Lessons in Elevation

I recently entered MANDYLAND into the WE Mastermind 5K Dream Business Start-Up Package and if I win I will be able to take MANDYLAND (and all that it entails) to the next level.

The voting round started September 5th and everyone can vote daily until September 19th, and in just 2 days of being part of this process I have discovered a number of things including how much I hate to compete, how haters have made me even more awesome and how you never really know who has got your back until it really matters.


1. I HATE COMPETITION.

Yes I know I am the one who entered this contest but 'winning' in the traditional sense has never been a motivating factor for me. My goal is to expand, take my work to the next level, and spread the word about what I am here to offer the world. This contest satisfies each of these things and also provides a great winning package at the end for the 'winner'. As I learned yesterday though, I hate following numbers each day because it stresses me out. I am in top spot right now but I fluctuate to second spot depending on the hour. Currently, I am going head to head with another fabulous female who is equally dedicated to her mission which means at any given point we are only separated by a few votes. Watch MANDYLAND VLOG #3: SHARING TOP SPOT to hear me discuss this exciting yet nerve-racking experience:)


2. I'VE BEEN FORCED TO GET CLEAR

The launch of WE Mastermind was the inspiration and motivation I needed to crystalize my vision, articulate what I am here to offer this world, present my work as a unified whole, and harness the immense support around me by encouraging my friends, fans, family and followers to participate in the 5K Contest. There was finally a push to think even BIGGER and put myself out there in a more visible way. Clearly I have come a long way from where I was: a reclusive writer whose writings only ever made it to her journals for the first 11 years. Now I have 20 blogs and counting, 2 published books, a number of pages on Facebook and a weekly column named after me. What a difference a few years can make.


3. NOT EVERYONE WILL BE ON BOARD

One of the most surprising aspects of this contest is becoming acutely aware of who supports me and who doesn't. More than a few times now I have discovered that I was wrong in my assessment of who does, and it has made me see things from a new perspective. Yesterday as the votes were tied between me and another, I became anxious about those who have chosen not to support me in this way even though they have been very vocal for months or years about how great they thought I was, how much my work inspires them and how I am the highlight of their Facebook experience. They, like me, are on Facebook daily and they finally have an opportunity to support that which has uplifted them for months or years, but for whatever reason they have chosen not to help me in a very tangible and easy way.

Maybe I was naive to think that my abundant personal offerings over the years through Facebook would warrant a vote per day from those who have been most active on my posts and updates and have devoured my written work for years, but I truly believed it would happen. Surprisingly it didn't. Not from the few key players I was sure would be as pumped as I was to do this thing at least. They are currently watching this contest, and probably reading this post right now (can you say awkward? lol), and are choosing not to vote for me even though those same people didn't think twice to vote for my daughter to win a modelling contest when I tried to recruit support on her behalf. Fancy that.

What I discovered late last night though, as complete strangers rallied together to get me back in top spot (which they succeeded in accomplishing by morning) is that I haven't actually missed out on anyone's votes. The ones who truly believe in the work that I do and genuinely appreciate what I offer this world, are the ones who are doing all the voting. Period. And so I let go of my disillusionment about the fact that a picture of a 16 year old gets more buzz than a concept that has the ability to transform the world and I move on. I also begin to trust more fully that those who truly matter will be right here beside me all the way to the top.


4. IT'S TIME TO MOVE LIKE GAGA (SORRY JAGGER)

Whether you are a fan of Lady Gaga or not is irrelevant to the fact that she is a force to be reckoned with in this world. The cream of the crop always rises to the top and I absolutely admire and respect her despite the fact that I would never intentionally listen to one of her songs. They are catchy and empowering for sure, but just not my thing. What is my thing however is Gaga's ability and courage to be herself fully and completely which inspires in others a desire to do the same. Her message is a clear and pure one based on love, inclusiveness and self-respect, and it is spreading such incredible energy throughout this planet every minute of the day that you cannot go anywhere without running into a Gaga fan.

Lady Gaga may not be your cup of tea but she will certainly never apologize for infiltrating the airwaves and the world with her sound and her style. This amazing ownership of her gifts, her unique way of being, and her mission in life is so dang inspiring to me and this is precisely what I would like to emulate even more.


5. SURE THEY LAUGHED, BUT I WIN

For years I have been either criticized or made fun of for the amount of pages or blogs I have, or how many updates I make on Facebook or even how much I talk in videos and on my radio show. I have gotten used to it but I am always hesitant to post as much as I produce because it is even more than I already share. Silly isn't it? What I am realizing through this contest however is that I don't need to apologize for being this awesome and multifaceted and I certainly don't need to hold back in any way just because other people think it's too much. I am not the average person that has one thing they love or are good at. I do a hell of a lot and I do it all well, and I am about to do even more.

So for the haters of the past, present and to come: You don't like it? It's too much for you? All my posts are annoying? Well, no one is forcing you to read my work, watch my videos, listen to my shows, follow me on Facebook or Twitter, or look at all my hot pics. If you're complaining about it all then you're paying great attention to it so thanks for being a devoted fan.


6. I WAS BORN TO EXPRESS

My gift is expression. Period. That means that posting updates, writing blogs, recording videos and doing radio shows is just like breathing to me. What is 18 minutes to you in video form (check out VOTE FOR MANDYLAND to watch my 18 minute plea for support) feels like only a minute to me. It takes no effort at all to express my thoughts and carry on a conversation; even if that conversation is only with myself.

And while some others have snickered and bitched about how open I am about everything, countless others have benefited from all that I've shared. They are entertained, inspired, amused and sometimes even feel moved to take positive action in an area of their lives. Their days are made brighter and they feel more expanded. They love the insights and they are more motivated to follow their dreams. They love being part of MANDYLAND and they wouldn't want me to change a thing. So for those people in particular, I am so glad I kept sharing my heart, my thoughts and my unique take on the world because as a result you continue to rock mine. As I have said in other posts, if it wasn't for your love and support I would have shut up long ago and we can't have that now can we?

So here's to pissing off and annoying the critics because haters gonna hate and lovers are where it's at.

Y'all fucking rock my socks!



PLEASE KEEP VOTING FOR MANDYLAND!


So please watch VOTE FOR MANDYLAND as it is my opportunity to share all that I do and tell you what I felt was necessary to know in order to make your decision to vote for me in the contest. Again, voting started on Monday, September 5th and you can vote daily until September 19th through WE Mastermind on Facebook. The winner is based on the highest number of votes received. Your support and daily voting would be greatly appreciated.

P.S. Here is a 2 Minute Promo Video for my entry in this contest and it is a super fun glimpse of MANDYLAND. Enjoy!

Thank you so much for all your support.

Mandy
www.mandylandrocks.com
xo