On the second day of my birthday vacation in Mykonos, we took a combination walking/bus tour to see as much of the island as possible.
One of my favorite things to see up close were the iconic 16th century windmills that the farmers used to mill wheat.
Windmills of Mykonos
Loving my Grecian birthday vacation!
We finally arrived! After an Uber to the airport (first car didn't show up), a flight from LA to NY, then NY to Athens and then from Athens to Santorini, then a shuttle to our hotel...we are kicking off my birthday vacation! My mom Joanne and sister-in-law Carolyn are the traveling trio.
So wonderful to spend this time with family. Our hotel is right on the beach against the Mediterranean Sea. Simply beautiful!
Ready to hit the beach!
Today I am embarking on a journey. It is so hard to leave because I want to stay connected to what is happening in our society surrounding the senseless violence we have seen. However, God made things called birthdays as a reminder that our time is finite and to find the joy in each day. So...Where in the world is Shaun going for her #birthdayvacation?
Can you guess?
I have been so overwhelmed with JOY these past couple of weeks because I finally launched a passion project of mine! It's called the S.H.A.U.N. Foundation for Girls. It's my new non-profit that I formed to empower girls and young women. It is a grant-making foundation that will support small, grass-roots charities that are doing work in five key areas of girls' issues: (S)TEM, (H)EALTH, (A)RTS, (U)NITY and (N)EIGHBORHOODS.
I truly feel that if we invest in girls, we will empower them to change the world!
I will be sharing more about the S.H.A.U.N. Foundation for Girls in the coming weeks so, go to our website to get more information: shaunfoundationforgirls.org. And thank you for your support!
"A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. It just blooms."
This is one of my favorite "Ladies Empowerment" quotes.
I think it's so important for women to be able to compliment each other and lift one another up without being in competition with one another. Like flowers in a garden, each one is beautiful and each one has something unique to offer. Together, they make an amazing, glorious and radiant display.
I love seeing other women achieve their dreams. I love it when a girlfriend is successful in her job, relationship or any personal goals that she has set for herself. I've learned that it doesn't diminish me or my accomplishments in any way. In fact, it inspires me. It makes me more focused and if there is anything I feel that is lacking, I decide to step up my game. Having friends that are talented and successful makes it clear that anything is possible if you pray hard and work hard. For me, the two go hand-in-hand.
Remember, ladies...The only competition you have is the with the person you were yesterday.
xo, Shaun
At the beginning of the New Year, one of my resolutions was to continue to live by the mantra, "No More Drama". (Thank you Mary J. Blige). That means to avoid, to the best of my ability, situations and people that cause stress. We have all been there - committing to something that we really didn't have time to do because of our busy schedules or spending hours talking to someone who is always complaining or full of bitterness. I truly believe that beautiful things happen when you distance yourself from negativity.
But, while we are cleaning up the outside, we must also take heed to cleanse from WITHIN. Sometimes our worst critic is between our two ears. We have to stop with the negative self-talk. We know that this is: telling ourselves we can't accomplish something because it will be too hard, or that we aren't good enough, not talented enough, not pretty, skinny or rich enough. We have to constantly fill our lives with positive thoughts and affirmations to counter any negativity that may be subconsciously sabotaging our dreams and goals.
Oftentimes, patterns of negative self-talk begin in childhood. It has colored your thinking for years and you probably didn't even realize it. It causes stress and we know that stress can lead to all kinds of diseases.
So, now is a good time to change the old destructive patterns and increase your productivity and self-esteem! One saying that I love is..."Tell the Negative Committee that meets inside your head to sit down and shut up!" Lol.
I remember when Ben Affleck won his Best Picture Oscar for 'Argo' a few years ago. One of the things that stood out in his acceptance speech was when he said, "Don't hold grudges". I have interviewed Ben several times and I have always found him extremely smart, present and very gracious. And, I think he was totally on target when he talked about releasing ourselves from grudges - especially during times when we feel like gloating. He had the stage that night and could have talked about all the people who did him wrong in Hollywood. But, instead, he used the opportunity to be, once again, gracious and uplifting.
We have all had things that have happened to us that have made us angry. A friend who was inconsiderate, someone who was intentionally rude or even a person who tried to maliciously hurt us or someone we love. You may have endlessly spoken about how this person did you wrong or even fantasized about plotting revenge so that "justice could be served".
But, you may have also heard the saying, "Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die". Being angry is just toxic to one's own spirit and really does nothing to make the situation better. Deciding not to hold onto a grudge is, just that...a DECISION. It is deciding to free yourself and not be under the control of the person who offended you. Holding onto bitterness zaps your creative energy, it affects your decision-making skills and can damage your relationships.
To move forward with your life, you must not wait until the offender apologizes. Realistically, they may not know they hurt you or they might not even care. And, that is okay. This journey isn't for them, it's for you. You will become the bigger person when you forgive. And you will find strength that you never knew you had when you make the decision to move on with your life and free yourself of the bondage of grudges.
Reward yourself when you successfully forgive someone who hurt you. You deserve to be commended for taking such a big step because it's not easy. It can be a small gift to yourself or just a simple pat on the back. Or, make it a symbolic gesture. Write a letter to the person who offended you and tell them why you are releasing the anger. Then, tear the letter up as a symbol that you are tearing up the grudge and letting it AND them go.
The gift you receive for doing this will be much bigger than an Oscar. It will be your peace of mind and your FREEDOM. ~Shaun
At the beginning of this New Year, I made the decision that one of my primary resolutions was going to be NOT to let the negative behavior of other people bother me. My dearly beloved father use to always tell me, "Baby, don't be a reactionary. You know," he would go on, "out there in Hollywood, you're dealing with snakes". My father had a thing about Tinseltown. He certainly enjoyed his daughter's success in the business and was so proud that I had reached my goal of being on a national entertainment show. However, he always wanted me to stay grounded and not be sucked in by the superficial nature of this business. He'd much rather listen to NPR than to hear what everyone was wearing on the red carpet. Whenever, I would tell him that I ran into someone who was a real jerk, he would tell me, "Get use to it. That is the town you live in. It's ALL fake", he would sternly say. I would tell my father about all the wonderful people that do live in this town and that many are fine, upstanding folks who have good morals and values but, Dad, being the Southern-boy who was a Mid-western transplant, he would look at me with a very skeptical eye.
I was reminded of my father's judgmental view of Hollywood yesterday during a conversation with someone in the business. The conversation could have gone well if this person wasn't hiding their true intentions and very BADLY hiding them. I knew, from the beginning of the conversation, that it was not going to go well because they were not being truthful about the first FOUR points they made. I kept giving them a very logical counterpoint and every time I did, they would say something to totally contradict what they had just told me. I hate to call them "lies" because Grandma (God rest her saintly soul) would not like me using that term but...). It was very frustrating. When we concluded the conversation and got off the phone, I was just fuming. "How could they say those things??" I kept asking myself. "I thought they had more character than that!" I was disappointed in this person and in myself for trusting them and holding them to a higher standard in the first place. I had a panel discussion later that night, for which I really needed to be at the top of my game. But, this conversation and the untruths that were made were hanging over me, dampening my spirit and I hated the control it had over me.
After a few HOURS of feeling so frustrated, I started looking at some of the pictures on my phone and came upon a screenshot I had taken of a quote I found on Instagram. It said, "God can STILL make a way." I instantly felt CALM. I began to see things in a more objective manner. Many things started coming to me: "I am upset now, but this moment will pass like they always do." "This person doesn't have control over my life." "There are other people who will be supportive of me." "This person will have to deal with their own karma and it's not for me to judge them, just to send prayers their way". "As long as I act with intergrity, I can look at myself in the mirror and love the reflection that I see." Positive thought after positive thought just kept flowing into my mind. I realized, as my father told me, I had a CHOICE to either let other people's bad behavior affect me in a negative way or to not let them infect my spirit and to keep on pushing forward. Trust me, it wasn't easy and I still have moments of struggling with what this person did. However, I can still see the light through those moments and know that, if I choose to live with integrity, I will always find success.
Very honored to have been in ALL their company. I met Vice President Joe Biden first when he was on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Then, I met First Lady Michelle Obama and Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden when I interviewed them during the second Inaguration. Last, but certainly not least, I met President Barack Obama at a fundraiser at the home of actress Gwyneth Paltrow.
There are few experiences that have changed my life. I have been blessed with the opportunity to travel the world and learn about cultures that, before, I had only seen on television. I will always remember my visit to Oprah Winfrey's Leadership Academy for Girls in Johannesburg, South Africa. The girls chosen to attend this school were the smartest girls in their communities - the cream of the crop. They were so excited to be going to class in this beautiful new state-of-the-art school that would set them on the path to be the leaders of tomorrow.
Sitting with the girls of the Leadership Academy
This picture is one of my favorites. It was taken on the first day all of the journalists came on campus to tour the classrooms. The students gathered around me for a picture and I remember them being so energetic and grateful for the opportunity to go to the Academy. I love hearing updates about them because I know they are going to take over the world! ~ Shaun