June Passion & Purpose Special

Our Passion & Purpose Customer for June is Joan Sheehan. Joan has become a good friend and wonderful customer who shares the same goal as Beauty with a Cause.

Joan is committed to educating women about the environmental factors that increase the risk of developing breast cancer. She is the Co-President of the Capital Region Action Against Breast Cancer (CRAAB).

Joan is also a breast cancer survivor. She has selflessly supported other women in their battles against this disease and advocates for healthy lifestyles.

Her commitment to help women is being honored by a special product dedication. Joan is a member of the breast cancer dragon boat team called Hope In The Boat. This team of cancer survivors has worked diligently to form a team and overcome such overwhelming odds as the lack of a boat to race in. This team could be found practicing on dry land with the goal that one day they would actually have a boat to ride in.

Recently the dragon boat team raised enough money to purchase a boat and now they are off!

Beauty with a Cause is happy to dedicate our body lotion line to Joan Sheehan and her dedication to helping women beat breast cancer. Our body lotion line is now called Hope In the Boat.

June's special features our Hope In The Boat lotion. See our Summer Soother Special below.

Ten percent of June's sales will be donated to Joan's organization, CRAAB. Read about CRAAB below as well.

Capital Region Action Against Breast Cancer

Beauty with a Cause is a proud member of CRAAB and is thrilled to be donating 10% of June's sales to the amazing organization.

Capital Region Action Against Breast Cancer (CRAAB!) is a community-based organization created in 1997 for several reasons: 1) to make the eradication of breast cancer a priority through education & advocacy; 2) to empower individuals to participate fully in decisions about breast cancer; 3) to raise awareness about new research and potential causes of breast cancer; and 4) to provide support services to survivors and care givers in 10 counties in upstate New York. CRAAB! offers both in-depth educational programs and well-researched publications so that survivors and caregivers can make better informed decisions about treatment options, risk reduction, and primary prevention. Education formats include CRAAB!’s website; inform-ative newsletters that include a Recent Research column; panel discussions and films; resource guides & brochures on care giving issues, nutrition, exercise, risk reduction and environmental links; and original Essential Bookmarks that list print and online resources in English & Spanish. Annual lecture series, since 1997, by nationally recognized cancer researchers and health advocates have included Sandra Steingraber, PhD, ecologist and author; Suzanne Snedeker, PhD, BCERF at Cornell University; David O. Carpenter, MD, Albany Medical Center/College, past Dean, U-Albany School of Public Health; plus researchers from Fox Chase Breast Cancer Research Center, and the Gen*NY*Sis Center for Excellence in Cancer Genomics, all of whom spoke on gene/environment interaction, lifestyle & environmental connections to breast cancer.

Led by a diverse board and officers, five of whom are breast cancer survivors, CRAAB! understands that there is no “one size fits all” treatment for breast cancer; therefore we develop support services that close gaps in the resources available in our region, including Patient Navigation & Mentoring services, Life Coaching support groups at 2 locations, Medical Massage in Your Own Home in 5 counties, Walk for Wellness program, The Lebed Method Focus on Healing Through Movement & Dance, Yoga & Meditation in 3 counties, and Gentle Pilates.

CRAAB! partners with local hospitals, church groups, healthy weight loss organizations, local YM/WCA’s, and area shopping malls to promote greater access to quality care and to provide services to underserved communities. CRAAB! participates in approximately 15 Health Fairs annually; sits on the board of three NYS Cancer Services Programs in Albany, Rensselaer and Fulton-Montgomery counties; and is active in the American Cancer Society’s Community of Solutions. CRAAB! is a founding member organization of the New York State Breast Cancer Support & Education Network, a coalition of 23 breast cancer and health advocacy groups in New York State started in 1998; and a member of the National Breast Cancer Coalition.

June Summer Soother Special

Summer is just around the corner and that means it is time to adjust your skin care routine. Warmer more humid weather often causes more oil to be released by your skin creating an unwanted shine. Switching to an astringent will tone down the oil on your face giving you more of a matte finish.

If your skin is overly dry do not switch to an astringent, rather remain with a toner.

Our June special features our Summer Soothers - all facial moisturizer, toner, astringent and body lotions are on sale. Keep your skin from drying out and keep your pores from clogging. Our special Summer Soother Set includes all that you need to get the job done.

Visit our store to get more information and your special Summer Soother Set.

Check

Do you keep a "to do" list? I always had a disorganized list system on scraps of paper. Usually the list was made with good intentions but then would wind up at the bottom of my handbag. I would come across it while cleaning out my bag and then think - why didn't I keep this handy. I never did "this" or "that".

I read a book last month on organizing your life. I didn't hold much hope for it as I had read many such books and for the most part, I was the same old advice. BUT I did pick up a very useful tip which has now become a habit.

I now keep a master "to do" list in a binder. One sheet for each month so I can write down stuff as it occurs to me and log it in the month I need to deal with it. Then I can forget it. I can put notes, appointment cards and related stuff in clear pockets I keep for each month.

I then use my master list to make my daily lists in my day planner. I have gotten so much done in the past month! I am chewing through my "to do's" faster than I ever have before.

I love being able to say "check" and mark another thing off my list. I am addicted to checking things off. I am hooked.

Another rather revealing side note to this is I got insight into my life. One of my favorite authors, Larry Winget, pointed out that the things that get focus and get done are the things that are important to you. If you want to know where your priorities lie, look at the things you do with your day.

You may say that spending time with your family is important but look at your day - did spending time with your family rank high on your "to do" list?

Now that I am very aware of how I spend my day and what I have to get done I see where my priorities are. I plan my days differently now that I could see I wasn't spending time on my priorities.

Now if only I had the energy to do it all!!

In the emotion

Have you ever wondered why you can make a commitment one day and fall apart the next?

I have wondered the same thing many times. Recently I was listening to an audio book, Predictably Irrational. The book explained that when you are emotionally detached from a topic you can make smart, rational decisions.

But as soon as you layer on emotion, our ability to make rational decisions falls apart.

For example, have you ever made a commitment to go on a diet and really truly meant it? Then just hours or days later, when out with friends, you see everyone having dessert and decide, "Oh, well, I'll start my diet tomorrow." As soon as the emotion of being with friends and enjoying yourself came into play, you caved.

That is just what happened to me today. All week I was saying to myself that I can run/walk a 5k in under 35 minutes. I could see myself doing it. I knew I only had to shave 40 seconds off my time to make it. I felt sure success would be mine when I got on the treadmill.

Then...I got on the treadmill. I started running and boy was it not working for me. After two minutes I was telling myself, "Well, it's been two weeks since you ran last." Followed by, "Boy it's hot in here." I didn't think I could make another minute.

In fact I stopped. After all it was hot and I needed to take my tee-shirt off (never mind, I was catching my breath at the same time.) So I started again in my running shirt, now cooler and caught up on my breath.

Another six minutes and the talk started again. "You really can't expect to make it under 35 minutes. After all, it has been two weeks since you ran last."

Then I realized what I was doing. I was rationalizing my lack of commitment now that I was experiencing the emotion of how tough it was going to be. I reminded myself how angry and guilty I would feel if I gave up.

But boy was I tired. I started walking for about 15 seconds. Then the thoughts really kicked in. If you give up this easily, you are a total wimp. Start running!

I pushed myself and played mental games continuously. In the end I decided to take it minute by minute. Run a minute + just ten more seconds. Then walk. Guilt. Run another minute + just ten more seconds. Then walk. And on it went.

In the end, I finished the 5k in 34 minutes and 40 seconds. I did it!

Let the victory dance begin. Now the talk became, "I knew I could do it. I just needed to get past those first few minutes." Yeah - who am I kidding, I struggled the whole way through.

But I did it. So the tidbit I am passing on to you is - yes it is tough to stick to a commitment. Yes, it may down right "suck" the entire time. But in the end, if you did it, you get to do the victory dance (and in my case, eat a nice dish of soy ice cream) afterward.

The alternative, is more guilt and more negative self talk. No thank you.

Try it. Even though it hurts, it only hurts for a short time. The time on the treadmill, the time it takes to say "no thanks" at the restaurant. These are mere minutes. Just be strong for those few minutes and you get to feel good for a whole lot longer. Try it!

A Call to Change

The past few days have been full of dramatic change in my world. Two different paths, each started two years ago, have been suddenly called to the next level.

What brought about abrupt change - reading!

Two different pieces of literature stumbled into my life - one a book and one a magazine article.

I am stunned how just a few minutes spent reading the text of each called to me and inspired me to make two major changes in my life.

Never underestimate the power of the written word.

Take the time to read but not to lose yourself in the story rather to find yourself in the message.

I wonder if at a different time or in a different mood if the texts would have affected me so profoundly.

In any case, I feel I have been called to change the direction of the two paths I am on.

I hope someday I write something that is able to affect a change in the reader too!

May Special

Hello all. I don't know about you but I am totally confused as to what to wear. Should I put the winter clothes away or bundle up? One day it is 89 degrees and the next I am shivering in my sweatshirt.

As the season plays havoc with our body temperature, so do bugs and viruses with our system. In this case I am referring to computer bugs and information systems and not the swine flu. Someone with nothing better do to hacked into my web host's server and infected my home page. For those of you who haven't been able to reach my website for most of April, I do apologize.

The problem should be fixed now. If you are still getting redirected to a "looney tunes" page then try this. Go to your internet Tools tab, click on Options and then under privacy or security (depending on your browser) delete your Browsing History. This should delete any saved addresses in your browser search bar. (This has no effect on favorites or bookmarks.)

After that you should be able to get to my site without a problem. If you still experience a problem, please email me at jprice7733@gmail.com. (My normal email address has also been affected by the bug.)

So having said all that, we are re-runing the Gavin's Gift and the May Celebration specials. Please go to beautywithacause.com to read Gavin's story. We are donating 10% of April and May's sales to Gavin's Gift and we are matching the funds raised.

The Celebration Gift Sets that we created just for this cause smell wonderful. They are grapefruit and pink grapefruit scented bath and body products. The lotion is one of my favorite products. I call it my "happy" lotion as the scent always brightens my mood. I hope you will support Gavin and give yourself a pick me up at the same time. Happy May!