The Best Advice My Dad Has Given Me (So Far)…

First of all, Happy Father’s Day to all the wonderful dad’s out there!!! 🙂

And of course I want to give an extra special Father’s Day shout out to MY dad, the wisest and most incredible man I know. I was lucky enough to be on the east coast for Mother’s Day this year, but I so wish I could be there to celebrate with my family again today!!

Growing up, I was so fortunate to have two ridiculously supportive and encouraging parents (sometimes I can’t even believe how lucky I am). And over the years, my dad has given me so, so much advice that has absolutely helped me get to the place and state of mind I am in today. I want to share and write them down, even just for myself so I can remember them always, in hopes that we can all benefit from his wise words!

1. Don’t forget to have fun. – Want to know who actually encouraged me to go on Spring Break in college and party with my friends? My DAD. And who moved me into a frat house 6 years ago when I first got to LA and had no idea what I was doing or where I wanted to be? Yep, that was my dad. And what about when it’s Friday night and I’ve been invited to a party, but kind of just want to stay home and save money? My dad will tell me to go out, see my friends, and enjoy. Just enjoy life as much as I possibly can. And though it seems counterintuitive for my dad to have to tell me to have fun, I totally need the reminder sometimes 🙂

2. Quality first, then price. – Always a bargain hunter, my dad is constantly doing his research before making a purchase, and he’s taught me to do the same. In all honesty, both of my parents are that way and I attribute my frugality to their example! Just the other day, I was searching for flights to go home for a visit and went with United (my main rewards points program) for one leg, but American for the other since it was so much cheaper. No matter how thrifty I am though, I absolutely refuse to fly Spirit or Frontier not matter how cheap! I know this might be kind of a silly example, but it’s the truth. You can only sacrifice quality so much to save a buck before it’s just not worth the struggle or consequence!

3. If you’re doing all the right things and trying your hardest, that’s all you can do. – Now this one might sound more pessimistic written down than it does when he’s actually saying it out loud in his wise-dad voice, but essentially, if you’re doing the best you can, you kind of have to just leave the rest in the universe’s hands. There’s no point worrying about something you can’t control the outcome of (like after a audition, job interview, or test) and if you tried your hardest, that’s the best thing you could’ve done! Whenever I call my dad freaking out, he usually says this to me and my perspective changes almost instantly. After years of having to repeat it, I’m thankful that he did because it took about 27 years for it to sink in as the truth 🙂

4. Don’t run yourself down. – This one is quite possibly the most valuable piece of advice I’ve ever been given. As someone who (oddly enough) enjoys packing my schedule to the absolute brim, I for sure need to be reminded of this on the reg. Self care might be all trendy now, but my dad was on top of that trend yearsssss ago! Though he always encourages me to work hard and play hard (y’know, within reason!), he also knows how important it is to rest when you need it.

5. You have to spend money to make money. – Ok this one might actually be my favorite through (saved the best for last)! During my past 6 years in LA, particularly while I was dancing professionally and working about 8 part-time jobs to make ends meet on top of going to business school, I felt like I couldn’t ease up on the purse strings at all whatsoever. But if you’ve ever heard anyone say, “the best investment you can make is in yourself,” believe them. My dad has been reminding me for as long as I can remember that you’re not going to make anything back if you’re not willing to spend money on the things you need to get there. His voice saying “Buy the extra headshots,” “Take the dance class,” “Drive the 2 hours to the audition,” and “Get your Master’s” will forever play on in my head. Sometimes you just have to take the plunge and make the investment if you want to make the return. Thanks for keeping me business-minded, dad 🙂

Well, if you read through all of that I give you credit, but I also hope you really did since I know anyone could use this advice! Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!

xo jordan