Blog Posts by HybridHer

WHITE NAILS
To whiten your nails, try these:

* Use a common whitening toothpaste. Try scrubbing your nails with Pearl Drops, it's just as easy as achieving a pearly white smile and will take away any stains and shine up your nails.
* Soak your nails in water with lemon juice or lemon slices. The lemon acts as an astringent and will strip away stains. Once your hands are dry, you'll only need to put on a couple of coats of a clear topcoat.

For Stains/Whitening:
Mash one strawberry into a pulp; add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and mix well. Apply the mixture to your teeth with a soft toothbrush and let it sit for 5 minutes. Rinse by brushing your teeth as you regularly do (with a natural toothpaste). This is good for once/week use.

Natural Toothpaste:
• 2/3 cup baking soda
• 4 tsp fine sea salt (consider it an exfoliant for your teeth)
• a few grapes
• 1 - 2 tsp peppermint extract according to taste (or add your favorite flavor - spearmint,

Don't worry that you don't have time to lose ten pounds or get a spray-on tan before you leave on that well-deserved summer vacation. The real secrets to looking and feeling your best on vacation involve pampering yourself a bit and taking along some necessary tools that will help you refresh and rejuvenate.

Being a mom is the hardest job in the world. We wear so many hats and have so many responsibilities that are not always seen by the naked eye. We are often overwhelmed and numb to outside stimuli. At this point, not only are we hurting ourselves, but we're doing a disservice to our friends and family. If you're tired and immune to emotions, your children will be especially affected by your lack of enthusiasm. It's not a luxury that detracts from your parenting station; me-time is a very-necessary, therapeutic regrouping that will return you to your station in peak condition. Here are nine things me-time can do for you:

1. Quiet: With all the schedules, parenting obligations, work demands, and more, you may find it difficult to explore your own thoughts. If you step away from the usual rigors of motherhood for just 30 minutes and allow your mind to wander, you can give yourself a break from prioritizing and planning. Sometimes we just need to be quiet and allow ourselves to just

The first thirty seconds count. Whether it's a date or a job interview, our brains make snap judgments about people within seconds of meeting them.

It starts before they even open their mouths. Research shows the first 30 seconds of an interview often determines whether the person gets hired or not.

Most of the time we don't even realize how quickly we judge people. Our subconscious mind evaluates the person in seconds. Our conscious mind then proceeds to identify clues that validate what we already think.

It's unfair, but it's also a fact.

Whether it's a sales call, a blind date, or a first meeting with future in-laws, if you want things to go well, it pays to be intentional about how you handle the first thirty seconds.

Here are ten tips to help you close the deal, land the job, get the guy, woo the woman, or win over your future mother-in-law:

1. Open your body - Before you walk in the door take a minute to take a deep breath, relax your shoulders and straighten

Summertime means vacation time - and, like most people, I can't wait to leave everything behind for some carefree rest and relaxation. Unfortunately, summertime is also peak season for house thefts and there's nothing relaxing about returning home to find that everything you've left behind is gone! Fortunately, a few simple do-it-yourself measures can help you keep your house safe while you're off enjoying your vacation.

From the Outside In: The most effective home security program is one that deters burglars as soon as they look at your home. Even something as simple as posting decals or notices that you have an alarm system may be enough to deter a break-in.

Sliding glass patio doors can be easily lifted out of their sliding tracks, but simple pin inserts can prevent vulnerability. To prevent the door from being lifted out of the track, drill a pilot hole in the top track above, and slightly in, from each corner of the sliding door frame section and install a screw into

I've gotten countless emails this week from people who are married to spouses who "sext," which is the act of sending flirtatious messages via text message, email, Twitter, Facebook and so on. I wrote this post in response to the question, "Is this cheating? My spouse thinks this is harmless."

1. Just because you or your spouse do not define something as "cheating" doesn't mean it can't eventually bring your marriage to an end.
2. Sexting is a form of flirting. Flirting is the first step in courtship. In fact, it's what led to the two of you getting married. Would you feel comfortable if your spouse were actively courting someone else?
3. Trust is an important ingredient to a happy marriage. Sexting destroys trust.
4. If you wouldn't do it with your spouse sitting right next to you, it's probably not good for your marriage.
5. As the saying goes: The grass is always greener where you water it. If you are sexting with someone who isn't your spouse, you are watering the

Admit it. You'd love to find the perfect "Thank You" gift that will stand out from the boxes of pastry and bottles of wine on your hostess's counter. Here are some unique gifts (priced from under $10 to $65) you can bring to the gracious hostesses who have invited you and your families to everything from a backyard barbeque to a weekend at their vacation home. Your hostess will be thanking YOU for any of these thoughtful "Thank You" gifts!

Most people don't like conflict. It feels risky and time consuming. They're either afraid of it or they don't want to expend the energy to deal with it.

The problem is, avoiding conflict doesn't work either. It doesn't reduce tension, if anything, it escalates it.

Issues become bigger, resentment grows, people become disengaged, and feel powerless to solve their problems.

A reluctance to deal with conflict is hugely detrimental to business. Good ideas remain unspoken, people create silos, and leaders don't get the information they need because everyone is afraid to bring up potentially contentious issues.

The post mortem on any business failure almost always reveals critical information went unaddressed because somebody was afraid to discuss it.

Avoiding conflict also wreaks havoc on relationships. Have you ever been around someone who was frustrated or angry, but doesn't want to talk about it? They ooze resentment.

People often think that confronting