Through the eyes of Suzy…

Sometimes, we all need a little motivation to keep moving forward. The easiest way to be inspired is to read quotations that you can relate to or want to be able to relate to. Here are my personal 10 favourite quotes of all time:

1. Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.

2. Create what sets your heart on fire and it will illuminate the path ahead.

3. My goal isn't to wear brands. It's to become one.

4. Unless we push beyond what we can currently do, we will not progress.

5. If you are persistent, you will get it. If you are consistent, you will keep it.

6. If you don't go after what you want, you'll never have it. If you don't ask, the answer is always no. If you don't step forward, you're always in the same place.

7. Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start.

8. To change your life, you need to change your priorities.

9. You must have long term goals to keep you from being frustrated by short term failures.

10. Be picky with who you invest your time in. Wasted time is worse than wasted money.

I find that the best time to look at these quotations is right after you wake up. The temptation of relaxing on your bed with soft pillows and blankets can be strong; reading these quotations will help motivate you to get out of bed. Additionally, you can read them during your commute to school, work, or wherever else you are traveling to.

How to use coconut oil this summer

Do you ever wonder if there is a miracle product that can pretty much do anything in terms of beauty? Well, coconut oil is exactly what you are looking for. From lotion to makeup remover to hair treatment to cuticle care, coconut oil can do anything that you want it to do. Here are numerous ways of using coconut oil:

1. Use it as a hair mask: You can either apply coconut oil directly to your hair (from root to tip) or mix it with other natural ingredients known to be good for hair. Coconut oil is quickly absorbed into human hair, making it one of the most effective natural ways of moisturizing it. Simply apply, leave it on for around 30 minutes, wash like you normally would, and enjoy the best hair of your lifetime.

2. Use it to remove makeup: Although applying oil to your face seems odd, it can be extremely beneficial if you use the right kind. Not only does it effectively remove makeup from your face, it also gently moisturizes your skin, making it unnecessary for the skin to produce extra sebum on your face.

3. Use it to clean makeup brushes: Mix coconut oil with antibacterial soap to completely clean makeup brushes and make them good as new.

4. Use it to take care of cuticles: Applying coconut oil to cuticles can make nails extremely strong and healthy. If you like to apply lots of nail polish frequently, you will definitely benefit from this method.

5. Use it moisturize your body and face: Like I mentioned before, coconut oil can be an effective gentle moisturizer. Your skin will be soft, glowy, and smooth after you use it as lotion.

6. Use it as deodorant: This one is a bit odd, but it works! You can either apply it straight to your armpits or mix it with arrowroot and shea butter to make a deodorant mixture.

7. Make an exfoliator: You probably heard of honey and brown sugar mixture. But have you heard of brown sugar and coconut oil? It's more effective because it's not sticky like honey and it's more moisturizing because of the coconut oil.

8. Use it as lipbalm: The simplest way of using coconut oil is to apply directly to your lips as a lip balm. It will make it extremely smooth and soft.

Now you know how coconut oil can be used for pretty much anything. If you are thinking about purchasing it, make sure you buy the raw, organic, non-processed coconut oil – not the one that contains chemicals and other substances.  

Through the eyes of Suzy...

I'm pretty sure a good amount of people are aware of social media and its growing influence on customer relationship management. Big corporations have been utilizing social media to directly communicate with their customers and so far, it has been very effective! Whether customers make positive or negative comments on social media, companies can instantly check the message and reply efficiently, improving the relationship with the commentator. To the customer, it may be about getting a response from an actual human representative, but to the company, it is much more than that.

Interacting with customers on social media can positively impact the company in a variety of ways. The most obvious one being improved reputation and image. Social media is a virtual space in which millions of people can view and comment on big corporations. If the company does a good job in managing relationships with commentators and followers, it will create a reputation of having good customer service. Second, it can increase the engagement and exposure on the media. With more people communicating with the company, the higher the engagement rate will be for the company. And with more engagement, the more exposure it will have in terms of public relations. Now, this is where the plan can backfire. If a customer complains or negatively comments about the company and it fails to politely fix the situation, the whole problem can blow up on the media in a bad way. Screenshots of the conversation between the company and customer will go up every single social media platform and there will be no escape from it – which is why it's so important to know how to properly manage relationships on social media. On the bright side, another benefit of social media is the inexpensive cost. Any company can whip up an account and start promoting its services and products! Of course there may be extra costs for better benefits, but the basic services are relatively inexpensive.

Now looking at all the companies engaging in social media, it is clear as to why they do it. The benefits exceed the cons by so much! If you are thinking of starting a business, definitely look into social media customer relationship management.  

Many people think that baking is time consuming and messy, and generally it is! However, for those who are too busy, uninterested, or short for time, I created these 5 quick and simple recipes, all with 4 ingredients or less, that take under 30 minutes to make. Enjoy!

Apple Pie Bites

- Pisburry Crescent Dough

- Melted butter

- Brown sugar

- Apple slices

Separate crescent roll pieces, combine melted butter and brown sugar, spread mixture over each crescent roll piece, place apple piece at the bottom of the triangle, roll up. Bake at 350 for 10 mins.

Cinnamon Rolls

- Store bought puff pastry

- Soft butter

- Brown sugar

- Cinnamon

Unroll Crescent Dough without separating pieces, spread butter over rectangular dough, sprinkle generously with sugar and cinnamon, roll into cylinder shape, cut into 10 equal pieces, bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Feel free to top with icing!

Pizza Bites

- Pisburry Crescent Dough

- Marinara sauce

- Pepperoni

- Cheese

Separate crescent roll pieces, spread marinara over each crescent roll piece, layer on cheese and pepperoni, roll up, bake at 350 for 10 mins.

Prosciutto Pops

- Store bough phylo pastry

- Brie cheese

- Fig jam

- Proscuitto

Line a muffin tin with phylo pastry dough, bake at 350 for 5 minutes, remove from oven, fill cups with fig jam, Brie and prosciutto, bake all together for another 5 minutes at 350.

S'mores Pie Pops

- store bought pie crust dough

- Milk Chocolate Bar

- mini marshmallows

- beaten egg white

Cut pie crust dough into long rectangles, cover half of each rectangle with chocolate and marshmallows, fold other half of dough on top of filling and pinch sides shut, brush beaten egg white on top of each mini pie, bake for 15 minutes at 350.

$8 Vodka shots? $9 Tequila shots?

After just over an hour at a club or a bar, you can easily spend over $50 as you recklessly drink shots after shots, most of which seem heavily diluted. If you are like me, a very price-conscious person, dropping a $50 at a club or a bar is not easy to do. However, the temptation is damning, I must say. For those of us who want to enjoy a night out with our friends with lots of drinks minus the empty wallet, here is a list of my Top 4 affordable bars in Toronto:

1. Sneaky Dee's: Crazy graffiti on the wall, cheap drinks, live indie rock band, and a chill atmosphere are all part of the experience at Sneaky Dee's. It is easily a fun place to check out after a night out or to go grab some breakfast the morning after

2. Imperial Pub: This pub is more for the older customers looking for cheap drinks. You can choose from a wide range of draft beers and listen to live music.

3.Communist's Daughter: Cozy and quaint, this bar is a favorite of many locals. It is a very small bar, fitting approximately 40 people maximum. The place is decorated like an old bar from the 80's and is a very friendly environment with the bartender occasionally playing music with his band, serving drinks in-between verses.

4. The Labyrinth Lounge: The Lab is a go-to place for students looking for cheap drinks and a place to dance with good music. Drinks are as cheap as $3 a shot, with a variety of alcohol to choose from other than beer.