The Goddess in Every Woman

Recovering: Standing Up and Moving On

Diva Blogger — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:57:39 +0000

We are to ourselves just what we think we are

-Phineas Parkhurst Quimby

Inventorizing is not just a term that we use in business. We use it also to build (or re-build) our self image. Those who are recovering from a loss, or a really bad blow in life must start reorganizing by taking note of what’s left.

It’s easy enough to say “I’ve lost everything” when all the things around you, including your feelings are in disarray. Start by realizing that you are still alive. The fact that you can still feel something means you can still feel relief. No matter how painful the hurt, if you are still hurting, it means you can also feel it subside.

Stand up, take a look around you and within you. Be a friend to yourself and be compassionate to what your heart is telling you. It hurts from all the torture. Your better qualities have not left you, you just became blind to them. Look at them in a new light as you stand up from a bad tumble.

Goal Setting: Loyalty to a Purpose

Diva Blogger — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 07:53:15 +0000

Many people have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.
- by Helen Keller

I have always believed that if someone wants something so badly that she can taste it, feel it in her hands and smell it, she will get it eventually. This is considering that she will do everything in her power to get it. A single minded purpose to obtain our goals will make it happen.

In the course of making things happen for us, temptations to let go of our intent come to seduce us out of our resolve. These could be doubts in our abilities, alternative choices offered by others, and simply lethargy, the loss of the will to pursue a dream.

A few things that one has to consider in setting goals

1. One has to delineate a specific objective

2. Mapping out a step-by-step strategy

3. Following the strategy strictly and systematically

4. Adjusting to some setbacks but moving forward nonetheless

5. Staying humble in victory

Like a guiding light house, one must go to the direction of her dreams no matter what happens. Never deviating from the path leading to ultimate gratification. Loyalty to a purpose is the vow we give to ourselves and the promise we must keep.

What About You Do They Remember?

Diva Blogger — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 07:52:30 +0000

We meet people in our daily off line lives and over the internet. Under the latter, they get to know us via our blogs and our online presence in forums and communities. Do we know exactly what they remember about us?

For sure, not everyone will remember us a few hours after the encounter, but we leave behind an image in their minds. The thing about knowing how your brand is perceived is that you have no control as to how others see it; you can only do your best to improve it and make it effective enough for others to remember you longer than they would a fixture.

We are given the privilege of introducing ourselves once and only once to people. Some know of us only through the others who we introduced ourselves to. That one time introduction is enough to leave a mark, to inspire, and to incite a reaction.

People will more likely remember something that provoked a feeling, it could be delight or the opposite, and this entirely depends on your objectives. Opportunities are sometimes like cracks in the wall, narrow and unyielding, but if we find a way to get our points across without much effort, we have mastered the art of self promotion.

Our sponsor, Brand Identity Guru, reiterates that Branding your online business is easier when you have established what you want people to remember about you.

What Brings Bling to Your Eyes?

Diva Blogger — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 15:11:57 +0000

As I was talking to a few friends I met online over chat a few months back, I suddenly realized how blogging could be related to self image and self esteem. You see, the willingness to put your thoughts and emotions out there for all the world to see takes a lot of courage. You won’t always get an applause, sometimes you feel like you’re merely winking in the dark, but generally, you know that someone will come across your article and react to it, whether that person leaves a comment or not.

One woman in particular prefers not to blog because they feel like their days are boring and no one will ever want to know what they do each boring day. I let that pass. Then, I ask what she does to make a tarnished belt buckle bright again. Seemingly surprised at the change of topic, she answered the way she always does, with a how-to list. Aha!

Everyone has something to contribute over the internet, everyone knows something other people won’t even dream of knowing. It’s just the fear of being ridiculed that keeps us from getting there. Her knowledge can be used to populate a blog about fine jewelry, like those on this British Jewelry maker’s site, Silver Jewellery, which sells the most captivating Silver Bracelets and Silver Pendants.

Anyone who loves something with a passion won’t be able to stop talking about it. And, this is the essence of writing about your interests.

BTW, the diva-friendly jewelry site mentioned above sells handcrafted silver jewelry at a bargain. Look at these photos from Silver Jewellery to know what my idea of ‘diva jewelry’ is all about.

Romance and Self Esteem

Diva Blogger — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 20:44:04 +0000

Love-Junkie? That’s me.

Romance is a feel-good thing we crave for, long for and dream about. It will never cease to be a factor in our daily lives as women. We need it to be inspired somewhat, and we know it. I feel sad when I hear stories about couples that find themselves lying next to a stranger after 30 or so years of marriage. One wonders what happened to the fairytale wedding that propelled the marriage. That they lasted that long means they have weathered most storms right?

Sadly, some unions lose the romance and become jaded. I never thought it’s be possible to get jaded together, but apparently it is. Apparently, it doesn’t happen overnight and it takes time to grow away from a partner. The couple’s relationship is at the center of the family’s life. There was husband and wife before there was mother and father.

A woman’s healthy self esteem sometimes stems from the fact that she knows she is loved, and wanted by her partner. Like the cliche goes, a woman ‘blooms’ inside a loving relationship, making her productive, able and all the more willing to pursue endeavors and businesses.

Kids will grow up and soon, it will be just you and your partner again. When the kids are able to take care of themselves, we can relax with our partners. Feeling the love and appreciation of our partners strengthens us and keeps us going. Romance and intimacy play a significant role in keeping us confident.

Supplementing Know How: Information Technology

Diva Blogger — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 20:31:24 +0000

Technology and progress are concepts that remain ‘just concepts’ until one goes out of her way to learn it. Computers and internet knowledge were just recently introduced, and the whole world adjusted to accommodate them, particularly the businesses. Suddenly, a mandatory requirement of any job opportunity is computer knowledge. Those people who are blessed with the curiosity to make this whole new world work are among the ones who are sought after and constantly badgered. The few, the proud, the IT people.

Some say that IT is common sense and a business owner can self-learn. This isn’t quite true. In fact, most people would rather let professionals do their networks rather than risk a crucial aspect of the business, such as the whole payroll automation process. Suddenly, human error in production means that a programmer forgot to enter a code or a snippet of information in a database.

The good news is business owners don’t have to be IT experts to be in business. They can hire a technical support staff to figure something out for them. However, there is a danger in hiring an IT support staff. Strict clauses in work contracts must be set for protection of your business data. Your IT guy could run off with the technology you paid for, and that will be disastrous.

Businesses don’t need an in-house IT department, they can simply outsource it. A reliable IT solutions company such as our advertiser NY IT Consulting can do the job of keeping the business’ network flowing smoothly.

What else does a non-techie business owner have to do? Read and re-read agreements, including the fine print… or learn IT fast.

Sharing Thoughts and Dreams Online

Diva Blogger — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 19:51:47 +0000

Have you noticed how people blog? Some talk about their varied interests, some talk about their families, and some others talk about the things that drive them to succeed. One thing that’s common among those who chose to share their lives over the net is the willingness to interact with the world. Putting your thoughts out there for all the world to see is therapy to some, including myself.

If you haven’t visited my other (more evil) blog yet, please do so using the link above.

As you can see, I keep a multitude of blogs. Maybe it’s just the way I think, really. If I want to concentrate on something, I have to separate it from other things. The themes and voices of my blogs differ, but those who already know me well could tell that those are all mine. See, a part of me is in every word, every thought, every element of my blogs. All the nuances that make up my online presence represent me, and all the weirdly girly goodness that I am.

If you still don’t have an online presence, build one now. Share your thoughts with the world and let others find you. These are people who are like you yet unique in their own small ways.

For those looking for a nicer name for their free Blog, here’s a good one: diva.thoughts.com. This name could still be available, and you don’t have to pay anything to get it. Thoughts.com is a new blogging platform for those who are like me; blogging enthusiasts who love to type on a keyboard. They were also kind enough to compensate this diva for this mention.

Forgiving Yourself: The Diva’s Creed

Diva Blogger — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 07:34:24 +0000

We have all been burnt before. From the moment we learned how to handle things as kids to the time when we are old enough to know better, we get rubbed the wrong way, maligned and other things that make us feel like we did something wrong. While we find it so easy to say “forgive and forget”, this line is often translated as “forget and never learn”.

We often think of forgiveness as an action related with our external connections without realizing that the same notion applies to ourselves. I, myself, have been in a situation wherein I focused on forgiving others rather than myself first.

One example: I have always disliked how a boyfriend made me look like a fool by cheating on me. Because of this, I felt that I hated him and anything remotely related to him. I have since forgiven him for his transgression but still could not be comfortable talking to him. Now, I realize what was lacking. I have yet to forgive myself for letting him take advantage of my cluelessness.

The Diva’s Creed of Self Forgiveness

Say this to yourself whenever you feel depressed, sad or self pitying. This has always worked for me. This, for me, is the first step to forgiving others:

I (your name) forgive myself for being (insert negative adjectives here, e.g. stupid). I vow to learn from this experience and never let myself feel down for being (insert negative adjective here) again.

Sentimental Diva Accessories: Why a Diamond is Forever

Diva Blogger — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:17:19 +0000

Every lady has a jewelry box. Even the poorest waif will have a little box of her beautiful baubles. It’s a woman’s tiny but significant pleasure to touch, wear and see her treasures every once in a while. My grandmother, the original diva blogger (though she ‘blogged’ through us), gave me some of hers. I asked her how she could part with her jewels, and why she was giving them to me then.

She told me that a piece of jewelry is a gift from people who value a lady’s smile enough to give it. It is a remembrance of a special event or a significant time in her life. By passing the heirlooms to her grandchildren, she ensured that those memories will live on, even when she’s gone. Wordlessly, I accepted her gifts, together with a prayer that she will live long enough to see me pass them on to my offspring. When she died, the heirlooms that she gave me became more valuable as I consider them full of her memories of her mother, and now, full of my memories of her as well.

Passing by a jewelry site is always exciting, but a wee bit nostalgic for me. For all I know, someone might be buying these beautifully intricate diamond stud earrings at this very moment, with an image in his mind of the diva he will give it to. Will she realize just how lovingly he chose those for her among all the carefully showcased beauties?

Some of the diamonds showcased in this site are small enough for younger goddesses to wear. I remember going to a clinic and smiling at the yelling baby girls having their first piercing. Bless you, little diva, was all I can say in my mind. It’s like a diva christening of sorts, a small step to the young one’s womanhood.

I particularly marvel at the December birthstone, blue topaz. Set in white gold, these blue topaz jewelry so aptly reflect the world’s condition during the birth month of the winter-born. Like a clear blue, frozen lake set in winter’s quiet chill.

Here’s a sliver of luck for those in the US who will visit the site. MyJewelryBox.com is raffling off a diamond flower pendant. Lots of diva-kissed luck to you!

Costumes and Comics: A Diva’s Take

Diva Blogger — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 14:54:36 +0000

Young divas have been choosing role models from books and fairy tales to dress up as during parties. For unknown reasons, I and some of my playmates then could relate more to the ethereal beings than actual people. We called ourselves fairy princesses, and I think this hasn’t changed much.

When I started reading however, I met some of the most powerful goddesses in the literary world. These women didn’t live in storybooks but in comic books. One goddess in particular is named Diana.

She was a descendant of a woman whose soul was intercepted by the Goddess Gaea at death. An army of female souls soon were reincarnated as the race of the Amazons. Powerful women with illustrious powers. Diana was a former Princess of the Amazons and Goddess of Truth among her people. Her life changed somewhat when she joined the Justice League, but she is by no means less powerful than she was before.

She is more commonly known as Wonder Woman, the lasso wielding savior and my earliest paradigm of an Alpha female.

Nowadays, when I see kids wearing halloween costumes, I smile and reminisce about how meaningful my costume plays were for me. Donning costumes of celebrities and heroes makes a childhood more memorable. Kudos to the parents who let their kids live out their fantasies of heroism through cosplays.

Boys love to wear Iron Man and Batman, and those characters too have special meanings to me. My knowledge of the stories behind these comic book characters could be more extensive than some, but one thing is for sure, those of us who still remember being kids will always think of these dress up memories as we grow older.

You should have seen the way I wielded that golden lasso (rope painted with gold poster paint).