Hey, friends.
Lots going on over here. Most importantly, I got a pedicure today because I am peacing out to Sicily tomorrow for my birthday (!!). Everyone keeps telling me that 27 is a highly transitional year, so I guess I'm pretty excited about it.
In other Alexa news, my new music video from last week blew up a little bit, and specifically, wentreally viral in Mexico City. It's a little bit surreal, but also pretty freaking cool. And I'm now trying to figure out how to tour in that part of the world.
Anyways. Birthday, being a minor celebrity in Latin America, springtime in general. It's all got me thinking. Mostly, about how making decisions (I'm going to move to Berlin! I'm going to put together a rather-thought-through music video just so that I can sing Jack Johnson songs! I'm going to Sicily!) is really what it's all about.
In this ole' day and age, we are suffocated with choice and--irony of all ironies--it stops a lot of people from getting ahead. When you think you can do everything, you do nothing. When you send an email to everyone, you are speaking to no one. When you try to please the whole crowd, everyone just goes... "Meh."
I'm talking about commitment, yo. People always flinch when I say, "Get specific! Tell me you want to do Snapchat marketing for vegan dog bakeries!" Even though going all in on one specific thing actually means you have an *insanely* better chance of totally and completely rocking it.
But commitment doesn't actually mean you're limiting yourself. It just means you're deciding to take a route. Most of you have probably been on a hike, right? You now how you have to choose a route at the beginning, but then trails merge and separate, and you can jump from one to another?
And in order to ever get anywhere, you have to choose a starting point. It doesn't have to be the obvious walkway from the parking lot, but you still have to go.
So, choose. Yes, it will change the course of your life. It may change the course of history, in fact. But you won't go anywhere unless you start walking up the hill. Feel me?
Maybe I'm a little sentimental this week, birthday and all, but it really is the plain truth. Also, I should really go finish packing for this trip.
To wrap up today's thought, I leave you not with my words, but with some words from one of my oldest friends (and a fervent reader of #entrylevelboss). His name's Matt, and he's really smart, and he got engaged this week. And it's probably the best Facebook engagement notice I've ever read:
"The greatest accomplishments of my life have come as a byproduct of a decision. The art of making a decision is highly under-acknowledged considering it is absolutely paramount to everything we do. We are either making a decision or we are existing in circumstances because of a decision we already made. Commitment follows decisions, and that leads to success. There is only one degree of commitment: total, absolute, complete.
Yesterday I made the best decision of my life to commit fully and unconditionally to the love of my life. Paola, you are my best friend, my teacher, mentor, companion, lover, and more."
And they pay me the big bucks. Well done, love. Well done.
Right. See you later, friends. I'm off to soak up some of that Italian sunshine.
That's amore,
Alexa
PS: Looking for a really awesome birthday present to send me? I need more subscribers on Spotify. Go find my profile (Alexa Shoen) and click the Follow button. I also accept love letters and cold, hard cash.
PPS: Hello to all my new subscribers this week!! As always, feel free to send this newsletter to a friend. And hit reply to say what's up. I love hearing from you.
PPS: If you want to say hi to me in Sicily, follow me on Snapchat! @alexashowtime