MEG UNDER ATTACK-IT'S OK! ALWAYS GOOD TO BE NOTICED

The internet is a breeding ground of holier than thou and negativity due to the anonymity. I wish the psychological world would come out of their ivory tower and really study internet behavior. I would love to read a good book on it. Maybe I should launch my own study and write one. What am I proud of? I'm a first generation college student. I am the only person in my family- ever- male female or otherwise- to even step foot on a college campus. And I paid my own way through both grad and undergrad. And I will put myself through my doctorate. My parents didn't want me to go. My grandmother told me I was wasting my life. I've been taught in my eduction to reject the idea of being a "bootstrapper" but it's a bit hard to reject the idea when I did it. I grew up with nothing. My utilities were regularly cut off and I went hungry a lot of nights. I grew up in rural Appalachia where the best I was supposed to hope for was a husband that didn't beat me, some kids that weren't too rotten, and for my husband to have enough money that we could buy our own trailer. Not that living in a trailer is bad, nor having children. But it wasn't what I wanted. Women were actively encouraged as children where I grew up to fear the "outside" and avoid education. I don't mean to sound as if I am bashing the culture, but it's a really negative environment to grow up in as a female child. I suppose I'm proud that I managed to find my own way in it, appreciating the good and recognzing the bad.

Were you born a woman?  Hells bells, Meg, I can see from 3,000 miles away that not only were you born one, youve done your best to be the best woman you can be.  And, apparently, succeeded, because nobody sends that kind of idiotic hate mail to someone nondescript.  You so are descript, babe!What am I proud of?  I have been a professional fundraiser for 30 years, and in that time I have helped wonderful, generous people do great things with their money.  Conservatively, in those 30 years I have been able to raise, on average, $2 million each year.  And together with my wonderful colleagues in the six not-for-profits I served in that time, we all raised billions, with a "B."  So, today, right now, obsessed though I may be with all things to make us beautiful, the most beautiful thing I do is help the best doctors, scientists and staff in the world treat people with cancer.

Uhm, I proud of some people arround me and the things they achieved that I'm positive I could never achieve myself.

Meg, I love how you always seems to take lemons and turn them into lemonade! It was a great idea to turn your negative experience into one a post that asks other women to look at positives in their lives. And you are a woman's woman. You are not only gorgeous. But you job is based on supporting women every single day. Thank You!*I, like Satil come from a family and community that doesn't exactly understand higher education. They often see it as people who think that they are better than them. This makes many people in my family and community nervous and uncomfortable. You are seen as a little freakish here if you have a degree, do not have children, and have been married for a long time. I fit the bill on all of these. But I am extremely proud to have obtained my BA with a double major in History and Sociology. I had to work full time while doing it. It was very difficult and took a long time because it had to be done untraditionally. My husband and I did it together. He earned his BA in Sociology and Psychology. Now we are each earning an MA together as well. And perhaps we will continue to the doctorate level. We are both so proud of our educatuons. But we never feel that it makes us better than anyone else-just better than our original selves! A degree wasn't a piece of paper for me. It has really signified internal groth as a person. And that makes me so happy.*But the thing that makes me the most proud is my very happy and successful marriage to my husband. It will be 11 years on July 11th. Marriage is a lot of hard work. But it has been the most rewarding experience of my life. I am so proud of our relationship. People said that it wouldn't happen. We met randomly on the internet.It wasn't on a dating site. No one believed in us. But we did. And I am so proud! We hope to have children one day. And I imagine that we will be even prouder of that.*Ok-I just remebered something else that I am super proud of. I spent over a year of my life working for the Obama campaign. I have never so fully devoted my self to an outside cause like that. This was extremely hard work. I worked the Ohio campaign. Which as many of you know was extremely crucial and incredibly difficult. But through all of the trials and tribulations I was given so many great gifts. I realized how wonderful people really can be. And how people really can come together for a common cause and make the impossible happen! I think that the work that so many unlikely people put into that election made a nation proud regardless of their political affiliation. I am still doing work with the organization. Now we are on to health care!Thanks Meg for reminding us to be proud of ourselves and that we matter. I guess it really gave me a shot of self-steem this morning!

Meg, just continue to stand tall girl!  You are a beauty and the others with no confidence think they must attack you to make themselves feel better.  You really made somebody feel real good for a minute.  As long as you stand tall and take the "higher road", you can simply pray for those unfortunates that seek joy at your expense.  BRAVO!

Hi Meg, I know I am new here, but it takes a great person to run this show, and be really friendly and upfront while doing it. This is the best response I've seen to yucky people in a long time and I wish you could see me giving you a standing ovation. What am I proud of? Running my house, taking care of my hubby while he and I are both going to school, working full time, and trying our hardest to pay bills and be happy. I am proud that I take the time to care about how I look, and I don't care that people hate me because I am thin-I work out, or blonde-I color my hair because it's pretty!, or because I love makeup and use it to my advantage. Don't hate on us girls! 

I'm hosting an 18 year old French student for the next couple of weeks so I can "trade" and spend a couple weeks with his family in France in August.  It came to me as a great opportunity as usually these kinds of "international" thigns cost a lot of money.  And just because this 18 year old happens to be a BOY my boyfriend just wont shut up about it!  I just can't understand why, if he loves me (which I know that he does!) he has to be so jealous and can't be happy for my grand opportunities.  I learned to speak fluent French via middle school high school and college and a semester abroad and I am so proud of that.  Why does he have to be angry that I am using the opportunities that come up to better myself!?!?!?

You should be proud of your accomplishments Kate! Your boyfriend while probably a great guy otherwise, obviously feels threatened and insecure about the whole situation. How much interaction has he had with this student? Perhaps the more he interacts with him he will understand that this a non-issue and that he should just be happy for you. I have had numerous exchange students live with my family-guys and girls. There was never any funny business. And I have so many life long friends now. And it often translates into opportunities such as you are having. I got to go to Japan because of an exchange student relationship. And my husband and I have recently been offered the free use of a Paris apartment because of a "French Connection". Life is too short not to experience it. Your boyfriend will likely calm down and be happy for you. Give him some time.

It really sucks that people like to "try" to hurt others by saying mean things, just for the pleasure of hurting someone else.  This world is difficult enough to live in without hearing the negatives from others that didn't even have to be said.  I've met you.  You are nice.  You are real.  And you're definitely a woman...and you started out that way. One reason I like the idea of Stylemama writing on this site is that she can be who she is and doesn't need to pretend.  This is a site of "being who you are."  A site of "being real".  People can disagree about things on this site, but here you are ACCEPTED for it, not ridiculed.  So, for those who "get off" by trying to hurt others, there are plenty of other websites to choose from.  There are plenty of them that you can go to so that you can fill your appetite by preying on others.  Now, if you may have any jealousy issues, self-esteem issues, or other insecurities underlying your need to try to hurt others, then you will find alot of people on this site more than willing to share their own experiences and to help you out and to support you.  A good lesson I have learned (and probably Stylemama told me this);  if someone says something negative about you, but that "someone" isn't anyone you would ever ask advice of anyway, then that's someone's opinions you need to remain far away from. 

I'm so proud of being affiliated with Meg'smakeup and being a Megette!  I am SO proud of that!  I'm proud of my husband and our little colorful happy home!  I'm proud of my decorating skills! I'm extremely proud of my two children who are parents themselves and such loving parents of their own children!  I'm proud of the fact that I have a sense of humor after having a childhood of living with a mother who was mentally ill.  I'm proud of my dad who always made me laugh and who gave me my own sense of humor.  I'm proud of my little garden and all the warmth and lightheartedness it brings to me and anyone who comes to visit it.  I'm proud of the fact that my daughter just told me that my yard looks like Martha Stewart meets Dr. Suess!!!!

I just think it's so awesome that StyleMama's entire family contributes to the site!

What a fabulous array of posts...seriously y'all are the best and I'm so glad to have such amazing "virtual friends!"It matters not where you start out in life: where you end up is what has value.That applys to gender,position in life,or circumstance of birth...I admire Meg for who and what she is and especially for the ability she has to make ALL of us feel as though we are a valued confident and buddy...it's a comfort zone of rare quality to be included in the life of such a gifted women! :)I won't even address the stupidity of the email...We all DO need to give each other props,all women should but don't...they simply don't get that by tearing one of us down,it's an entire gender that suffers as a result.I am proud of the fact that in spite of mistakes I have made in my life...let's call them "less than choices" instead that I have a fabulous husband,a family who is always there for me,kids and steps that tolerate and even like me sometimes,and 4 grandkids who literally shriek with delight when they see me.I am proud that the love I try to give is returned to me everyday...giving my girl Meg and extra dose of that love today! :)

Truth be told, I am pretty proud of the fact that I always put my family and friends ahead of myself. 

Thank you Erica!

Whoo-hoo, tsharris!  Great accomplishment, and the first of many, I am sure.  Seeing your age underneath your comment reminds me of another reason Meg is the best -- she has made a Good, Safe Place for everyone from Lizzy and Isabella and you straight through to me and all the other women who are coming up on our next big event: Medicare cards!

I am proud that I have come to love myself unconditionally and have learned that only you have power over yourself (favorite quote "nothing external to you, has any power over you" ralph waldo emerson) and that like you, I don't allow the negative stuff to bring me down but build me up. You're a stellar lady miss meg and this just shows how your inner beauty matches the outer.

As one of Meg's best friends, I assure you, every word she says is true. When she told me about this last night the first thing I did was laugh! How sad that someone takes time out of their day to try to make someone else feel bad? Their life must be just sooo wonderful....Ah well, Meg, you rock, you're hot, you're successful and the best bestie a girl could ask for !

After loosing 2 best friends and another so-called friend to exes I have learned that people have no standards.  Even people you think you know.  You can only live in the moment and forgive/forget or ignore.  A dear friend of mine told me about a book called "What you think of me is none of my business"  I haven't read it but it sounds like a winner to me!  All you can do is live your life an listen to yourself.  You know whats right for you, for whatever reason or situation.  I recently walked out of a yoga class because it was a level too advanced for me.  Not because I hated the instructor or was trying to be rude.  I simply did not have the physical strength to not hurt myself and knew it was not the place for me.  I am flexible but not as strong so in lieu of hurting a shoulder I opted to just leave.  Yoga is one of the most loving and wonderful places to be so, naturally they understood that I know my bodies limits.  I think knowing yourself is much better than being told by someone else who you are.

I have been the object of another's hatred for many years (my sister) I used to think "what have I done" or "what can I do to change so she won't hate me" but you know...I'm not the one that needs to change, I'm not the one withthe issues. Don't ever let the haters get you down, your a beautiful, intelligent, witty woman!

I have read what you lovelies have written. I have been inspired to share something about me.What I'd like you to know about me: I was 32 when I got my high school diploma and went to college. All of the people that said "she didn't even graduate HS" then had to try and find something else to dis .People hate what they fear and admire. when you're hated as much as loved you have probably succeeded!

You're awesome!I'm proud of getting through an appendectomy successfully this weekend. I'm proud of taking off my bandages on my own even though I get really freaked out by anything where I might see blood or cuts or stitches. I'm proud of getting through my first year of college with a decent GPA. I'm proud of being the first person in my immediate family to go to college. I'm proud of the loving relationship I've created in the past couple of months even though there were many barriers in our way.

I am proud to be a single mom of three. Though not easy there is not a day that goes by when I don't look at them and think how blessed I am. Proud to not give up when my husband left me ( my youngest was 13 months old) It was them that kept me going!Proud to take steps toward fighting depression and anxiety and learn from my experiences and others. Proud to have the most amazing compassionate friends that were hand picked by me. They lift you up when you feel down and call it as it is. Proud to have found this site. Admire the beautiful lady, MEG... ( and I mean that in every sense)  and so many amazing uplifting compassionate people.Artcandy 

Maybe, with this crazy question, there is another question:  Who is born a woman?  Girls are here first - loving, intuitive, creative, and intelligent.  Then, they grow into women, who do much of the same thing, but with realization - that we are another gender, different than a man, who can also take a sip of the cup of power, make more money at times, get paid less overall, laugh, and still adore being a girl.  You go girl!