Remembering Mary Tyler Moore…

Remembering Mary Tyler Moore Remembering Mary Tyler MooreI’ve got a special family post coming up later this afternoon, but first, I think it’s important that we all spend some time remembering Mary Tyler Moore today. The trailblazing TV icon, who died yesterday at the age of 80, inspired a generation of young women. She ‘leaned in’ before it was even a thing and showed women they could be anything.

Who can turn the world on with her smile?
Who can take a nothing day, and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile?
Well it’s you girl, and you should know it
With each glance and every little movement you show it

Love is all around, no need to waste it
You can have a town, why don’t you take it
You’re gonna make it after all
You’re gonna make it after all
*********
I think we can all take a page from Mary Tyler Moore’s life right now!! What a wonderful and inspiring lady!! Thank you forever, Mary!!! xoxo

An Ode to Miranda Sings

Ode to Miranda Sings Ode to Miranda Sings Ode to Miranda Sings Editor’s Note: This Ode to Miranda Sings was inevitable and a looooong time coming. And, dare I say, IT’S REAL GOOD, as Miranda herself would say. So sit back and get ready to soak up the magic!!

She’s done it all — act, sing, dance, model. She’s got flair and self-confidence for days. And she’s got three words for her critics.

Haters back off!

She’s YouTube sensation Miranda Sings, and she’s who every girl wants to be…well, at least she thinks so. Sure, she may be a little delusional and her off-key singing is more reminiscent of nails on a chalkboard than Adele, but Miranda does have one thing we all desperately want.

Confidence.

What Miranda lacks in talent, she wholeheartedly makes up for in the pure, unabashed belief that she was born to be a star! Created by comedian Colleen Ballinger, Miranda may be a fictional character, but so much of her personality and self-assurance rings true. Whether you’re 10 or 50, chances are that you can learn something about self-confidence from Miss Miranda because, at her core, there’s a little piece of her in all of us.

Ode to Miranda SingsI don’t remember how I first stumbled on her YouTube channel, but ever since last summer, I’ve been just a wee bit obsessed. As the hip young people say, I’m totally a #Mirfanda and even got my mom hooked on her videos — in fact, it’s sort of become a tradition for us to watch her latest video together — everything from music videos to beauty/fashion tutorials to messages to haters.

And speaking of haters, Miranda knows a thing or two about those sad, pitiful trolls. In October, she took her talents beyond the computer screen and unleashed her awesomeness with Haters Back Off, the Netflix original series that follows her meteoric rise to fame with her oddball family in tow. The show just got renewed for season two and, obviously, I’m SO ESSITED about it — picture me saying that in Miranda’s trademark accent. Really, though, when it comes down to it, I see a bit of myself in Miranda and can really identify with her, so in celebration of loving yourself and giving haters the Miranda frown (see here), I give you…4 super confidence tips from Miranda Sings!!!

It’s important to follow your dreams: It doesn’t matter if no one believes in you. What truly matters at the end of the day is how you feel about yourself. We all have dreams…don’t we owe it to ourselves to follow them? So much of life is about finding your passion and what makes you truly happy. Then, once we find it, the trick is to hold onto it for dear life — ironically, as if our life depends on it. Because when you think about it, our life really does depend on it.

Surround yourself with people who build you up: Who needs people in your life who just bring you down? No one’s got time for that! It’s time to banish all that negativity from your life — both in IRL and online. I mean, the Unfriend button on Facebook can be a beautiful thing, for example; don’t ever be afraid to use it. It might just save your sanity, trust me!

Haters gonna hate: Like I said, those sad, pitiful trolls are like sticky gum you just can’t get off your shoes. They linger for days and even longer in your heart. Why can’t you seem to shake their cruel and unkind words? After all, they don’t mean anything, right? They’re probably just attacking you because they’re bored and tired of living in their mother’s basement. Try to help them. Suggest they get more sunlight and turn that frown upside down. And then, just shake off their words. They don’t matter. They’ll never matter. Remember to always wear your words on your sleeve — or on your bum!

You have to be your own cheerleader: Miranda gave us this solid advice and it’s so true! If you don’t believe in yourself, how can you ever expect anyone else to? Be loud and proud! Shatter that glass ceiling. Wear sparkly shoes. Carry that bright pink purse. The world is your oyster, I tell you! Go ahead and dive in already! As Miranda is fond of saying, “YOU’RE BOOTIFUL...”

And, to further cement my status Hopelessly Miranda Obsessed, here’s my all-time favorite video in which Miranda schools us after having a bad day…

Plus, here are 10 more of my favorite videos (spelling courtesy of Miranda)…

*WHERE MY BAES AT?

*A SONG FOR THE HATERS

*I HATE EVERYONE

*DO THE MIRANDA!

*COACHELLA???!?!?!?!?!?

*JOEY KISSED A BOY!?!?!?!?

*WORST VACATION EVER

*CHARLIE CHARLIE PENCIL CHALLENGE

*Struggling With Disease

*REACTING TO ARIANA GRANDE – FOCUS

We all struggle in life, especially when it comes to being comfortable and confident in who we are, but it’s time to CELEBRATE who we are! It’s so important to be your own cheerleader and Miranda knows it all. Behind the crazy red lipstick and wild expressions, we all can learn a thing or two about confidence from her.

Ode to Miranda SingsAre you a #Mirfanda, friends? Do you watch her videos? Are you a YouTube fan? I’d love to hear what sorts of things you’re watching on YouTube lately! And to those sad, pitiful, jealous haters? Well, in the immortal words of Miranda…I’m embarrassed for you. xoxo

 

Tuesday Tunes: Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made For Walkin'”

Editor’s Note: Song lyrics denoted in bold italics.

As I was brushing my teeth last night, I got to thinking about this week’s tune and inspiration struck — is that always how it is?? I usually get all my best ideas at the most random times!

Anyway, I wanted to think of a way to feature a fashioned-themed song today, and I thought of a song I LOVED growing up. You know I’ve always been a sucker for the classic oldies and one classic stood out above the rest. It stomped out all the competition, if you will (pun intended!)…

Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made For Walkin'”
From Boots

“Boots” is just one of those songs that paints such a powerful image. Years before I ever saw videos or photos of Nancy Sinatra, I pictured this strong woman, hellbent on getting revenge on a former love. She was a scorned woman and she desperately wanted to make her ex see — and feel — exactly as bad as she felt. She made no apologies, gave no excuses or even seemed to hesitate in her decision; she was just fiercely determined and, well, knew what she had to do. And do it she did! For the whole world to see. I figure this song was like Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats” for the the generation of early feminists. Could that be why I relate so strongly to it, even as far back as when I was an early teen and wanting so much to assert myself and who I was??

You keep saying you’ve got something for me
Something you call love, but confess
You’ve been a-messin’ where you shouldn’ta been a-messin’
And now someone else is gettin’ all your best
Well, these boots are made for walking, and that’s just what they’ll do
One of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you

I’m utterly obsessed with the feisty grit here. There’s something so freeing about throwing caution to the wind and knowing that you’re done believing the lies and pretending that nothing is wrong. Something is very wrong and what’s even more infuriating is that the other person would take you for a fool. I’ve been there before. I’ve had people not take me seriously — you know, they look at me, see that I appear rather mild, diminutive and harmless, and think that they can pull one over on me. As if that would be the easiest thing in the world, they think. And then?

BOOM!!!

I surprise them with just how tough I am — not with any sort of violence, of course, but with my firm convictions and solid sense of self. Does this remind you of anyone? Some certain Anonymous comments, perhaps? Yes, they may think they have the power to break me, but little do they know that they have another thing coming. It’s worse than anything they could ever imagine — it’s pure, unadulterated ME.

You keep lyin’ when you oughta be truthin’
You keep losing when you oughta not bet
You keep samin’ when you oughta be a’changin’
What’s right is right but you ain’t been right yet
These boots are made for walking, and that’s just what they’ll do
One of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you

Haven’t you ever had that moment where all the frustration, all the disappointment just boils over and you know you need to make a change — and fast? I think we all have our limits, you know? What may be acceptable to one person might be completely out of the question for someone else. It’s not necessarily the case where one is right and the other is wrong; in fact, I think it’s sort of like life in that it is far too subjective to be the same for everyone across the board.

Because when you really think about it, there comes a point in life where you have to BE YOUR OWN PERSON and stand up for yourself, whether it’s in a romantic relationship or in any relationship. It’s empowering to finally believe in yourself and have the confidence to stand on your own two feet — or sit up straight in your wheelchair, as is the case with you, if you get my meaning. People will come and go from your life, but there’s only one “you” and you have to protect that, you know? You owe it to yourself and everything that you are and everything that you can be. So, go forth and strut proudly in those boots. After all, you certainly deserve it, don’t you think? You’re worth it!

In The Pursuit of Happiness: Jennifer Aniston on Society’s Expectations For Women

She’ll be there for us — see what I did there? Jennifer Aniston stood up to body bullies everywhere last week when she took to the Internet to dispel those pesky pregnancy rumors that she just can’t seem to dodge these days.

Everyone’s favorite friend (ha, I did it again!) penned a refreshingly real and honest essay for The Huffington Post in which she took aim at the unrealistic expectations our society places on women…

If I am some kind of symbol to some people out there, then clearly I am an example of the lens through which we, as a society, view our mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, female friends and colleagues. The objectification and scrutiny we put women through is absurd and disturbing. The way I am portrayed by the media is simply a reflection of how we see and portray women in general, measured against some warped standard of beauty.

But what I *really* loved? I mean, loved to the point that I wanted to pump my fist in the air and scream, “YES! Thank you, Jennifer! That’s one victory for women!” — however, I’m in the quiet library right now, so I figured that wasn’t the very best idea…

Here’s where I come out on this topic: we are complete with or without a mate, with or without a child. We get to decide for ourselves what is beautiful when it comes to our bodies. That decision is ours and ours alone. Let’s make that decision for ourselves and for the young women in this world who look to us as examples. Let’s make that decision consciously, outside of the tabloid noise. We don’t need to be married or mothers to be complete. We get to determine our own “happily ever after” for ourselves.

Hmmm, writing our own version of happily ever after. In our culture, that’s sort of a radical, out-there notion, isn’t it? We’re conditioned to want and strive for certain things in life — boyfriend, wedding, house, kids. In that order. If we deviate from that script, even ever so slightly, we’re criticized or labeled or bullied. And even though it shouldn’t, all this finger wagging can mess with our confidence and sense of self. We start to question if we’re on the “right” path and what is wrong with us if we’re not.

I know I’ve never been immune to all this bullying, and I’m forever having this internal conversation with myself where I’m trying to talk myself out of getting down on myself. Because it’s all too easy to let that outside noise become the voice you start to hear in your head — and we all know that outside noise is the LAST thing you need to be listening to. It lies and tries to get you all sorts of worked up. At the very least, I’ve found, it just makes you extremely tired and exhausted.

So, I say we change the conversation. I say we stop putting ourselves and others down just because of those crazy “expectations” we grew up with. I say we start living life on our terms, bullies be damned. And at the end of the day, I say we start celebrating each other because we’re pretty darn awesome just as we are. Who’s with me and Jennifer?? #BeBraveBeYou xoxo

P.S. More wise words on feminism, finding balance, body image, mental illness and being yourself! 🙂

Happy Birthday, Legally Blonde: 7 Inspiring Quotes From Elle Woods

If you came of age in the early days of the new Millennium like I did, chances are that you looked up to one very special woman. She was your role model, though she wasn’t the traditional superhero-y type. She didn’t sport a cape and she didn’t possess super physical strength. She didn’t carry around weapons — a pink purse and a tiny dog were her accessories of choice.

Oh, but she was fierce — make NO mistake about that. She was independent, brave and not the least bit afraid to be herself. That’s why you liked her so much. She was the BFF you wanted in your corner, cheering you on with her own trademark brand of positivity and genius.
She was Elle Woods. And today is her 15th birthday!
Yes, a little movie called Legally Blonde sashayed into theaters way back in 2001, and I could not be more excited to celebrate. Reese Witherspoon truly embodied the essence of Elle Woods, from the opening scene in her bedroom to her character’s turn in the courtroom. She broke out of the tired, stereotypical blonde girl box that’s trapped too many a movie character over the years and showed a generation that they can be anything they wanted to be — stupid boys and broken hearts, be damned!
In honor of the film’s anniversary, here are 7 of my favorite Elle-isms, because telling it like it is never goes out of style…

“What? Like it’s hard?” –On getting into Harvard Law

“I just don’t think that Brooke could’ve done this. Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands, they just don’t.”

“Well, forget it. I’ve spent too much time crying over you.”

“I feel comfortable using legal jargon in everyday life.”

“But if I’m going to be a partner in a law firm by the time I’m 30, I need a boyfriend who’s not such a complete bonehead.”

“I promised her, and I can’t break the bonds of sisterhood.”

“Bend and snap.”

Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I’m going to watch Legally Blonde tonight! What do you love about the film and Elle, friends? Any quotes or scenes you absolutely love?? xoxo