June 2006
There’s nothing like it…. racing heartbeat, sweaty palms and the “butterflies.” I don’t know where the term “butterflies in your stomach” came from, because when it happens, it’s more like a swarm of killer bees flying around in there! I know you all know what I am talking about. Love – and that insane rush it gives us, that frenetic, frenzied, intoxicating emotion that throws you for such a loop. We’ve all been afraid of it at one time or another or even wondered to ourselves, “Can I love,” or when we’ve been hurt, “Can I or will I ever love again?” Of course, you can. It’s a natural emotion. But the real question you have to ask yourself is this: can you love freely with no armor around your heart? Can you love like it was your first love again and again? You know that feeling – the shortness of breath, the jittery-jelly-bean tummy, the angelic, forever smile-on-your-lips like Ms. Lisa, as in Mona? Those giddy, just-gotta-be-alive moments in life when you’ve found that special someone that just takes your breath away and occupies your every waking moment? It’s similar to that feeling you get Christmas morning, when you get up early and run to the tree, ‘cause you know Santa Claus has been there (or so you hope). That pregnant pause, where you know something exciting is about to happen and you just gotta take that next step for it to come to fruition. You’re sitting on that roller coaster, you’ve just strapped yourself in and it’s starting to take off. Right before you jump out of a plane… or you’re about to catch a wave… or about to fly around the pole at S Factor. They all cause similar feelings, they’re all examples of adrenaline at its purest, but nothing else truly compares to the feeling of new love.

I’m not only speaking of new love in literal terms – as love that has just started or is less than a year old – but I also speak of long-term relationships that still have that new love feeling, that same obsessive yearning. We know how new love makes us skittery and crazy, but how do you make a love that you’ve had for a long time still feel exciting and new? Anyone who has ever been in a long-term relationship knows that it takes work, or sometimes the absence of it (as in your careers), to hold on to or reclaim those original feelings of thrilling, blissful, new love.

I took my man to Vegas last week for his birthday. We’ve been together 16… oh my God… years and, to be frank with you, this last year has not been so great for us. Rocky roads with constant interruptions from our careers, our lives, our family responsibilities and, not to mention, remodeling a home. But I believe in great love. I believe in historic love, and I’ve learned that the only way to achieve that profound love is to build it one day at a time. With work, commitment and the right partner, new love, over time, grows into an epic love. But how do you keep it fresh when there are arrows slung and feelings of hurt and pain? How do you hold onto that same passion for each other when life is layering responsibilities, unmet expectations, bad habits, and a million distractions in your way? That’s the million dollar question. However, when epic love is fought for, it is worth every tear, every raging fight, every sad almost-break-up. But how do you drop all the tough times and all the challenging fights to find each other and that pure, intoxicating love again?

So there my man and I are in Vegas, watching the craziness of America walk on down the Vegas strip. Inside the casinos, there were slot machines and craps tables and blackjack tables and the new American craze of Texas Hold ’em, and there was Richard and I, just watching. Neither of us wanted to gamble, we didn’t want to go to any fancy clubs, we didn’t want to see any fancy people. We were exhausted after a tough year and just wanted to reconnect. We spent almost the entire 30 hours in our hotel room in bed. We played a game that we used to play during our “new-love-I-can’t-get-enough-of-you” phase, which was gazing into each others eyes in silence for about 20 minutes straight. Moment by moment, as you look into each other’s eyes, those layers of defense, those old musty feelings of neglect and the armor of anger just began to slough off. It was like stripping away old layers of paint that had built up and were getting in the way of the real thing. (Did I mention we just finished a major remodel on our house?) After the first 20 minutes we took a break, walked around the room, jumped into the shower, made love and then we started again with the eye-staring thing. Each time it was like an electrical current that got stronger and stronger, to the point that your entire body starts to tingle, surging from the top of your head to the very tips of your toes. After the third time of doing this look-see thing we started talking non-stop for about four hours. It was cathartic and cleansing and then we stared into each other’s eyes again and there he was. I started to see that guy I fell in love with. The love of new lovers was there under all that crap that accumulates over the years, the fights and kids and disagreements and….well, just life. It was there. The love that first drew us together had never left us. We just needed some time alone together to see it, to remember it, to reclaim it.

Whether you are in a “new” love or an “old” love, or if you are seeking love, there is no greater gift to you and your journey but to try this “love game” of reconnection. If you’re on your first date or your fiftieth, while sitting in a restaurant, take his hands in yours and just look. Look into his eyes, into his heart, into his spirit and breathe. Let his spirit speak to yours. You’ll be able to feel his love as it begins to tingle in your toes, swirl in your belly, shock your heart and elevate your spirit.

The rush of new love is so rich with life and passion that you should never let it go, and you don’t have to. What would life be without it? I would imagine it to be drab, dreary, lifeless. A lifeless life… that is what it would be without love or the search for it. Love your family, your friends, and yourself. Then open up your heart and toss away those layers of defense and embrace pure love. Throw your fears to the wind, let them shrivel and blow away. There is love everywhere… you just have to open your eyes to see 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!

Soothing Scalp Massage
There’s nothing more indulgent than a luxurious scalp massage. You can give one to yourself or to a friend, lover, even a child (yes, babies benefit from and enjoy massage!). It’s not only an indulgence, however, your scalp greatly benefits from regular massage. Stimulating and promoting circulation feeds the hair follicles, which helps to prevent hair loss and promote healthy growth. In addition, it is very relaxing, stress-relieving and invigorating to the recipient. The only major rule is to make sure to use your fingertips, not your nails!

The best part about a scalp massage is that it is easy and can be done anywhere – in the shower while shampooing, at work, or while you’re relaxing on the sofa. Start from the forehead hairline along the arteries in the front, side, and back of the head, making circular motions with the fingertips of both hands, to the left and then right. Work your way toward the top of the head as if you were drawing a circle. If you are sitting on a sofa, gently massage the back of your head against the cushions, like a mini S Factor brain massage. Back and forth as the stress just seeps from your head. Don’t forget your forehead… push the heel of your hand into your forehead and temples to release the tension. Finish by lightly tapping your scalp all over, as if you were typing.

You’ll emerge a new woman… your hair will be all rumpled and you will look like you just got out of bed. Hot!

Student Letter
Sheila's Book....MY GOSH!

Hello there,
I just wanted to let you know I am engrossed in Sheila's book! My gosh! What a difference it's made in my life in just 24 hours. I kickbox daily and have loved it for years now but THIS – wow – this has really rocked my world. I'd love to take a class but you know, Kearney Nebraska is a long way from being ready for this kind of stuff. I'd LOVE to be the one to bring it to town though. It could really turn some heads. I took the book with me tonight and used the warm-up to stretch the girls for our class and they loved it. Imagine their surprise when I pulled out the book and said LOOK WHERE I FOUND IT! I knew yesterday that I'd purchased the one and only book left in town and I also got the only copy of Dancing at the Blue Iguana that this town had to offer. I think many went home to their computers and went online to get their own copy. I have yet to watch the DVD. I am waiting to watch it with the man who got me started thinking about this whole thing. When I met him, his buddies had just put a POLE in his living room as a joke for his birthday. He was thrilled but no one has ever used it. It was more of a joke but it is built for use so... I am gonna give it a go as soon as I can figure out how! I am sure it's gonna be more like the Three Stooges' pole dance but, hey, if it's not fun… why do it?

Thanks for the S Factor!
Vicky Urwiller

Teacher Spotlight - Teri Jaworski

Teri Jaworski is the Head of Teacher Training at Sheila Kelley’s S Factor. Born and raised in San Francisco, Teri moved to Los Angeles in 1997 and currently lives in Sherman Oaks with the love of her life, her 7-year-old son Nick. Prior to working at S Factor, Teri had a broad career background: she was a Kindergarten teacher, a Telecommunications Network Manager for a healthcare company, and worked in administration at 24 hour Fitness.

When Nick was two and a half years old, Teri found herself in a strange place in life. She was a stay-at-home mother, her marriage was falling apart and she didn’t feel good about herself. Teri saw Sheila Kelley promoting S Factor on a news program and her interest was piqued. She was looking for a new workout, needed some adult time and wanted to get over her painful shyness. She found the S Factor very intriguing but scary – thankfully for us, she let the intrigue win over her fear and committed to trying it, back in the day when classes were held at Sheila’s house. Teri told herself that she only had to go once and, if she hated it, she never had to go back. We all know how that story ended!

Teri fell in love with the power and freedom of movement that she experienced with S Factor. Her newfound ability to take on a challenge and conquer it physically, emotionally and mentally built up her confidence at a time when she needed it most. She also thoroughly enjoyed the release she got from hanging out with other women and letting herself be vulnerable, playful and silly. She was a devotee in no time and was thrilled when Sheila recognized her incredible potential and fierce dance style and approached her to become a teacher. Teri was in the midst of a separation and wanted to go back to work, so the timing was perfect. She was excited about the challenge and about leading women through the S Factor journey. Teri loved teaching and, before long, it was clear that she was the right person to train S Factor instructors across the nation.

“I love seeing my students grow the same way I watch my son grow,” says Teri. “It’s very similar to nurturing a child. It is so amazing to watch them spread their wings, and witness them transform from painfully shy girls into bold, powerful women.” In class, she often encounters women who feel powerless or don’t believe in themselves. Teri loves giving them tools to help them achieve their goals and believe that they can overcome any obstacles. She also likes that her job exposes her to women with very different upbringings and outlooks on life and their femininity. One of the most gratifying aspects for her is that she receives many letters from students, their significant others and their mothers, telling them what an impact on their personalities and lives.

In her time outside of S Factor, Teri does Tae Kwon Do and spends time with Nick, who is a huge Karate aficionado and on his way to earning a black belt. They love to watch films together (especially Kung Fu movies!), go to arcades, visit Santa Monica Pier, and walk their three dogs.

In the News

Exciting update - Sheila Kelley will be appearing on the uber popular Showtime series "Weeds" in this coming season. She will play the pole dancing wife of actor Kevin Nealon in this recurring role that we know she will be amazing in! Make sure to Tivo all the episodes this season, because you will not want to miss Sheila's moves.

May was a great month in the news for Sheila Kelley’s S Factor. On May 19th, Sheila Kelley appeared on NBC’s Late Night with Conan O'Brien, where she showed Conan how to do a couple of her favorite tricks. It was an absolute blast to watch Conan take a whirl around the pole and try his hand at the ‘Snake’!

Sheila and some of our incredible instructors, Ali Baker, Gretchen Heine, Teri Jaworski and Amy Olsen all appeared on E! Entertainment’s The Chelsea Handler show on June 2nd, where they tried to help Chelsea get her ‘S’ on and unleash her inner sexpot. It was absolutely hilarious! We were also featured on E! Entertainment's Child Star Confidential on May 27th, as they did a piece on one of our beautiful students, actress Danielle Harris, who brought the show to the 'S' to share what this movement means to her.

Sheila Kelley’s S Factor currently has an awesome article running on Swagtime.com. You can also still check out a great piece on iVillage.com and the phenomenal multimedia piece Ifilm.com posted on their Adrenaline Channel. It features breathtaking demonstrations by our amazing instructors, as well as an interview with Sheila, Teri Jaworski, Kathleen Chapman and one of our fab students, Merry Lee Traum.

Sheila Kelley’s S Factor has a full-page article in the Summer issue of New York’s Gotham Magazine, available on newsstands now, and we were featured in an article on sexy exercises in the Thursday, May 25th issue of Newsday. Zink Magazine also featured the S Factor in their May issue.

On June 5th, Sheila was interviewed on “The Rod Ryan Show” on Houston’s The Buzz radio station in preparation for our upcoming Houston Workshops. She’ll be on the air with them again in the next few weeks so stay tuned, you gorgeous Houston ladies!