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Hey, hey ladies! S-Factor is so hot we are all over the news! Sheila was in Houston for the very Grand Opening of the new Houston Studio and the event was covered by Houston Tidbits online which caters to Houston’s fashionable females and delivers the up-to-date scoop twice each week on everything chic from fabulous shopping and cozy cafes to hip events happening in Houston.

Our fearless leader could also be seen on ABC and FOX TV, Houston!



Sheila was interviewed by Houston studio student-extraordinaire and radio talk show host Cynthia Hunt, of the Baker and Hunt Show on 950 AM in Houston, Texas. It’s a two-hour lifestyle and news show that discusses hot topics of the day, and the fabulousness of Sheila Kelley’s S Factor has been a VERY hot topic.



Our very own sassy uber teacher Ms. Terri Jaworski can be seen on “LATV Central” a Latino- American cross cultural TV show! Teri taught the host some sexy S Factor moves on air with her quintessential “S” flair.



Sheila Kelley’s S Factor NY received a great write-up on the way hip online NY city guide Schmap.com, found here, and the upcoming S Factor NY / W Hotel “S & W Girls' Night Out” events are spotlighted on the Fashion Week Daily website. Does it get hotter than that?



This month Sheila and our Houston women are in the spotlight, yet again! That Houston Grand Opening got a lot of attention! Including a spot in the Houston Business Journal and the Houston Chronicle- check it out here.



S Factor got a fabulous shout out from the Los Angeles local paper The Larchmont Chronicle. Sheila got some more “Star” power form the Star Magazine because of one of our many awesome celebrity students, Miss Kate Hudson. We all know it’s true, now so does the rest of the country. Go Sheila!

Catch Sheila on ‘Suburbs and the City’ radio show talking about all things “S”-pectacular.

Keep an eagle eye out for Sheila on TV for a segment on the Fox News Network, and the Entertainment Magazine show Extra! as well as in print in the Houston Brides magazine and on your computer form Women’s Day online!

Last month's editorial was all about becoming the hero of your own life story, taking action and making life happen. Becoming the hero of your own life is a challenging journey and you might not know where to start. Or you might feel as though you’ve hit a dead end. Or you might feel lost. Not know what your next move is.


I hope it doesn't surprise you to hear that we've all been there. Me too, maybe more than most. I’ve been seriously lost FIVE times in my life, horribly lost, not knowing where I was going, much less how I was going to get there. The very first time I can remember being this kind of lost was at the Philadelphia zoo at age four in front of the elephant cage. When you're four, everything looks as big as an elephant, so getting lost in a zoo is seriously scary. I walked up to a man in a brown zoo uniform who happened to be the elephant keeper, and he helped me find my mom.

During puberty I felt just as lost, if not more so, but there was no friendly elephant keeper to lead me back to solid ground. And in this ‘zoo’ the savage animals of ‘trying to grow up’ and confusion and loneliness weren't locked up in cages - they chased me all over the place. I probably only made it through by luck, and I carry those hard lessons learned with me even now.

The most lost I ever felt, though, was the end of my first long-term love affair, which left me a complete and total basket case. Luckily for me, I found a woman – I call her Jude, ‘Hey Jude’ – who became a great mentor in my life. Note the word ‘mentor’ as this is the thrust of the editorial this month. I had never had a real mentor before. Not one who didn’t want something from me, This was new and wow! How could a woman want to help me? How could a woman give of herself so easily to another, dare I say it, younger woman? She taught me trust. She taught me the power of the united feminine. She illuminated the shadowy places ahead of me, then taught me how to shine my own light in the darkness. She still challenges me and inspires me. She is always one step ahead of where I am going, and I love it.

When you feel lost or just stuck while on your heroic journey the best way out is to find a hero-mentor.

What is a hero-mentor? Well, think Luke Skywalker and Obi Wan Kenobi, Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan, Cinderella and her fairy godmother, Dorothy and Glinda. All the great heroes of the world had someone who had been there before to show them the way.

Just think about your S Factor classes, those of you who have the luck to have a studio near you. When you show up at your very first class, your teacher is extraordinary. Awe-inspiring, seductive, powerful, confident, brimming over with beauty and energy! (Can you tell how in love with the women who teach S Factor I am?) She is your S Factor mentor. You hide shyly in a shadowy corner and follow her every move, hoping one day you can find in yourself what she has found in herself. She gives and molds and encourages and guides.

And as the months pass, you gain confidence of your own, and start to realize that your beauty is as inspired as all the other women in the room, including your magnificent teacher. You begin to find your own path, your own groove, your own rhythm. You don't need to play follow-the-leader anymore. As you begin to unleash your personal power, suddenly your sister, your girlfriend, your mom, your coworkers, start looking to YOU for advice on how to be a sensual goddess. YOU become the hero.

What applies in S Factor class applies in all of life, if you're lucky enough to find a hero-mentor who fires up your personal passion and leads to your own secret stash of hidden power.

When you're swimming in new, choppy seas – when you need direction, protection, and inspiration – seek out a woman who knows the waters you're navigating. The wisdom of a hero-mentor is priceless... and it's not hard to come by. These women are all around us. You need to open your eyes to the possibility that maybe the woman that you see in the hall every day at work could have answers you need, wisdom you lack, passion you've forgotten. You job is to reach out to her.

A true hero-mentor lets you stand on your own, pushes you to become your own hero. And once that happens, the cycle continues, and you can become a hero-mentor to someone else. With heroism comes grace. Once you are living the heroic life, you will be able to turn your formidable attention and passion toward something or someone outside of yourself. A sense of inner peace comes over you. You bask in the heady knowledge that you are doing everything you are capable of doing to live in your moment and make the next step happen.

This month, I throw the gauntlet down for you to pick up. If your journey seems to have stalled, you may need a helping hand – but it's up to you to find it. So don't be intimidated or shy – walk right up to that elephant keeper and ask your way out of the zoo. Find your Glinda, your Annie Sullivan, your fairy godmother. She may be closer than you think.

With a big, fat, luscious hug!






Try this physical manifestation of “Standing your Ground” next time you find yourself in a challenging situation. You can do this anytime, anywhere when you want to center yourself and feel your power.

Stand with your feet hip distance apart and breathe deep into your core. Allow your hip to slightly protrude into your space upon your exhale. Make sure you’re standing like a tree that moves and bends when the winds blow, but stays strong. Allow yourself to be malleable, breathing your curving stance out into the world. Let yourself connect to the hero that you are. Create your own power stance.

A True Mentor, Dr. Aronson
A mentor is one who can show us another road, perhaps one ‘less traveled’ in order to reach our fullest potential. I’d like to introduce you to an amazing woman living in New York City named Dr. Aronson.

When she was thirty-one, she fulfilled her dream of becoming a physician and entered medical school. She became a pediatrician and then the Chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Director of the International Adoption Medical Consultation Services at Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola, New York.

Since 2000, Dr. Aronson has been in private practice as Director of International Pediatric Health Services, in New York City. She is Clinical Assistant Professor of at Cornell University and has evaluated well over 4,000 children adopted from abroad. As an adoption medicine specialist, she has traveled to orphanages in Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, China, Vietnam, Ethiopia, and Latin America.

Her most recent project is one that deeply touches the hearts and lives of many people. It is called the “Granny Project”. This is a program where retired women are paired with orphaned children to help them in all areas of their lives: physical, psychological, and developmental. These women come from all corners of the world, Bulgaria, Agar Bijan, Vietnam, China and Russia. The ‘grannies’ are assigned two children each and create individualized programs for their specific needs.

These dedicated women are frequently ostracized from their communities for working with the orphans. Unfortunately there is little respect in many other places for what we in the West deem a noble profession. Child care is simply not considered a credible form of employment in their respective countries. The ‘grannies’ are often forced into early retirement by their governments and are unable to sustain themselves and their own families on what their pension provides. Dr. Aronson is setting out to change this archaic perception all over the world, one woman at a time. She is providing training for the “grannies” most of which have some background in health care, such as day care workers or nurses prior to retirement. Some of these women are only in their 30’s having had a limited education prior to Dr. Aronson’s program. The ‘grannies’ are trained by medical professionals and are offered a new skill set resulting in not only employment and supplemental income, but increased self-respect. The women receive a certificate after their training is completed and are given the opportunity to advance themselves, as well as the quality of life for their families.

This program of mentoring the orphans results in a win–win situation for all involved. Dr. Aronson believes that it is through positive action that we can bring about change, and it is through education and commitment that we can start to heal. For when you set out to become a mentor, what you receive in return is just as valuable as what you give away.

For more information on Dr. Aronson and her Granny Project go to WWO.org, click on the “Granny Program” and view a moving video and pictures of the ‘grannies’ in action.



Kelly Williams is a long, tall, delicious drink of pure authentic crystal mountain spring water. She hails from West Hartford, CT and spends her days working in a hectic production office when she’s not getting her “S” on. She started as a student at S Factor in 2003 and that was it. She was hooked. Ms W. stayed a student for two years before she jumped off the cliff deep into the core of the movement and became the much beloved S Factor teacher she is today. Kelly started teaching in May 2005.She says she became a teacher because she “wanted to know the movement from the inside out.”

If you ask any of her loyal students, you know she absolutely achieved that goal. Kelly loves how strong the movement makes her feel in every way: physically, emotionally, and mentally. Her favorite aspect of teaching is witnessing how the movement affects such a widely diverse group of women in the same profound way.

Kelly lives for the times when a student has been with her for while and finally finds the need within herself to ”go there”. She said it literally brings tears to her eyes when she views a woman letting her guard down and allowing herself to be vulnerable.

Kelly is such a fierce dancer, loyal teacher, loving woman and sparkly light in our S Factor family. We are so honored to have her as a force in this movement. I asked her what’s her favorite trick to throw when she’s dancing and she said,” That would be the good ‘ol “Firefly” cause it's always there when you need it. It feels so damn good. It never ceases to satisfy.” We love you Kelly and couldn’t agree more!

Hi Sheila,

Every time I receive the Global S I am filled with a sense of longing.
I so want to be part of your great program. I first found your book by accident in a bookshop. I then found your website and signed up for the newsletter. I am about to also purchase the DVD as I just can't concentrate on the book and move at the same time.

I feel envious of all those empowered positive women who teach, write about and attend your classes. In sunny Australia, pole dancing classes have just started to catch on but only in the capital cities. My nearest one is an hour away, just not practical with two children and being a full-time student. But S factor offers so much more than just spinning around a pole. That is what I long for, to belong to a group of wonderful, confident, empowered, sexy (and comfortable with it, something I am still learning, at 42!) women and getting fit at the same time. If you ever come to Australia, I will be first in line! Till then, I will continue to look forward to your wonderfully inspiring newsletters, even if they do fill me with just a little more longing.

Lisa
Australia

Need something especially sweet hanging from your mantle this holiday season? Check out S Factor’s version of a Holiday Stocking! This velvety, foot long platform boot with wild furry trim is a delightful addition to any and everyone’s holiday festivities! Made in Purple exclusively for S Factor, it’s also available in red, wicked Cheetah or saucy Zebra print. You can stuff your stiletto stocking with S Factor gift certificates, chocolate kisses, special love coupons for the man in your life or collect all four and give them out to your gal pals.
Click here to shop!

Gift Certificates available in denominations of $20 for the purchase of anything in our store! Also available for $40 for the purchase of an Intro, $120 for a 1 hour pole series, $220 for a deposit for 1 session or $440 for a full session. It’s the perfect gift for anyone on your list! If you place your order before November 21st, you get free ground shipping.



Umbrella – Rihanna



For something a little playful this lovely November grab this dandy off the internet. I love the riff of this song. It's catchy in a way that seeps into your rhythm center and gets your body moving whether you're in the mood to move or not. This is the perfect 'having a bad day' kind of song. Just take a listen and watch your world rock out.


The Miracle Worker


Imagine a world of total darkness, no shades of blue or green, in fact no color at all, only black nonexistence. Add to this no noise, no music, no sounds of nature, no human voice calling your name. The final ingredient to this world is no voice to express your frustration, anxiety, or basic needs. This was the world of Helen Keller.

The Miracle Worker was made in 1962 and directed brilliantly by Arthur Penn (who also directed the Broadway play with the same cast). This outstanding film is based on the true story of two great female figures in American history, Helen Keller our hero and Annie Sullivan, the archetypal mentor.

Helen’s parents, unable to control or educate their daughter, allowed her to act out her frustrations through destructive behavior in order to get what she wants. Helen’s mother gets “permission ‘ from her husband (gotta love the 19th century!) to get help for Helen ( a very young Patty Duke) by Annie Sullivan ( the indomitable Anne Bancroft). Who better to mentor Helen than one who’s been on the path herself and who knows the difficulty of the terrain?

Annie, who became blind at the age of ten, uses tough love to champion Helen through her knowledge of the world of darkness and silence. Like any courageous venture, the road is rarely smooth and takes more than patience, but miraculous skill and energy to shift Helen’s perception of the world around her as she knows it. So begins the hero’s journey.

The famous dining room scene is played with perseverance and commitment beyond what most of us could tolerate. Before Helen can understand language in order to communicate, Annie has to teach her the concept of language. This is no easy task.

Let’s not forget that the title,‘The Miracle Worker” is about the mentor to our heroine. Helen Keller was a woman of astonishing achievement, undaunted by her obstacles because of this magical relationship with her teacher. The importance of having a mentor who believes in you, especially when you don’t, is invaluable. This film is a reminder that all things are possible if given the chance and the strength of the human spirit can triumph over even the most devastating disabilities.

“Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.”-Helen Keller.


Eat, Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert


When author Elizabeth Gilbert was 31 her marriage and prosperous lifestyle crashed and burned in a grueling divorce. This was followed by a passionate love affair with a guy named David that ended in heartbreak...and so the search begins.

She was desperately in need of something different in her life. So she decided to spend a year abroad — four months each in Italy, India, and Bali. This was a search for the meaning to her life in an epic way.

No coincidence that all three places Italy, India, and Indonesia all begin with the letter “I”. Interesting. It is the “I” we all search for, and it is the “I” that can get in the way. Gilbert chose Italy because of the happiness she felt when hearing Italian spoken aloud. She wanted to learn the language and indulge in all of the decadence that only Italy can provide. She gained 23 pounds, but doesn't allow that to faze her; after all, pleasure must be savored wherever it's found. It was through the people she met in this very different culture where pleasure is valued that she gained experience. It is through the human connection, the witnesses to your life that experience is illuminated and savored.

In India Gilbert spends her days in meditation and contemplation. Her work assignment is to scrub the temple floors. Already familiar with the yogic path, Gilbert knows that discontentment, according to Hinduism, is due to our belief that "our limited little egos constitute our entire whole nature."

Richard, a Texan who renovates old houses in Austin, befriends her. He helps her begin the inner work that she needs to do to find herself again. Mentors come in the most unexpected forms! The closer she draws to God, the more she realizes that one of her major obstacles is the inability to let go. With the help of Richard, she decides to delve deeper into her true core and stop being the ashram social bunny. She is then given a new work assignment of taking care of the guests while maintaining silence. The lesson sinks in: surrender is the right mode on her path of devotion.

This is how profound it can be when we get out of our own way and turn our focus on assisting others. It took her trust in Richard to guide her away from her own drama. Only then was she able to “return the favor” and help others into the fold. It was then she found freedom from her “monkey mind” obsessive stories.

Gilbert then goes to the tiny Hindu island of Bali for the final leg of her spiritual odyssey. She wants to find some balance between worldly pleasure (Italy) and spiritual devotion (India). This is quite a tricky feat and especially hard for those of us who swing between these two extremes! "The Balinese are global masters of balance," she writes, "the people for whom the maintenance of perfect equilibrium is an art, a science and a religion." She reconnects with a medicine man she met two years earlier, and she garners yet another guide in her sojourn.

Through soul-searching and self-discovery and an intimate conversational tone Gilbert fully engages us in her year's cultural and emotional tapestry. She conveys rapture with infectious ardor, recalling anguish with touching candor. It is revealed that through many mentors in her life, guiding her journey, she is brought back to her truth.



Philosophys ‘Believe In Miracles’

Do you ‘Believe in Miracles’? We do! This is an amazing new bath and body wash from the company ‘Philosophy’. ‘Believe In Miracles’ is a 3-in-one product , shampoo, shower gel or bubble bath, that gets you clean and washes away all negativity. Ok, that last part's up to you but you can enjoy the oh-so-lovely sweet sugar smells that mix with lemon in the shower and bath!

The best part is this: 100% of the net precedes go to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. This foundation supports people living with spinal cord injuries and research to find a cure as well as grants and education. Christopher Reeve played the ultimate hero, and even when living with his injuries as well as posthumously, he continues to mentor those affected with similar illness. He was and continues to be a true mentor and hero. Philosophy products are available online @ Philosophy.com, Sephora, and Neiman Marcus.