modern mentorship: getting you across campus (and beyond) one pep talk at a time
I learned this mind-blowing trick for getting unstuck and I had to share because it’s changing my life. Feeling stuck can come up in different ways. Maybe you feel blocked, unmotivated, or are having a hard time making a decision. This video will help get the momentum moving forward!
https://youtu.be/nX8FpiwiTpU
It’s been all about friendship in my groups this month where the topic of mean girls has repeatedly come up. It’s inevitable to be around someone you don’t like, but it can feel unbearable if you’re picked on. Check out my video for tips on how to handle a mean girl.
https://youtu.be/WklyB6Lvs-c
Everyone at one time or another gets obsessed. Whether it’s going to a certain college, stuck on being in a friend group, or wanting to get a certain grade in a class, we can get fixated on a situation working out in the exact way we want. So what happens when it doesn’t happen perfectly? Disappointment. Today I’m sharing tips for letting go when you’re obsessing!
https://youtu.be/DpFPQEfuwwU
As we head into 2016, I wanted to share my most popular videos over the year. It’s like a big #MeToo or knowing that you’re not the only one going through what you’re going through. Check out what topics were important to girls in 2015!
How to Get a Better Night’s Sleep
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djDYKUu84Bc
A couple of weekends ago, I worked on an exciting project with my students (which I cannot wait to share with you soon). During it, I asked each girl what her favorite topic that we’ve covered during our Mentoring Sessions was. EVERY girl said the advice they got about sleeping better was really helpful, so I decided to share it here on the blog today!
Everything You Need to Know Before Going to Prom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhZt9yrVfp0
The whole prom process was stressful for me. Between asking someone to the dance (I went to an all girls high school), finding a dress that I actually felt good in, and praying that I was invited to an after-party, I didn’t really have that much fun because of all the pressure I put on myself. This is all the best Modern Mentor advice for a having authentic fun at prom!
How to Get a Boyfriend
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1UdAhdcysk
When my student asked me to help her get a boyfriend I knew exactly what I wanted to tell her. As a professional big sister I get relationship questions all the time. In a world of Snapchat, texts, and dating apps, finding someone that’s a good fit can be confusing. If you’ve ever wondered what you need to do to get a boyfriend this blog is for you!
How to Handle Other People’s Bad Attitudes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdIGPmgGUCY
It stinks when you’re excited about something and the people around you aren’t. Maybe you really like soccer practice but everyone else complains about the coach. Maybe you’re really excited about a class, but everyone is down on it. You can’t change other people, but you can help to make the situation better. Click the video to hear what to do when the people around you have a bad attitude.
How to Create Happy Body Habits
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRsP2JR6Uig
Sometimes it’s hard to like the way you look. When we think or do negative things to our bodies, it can become a habit without us even knowing it. In today’s video, I’m giving step by step advice for creating happy body habits. You were given your body so that you could share your gifts, not get upset when it doesn’t look the way you want. Check out this video to learn how to make liking yourself a habit!
How to Actually Talk to Your Parents
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1BpC5OS8OM
Going to your parents for advice can sometimes be hard, but I know from experience that if you open up to them they can actually be a big help. Plus, they really want to hear from you! Today, I’m sharing helpful tips for talking to your parents or anyone you’re thinking of going to for advice.
What to do when your Best Friend Moves
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HP5gFadVyyU
My best friend moved from NYC to Los Angeles at the end of June. This became a total #MeToo Moment when in a Mentoring Session one of my students told me her best friend was moving too. While it can be sad you won’t see your BFF as often, there are a lot of things to look forward to when a friend moves.
What to do when Mom stops you from doing something fun!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnNqk6DF9zg
So the title of this one is pretty self-explanatory, but it’s one of the main questions I get. Sometimes our parents can feel like a roadblock to our fun, but what if there was another way to look at it? Check it out!!
What to do when you feel like you don’t have a Best Friend (and Everyone else does)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNEXC1BMbUc
Today’s topic is super important before heading back to school. My students and I have been chatting and one of the biggest worries is friendship. Sometimes we haven’t seen our school friends in awhile and wonder if we’re going to get back into the flow of things. Still the fear I hear about the most is not having a best friend when everyone else does. In today’s video, I’m giving advice about comparing our friendships to others and what to remember on your first day of school!
What Happens When you Put Away your Phone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFO-xlkRSag
A couple weeks ago, my student, Caroline, and I did a phone challenge. I read an article about someone who never looked at his phone when he was around other people so I wanted to try it. Let me tell you… it. was. hard. Check out today’s video where we chat about how it went and what we learned!
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that there is so much homework before break. Every project is due. There are midterms, finals, and on top of that you have family things on the weekends. Plus you’re eating lots of foods that you don’t normally eat which can make you feel sluggish. Don’t freak out because I got you! These tips are what save me when I feel like I have a lot to do. Check out my tips for managing stress AND I’m giving away a free meditation!
https://youtu.be/WlE1SqQDe_U
https://youtu.be/xn7wLqRMms0
Over the summer, I followed a fitness blogger on Instagram and I constantly compared myself to her. Every time I looked at her posts, I felt like I wasn’t enough. It was nothing she was doing. She has no idea who I am. It was the internal dialogue I had with myself when I looked at her content. I decided to unfollow her in order to choose inspiration that builds me up.
I don’t know one girl who isn’t constantly comparing herself to people online. In a world where there’s a lot of information, FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), and social media drain, we need to be mindful of what we’re looking at online. The relationship we build with ourselves starts with the inner dialogue we’re having. This means intentionally following people that make us feel good and not bad. Today I’m sharing my top 5 Instagram accounts that bring me positivity and make me smile!
These adorable doodles come with such great messages. Whenever I catch one, I take it as what I needed for the day!
Gabby is my long time mentor. I love her! Her Insta is so inspiring. I love knowing what she’s up to, her tips on life and meditation as well as motivational quotes.
Pumpkin is a rescued raccoon who lives with a family (and dogs) in the Bahamas. She’s so cute and always doing goofy things.
My friend Trella runs a yoga nonprofit called Yogi’s Heart, which brings yoga scholarships to individuals 15-25 years old who want to practice regularly. Her Instagram feed is as beautiful as she is inside and out!
I love to travel and this Insta is like taking a mini vacation. Plus I love learning about new places! #travelgoals
The other day I found myself jealous as I scanned through a (stranger’s) instagram feed. The girl looked like she was having a super successful day while I was figuring out how to delete hacked code from my website… in my pajamas. Jealousy and envy are normal human emotions that aren’t talked about too often. Even in the mentoring groups I run as a professional big sister, we kind of breeze by it and instead talk about comparing. So what is jealousy really? For the rest of the article click here.
My best friend, McKenzie, is the Global Trainer and Lead Aesthetician at Tata Harper, an amazing natural skin care brand. Today she’s giving us all the scoop on how to get great skin. In this video, we cover how to clear up blemishes, what to do after a workout, and the biggest secret to beauty. This might be my most favorite video ever!
https://youtu.be/Tei5zcP9oBo
Also because McKenzie is one of the most generous people I know, she’s giving away Tata Harper products on my Instagram. Check out it out later today for all the details on how to win the essentials package. It’s magical. Thanks McKenzie for all your amazing tips! I feel so lucky to be your friend!
Winding down at night can be a challenge. I know because it’s one of the questions I get asked the MOST. Today I’m sharing my little creative secret to help shut down all the thoughts in your head so you can actually get to sleep!
https://youtu.be/q8ylSzVYgXk
Everyday my students tell me how stressed out they are and I totally get it. We have so much going on that it can be hard to do everything. The amount of questions I get about finding balance are on an all time high, but what interests me is my student’s shift into anxiety and its relationship to worthiness, deserving, and feeling good enough. Stress and anxiety are all things that EVERYONE faces, but what helps? My secret:
Mentorship and meditation.
These two things together helped me realize that I’m enough as I am. I don’t need anything on the outside (likes on Insta, cool friends, a hot boyfriend) to feel like I’m worthy on the inside. Allowing myself to be mentored has opened me up to hearing the, “Me Too,” or knowing that everything I’m going through is normal and human. It’s helped me get to know myself. Girls come to me all the time feeling like they need to be fixed. You’re not broken. There’s nothing wrong with you. Your fears are normal.
The second secret is meditation. You can’t get to know yourself if you’re not able to sit with yourself. Meditation is recharging. It’s a way to find peace in chaos, but you need to work it in order for it to work for you. Girls feel like it’s hard to meditate, but that’s a myth. Want to build a meditation practice? Below is my meditation playlist on Spotify (which all my students ask me about). Some songs are upbeat for energy. Some are softer to calm you down. Pick a song and focus on your breath for the entirety. Everyday is different so sometimes it will be easy to sit; somedays it’ll be hard. Thoughts start to drift? Totally okay! Come back to focusing on your breath. Try to meditate once a day for 21 days. You’ll be surprised how much you crave your meditation time once it becomes part of your routine.