Life's Necessities & Luxuries

Greetings Lovely Lifers, In this special Valentine's Day episode,  I explore the significance of self-care. I've always been a fan of self-care.On this beautiful day of love, we need to remember that we should place an emphasis on how well we love ourselves just as important as how we treat our loved ones. As women, we wear so many hats, are so many things to so many people.  Sometimes we forget how important it is to do something kind for ourselves. This episode emphasizes the importance of self-love as the foundation for all other forms of love.  It can be a catalyst for self-reflection and self-care practices.A great way to begin practicing self-care is to begin to set boundaries in your relationships (not just the romantic ones, but, also regarding family and work).  Think about some of the activities that bring you joy and relaxation.  Are you currently doing any for yourself?  If not, why not?  Will you make yourself a promise right now to begin today?  It is so important to include practicing mindfulness and self-compassion.  It will provide us with a healthy mindset and help us maintain emotional well-being regardless of our relationship status.We need to remain open-minded and receptive to new connections and experiences.  Life is too short not to live it happy and peacefully. Take yourself out on a date not only on Valentine's day, but throughout the year! Happy Valentine's day to you.Don't forget to subscribe for more insightful discussions on living a necessary and luxurious life!Love Always,Dawn-MarieXOXO

Do you like the way your skin looks? Today's episode I'll share 5 quick tips that can get your skin glowing like the sun. It's never too late or too early to begin to take good care of your skin. Our skin is one of the largest organs on our bodies and if we don't take care of it, it will show up in various ways like acne, wrinkles and fine lines, bumpy skin, or flakey skin.Grab your earbuds, take some notes and get your skin looking and staying beautiful.Enjoy and let me know how they work out for you.Much Love,Dawn-Marie

Greetings Lifers,I just learned that today is National Ex-Spouse Day. Breaking up is truly one of life's hardest things to do, especially when you're head over heels for the person, or you've dedicated so much time and energy into the relationship then it abruptly or slowly decays and ends. If you've never had a heart-wrenching breakup then thank the good Lord above.Did you know that the National Today Data Science Team surveyed 230 previously married Americans about their exes and found that: 17% say their ex got on their nerves! 9% said they split the household chores with their ex-spouse.6% say they wear the pants in the relationship. 16% of divorced men, the most popular annoying trait about their ex-wives was being a "control freak" (any control freaks out there? I think I'm one of them). 17% of women said their most popular was their ex-husband's "selective listening".Let's not just look at the breakup as a bad thing. Let's instead, look at what some of the good things that might've come out of it. I did this exercise a few times and it really makes me happier. I've always believed that we meet people for a certain reason. They may only be in our lives for a short period of time, or, possibly a much lengthier one. Think about some of the amazing times you spent together, or, maybe they taught you how to do or live some way you never did before. If you look at the positives of what you actually got out of the time together, it will be easier to put the hurt behind and heal.If you're newly divorced, I'm sorry for your loss. But one thing I've learned is that we can lick our wounds only for so long. We must get up off our laurels, take a shower, get dressed, put on some nice clothes, a bit of perfume, do our hair (or get a new hairstyle and color), and some makeup, and get back in the game. One of the best things you can do for yourself right now is do something loving for yourself. Give yourself or treat yourself to a mani-pedi, a much-needed massage, facial, or take yourself out to a nice restaurant for a bite to eat. But, doing something good for yourself is the first step to healing. Another great way to heal from past hurts is to spend more time with family and friends that feed your well. That breaths life into your life. Don't hang around those who will deplete your energy. Now is the time to protect yourself from them. Call friends with whom you can spend hours laughing together, you know the kind, those deep belly laughs where you can't catch your breath and your face starts to hurt from laughing so much. This is the best medicine of all that you can find on this earth (and it won't cost a penny).Clearing out clutter can also be a refreshing way to begin anew. Out with the old, in with the new. Do a mini closet clearing. Take out all of the clothes that no longer serve your life as it is today. Remove all clothes that no longer fit, have any altered that you love and still want to have. And, if the budget allows, pick up a couple of new items to mix in the old ones and give it a bit of a refresher. Donate or give away any of the older items you no longer want....

Happy Day My Lovely Lifers,When you were a kid in school, or, possibly even recently, have you ever felt awkward when you raised your hand in class to ask the teacher a question? You might've thought "the kids are going to make fun of me with this question". I know only too well. I'm a big question asker and I found that by asking them over the years, I was truly able to attain what they were talking about and maybe even have dove a bit deeper than anticipated. Or, I might've asked questions and got the response "that's a good question" because they may not have thought about it and made them go a little deeper on the subject. Today's podcast is a gentle reminder to ask good questions when it comes to getting answers to important things that happen in our lives. Asking good questions will not only help you with what you're trying to achieve but, can also help you make good decisions when need be. One should never feel silly when asking a question. Especially if you truly don't understand, or, need more information to get it. Don't ever let yourself feel inadequate or ashamed to ask questions, remember there's no such thing as a bad question. So, ask away, you may just be surprised what you find out.With Love and Gratitude,Dawn-MarieStay in touch and join us over at:IG: @DawnmariemutellFB: facebook.com/groups/lifesnecessitiesandluxuries

Greetings Beautiful Lifers,Happy 2022!!! I hope you had a fantastic holiday season and you're off and running to an exciting new 2022.Today we are going to talk about one of my favorite accessories...hats! Hats are one of the quickest ways to change up an outfit.Let me ask you this question, do you like hats or do you find yourself saying "I don't look good in hats?” Well, if you're saying the latter, then, it’s probably because you haven't found the right hat style for your face shape.  I just love hats. I've been wearing them since I was a kid.  I remember being teased about it when I was in my twenties.  People would always ask me, "Why do you always wear hats?" And I'd reply, "because they're so much fun". Hats you can say are multi-talented, they can be a great conversation starter, can enhance any outfit, shield you from the sun and its damaging rays, and, last but not least, show a bit of one's personality to the world and last but not least because they're sooo freakin' cool! One of the reasons you may be thinking you don't look good in hats is because you may not know your face shape and which style look best on them.So be sure to add some "hat-itude with attitude!" With Love and Gratitude,Dawn-MarieXOLet's stay intouch:IG: @DawnMariesFashionFinds P.S.  Want more tips on how to look stylish for pennies on the dollar?  Pick up a copy of the 151 Secrets and in Parts #6 & #7 they are dedicated to helping you in the areas of looking and feeling great by helping with fashion and skincare tips. Click here to grab your copy 151 Secrets BookP.S.S. If you enjoy the show and would like to support it, please help us at: www.patreon.com/podcastnetwork 

Greetings LifersI hope you're having a great summer!!! Today's show is a quick reminder of how to have fun in the sun without damaging your beautiful self.Hope you have a safe and fun rest of your summer season.   Cheers, Dawn-MarieXO

Greetings Lovely Lifers,Did you know that you only have about 10 seconds when meeting someone for the first time to make a great first and lasting impression?Today I will cover 12 attributes to help you do just that.Take good notes and knock your first meeting someone new out of the park.I'll see you inside. Cheers,Dawn-Marie   

Welcome Lifers,Today is National Splurge Day.  What's yours going to be?  Can I just say, I think this day may just become my new favorite day of the year.  I think sometimes we feel we shouldn't indulge or say “splurge” on ourselves.  That we should do for others instead, well that's fine and dandy, but you do deserve a splurge on yourself from time-to-time. Whatever your indulgence, today is the day to do it. Now you may not be able to jet off and take that yacht on the French Riviera, but, maybe you can “fake it till you make it” so if you have a ferry boat or schooner nearby, jump on and take a ride.  Or it just might be your local 'cruise' around the lake, just get going and have some indulgence. Have you ever smelled the wonderful fragrance from a Jo Malone scented candle, or her amazing fragrances? Or, what about a lovely Diptique candle or even better yet, how about their body lotions. I once bought one  from Bergdorf Goodman's in NYC and used it for years (a long-lasting splurge indeed). Yes, I said years, since I would only use it on special occasions, or, days when I felt down in the dumps and needed a quick pick me up. That's one of the wonderful things about fragrances, they really can kick the senses into high gear. What about a splurge on taking yourself on a much needed over-night stay at your favorite  bed and breakfast hotel or even a friends cabin? Can you feel the peace rolling off you yet?What about taking a splurge with a splash in a beautiful bubble bath, or, any body of water will do, do you live near a lake, a pond, a pool, or have a friends with one? See if you can swing by and take a dip, be sure to do it alone if possible and float your worries away. Don't delay, be sure to give yourself a bit of a splurge today and have fun.  Cheers,Dawn-MarieXO 

Greetings Lifers,Today's National Crayon Day so I thought it would be appropriate to ask which is your favorite color crayon?  Did you play with crayon's as a child?  I loved coloring in books for many years as a kid, did you?I want you to be child-like today and have some fun.  Take out your kid's box of crayons, or some colored pencils, pens and go to town.  Doodle, draw, sketch.  Do something fun and feel like a kid again.I'd love to see what you did so DM me over on Instagram @DawnMariesFashionFinds.Have fun and stay creative.Love, Dawn-Marie   

Hello Beautiful Lifers,Have you ever gone shopping for makeup whether at a department store counter, or, at a CVS, only to go home, try it on and think to yourself "what was I thinking?".  Makeup colors can be very tricky, as a professional makeup artist, I've been studying color and in particular, makeup colors and which looks best on which skin tone.  But, one thing, I found is that all makeup is NOT created equal.  Nor, are the treatment products.Today I will cover how to find the right colors for your skin's temperature and how to find your skin's temperature now.So, what do you do when you went to the store and purchased all these goodies?  Well, the first thing I want you to do BEFORE you go to the counter to purchase your goodies is to ask them their return policy for makeup.  Most places you can return open makeup products as long as you let them know you have opened and tried the product.  This will be sure that it doesn't end up back in the aisle.I had a friend who never took anything back to the store to return items.  It made me crazy.  To think she wasted hundreds of dollars and left it for them to have.  She'd never wear the clothes she bought that she didn't like, or, any makeup or skincare (even expensive perfumes).  These all can be returned.  Again, just double check with the store's policies and you'll know.Whatever you do, do not use the samples that they put out on the counters.  There are a gazillion of bacteria that get into them.  Purchase the item and if you don't like it, be sure to return it.I also cover some ways on how to beat S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder) (yes, it's a real thing) and make your winter feel less dreary.So grab your favorite pair of ear buds, your favorite beverage and pop on over.  I'll see you inside. Cheers, Dawn-MarieLet's Stay in Touch:IG: @DawnMariesFashionFinds P.S.  Want more beauty and skincare tips?  Pick up a copy of the 151 Secrets book today:151 Secrets Book