The Simple Sophisticate - Intelligent Living Paired With Signature Style

The good news is anyone can have charisma. It is not something you are born with. Inspired by Olivia Fox Cabane's 2013 book The Charisma Myth, in today's episode, 17 habits are shared with specific examples that will help listeners become charismatic and ultimately help them strengthen relationships and reach greater success in their professional lives as well.   

Inspired by Shawn Achor's best-selling book Before Happiness, today's episode focuses on how we can shift the reality in which we see our lives. From setting self-imposed barriers to opening our lives up to more success and happiness, how we see the world and our own lives is a tremendous determinate in our everyday contentment. 

One of the most fundamental components to living well is mastering our thoughts on any given day. Regardless of life's events, how we respond will determine the outcome. In today's podcast, Shannon shares 10 tools that if practiced regularly can become habits that will improve the quality of your life. 

The part of being a romantic I want to grab onto and dive deeper into is the idea of thinking outside the box, of not being limited by the boundaries that are instituted by society or even by our own experiences. And as such, I want us to gravitate to a higher, more historically accurate definition of the term romantic - the Romantic:  "a life philosophy that prizes the rejection of pure rationalism in favor of intuition, imagination, and emotion; the embrace of nonconformity and sincerity; a tendency towards nostalgia; and the celebration of curiosity, spontaneity, and wonder". In today's podcast, I will share 6 realities that will begin to occur in your life as you embrace the idea of becoming a Romantic.

With 2015 quickly approaching, perhaps you are contemplating a few resolutions to pursue. Today, I will share with you 15 (plus one more) ideas of what you might want to pursue in order to improve the overall quality of your life. From challenging yourself, to adding habits that reduce your stress, 2015 will indeed begin auspiciously if we set our minds to make it so. 

A full life is a live that is continually changing, offering us opportunities that have never before experienced and becoming all the more enjoyable. However, to ensure that each of our lives is dynamic, we must cultivate regular everyday habits in how we respond to whatever life throws at us. In today's podcast, four habits are shared that will help listeners open their lives in ways they may have never before thought possible. 

Too often we are the obstacle that gets in the way of life unfolding in such a way that will bring us happiness. Whether out of ignorance or fear, we can unknowingly get in our own way and prevent a most amazing life from occurring. By letting go of the six fixed life ideas discussed in today's podcast, you will open your life up to more amazing opportunity and experiences than you could have ever initially imagined. 

Building a signature style involves knowing who you are, what your physical assets are and understanding what works best with your lifestyle. In today's podcast, Shannon shares 7 specific ways to narrow down and discover what your unique signature style is so that your best self can shine.

With just a little preparation and arranging of priorities, the holiday season can be the best time of year and set the stage for a wonderful start to the new year. With these eight strategies you will be able to plan and let go allowing the events to unfold as they will inviting endless opportunities for beautiful memories to be created.

How we treat and care for our skin is just as vitally important as what we eat and how we live. Amazingly positive results can reveal themselves naturally if only we are disciplined and have the knowledge to know how to properly take care of our skin. In today's podcast discover eight ways to properly care from your skin and discover why investing today will pay off dividends tomorrow. 

The key to being unforgettable is not to present perfection and agree to everything and everyone we meet. Rather being unforgettable begins with being our authentic selves, approachable, thoughtful and most importantly honest and trustworthy. Such qualities while basic foundations for building any lasting connection are often forgotten. Tune in to find out specific ways to unforgettable without regret. 

One of the pillars of living a simply luxurious life is building strong and healthy relationships. Whether at work, at home or in your community, these seven components will give you specific guidance on how to cultivate relationships that while requiring sincere investment will produce amazing life fulfilling rewards and memories. 

Socrates reminds us that the "unexamined life is not worth living", but what exactly is the examined life? Today, I examine five general over-arching ways each of us can live more consciously and mindfully in our everyday lives so that we are indeed living an examined life rather than being led around by the nose. 

The beauty of life is that the unexpected can always happen, but if we don't recognize that life's surprises can actually be diamonds to be seized, we may end up missing amazing opportunities. The best way to seize these opportunities is to live fully each day. In today's podcast, 6 tips will be shared on how to be present each day so that you turn the magic that life presents into a life of your dreams. 

Food is a pleasure to be enjoyed throughout our lives, but food is not why we live our lives. On the other hand, it is important that we not see food as the enemy, but rather as a key element in achieving our best lives. As long as we undertand what we are putting into our bodies - putting ourselves in the driver's seat and taking back the steering wheel from the advertisers and the weight-loss books - we can eat well without feeling deprived. 

Regardless of the size of home we live in, creating a space that is welcoming, clean, and comfortable is crucial to rejuvenating and relaxing so that tomorrow we can be at our best. With 6 simple ideas, Shannon shares detailed examples on how to turn your home into your sanctuary. And in this week's Petit Plaisir, international best-selling author and lifestyle blogger Jennifer L. Scott stops by to talk about her new book At Home With Madame Chic which is being released on October 7.

Authenticity is a simple notion in its construct, but applying it to everyday living can be daunting. In today's podcast, four concrete measurements of what precisely authenticity looks like will be shared, as well as six benefits that will improve the quality of your life. And in this week's Petit Plaisir, Lady Gaga & Tony Bennett's album Cheek to Cheek is sampled and reviewed.

Confidence not only is something you can learn, but it is also something you can master. In today's podcast, Shannon share five specific ways to exude more confidence, the five major benefits of acquiring confidence, and interviews Tracy Hooper, the founder of The Confidence Project who offers hands-on workshops online and in person in Portland, Oregon and Baltimore, Maryland. 

From the cuisine to the fashion and everything in between, there are many aspects of the French culture that continue to fascinate people from around the world. As a professed Francophile, Shannon Ables, explains how her love of all things French became the primary foundation of her blog's premise - The Simply Luxurious Life. With an appreciation for quality over quantity, a more fulfilling and content life can blossom with the 10 simple attributes derived from the French culture. 

Regardless of your age, size, job or personality, these 10 essential wardrobe items will be the glue that pulls each season together seamlessly.