Dear Monday Morning Mojo readers,

Firstly, a sincere Thank You for subscribing and reading the MMM! I know how much it means to my Dad and I’m grateful for you readers who interact with his biweekly stories. It makes him so happy, which makes me so happy.

It is therefore an honor to be asked to pen a guest column in this week’s newsletter, and write about what inspires me personally. Here’s what inspires me: dreams, and specifically, people who go after their dreams. People who feel scared about something they’ve always wanted to do, but do it anyway.

Pride

I wanted to kick off with Pride as we’re now in the middle of June, Pride month. I walked with a number of people from my company at LA Pride last weekend, and it was exhilarating to show up and support so many who courageously celebrate themselves and who they love. My friend who is a part of the community said it right, “Pride is just about being you,” and for many, it feels scary to do the one thing that is the most natural, to be ourselves.

Being and embracing who we are is one way to feel peace and fearless joy, though it is difficult and takes work.

So here’s to the ones who take those steps and choose to bravely be you, no matter how scary that may be. And here’s to everyone who aspires to do the same.

Friends Who Create

I am blessed to have and continue to nurture strong friendships with some pretty brilliant people.

A dear friend of mine, Gia Park, recently launched a newsletter of her own, Nom Nom Hour, which is a carefully-curated, free newsletter dedicated to discovering the City of Angel’s best happy hour deals.

Gia understood the balance between maintaining an active social life while also being budget-conscious. She wanted to ensure that people in LA of all different socio-economic backgrounds could access information about the city’s eateries without financial compromise or time restraints!

Please sign up for the excellent newsletter here and show your support. Even if you don’t live in LA, you’d be amazed at how easy it is to navigate LA’s best happy hours that Gia personally goes out to discover herself.

Nom Nom Hour – a newsletter that shares the best happy hour deals across Los Angeles

Another friend of mine recently created a line of high-quality, luxury pilates accessories, Avka Socks. She noticed a lack of originality in the Pilates sock market, so she decided to help us dazzle up our soles when working out!

Both women inspire the heck out of me and are real-life role models of mine who went after their unique dreams, created steps, and made something fantastic to share with the world.

Here’s to entrepreneurship and creating the thing you want to create, then sharing it with us – we are so grateful!

Avka Socks – luxury pilates socks

Love 

Wrapping this up by circling back to the grand topic I wrote about briefly in the beginning, which is Love. As someone who’s felt like she’s never been in a “relationship” before and has been single for as long as she can remember, I felt I had to write a little about this scary, scary thing!

What’s made me the most nervous has changed since last year. In 2023, I did the one thing that would make me feel sooo wobbly every time it popped up in my mind, but that I so wanted to try: to participate in a surf competition.

I remember my legs shaking uncontrollably when I woke up the morning of contest day after signing up. I settled those nerves by tuning out some not-so-nice thoughts with upbeat music, surfed in front of my Venice Beach community, and placed third! It felt incredible to go after this dream of mine. It felt so good that I completed two more competitions last year, and I am eagerly waiting for the next one to happen this summer.

Today, I don’t think anything is as nerve-racking as putting yourself out there romantically and facing the chances of rejection. Therefore, the scariest thing I’ve done this year so far, is attend a speed-dating event. My best friend had some success with the speed-dating event she went to, which inspired me to go to one myself. I wanted the universe to know I was putting myself out there to hopefully meet a special someone.

I chatted with 12 people in a very short amount of time, and even though it did not result in any romantic success, I am so happy and proud that I attended the event.

To showcase your most vulnerable self in a public setting is not easy, so I guess what I’m saying is that I’m an inspiration to myself when it comes to pursuing love? Ha.

Anyone who’s felt a little fear and put themselves out there anyway, I commend you.

Thanks for reading, all! Go after those wild, beautiful, scary, and kaleidoscopic dreams.

Scott’s Daughter