{"id":2125,"date":"2018-11-07T17:25:32","date_gmt":"2018-11-07T22:25:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2125"},"modified":"2018-11-07T17:25:32","modified_gmt":"2018-11-07T22:25:32","slug":"erica-abdo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2125","title":{"rendered":"Erica Abdo"},"content":{"rendered":"

Self Care is a Generous Act<\/em><\/h1>\n

Story and photography by Susie Ippolito<\/em><\/p>\n

Susie Ippolito is a makeup artist turned beauty editor, writer and content creator. Connect with her at susieippolito.com.<\/em><\/p>\n

A generous spirit is a wonderful gift. I find myself drawn to people who go above and beyond to share goodness with the larger world. They keep me inspired and motivated to do more. They also keep me wondering exactly how they do it.<\/p>\n

Erica Abdo, owner of Green Beauty Bliss, located in the newly renovated Deitz Lofts building in Syracuse, is one of those people. Erica draws you in with a smile and a warm hug, leaving you inspired to get more peace, more gratitude and more self care. She\u2019ll inspire you to generously share these gifts with the world. She also has a thriving business as a makeup artist and gives organic facials that have earned her a loyal clientele.<\/p>\n

Even Erica\u2019s journey as an esthetician and makeup artist is generous in its spirit. \u201cThe main thing that makes my soul happy is when I connect with people and help them enhance their way of life and their mindset,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Erica believes self care is part of maintaining a generous spirit. It\u2019s necessary to pay attention to our own needs in order to be able to generously give to others, she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cGiving back to myself and recharging shows that I care for me,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd that\u2019s important.\u201d<\/p>\n

Self care creates kindness<\/h4>\n

It\u2019s interesting to think about self care as an act of generosity. But the truth is if we generously give ourselves love, care, patience, kindness and compassion, it becomes infinitely easier to give those things to the larger world.<\/p>\n

That may sound like a lofty goal that requires hours of meditation and yoga. And, yes, meditation and yoga are two of the most generous gifts you can give yourself, but you don\u2019t have to sit in meditation for 45 minutes a day. Even small shifts in perspective can make a big difference.<\/p>\n

Be more patient with yourself and you\u2019ll begin to notice you\u2019re more patient toward others. The same goes for kindness, compassion and all the things we so rarely give to ourselves. Cultivating a generous spirit works in the same way and works best when paired with gratitude and intention.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlways come back to gratitude,\u201d Erica said. \u201cIt is always the answer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gratitude makes it all possible<\/h4>\n

Erica\u2019s daily meditation practice is a priority in her life. As the owner of a small and thriving business in a new location, she doesn\u2019t have a lot of free time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wake up every morning and say what I am grateful for and I set my intention for the day,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd, I have to tell you, my days are remarkable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erica keeps her intentions simple: be kind, be patient, be open. Simply stating intentions out loud makes them easier to connect to throughout our day.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is something special about vibration and sound,\u201d she explained. \u201cThere is something extra special when you speak your words.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erica says that \u201cliving in the moment\u201d is the key to a generous spirit. Because so much information passes by at any given moment, people don\u2019t often realize the power of being present and aware, she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we slow down and become present, space and time open up,\u201d she said. \u201cWe are able to create moments of generosity throughout our day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Writing this column, I get to interview incredibly kind and generous women who seem superhuman in their ability to give. Some of them do volunteer work, some create their own nonprofits and some, like Erica, jump at any opportunity to give. Each one of them says the same thing: \u201cIt is in my heart to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Awareness and self-care practices connect these women to their heart and give them the ability to light up the world with their gifts. Some of them meditate; some are focused on prayer; some find this connection by running or spending time in nature. The common thread between them is they each take time every day to reflect, empty their minds of daily clutter and focus on their own internal experience. This is the ultimate act of self care.<\/p>\n

Small shifts create a better world<\/h4>\n

It\u2019s understandable that not everyone will have time to commit to volunteer work or may not have the resources to donate money to a cause. Often, our most generous aspirations go onto the When-I-Have-Time list.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is so much more I want to do,\u201d Erica said, \u201cbut it has to be the right time.\u201d<\/p>\n

She has full faith that the right opportunity will present itself to her when she\u2019s ready. In the meantime, Erica stays mindful of how she\u2019s able to share her gifts with the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love teaching people how to fall in love with themselves,\u201d she said, explaining that many people don\u2019t love themselves. \u201cSelf care is No. 1 in falling in love with yourself. What you put in your body and on your body matters. Healthy food matters. Water, exercise and doing things that you love to do all matter.\u201d<\/p>\n

As we take better care of ourselves, we create positive energy and become compelled to share these good vibes with the rest of the world. Even when we\u2019re super busy, Erica recommends small gestures like leaving positive messages for loved ones on Post-it notes or text message.<\/p>\n

\u201c[It\u2019s] an appreciation for who they are and why you are grateful for them,\u201d she said. \u201cDon\u2019t forget about people. We all want to be loved. That\u2019s why we\u2019re all here: to spread love and be our best selves and learn and grow.\u201d SWM <\/em><\/p>\n

Green Beauty Bliss is located at 225 Wilkinson St. #105a in Syracuse. For more information, visit greenbeautybliss.com.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Self Care is a Generous Act Story and photography by Susie Ippolito Susie Ippolito is a makeup artist turned beauty editor, writer and content creator. Connect with her at susieippolito.com. A generous spirit is a wonderful gift. I find myself drawn to people who go above and beyond to share goodness with the larger world.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2130,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[101],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2125","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features"],"gutentor_comment":0,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/Erica-Abdo-Green-Beauty-Bliss-1.jpg?fit=350%2C233&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1896,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=1896","url_meta":{"origin":2125,"position":0},"title":"The Health and Beauty Benefits of Grapes","author":"Staff","date":"June 29, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"The Power of Grapes\u00a0 By Susie Ippolito\u00a0 We are fortunate to live in Syracuse, where fresh fruits and vegetables are abundant, accessible and affordable. 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