College Lifestyles Interviews Bestselling Author, Sonia Choquette

 

Chicken soup may feed an aching soul, but reading one of Sonia Choquette’s books will heal your spirit for good. Choquette, acclaimed internationally for her guidance, wisdom, and spiritual knowledge, continuously expresses her message for happy living: learn to trust your instincts and let your spirit do the talking. Her books are incomparable to any other Self-Help reads and after an interview with the author, you’ll want to find out why. Read on for answers to your heartbreak questions and to see how Choquette feels about life as a bestselling author.

College Lifestyles: Upon finishing your book—one of my personal favorites and New York Times Bestseller—Trust Your Vibes, I now use the phrase “trust your vibes” daily as a motto to help myself and the people around me make decisions. In 10 words or less, how would you describe what trusting your vibes is like?

Sonia Choquette: Moving your attention from your brain to your heart.

CL: All of your books are chock full of inspiration and words of encouragement. What’s your secret to staying so positive?

SC: One of the things that I know is especially true in the college world is that a lot of young people have not been shown how to really check in with their vibes, how to really reflect on their most authentic feelings. They are not given any encouragement to listen and trust their intuition. I have a four step process that can correct that quickly:

• Be open to your vibes and trust your vibes as your creative, reliable source. Be open to the questions: What does my heart say? and what does my spirit say? Ask yourself (aloud, in the shower, or while walking across campus), what does my spirit think?
• You will get what you expect! Expect that you have a beautiful spirit that will guide you. Use that intuition.
• Speak your vibes out loud whenever you can. There’s something very healing about hearing how you feel. When you’re in your head, you may say that’s not it, that doesn’t feel right… But when you speak, it’s a truth that will calm you.
• Start having the courage to act on your intuition. Maybe you shouldn’t trust this person, maybe you should ask a teacher that question…Take one small risk a day—even in the smallest of ways—to give your intuition the choice.

CL: You are praised around the world for your incredible ability to heal, teach, and guide others. How should a co-ed who’s losing her happiness and focus regain these things and more?

SC: Those who trust their vibes are creators, innovators, starting new businesses, are non-conformists—they are having gorgeous experiences! It’s only the followers who are going to be in trouble. When you lead with your instincts, you catch the flow. Pretty soon, life is not an uphill struggle. It gets more and more expansive; you attract more and more good things.

When you trust your vibes, you learn to lead instead of be a follower. Old rules say to follow and someone will lead you. In trusting your vibes, you learn to lead and create your life rather than seek someone who will help you down the line.

CL: Confidence is something that many find difficult to maintain due to media pollution and societal expectations. Here at College Lifestyles, we are tackling this issue through our Beauty By Confidence and Text Sweet Messages campaigns. But how can listening to one’s gut instincts help to boost their confidence?

SC: You can only have confidence in what is true. When you listen to your heart, your heart will give you the truth. When you look in the mirror, look for the light and spirit in your eyes and say what you know is good and true about yourself. That’s how you build confidence!

Look into your eyes for your spirit—the energy that makes you alive—and say something out loud about you that’s positive. Still looking into your eyes, follow it up with the question: Is that true? I’m a leader, I’m a teacher, I’m a kind person, a good listener… Every day for 30 days, say one good thing about yourself and you’ll have more confidence.

CL: How can a heartbroken, classy lady begin to cope with the inevitable sadness that comes with the end of a relationship, turning the pain into personal progress?

SC: Everyone goes through a broken heart. It’s a part of the human experience. Every time you love, it’s courageous. You have to recognize that when your heart is broken, you have to be kind and nurturing and patient and allow yourself time to grieve. To truly heal, allow a year to grieve. You may bounce back faster, but don’t pressure yourself to.

I’m also a big believer in doing yoga every day to heal the heart. I speak from experience and personal practice—this will help enormously. A spiritual practice every day is absolutely fabulous in healing a heart because your body is holding the grief. It’s a loss of plans, what might’ve been…Your body carries that! It only takes a couple of poses and a couple of minutes of really deep breathing. Get online or get a book at the library and pick three or more poses to practice.

When you love someone who is wounded, they will hurt you. Don’t see it as your failure. And don’t judge yourself. If you find yourself feeling angry at the person who broke your heart, say: every breath that I take, I am healing my heart. Then, catch your breath. One day you will wake up and say “I’m OK.”

CL: Finally, for any aspiring authors (including myself!), how’s it feel to be a New York Times bestselling author due to several books, including The Answer Is Simple… and Soul Lessons?

SC: I don’t think about it. All I think about is that I’m grateful for being able to share what I’ve learned. I’m humbled that what I have to share is so well received. Everything I do is in service to God and to the healing of humanity. My ego is certainly flattered, but you know what, in the big picture, whether you ever get to be a New York Times bestseller or not doesn’t matter. If only one person reads your book, you’ve changed that one persons’ life! I was a writer for 18 years before the New York Times found me. Just do what you do with love!

Tune in to Sonia Choquette’s radio station on Hay House Radio every Wednesday from 12-1 PM PST for more words of healing. And listen up for the song entitled “Trust Your Vibes” that plays before the show and throughout commercials (it’s a special request from Choquette to CL readers!). Buy her books and audio programs at soniachoquette.com.

Tiana Blue is a Senior Writer for College Lifestyles™. This fourth semester sophomore at Penn State is a print journalism major with a penchant for food, stilettos, and the city that never sleeps.

 

 

 

 

 

From Winter Wear To Spring Flare: 5 Fresh Ways to Wear Your Scarves in Spring

Scarves are the perfect accessory. They revamp your look and add flare without you having to work too hard. With spring just around the corner, you may be thinking it’s time to pack away your winter scarves. But not so fast! There are plenty of ways to turn your winter wear into spring flare! Watch this tutorial to check out five fresh new ways to transition those winter scarves to mod spring-time wear.

Did the vlog tutorial help? Make sure to check out other CL tutorials, like how to get the perfect smokey eye in less than 5 minutes. Send us your thoughts and any suggestions for future beauty or fashion tutorials!

XO Sunny

Sana Ashraf is a fashion writer and fashion show intern for College Lifestyles. She is a junior at the University of Michigan. Sana loves reading fashion magazines, shopping sprees, city lights, color coordinated closets, and all four seasons.

Get The Smokey Eye in 5 Minutes and 9 Easy Steps!

The “Smokey Eye” is the classic night-time eye shadow look that works on everyone! Whether your eyes are large or small, almond or round, or anything in between the look is a staple that every girl should add to her make-up how-to. A lot of people have trouble with this look or just think that it takes forever, but I’ll show you how to do it in 9 simple steps and the best part is–it only takes 5 minutes! Go from a plain jane to simply stunning with a few simple steps! Follow along with me below and check out College Lifestyle’s YouTube channel!

Did the vlog tutorial help? Send CL your thoughts and any suggestions for future beauty tutorials!

xo Sunny

Sana Ashraf is a fashion writer and fashion show intern and is a junior at the University of Michigan. Sana loves reading fashion magazines, shopping sprees, city lights, color coordinated closets, and all four seasons.

Fashion world prepares for biggest week in NYC

Twice a year, the biggest fashion gurus travel to New York City to celebrate one of the largest and elaborate events in the industry; Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.  This year fashion week will be held at the Lincoln Center from Feb 9 to 16.

Formally known as New York Fashion Week designers, celebrities, and the fashion press travel from all over the world to preview upcoming collections. During this week long series of runway shows, over 70 designers will showcase their work for the upcoming fall 2012 season. The preliminary lineup includes many of the usual designers such as BCBG, Max Azria, Tadaski Shoji, Carlos Miele, and Michael Kors as well as some new additions including Whitney Eve and Chadwick Bell.  To view the complete list of designers and show times visit the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week schedule.

 

 

 For all those fashionistas who would love to experience fashion week but can’t make it to the Big Apple, Fashion Week has teamed up with Maybelline and YouTube for a “Live from the Runway” channel! It’s an all access pass to the show from the comfort of your living room. Choose which designer shows you want to watch and RSVP on Merceds-Benz Fashion Week facebook page. Make sure you add it to your calendar and don’t forget to tune in.  What shows will you be watching?!?

 

 

 

 

 

Minyvonne Burke is a fashion and lifestyle writer for College Lifestyles ™. She graduated from Point Park University and is currently pursuing her master’s degree at Hofstra University. She loves online shopping, cute bags and NYC.

Cute Items Under $20 To Brighten Up A Winter Day

The Christmas lights have been taken down. The New Year has been here for a month already, and soon, the Valentine’s Day decorations will disappear from stores. We are coming upon that dreaded time in every college student’s life – when we are sick of winter, but spring remains far away. Still, while the skies may be gray, your mood doesn’t have to be. Brighten up your day with these cute, cheap items under $20.

1) Bright nail polish. Nail polish is a great way to pick up your mood, since it’s cheap, lasts forever, and is available at any drugstore. Think outside the box – try a bright yellow or a metallic polish. Or combine them both with Tangerine Glitz from Pop Beauty, $10 on their website and at drugstores.

2) Cute socks. You may be wearing the same boots in the snow everday, but you can still have some fun underneath. We’re great fans of Sock It To Me, a small business that sells creative socks. Try their Ninja knee socks, $9 on their website.

3) Wild underwear. Even if nobody sees your underwear, knowing you look super-hot underneath your outfit will keep you feeling sexy and confident all day. Try this leopard-print bra from Forever 21, $7.80.

4) Dramatic makeup. Dramatic makeup at a party is expected, but in class, it’s refreshing. Keep the look classy and not tacky by only playing up one feature and doing your makeup in the right lighting. Try red lipstick or a swipe of electric blue eyeliner.

5) Anything from Fred Flare. I discovered Fred Flare when I was 14, and have been drooling ever since. The online store sells clothes, accessories, and apartment decor that is adorable AND useful. Even if you don’t buy anything, just browsing through all the cuteness is sure to lift your mood. We’re big fans of this iPod Hoodie, on sale for just $4.99.

Have you bought anything lately to escape the winter blues? Let us know in the comments!

Sasha Graffagna is a NYU junior studying Journalism and Comparative Literature. Currently, she is an exchange student at La Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in San Juan, Puerto Rico. You can read about her experience at http://thegoddesscomplex.wordpress.com/

3 Things You Should Quit (And Start) Doing This Year!

One full month of 2012 has come and gone. Now that you’re well adjusted to the change of the year (it’s not so “new” anymore!), it’s time you let go of those habits that are holding you back and pick up some new, positive ones! Think you’re up for this CL challenge? Let’s find out!

3 Things To Quit

1. Comparing — Comparing yourself to others breeds jealousy, and jealousy is one unattractive trait! Learning to love yourself could be as simple as smiling to yourself everyday in the mirror, appreciating your curves, your “four-eyes,” or your frizzy hair, or it could turn into a journey that takes a little more soul-searching to fulfill. Either way, wishing you had what the girl sitting next to you has is a waste of your valuable time. Sending positive words instead of ones of envy will help you feel better about yourself, so tell her how stylish her outfit is and take with you inspiration for you own wardrobe.

2. Nail Biting — Nail biting is a nervous habit that millions of people have, making it even more difficult to break–you’ll probably walk by at least one nail-biter a day. Some women find it helpful to get their nails done which in turn makes them resist ruining their stylish manicure by biting at it.

3. Excessive Cursing – It’s natural to belt out a profane word or two when you’re upset, but cursing excessively may give off a less personable impression of you. Here at College Lifestyles, we live by a standard of staying classy, so refrain from muttering (or screaming) those four letter words that only offer temporary satisfaction. When you feel ready to curse, remind yourself to hold back. After a while, your brain will get the hang of it.

  3 Things To Try

1. Moving On – If you find yourself making unnecessary assumptions about people and situations, it’s the leftover anger, hatred, or mistrust from past grievances that’s getting in the way. Once you start trusting that negativity tests your mental and even physical strength, you’ll realize how tough of a woman you are. If you need help healing old wounds, seek a therapist or a trusted friend or family member to begin the coping process.

2. Read A Book Every Month — This year, tons of people have started challenging themselves with once-a-day tasks (blogging every day, eating a fruit a day). Reading one book is an accomplishment in itself so set your standards high and strive for finishing one book for every month, even if it’s a short book. To make this easier, you may want to stick to an area that excites you: history, women’s rights, love stories, or book series such as Gossip Girls or Stieg Larsson novels, for example.

3. Complimenting Yourself — CL wants you to be as confident as can be! The more you tell yourself that your “flaws” are in fact attributes, the more you’ll begin to believe in it. What you feed the mind, whether that be good or bad thoughts, manifests itself until you agree. So rather than hating your freckles, start telling yourself how much they compliment your skin and eyes and soon you’ll start to love what you’d grown to despise! 

Tiana Blue is a Senior Writer for College Lifestyles™. This fourth semester sophomore at Penn State is a print journalism major with a penchant for food, stilettos, and the city that never sleeps.

 

Look for less: Whitney Port

Since her days as a reality tv star on MTV’s ‘The Hills’ and ‘The City’, Whitney Port has been super busy.  She released her first book ‘True Whit: Designing a Life of Style, Beauty, and Fun’ and has been continuously working on her clothing line, Whitney Eve. Port was always known for her chic and flirty style and now you can dress like this classy fashionista with CL’s help.  We’ll give you two Whitney inspired outfits at amazing prices.

 

Whitney’s look                                                                                                     … for less

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whitney paired a soft pink boyfriend blazer with a pair of white skinny jeans and a shimmery top with matching pumps for a comfortable but stylish look. This outfit can be worn to the office or on a lunch date with the girls.

CL’s finds:
Pink boyfriend blazer:    Forever  21- $32.80
Silver sequin top: Dillards- $20.40
Silver pumps: Famous footwear- $39.99
White skinny jeans: Aeropostale- $24.75
Total: under $120

             Whitney’s look                                                                                      … for less

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This outfit was simple and a little daring. It’s hard to mix patterns but Whitney pulled it off stylishly with a plaid coat and a striped shirt. To add balance she wore a pair of black leggings and black studded pumps. She added a touch of color with her Chanel quilted chain link purse.

CL’s finds:
Striped tank: stylesforless.com- $5.00
Black leggings: sears- $7.95
Studded black pumps: ecrater.com- $17.95
Plaid coat: Khols- $31.20
Pink quilted chain link purse: yestyle.com- $64.80
Total: under $130

 

 

Minyvonne Burke is a fashion and lifestyle writer for College Lifestyles ™. She graduated from Point Park University and is currently pursuing her master’s degree at Hofstra University. She loves online shopping, cute bags and NYC.

 

 

Why You Shouldn’t Live Without A Diet Full Of Lemons

Who would’ve thought that these yellow little fruits were so vital to human health! If you want to add something new to your beauty regimen, maintain  a better immune system, or even have healthier bones, lemons can do all of these things for you–keep reading to find out why.

That age-old saying “one fruit a day keeps the doctor away” may not literally apply to all the fruits in the spectrum, but it certainly goes for lemons–your body has a deep, undying devotion to them! This citrus is an all-natural cure, proven to aid in many of your physical dilemmas, from pesky pimples and acne to the common cold and various viruses. How’s that possible? It’s simple–they’re packed with all the things that your body can’t function at its best without: vitamin A, C, and P, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and a healthy dose of acid.

Skin

The astringent quality of lemon juice does wonders for your skin and “makes it an ideal exfoliator,” says acnehelpline.com. It clears away the dead skin that builds up and gets clogged inside of your pores and can revive and soften your skin after just one use. Just be mindful that the acidity will make your skin more sensitive after exfoliating. To alleviate the sensitivity, stay out of the sun after your treatment. For more protection and to avoid getting dry skin, apply sunscreen and a moisturizer after cleansing.

What to do:

• Rub a lemon slice onto the breakout(s), blackheads, and to dry skin. This may have to be done in the evening or multiple times before seeing an improvement.
• Soften your cuticles by placing them into a bowl of water mixed with lemon juice.
• Soak your feet in a lemon juice bath for relaxation and regained softness.

Body

Consuming lemon water in the morning is the best time to do so according to ehow.com. Because of the vitamin C, a daily bottle of lemon water is beneficial in helping your body fight bacterias and any other foreign organisms that try to attack your immune system. Other than making your teeth and skeletal bones stronger, lemon water also improves your digestion, restores your body’s pH balance, and can cure that cough that arises when your body meets the winter cold.

What to do:

• Slice up several pieces of lemon and drop it into your cup or bottle of water!

You can also get savvy with this fruit. Next time you shove your ice maker into your freezer, cut up a few lemon slices so that they freeze inside of the water. These lemon-cubes will make for a perfectly sweet addition to an ice cold drink. Let’s cheers to health, classy readers!

Tiana Blue is a Senior Writer for College Lifestyles™. This fourth semester sophomore at Penn State is a print journalism major with a penchant for food, stilettos, and the city that never sleeps.

 

 

Superstar Student: CL Interview’s Ariana Pierce creator of Hollywood’s Hottest Nail Line

It’s pretty incredible when Hollywood stars like Lauren Conrad, Eva Longoria, and Selena Gomez are wearing your products and you haven’t even graduated college yet. Michigan State University senior, Ariana Pierce, is the creator of the eco-friendly Superstar Nail Lacquer, an actress, author, blogger, and motivational speaker for young adults. Her nail polish line has been featured in Glamour Magazine, on B.E.T., and InStyle Magazine. Ari’s first company The Billion Heir Club, is a website where young ladies can gain insight on how to be successful and also includes a t-shirt and jewelry line. This business student has been able to take small ideas (f.y.i Ari created her nail line after wanted a nail polish to dry quickly so she could make it to class on time) and turn them into revenue making successes. How was Ariana able to run two businesses, write six books, and attend college full-time? College Lifestyles has the answers for you!                                                                    

CL: You are a businesswoman, author, actress, national speaker, and full-time student at Michigan State University. How do you manage it all? Is there any advice/tips that you could give to co-eds who need to organize a busy schedule?

AP: I manage my business and school career by planning everything. I live by my calendar and agenda. School is very important to me, so I make sure to complete my schoolwork during the week so I can travel, speak, and do my business on the weekends. My advice to those dealing with a busy schedule is to write things down, keep an agenda, and plan ahead so you are never caught off guard.

CL: In a radio interview you called “Superstar Nail Lacquer”, your nail polish line, “a fashionable company.” What are some current nail trends for the winter and spring season? How can we choose nail polishes that compliment our outfit without being too matchy-matchy?

AP: Some current nail trends that are hot for the season are the stiletto nails. The have been spotted on celebs like Rihanna. I recently launched a nail line called Superstar U. It is a line of polish with colors supporting various college sports teams. We are currently in basketball season, so girls are rocking their teams colors. Mine would be Go Green for Michigan State. These colors can be found at styleshoppe.com.

The key to choosing a polish that compliments your outfit without being too matchy is finding a color that goes with your overall color scheme. I wear a lot of neutrals, so colors like black, gray, blue, orange look great. I like to switch it up and be creative. So I will wear a bright pink also. I really don’t worry too much about what I’m going to wear, I just somehow make the polish and outfit work.

CL: Online you’re known as ‘Ari the Heiress’, and regularly update your blog. How can college girls create a positive social media image, web site, and blog?

AP: Girls can create a positive social media image by being positive in their postings. When you post negative things, you are going to attract negative results. If you want to be respected, you have to put out information that is respectable.

CL: In your audio book, 30 Days to Making It!, you give people tips on how to kick-start their passions into reality. Could you share with College Lifestyles a few tips on how you became such a young success?

AP: I decided in my mind that I wanted to be a success. I knew that it would take hard work, especially with me being in school, but I was determined. I also followed other successful people in my industry. Mentors are so important because they help guide you in the right direction. Even if you don’t know anyone personally that is successful in your field, find a mentor by reading books. My mother always says successful people leave clues! Because not everyone has a personal mentor I was inspired to create the 30 Days To Making It Kit to answer questions and give personal advice on succeeding in your business and career. It can be found on my site at arianapierce.com.

CL: Do you have any new projects in the works that we should look out for?

AP: My mom and I host a business conference every year. I love sharing business and success advice with other young people. The conference will be held in Orlando, FL July 12-14. This conference is life changing and I would love to see everyone there! More info will be posted on my site at arianapierce.com.

To chat with Ari be sure to follow her on Twitter

 

Amber Ferguson is a fashion/health intern at College Lifestyles (TM). She is a sophomore at Prince George’s Community College studying English. She’s obsessed with reality TV & loves traveling. Follow her on Twitter @Ms_AmberDawn.

Jazz Up Your Outfits with Headbands, Feathers, and Bows from Sproos!

A classic LBD.  A great sequin top.  Skinny jeans.  These basic staples are a must  in our wardrobe, but we may struggle to create different looks with our classic pieces.  Have no fear, the wonderful folks at Sproos have come up with an affordable AND chic way to dress up our classics!

Sproos is known for their chic + cute hair accessories.  From gorgeous bow clips to feather hair bands, Sproos offers both sublte AND vibrant accessories to transform your classic pieces to one-of-a-kind looks.

We had the pleasure of reviewing the lovely Cheetah’s Roar Bow Clip ($13) and Pride of the Peacock Feather Headband ($36).  Both were incredibly stunning and sophisticated.  In addition, we were impressed the headband didn’t ‘crush’ our head and cause a headache (bringing back memories of unpleasant plastic headbands of our childhood).  While many would wear both with their classic LBD, think outside the box and give the Peacock Feather Headband a vintage feel with a sequined black top or drop waist black dress.  Another plus with headbands is they look great with all hairstyles and hair colors.  Says our Editor in Cheif, ‘I have shoulder length red hair and just can’t do any hairstyle or any hair accessory.  Pearls in my hair, not so much.  But I felt great with the Peacock headband.  I would pair with a black ruffle top, jeans, plum heels, and sequin clutch for a night out.’  

What is most impressive (along with the stunning beauty of the product) is the founder, Melissa Mantos, is recent graduate of art school graduate living out her passion of running a business.

With the approach of Valentine’s Day, Sproos is offering a coupon code for all College Lifestyles readers.  Enter ‘collegelifestyles’ when placing an order with Sproos and receive 20% off.  Visit Sproos website to select your perfect hair accessory at www.sprooshop.com.

Stay tuned to our Book Club Twitter Chat in March, we will be giving away the Cheetah’s Roar Bow Clip to one of our participants!

Disclaimer:  We’d like to thank Sproos for supplying us with the headbands for our product review.

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