AFFIRMATION: Smart Girls Know Being a Celebrity Isn’t All It’s Cracked Up To Be

In today’s world of reality show this and that, being famous just for the sake of it has become a top “career choice” for many girls.

Thousands of girls aspire to be a “celebrity” so they can live the glammed up lifestyle we see portrayed in the media…red-carpet premieres, Hollywood parties, the latest in fashion, entourages, invitations, wealth.

But fame as a career goal? Something’s just not right.

Sure…some of it sounds pretty cool. Who wouldn’t want to be at the same party as Johnny Depp and Gwen Steffani or get to drive around in a shiny, new Porsche? But just like everything in life, things aren’t always what they appear. The truth is, being a celebrity isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Don’t believe me? How would you like it if…

• there were photographers camping out outside of your house 24 hours a day?
• every little thing you did (the good stuff and the bad stuff) was gossiped about on TV and magazines
• the word “privacy” was no longer a part of your vocabularly
• people wanted to be your friend for all the wrong reasons
• you constantly had to beware of people trying to steal your money and take advantage of you
• your physical appearance – from your hair color and shoes to your weight and complexion – was constantly being scrutinized
• one wrong career move could mean the end of your lifestyle as you know it
• people expect you to be a perfect role model, when really, you’re only human

I don’t know about you, but I have a hard enough time dealing with my own insecurities and bad-hair days without reading about them in US Weekly.

Pursuing a life of fame and celebrity in the hopes of achieving a lifestyle that we see on MTV Movie Awards pre-show is kind of like chasing a phantom. Because the life that we see from the outside doesn’t exist.

My recommendation? Don’t think about your career goals in terms of what you want to have. Think of them in terms of what you want to learn…how you want to grow…what kind of a positive impact you want to make in the world. If you can reach these goals, then you really will have it all.

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There’s obviously been a ton of news lately about young celebrities making big-time mistakes. Between Lindsay’s second stint in rehab (now in progress) and Paris going to jail yesterday to serve her sentence stemming from a DUI and other traffic violations, being a celebrity right now definitely doesn’t look so glamorous.

Check out my friend Jessica Weiner’s latest post on her blog, Bad Girls, where she shares a very thoughtful perspective on the negative news stemming from young Hollywood today.