July 2006
It's Summertime. The air is warm and heavy with yum and I am just chilling on my front porch. It's Sunday afternoon. I've got a Rolling Rock beer in one hand, my laptop on my lap and the only things steaming around me at the moment are my hard drive and the sidewalk in front of my house. It is one warm &%$* day. We all know what the term ‘chilling out’ means, but do we all know how to let go and 'chill'? Chillin'. Just the sound of it is sublime to my ears. What I discovered in the last couple of months is that 'chilling out' is truly an art form and it must be taken seriously.

Chillin' Out
When life has fired me up or pissed me off or is threatening to burn me out (notice the incendiary words), I have to dig my heels deep into the Earth and say, “Hold it, everybody”. Okay, so I have to yell it, “HOLD IT, EVERYBODY!” [And sometimes, I have to throw some expletives in there but, for the sake of decorum and all the new eyes reading the Global this month due to our surprise Oprah airing, I will restrain myself]. What I discovered about relaxing and chilling is that, as life’s demands grow with work and men and friends and family responsibilities, you literally have to schedule it into your calendar. I know this sounds crazy, but I've been giving it a try over the past four months and it really works. I now schedule my 'chilling out' time. Do it now. Open your calendar and pen in four or five uninterrupted hours of cooling down time.

Menu
Once I’ve done that, then I create my perfect ‘chill out’ menu. My idea of 'chilling out' is to be outside, feeling the air against as much of my body as I feel comfortable exposing (usually a bathing suit or shorts and tank), hearing the wind floating through some trees. That is big for me. Having a naturally decaffeinated, iced green tea sweetened with agave nectar in my hand is pretty good, too, but not a necessity. A great chair, lounge, sofa, or hammock - definitely something that lays down so I can almost be on my back is a must (green grass is good too). A blank spiral notebook and a pen is lovely but, again, not a deal breaker. Some otherworldly, unidentifiable soulful music is sweet to have hovering in the
background of all of this bliss and that, my girls, is it. I don't need any
tickets. I don't have to get into a car and go anywhere. I don't have
to buy anything. I don't have to meet anyone at a specific time. I'm free
to chill out to the best of my ability for four uninterrupted hours. Chilling out is easy — it's like diving into a world of pure, sensual bliss.

Your Turn
Now it's your turn to figure out your ‘chill out’ menu. 'Chilling out' is different for everyone. Think about your six senses. What do you want to hear? Silence? Children playing? Movie dialogue? The voice of a friend talking to you? What do you want to feel? Cool water… as in a swimming pool? A steam room? A dry-sauna-like heat? A massage or a warm oil scented bath? What do you want to smell? The salt of the ocean? Home cooking? Night blooming jasmine? What do you want to taste? Something sweet? Sour? Salty? Nothing? What do you want to
see? A fire burning in a fireplace? Faces of friends? A body of
water? A dark warm cozy room? And last, but not least, what do you want to sense around you? The key here, my friends, is to make this "chill out" menu of your's sexy, indulgent, private and, most of all, necessary. You can create different menus for different moods or times of day. Write them up, print them out on some nice paper, put them in a binder and, when the time is right and the 'appointment' is made, leaf through the pages and choose the 'chill out' that sounds the best for that particular moment.

It's Summertime. The temperature is much higher than the rest of the
year and the humidity heavier, tempers are shorter, the kids are out of school and demands for your time can be greater. Just when you think you've had it and your cork is going to pop, get your calendar, your 'chill out' menu, and a pen and make a date with yourself to cool down and chill yourself out. I promise, it will be worth it and you deserve it.

If you have some great love ideas of your own that you would like to share with your gal pals at the 'S', please send them to chaton at sfactor.com
and we will consider them for upcoming G-Spots!

Ice, Ice, Baby!
With the sweltering heat and muggy humidity, sometimes we just need a quick and easy cool down, as well as a little distraction from the day. When you feel like you can’t take another minute of the stickiness and want to cool off organically, then it’s time for an icy time out. Simply stop what you’re doing, head to the freezer and take out the ice cube tray. Strip down to your bathing suit or bra and underwear. Sit on your favorite chair, preferably a chaise lounge, and recline. Remove an ice cube and slowly guide it down your forehead, letting it graze your skin oh-so-lightly. Lead it down your face in the most leisurely, languid manner possible… let it drip down your cheeks and lips and onto to your throat. Move it down your chest to your stomach and travel all the way down to your toes and back up again. Make it a sensual treat just for you… or if you’re feeling edgy and actually want to get things steamed up, do it in front of your partner!

Student Letter
Sheila,
My mother saw your show on Oprah a year ago and told me about Sheila Kelley’s S Factor. I was shocked that she pointed it out to me because she is very conservative and funny about sex, or anything related to it, such as public displays of affection. I planned on taking a trip to Los Angeles after I graduated this past May as a present to myself and then found out there was a workshop coming to Houston! Least to say, of course, I attended!

I'm from the Fort Worth area – the five hour trip was more than worth it! I love to dance, but get bored with the gym, so I thought this form of dancing would be right up my alley. I also am getting married in October to a very supportive and loving man. I have no problem feeling sexy and seductive on the dance floor at a club or anything but, as soon as it comes to he and I alone, I lose all confidence and become some giggly girl. He tries his hardest to make me feel like a woman, but it is a mental battle that I fight. Anyways, after just two days of your workshop, I feel completely empowered and sexy and seductive. I'm only 24 and have gained 15 pounds in the last two years and, when I looked at your enchanting instructors, I went “Wow, I want abs and legs like theirs!” I'm not heavy by any means, just have some new rolls in places I don't want!
I heard that a studio might be coming to Texas soon so I requested information on how to become an S Factor Instructor from Rachel and Helen. I can't wait to have a studio here in the Lone Star State!

Thank you so much,

Jennifer Dickson

Teacher Spotlight - Ali Baker
S Factor Instructor

Ali Baker is known for her incredibly warm, nurturing teaching style, and her beautiful and amazing S Factor technique! She grew up in the Bay Area and moved to Los Angeles two years ago, after receiving a Masters degree in Theater from the American Conservatory Theatre in Acting. Though she had no formal dance training while growing up, Ali took some modern dance classes in college and had creative movement training in graduate school. Prior to finding the ‘S’, she did a little bit of yoga and ran to keep in shape, but once she found the S Factor, she fell in love with it and it became all the workout she needed. It was easier on her muscles and joints than running was, and gave her an entirely new form of expression in addition to the stage.

When Ali first moved to LA, she saw Teri Hatcher on Oprah and immediately went to the www.sfactor.com to sign up for an Intro. It was love at first class! She started working at the
S Factor as a receptionist and was also attracted to the community of women here. “I love that the S Factor is so supportive and celebrates the female power, energy and spirit,” says Ali. “Plus, it just feels good just to stretch and embrace my sexy.” Ali credits the S Factor for helping her to develop a self-assurance and sense of comfort that she didn’t have prior to taking class. Before
S Factor, she never wore skirts and shorts - for whatever reason, she was afraid of showing her legs. As she advanced through the levels, she became more comfortable in her skin and realized that it was okay to wear sexy, feminine clothes. “The self-esteem I gained from the S Factor helped me become more assertive and confident in every area of my life,” she says.

Ali soon realized that she could not stop talking about the ‘S’ and it was the one thing, after acting, that lit her up from within when she spoke of it. She decided that she had to make it a bigger part of her life and began Teacher Training so that she could share this unique form of expression with other women, as well as the overall feelings of well-being and self-esteem that come along with it. As a teacher, she loves witnessing the transformations her students experience, as they start to stand up straighter and exude more confidence. “It’s like an opening up of the spirit,” says Ali. “It’s as if they are more comfortable to let it just shine out, rather than holding it in, keeping it close to their heart. After S Factor, they let their spirit radiate out.”

In addition to being an Instructor, Ali is also the Special Events Coordinator for Sheila Kelley’s S Factor. Her interests include all types of outdoor activities, whether it’s hanging on the beach, sailing, or skiing. Come to Ali’s class and see why she perfectly epitomizes all that is the ‘S’!