"I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best." - Marilyn Monroe
So you know how I am - I always get a kick out of crazy new experiences. Well, yesterday brought me one: going to my first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. Not for me, but for a school project. And this experience? One of my best yet.
I'll be honest - I think going into it I had this picture in my mind of what alcoholics are like, and maybe not a pretty one at that. I think that happens a lot though, for things we don't know much about. But hey, the only way we learn is by jumping in, no?
Each person stood up and said, "Hey, I'm so-and-so, and I'm an alcoholic." That part was just like the movie in my head. But the rest? The rest was so real. Everyone talked about struggling with themselves, and using some harmful solutions that didn't work out too well, and continuing to fight and struggle until they could just accept it. There it is - acceptance. That oh-so-difficult simple solution for all of us movers and shakers out here.
You know, I really do think so many of us struggle with that. And now I've seen it. Believe me - every person in the room was so different from the next, and so different from me. But we were all just at different places in the same journey - the journey to just being okay, to not feeling the need to change who we are or hurt ourselves or lash out. To just be able to live and love it. Why is that so hard? We all deserve it. And a few people sitting in the room, they'd found it. And me? Well, I'm going to keep looking for the answers. For you. For me. Because, FG, we deserve it.
I don't know how many of you know about "Sasha Fierce." I guess I have just been really into celebrity gossip lately. Anyways, Sasha Fierce is basically Beyonce's alter ego - the part of her that she taps into when she's performing. Apparently, the real Beyonce is more shy and reserved, so being Sasha helps her be confident and sassy when she's strutting her stuff in glamorous get-ups on stage.
I think some people's first reaction is, Wow, I didn't know Beyonce was crazy! But I definitely don't think she is. In fact, I think it's kind of a cool idea. I imagine we all have different sides to us, or at least ways we wish we could be if we weren't too shy or too scared or feeling so trapped in how we are "supposed" to act. Sometimes, it's no big deal (or maybe even better) to stay toned down or hold back in a certain situation. But it can also be really cool, and incredibly liberating to be that other side of you, let go of your reservations, and try some ting new.
FG Challenge: Next time you're feeling stuck on a problem, try walking in your Sasha shoes. Listen to those "If only..." statements, and imagine how you might be able to handle the situation differently than you usually would. If you're having trouble tapping into that other side, try envisioning what one of your heroes would do if they were standing in your flip-flops. Like, What would my mom do right now? or What would Tyra Banks say in this situation? Of course, your decision is ultimately your own, but sometimes it helps to see things from another side.
xoxo
The Fab Gal
PS - This video is totally my favorite now - Beyonce says Sasha sings this one!
I just want to say I am sorry I haven't made all of the updates (yet) that I was hoping to do by summer's end. I promise, I have some big plans for The Fab Gal! I have been at a 3-week camp, and it has been absolute craziness! I won't go through all the details right now. But this being my last week of camp, I wanted to use today to tell you all about something I learned, and the wonderful insight I have gained from my stay.
The thing is, I have been too busy to even think of what that might be!
Seriously, I have not had time available to think. I haven't sat down to write since I have been here, really, between roller skating and class and swing dancing, and all the spontaneous plans in between. I pretty much have been running on 5 hours a night and lots of Diet Coke.
Anyways, it's been a really good thing for me, I think. It's like that John Lennon quote, "Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans." Life has definitely been happening, no matter what my original plans were. And sometimes, it really is better to just be, you know? I live with my head in the clouds a lot. But it can be smart (if not a little scary) to stop thinking and wishing and learning and waiting, and just do. Even if you don't know exactly what it is you're doing, or where you're going, or what's coming next.
Keep that in mind Fab Gals, wherever you're at this new year. It seems like we always make school about organization and plans. Of course, those are good things. But it's cool to just throw yourself into a new situation, whenever you can. The people you'll meet and the experiences you'll have are what really make up your story. Who doesn't want some adventure?
