Posts tagged role models
Role Models: Katniss Everdeen
First of all, don’t judge. Chances are if you didn’t love The Hunger Games, it’s because you didn’t read The Hunger Games. And if you did read the Hunger Games, then you know what I’m talking about when I say Katniss Everdeen is a BAMF with serious role model potential, and definitely not a girl to be trifled with. Why? I’ll tell you why:
Family, y’all.
Katniss loves her family more than she loves her own freedom. She is a total mama bear when it comes to Prim, going so far as to volunteer to take her place in The Hunger Games – which gives her a 1/24 chance of survival. For Katniss, there was no other option. She couldn’t let her sweet sister go into that terrible arena, so she went instead. Simple as that. And I can’t even talk about sweet Rue without getting a little weepy, so let’s just say that Prim is not the only kid Katniss would do anything for. She’s a killer with a heart of gold.
Survival Skills
Here’s the deal: if Katniss Everdeen and Bear Gryllis had a wilderness survival showdown, my money would be on Katniss every day of the week. Katniss can kill and prepare her own food, climb any tree, outwit her predators, and she gets ruthless when she needs to. Chances are, Katniss would charm Bear into giving her half his food and all the blankets and drinking water before she left him in her dust and scampered into her top secret tree fort to commune with the mockingjays and wait for him to cry uncle.
Great Hair
Katniss understands that the best hairstyles are the simplest, which is why she mastered the side braid early on. Girls, you do not have to tease and spray and curl and straighten and spray some more. Just take a page from the book of Katniss, learn how to French braid (or fishtail braid, if you’re feeling fancy!), and move on to more important things. Like survival skills and archery and Peeta vs. Gale (This blog is firmly Team Peeta, for the record).
Priorities
This is probably my favorite thing about Katniss. Peeta and Gale are cute, sure, and she gets the warm fuzzies from them both…but when it comes down to it, she has bigger fish to fry. Like political upheaval and her generation’s survival. Katniss isn’t heartless – she has crushes and she gets her smooches in where she can. But at the end of the day, she’s not a breathless, fluttery, boy-crazy nitwit. Snuggling is nice, but surviving and protecting the people you care about is more important, and Katniss gets that.
Another Role Model:
Lessons from Jo March
Inspired
Iâve told you about my goals for 2012ânow I want to tell you about my inspirations. I look to these people when Iâm drawing a blank or feeling discouraged about where Iâm going or what Iâm doing in life. I hope these wonderful, talented people are just as inspiring to you as they are to me!
My mom
You guys, my mother is a powerhouse. Itâs hard to believe that at this time last year, she hadnât even considered running a 5kâ¦and now, sheâs running circles around me and logging miles daily. My mom has always been the best example of kindness, patience, and Southern hospitality; this year, she has become the picture of willpower and perseverance, too. I am so proud of and inspired by her every day.
The Schultzes
I know. How many times can I write about our amazing wedding photographers (and friends)?
What you have to know about Cheyenne and Geoff is that they are kind, helpful, caring ANDÂ wildly talented. Each time Iâve spent time with them, from our engagement shoot to meeting up for pizza, I leave telling myself (and Josh) that âI want what they have.â
What do they have, you ask? They have the drive, passion, and freedom that I was shooting for when I first launched out as a writer. They have their own business, they work hard, they make it look easy, and they rock at what they do.
When I first met Cheyenne and Geoff, I thought I wanted exactly what they haveâdown to the occupation. While I know now that I want something a little different for myself, it was an easy leap to make, considering how profoundly inspired I was âand still amâby this dynamic duo.
Mary Marantz
I started keeping up with several wedding photographers after I met The Schultzes and decided I wanted to be one. That ambition has (obviously) since evolved, but several of the photographers I found have stayed on my radar because they are such great resources and examples. Mary is one of those people.
She is so candid about her journey to where she and her husband are nowâand I so appreciate that honesty. She is often just the reminder I need that these things take time, that Iâm going to have to take baby steps, and that I will get there someday. Read her recent post called âThereâs Something About the Chaseâ to see what I mean.
I could go on about each of these peopleâand I could list about a hundred more who I find inspirational. Maybe Iâll tell you about another batch in a few weeksâfor now, Iâll leave you with these wonderful people and their inspirational mojo.
Tell me in the comments: who are you looking to for inspiration this year?
Jo March is a hero of mine. Whether I’m reading the book, watching Winona Ryder play her in the movie (as I do at least once a winter), or listening to Sutton Foster (another hero) belt her story in the Broadway musical, Jo’s character never fails to resonate with me, inspiring me to be braver and more creative and hungrier and…well…better. Jo has taught me some seriously valuable lessons over the years, and now I’m going to share a few with you.
image via litkids on etsy
1. Family always wins.
Jo wasn’t vain about much, but she was vain about her hair. But when her dad got sick and her family needed the money, she rushed right out to sell her locks for the good of the March clan.
“It will be good for my vanity; I was getting too proud of my wig. It will do my brains good to have that mop taken off…I’m satisfied; so please take the money, and let’s have supper.”
She had to weep a little weep in the still of the night over her short hair, and that was that. No harm, hair grows, and her family was better off for it. Family wins. Every time.
2. You don’t have to date every cute boy who likes you.
Laurie, Laurie, handsome Laurie, rich, sophisticated Laurie…he seemed perfect, but when he finally got all lovey dovey over Jo, our girl just wasn’t feeling it. So instead of acting all wishy washy and playing games, she told it like it was.
“I don’t see why I can’t love you as you want me to. I’ve tried, but I can’t change the feeling, and it would be a lie to say I do when I don’t.”
That couldn’t have been easy to say in the heat of the moment, but the Jo I love wouldn’t settle for a boy just because he was sweet and might get his feelings hurt. She knew she was doing them both a favor by shooting him down, and she bit the bullet to make the tough decision.
3. You don’t have to be perfect, but you should try and be good.
Her temper was her trouble, but she tried so hard to fight it! One of my favorite little moments is when she’s playing croquet with Fred the cheater.
“Jo opened her lips to say something rude; but checked herself in time, colored up to her forehead, and stood a minute, hammering down a wicket with all her might…she went off to get her ball, and was a long time finding it, among the bushes; but she came back, looking cool and quiet, and waited her turn patiently.”
Take a breath, bite your tongue, and come back when you’re ready. The word of a reasonable person is more valuable than that of someone who’s angry all the time over every little thing. Hold your temper for when you really need it.
4. Follow your heart, do your best, and it’s all going to turn out just fine.
This quote is from the musical, not the book, but it’s still a good one:
“Sometimes when you dream, your dreams come true in extraordinary ways. Suddenly a day can be so amazing. And sometimes when you yearn, you burn the air, and someone else sees the flame you always knew was there.”
Go after the life you really want. If you are truly passionate about something, then your excitement will be contagious, and that’s the first step to getting anything you want.
Be fearless and be relentless and never ever doubt that you are good enough, smart enough, and gosh darn it, people like you.
Jo March would totally agree.
