Just like these kids, let’s be happy by:

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Look for the silver lining

It is inevitable that some people seem to get more luck than others, but should we just wait to see if luck strikes for us or take matters into our own hands? We can help ourselves a lot by looking for the silver lining in a negative situation. If you focus on the negatives you are only going to cloud your judgement on the solution, so adopt a more positive outlook on the situations in your life and you will feel better about how to handle them and begin to assume a lucky mentality. Change your thoughts and luck will follow.

Be on the lookout for new opportunities

Very rarely do opportunities for luck present themselves; when they do it’s fantastic, but the chances are this is not going to occur. Nine out of 10 times things happen because we make them happen, so why not take some calculated risks to increase your opportunities. Take smaller risks at first and if they pay off you can increase them.  You should always be on the lookout for new prospects, whether it is in the workplace or in your social life. Keep your eyes and ears open as you never know what’s just around the corner and you don’t want to miss out!

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7 Ways To Wake Up To Better Skin

Sleep is great for the skin as this is the time it repairs itself and absorbs skin products better

By Maui V. Reyes for Yahoo! Southeast Asia

Our skin, just like us, loves getting enough sleep. Unless you like camping out in the woods at night, snooze time is the only time of the day when our skin is protected from harmful elements, such as the sun, wind, and pollution. Also, our body repairs and restores itself whenever we’re at rest—which means our skin uses that R&R to repair all that damage it underwent during the day.

So get in those eight hours of sleep to put the “shine” in “rise and shine”! Get the most out of your beauty sleep with these following tips:

Remove all traces of makeup. Removing makeup can be just as tedious as putting it on. But never skip it! Makeup can clog your pores, keeping your skin cells from “breathing” or “turning over.” What’s more, clogged pores can cause blackheads, whiteheads, and acne! You can use moist facial towelettes to gently swipe the makeup off your face. Follow with a non-comedogenic cleanser formulated for your skin type, then tone. Relying on soap and water to simply wash it off often still leaves traces of makeup and dirt.

‘Feed’ your face with antioxidants. While you should apply a facial moisturizer (preferably one with SPF) in the morning, make it a point to apply a night cream/moisturizer before hitting the sack. Pick one that’s rich in antioxidants, to better fight off free radicals. Our body temperature is higher at night, thanks to our muscular activity during the day, coupled with all the food we ate. This means our skin gets to absorb skin care products better, so take advantage of the change in temp by feeding your skin well!

Take advantage of your skin’s detox times. Studies have shown that skin cells regenerate, collagen is boosted, and harmful free radicals are destroyed between 11 in the evening and 4 in the morning—which means those are your skin’s peak detox times. This is the best time to prevent fine lines and wrinkles by slathering on those Vitamin A/retinol-enriched night creams and serums! Vitamin A encourages faster turnover of skin cells, pushing newer cells to the surface. Retinol makes your skin sensitive to the sun, so what better time to apply it than at night?

Take care of your hands. If your hands get so much work done during the day, apply hand lotion on them before slipping on a pair of gloves. This helps trap moisture and makes sure the lotion penetrates well into the skin. Got extra rough hands? Put foot lotion on them! Foot lotions tend to be heavier and have more moisturizing properties.

Zap those zits. Since bacteria and oil can clog your pores during the day (and worse, do more damage to already-existing zits), treat acne with pimple meds while you sleep. You’ll be less likely to swipe them off with your hands, or dilute them with makeup. Dab a bit of benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid on the spot to dry the pimple out.

Make your lips kissable. Lip balm while you sleep? Why not! Just because you’re not out and about doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pamper your perfect pout. Your lips can get dry while you sleep, especially if you sleep in an air conditioned room or tend to breathe through your mouth. Gently scrub your lips with a soft-bristled toothbrush twice a week (this helps slough off dead skin cells). Before going to bed, apply a coat of your favorite lip balm, or even just plain petroleum jelly—then wake up to more luscious lips.

Increase humidity. You’re drying out your skin even further if you sleep in an air conditioned room. That’s because air conditioners reduce humidity—which also means a reduction in skin moisture. Create a makeshift humidifier by placing a bowl of clean water next to your bed at night. This increases moisture in the air.