ATTENTION! This Blog has moved!

Hi All,

I have moved my blog's location due to a website makeover that it is getting! There are many NEW posts over there! If you are currently following me HERE, please come visit me over THERE!

Here is the link: CLICK HERE

I look forward to hearing from you over there! Have a GREAT day!

Thanks for understanding,
DeAnna Lynn Englezos

Tis' the season. Tips for keeping your stress level and wallet under wraps this holiday season!

It’s that time of year again. The roads are packed with busy shoppers, your wallet is feeling the financial strain, and you’re probably feeling stress from holiday plans, the economy, your never-ending holiday list, etc. It’s pretty inevitable that the busy-ness from the holiday season can cause you feeling burnt out, overwhelmed and heck, may just take the fun out of this “joyous” time.


Well, it doesn’t have to.


I am here to tell you that there is something EASY that you can do TODAY that will dramatically affect your stress-level, happiness and even your wallet. Here it is:


RESPOND vs. REACT.


You cannot control other people, their mood, their weather, accidents/holdups, etc. But the GOOD NEWS is, you CAN control YOU and YOUR mood. Here are some quick tips for avoiding the inevitable high-impact of the holidays to keep your temper cool and your heart warm.


1. When in traffic, crank up your favorite tune and/or an interesting audio book. Don’t think of it as time wasted; think of it as precious time that you are spending with yourself.


2. Practice a few moments of deep breathing in the morning, afternoon, and in the evening. Oxygen to yours cells is nature’s GREAT de-stressor!


3. Do a random act of kindness and change your karma for the day.


4. Smile more. Read More: Christmas in July


5. Instead of breaking the bank for fancy holiday gifts, think of what the most precious gift you can give some is….hint…it involved spending time and doing quality things together. This year, instead of our usually holiday grab bag, some of my girl friends and I are doing dinner together and spending an evening catching up and with each other. We are all so fortunate to have material luxuries in our life, that spending time together is more valuable than a small grab bag gift, and your wallet with THANK you.


6. Practice your daily gratitude reminder. Here’s a small tip. Get yourself a small post-it pad. Each morning when you begin your day, write down something you are grateful for, as meaningful or material as you would like (no one will judge you!) . When you are feeling extra holiday stress throughout the day, re-read your daily gratitude post-it and take in the feelings of gratitude and let it works its magic. Read more about gratitude here: Christmas in July , Navigate Thru Life's Inevitable Roadblocks, Daily Gratitude Reminder, and Give Great Thanks to Attract More!


7. What are your favorite tips and tricks? Share them in comments below!

Tis’ the season! Many blessings, Cheers!

The Forgiveness Challenge

When was the last time you truly forgave yourself or others for something that has happened in the past?

Did you know….that by not forgiving yourself or others for past mistakes, wrongdoings, or anything that may bring unpleasant thoughts to your life when you think about it…you are actually holding yourself back from moving forward and living to your FULL potential. It’s true.

Anything that brings up an uncomfortable feeling in your stomach (and heart) when you think about it, is something that you are knowingly letting yourself tolerate. This “toleration” so to speak, is filling the space in your mind, body and heart at this very moment (even if it is not in the forefront, it’s there). And, you know as well as I do, that two things cannot occupy the same space at the same time. So, by not forgiving yourself and others for the things that have happened in the past, you are actually keeping them in place and blocking other, better and greater, things from coming into your life. You are in control of these exchanges of space and it can start now.

The reason I am talking to you about forgiveness is because it is a truly powerful phenomenon what will happen when you consciously take the time to forgive YOURSELF (super important!) and others for what has happened in the past. Realize that WHATEVER it is, how big or small, relevant or irrelevant, if you are holding a grudge and judgment those are the things that are filling the “space” within you. Therefore, you are subconscious radiating “grudge”, “negative” and “judgments” and naturally repelling “love”, “happiness,” “fortune” and “success.” My wish for you is…exactly the opposite.

Thanksgiving is around the corner (a time for giving GREAT thanks)….just a few days away. But first, you must FORGIVE. For the next 3 days, I challenge you to think of anything that you haven’t truly forgiven and let go of. First and foremost, forgive yourself for not being perfect and accept that you will do your best moving forward and that you are GREAT just the way you are, past mistakes and all. Notice what happens internally and externally when you truly let go of the negative…forgive...and move on.

Look through the lens that “the world is inherently good,” and repeat the mantra that “everyone is doing the best that they can with what they are given.” Repeat this phrase without judgment while consciously freeing yourself of things that have happened in the past, to yourself and others.

Forgiveness is an incredibly powerful experience that's benefits are limitless. Please feel free to share your experiences with forgiveness below; we are able to grow by connecting with and inspiring others. Cheers!

"The Latte Effect" Learn To Harness Your Wealthy Attitude for More Abundance and Financial Freedom Today!

October is my self-declared month of “money.” A few months ago I started thinking about making a cross country move (most of you know how much I travel to, and would love to live in, California). So, as of late, I’ve been doing a 360 analysis of my finances, this includes: a cash flow analysis, my personal budget, and most importantly, my mental “relationship” with money and abundance. I truly believe in taking a holistic approach to money just as you would your mind, body and soul. With the holidays just a few months away, and a potential move on the horizon, it’s time to take charge and save myself the financial stress and angst later on!

A Wealthy Attitude Starts with YOU:

I am a true believer that one of the secrets to wealth starts with having healthy attitudes towards money, attracting abundance and feeling good about your self worth (in terms of numbers). For example, when I work with small business owners and entrepreneurs, a lot of times they struggle to come up with fair prices for their products and services. Well, it all starts with how much you believe you are worth. And, I believe you are worth a heck of A LOT. If you believe in yourself, you increase your self worth. With a high self worth, you will attract more money and abundance. The law of attraction is as simple as that.

The Latte Effect…What would you do with an extra $600 a year??:

Since October first I have been calculating my cash flow and spending habits. I am an extremely visual learning, so I’ve created a chart to keep me on track. In an excel spreadsheet I have created a column for my income, bills, expenses, due dates, money spent and received. It is truly amazing how when you ask yourself “Do I really need this?” before making an impulse purchase, the chances are you don’t. And, therefore, you don’t need to be flushing money down the toilet.

For today on, I am challenging you to take a hold of your financial habits, and to hone in on your unhealthy habits, like “the latte effect.” Let’s say you buy a Latte 3 times per week, at approximately $4 a pop. That’s almost $50 a month JUST ON COFFEE! That’s $600 a YEAR! Would you pass up $600 on the street, or intentionally flush $600 down the toilet? I’m not saying that you can’t drink lattes; I myself LOVE a good vanilla latte once in a while. The point is = I am asking you to TAKE NOTICE of how quickly that $4 flies out of your wallet. I bet you aren’t thinking about how much $$ those warm beverages add up to, and what you could be buying with that extra cash. Examine your other quick-fix spending habits; identify the other “latte-like” things in your life.

Wealthy People Live Within Their Means:

In addition, last night, my Financial Advisor friend told me to STOP USING CREDIT CARDS ALTOGETHER. He said DO NOT SPEND MONEY YOU DO NOT HAVE, right now! And, it makes so much sense. A wealthy person is one who lives within their means. Stop focusing on making more money, and start examine what you do with the money you have. Of course, you will always have opportunities to make more money, but that is NOT the solution, that is the added bonus. More often than not if you develop a healthy foundation for money, set up a plan to save and get-out-of-debt, and start to live within your means, you WILL become wealthy. This is not easier said than done, you just need to attend to developing new healthier financial habits! Financial freedom = a less stressful, more enjoyable lifestyle!

Stop Giving in to Fancy Advertisements…You KNOW what You NEED!

Looking at my finances from the birds eye view has been a very empowering experience, in some way LIFE CHANGING. The most important thing that I’ve learned is that the credit card companies, banks and fancy advertisements WILL NOT dictate how or why I spend my money. I will make healthy financial choices that are good for me, and great for my wallet. Remember, you always have a choice.

Maybe the next time you’ll rethink how badly you “need” that latte?

A Positive and Proactive Approach to “The Job Search” (and Conversation)

I think I can speak for most of us when I say that everyone knows someone who is job searching, looking to switch careers or unsatisfied with their current position. It seems to be a common theme among close friends and family members of mine. These people, whom I love, often come to me for a positive outlook, career advice, life skills advice or simply a creative career brainstorm. Each person has a different situation and approach but similar underlying feelings, fears and stress. With all of the negativity in the news, and conversations that are fueled by unhappy coworkers and friends, it’s easy to get bogged down, discouraged, and overwhelmed. I am here to share some simple tips on how to reduce worry and stress related to “the career conversation,” and become more clear and informed in order to ease and actually enjoy the decision-making process.

It all begins with a positive and proactive approach (two of my all time favorite words!).

First off, you MUST eliminate toxic language from your vocabulary TODAY. This means, no more complaining, gossiping or criticizing. For more on this tip, read my previous post on “A Complaint Free World.” This major shift in your thoughts and language is STEP 1 to your new “positive approach”. I also suggest taking this a step further, and distancing yourself from negative news, TV programs, articles, and people for that matter. You may only focus on gravitating towards positive, optimistic and peaceful things. This will make you THAT MUCH MORE attractive to the world, a potential employer, and your perfect job. Don’t underestimate the “law of attraction” and the power of the universe when it comes to careers.

Now it’s time to take the “proactive approach” and develop your strategy. Most of the time, our worries and fears are just the symptoms of not having enough information. Knowledge is power and can put us at ease with feelings associated with the "unknown." For example, if you know you want to move but have no information on where to go, potential jobs, how much it will cost, etc...Simply the lack of info alone can add large amounts of stress, worry and fear. As opposed to you seeking out the information on potential options, and remembering that you always have a choice (Click here to read more about Choices). In this case, you will be able to make a clearer and informed decision, thus, the stress and worry related with the "unknowns of the future" will dissipate. Once the "weight" surrounding the issue is lifted, you are able to see your wants and needs more clearly and ease the decision-making process altogether.

What does this mean in practical terms?

Out of curiosity, today I took a career test associated with the Meyer's Brigg Personality test. It's quick, and once it's scored you can take a look at possible careers that are most fit for you, based on elements of your personality, as well as likes/dislikes regarding social settings, work ethic, preferred methods of communication and work environment. Turns out, I am an ENFJ. With my results, I was able to get a descriptive overview on my best work-style, possible career options, my personality type, etc. It was GREAT to have a personalized explanation as well as a long list of possible career options.

To take your own career test now, click here.
To see my results as an ENFJ, click here.

Remember to stay positive and proactive in your career-hunting approach. Whatever yours current situation entails, the best way to truck on successfully is to create a strategy, lay out your options, stay positive and well-informed, and then act with intention!

Feel free to leave your comments, specific questions, or experiences below! I am happy to share more individual insights with you! Be well, cheers!

Can you go 21 days without a complaint?!?

The October edition of “The Feel Better Letter” (the newsletter at The Center for Self Growth) is intended to guide you into consciously changing your thoughts, language and communication to reflect more positive and intentional speak, actions and habits that will work for you, and not against you. (Click Here to sign up to receive a free monthly subscription to The Feel Better Letter or visit The CSG Blog).

This month, Beth (at The Center for Self Growth) and I were inspired by a non-profit organization called “A Complaint Free World.” This organization is dedicated to providing purple bracelets (similar to the “Live Strong” yellow bracelets), to symbolize the elimination of toxic communication in order to inspire positive change, hope and optimism.

Maya Angelou writes: "If you don't like something change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain.”

It is proven that it takes 21 days to create a new habit. A Complaint Free World is challenging us to go 21 days without a complaint. The purple bracelets are meant to be a daily reminder of your commitment to the challenge. You start with the purple bracelet on one wrist and when you complain, criticize or gossip you switch it to the other wrist. The challenge is to go 21 days with the bracelet on the same wrist. Therefore, altering the way you think, speak and act for the better.

So, it may take a lot more than 21 days to create this habit. Give yourself a break and be gentle with yourself throughout the process. Give yourself credit for trying and when you complete the 21 days without a complaint you will feel happier, more joyful and that life is gliding along more gracefully. Involve others in the process by sharing your experience and including them as well.

One of my all time favorite quotes is “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” (Gandhi) Let the purple bracelet inspire yourself and others to be the change.

The first day of each new month presents us with a perfectly fresh moment in time to create new goals, change our habits and implement change in our lives. Simple conscious shifts in our thinking, speaking and acting can have a monumental affect on our overall health and happiness. The cycle that takes place when our subconscious thoughts are brought to our consciousness, allows us to intentionally shift how we think, feel and act. Therefore, each of us is in control of our positive and negative thoughts and habits.

Today is October 1^st….day ONE. Join us in our attempt to make October 2009 a Complaint Free month. Share your thoughts and experiences below! Together we can be the change!

Using the Power of the Seasons to Inspire Positive Changes

If you live in the Northeast, you are accustomed to natural weather changes roughly four times a year. The seasons. I say "roughly" because as of late, we've had rainy days in summer, and sunny days in the Spring, what Autumn will bring, we are not sure yet. Either way, I would like to discuss the special power that Mother Nature can hold that can directly affect your mood, productivity, goals and your life.


If you are anything like me, when a change of season is about to occur I start mentally preparing for it. Since I am a natural sun worshiping summer baby, I used to only get excited and inspired by the first signs of Spring, Sun and Summer. I had put this fictional stigma over the cold months, in Fall and Winter, and thought of them as "not as good" as the warm months. However, I would see a dramatic dip in my positive mental state, productivity, overall happiness and quality of life. I was literally wasting half of the year.


But, there's good news. It's ALL in your head.


I am hear to tell you that you can "use the power of the change of season to inspire positive changes," in your life and business. It's ALL in your head. Every morning presents you with a fresh start to consciously change your thoughts and actions. Today, I grant you access to the power of your natural environment. Harness its power and let these changes take their course to help inspire positive changes in your life and business.

The first step is to acknowledge the changes that have occurred outside.

What do they feel like? Smell like?

What do they inspire?

What do they remind you of?

DRAW PARALLELS into your own life, and don't take them lightly (not matter how silly of trivial they may feel at first). Let them inspire you; the rest will unfold on its own.

Share your thoughts and experiences below! Cheers!

xo, DeAnna Lynn Englezos

Getting Back in the Swing of Things

Creating Healthy Habits for Fall after a Summer off Your Routine

This summer I was surrounded by endless amounts of company, barbecues, beach days, lazy mornings, sunset-watching, bike-riding, late nights with friends and wine, celebrations and more! It was truly a fantastic summer that I feel very blessed to have had. The memories made from this summer will truly help keep me positive as the weather starts to turn a little colder.

However, in all of the summer’s fun times, I definitely let my routine slip. I’ll admit it…I didn’t go to the gym as often as I would have liked. Some days I chose to roast marshmallows into S’mores (my favorite summer treat) instead of reaching for a healthy snack. And, there were definitely nights I stayed up too late, and morning I slept in too long. But, with all of that said, I am ready to get back into the swing of my routine, and create some healthy habits for fall that will help catapult my personal, professional, spiritual and financial goals to skyrocket levels this season.

If you are anything like me, growing up in New York, you let the four seasons symbolize quarterly benchmarks that naturally keep you in line and on track. With that said, farewell to Sweet Summer and Welcome Fall.

Use this simple exercise below to help you THRIVE in changing times and STAY ON TRACK with your goals for lasting, outstanding success this season!

1. SET A GOAL: Identify your main goal by answering a few simple questions.
1. What do you want more of in your life? (time, energy, money, health, fun, free time, etc.)
2. What do you want less of? (stress, negativity, fatigue, etc)
3. How do you want to feel on a daily basis? (energized, happy, fulfilled, joyful, positive, productive, etc)
2. FOCUS. Streamline your thoughts and decide how you will focus your time and energy.
3. TAKE ACTION. Identify ONE action that you will take immediately and ONE action that you will take daily towards reaching your goal. For maximum success, identify ONE action that you engage in right now that can potentially hinder your success. Focus your time and energy on the positive daily actions and thoughts to combat potential negative ones.
4. TRACK. Decide how you will track your success while you are staying on track and achieving your goals. Some people like to write it down in a small journal. If you work best on a deadline, it sometimes works well to set a date. You decide what will work best for you.
5. ACCESS and ADJUST. How will you know when you have met your goal? What will it look like? What will it feel like? What will your day entail? What daily, weekly, lifestyle changes have you made? How will you make sure your healthy habits stick?

Remember that reaching your goals is about THE PROCESS: taking stock of where you are in life, identifying simple daily actions and small changes, taking action and holding yourself accountable, and then accessing your progress/success and celebrating YOU!

xo, DeAnna Lynn Englezos

Travel like a Pro!

“Help keep your mind, body, and budget on track with some of my FAVORITE travel tips!”

As many of you who follow me on Twitter (DeeLynn), read my blog, check my Facebook status, or are close personal friends and family, know that this summer has been quite the summer for traveling. I have been so blessed to be able to travel from Los Angeles, to Manhattan, to Roxbury, to the Hamptons, to Rhode Island, to the Bahamas, to the New Jersey Shore, and now to San Diego. I have always been one for traveling; however I am definitely one for traveling in style and comfort! I love to make my travel experience as affordable, comfortable, and enjoyable as possible while maximizing my time learning about and visiting my travel destination.

Here are some of my favorite travel tips for making your entire travel experience a GREAT one! Whether you’re taking a day trip, long week, or lengthy vacation, let me share some of the most helpful travel tips I’ve learned along the way to help you stay on track with your health goals, your financial goals, all while having a memorable, fun vacation.

• Join the rewards programs (but read the fine print first!): become a member of your favorite airlines frequent flier program- sometimes includes a credit card: gain points towards travel while you shop!

• Do some research: a few days before your trip peruse the website of the city you’re visiting. For example, Google "visiting San Diego” to look up local restaurant, attractions, must-sees and events. Also Google “travel discounts and coupons" for your destination for great deals on food, shows and rentals!

• Call the hotel: ask about rewards programs, hotel amenities, upgrades, wireless Internet, included breakfast or happy hour deals, free events and extras. For example, when you join the Kimpton Intouch program you qualify for free in room wireless Internet access. If you are not a member of this free service you will be charged an additional $10.99 a day for Internet.

• On day of travel, load up on vitamin c and make sure you are well hydrated. This will build up your immune system to help your body ward off germs from being in close quarters with other travelers.

• My travel day must-haves: a good book, notepad/pen, iPod, spearmint gum, a travel toothbrush/toothpaste, 3 oz hand lotion, healthy plane snacks such as fruit , dried fruit, raw almonds, unsalted cashews, air popped popcorn lightly salted, plenty of water! There's no need to break your healthy routine just because of a travel day ;) empower yourself and others and stay on track! *Think of what will make you the most comfortable, nourished and entertained on a travel day, pack in a small carry-on the day before your trip*

• Let the locals be your guide! Ask friendly natives for the best in cuisine, entertainment, activities and nightlife. They usually know all of the cities best kept secrets!

• Most importantly, be flexible and go with the flow. Remember what you’re goals are (usually fun, relaxation, educational) and focus on enjoying yourself and the process, even if that happens to include a delay or two ;)

Bon Voyage! Don't forget to send me a postcard!

Got a GREAT travel tip to share? Post a comment below. We'd LOVE to hear from you!

xo, DeAnna Lynn Englezos

Christmas in July!

Today, I’d like to spread some good cheer.

Lately I’ve been thinking about topics of conversation, and what areas of people’s lives they chose to share when talking to old friends, new friends, in passing and in sessions. In addition to how all of this relates to your own self-concept, self-care and overall happiness.

Sometimes I notice that in our society, people are trained to only highlight the negative things that are going on in their lives and the world around us. This cycle of negativity keeps getting passed on and therefore continues to live on. One person spreads some bad news in the office, and then there it goes like wild fire, the negativity train passes straight through and nearly picks up everyone on its path. Can you imagine if this kind of attitude was alive during the holidays? It simply would not fly! And shouldn’t for any other time of year either.

Don’t get me wrong, from time-to-time we are all entitled to have a crappy day, and from time-to-time life will takes its natural course and work (with what feels like) against us. But for the most part, our society is not accustomed to highlighting the positives. And I, my friend, would like to see this take a turn for the better.

Here’s a small daily exercise for you to try today to increase positivity, motivation and overall happiness. If you are already doing some sort of gratitude exercise, like I’ve mentioned in Give GREAT thanks to attract MORE into your life and My Daily Gratitude Reminder , then this may be an easy addition. Here it goes:

1. Take a deep breath, close your eyes, and do a quick scan over your body, work, relationships, home life, personal goals, etc.
2. Ask yourself: What stands out to you? What is exciting today? What is a new accomplishment? A goal reached? A positive action taken? Etc.
3. Remember that in this exercise no matter how small or large the “positive” in your life seems, in terms of this exercise and this day, it is significant.
4. Write down the “positive” on a post-it or index card and stick it in plain sight for today.
5. This is your conversation starter, your positive mantra, and your “feel good” thought for the day.

Now that you have done this for yourself, the key is to take this feeling and this "positivity" and translate it into your environment, work, relationships, personal well-being for today and the next day. Start the positive chain reaction today, spread some good cheer of your own, wear it with pride, and inspire others to do the same.

Who says you can’t celebrate Christmas in July? ;)

I welcome you to start small and start right now, leave a post with your "positive" for the day, share it with this community and inspire others to do the same! Cheers!

xo, DeAnna Lynn Englezos