5 Lessons My Dad Taught Me

Some would say that I am a bit of a daddy's girl. My dad has been such a great influence in my life, I don't know how I couldn't be a daddy's girl.

My dad has taught me so much in the past twenty years.

My dad & I fishing!

1// Mistakes will happen, but it's how you react to them. I've made some pretty big mistakes, but my dad has always been on my side. He tells me that I've made the mistake, and now it's time to learn from it. It's not a mistake anymore if you don't try and learn from it.

2// Take a deep breath. If I'm upset sometimes there is no calming me down. I tend to snowball a bit. Every time that happens my dad tells me to take a deep breath. I don't know how many times this has helped me from having an all out meltdown.

3// Work Smarter Not Harder. If I had a nickel for every time my siblings and I have heard this, we could completely pay for college. Even if it was annoying when I was younger, I've really taken it to heart as I've grown older. Just because it has been done a certain way, doesn't mean that there isn't a better way to do it. This might become my mantra as a public relations professional.

4// Girls can do anything boys can do. I am in no ways a tomboy. I'm not a big fan of dirt, I don't like wearing tennis shoes and you probably won't find me playing sports in a competitive fashion. But my dad taught me how to throw a softball, fish, and hunt. Whenever I complain about someone being sexist, my dad just laughs and tells me to show them what I can do. I'm pretty fearless with somethings because of the confidence my dad has given me.

5// How I should be treated. One of the most important things my dad showed and ultimately taught me is how I should be treated by my significant other. The way that my dad interacts with my mom daily has given me a wonderful example of a happy, functional marriage. I'm so lucky to have this example. I also know that I won't ever settle for anything less.

"Some people don't believe in heroes, but then again they've never met my dad"

Happy Father's day to every father figure out there! Not only do I have my actual dad, but other wonderful men in my life who are father figures!

How are you celebrating Father's day?

xoxo

Happy Birthday to Me: What I would tell myself 7 years ago

I'm 20! I can't believe I'm not a teenager anymore, though I haven't felt like one in awhile.

As I've been reflecting on the past seven years, I decided to write a post on what I would have told my 13 year old self about the end of middle school, high school, and the first two years of college.

Your friends at the beginning may not be your friends at the end// That's okay. The friends you have now are amazing, and are perfect for your life now. Don't hang on too tightly,  or you'll end up hurting everyone. Change is good. You'll grow up and people will still love you.

You can plan all you want, but God has a different plan sometimes// Just because you think you should go to this college, or stay with that guy forever doesn't mean that it should happen. It's okay to plan, but be more flexible. Everything will turn out okay, and if it's not okay it's not the end.

You are worthy of love just the way you are// You don't have to be an athlete, or really good at math and science. You don't have to be 125 pounds as well as acne and braces free. Your friendship and personality is enough.

You may be a little "weird" but you'll appreciate it// It was hard to find your niche in middle school, but in high school you'll find your niche, and those people will be great friends of yours. Own yourself and be confident of your skills. By the end you will already know what you want to do and find your passion at college.

Learn to let go// This is probably something that you have to work on the most, is letting go of those that you outgrow. In order to grow sometimes we need to let go of people. Friends grow apart and grow up, which is okay.

You're so much stronger than you think// You can let go and make new friends. If you could have only seen who was in your future, you wouldn't worry so much. You will make it through because of the amazing support system that you've been blessed with.

You're going to do such great things that you never even thought of// You're going to start a chapter of a nationally recognized organization, join a sorority, be accepted to study in Spain, and have two internships under your belt by the time your twenty.


The teenage years were rough, but I'm so proud of the woman that you've become. It's scary, but mom and dad, your friends and family will guide you through it!

xoxo

Career Advice

This week in one of my Communication classes we had a guest speaker who worked in LA for about 15 years. He had written and produced a movie, as well as worked with Disney. He said something that resonated with me.

As someone who will be searching for internships soon, this piece of advice stuck with me.

{Stick it out for 6 years}

His advice explained:
{First Year}: Figuring out your way as an adult, settling in and dealing with truly living on your own
{Second Year}:You start to feel comfortable on your own, make connections and start to try and make things happen.
{Third Year}:This year you might become discouraged, and feel like it's time to go home. Don't. Stay and continue to work like you did your second year.
{Fourth & Fifth Year} Continue to work, network and give all you have like you did the second and third years. Be persistant
{Sixth Year}: This is the year something is bound to happen! It may seem like luck, but it's actually your hard work paying off.

Sometimes I have a minor freak out that I'm never going to find a good job after college and I'm just floating. This piece of advice gives me hope though. 

xoxo