeeding. For example. if I had decided to do this over Christmas or when on holiday I just wouldn't have completed it and then felt bad about myself. 
• Get prepared. Have a plan and get healthy food supplies in ready. 
• Expect that it is going to be difficult.
• Decide what you will be having instead of coffee, it's half the battle. I decided that I would be having peppermint tea when I went to starbucks instead of a laté and thats what I had, there was no indecision.
•  Frozen blueberries and grapes were a lifesaver for me. A great snack.
• Protein/smoothie shakes of some sort are a great meal replacement (I chose Arbonne vanilla and chocolate protein because it's vegan and has no nasties)

I am so much happier with my body now, I had put on a bit of weight and it is all gone now. I am also a lot more confident, weather it is because I am proud of myself for sticking to the detox for a whole 30 days or because I have more energy, I'm just really chuffed with myself. 

 I would absolutely recommend doing it!!!

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NOT THE 1ST JANUARY DETOX | THINGS KEEPING ME GOING

I thought it might be quite nice if I gave you an insight in to the things keeping me going and helping me to avoid the sweet treats, caffeine and bread.

1. Chocolate protein shakes - These are divine. I have one for lunch or breakfast depending on how I feel. If I really fancy a desert or I am craving some cookies after dinner I will treat myself to one of these, or even half will do the trick (1 scoop instead of 2)

2. Frozen Blueberries - These are literally saving my life!! I have at least one box in the freezer at all times. I put them in smoothies/protein shakes and I eat them as they are.  The centre of the berry turns almost in to a sorbet like texture. I snack on these at least once a day.

3. Detox/Herbal Tea - I do not remember the last time I drank so much of this.  The great thing is that you will never run out of flavours as there are so many.  I am loving the Pukka Cleanse & Detox teas which I featured here . Plus you will end up drinking lots of water which is great!

4. Tomato sauces & whole grain Pasta - This is literally a life saver because you can pretty much add anything to the tomato sauces, onions, prawns, peppers, mushrooms. All good stuff and fills you up!

5. Walking the dog - Because I have been getting up earlier I am having more time in the mornings to walk my wee pooch. I grab a beaker of detox tea to keep me warm and go out for some fresh air. I walk about 10 minutes and it really gets me going and wakes me up in the morning.  Plus seeing Poppi running around happy keeps me going :-)

What are your health/detox tips that keep you going?

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The Detox wrap at home that works!

Hi all you beauties.  I have been doing some research on detox wraps, and what is suitable for use at home and I have been trying out a few.  I am not in the market to loose weight because I am happy with the size I am but I was happy to find something which reduced bloating for a few days.  Perfect if you want to fit in to a dress for a party this season and have a flat stomach without too much effort.

Welcome Arbonne Seasource Spa detox wrap.  Perfect.  To be honest I wasn't sure how this would work but I had heard and seen pictures of great results. So off I went to see..

This is pretty easy to do and takes about an hour including preparation and leave on time.  Bearing in mind you are not too messy so can safely sit in your dressing gown watch tv or read a book while it works it's magic.

What you need

1. Arbonne Seasource Detox Spa purifying Sea Soak

2. Arbonne Seasource Detox Spa Renewing Body Gelée

3. Arbonne Seasource Detox Spa foaming Sea Salt Scrub

5. Cling film

6. Bandages

The first thing you need to do is put on some shorts or comfy trousers and a sports top or bra. Pop in a 1/3 sachet of the Arbonne Purifying Sea Soak to 4 cups warm water in to a bowl or the sink.  Place the bandages in solution to soak.  While this is soaking use the Arbonne foaming Sea Salt body scrub on the areas you are targeting so around your waist, hips, back and wash off.  Next generously apply the Arbonne Body Gelée to the same areas.  Rinse out the bandages and wrap snugly around the area.  Secure with a safety pin or if your bandages have clips great.  The last step is to wrap yourself up snugly with the cling film.  Don't make it too tight so that you are uncomfortable but tightly enough that it feels like support pants.  Leave for 45 minutes then remove.  Bobs your uncle hello flat tummy!

I lost an inch from the top part of my stomach and an inch from around my hips and belly which was great.  I was so happy with the results so wanted to share it with you all.

Arbonne products are free from parabens, Gluten, animal products or by products, they are Vegan approved and cruelty free.

It works out at £5 per wrap which I think is very reasonable.

Have you ever tried an at home wrap?

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A day at the Vintage Wedding Show

This is a slightly different post for me today because I have never blogged about anything remotely wedding-ey... but I am really starting to enjoy all things wedding. And no I am not getting married, in fact I am single so if that day does ever come it is a looooooooong way off.

A few things have brought me in to the realm of weddings, one being that my gorgeous older sister is getting married in 2015 and we have been sharing a pinboard for a while creating some fab ideas for her day.  The second reason is that because I am now an Arbonne consultant (see my post with info on this here) I have decided that exhibiting at bridal fairs is a great way to promote my business, who doesn't want gorgeous skin for their wedding day?

With all this in mind at the very last minute (2 days before) I booked a stand at my first ever wedding exhibition, the Vintage Wedding show at the Cowdray Hall in Aberdeen.  I was so excited but very frantic running around trying to get everything organised at the very last minute but I think I managed to pull it together, just.

As it was a vintage wedding show I added some lovely shabby chic details to my stand like pearls, faux antique pink roses, silver tray and some fairly lights. I also borrowed a cake stand from my sister to put the makeup items on.  I was really pleased with how it looked, what do you think?

I had an absolute blast and really enjoyed doing makeovers on brides to be and talking to the other exhibitors who had amazing stands by the way. The shoes at Well Heeled Bridal Shoes were amazing and the little cake room cakes tastes yummy. Other exhibitors included; Jewellery at McCalls, Zoe Duthie Jewellery Design, Buttons 'n' Bluebelles Candy Carts, Encore dress & Vintage agency, SD Photography and Duke Wedding Photography.

I would love to know if you have been to any wedding fairs and which ones you recommend? Also let me know if you want to see more wedding based posts?

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REVIEW | Arbonne Intelligence Genius Nightly Resurfacing Wipes

For the past 3 years or so I have had an on and off relationship with clear skin.  It seems to be worse when I am stressed and the side of my face can get pretty red and blotchy (see above).  It seemed to have left me with some discolouration and marks which I really wasn't happy with. I tried the REN Aha resurfacing concentrate which I had a great success with and really like.

But after I read the claims that with these Arbonne Genius Nightly resurfacing wipes 100% of people in a clinical study showed improvement to their skin moisture/hydration and skin firmness/elasticity in 2 weeks.  To be honest I thought yeah right.  But I had never heard a brand claim that 100% of people saw results, well, needless to say I was intrigued enough to buy them.  

Arbonne Says

Isn't it time to outsmart your skin? Arbonne Intelligence brings next-generation innovation to the forefront with a multitasking, revolutionary formula. Genius is a brilliant delivery system designed to unveil your most radiant, healthy-looking skin. Nightly Resurfacing Pads are paired with a fresh-pour solution containing our dynamic proprietary PBR+ complex, with Phytinol™, botanicals and retinoid.


The resurfacing pads work with our proprietary science and botanical retinoid solution to reduce the look of dark spots and fine lines for skin that looks smooth, even-toned and beautiful. It addresses multiple skincare concerns and was developed for all skin types, ages 12–60+ . You will see vast improvement in the appearance of skin texture to reveal overall healthy-looking skin. Pure Genius.

So are these genius pads really that genius?

Arbonne intelligence Genius Wipes come in two parts, a tub with 60 pads and a glass bottle containing resurfacing solution. When you are ready to use it you pour the solution in to the tub and wait 1 minute before using one of the pads.  I quite liked the fact it came like this, it just seemed like a bit of a novelty to be honest and something different.  After pouring the solution my first impression was that it smelt quite strong, you definitely couldn't get your nose too close to the tub without coughing.  I wasn't sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing to be honest.  So I decided to start with one pad the first night and see how it went.

They do state that if you have hyper sensitive skin to have every second night off, my skin it very sensitive so I did think this would be an option for me and quite frankly expected my face to turn a crimson shade of red after using the product.

After wiping the pad on my face I felt a very faint tingling sensation for a few minutes. Nothing uncomfortable or horrible, then I followed the instructions and applied my nightly serum and moisturiser. No sign of any irritation.

The next morning my face felt a bit smoother. You could compare it to how it would feel after a good exfoliation. That night I repeated the process and again no redness.  The morning of day 2 I could see a difference in my skin, very faint but it was there. Less redness was the thing I was most pleased about.  I kept on with the process and now I am about to do my 7th night.

I am over the moon with the difference to the colour and tone of my face already.  There really is a difference as you can probably see above. Another great point is that I had a pesky red and inflamed spot appearing on my jawline, this is a spot that comes from a deformed pore so it 'pops' up to say hello every few months and can get quite angry. Well I made sure last night to wipe over it and this morning it was no longer red or sore and is practically gone. Result!

I was so impressed with this product and others, like the Primer and lipstick I have tried

What do you think lovelies? Will you be giving these wipes a go?

Ashly xx

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