come on get happy – Be That Girl Now

Treat Yourself Absolutely Fabulously! Spa Review and Giveaway!

Enter to WIN a Massage! See details on how to enter below!
Back in January 2013, I had the pleasure of traveling to Vancouver on my Be That Girl™ book tour. I was fortunate enough to have my amazing cousin, Julie, accompany me on the trip. She celebrated a big birthday while we were there, so we took the opportunity to book ourselves a spa day! Any excuse to book a day at the spa is a good one!

We booked into a spa called Absolutely Fabulous Urban Spa., conveniently located directly across from the hotel we stayed at, 910Beach.

We arrived early afternoon and were warmly welcomed at the door, and promptly escorted into the quiet room to fill out our client forms.

The dark wood elements, warm Egyptian rugs and furnishings, soft lighting, calming music and cozy chairs really set the mood for our spa day getaway. There was water and chocolates on the table, and we were offered hot ginger tea. I loved that tea…it was spicy, sweet and soothing.

We booked in for the Fabulous Escape, which included a 60 minute Relaxation Massage, Express Manicure and the Absolutely Fabulous Pedicure ($165, 2.5 hours) Just to make it even more delectable, we each added on a facial ($100).

I changed into my robe in the elegant massage room (complete with fireplace) while Julie got going with her facial. I opted for a Deep Tissue Massage with Fuku. It was an extra charge for this option over the Relaxation Massage included in the package, but it was totally worth it. If I lived in Vancouver, Fuku and I would be seeing each other on a regular basis. Her personalized, sensitive touch and incredible massage techniques not only relaxed me, but healed me and straightened me out! Julie also enjoyed her massage with Fuku, but did comment that she could hear the traffic quite loudly in the room.

Our estheticians...Barbara and Fuku — Our estheticians…Barabara and Fuku

The facial was next for me (Julie moved on to her massage), and I was introduced to Barbara, my Esthetician. The facial room was similarly calming and had white billowing curtains on the ceiling that made me feel like I was in a far away land of sand and sun. Barbara’s facial was so relaxing, it almost made the exfoliation portion fun (almost…and I know that deep cleaning is so important for vibrant skin). I really enjoyed the smell of the products they used. Barbara made sure to educate me on my skin type and help me select the right foods going forward to make my skin even more radiant.

Onto the pedicure. I was escorted to a large reclining, leather chair for my pedicure. The chair was very comfortable. Julie had her pedicure at the same time, but was seated in a reclining bed…no buzzy, vibrating chairs here. My room was packed with lots of great magazines, but of course I was writing away in my journal! The foot bath was a large steel bowl filled with warm water, and when I put my feet in I was pleasantly surprised to feel several small rocks in the bottom of my bath. It felt very natural and calming to my feet. The attention paid to my feet was lovely. This was not a traditional scrub and rub pedicure.

They have a no cell phone policy at the spa, and for good reason. At one point during my pedi, I answered my phone and was politely reminded of the policy…there was a massage in session. A spa is supposed to be a getaway from your life for a few hours!

The finale of our spa day was the manicure. Again, there were smooth rocks in our hand soaking bowls, a touch that I thought was very appealing. By this time, Julie and I were ravenous! We hadn’t eaten in hours. The spa staff took care of us by serving us handfuls of chocolate and sparkling pink wine! What a way to top off an incredible day at the spa. Next time, Julie and I agreed that we needed to bring food, or order something. Hours in the spa can really work up an appetite.

We left the spa feeling a little tipsy and a lot more relaxed and pampered. We were thankful that my niece Brooke had prepared a snack plate for us to chow down on as soon as we returned to the hotel.

The prices were very reasonable for the level of service we received. The warm and friendly staff and the cozy, elegant atmosphere at Absolutely Fabulous Urban Spa make this a place I’d go back to again.

Located in downtown Vancouver, BC right by the Granville Island Ferry terminal, this spa is fantastic for visitors and locals.

Check out Absolutely Fabulous Urban Spa at www.myspa.ca for more information.

My Vote: [rating=4]

Julie’s Vote: [rating=4]

From One Spa-Worthy Girl to Another…Until next time!

Tina
Here’s your chance to WIN a 45 Min Massage! To be entered, follow these easy steps:
1. Like Be That Girl on Facebook.
2. Like Absolutely Fabulous Spa on Facebook.
3. Leave a comment below, or on facebook, stating whether you have ever had a professional massage.
Contest closes on May 28, 2013. Good Luck, and may the spa be with you!

Pack yourself happy… EVOC Terminal Bag Giveaway!

Just the thought of having to pack your suitcase for a trip can create a considerable amount of anxiety. Have no fear…Be That Girl is here!

The first step to packing the perfect suitcase is deciding what suitcase you are going to pack in. This will determine HOW and WHAT you pack.

I believe I have found one of the best suitcases on the market, and thanks to Simstir, I am giving one of them away to one of you lucky readers! Read on to find out how to enter my contest.

The EVOC Terminal Bag.
Tina’s Vote: [rating=5]

This is my “go-everywhere” bag, and really the ONLY suitcase you’ll ever need if you know how to pack it properly.

Ryan and I each took an EVOC Terminal Bag to Italy for an almost three week trip and we rode trains the whole time! With a plethora of pockets and compartments of all sizes, this bag expands and contracts to suit your storage (and organization) needs.

ECOV terminal_detachable_big

My favorite part about this bag is that even when it is fully loaded, you don’t have to check a bag! But how? Just wheel yourself straight to your gate. The airline attendants will be eyeing up your luggage, ready to make you check that obviously over-sized piece of luggage. Just prior to boarding the plane, you will amaze the attendants and fellow travelers by unzipping the front part of your bag, strapping that backpack on your back, and strolling casually onto the plane rolling with you the perfect carry on piece of luggage. You have just cleverly converted your one bag into two very allowable carry on bags. Magic? Nope. EVOC! Once you get off the plane, just zip the backpack on again and away you roll with just one bag.

This ingenious piece of luggage ensures that you always have a backpack to use for day trips to the beach or the convention center when you are at your destination. The backpack portion of the bag has a padded labtop storage area to suit those traveling with electronics.

This bag is extremely rugged (even when packed so full you have to sit on it and reef on the zipper…not that I would do that) and is built by a German company that specializes in gear suited for rugged outdoor sports, so you can expect durability, style and functionality. It maneuvers very smoothly and feels super solid. After 3 years of serious hard core traveling, my bag still looks pretty darn new.

Available in 4 different colors, Black, Red, Blue and Muliti, your new luggage will stand out from the rest of the luggage out there no matter what color you choose.

Here’s how you can enter to win your very own Multicolored EVOC Terminal Bag:

1. LIKE Be That Girl on Facebook!

2. LIKE Simstir on Facebook!

3. Tell us where you plan to go on your next trip by leaving a comment below.
Deadline for entries is March 18 , 2013 at 8pm. Good Luck and may the neediest person win!

***Congratulations to Carmen Cuff Kraft…Winner of the EVOC Terminal Bag! Happy packing and traveling, Carmen!***
Don’t worry if you didn’t win. I have secured 5 of each color and they are available for purchase NOW! Best price you’ll find anywhere for this bag, along with flatrate shipping to anywhere in Canada! Check it out!

Hugs and Sunshine, Tina

Do books just know how to find their perfect reader?

Top 8 Reasons to Stay Home with your Family on Valentine’s Day…

Success Laws: Be careful what you wish for?

On January 10, 2013, I was reminded once again NOT to be careful what I wish for! Here is my crazy “little” story.

Our family has 2 vehicles, the “mom wagon” (The Mini Van), and the “fun car” (The Mini). While I was packing for the first part of my Canada book tour, I realized that my husband Ryan would need to keep the van to run the kids around, and I would have to take the Mini on my tour. Taking the Mini to Edmonton was no issue…I was by myself and I only had one book signing to deliver books to. My tour to Western Canada, on the other hand, involved driving from Calgary to various cities in British Columbia, including Kelowna, Vancouver and Victoria. The BC trip would involve myself, my faithful book partner and cousin, Julie, and for a few days, my incredible niece, Brooke. Three high maintenance girls with luggage, twelve boxes of books and eight days of intense road tripping through the Rocky Mountains in winter was not going to work in the Mini. I started freaking out, and wondering what I would do. I discussed my options with my Business Manager, and she cleverly suggested that I try to switch vehicles with one of my family members. I knew I had a bit of time to think about my options (a week!), but I knew I was not satisfied with taking the Mini to BC. I put my “issue” out to the Universe and decided not to worry any longer. Plus, I had my Edmonton trip to worry about first!

While I packed the Mini for my Edmonton trip, I was surprised at how much room there was. I was also surprised at how much luggage one girl could need for two days! My trip to Edmonton was incredible…two tv appearances and two book signings, and then it was time to head home. When I left Edmonton, the weather was beautiful and the roads were clear, but I knew I was headed back home to a blizzard in Calgary. While I drove out of Edmonton, I consciously put my “Invisible Shield” on, cranked the tunes and started singing my heart out. Almost halfway through my drive, I heard a huge **SMASH**, and then heard the sound of wind coming into the car. While trying not to swerve all over the highway, I looked around the car. All of the windows were in tact, so I looked up. There was a huge hole in the roof where the sunroof had once been…and I was alive! The retractable mesh screen on the sunroof saved my life. I was AMAZED that I had survived.

I did not stop the car. I called Ryan (handsfree), and he told me to pull over as soon as possible. Luckily for me, Red Deer was just 10 minutes away. I pulled over and opted for a gas station with bright lights. I got out of the car, looked at the broken glass all over the car and in the sunroof, and I had no idea what to do.

I was about to get back in my car and cry when two guys in a big black truck stopped in front of me and asked if I needed help. At that point, I didn’t know what I needed!

My “Knights in Shining Black Truck”, Chris and Justin, reversed in beside me and assessed the situation. It was freezing outside that night (-15 degrees C). Chris went to work pulling out chunks of glass from the top of the car, while Justin went to ask inside for tape so they could seal the hole. These boys were troopers! There was no tape at the gas station we were at, so they drove to a different gas station, purchased a roll of strong tape and came back to me. They proceeded to tape a black garbage bag down to the top of the Mini. Poor Chris had cut himself on the glass and was bleeding, but that did not stop him from sealing that hole!

We proceeded to exchange contact information. They gave me their business cards, and I gave them each a signed copy of my book. As if what they had done for me was not enough, they said “hey, we’re heading back to Calgary too. Why don’t you follow us?”. So I did.

It was only an hour and a half to home. The roads were still clear when we left Red Deer, but within a half an hour we ran into a blizzard. It was dark, and the snow was coming down so hard it was like a whiteout! I stuck right close to my new friends, and trusted them to get me home. As I drove behind them, I felt protected, safe and happy. I could not stop smiling the whole way home, even though my fingers were gripping the steering wheel and the wind was howling loudly into my car. Once we hit Calgary, I took my
turnoff and I watched my “Knights” go riding off down the Deerfoot. The plastic bag stayed on the whole way home.

The Mini is in the sho 015 p awaiting a new sunroof from Germany so I ended up getting a rental Mini Van through my insurance company to take on my trip to British Columbia…so big, so comfortable, and so safe! Just what I wanted.
I contacted my “Knights” to thank them for not only keeping me warm on the way home, but also for ensuring that I made it home on those crazy Alberta roads. Surprisingly, one of them responded to me by saying “I am a believer in Karma, and greater forces in the Universe…was beginning to lose a little faith in the universe lately but meeting you let me know that I should never have doubted anything!”

The “morals” of my story…

I don’t know what smashed my sunroof, and I will probably never know. Sometimes, the little details don’t matter.
Ask, and you shall receive.
Things do not always happen the way you think they will, and that is OK!
The Universe is ALWAYS watching out for those who ask for, and are grateful, for help.
Be thankful to be alive!
“Situations” ARE “Opportunities” when you think positively.
Don’t be careful what you wish for. Just keep your wishes awesome.
You never know when you will meet amazing people who have something for you.
THERE ARE NO COINCIDENCES.

Enjoy your life, smile more, have more fun, relax, laugh, don’t worry, and hug each other. These are the things that really matter. Namaste!

Tina O’Connor

President & CEO

Be That Books Inc.

Publishing the Best Books for Self Help.

• www.bethatgirlnow.com

• twitter.com/BeThatBooks • facebook.com/BeThatGirl.SimpleStepsToHappiness

Come on Get Happy…Do what you want!

Success Law: It is as it should be.

One of the most important Success Laws of our Universe is that what is right now is exactly as it should be. Accept what is today, no matter what the situation is. Just accept it as it is right now.

The next step is to know with every part of your being that you can attract whatever you want to your life. It starts with being aware of the vibrations that you are putting out to the Universe. Be conscious of the energy that you are sending out. If you are worried about a current situation, you will be giving off worried vibes, which can create more of the situation you are worried about. Instead of worrying, focus on the future and all of the amazing feelings you have surrounding the creation your dreams. Do what you need to do right now with pleasure, and send out those amazing positive vibes. You will get back what you send out to the Universe, so make sure you are sending out only good vibrations! Everyday when you wake up, smile at the fact that you woke up and tell yourself that you can handle everything. YOU CAN HANDLE ANYTHING. One of my favorite quotes from this week… “Breathe. The Universe is taking care of everything else.” Have a fantastic week! Namaste.

You Gotta Fight!

When the going gets tough, take the advice of the Beastie Boys and “Fight for your right to PARTY!”

No matter what your life is filled with right now, add some fun, even if you don’t feel like you can, or should! Fight with yourself and win! Give yourself permission to TAKE the time and enjoy your life, even when you feel like there is just “no time for fun”. All work and no play will add up to a meltdown of unhappiness. Fun is a stress reliever. Smiling and laughing increases your positivity, which will add energy and vitality to your life and propel you forward.

This week, I have been invited to attend an event called “Bull Bustin'” with my Unky. While I am feeling overwhelmed in other areas of my life, I am making time to hang with my Unky and enjoy some good ‘ole Stampede fun. Living in Calgary, we get used to all kinds of “rodeo-themed” events during our world famous Calgary Stampede. This annual event is aptly termed “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth”, and is something I think everyone should have on their bucket list to attend. Free pancake breakfasts all around town for 10 days straight, a license to party any time of the day, and a city dressed to the nines in jeans with over-sized belt buckles, cowboy boots and hats will have you shouting “Yee Haw” until the fireworks go off each night.

Let yourself have a little fun each week. (not too much, though, or you’ll regret it!) Let go of any guilt you may have about allowing yourself this time. It is essential for your well-being. Namaste.

Success Law: Grab a Thread.

Things will happen in your life that upset you. Things will happen that do not feel right, and don’t feel good. Situations will come up that are unexpected, scary, and hard to deal with. One of the hardest things to learn in this life is to let go of your negative feelings about things and situations. Life will get hard and things will always change. You can measure your own success by how quickly you can change the emotion of a situation from negative to positive.

I had the pleasure of meeting an incredible man this weekend. A man who had lost his wife suddenly in the last few weeks. Knowing of his loss, but not knowing him, I expected to meet a broken, sad man. I was wrong. The man I met was a pillar of strength, positivity, and calmness. His smile and his energy said it all. He had made peace with the loss. He had let go of the sadness, and was enjoying every moment of the life that he still vibrantly had, and wanted to shared with everyone around him. His strength made me realize that the recent emotional turmoil I was going through based on a recent change in my own life was simply unnecessary.

Every problem that arises in your life is actually an opportunity. Focus on seeing the positive outcomes of every situation as quickly as possible, and you will be able to turn your negative feelings into positive ones. Do not get stuck in a black hole of self pity. Things happen. You have the ability to control how you react to the situations.

Do not take things personally. EVER. You are amazing. You have the power, the stamina, the strength and the determination to achieve everything you think about. So make sure you think about great things.

Let go of the negative emotion. Grab onto the little threads of positivity all around you and start knitting yourself something. Perhaps you will start with a pair of slippers. Soon, you will have knitted a blanket of positivity that you can wrap yourself and your family in. If you keep pulling in the positive strings, and continue creating positivity, you will be changing the world, one thread at a time.

It’s OK to feel happy, even when bad things happen. Challenge yourself to see the good in EVERY situation. Namaste.

Listen to the Best Books on Self Help and Give Yourself Permission.

Success Law: Give Yourself Permission to do less.

There are so many social molds that we, as a society, squish ourselves into everyday. Our vision of what success is may put us into a mold where we are overwhelmed with things to do, we feel stressed out all the time, and we are on our phones all the time. We see these things happening around us, and we begin to believe that it is the only way. We form a perception of what things should look like based on what we see.

Alas…there is more to life than what we can see with our brain washed eyes. ‘Tis true!

It is important to realize that You define what success is in your life. This is your dream…your reality. Why not make “less stress, more fun” your new success mold? Give yourself permission to enjoy life a little more. Permission to worry less and be more excited. Permission to procrastinate a little on some small day-to-day things, which allows you time to explore your other passions.

Stop restricting yourself. You do deserve to be happy, relaxed, and excited. You deserve to be rich with love and money and health.

Remember Pareto’s Principle that 80% of our results are derived from 20% of the activities we do. So start doing less! Just keep your eye on the prize.

Know where you want to go and then focus solely on that goal. Do not allow anything to distract you from that end goal. Relax and enjoy the journey. Keep taking action everyday, but do not force it. Everything takes time. You know you are going to get there when the time is right, so enjoy everything you have right now! Slow down. Take deep breaths. Take in everything you have created so far, and be proud. Allow yourself to feel good now. It is all in your control. Have a wonderful week! Namaste.