America the Remix

Ok - so all sane people can agree the America is a hot mess right now. Like I’m here to celebrate the 4th because America is the greatest nation i the world, but she’s certainly not acting like it.

So while I’m here to say Happy Independence Day, I’m also here to say, let’s be better. That whole “this isn’t what America was founded on” kills me. America was founded to protect white male slave owners. So can we please stop romanticizing our foundation and instead say, if we want America to be this amazing place we dream of, we’ve got work to do.

Where do we start?

Get Honest

Start by being honest with yourself and the people around you. Step one is always admitting there’s a problem. Whether that be acknowledging your own privilege or helping others to see theirs, we have got to admit the issues in front of us. Racism, sexism, sexual assault, the opiod crisis - we’ve got a lot to cover. Also understand that admitting we have these problems is a positive. Nobody (and no nation) is perfect, stop getting defensive and start getting real.

Stay Strong

You’ve got to hold yourself and others accountable. It’s often uncomfortable but it’s really important to keep yourself and those around you in check. Call out your friends, family, and lawmakers when they’re not working towards making America better. We have to speak up and that is not easy. People are going to say you’re too political or you’re too involved or a million other things, but it’s important. Don’t be shamed into complacency.

Stay Informed

I am constantly doing research so that I am informed and aware of the happenings in the world socially and politically. I do the hard work to make sure my opinions are based on carefully gathered knowledge and not headlines or twitter clicks. Do your part and get informed so that the opinions you’re putting out there are based on true information, not fake news.

Get Involved

Loo,, we are all busy. But we also all complain about the state of things. And it’s not going to change until we all get involved. Forget your whole “I’m only one person” BS, that’s just not a good excuse for anything. One person can affect change, just look at the 2018 midterms. A whole lot of everyday Americans got involved and helped us to make changes for the better. It can be small but however you get involved, just do so.

I am a proud American, and that’s why I expect us to be better. That’s why I am so passionate about involvement and awareness and improving on where we started from. I don’t think we have to settle, and I'm refusing to allow us to do so.

Political Expert: Me.

Now I would not consider me a political expert.  I would consider myself politically educated, aware, and informed.  But I also have moments whereI have to google things because I have no idea what you're talking about.

But politically speaking - I think the party system is the dumbest invention we've got in politics.  Politics are not a sport.  When one side wins, a lot of people can lose.  I find it a bit Hunger Games in general when a political party wins and millions of people lose healthcare, or families are divided, or really poor people suffer more. 

Politically I don't identify with either party as a whole.  Blind party loyalty is how we ended up in the mess we are in today and voting purely to align with Democrat or Republican is uneducated.  We would be a lot better off as a nation if everyone acted independently and researched policies, laws, and candidates and then made a choice based on what works best for human beings.  Read that back - because all the suits on Capitol Hill - they're not living in the same world we are.  These things we are voting on - they affect people like you and I more than suit #32 who is not affected by new healthcare laws or tax policies.

What I'm seeing lately is a country divided based on us vs them.  Democrat vs Republican.  There's a lot of who lost and who won.  And that disgusts me.  Politics affect lives.  They affect the livelihood of our people.  And THAT is what we need to focus on.  Winning is when we have low unemployment, a healthcare system that works by taking care of our families, and taxes that make it possible for everyone to have a shot at making it financially.  How is celebrating poverty, sickness, and hatred a part of our political system?  How is that winning for anyone?

I'm not really in a place to suggest what the solution is.  And we probably should not rely on me to fix the entire political system in America (Mandatory happy hour?) but I dare say I'm not alone in my feeling that what we;re currently working with is broken.  And feeling that way should not be confused for lack of pride in my country.  The people out there fighting against the bad are so in love with our great nation that we are fiercely committed to its survival.  I love America.  I am so proud to be American.  If I wasn't passionate about this country - I wouldn't be so active in defending what it was created to be. 

Defining Success

America is a country that values success.  We put the American dream above all else.  But what does success mean?  How is success defined?  Traditionally, success often correlates to money.  To having status because you've leveled up to millionaire.  We are a culture that values things more than we value anything else.  We are a culture obsessed with the Kardashians, flashy cars, fancy jewels, and oversized homes.  And just when you think you've made it - someone else comes along and shows you haven't quite got enough. 

Having grown up in a wealthy suburban California town - I understand that success and money go hand in hand.  I always dreamed of the day I would become wealthy and be able to not only buy whatever I wanted, but to support my parents as they got older too.  I love all the things.  The shoes, the shiny jewels, the fancy cars - I enjoy getting my hair and nails done - and I live for traveling.  But I also started my career in an industry that traditionally doesn't pay well.  Like living off top ramen and paying for gas with change not well.  Certainly as I've elevated my career I've elevated my paycheck - but I'm 31 and I am not millionaire. 

By American standards, and by the standards of my country club town - I am not successful.  That's caused me to stop and think.  To reevaluate what success means to me.  Because although I'm not a millionaire (yet), I am not a failure.  I've built a career that I can be proud of.  I've continued to climb the ladder, I've become a mentor to others, and I've set myself up to run my own business one day - and that's certainly not failing.

I've also come to think of success as not strictly related to business.  The most successful people are the people that understand work does not define you.  When I first started out in my career until very recently - I prioritized work over everything.  Even over my health.  Eventually I decided my health, my family, and my friends were more important.  I didn't want to miss the special occasions, I didn't want to be sick and tired all the time - I wanted balance.  And finding a balance between a thriving career and a thriving personal life is success at the highest level. 

Ultimately success means having a strong healthy relationship with myself and others, continuing to grow in my career, and being fiscally stable.  It's being able to recognize that I will forever be a work in progress and that what makes me the most successful is who I am to myself and to the people most important to me.  Money is incredible.  Money affords some amazing opportunities - but money doesn't define success.  I know a lot of really wealthy people who are utter failures at being decent human beings.  And I know people who barely survive and would still give you their last dollar. 

Take time to define what success means to you.  And then throughout the year evaluate where you're at in relation to your definition of success.  Personally - I don't care how much money you have in your bank account if you can't be bothered to be a good person.  In my world, success is joy, its passion, its overcoming adversity, its helping others, its so much more than a dollar figure. 

What does success mean to you?