In The Pursuit of Happiness: Gina Rodriguez on body image

Speaking of self-confidence, actress Gina Rodriguez knows a thing or two about the struggle.

The Jane the Virgin star recently told PEOPLE that she’s regularly told that she’s not skinny enough or tall enough or even ethnic enough.

“As a woman in this industry, we are constantly being pressured to look a certain way and to get our hair and nails and makeup done and live up to these images that aren’t conducive to a healthy mind. But I have to remember that this is a game. And if the game says I should be looking like this, then I just don’t play that role. And that’s okay.”

It’s easy to fall for those lies, but thanks to her parents, Gina’s healthy and positive outlook is downright infectious.

“My mom is so beautiful and never wears any makeup. She would say, ‘You want a man to love you for who you are, not what you look like or what you’re covered up by.’ My parents really encouraged us to have confidence in who we are and accept who we are because it is not going to change and we are beautiful.”

This is definitely part of the reason that Jane the Virgin is one of my favorite shows this season. Gina is such a real, down-to-earth actress and that really comes through in the character of Jane, despite the out-of-this-world premise of the show. It’s so encouraging when you see celebrities being such good role models for today’s young people (does that make me sound incredibly old??), especially when there are some famous folks who tend to shy away from that role.

Go, Gina! Thanks for being such a body-positive voice for us all!!! xoxo

In The Pursuit of Happiness: Charlize Theron’s advice to women

I first fell in love with Charlize Theron when she starred opposite Keanu Reeves in the thriller Devil’s Advocate. That was wayyyy back in 1997, and since then, she’s always had a special place in my heart. I’ve admired her authenticity, her strength, her sense of self. The actress graces the May cover of W magazine, and in true Theron form, she dispenses the kind of advice that makes me want to sit up straight and take meticulous notes…

“That’s my encouragement to 20-year-olds who are terrified of getting older: Don’t have a nervous breakdown and don’t hit the Chardonnay too hard. Now that I’m older, I know I’m not missing out on anything,” she says. “Now, I go home, and that feels really good. When I hit 30, I realized I didn’t have to please everybody. I could actually enjoy life, which is not a bad thing at all.”

So often, we find ourselves comparing our lives, our goals, even our hobbies to everyone around us. I’ve found myself doing that more times than I’d like to admit. We create this invisible standard that we feel like we MUST measure up to. It’s totally unrealistic, sure, but that’s not really the point. We think that if we measure up, then all our problems will be solved and our lives will suddenly be perfect. And then we’re disappointed when we realize that it’s not true — that the standard we’ve been holding ourselves to is nothing but a lie.

Thank you, Charlize! Isn’t her advice great and a breath of fresh air? What celebrity advice have you been loving lately? Do you have a favorite Charlize quote or movie? Let’s chat, friends! xoxo

[Via PEOPLE]

In The Pursuit of Happiness: On the evolution of geeks

Yesterday, we began an intimate look inside the ever-evolving world of geekdom, and I shared a quote from Lauren Stracner, a Los Angeles-based PR coordinator and self-proclaimed nerd fan. Today, I’m psyched to share the rest of our interview! Ready to get your geek on? Here. We. Go…

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A bit of background about Lauren: I work for a public relations firm that specializes in working with consumer electronics clients. In 2009, I went to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas to work at a client’s booth, and CES is where I met my boyfriend. The Jeopardy! Tournament of
Champions was being filmed at the Sony booth, and I secured stand-by tickets for the final show. I was #5 in line, he was #6 — all bespectacled, curly-haired 6’9” of him. We had two hours to talk and the rest is history.

Why have geeks suddenly gained such credibility now?
The joke phrase “the geek shall inherit the earth” has come true: We’ve become a society that’s almost wholly dependent on technology not just for entertainment, but for making our day-to-day lives run smoothly. Even non-geeks are trying to out-geek each other by lining up for the latest consumer electronics gadgets. Even Hollywood stops for geeks when Comic-con International — a.k.a. Nerdvana — rolls into San Diego every year, with studios previewing their latest blockbusters to gauge the all-important reactions from the attendees. Smart phones, high-powered laptops,
super-realistic video games, eye-popping movie special effects — geeks are behind all that now “wows” us, making the brains that develop such toys the new hot commodity.

Why have they been avoided as potential dates in the past?
Societal pressure from movies, television, magazines and books has always dictated that geeks should be shuffled to the sidelines as the endearing sidekick to the more masculine romantic lead. A perfect example of this is actually embodied in my boyfriend, who has long had several close girl friends who had no desire to actually close that space and become a girlfriend because he was a geek and not the guy they felt they should be dating. Their loss. 😉

However, with the culture shift towards an emphasis on science and technology, geeks are in the spotlight, as is their success. With the exposure, they’re also finally able to shed the basement-dwelling gamer stereotypes and present themselves as clever, funny, even cute people with multi-layered interests and an endless supply of conversation topics. With smart becoming a new form of sexy, they’re definitely transitioning from third-wheel to main catch.

What can women gain by giving a geek a chance?
Most geeks make great conversation because they’re excited about learning and want to share their knowledge and engage in discussions. Also, in my personal experiences, geeks don’t try to adhere to the expected alpha-male model of masculinity; they aren’t afraid to be sweet, sensitive and genuine.

What are the best hot spots for meeting a lovable geek?
As I mentioned, I met my geek at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. I’ve also talked to some great geek guys at Comic-Con, Siggraph (a graphic artists’ convention) and E3 (a game developers’ convention). However, most of these are industry events I get into because of my job, but alternative approaches are out there. The most important thing is to go where geeks are in their element and comfortable. You’re probably not going to pick up a geek at a trendy bar.

P.S. An EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT is coming up this afternoon! Get pumped, friends! 🙂

[Photos via We Heart It]

In The Pursuit of Happiness: Sarah Jessica Parker on finding balance

I first fell in love with Sarah Jessica Parker long before she slipped on those Manolo Blahnik and strutted the streets of New York City as Carrie Bradshaw. It was even before she made being a witch ultra chic in Hocus Pocus. I was around 10, and it was a little film called Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (fun fact: A young Helen Hunt also stars in the movie!). Parker played a wide-eyed teen with dreams of becoming a regular on a cable TV dance show. I must have seen the movie — and memorized all of the dance numbers — about 55126512 times.

See? My girl crush goes wayyyyy back.

I’ve admired so much about her over the years, from her trailblazing fashion sense to her strong sense of self, so I suppose it’s only fitting that I share a great Parker-ism in honor of her 50th birthday yesterday. She spoke to Woman’s Day in 2007, where she shared her thoughts on that elusive “B” word — balance…

“As a woman, I have an inherent need to be all things to all people, to make certain everybody’s taken care of. I know I can’t sustain that level all the time, so I’m finding the proper balance and it’s made me infinitely happier.”

How refreshing is that? So often, we look at other people — not just other women — and it seems like they have everything all figured out. And sometimes, we even start to wonder if we’re doing it all wrong or why no one sent us the memo on finding that perfect balance. But, thanks to Sarah Jessica Parker, I feel a little less alone in my plight, which makes all the difference in the world.

How have you been finding balance lately, friends? What tricks have worked for you? Do you find that some aspects of your life are more balanced than others? Let’s chat! xoxo

In The Pursuit of Happiness: Lesley Gore on feminism

Although I didn’t grow up in the generation of poodle skirts and sock hops, music of the ’50s and ’60s still defined my childhood. It was my early exposure to these tunes during long rides to medical appointments that helped me fall in love with music in the first place. Before long, I had memorized all the words and could even picture myself living back then.

And of course, I loved all the female singers, so I was so saddened to hear of Lesley Gore’s death yesterday from cancer. The early ’60s pop star made her mark with hits like “It’s My Party” and “You Don’t Own Me,” which is my personal favorite — take that, boys! I love what she once said about her signature song…

“As I got older, feminism became more a part of my life and more a part of our whole awareness, and I could see why people would use it as a feminist anthem. I don’t care what are you are — whether you’re 16 or 116 — there’s nothing more wonderful than standing on the stage and shaking your finger and singing, ‘Don’t tell me what to do.’”

Amen! Wouldn’t you agree, friends? Thank you, Lesley, for all the years of inspiration, and for making my childhood so musical. xoxo