I had not paid much attention to the World Cup until last week when I happened to catch the second half of the US-Algeria game. The best part was that I was watching it on Univision, so when the US won, the emotional factor went off the charts with the Latin announcers scream-singing “GOOOOAAAALLLL” accompanied by the unbridled enthusiasm that only they can express about the how and why of the win, especially after the bad calls against them in previous games. “La esperanza! La fe! El corazon sobre la forma! La lucha y el espiritu de este equipo que triunfo, que es justo!…”

If you don’t speak Spanish, the gist is this: it was all about the spirit,determination, fight and heart of the team, not necessarily anything technical that got them the win.  After that experience, I watched with excitement their dramatic game with Ghana on Saturday. Although they did not advance further, Team USA surely did not lose.

The flamboyant, gender-bending US Olympic figure skater Johnny Weirhas had ups and downs throughout his career and his share of unfair marks by international judges.  All along he refused to be anything but who he is and always excelled when he put the “Johnny” back in the performance along with his love of the sport, and his costumes.

Although he did not bring home a medal from Vancouver, he skated his personal best and received incredible press, speaking engagements, his own reality show and a bright future ahead.  Because he worked extremely hard, remained genuine and let his spirit shine through, Johnny surely did not lose.

What both our soccer team and Weir have in common with their world competitions is that they represented the USA with passion and perseverance, and in true American style embraced who they are, carried on in spite of all obstacles and were victorious in their own ways.

In honor of our upcoming Independence Day, let your Unique Spirit and Authenticity overtake whatever you do and see what happens! If you’re having a little trouble, then give me a buzz so I can find the moxie in your mojo and help you accomplish whatever it takes to make your country proud!

One of my favorite songs this (or any!) time of year – is Will Smith/DJ Jazzy Jeff’s  Summertime. Nearly two decades old, it still has a timeless, classic vibe and sweet groove that embodies the flava of the season.

With the solstice now behind us, summer has officially started. We’re in the midst of many endings and beginnings – school finishes, camp commences; text books begone, trashy novels devoured; serious films scaled back, popcorn vampire explosion movies released in full force; beach and barbeque gatherings abound.  For a couple of months we allow ourselves to take more time than usual to enjoy outdoor, fun, social and recreational activities without much of the guilt/low priority often assigned to them the rest of the year.

We’re also halfway through 2010 – a good time to check in with yourself and see if you need to rev up your engines, shift gears or just cruise along with your roof down taking in the scenery listening to some fly tunes. For many you can simply let all the hard work you put in the first six months of the year marinate a bit more before putting it on the grill …

But if you’re far away from where you set out to be in January, feeling restless instead of relaxed, or not even sure what your focus should be with these long hot days ahead, give me a buzz. I’m here to help you make the most of your energy and time… so just sit back and unwind.

This past weekend I attended a double-feature of documentaries at the Explorer’s Club, and was particularly moved by the film Man on a Mission, which follows the lifelong journey of multi-millionaire video game celebrity/genius Richard Garriott and his dream to become the first second-generation American astronaut.

Now, I’m not a ‘space cadet’ (as I learned such enthusiasts are called) but I did become enraptured by this extraordinary man’s quest, despite several obstacles, millions of dollars, and intense physical and mental training, to manifest his desire to follow in his father’s footsteps. Like any other person with their eye on the prize, he just did whatever he needed to make things happen, and it’s a truly inspiring real-life, albeit super-sized, tale.

But besides making ground-breaking history and removing barriers to space travel, Garriott described his experience as transformational – as many who return from orbit do – because of what is called the ‘overview effect‘ – seeing the Earth from outer space and the internal shift and revelations that transpire as a result.

Yet you don’t have to endure zero gravity or eat freeze-dried goop to get a similar perspective if you just take a step back from time to time and simply imagine what your life would look like if observed from the International Space Station, and how it fits into the rest of the Big Blue Marble we inhabit.

If you can’t quite get there on your own, then give me a buzz so I can reflect a little moonlight on you and have our session be the launch pad to a life that any Earthling or extraterrestrial would envy!

When I was a kid, we used go around teasing each other as if this was some embarrassing declaration. Of course the joke was that it’s almost always showing, especially in the summer!

Our physical body is our face to the world, but it’s not all of us.  If we consider that our skin is the clothing for who we really are, then what do you look like naked? Does your inner self reflect what’s on the outside and vice-versa?

Well, if you are a cast member of Jersey Shore, I would say the answer might be yes…but then there is the question of when is exposing too much epidermis making up for a lack of something underneath? And what about what you wear on your body? This, too, is an extension and expression of your true self and has nothing to do with looking like you stepped out of the latest issue of Vogue.

The goal is to be so in harmony with your thoughts, words and deeds that it shows in your personality, clothes and interactions with others; save the masks and uniforms for Halloween or a tv reality show.  The irony is that most of the time transparency happens whether you like it or not – what’s going on the inside will automatically be seen on the outside.

So if you are not quite feeling like your magnificence is reflected in your Manolo’s  (or your substance in your Snooki-bump or spray-tan),   give me a buzz.  I can be your outer mirror and inner stylist to help every part of you shine!

The unofficial start of summer is traditionally accompanied by a more relaxed, go-with-the-flow kind of attitude.  Years ago there were only re-runs on a very limited number of TV channels and no internet to entice/distract/constrain us from being outside enjoying the warmer weather and longer days.

With our 21st century 24/7 lifestyle, this means that we have to consciously take time to disconnect with technology and re-connect with Nature, and ourselves.

Like that cool special effect in big blockbuster movies of our recent past and present,  we need to pause midair and get a full 360 degree view of what is going on around us so that we can take the precise action to defend and/or advance who we are and what we want.

So while in the park or at the beach, be sure to take a moment to reflect on where you really want to be going and why, rather than just moving unconsciously from one activity to the next, day after day.  If you’ve been feeling too anxious or not in control, give me a buzz – I’ll take the remote out of your hand, put it on slo-mo, and guarantee you’ll be feelin’ groovy in no time!