Archive for the Women Playing Big

If you aren’t sure you really know who she is, Lady Gaga that is, here are some of the astounding work stats that will help explain this singer and her recent rise to fame:

• In 18 months she sold 8 millions disks
• She is the only music star to have 4 number one hits come from a single CD or album
• Her debut album, The Fame, earned her 6 Grammy Awards

Oh, and by the way, she is not yet 24.

On the growing up side of life she began playing piano by ear at age 4 and is classically trained in music and the liberal arts. She loves her parents and works hard at “keeping my dream alive and making sure I live my dream through my work” she told Oprah the other day.

So what can we learn from this youngster who wears outrageous costumes both on stage and off? Let me quote another bit of her philosophy as told to Oprah on the Oprah show on Friday. Oprah asked her what her philosophy was, what she wanted people to understand about her, and this is how she answered.

“I want them to free themselves, and I want them to be proud of who they are and celebrate all the things they don’t like about themselves.”

You may think that this is pretty typical stuff from a 20-something who is making a living in ridiculous outfits with not a care in the world for the future. I heard something much different.

In fact she said what I haven’t yet said to the women I speak to, and write to. Classes in weight loss, healthy eating, how to live a vibrant life into old age–those are the surface messages and very important don’t get me wrong. But when I’m stumped to say what I really do, it’s because what I really want to do is free women from the bondage of how they see themselves. I mean see literally and figuratively. We look with critical eyes and find we are not smart enough, young enough, rich enough, brave enough–what else? The list could go on and on.

What I want to say right here and now,in keeping with my new Year’s goal to be authentic and get out of my comfort zone is, thank you Gaga for reminding me of the important message that so many women around the world need–love all of you, get over what’s not, in your eyes, perfect or worse, that you think of as unacceptable. Be proud of who you are regardless of age, shape, gender, persuasion, career, work, kids/no kids, spouse/no spouse. Did I mention age?

Her commitment to live her dream, to ensure that she gets to live it via her shows, her costumes and friends should also be noted. 18 months of following her dream, having the support of people who believed in her and shutting her ears to those who said she was nuts, allows her to live and refine her dream day to day.

What would that feel like–even on a small scale? You may not want to trot around on stage half naked (one reporter commented that she has a hard time remembering to wear a top and a bottom at the same time) with crazy wigs and lots of makeup. You may simply want to take electric guitar lessons, or carve out time to swim, or write. Or, you may have those stage dreams. If any of your yet unattempted dreams are important to you I’ve got a hunch you’ve got to go Gaga in the “free yourself and love yourself” categories before you’ll make those things a priority.

Oprah paraphrased, “The message of Gaga is to be who you are.” Is there a better time than midlife to start?

We all want to look our best right? And economic slow down or not we don’t want to pay more than we have to for the lotions and potions that promise us radiance. If you don’t know Paula Begoun it’s high time you met her. She is a former make up artist with problem skin. After years of learning insider secrets on the marketing message vs what’s truly possible for a product to accomplish–and how much it Should cost–she decided to immerse herself in the truth and do a little truth telling.

Her alter ego is The Cosmetics Cop and her message is this: Lots of expensive skin and hair care products are over priced and there are excellent alternatives. She is the author and publisher of seven best-selling books on the beauty industry, including 

Not only does she have her own line of cosmetics which are super reasonable and full of all the good stuff for skin health. If skin is being treated well it looks better right? Every page of Paula’s extensive line of skin and hair care products is full of testimonials, praise, and thanks. 

I have to add that she is a big supporter of the cosmetics industry for all they do right. She only wants the hype and false hope sold by the marketing departments to be brought to light.

Paula reviews other brands and gives you the honest low down on price vs. ingredients and results right at her website. To have access to the most product info there is  Beautypedia.

This is a membership program which gives you access to Paula’s database of thousands of product reviews. She includes boutique lines to the biggest international companies and plainly tells you which  are good, bad, great, and worth it or not. 

Take a look at some of her videos , her skin, once red and irritated from acne treatments and skin care products is flawlessly beautiful. Does she look like a midlife woman? Absolutely, but one whose skin is cared for and radiant.

If you know and love Paula leave a comment so the newly initiated can hear what you have to say. Hats off to her for taking on the over priced, over hyped world of products we love.

That term, “fat runner” is the author’s by the way, not mine. No one is more critical and willing to call us names than we are. The woman in questions has an essay that appears in this weeks Newsweek  magazine. Her name is Jennifer Graham and the title of her piece is “Confessions of a Fat Runner.”

If you have the time and are someone who works out for reasons other than being thin or you don’t work out because you feel self conscious about how you look, I suggest you read it. She’s a good writer and funny but her point is what is important.

Jennifer describes her body like this: “Most runners are ectomorphs: emaciated and square-jawed. Me, I’m an endomorph, possessed of a soft and thick body that looks as if it was stuffed to order at Build-A-Bear,,  not sculpted at an L.A. sports club. I look so unlike a runner that, when I first started jogging, passing motorists would pull over and ask if I needed a ride.”

But she says that once she is running she ceases to care what anybody thinks and this is the beauty of running–and I’ll add exercising period. 

And the benefit to your heart, lungs, muscles, brain, and the rest of your body is measurably positive.

If, like Jennifer, you realize that “Solidly into middle age, I am more ham than hamstring.” sit not at home upon your throne lamenting how you will look in exercise gear. Do whatever it takes to find comfortable gear, get some music, and treat yourself to the experience of breathing with a vengeance.

Oh and here is a tip from Jennifer for those of you just getting started:  ”try not to run at midday, when the sun is high. Mercilessly, it goes before you and adds 20 pounds to your shadow.

The spirit cries “gazelle.” The shadow yells “walrus.”

One last thing, Jennifer is not under  the misconception that her size 14 self will somehow magically transform into the gazelle she feels like because she runs 10 miles per week. She admits that she eats too much ice cream but is unwilling to give it up. Right on woman, thanks for the example of knowing how to enjoy life and be healthy too!

I’m talking Emma Thompson here. There is something about her, real-ness, maybe, that I am drawn to. Of course anything I’m drawn to is the snippets I see or read about when she is not being a character in a movie. Somehow she comes across as a woman of substance, warm, vulnerable.

If you want to hear a bit about Emma and being 50 from the babe herself, head over to MidlifeBlogger and read Emma’s first ever blog post.

She’s funny and insists that her muffin top is more like a desk top. Honest, one of us, readable, watchable. I’m not a stalker really.

Have a read. It’s short. Let me know what you think.

Personally I’m hoping for more from her.