No Expectations

About a year ago, I was on the red carpet at a Hollywood premier shaking hands with people like Debra Messing, Fran Drescher, Eric McCormick and Marcia Cross to name a few. I was decked out in a sparkly turquoise sequined dress, silver spiked sandals, sexy long hair extensions and make-up done by a celebrity artist. It was the last night of a five-day trip during which I was lavished with first class accommodations in Beverly Hills, spa services, shopping money, gifts, exquisite dining and a private limo! I also got to film a commercial that aired nationally. Who would have thought a little suggestion by my husband Joe would have led me to all that! Not I, for sure! That’s the beauty of doing something purely for fun, with no expectations.

A few months prior, Joe and I saw a commercial on TV about a “40s and Fabulous” contest sponsored by Pond’s and the USA network. Joe suggested I enter. Without knowing much about what I would win, I wrote up a short essay and sent it in with digital photo. Then I forgot about it until a couple of months later when someone called to tell me I was a semi-finalist. The next step would be a taped phone interview, which I proceeded to do half way through an intense work-out session. A week after I was told I did not get on Oprah (see my previous blog about that), I got a call saying I was one of the five winners of this contest! My first thought was, “This is way more fun than Oprah!”

I think the fact that I had no expectations about this contest helped me win. I wasn’t trying to spin an angle on the essay, but rather just wrote from my heart. I didn’t send in a classic model photo, but rather one I had recently took in my backyard. I didn’t put together any notes before doing the phone interview, but rather opted to do it on the spot when they called. Sometimes you just gotta put yourself out there without knowing or caring what happens next. Without expectations, there can be no disappointments.

If you want to see my celebrity red carpet look or the commercial vignette, here is the link that will take you to both: http://reallifelessons.com/news/fortyfab.htm