Lisa Bloom Visits UCLA!

Posted on May 17, 2012 by

1 in 4 women would rather win America’s Next Top Model than a Nobel Peace Prize. Even more would rather than lose their figure than their ability to read. Lisa Bloom has a problem with it. And she wants you to as well.

As women we’re in a paradox. While we’re extremely successful in academics garnering the highest grades and the top spots in the most prestigious schools, we’re always studying celebrities more than our classes. So many of us research tabloids like we’re going to be tested on it. In fact, Lisa Bloom found that most girls could name more Kardashians than the number of countries we’re at were with.

Lisa Bloom couldn’t sit still anymore so she decided to speak up. And people listened. As a New York Times bestseller, her book called Think: Straight Talk for Women to Stay Smart in a Dumbed Down World, has garnered national praise. She recently came to UCLA’s Panhellenic Awards to spread the message.

I had the opportunity to introduce Lisa, as she is a good friend and inspirational mentor to me. One of our very own, Lisa Bloom is not only a UCLA alum, she also graduated from Yale Law School where she would go on to open her own firm, The Bloom Firm, right here in Los Angeles. After hosting her own show for eight years on Court TV, Lisa has gone on to appear regularly on major networks including CBS, CNN, and HSN among many others as a national legal analyst.

In fact, that is how I first met Lisa Bloom while I was interning this past summer at NBC Network News. While she has been interviewed by Oprah Winfrey, Barbara Walters, and Anderson Cooper just to name a few, Lisa just so happened to be doing an interview with Reverend Al Sharpton regarding the Casey Anthony Trial. Immediately inspired by her poise, confidence, and courage, I knew that I had to meet her. It was one of those moments that I couldn’t let slip away.

As I am an aspiring author, I introduced myself to Lisa and at that moment she handed me one of the best books that I would ever read–Think. It is expertly researched, interspersed with humor, and serves as the antidote our generation needs to get us out of our celebrity comas.

Lisa never settles with her current successes though. She has recently published her second book, Swagger: 10 Urgent Rules for Raising Boys in an Era of Failing Schools which is quickly receiving high praise and recognition. I am so excited to say that I will be spending this summer working with Lisa to promote her newest book which I am so proud to be a part of.

Ms. Bloom always celebrates life to the fullest no matter what she pursues. An avid world traveler jumping from South Africa to South America, Lisa has spanned the globe and uses these world experiences to fuel her passion for international war crime tribunals. Lisa doesn’t take these important yet often ignored issues lightly, yet she lives life with a light heart filled with appreciation.

It’s so important that as collegiate women we start thinking about what truly matters in this world—issues of genocide, sex trafficking, and global warming just to name a few. It shouldn’t be about what Jennifer Lopez or Cameron Diaz wore last week. Lisa Bloom is here to get us THINKING, and I hope that our generation of collegiate women will start thinking about the issues that can truly make an impact.

Keep shining,

The Sunny Girl, Lauren Cook

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A Growing Garden

Posted on May 10, 2012 by

Don’t you just love springtime? It’s absolutely beautiful out and after receiving this video, I had to share it with you all. Especially if you’re having a stressful day, taking a few minutes to watch the sheer magic of nature will give you a fresh perspective. Sit back, relax, and enjoy nature.

Keep shining,

The Sunny Girl, Lauren Cook

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Audrey Hepburn’s True Beauty

Posted on May 9, 2012 by

I wanted to share one of my favorite quotes today by the lovely Audrey Hepburn:

“For attractive lips, speak words of kindness. For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people. For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry. For beautiful hair, let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day. For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone. People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone.. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms. As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands; one for helping yourself, and the other for helping others.”

There’s a reason that Audrey Hepburn still leaves a legacy—not only was she beautiful on the big screen, she was even more beautiful behind the cameras as a philanthropist and a compassionate soul.

The more love you give, the more beautiful you become—just like Audrey Hepburn. That’s what really counts. It’s not about your bone structure or your haircut—natural beauty comes from being naturally gracious, humble, and lovely. It’s nice to know that while the wrinkles may come, our inner beauty can only grow.

Be beautiful today in the right way.

Keep shining,

The Sunny Girl, Lauren Cook

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A Shell Along the Shore

Posted on May 4, 2012 by

Well hello! I’ve been hiding out this week in cubicles and classrooms either studying for midterms or taking them. This has been an academically challenging quarter for me but I have to say, it actually has been enjoyable. It’s just the right amount of challenge. I was a little rusty on the science classes but it’s refreshing to learn something new. As great as it is to study relationships and the human psyche, learning about sense and perception has been a nice shake up to the routine.

But I’ve realized that this quarter, no junior year, is just flying by. Literally, I can’t keep up with it. I’ve already been working at Disney ABC for 4 months, my boyfriend is about to graduate, and I only have a month and a half left to live in my beloved sorority house. I’m trying to appreciate the days but sometimes I feel like a little shell that just rolls with the tides. I don’t ever land on the beach and soak up the sun. I just float along.

So I thought of a way to put an anchor on my days. No, actually my cognitive psychology class taught me a way to remember my days better. One thing I’ve learned is that we remember much better when we rehearse our memories. Naturally, the most obvious way is to write it down and look back on it. Sounds simple enough, right? (How’s that for practical application?)

Here’s my goal: every day before I go to bed, I’m going to write down the highlights of the day—what stands out in my mind. And I’m going to put an emphasis on the positive. No, I’m not going to completely ignore the negative but I’m definitely going to downplay the drudgery and up the enthusiasm. I’m downright excited to start.

It’s 11:33 pm, May 3, 2012 as I type my first official entry. Today was a pretty ordinary day but I still want to remember it nonetheless. I think I’ll appreciate it more too when I look back:

May 3, 2012: Got fro yo with Abbie at Yougurtland—mochi balls are my favorite. Witnessed a miracle when Carrie Underwood’s song, “Jesus Take the Wheel” became a reality on the road for me. Felt relieved and happy leaving my midterm on Communication and Couple Conflict.

There you have it. A day that I’m more likely to remember than if I had just let it slip by, like so many other days. So, what are you going to remember about TODAY? Every day is special if you choose to see it that way.

Keep shining,

The Sunny Girl, Lauren Cook

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What Brooks and Dunn Taught Me

Posted on April 30, 2012 by

Hi friends! I wrote this article for UCLA’s newspaper, The Odyssey. I think it still relates to your life though, no matter where you go to school or if you are even in school. Happiness is for everyone no matter where you are in your life. Enjoy!

It’s the Monday after Stagecoach and I’m feeling slightly jealous that I wasn’t there to don my cowboy hat and boots. I love country music, plain and simple. Then again, who doesn’t? It seems like just about everyone I knew was taking Indio, California by storm. So to make up for the time lost in country music paradise to study for midterms, I heard a song on the radio that caught my attention by Brooks and Dunn: “Red Dirt Road.”

It seemed like a typical 105.1 station song more or less, until I heard a line that made me think: “I learned that happiness on earth ain’t just for high achievers.”

Now as UCLA students, I’m sure you can relate to this in someway—ask yourself honestly, how much of your happiness comes from landing the job you wanted, getting the grade you were going after, or earning your goal GPA? I know that I’ve done this before and to clarify, I don’t think it’s a bad thing. But it certainly shouldn’t be everything.

There’s only so much we can do to be that “high achiever” that we all want to be. And while getting happiness from our accomplishments is great, I think it should serve as a bonus rather than a baseline. This song is on to something—true happiness comes from people, not grade points or paychecks. Sure it’s a balance, but if you don’t have anyone to share your success with that happiness is going to be much shorter lived.

True happiness always comes down to people. Whether you were at Stagecoach with your friends or studying for midterms—it’s the people that surround you that make the experience all worthwhile. At the end of the day we have to remember that no one is entitled to happiness—as UCLA students we don’t deserve to have a happier life because we like to be “high achievers” like the song suggests. No, with happiness there is no discrimination. You can have the best grades in the world but if you don’t have friends, happiness is hard to come by.

So take time this week to savor those friendships. And if you are a “high achiever” by nature, go ahead and appreciate those times of success—just don’t base your self-worth on ridiculously high standards that you may be setting. Achievement is a fickle thing; for as hard as you may work, a bad stroke of luck could take it away. Don’t put your happiness whole-heartedly in your grades or your money. Invest your happiness in your friendships, your family, and your life and you can have happiness no matter what you achieve.

Keep shining,

The Sunny Girl, Lauren Cook

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The Golden Rule Revised

Posted on April 25, 2012 by

A few questions to start your day:

1. How often do you make eye contact with people?

2. How often do you smile at people, even if they’re a stranger?

3. How often do you hug your friends?

4. How often do you speak sincerely?

5. How often do you have a friendly conversation with someone you don’t know very well?

I think we should strive to meet each of these questions on a daily basis. What it all comes down to is being a nice, friendly person. I think if we all lived with these 5 questions in mind, the world would be a much happier place. It’s simple really; be kind to others regardless of whether they’re your best friend, a stranger, or even an “enemy.” (However, I don’t think we should give anyone a label as an enemy, it’s not good for our wellbeing).

I know the Golden Rule says to treat others as you would like to be treated. That’s all fine and dandy but if we’re going to take it a step further, we have to treat others as they SHOULD be treated, with the mindset that everyone can be a good person. We shouldn’t treat others with kindness only hoping that we’ll have the favor returned. True kindness is being kind for kindness’ sake alone.

So I encourage you to answer these five questions with a resounding YES to them all by the end of the day. You can do it!

Keep shining,

The Sunny Girl, Lauren Cook

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Why It’s Good to Get a “No”

Posted on April 23, 2012 by

Why it may be good to get this face every now and then.

No, you can’t do this. No, you can’t have that. I’ve been feeling like a toddler again with all the no’s I’ve been hearing lately. Competition is fierce in the collegiate world and we’re all bound to get our fair share of no’s in our attempts to succeed. But as frustrating as the nay-sayers may be, I believe they have a purpose. They’re just as important as the yessers. They push us to be better, to not get complacent, and to keep trying.

So here’s why we should actually be thankful for the no’s, perhaps even more than the yesses:

1. They inspire creativity. We have to break outside of the box when we’ve gotten a no. What can we do differently while still being true to ourselves? Einstein said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” We have to always keep trying. Nothing would be accomplished in this world if people didn’t pick themselves up and dust off. Start over with a new perspective.

2. They remind us to take baby steps. Whether you’re a big picture thinker or you live in the moment, you’ve got to lay the groundwork before you can get to the top. I remember wanting to work at Disney when I was a freshman and feeling disappointed when I wasn’t interviewed. But I had NO work experience! After interning at two other companies, I was then able to get my internship with Disney. You’ve got to start from the bottom up and enjoy the process as you go. Chances are that you’ll learn more in those first few experiences anyway.

3. They keep us in check. I always say we need to balance our bites of proud and humble pie. Sure, you need confidence, but you also need humility. Getting a “no” is a healthy dose of reality that reminds us there is always room to grow. We’ve never reached our pinnacle—a “no” is simply a reminder of that. Isn’t that better anyway? Because once you’ve reached the top, where can you go but downhill?

4. They give us gratitude. Rejection makes us appreciate what we do have in our lives. Perhaps you have amazing friends, you go to UCLA (!!!), or you love your job. When you stop and think about it, you’ve probably gotten more “yesses” than you realize. Don’t take a single one for granted. Every time you get a yes it means that someone believes in you. You’re worth it.

5. They keep us motivated. I believe we are better off when we have clear goals in mind. We can never settle, especially not at this age. In fact, I think it’s a good thing to feel slightly uncomfortable at our future at this age. It challenges us to be certain of what we want in our lives and to fight fiercely for it. Just not Trojan style. Be a true Bruin and go for your goals in the honest, fair, and earnest way that we do.

Keep shining,

The Sunny Girl, Lauren Cook

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Stressing About Stress

Posted on April 21, 2012 by

Do you ever feel like you’re just going through the motions? I’ve found myself doing that lately—waking up, working, going to class, reading, going to bed. I feel like my gratitude and my love for life has fallen by the wayside. It’s not that I don’t appreciate what I’ve been given. It’s just that life feels so rushed right now that I don’t even have time to sniff a rose, let alone smell them.

Can you relate?

The days just go by so quickly. I haven’t even had time to write! I feel like it can be so hard to find balance juggling it all. It can be an unnerving feeling. It certainly doesn’t help when you’re a people pleaser, either. But rather than stress about stress, what are ways we can still make time to enjoy our lives, even when we’re crunched for time?

I think prioritizing our time is the key solution. I start with to-do lists and even if I don’t get through half of the goals on my list, it keeps me on track. Planning your day will help you prevent additional stress—because when you’re already busy, that’s the last thing you need.

And perhaps more than you give it credit for, it’s so important to SLEEP. I know if I don’t try and get 8 hours, I crash. It’s different for everyone but you need to rest. You may try and stay up late to catch up but chances are you’ll feel even more behind when you cut the zzz’s.

When you do have time to relax, treasure it. However, it’s just as important that you don’t resent the time that you’re busy. There are benefits to both if you choose to see it that way and too much of either causes problems. It’s amazing how quickly we get bored when we have too much free time but we all know what it’s like to feel overworked—that’s an even worse feeling. Try your best to stay in balance.

Here’s to enjoying the weekend—whether you have nothing to do or everything to do. This time, I’m the latter.

Keep shining,

The Sunny Girl, Lauren Cook

Please follow me on Twitter by clicking here!

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Friends in Low Places

Posted on April 16, 2012 by

So much of the time I write about YOUR happiness. How you can increase it in your life, how you can appreciate it more. But I rarely write about happiness other than your own. Probably because in a way it seems uncontrollable—you can’t make someone feel a certain way. Of course, I believe happiness is contagious and should be shared whenever possible. But what do you do when you have a friend who is clearly unhappy? Is there something you can do?

I don’t think fighting for someone’s happiness is a lost cause. Of course, it’s ultimately up to them to decide how they want to feel but I think it’s our job as friends to sweep our friends up when they’re feeling down. So what can we do? Sunny Suggestions to the rescue:

1. Offer to do what they normally love: If they’re a fro-yo fan or they love watching a certain TV show, make yourself available and just be with them. It’s best to keep the activity simple too—if your friend is feeling low, chances are they won’t want to get dragged out on the town. Just chill.

2. Talk it out: Sometimes that’s the best remedy—just being able to vent in a safe environment. Be a trustworthy friend. And if they don’t feel like sharing, don’t force it. Let them come to you when they’re ready.

3. Give them space: In college we don’t get much alone time. Sometimes people just need to be alone with their thoughts. Give them the space to do that.

4. Write a nice note: Reading a kind message can be extremely powerful—and it lasts longer than talking. When someone is upset, it can be the perfect time to express what you love about the person and how much they mean to you.

5. Don’t shove your happiness in their face: When you’ve had a hard day, there can be nothing worse than a friend who shines it on about what a perfect day they’ve had. Be mindful of where other people are at; when people are in low places, it can be best to meet in the middle rather than expect them to come to the top.

If you have a friend who’s been feeling a little low lately, I hope these ideas will help turn their attitude around. As I said, there’s only so much that we can do as friends but we should always try to make a positive impact with what we CAN do. Friendship can be a wonderful source of healing and comfort and often our bonds grow stronger in times of trouble.

May we take pride in our lives, realize the power of our dreams, and celebrate happiness today and every day!

Keep shining,

The Sunny Girl, Lauren Cook

Please follow me on Twitter by clicking here!

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Cirque du Soleil: Iris

Posted on April 15, 2012 by

It’s good to be back! I took a little hiatus this week as I had a bit of a tough time. One of those situations where it just would have been better to keep my hands off the key board. I try to bring just my happy thoughts to the blog table. Of course I like to be honest and open about where I’m at, and I hope you’ll always do the same, but it’s almost always better to not take personal drama to the blogosphere.

But I’m back now, happier than ever, because my boyfriend took me on the most amazing date Friday night to celebrate my birthday. It’d be forever since I’d seen a Cirque du Soleil show and he took me to the Kodak Theater (row 10—so close to the stage) to see the show, Iris. With an emphasis on the film industry, I especially loved the historical undertones of the world of entertainment. I haven’t smiled so big in such a long time.

I highly encourage you to go see a Cirque du Soleil if you get the chance. It never gets old no matter how many times you see it. The acrobatics are my favorite part, especially when they soar over the crowd held up by mere ribbons. You walk away with a whole new respect for what the human body is capable of. We shouldn’t take our strength, our flexibility, or our agility for granted, no matter how much or how little of it we have. (And if you’re like me, it’s not much in comparison to these people!)

I hope you can experience the happiness that I still have by going to see a show. Whether you’re drawn to these shows or you’re dragged there, give it a chance. People can be pretty amazing.

Keep shining,

The Sunny Girl, Lauren Cook

Please follow me on Twitter by clicking here!

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