Letters And Hope

Over the past few weeks I have gotten some really special letters and things from people about the Prudential Spirit of Community Award. My U.S. Congresswoman Ann Wagner sent her congratulations...

...my Missouri State Senator Jill Schupp sent me this AMAZING resolution...

...the Missouri Department of Secondary Education sent me their congratulations...

...the awesome ladies at Girls On The Run sent me the sweetest note...

...and then just yesterday I received this letter from our Missouri Governor Mike Parson. I was amazed that he signed and sent that out in the middle of everything that is going on right now.

I appreciate each and every one of these messages so much especially now that the coronavirus outbreak has caused the Award Honorees trip to Washington D.C. in May to be canceled. I'd by lying if I said that I wasn't completely sad about that. I feel like this terrible disease is taking so much from all of us.

So, I am instead choosing to do a MAJOR YOU-turn, actually a bunch of them. A few days ago on St. Patrick's Day I posted this on social media:

"Even though today is a difficult day, I am still choosing to feel lucky. I’m really sad because I found out that both of the trips I had planned for the next two months have been canceled because of the coronavirus. The first one was a Broadway Educational Intensive in New York City next month. The other was my trip with my family to Washington D.C. for the Prudential Spirit Of Community Awards honorees. I think it is okay to be extremely sad and upset at these cancellations and still feel lucky for a lot of reasons.

1. We live in a country that has wonderful health care and they are preparing for this disease.

2. My brother and I both go to schools that are making it possible for us to not get behind this year by using our computers for E-Learning after spring break.

3. My parents are blessed to have jobs that they can do from home so we can help with the quarantine our leaders are asking us to do.

4. My family has food and medicines and I think we have enough toilet paper.

5. We have the internet and social media to still be able to connect with each other like this which is not like it would have been back in 1918 with the flu epidemic then.

6. Even though I am worried about my school musical being canceled I still was able to work hard this year and get in 3 shows for my resume for college applications before this fall.

7. The ACT I was going to take was canceled so I have more time to get ready for that.

8. My paperwork for Miss Missouri's Outstanding Teen is like 99% done and I am mailing it soon!

9. I am using this time at home to be with my family and to catch up on some service projects.

So, even though I am sad for all of us who have these cancellations like this and I know everyone does, there are a lot of blessings and lucky things to celebrate.

A special one, too, that I am sharing with you is this Senate Resolution I received in the mail last week from my Missouri Senator Jill Schupp about the Prudential Award. Thank you so much Senator Schupp for this, it is an honor and it put a huge smile on my face. #PruSpirit2020 #valYOUable"

So as you can see I always say that Self-ValYOU's tools are for anything, not just body or self image. Turning negative thinking into positive thinking is the best way to handle all of these changes and disappointments I think.

I hope you are all staying safe and healthy and let's all try to bring positivity to each other right now.