What's Your Inner Voice Saying?

So have you noticed that over the last ten or so years there's been a real explosion about "what you think about you bring about?" For me, I started hearing about thoughts being powerful when The Secret came out.  

It really got me thinking about my life and my thoughts, and how my thoughts were things, and how I am where I am because of the thoughts I have etc...  Some would say bulls%&t!! Others would say it's revolutionized them. I say, proof is in the pudding. I look at people I admire and I've studied their lives a bit. I mean, if you want to be successful, do what successful people do right? So I look at people like Oprah, Bill Gates, Martin Luther King Jr., Michelle Obama, Will Smith, Jim Carrey, my parents, my favorite teacher, Denise Pelley and the list goes on and on.  

The common theme - IF YOU BELIEVE YOU CAN DO SOMETHING, THEN YOU CAN.  Another common theme was that they all believed in a higher power. I say the higher power is God, others may say Buddha - whatever you believe is ultimately your truth.  

The journey we go on to find "the truth" or "the meaning" of life, well, it's really what you believe it to be. If you believe life is hard and it sucks, well, you're damn right, that's your truth. And you will find that life is hard and it sucks. If you believe that life is full of opportunities and if you work hard you will succeed, then that is ultimately your truth and that's what your experience will be.   What you believe will be YOUR reality.

What I have found with any person I consider to be successful is that not only do they believe in themselves, they believe/have faith in others and want to see better for others. That's what drives them. ALSO their work ethic supercedes the norm. The whole work smarter not harder - well, who do you know that is super successful and did not go through a period of having to work their butt off? I'm not saying you have to work 18 hour days, but you do have to work and you have to work hard and you have to work smart. So the winning formula from where I sit is 

Belief  + Work + Desire for betterment of others = Success.

This is my opinion. You don't have to agree, but try it and see what happens. Oh, and you know that inner voice that we all have? Train it to tell you good things. Shut it up when it is being negative. Don't feed it garbage. Listen to positive and motivational messages. Surround yourself with positive and uplifting people (so important), and please know, that failure is only a failure if you let it be one. Turn it into an opportunity. Learn from mistakes and ENJOY THE JOURNEY.

YOU can do whatever you tell yourself you can do. I so believe that and I believe in you. You can do this!!!!!!

Yours in Beauty,

Pink Ink

Denise Pelley - A Gem

Did you know that Denise Pelley was one of the three phenomenal guest judges that chose our winners of the Face Of Pink Ink contest? Why were we so excited? Ummmm, did I mention the guest judge was DENISE PELLEY!!! 

Denise is a remarkable woman. Throughout her career, she has performed with orchestras as far afield as Portugal and Germany. She became a focus for jazz lovers in Canada after her debut Jazz CD "Trust the Moment". Denise has appeared on CTV's Canada AM, her music has been heard on CBC, and she has performed with great artists including trombonist, Ray Anderson, Gospel/Blues legend, Jackie Richardson, and Flamenco guitarist, Jesse Cook. Denise has also opened for Aretha Franklin at the John Labatt Centre here in London, Ontario.

Denise's accolades are many. She's performed for sold out audiences all over North America and was premiered in the one and only Lady O's magazine - that's Oprah for those who didn't catch that!!!!

A project near and dear to Denise's heart is the Canadian Aide for Southern Sudan (CASS), a nongovernmental organization that raises funds to help the people of South Sudan. Volunteers visit annually with part of the mission being to deliver a music and art camp for the children. Denise is proudly one of CASS' volunteers and has helped share her love of music with hundreds of children.  

Thank you for sharing your time with us Denise. Thank you for helping to enrich the lives of three beautiful women. Thank you for being you. You are a treasure.

Yours in Beauty,

Pink Ink

The 2014-2015 Faces of Pink Ink

What a whirlwind of a summer.  We had a fantastic time with FOUR Face of Pink Ink photoshoots this year.  We have to thank all of you for helping to choose the three women who will represent Pink Ink as well as our sponsors for helping to provide the ladies with an experience they will not soon forget.  We are so excited for them AND for us.  We have a social worker, teacher and business entrepreneur!  They are diverse, beautiful and we are honored to have them.  They will each be featured on our blog in the month of November.  However, we're going to share their pic and their definition of beauty with you right here.  

Thank you to our judges - Denise Pelley, Michelle De Corneille Sullivan and Carmina de Young our guest judges for helping make this difficult decision.  

Denise Pelley

Michelle De Corneille Sullivan

Carmina de Young

As well, we thank our 2013-2014 Faces of Pink Ink for helping to make this decision - your input was phenomenal!  

So, the Pink Ink family grew by three last night.  

Welcome Shaunacey, Mary-Ann and Kathleen!!  

It's going to be a 

FANTABULOUS year!!

Kathleen Mundy

When I think of beauty I think of the glow from confidence.  As women, we often shame ourselves into believing we aren't good enough or tall enough or pretty enough or young enough...but what I've learned in my 63 years is that when we have confidence we are all of these things and more.  Confidence, no matter the source, can help us walk taller, speak first when meeting people and take the first step into a world of future possibilities.  I gain confidence from all things feminine, not frilly.  I love beautiful make-up, shiny hair, a crisp white blouse and a great pair of stilettos.  These outward traits of societal beauty help us blossom to the point of seeing the true beauty of a soft smile, a kind word or a helping hand.  Beauty is knowing you are loved and honored for what you give to the world.  True beauty is the gift of experiencing joy as we pay it forward to the next heart.

 Gold Sponsor:  ENJO with Lynn Grushka:  https://www.facebook.com/lynngrushkaenjopage

Mary-Ann Fougere

 Beauty is not just the outside, but the inside.  Being kind, generous, friendly and a good person makes you a beautiful person.  I believe when your inner beauty is in place, you exude outer beauty.

Gold Sponsor:  ENJO with Lynn Grushka:  https://www.facebook.com/lynngrushkaenjopage

Shaunacey Bonneville

I have struggled with confidence because I mistakenly associated beauty with looking a certain way.  I finally became more confident when I started to realize we all have the capacity to be truly beautiful and appearance has little to do with it.  It’s about knowing, accepting and loving yourself.  It’s about being brave, confident and standing up for what you believe in.  It’s being able to laugh, even in the hard times.  The most beautiful people I know not only love themselves, but truly care about others and work very hard to fight against injustice and oppression and do it all with a genuine smile on their face.

Gold Sponsor:  ENJO with Lynn Grushka:  https://www.facebook.com/lynngrushkaenjopage

Last year's winners

JESSIE!!!

Beauty is what you want to make it. 

Beauty is an opportunity to feel strong, confident and radiant

SARA!!

Beauty is held within the individual. If I look great or amazing on the outside it compliments my beauty within and I feel amazing and empowered. To me beauty = empowerment!

ROSALIE!!

Beauty means loving the inner you

Announcements for next year's FOPI contest will be coming in the next few weeks.  

Will you be the 2015-2016 Face of Pink Ink?