“I’m the kind of person who would rather get my hopes up really high and watch them get dashed to pieces than wisely keep my expectations at bay and hope they are exceeded.” – Mindy Kaling
Given that today marks International Women’s Day and I’m currently binge watching The Mindy Project on Netflix (guilt-free, since I’ve at least traveled to my couch to do it), I wanted to share the above quote with you. Because not only do I love Mindy’s message, but the theme for this year’s celebration of women’s voices in work, movements and leadership also happens to be: Make It Happen.
I don’t know if you’ve read Mindy Kaling’s NY Times Bestselling book Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (And Other Concerns). (If you haven’t though, seriously? Get on that laughfest STAT.) But in her book, Mindy talks about a relentless dream to make it as a comedy writer and producer—one she certainly paid her dues to achieve.
From roach-infested New York apartments to facing rejection after rejection, she kept holding her chin (and standards) high. Then again, I’m sure it had something to do with her warrior name, Beyonce Pad Thai. Because who couldn’t rock it with a title like that? Moving on…
For me, Mindy proves that success has little to do with your background or where you ranked on your high school popularity scale, and a whole lot more to do with sparkling confidence (and of course, a willingness to work your tushie off). It’s about having enough determination to write your own part—and write it your way. It’s about being the one who picks up the phone to make the call, instead of waiting to receive it.
From being Kelly Kapoor on NBC’s The Office to a 6x Emmy-nominated writer who now has her own hit TV show on FOX, she’s button-cute living proof that it’s okay to be in a constant state of self-improvement. BUT…we should also stay focused on the big picture—our vision for wholeness and well-being. And that means our personal dreams, too. (Especially the ones we put aside for a rainy day…after we’ve started making six figures, made it to yoga class for three consecutive weeks and emptied the dishwasher. I can’t be the only one with that train of logic.)
Ready to dust off your shelved dreams? Then here are 5 ways to #MakeItHappen:
1. Dream It: Carve out the time to actually design your dream vision. Whether it’s creating a Pinterest passion board, an old school cut ‘n’ paste wall poster or writing it down in a journal, until you start visualizing it, you’re never gonna manifest it!
2. Script It: Figure out what kind of plot twists, characters, action and romance you want in your life script. Whether your style is brazen wit with a dollop of sass or more spiritual and introspective, make sure your vision and the actual process of dream-chasing is true to you.
3. Tweak It: How often do you find the right rhythm the first time you try salsa lessons, go on a date with someone or cook a Gordon Ramsay approved recipe? Rarely, right? There are always going to be tweaks you make along the way and twinges of resistance are totally normal. Just remember though: No flow, no go. If the process is feeling like a straight up struggle, that’s your intuition giving you a poke. So step back, check in with yourself, figure out what needs to shift, and re-evaluate if you’re on the right path or if you should take a detour. (Hint: If you’re really stuck? Call your BFF for on-demand honesty and support.)
4. Rehearse It: Time to make it happen! Evict that obnoxious inner critic from your head, get rid of those out-of-fashion excuses and just start. You can always adjust along the way.
5. Celebrate It: This is usually the most neglected part of the process, but also the most important part! Instead of rushing milestone to milestone (and giving yourself some serious whiplash), put your goal digging on hold to actually celebrate the small wins. Whether that means a spa date with the girls, a caramel macchiato (no bypassing the whip!) or a shameless nap, always remember to treat yo’self!
So tell me, what does International Women’s Day mean to you? If you were getting an award this #InternationalWomen’sDay, what would you want it to be for? Share it in the comments below!