Forgot all my worries…

Alyssa (Jonesboro, Arkansas)

I saw my package in the mail, I IMMEDIATELY perked up. And then I opened it, and when I saw it, I completely forgot about all my worries and I went and tried it on. And THEN when I looked in the mirror, I had the biggest smile on my face. I just couldn’t stop smiling. It brought me up so quick, I felt like wearing it everyday just to have that feeling.

Open your heart, open your mind.

When RubyLove first started, I knew in my heart that it would turn into something more than just a t-shirt company. And in the last few months, the support and love from all of you has proved to me I’m definitely on the right track to making a difference in someone’s life. And as I like to say “one t-shirt at a time”.

So when the time came for a new entry, I was inspired to write about how I learned to live my life by having an open heart and open mind.

Growing up, I didn’t get to spend a lot of time with my parents. They had to stay in Taiwan in order to support my sister and I in getting our education in America. I became extremely shy in a foreign land. And not understanding the language made it difficult to build close friendships. So I learned at a young age, that action does speak louder than words. With a big smile and a positive attitude, I tried to help someone out whenever I can. In return, I earned their trust, and was able to slowly break the language barrier. And as I learned to speak English, the trust I’ve built carried over too. My friends began to open up to me when they felt sad or troubled. They too became the support group I relied on during hard times when my parents weren’t able to offer their guidance.

And two key elements in having a trusting bond is Honesty and Respect, that that’s really true for any relationship you have. It takes a lot for someone to allow themselves to be vulnerable and share their inner thoughts with you. So it was important for to be respectful of that and treat them the same way. I have found that sometimes I get embarrassed to say what’s on my mind, but when I am able to open up to a trusted friend, you began to see things from a new perspective simply by verbalizing it and explaining it in way that someone else can understand your true feelings. Then, if that friend offers advice based on their life experiences, you just might reach a new solution you weren’t able to get to before.

With RubyLove and this blog, I try to let you know that the idea originated from a good place with love for people and our earth. I begin to open up about my experiences in hopes to inspire or bring comfort to someone. The same way that I’ve done for friends in my life, I hope to do the same for my “customers” who I care about as my friends.

I have learned over the years that when you open your heart to someone else, you are inviting yourself into a new world of new possibilities. Honesty will lead the way, and positive energy will follow.

Sometimes you just need to cry…

Do you have those days too, when you just need to cry? Maybe something awful or sad happened that you can’t help those tears from coming out? Or maybe you can’t even pin point what’s bothering you, but crying would just feel better. When I feel that way, I would say to my husband “I feel fragile, I think I need to cry.” So he tries to help me by flipping the tv channel to find a sad movie, which I only end up laughing at his attempts to be supportive. (I think making me laugh was his goal all along.)

I love my life, and I’m always up for a big challenge. But when something goes wrong, especially things out of my control, it really brings me down. I’m passionate about RubyLove because it’s an extension of myself. And making something that can make someone else happy is the best stress reliever. This past few weeks I was faced with problems with problems with the ink fading on a batch of shirts I sold, and this week the website not working. And on top of that, getting over a bad case of the flu, and a misunderstanding with a loved one…I have reached that point where it was necessary for me to cry before I can take care of all of those issues.

For me, crying isn’t a sign of weakness, it is a form of release. I think it’s healthy to cry sometimes as long as you don’t dwell on the sadness or hopeless feeling. For me, I know after I cry about it, I’ll feel better and then I can move on and start to face the issues. I know taking a long walk, a hot bath, or have some creamy soup also gives me the comfort and relaxation I need to push the reset button in my head. But…sometimes, a good cry really does the trick.

The important thing is to allow yourself to feel and release those stress and worries in whichever way feels right for you. And once you let it out, feel renewed to tackle whatever is in your way. Talking to a friend always helps. And if they offer a shoulder to cry on, I say take them up on it.

I hope you’re having a better day than I am. I’ve cried. I’ve shared. And now I’m back to face whatever comes my way with a positive attitude and smile.

Where’s my website?

It’s been a rough month for RubyLove. First I ran into a problem in production and had to recall some of the shirts sold. (Thank you all for being so patient and understanding!) And now, I’m having issues with my website and it’s nowhere to be found. : (

I am working on bringing it back and won’t give up until it’s done.

Ann

How can I help reduce Global Warming?

Hi Ann,
I have heard a lot about global warming, and all the threats. I was wondering if you had any ideas on how i can help out in my city. I am only in middle school, but i want to help reduce problems. Also, i love ruby love and cant wait to see the fall clothes. thank you!

Kelly

Posted: September 9, 2007 at 4:11 pm

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Dear Kelly:

Thank you for wanting to do your part to help reverse the effects of global warming. No one is too young or too old when it comes to protecting our planet. And here are some simple ways that you can help starting from your home, to getting your school and city involved.

• SAVE ENERGY: Replace all the light bulbs with fluorescent bulbs which uses 75% less energy. Start by asking your friends and family to change them in their homes. Then talk to your school and find out if your local businesses will donate new bulbs, or start a fundraiser to buy them.

• LESS WASTE: Recycle! Recycle! Recycle! Buy products with less packaging or made from recycled material. Set up recycling bins in your classrooms for paper and plastic. Have paper drive and get the whole neighborhood involved.

• PLANT A TREE: Trees helps reduce carbon dioxide and creates clean air for us to breathe. The shade from the trees also helps with keeping cooling cost down.

• LEARN MORE AND SHARE: Start a club at your school so everyone can learn more about the effects of global warming, and organize activities to help save energy and recycle. Contact your local newspaper when you have an event to create awareness and support.

• SPEAK UP: Write to your mayor to find out about any existing programs they offer and what you and your school can do to be involved.

There are a lot more ways you can help than what’s listed here. Check out www.stopglobalwarming.org for more helpful tips.

Good luck Kelly! Keep me posted on your progress on helping our planet. And if anyone else has any tips or ideas about this topic, please share it with us.

Ann

Meet Megan, our RubyLove Girl!

I’m so happy and proud to introduce Megan as our very first RubyLove Girl of the Month! Megan came to my attention when she bought a LOVE YOURSELF tee for a friend in need of some encouragement.

“I’ve always wanted to make a difference in peoples lives” says Megan, a 16-year-old from Florida, “Recently I’ve become more inspired to help girls and young women to love themselves.”

At such a young age, Megan has learned the secret to a happy healthy life. She believes that if you don’t love yourself, it’s not possible to truly love anything or anyone else. Practicing that belief, she not only lives her life to its fullest. She also has opened her heart to those around her.

The best advice she has received is to live in the moment. Do as well as you can right now, so you can have as many options and opportunities as possible in the future. She took the advice to heart and ranked 16th out of over 500 students last year, taking all honors classes.

She admires anyone who isn’t afraid to be herself, such as America Ferrera, who is also a fan of RubyLove. By being herself, she is actively involved in the math club, tennis team, and going into her 11th year of dance. She also enjoys cleaning her room which makes her feel fresh and renewed!

Our RubyLove girl hopes to become a graphic designer or a teacher someday. She loves graphics and photography (as you can see her clever photo of her reflection!) And her goal in life is to be happy with her own accomplishments in life, and make a difference by helping others. For now, her goal is to graduate high school in the top 30 of her class. And continue to be there for her friends and family. I have a feeling she won’t have any trouble reaching those goals.

I must say that I was very impressed by Megan, not only of her accomplishments, but also her positive spirit. Her loving heart and generosity is truly deserving of this acknowledgment. And I hope her story has inspired you too. Congratulations Megan!

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If you, or know someone who also possess positive qualities that deserves to be recognized, send me her story, and maybe you or someone you love will become the next RubyLove Girl!

Spread the Love

Dear friends,

Thanks to the support from all of you, the RubyLove website and newsletter has continued to grow and improve. It makes me more excited to come up with new ideas and inspirations to share with everyone. And I can feel that you are out there spreading the love and positive energy.

In the coming months, there are some very exciting things happening with RubyLove, so tell your friends and family to subscribe to the newsletter so they’ll be notified when it happens (you can sign up at our online store myrubylove.com)

Here’s what’s coming up:

• NEW LOW PRICES
All the sale item prices has been reduced! A great time to get a few extra tanks for working out, or a gift for a friend. Hurry! supplies are limited.

• STORE WIDE SALE
For 1 week only in October, everything in our online store will be on sale. This is my way of showing appreciation for my customers. And as a bargain hunter myself, I know how good it feels to save! But only those who sign up for the newsletter will be notified about the sale, so pass it on!

• FALL PREVIEW
I’ve been working on new designs for the fall and holiday season. I love the new designs and I know you will too! They will available for purchase late October.

• MEET OUR RUBYLOVE GIRL!
I can’t wait to introduce our first RubyLove girl. We’ve been exchanging emails and I’m finding out what a wonderful girl she is. If you or anyone you know has those good qualities that deserves recognition, I’d love to meet her!

Smile Big! I look forward to sending you updates in the coming months.

Cheers!
Ann

p.s. whenever you need a boost, check out the Good Thoughts section. : )

A Helping Hand

When we help others, we are really helping ourselves. When I was a little girl, I would roll up my sleeves and help my mom do the dishes and clean the house. When I saw how happy she was, it really made me feel happy too. And it encouraged me to help out even more.

As I got older, I learned that there are so many ways we can help others that also brought me that good feeling in my heart. For example, being good listener. Sometimes people don’t need you to solve their problems for them, they just need to vent. By listening well, you are helping them clear their minds. And sometimes, you learn something about yourself too in the process.

I recently did some volunteer work where we helped to build homes for families desparately in need of shelter. I wasn’t very handy with the building part of the process, but I was able to use my artistic skills to paint the walls, and a sign with the family’s name on it. And of course, I helped to clean up, and set up a cozy living space inside. The gratitude from the family we helped was overwhelming, and I gained a new appreciation for having a home to return to.

Helping someone doesn’t have to take a lot of your time or energy. A simple smile to someone is powerful enough to brighten their day. Especially if you are not feeling so great yourself (and we all have those days, but trust that it’s only temporary) When you can recognize the troubling feeling you have, but make the effort to reach out to someone else, you’ll soon discover that your act of kindness will help you feel better again. It really works, every time.

So if you are feeling great today, keep smiling and show someone you care about them. And if you are not having the best day, take a deep breath, smile, and go out and help somebody. I promise you’ll feel better very soon.