Author Maria Grazia Swan

Um, yeah. I totally didn’t post a blog last Friday, did I? I have a totally great reason for that. I was moving and had no internet for 4 days. Can you imagine? 4 whole days without going online. I nearly broke out in hives. I’m still sorting through a million boxes, but I’m back in the land of the living (i.e. the internet) and will tell you all about my moving adventure… next week. Instead, today we have a super fabulous special guest blogger, author Maria Grazia Swan. So, take it away, Maria…



Death to January and to New Years’resolutions.

Every January, first we celebrate the New Year, and then we make a list of New Year’s Resolutions. You know, that list of personal goals and aspirations? The list of things we want to, promise to, swear we’ll change, improve or modify, yet hardly ever do? And if we do manage to make a change, it doesn’t last past April? Yes, that list.
I call it the list of good intentions. Apparently, one of the most common intentions among us Americans, is to lose weight or to go on a diet--not necessarily in that order. Now you may think that these two goals are the same thing. Lose weight--go on a diet; same result. Wrong, wrong, wrong. For starters, not everyone who goes on a diet loses weight, and secondly, not everyone who loses weight has been on a diet. Chew on that for a while.
Another common intention is to get out of debt or at least have a workable budget. Again, don’t assume there is a connection.
But enough of my catty negativity. The only intention I’m really interested in discussing here is the one regarding the romance department. I’m sure many single women, have good intentions to get out more and mingle and meet new people, and therefore bump into Mr. Dream Mate. Well, we can all fantasize; yes I’m one of the dreamers.
Fact is, if you have been out of circulation for a while, it’s going to be tough to get started again. It is sort of like exercising or playing a musical instrument; staying in shape or staying in tune needs constant practice.
How about trying a different approach? Let’s live a little, be good to ourselves. Let’s give ourselves a gift. And I don’t mean intangible goods like spiritual good wishes and other karma stuff. No, no, I mean, let’s get out our wallet, credit card, checkbook, even cash if some of you have any left after Holidays shopping, and buy ourselves something we never thought we would. I know what some of you are thinking, but I’m not talking about sex for hire. I’m talking about something that changes the way we present ourselves to the world, and therefore change the way we think about ourselves.
It could be as simple as changing the color of our hair. Always been blond? Give strawberry blond a try, or be really bold and go auburn. Always had short or skimpy hair? Get hair extensions. Have too much hair where you don’t want it? Get laser hair removal. Or permanent make-up. Botox. Skin rejuvenation. All of these are non-invasive, temporary changes, so if you don’t like the result it will disappear soon enough. The only permanent damage will be to the budget.
I confess, I’ve tried most of these procedures already, and I can tell you they put a new bounce in my step, a bigger smile on my face and a certain twinkle in my eyes. Definitely worth the small dent in my wallet. When you feel “new,” it shows in more ways than just skin deep: it creates enthusiasm to share the new you with the world. You’ll go out and mingle, chat, and flirt and if you spend your dollar wisely, you may even bump into your Dream Mate—and don’t worry, he’ll definitely recognize you.

We are the hero of our own story—Mary McCarthy

Maria Grazia Swan
http://www.mariagrazia.tv