Fearless, Girl!

What. You thought this #DontSettle Summer was all about free stuff?

(Well, mostly. Big ups to Jenny H., for scoring thefirst round of Settling Down swag on Facebook, as well as all 300+ of you who entered. There'll be more where that came from.)

But in the meantime, a brief take-down, of that little hussy,  Good Enough. 

Believe me. It's kinda personal.

For most of my life, me and Good Enough were besties. Inseparable even. Good Enough was my protector. A voice against the critics. A safety blanket against fear. Against errything.

And I worked her like a boss.

Or maybe she worked me. 'Cause that chick Good Enough is a trickster. 

Good Enough comes from the Latin (not really) phrase meaning:  'One who does the most basic of requirements, in order to complete the task at hand, specifically to avoid failure, success, attention of any kind or being challenged by anything or anyone around her.'

In concrete terms, Good Enough is the C+ on that 10 page research paper you wrote in 45 minutes. Good Enough is the dude who has 3 of your basic requirements and one of them is breathing. Good Enough is that unflattering sundress that winds up in your closet on price alone. Good Enough is tricking yourself, and everyone around you, into believing that you are trying your hardest, when you're really only working on 20 percent.

If you have no desire to grow, well, ever, this is an excellent place to be. It's quiet here in the land of low expectations. And predictable. There's absolutely no pressure. Or disappointments. Or criticisms, outside of the silent ones going down in your own head.

But this life, while seemingly safe, is also hella boring. 'Cause once you saddle up with Good Enough, not only do you give up all claim to your fierce power and the magic that you're capable of, all by yourself, but you also give up all of the amazing things life has in store for you, just because:  You simply believe that you deserve them.

And this, my friends, may be the biggest #DontSettle argument of them all.

Let's Start At the Very Beginning

When did I decide to become a professional writer?

The year? 1989, when the following essay snagged a top ten spot in the Providence Journal Reading Week Editorial Contest. At the awards ceremony at the Biltmore Hotel, I received a Cross pen, a cheesy wood grained plaque with my name engraved on it (that still hangs over my desk) and a belief that I had indeed found my passion in life.

So, without further adieu, I present one from the archives:

Substance Abuse: A Growing Problem?

Substance abuse has risen in recent years, the result of the overall increased use of controlled substances. Not all, but much of the problem lies in the sporting world, where the problem is publicized the most. Many athletes use drugs to enhance their performance. What these athletes fail to recognize is the strain that they are putting on their bodies by using these 'high-performance' drugs.

Some of the most exploited drugs of our times are anabolic steroids, composed mainly of synthetic testosterone, the chief male hormone. These drugs are banned in the United States, although they may be used by a qualified person in the medical field to treat a select number of patients. Yet, signs of steroid use appear again and again during athletic competition, most recently at the Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea, bringing the downfall of Canadian superstar Ben Johnson.

The case of Johnson should set an example for other steroid users, by showing the negative aspect of taking the drugs. But these athletes seem to ignore the warning signs, instead constantly making rationalizations for their use of steroids. They frequently argue that because everyone else is taking steroids, they must too, just to compete.

No longer is athletic competition based solely on natural ability. Some athletes believe that they cannot win without the aid of drugs. True, there appears to be positive aspects from the user's point of view. The increased strength, speed, endurance and self-esteem may initially improve their performance, but the dangerous side effects far outweigh the beneficial results of the drug. Severe health problems face the drug users, problems which normally would not occur until much later in their lives. These athletes give little or no concern to the ill effects of the drugs on their bodies, instead only focusing on victory.

Another problem which occurs when the sporting world is plagued by drugs is one that affects the general public, the fans of the athletic personalities. Children especially admire sporting superstars. They idolize athletes and give them heroic-like qualities. How can a mother explain to her young child that taking drugs is wrong when the child's role model is physically contradicting the mother's words?

Yes, drug abuse is a growing problem in today's society. To address this issue, we must first recognize the fact that drugs are not glamorous and neither are the drug users. Secondly, we must enforce harsh penalties on the offenders, setting examples for prospective drug abusers. An action directed specifically towards athletes is unannounced drug testing, given periodically throughout the year, not just immediately before competition. Offenders should be suspended indefinitely from their respective sports.

Regretfully our society will probably never be fortunate enough to be totally drug-free, but with immediate action and cooperation among the people of our civilization, maybe future generations will live in a brighter world.