Don't Tell Me I'm Skinny

We all know we shouldn't call someone fat, and yet there's this strange phenomenon where people think it's ok to call someone skinny or say that a person doesn't eat. Out loud. In front of a person's face. Where does this privilege come from? Why is there a need to mention it, particularly in presence of said person him/herself? And, most importantly, why is this even bothersome at all?

We live in a society and culture where image is everything. Those who preach 'never judge a book by its cover' are hypocrites. It's human nature, I get it. To be human, though, is also having the ability to be civil and think before we speak as well.

There's this saying:



A person may be thin because s/he has cancer; diabetes; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); HIV; or a gastrointestinal, renal, cardiac, or neurologic disease. A person may be thin because s/he is depressed or has an eating disorder. Or, perhaps, a person may be thin because s/he just has a small frame, is more active, or just simply eats less. Less DOESN'T equal nothing, it means not as much or more, just less.

There is a shitload of reasons people may be thinner than you'd like them to be but whatever the case, you may know nothing about it, nor should you feel the sense of entitlement to act like you're in 6th grade and be rude about it to their face.

If a person is thinner than you would like them to be, ask yourself why it's bothering you. If you aren't happy with the way you look, don't criticize others. Instead, do something about it.



Because, you know...



And...



Yes, it's that easy. Maybe not as easy as making someone else feel bad but it's doable.

If you're on the other end of the stick figure (pun intended)...



And...





And finally... don't tell me I'm skinny because, hunny, you don't know what skinny is. #piecesofm

Thoughts? Leave them in the Comments below

Five Simple Habits That’ll Make You A Better Co-Worker: A Working Mom’s Perspective

What you do as a parent can often seem completely irrelevant to what you do in your professional career. On the other the hand, though, the people you work with are, in some (or many) ways, very much like the children you are trying to raise and be role models for. That being said, here are five simple habits, practices, or things you can say to help yourself be a better co-worker.

Please. One of the first things we want our children to say is… well, it’s Mama and Dada, but after that we work hard to teach them Please. That’s because somehow, though not surprisingly, they pick up I Want and Give Me way faster and, once they do, they start saying it seemingly more often than not. As parents, we have to continually interject if we want to raise them to become polite beings of society. What’s the magic word? And really, it is pretty magical, isn’t it? Please connotes respect and that you don’t take things for granted. Can you put away your shoes, please? Can you please help set the table? I don’t always expect my daughter to do the things I ask, just like I don’t expect my co-workers to, but at least I give her the respect she deserves in my requests.


Thank you. Equally powerful as Please, is Thank You. Thank you is the best way to conclude an interaction. That and maybe a hug. In two short words/syllables, which you can even pair down to one in a Thanks, you relay to the other person that you appreciate them, value them, and don’t take them and what they do for granted. Thank you for helping to put away your toys. Thank you for sitting in your chair like everyone else. Thank you for this one-of-a-kind scribble drawing. Thank you for making me laugh. Thank you for holding hands. Thank you for being you. And in the office… Thank you for helping me with this project. Thank you for explaining that concept to me (Bill). Thank you for your time. Thank you for making more coffee when there was none. Thank you for your contribution as a member of this team... I can go on and on. There’s a lot to be thankful for.


Do you need help? Kids need lots of help. They wouldn’t be able to get through childhood without mom, dad, or some caretaker, or would have a very difficult time. The people you work with, members of your team or company, are no different. As the great Aristotle once said: The sum of the whole is greater than the parts. I try to not to be an overbearing parent and let my daughter try to do things as self-sufficiently as she can but will often ask her after trying and struggling a little, Do you need help? Do you need help walking up these steps? Do you need help taking off your jacket? Do you need help opening the door? Maybe with children it’s more apparent but we all need help sometimes and it never hurts to extend yourself beyond what is necessary and just offer. For sure, it makes the ride that much better, smoother, more enjoyable, and efficient.


Did you have a good day? I ask my daughter this on a daily basis. I want to know that she did and, if she didn’t, why and what can I do to make it better so that she does. Surely, every day will not be rainbows and sunshine—teething, biting, bullying, and germs all are implications of cloudy forecasts—but nonetheless, caring to even just ask is a step to showing someone you care about them and want them to be happy. Employee satisfaction is one of the most important key factors in the success of a company. It results in low-turnover, increased productivity, and ultimately higher returns. Perhaps this is not something we need to ask our employees or selves on a daily basis but should on a somewhat regular one.


Good job! Momma is very proud of you :> Ok, the latter part of this saying might not be applicable but the former can do wonders. My daughter knows where to put her shoes when we walk in the house—we have a no-shoe policy—but doesn’t always put them away. When she doesn’t put them away, I remind and show her where they need to go. When she does put them away, though, I commend her for her efforts and ability to be responsible. Good job, Babe, that is very good. That is what big girls do. Every time I say that, for whatever she does—saying good night to those around her, washing her hands after she goes to the bathroom, singing the ABC song, counting to 10, giving her friend a hug, sharing—I am positively reinforcing her actions and behavior. Translated in the workplace, it might sound something like: Good idea/input/feedback—your contribution has help us do this better! Good job on landing that account! Or, good work on that project, I couldn’t have met that deadline without you. We all need validation, encouragement, and recognition for the good things we do. It’s what helps us keep going.

It doesn't take much to say a few positive words to those you work with but the effect it has can do wonders for your relationships, quality of work, and, ultimately, happiness both in and out of the office.

What else can people do to be a better co-worker? Share in the Comments below or Tweet/Instagram us, we'd love to hear! :>

Happy Healthy Juicy Co-Working!

We Can't Stop... Talking About Miley Cyrus

Days after her performance, the world is still buzzing about Miley Cyrus and her performance at the VMAs.

This picture pretty much sums it up, in case you live in the outer-vortex of pop culture.
Source: Getty Images

It was all tongue and very raunchy. Man, her tongue.

But, really, could we have expected any less? Her latest hit, We Can't Stop, has over 162 million hits on YouTube alone (not to mention #4 on iTunes' Top Music Downloads, just under folks like Katy Perry and Lady Gaga) and, there, already, we got a glimpse of the ever-evolving, ever-straying-away-from-Disney sexual princess, tongue and twerk and crotch and all.

I just finished reading Miley Cyrus Inc.'s Branding Tips (via LinkedIn, no less!) and, despite the author's disapproval, personally, I think the girl got it right. Miley continues to engage audiences, larger and larger, and gives people something to talk about. As an entertainer, it's basically her job to do that and one she's obviously doing well. Marketers and branders can all learn from it since, apparently, We Can't Stop watching or talking about her.

That said, though, from a different, non-business perspective, where should the line be drawn? While her marketing/branding/engagement skills are top notch, as a public figure to such an influential demographic, is she violating her responsibility as a role model, which, unavoidably, she is and cannot escape. We get angry when images of murderers are shared and, arguably, idolized in the mass media, like when the Boston Marathon bomber was beautifully portrayed on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. Equally, are we doing the same with Miley?

As a parent to a little girl [thankfully(?) not old enough to understand any of this], what would I say and how would I react if she were to have seen Miley's performance as, say, a t(w)eenager? Surely, I don't condone porn stars, which Miley is unfortunately erring on the side of; on the other hand, I don't know if the world really realizes how young Miley still is— she's not even 21 yet. Despite all the money and fame, she's still a kid and will make mistakes and go through stupid phases. As much as a role model I think/know she is, as a parent, my reaction would be continuous and way pre-determined. Way.

We all know entertainers and mass media are out there and can influence our kids, even ourselves. It's our jobs as parents not necessarily to abhor and shun it, because likewise, they can also be very positive forces in our lives and they're just sometimes simply unavoidable. In the very least, Miley wasn't hurting anyone, with the exception of maybe herself? (TBD) and some eyeballs and stomachs (which could have easily told their hands to change the channel). Take it/her for what it's worth (possibly nothing). Teach your kids values and media literacy and move on.

Here's a clip of her lyrics:

It's our song we can sing if we want to
It's my mouth I can say what I want to...

And we can't stop
And we won't stop
We run things, things don't run we
Don't take nothing from nobody
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, ehh

And this is what I take— (See the positive in everything).
' Source


What (positive) things can you take away from Miley's performance or after-effects thereof? Share your Comments below or Tweet/Instagram us your thoughts, we'd love to hear! xoxo

Happy Healthy Juicy Positivity!