"Tips For Getting Through Adversity" on Sunday Life

The older I get, the more I realize having hardships in life, can be a blessing too if you choose to look at what you learn from it. Walking through the valley is often where the richest rewards can be found.  It is there you meet your soul, it is there you make a choice to carry on. 

Via Natural Beauty

Not everyone can be on the top of the mountain, for it would certainly topple over.  You know sometimes I feel sorry for the ones who are on the top of the mountain all the time, because they never get to experience the richness of the valley.  

Via

Are you having struggles?  Have you lost someone you love either through death or divorce? Is your life in transition?Embrace the struggle.  Find a way to look at your struggle as a learning experience.  What can you take from it?  I have had plenty of struggles in my life.  I have been through divorce, returning to school with children as an adult, job loss, loss of a child, and many other things that pale in comparison to the ones i mention but at the time were huge to me. I knew I could feel sorry for myself and use my struggles as an excuse to hide from the world which I did on many occasions. Guess what? That's not living.  So how do we embrace the struggles and learn from them?  Here are my suggestions if you are currently experiencing struggles with issues in life...

1) Journal your feelings daily.  Allow yourself a few minutes each day to journal. Writing it down will help you get it off your chest.  It will often help you to see what is really bothering you. While you are at it, write five things you are grateful for. Do it first thing every morning! I love a pretty journal like this one!

2) Find a two book to read one that can feed your soul and one that addresses your issue.  Not sure how to find a good book?  Ask the sales person at the bookstore, tell them what you are looking for or go online and google book reviews. You can download a book if you dont' want to drive to the store.  If you want me to recommend one, email me, I have a big list I love on almost every topic. 

Try Ruth Graham's Book "In Every Pew Sits a Broken Heart": Hope for the Hurting

3) Find a way to be in service to others.  When we help others we forget about ourselves.  It also reminds us that there is always someone who would like to have our life and our set of problems because there is always someone who has more problems than we do.  Go volunteer at our local shelter, soup kitchen, or school.

4) Get outside and enjoy nature.  There is something about communing with nature that helps us reconnect with our inner selves. Take a thirty minute stroll through the park. 

5) Mediate - They say you should mediate 30 minutes a day unless you are too busy and in that case you should mediate for an hour!  Really just start with 5 -15 minutes and in crease from there. If you dont' know how to mediate start by just sitting still, closing your eyes and listening to your breath.

I do this every morning now and it is amazing how calm you will be all day.  Here is a simple link to get you started!

Via Curious Mouth

"The flower that blooms in adversity is rare and the

most beautiful of all." 

I'm rooting for you! Hang in there! Please comment

and let me know what you are dealing with or email me so I can pray for you on your journey back to your authentic self!
Tomorrow we will start our chats on Designing an authentic home!  It's all part of living an authentic life!  I hope you will join me on this journey!  I think living authentically is the only way to live an abundantly full life!

P.S. Don't forget to Enter to Win Tickets To Design Camp in Atlanta, Ga with Lori Dennis and Kelli Ellis Here!!!
Only Two more days to Enter!!!!

How To Lose 10 lbs in Two Weeks....

Just kidding but hopefully I got your attention?

How many times do you pick up the fitness magazine in the grocery checkout line because it promises to give you the secret to losing 10 lbs in two weeks on the cover?  Who doesn't want to do that? It's always the same info, just different pictures.  Blah, blah, blah... 

How many times have you lost the same 10 lbs?

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We all know to lose weight we have to eat healthy,

exercise right? 

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There is another key part of getting

in shape and losing weight that I find cruical to the process!

Wanna Know what?  Support!  Being accountable to someone else!  

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I realize this is an interior design blog about living authentically, but living authentically isn't just about your home, it is about your life.  It all starts with you!  If you are happy with yourself, it radiates to other areas of your life.   You can surround yourself with beautiful things, but if you aren't happy with yourself the rest doesn't matter.  Bottom line, things don't make you happy, people make people happy.   Saturdays here on the blog are going to be about how to get healthy and be happy! 

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 I, like everyone else wants to lose weight.  I don't want to pay big bucks to do it, so here's where you come in..will you do it with me?  I promise to support you in return.  I'll give you tips, and ideas how to lose weight starting with the ones below.  I will even post tips on my Lisa Mende Design Facebook page too, so go there and click "Like" if you haven't already!

Here's what I want you to do to begin this journey with me!

It won't cost anything other than groceries which you have to buy anyway!

1) Set your Goal!!!!  Mine is 10 lbs by Feb 9th!

2) Download a weight loss app on your phone, I'm using "Lose it" app there are several others you can choose from. The app will take your info and give you a plan.

(your phone is with you everywhere, so no excuses!)

3) Stock up on healthy foods, so you have what you need
(email me Lmende@gmail if you want my list)

4) Plan your day of eating so there are no excuses.

Make your plan & work your plan!!!

5) Drink your water!!!  I'm drinking six 16 oz per day!

along with  limited coffee,green tea & Vitamin Water Zero

6) Exercise! If you are already exercising keep it up!

If just starting, start with walking 30 min. a day

7) Comment on the post below that you are joining me & how much weight you want to lose by what date,

so I can put you in my journal and pray for your journey.

8) Report back every Saturday on your progress!

9) Let me know if you find some great ways to get healthy!!!

10) Enjoy the journey!!!

11) Email me at Lmende@gmail.com if you want to know
exactly what I am doing.  

I'm excited about our journey on Saturdays in January!!!!!
Once my blog redesign is complete I will have an area dedicated to health, exercise and diet tips 

Remember Living Authentically begin with you!

Happy Saturday, get out and exercise!!!!!

Dont' forget to enter to win the ticket 

to Lori Dennis and Kelli Ellis's Design Camp in 

Atlanta, Ga Jan. 30th - Feb 1st.

Detail Here!!!

A Little Music for Your Listening Pleasure Thanks to High Point Market & Spotify!

  Recently, the High Point Market asked me, as the current High Point Market "Style Spotter" and two of the previous "Style Spotter Winners", my friends Tobi Fairley and Traci Zeller  to choose a trend from the Oct. market for 2013 and make a playlist of songs we felt represented that trend.  There were so many new trends that would have made great playlist, but I decided on "Not So Mellow Yellow"!  That sounded like it could be a fun one to me!  1) Because I do truly love yellow and 2) because I am not so "mellow" myself!  LOL!  

Did I really just say that?

Actually, I chose yellow because, I think its a color we will see a lot in 2013! I predict it will be one of the hottest colors going forward, since it was all over the runways in spring fashion Collections.  The designer's yellows ran the gambit in intensity. There were bright, saturated yellows like taxi cab and canary yellow and there were creamy, soft yellows, but one thing was for sure, yellow was present in almost every collection! Move over  Monaco Blue and Emerald Green, there's a new player in the color trends for 2013 and she's "Not So Mellow Yellow" 

Via The High Point Market Website

Originally, I set out to find songs with yellow in the lyrics, but along the way found a few that I felt spoke to the true essence of the color "yellow" even though yellow wasn't mentioned in the lyrics!  Some are old, some are new, but all are songs these are songs I could listen to over and over (Even though I might be showing my age by including some of them) ...I hope you enjoy!  Please check out my friends Tobi Fairley who chose "The Gold Standard" and Traci Zeller who chose "Black and White" for their trend inspirations.  I love their playlist as much as I do my own!  

Click here to find all three!  

Also, You can register for High Point Spring Market

 beginning January 8th!

If you aren't familiar with Spotify Check It out!

It's awesome!

While you are at it Check Out my

"Not So Mellow Yellow" Style Board on Pinterest!

Happy Friday!

Dont' forget to enter The Giveaway on the blog for

a FREE TICKET to

Lori Dennis & Kelli Ellis's Design Camp

in Atlanta, Ga on Jan. 30 - Feb 1st

Detail To Enter Here!

Make sure you follow the rules for entering

 to qualify for the ticket!!!!

Hope to see you in Atlanta, Ga. at

Design Camp on January 30th!!!!

Here's wishing you a fabulous weekend!!!

Next week my new series on "Living Authentically" begins!

Learn the Secret of Growing Your Interior Design Business?

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There are many ways you can learn the interior design business.  Some people take the traditional route and go to school to earn a degree which takes approx 2-4 years depending on what degree is achieved.   Design knowledge might come from years working in the industry.  Another great way to expand your knowledge of design is to spend hours reading great design books!!!  After doing all of the above I discovered there was still so much to learn and I wasn't getting any younger!    I had friends who had no formal design education, yet they were maintain thriving design businesses.  How did they do that? 
You know there is a way.  You really don't have to have an internship under a top designer in todays world to succeed, even though that has been most of our dreams in the past!  
So how do you learn it all if you don't go to school or have your dream internship? How do you become the best designer you can be with a profitable business?  How do you get your dream clients?  Get published?  Have brand recognition?  How do you build your social media presence to make your mark on the world?

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Whatever you decide, the business of interior design is like any business, you have to go through the "school of hard knocks" to learn how to really grow a successful practice.  It really take time and a whole like of elbow grease along with a lot trial and error unless....

You figure out....


I worked in the industry for almost 20 years before I realized there were ways to shorten the learning curve, work smarter and actually grow my business.... How you ask?  It's easy!  Learn from seasoned professionals who are willing to share their knowledge!  Last year I joined Tobi Fairley's Mastermind Group and attended Tobi's MBA Camp.  I have to tell you, it has been awesome and worth every dime!  I have learned so much!  I realize the value of learning from an industry professional, who has not only "walked the walk", but is willing to "talk the talk" and share knowledge that would otherwise take years of time and lots of money for me to develop on my own.  I see the value in gleaning everything I can from the industry superstars with proven success!  I will continue my work with Tobi but will also keep my eyes open to other learning opportunities that are available.  As Tobi says, we all have our different styles, knowledge and focus and everyone adds value to the discussion.

Will I go again? Yes! Will I continue to grow my knowledge through industry professionals? Yes!

Last October, when I was at market in High Point, I had the luxury of hearing a fabulous panel discussion with the Celebrity designer group below then meeting Lori Dennis and Kelli Ellis, who have founded a Design Camp of their own.  Like Tobi, these ladies are superstars!  They are high successful HGTV stars, authors, speakers, and run fabulous design business in California, not to mention both are as nice as can be! 

 Nathan Turner, Lori Dennis, Kelli Ellis and Shay Geyer in High Point, NC Oct. 2012 Market

Rebecca Reynolds, me, Leslie Carothers, Kelli Ellis, Tam Stone, Sheliah MacSporren after the panel discussion by Nathan Turner, Kelli Ellis, Lori Dennis and Shay Geyer

I am happy to report that I am going to Design Camp with Lori and Kelli in Atlanta, Ga. on January 1 - Feb 1 for two action packed day of seasoned industry professional events with people like Suzanna Salk, Shay Geyer, Ronda Carmen to name a few!  All led by Lori and Kelli!  I am so excited!  You can join me there too if you....

Enter to Win A Ticket to:

Join me at
 Lori Dennis & Kelli Ellis's Design Camp
in Atlanta, Ga. Jan. 30th - Feb. 1st 
 Click Here for Details!!!!

The contest runs through next Tues. Jan. 8th!
Don't miss out!  Whether you win a ticket or not
think about investing in Design Camp, it will truly be
the best money you will ever spend!  


Want to be a design star and produce rooms like this?

Room design by Lori Dennis

Wanna learn design tips and secrets of the trade?
Wanna hear the "best of the best" from the Interior Design Industry?
Learn what trends to follow?  What appliances are the best?
How to run a green design biz?  What computer programs are the best?
Become a social media guru?

Folks, this is knowledge that will propel your business into 2013 like no other way!
I promise!  Sign up to enter and if you don't win, meet me at Design Camp in Atlanta, Ga. on Jan. 30 - Feb. 1 and if you don't love it,  I'll buy you a drink!  And when you do love it you can buy me one!  haha!

Hurry!!  Spaces are filling up fast! You don't want to miss out!!!

Hope to see you in Atlanta, Ga on January 30th!!!!

Who Wants To Win a Ticket To Design Camp in Atlanta?

What a Way To Start Out The New Year!!!!!! 

I was talking to Kelli Ellis yesterday and she said "Lori and I have a New Year's Gift for You....We want to give you more tickets to giveaway to your readers!!!  Wow!

Believe it or Not I Have More Tickets to 

Lori Dennis & Kelli Ellis's Design Camp

to Giveaway!!!!

Thanks to the Incredible Generosity of

Celebrity Designers & Design Camp Founders:

 Kelli Ellis & Lori Dennis~

 You Could Be Rubbing Elbows With Design Stars

 While Learning The Business of Design in 29 Days!!!!

   Win An Admission Ticket To Attend

 Kelli & Lori's Fabulous

Design Camp in Atlanta, Georgia 

on January 30 - February 1, 2013 

Worth $1297 for

FREE !!!!!!!!

All you have to pay for is your travel & hotel,

 the rest is covered!!!!! 

You might remember that they have already given me a ticket to giveaway which 

 Liz Carroll of Wilmington, NC won in November!

  Liz and I are beyond excited about going and are thrilled for the possibility 

of one(or more) of you may be joining us for this action packed two day seminar with

 amazing speakers and events!  I have several designer friends who have signed up to attend!  The who's who in the industry will be there!!!!  Don't you want to come along?

If you are a design professional or simply want to learn more about design, this camp is for you!  Lori and Kelli are award winning designers, authors, brand ambassadors and HGTV stars!!!!!  Want to learn all the secrets of the design industry in a couple of days from some of the best in the industry?  Camp will provide you the opportunity to learn and network with some of the industry's most respected professionals! Just look at the list of camp counselors here!!!!  As Lori and Kelli put it "it's like you've done an internship in two days under the direction of people who know the design business inside out, all while having loads of fun!  Here's an excerpt of what to expect direct from the design camp website:

"Design Camp begins Wednesday night with a kick off Cocktail Party, introducing your hosts, sponsors and speakers. Bright and early on Thursday morning your intense, educational journey begins with learning the foundation building, fundamentals of todays design processes, tools and trends. Thursday caps with another Red Carpet Cocktail gathering to cement your new relationships with the Design elite. Friday’s schedules forges ahead with the building of design relationships, and how to acquire and monetize an envied Social presence. The day progresses with invaluable topics about managing and marketing your projects and your Brand, publishing and marketing a book and how to take your talents to TV."

This is certainly an opportunity you don't want to miss!!!  

Here's How to Enter to Win.....

Visit Design Camp Website and then come back here and leave

 a comment on the blog about which speaker or event at Design Camp

 excites you the most!

Want To Increase Your Chances...

Tweet , Blog or Facebook about the Design Camp 

Giveaway on Lisa Mende Design!!!,  

Sign up to follow Design Camp on twitter here, or

"Like" The Design Camp Facebook Page Here!!!

Please leave only one comment here each day along 

with your email & list all the ways you 

entered(each act counts as another entry)

   (Shhhh....who knows..there may 

be more than one winner....I'm just sayin...????)

You may comment daily, until the Winner

 is announced one week from today, 

Tues. Jan. 8th!!!!! 

Good Luck!!!!!





Lisa Mende Design:

"My mission is to help you
create a life and home that is 
"authentically yours"