Coats for Kids 7 Years Running!


The twinkly lights, the frosted windows, the carols sung merrily on high. The season is upon us! We’re starting to dream of decorating the tree, hanging our stockings with care, and waking up to whiteness dusting our neighbourhoods. While there are numerous things to be excited about, the most important part of the holidays  is making a difference for those most in need.
While we may have our lists of goodies and treats that we are looking forward to, some families are simply trying to make it through the coldest time of year. The reality is that there are many members of our community who can’t afford to purchase warm clothing. Rising housing costs and an increasing need for shelters mean that a warm place to rest your head at night is not a guarantee in our city.
We are calling on you to be seized by the giving spirit! For the 7th year, we are supporting the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau’s Coats for Kids initiative by collecting warm clothing, food, and toys to be donated to children and families in need in the Lower Mainland. This initiative was started by United Way in 1992 as a way to stem the overwhelming requests from families who were in need of winter jackets, and has been inspiring the gift of warmth ever since.
Now until December 21st, you can drop off your donations with us, and receive a $150 gift card toward any of our services. You will also be entered into 3 great prize draws: Colorscience Gift Basket – $700 value. R3 Gift Basket – $400 value. And a UBL Service Gift Card – $500 value.
Items to Donate:

  • Coats
  • Toques, Mitts, and Scarves
  • Snow Pants
  • Winter Boots
  • Blankets
  • Toys
  • Food

Something that to us could be a small gesture, can go a long way in a child’s life. Having the means to stay warm through-out the winter could be the difference between a happy memory and a cold Christmas. Help us give back so that the only thing children have on their minds are sugar plums and reindeer hooves.
Contact:
Urban Body Laser
777 Hornby St #860, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2G3
(604) 696-5506

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Positive Thought Power

The power of positive thought has been studied and speculated about in many different forms. There seems to be professionals from varying fields (scientists, psychologists, etc.) with experts for and against the current research. Some believe that experiments of this nature can’t be fully controlled, despite physical evidence showing that positive thinking is very influential, and therefore we can never be sure what the effects of these ideas really are. Both sides have valid points.

Our team wanted to put these beliefs to the test. We gathered a group of our staff and tried a form of Energy Muscle Testing that is inline with this stream of thought. We wrote a positive word (Love) and a negative word (Hate) down on two different pieces of paper and crumpled them up. Each of us took turns holding the papers in our hands and pushing down on each other’s outstretched arms. Sometimes the resistance was strong, sometimes it was weak. When we checked the papers, every time one of us felt weak, it was when we were holding the ball with a negative word. It was amazing to see first hand what effect such a simple exercise had on us! We got thinking: if that was just one simple word, what would happen if for years we beat ourselves down with negative thoughts? The results must be devastating!

This experiment reminded us of the research of Dr. Masaru Emoto. His research looked specifically at what the power of positive and negative influences such as music, words, and thoughts, had on water. After exposing water samples to these influences, he would freeze it and study the crystals formed in the ice. He claimed that in water from clear mountain streams or water subjected to calming music, you could see beautiful, snowflake-like crystals, whereas the crystals found in polluted water came out ugly and distorted. He shared these photos and you can really see the beauty that emerges from purely sourced and/or positively influenced water.

Image Source: Masaru-Emoto

Water is everywhere. Over 50% of the make-up of a human adult is comprised of water. By Dr. Emoto’s logic, anything that effects water, effects us. Whether it be words, images, or music, the intention behind them can have a positive or negative effect on water, and therefore on us.

This effect isn’t specific to water though. Inspired by Dr. Emoto’s findings, people have tried things like the Cooked Rice Test , where rice is put in two jars, one with the word Love and one with the word Hate on it, and left for days. This may not be a scientifically controlled experiment, but the results do show that the jar with the positive affirmation does much better than the latter.

At Urban Body Laser, we want every aspect of your experience to be positively affirming, including the products we carry. Nearly every item in our R3 Derma Skin Care line has positive words printed on the outside of every bottle. Things like Boost, Calming, Detoxifying, Cleanse, Awaken, and Balance. According to Dr. Emoto’s research, these words are having a positive effect on the ingredients in these bottles. This paraben free skin care line is rejuvenating and balancing for your skin, and we now realize is being influenced by the power of their positive names!
Being conscious of the thoughts and energy you are directing towards yourself, and to others, is paramount to achieving a positive, balanced life. So is being conscious of the products you use on your skin. Talk to our expert team today to bring more positivity to your life!

Image Source: Allison Fallon

Contact:
Urban Body Laser
777 Hornby St #860, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2G3
(604) 696-5506

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Meet the Team! Janiece Shares Tips to Cultivate Self Love

Although Valentine’s Day has come and gone, we don’t think the love-fest should stop – ever! While it’s important to always remind your partner how much you care about them, this same attention should be directed towards someone even more important: yourself.
We sat down with Janiece, Manager of Urban Body Laser in Vancouver, to learn how she cultivates self-love on a daily basis.
It’s so important to treat yourself with love, honour, respect, and a little indulgence! How do you spoil yourself?
Chocolate, of course. I also practice yoga and make sure I get lots of fresh air — rain or shine!

Where is your favourite getaway to relax, unwind, and enjoy some quality me-time? 
For me that’s Hawaii. There is something about the energy there that is so healing. I’ve traveled to many warm places and nothing heals me physically and emotionally like Hawaii does.

How do you cultivate self-love on a daily basis?
I try to spend my day full of grateful thoughts and appreciate everything and everyone that I love, including myself. It’s easy to let negative self-talk fester, which is why staying mindful of what you have and acceptance of who you are should be a daily practice.

What do you do that is just for you?
Staying positive is number one. I find that once you start thinking negatively about a situation, it’s like a trickle effect and seeps into every daily occurrence. I also make time to workout, which naturally releases endorphins, the hormone that gives you a feeling of euphoria. And I always make time to be silly and let loose, which is easy with my two little girls. We love singing and dancing around like no one is watching!

What can’t you live without?
My Husband and my two daughters.

When life gets hectic, how do you de-stress?
Even on days when life and work are packed with appointments and meetings, I always make time to practice yoga. That and my other indulgence, Young and the Restless. 🙂

How do you cultivate self-love? Tell us on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook!

Ultimate Guide to Skincare
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Keeping New Year’s Resolutions

The start of a New Year always brings so much hope, excitement, and anticipation. January 1st marks a clean slate when many people resolve to eat healthy, exercise regularly, and accomplish all of those things they’ve always wanted to do.

So now that January is almost over, we have to ask: how are those resolutions coming along?

If you’re having a hard time staying on track, you’re not alone: only 19% of people who make resolutions actually stick to them two years later. Often it’s because their resolutions are too extreme. For example, cutting out all sugar, alcohol, and carbs may seem doable for the first week, even two, but a whole year? You’re bound to only set yourself up for failure. That’s why creating goals that are realistic and less extreme will help you stay on track.
Another reason people lose sight of their resolutions is because they tend to always put themselves last. When we first meet with a client, more often than not they tell us that microdermabrasion, laser hair removal, or any other treatments we offer are always something that they’ve wanted to do for themselves, but never made it a priority. Investing in your own health, beauty, and happiness is key to keeping motivated and accomplishing your goals. To ensure that you don’t fall into the 81%, here are a few tips to staying committed.

5 Ways to Keep New Year’s Resolutions

1. Know that you’re worth it. First and foremost, put your needs as equal or greater importance than anyone else. Make yourself a priority.

2. Make a list. Write down why these goals are important for you and how you’re going to feel once they’re accomplished. With everything going on in your life, it’s easy to get distracted, so keep these visible throughout the day so you’re constantly reminded of your resolutions.

3. Make a plan. Most people jot down their goals on a piece of paper and then quickly forget about them. To be apart of the 19%, figure out a plan of action and take the first step. For example, if you’ve always wanted to try microdermabrasion, contact us and set up a free consultation, then go from there. The same method can be applied to anything else you want to do, like take a night course or learn an instrument. The first step is making the call to those who can give you more information about your goal.

4. Reward yourself. Every time you finish something on your plan of action, treat yourself. It doesn’t have to be expensive or laden with calories. It can be as simple as buying a new magazine or sleeping in an extra 5 minutes.

5. Be accountable. Tell your friends, family, and partner what your goals are and ask them to keep you accountable. When you know other people are expecting you to accomplish something, you’ll be more likely to get it done.

If you’ve always wanted to improve your skin, try laser hair removal, or simply just learn what treatments we offer and how they can help, contact us (and then you can tick that off your list!).

Client Satisfaction
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Urban Body Laser: Giving Back

You know that feeling after you’ve done a good deed?

Whether it’s paying someone a compliment, helping out with a favour, or donating to a charity, there’s nothing quite like giving back to those in need.  If you follow Urban Body Laser on Twitter and Facebook, you may have noticed that we care a lot about helping out others through fundraisers, events, and donations. We think giving back is the key to living a healthy, happy, and wholesome life.

That’s why we weren’t surprised when one our medical estheticians, Channa, chopped off her long, luscious locks and donated them to The Box Cancer Society.

That’s not the only charitable deed our staff is a part of. You may have heard that they’ve stripped down to raise funds for the 2013/2014 Urban Body Laser Charity Calendars.

The Urban Body Laser: In the Buff!

All proceeds go to an incredible organization: Look Good Feel Better, a non-government funded charity that helps women who are going through or have gone through chemotherapy treatments to ‘look good and feel better’. This is Canada’s only charity dedicated to empowering women to manage the effects that cancer and its treatments have on their appearance.

There are still some calendars available! The Urban Body Laser calendar girls can be all yours for just $20 each, with 100% of the proceeds are going towards the LGFB workshops. If you are unable make it into our office we will gladly mail them to you, just contact us by email or phone.

What good deed have you done lately? Tweet us, we’d love to hear it!

Finish Strong

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Finding Joy

Finding Joy  3:32
Simple secrets to a happy life!
http://www.findingjoymovie.com/

Review by Candace Breiten

The film follows Kyle, an author struggling to begin writing his second book and finally returning to his family’s home out of desperation. His family is…well, quirky is putting it nicely. But their dysfunction serves as a means of advancing the story. Each character, from Kyle to his agoraphobic father, nudges the plot along in some tiny way. You just have to make it past some somewhat uncomfortable moments first. In a lot of ways, the film almost touches on greatness but stops just short of reaching it. Kyle ends up meeting his father’s neighbor, Joy, a woman who spends her time volunteering everywhere and believes she’s dying. She coerces Kyle into writing her obituary, believing that he’ll be more capable of it than she.

The story is admittedly odd, and the humor is sometimes borne more from discomfort than anything else. It took me a while, but I finally realized that Kyle is actually supposed to really be that awkward; it’s not a failing of his character or Josh Cooke, the actor portraying him. The story does have a few missed opportunities; instead of merely glossing over death or any other deeper moments, it could have delved deeper, but it instead stayed fairly lighthearted. That’s not to say that the film is lacking in emotion, but it’s missing the lows to match the highs that are already present.

The greatest thing about Finding Joy is that the characters grow and morph into different people. Throughout the film, you find that they begin to relate differently to one another. And it’s not always in a cheesy and expected way, just sometimes. Like the clown suit. Once you watch Finding Joy, you’ll understand.

Dreams are Whispers from the Soul

Dreams Are Whispers from the Soul  3:10
Enjoy a few thoughts on Dreams that lift your spirits and warm your heart :0)
http://www.thedreamsmovie.com/

Simple Truths: Dreams are Whispers from the Soul from 123 Magic on Vimeo.

Dreams are Whispers From the Soul Movie

There are many different aspects that live inside of us and two of them have respectfully been dubbed the Dreamer and Doubter. When it comes to pursuing your dreams, The Dreamer is often gung ho while the Doubter can provide a laundry list of concerns and issues. Your movie today will inspire you to find your purpose and passion in life while you strive to live your dreams.

Steven Spielberg:

“The thing I really want to emphasize is, I didn’t have a choice. I didn’t have a choice . . . the dream is something you never knew was going to come into your life. Dreams always come from behind you, not right between your eyes. It sneaks up on you. But when you have a dream, it doesn’t  often come at you screaming in your face, “This is who you are, this is what you must be for the rest of your life.” Sometimes a dream almost whispers. And I’ve always said to my kids, the hardest thing to listen to—your instincts, your human personal intuition—always whispers; it never shouts. Very hard to hear. So you have to every day of your lives be ready to hear what whispers in your ear; it very rarely shouts.  And if you can listen to the whisper, and if it tickles your heart, and it’s something you think you want to do for the rest of your life, then that is going to be what you do for the rest of your life, and we will benefit from everything you do.”

Steven Spielberg’s Advice: