I will be the first to admit I have been hiding under a rock, because before Thursday night I had never seen a live interview with Jennifer Lopez. I caught what must be a seriously outdated interview of J. Lo discussing her book True Love. I had no idea how down-to-earth, humble, and free-spirited she is. Her passion and sense of humor lit up the screen. Even in the not-so-glamorous moments when she discussed her bitter divorce with Marc Anthony she glowed with strength.
In her book she discloses her past relationships, including the one with Ben Affleck, her rise to fame and fortune, and sheds wisdom on her journey.
A few things I took away from her interview were:
Family values
Jennifer Lopez is a rock star and I say this beyond the fame and fortune. She seems to genuinely have an awesome heart. She is a great mom and puts her children first. In the interview she mentions how important it is to teach Emma and Max responsibility and values. She does this by telling them to pick up things, put their dishes in the sink. Despite being a super-famous mom, she sets the example for them to learn by. She shows them that she can put her dishes in the sink just as they have to. Not often, but she does do it.
Your team becomes your family
Day in and day out she is surrounded by people: her manager, her assistant, hair and makeup people, the list goes on. To see these people daily you have to trust in them so you can build a bond. They no longer are employees but family. One member of her team, her assistant, has been a loyal famployee for more than fifteen years.
Know when to let go
Jen mentioned she was at a photo shoot when she was nearing a panic attack and told her mother and manager that she couldn’t be with her husband anymore. Despite trying desperately to make it work, at that moment it sunk in: it was over. She realized she had to walk away. “Never stay for the sake of staying.”
Be happy first
“I’m single by choice. The best choice is to be alone and work on myself. Make my own self-happy, not wait on someone else to make me happy.” Before you can walk alongside someone else you have to know what makes you tick, what makes you happy, you have to find your own strength to stand on your own two feet. I couldn’t agree more, Jen.
For more Lopez advice I suggest reading her book True Love, available everywhere. This mom, superstar, actress, singer, and author sure has a lot of wise advice to give.