Do your own Thang !!

Ya know what’s super cool?

The parents I have been talking to lately about raising their children are super cool. Seems like parents these days are willing to put their own “stories” aside and let their children be exactly who and what they want to be. It’s wildly refreshing because it wasn't always that way. I feel like we are shifting into a new paradigm albeit slowly to one that is more accepting and nurturing. Hooray!!!

I was having a conversation the other day with a friend about sending her daughter to college. I was imagining how hard that would be emotionally. First, the idea of letting go could potentially be devastating for my friend. That empty nest syndrome might be scary. But what about allowing her daughter to pick a school that felt right for HER DAUGHTER? My friend went on to tell me how she and her husband took their daughter to visit this one school. Upon arrival the parents and children split up.The college offered a tour for the parents and a separate tour for the potential students. My friend and her husband fell in love with the school right away and wanted it so badly for their daughter but they made a vow not to say a darn thing when they reconnected after their respective tours. They were going to let their daughter speak for herself. How cool was that? When they reconnected after their tours their daughter burst out, “I LOVE IT HERE!” My friend and her husband burst into tears. I can imagine how hard it was for them not to say anything.

You know how I feel about each person having a unique gift, and tapping into that gift is critical in making the world a better place. Being in sync with your soul is like finding a rhythm that seems so smooth you just nod your head yes, yes, yes without even realizing it. It’s like my coach asked us the other day, “Do you ever get in a rhythm when you are running and you don’t even realize you’re running?” Amazeballs. Yeah I said it, and yeah, I've experienced it.

And, the parents these days are doin it! They are getting off that helicopter ride, you know, that hovering thing. And, the kids are loving it cuz they are loving themselves better.

Since Mike and I don’t have children we don’t come across these experiences personally, but we sure do enjoy adding to the nurturing of the younger people around us. We try to encourage the younger generations we touch. I’ll be damned if I don’t leave this place in a better state. For instance, I met an 18-year-old girl who wants to be a fashion photographer so I took her with me when Actio926 got invited to show at New York Fashion Week. My best friend told me her 16 year old son is enjoying his graphic design class so I asked him to make a page for my website. I don’t think enough people know that I manufacture my clothing in LA, so I asked him to make a page that says “Made in LA” in big letters for one of my sliders on the site.

I love that we are moving into a different paradigm, as we will all benefit from this shift. It won’t be easy and there will be naysayers, but I don’t care. I am looking for smiles on people’s faces, not over medicated stares. We can do this. We got this. One day at a time.