Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Letter to 20 Year Old Me

Dear Me,

Hello beautiful!

I know we haven't spoken for a while, but I thought of a few things that you should know.  Trust me, this advice comes from the best source.

First, your daughter will grow very fast.  I know it feels like you have all the time in the world to impart knowledge and experience to her, but before you know it she will be nine years old, making her own eggs for breakfast and telling you that everything is for babies.  Cherish these nights when she still wakes you at 2 a.m. because she needs you.  They will not last forever.

She is smart, just like you knew she would be.  All of the things you are doing and plan to do with her work wonderfully.  You raise a  strong, compassionate child who loves to learn. All of your hard work pays off with her.  You might want to work a smidgen of humility into your life lessons though. 

Don't stress so much.  I know it feels like life isn't going the direction you thought it would.  It will feel like that for many years.  It still feels that way some days.  You will learn so much in the next ten years about yourself and life.  Enjoy the ride.  I know that is probably not what you want to hear and it is difficult for you to do.  Life is not about how much work you complete.  It is not about making money or being "successful". 

It is the things in between that are what will stick with you.  You won't remember the day to day goals you set for yourself to complete, but you will remember where you were when your baby loses her first tooth, the first time you swam in the ocean and the excitement on your baby girls face when she is hiding the Easter eggs for the fifteenth time that day.

Trust your first instincts.  They are usually right on.  I know how you love to second guess yourself but trust me.  Life will flow much smoother if you just go with your gut.

Don't ever think your life will never get better.  It will.  It may also get worse.  There is always a rebound.  Just follow what you love.  The rest will work itself out. 

Last, but not least, love yourself more.  Everyone has days when they get disappointed with themselves.  I know all your thoughts and feelings, remember?  I lived through it.  But that's the point...I LIVED THROUGH IT. You will too.

You will meet many fantastic people over the next ten years and they will all leave a mark on your life.  They help you to grow and learn.  You will never be the same person you are today.  So love it because tomorrow it will be gone. 

Like Donkey says "Keep on moving, don't look down." 

With Love,

~Future You

P.S.-You're awesome.  Pass it on.

Monday, October 6, 2014

"Act in black and white. Think in shades of gray."--ME

I had an amazing professor in college.  This man was less like a professor, and more like a life coach.  He was the kind of teacher that tried to show you the bigger picture.  He tried to open our minds and make us look at the world from our own great vantage point that only we could. 

For our final project in one of his classes, we had to imagine that we were ourselves in the future and we bumped into a classmate at a bar in New York City.  We needed to give a detailed account of the conversation that took place in this futuristic meeting.  There were several points he wanted us to hit, including what we had done for a living the last several years, where we were living, and what brought us to the city.  The part that stuck out for me then, and still sticks in my head to this day was a quote.  We had to create an original quote to leave this former classmate with. 

I remember thinking about what my quote would be longer than I spent on the rest of this paper.  It was the last thing I completed.  I knew it had to be something lasting and resonating.  I needed to think of something future Megan would be proud of.  I couldn't write a quote that was cliché, or trending.  It needed to be timeless.  After all, future me would be wiser than college me. 

I am still proud of my quote.  But more importantly, I am proud of myself for not only pushing through and writing any old thing to finish the assignment, but for actually trying to get something out of it.  I didn't realize at the time that I was absorbing so much from my professor, but now I am eternally grateful he was a part of my life.

Thank you for all you taught me.

"Act in black and white.  Think in shades of gray." --Megan Schneider

P.S.- You're awesome.  Pass it on.

Melanie Martinez - Dollhouse (Official Music Video)





I fell in love with this video a couple of weeks ago.  I wanted to share it with you for several reasons.  First, Melanie Martinez's voice is amazing.  She has so much talent and her voice gives me goose bumps.



Second, and more importantly, her content is raw.  It doesn't hide and I think the point that this particular song makes is one that speaks to most families.  In today's society, especially with social media, much of our lives has become transparent.  It's all about keeping up appearances.  This song crushes it.  Plus it's a little creepy, and tis the season. 



P.S. You're awesome.  Pass it on.