Navigating Your 20's: The Power of Female Friendships with Meleena Mohammed

Amanda Paolicelli: 00:00:01

What's up, Radiant Icons, and welcome back to

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Dare to be Iconic, the podcast made

for icons daring to be themselves.

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I'm your host, Amanda Paolicelli,

and today is a very special episode

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because we are joined by one of

my bestest and closest friends in

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the entire world, Meleena, for our

first ever Everyday Icon episode.

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She's been there from the very

beginning, seen me go through it all,

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and I couldn't think of anyone better

to come on for our first tea time

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sesh in this Everyday Icon segment.

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So, I know what you're probably thinking,

Amanda, what is an everyday icon?

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An everyday icon is you, the

Radiant Icon community.

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So I will be bringing on everyday

icons who are daring to be

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themselves in their everyday lives.

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I hope you enjoy our conversation

where we spill all girlhood, female

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friendships, fangirl culture and

honestly how we figure out navigating

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our early 20s because it's a struggle

y'all, but we're doing it together

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So, are you ready radiant icons?

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Your tea time sesh is starting

now Okay, Meleena welcome to

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the Dare to be Iconic podcast!

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Meleena: Thank you so much for having me.

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I'm so excited.

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Amanda Paolicelli: Yes, it's our

girly chat sleepover tea time sesh.

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So Radiant Icons, if you are not watching

this on YouTube, which I dare you to

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go subscribe now, but we have our wine

out, well Meleena has her wine out, I

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have water, I don't know how long we'd

be here if I had a glass of wine, but

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we are in our PJs, we have our stuffed

animals, and we are ready to spill

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all the tea, but before we get into

navigating our early 20s, adulthood,

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girlhood, literally every single thing,

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Meleena: Everything.

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Amanda Paolicelli: I have two

things to ask you Meleena,

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Meleena: yes,

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Amanda Paolicelli: what does iconic

mean to you and how do you dare to

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be iconic in your everyday life?

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Meleena: I think really, it

just means being your most,

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I'm going to use your words.

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I can't help it.

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Your most iconic self, really.

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And like just being true to yourself

and, um, obviously like not trying

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to change who you are for any sort

of thing, don't matter the situation.

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And I guess like sticking to your guns

and like holding that confidence that

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you know that you have and acting with

confidence because, You just have to

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trust yourself with what you're doing.

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That's all you can do.

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Like, there's no one telling you

what to do when you become an adult.

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So, you just have to use your own,

your own guidance, your own discretion,

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and believe in yourself, really.

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I think that's what being iconic is.

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Acting with, with confidence.

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Yeah.

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Amanda Paolicelli: I love that.

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You really hit the nail on the

head with that, that trust word.

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Cause that word keeps popping up

every single minute of the day for me.

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Um, if you guys don't know my word for

: 2024

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Meleena: good word, a good word,

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Amanda Paolicelli: a good word, but

a very hard concept to learn for me.

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I don't know about you, Meleena

but like, Oh my goodness, girl.

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When I tell you, trust has not popped

up more in my life than in: 2024

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And it's only like March.

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Literally, it's March

when we're recording this.

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Meleena: Yeah.

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Amanda Paolicelli: Can you believe that?

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Yeah.

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Like, I, maybe I'm psychic.

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I have no idea.

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But Meleena how do you dare to

be iconic in your everyday life?

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Meleena: Life these days is a

lot different for me than what

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it was like two months ago.

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So these days, it's more like, um, it's

a lot of, I go through like a lot of

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self doubt and rethinking because having

just graduated, there's so much unknown.

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Like I said, it feels like I'm

an actual adult now because now I

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don't know what's going to happen.

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I don't have a plan right now.

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So I guess just acting as iconic as I

can every day would be with the self

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love and self care that I'm having

to journey through now because I have

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so much time where I can actually

focus on that and focus on myself.

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So taking care of myself, my mental

health, my physical health, I think is

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how I'm able to act iconically because

now I'm putting me first, you know.

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Amanda Paolicelli: Yes, you're

on that choose yourself journey!

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Meleena: Yes, exactly.

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Amanda Paolicelli: Oh, I love the choose

you journey, it's like literally the best.

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I agree.

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Such a good point.

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Now, congratulations, by

the way, on graduating.

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That's such a big accomplishment.

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I'm so proud of you.

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Meleena: Um,

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Amanda Paolicelli: if you guys don't

know, Meleena is like the mastermind, like

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the creative eye behind every photo you

see on the Dare to be Iconic website, my

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podcast cover art, like, that is Meleena.

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And I really wouldn't be where I am today

without her, like, love and support.

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You're like one of my closest friends.

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And

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Meleena: I feel the same way.

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I'm so flattered also.

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Thank you.

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Amanda Paolicelli: Of course.

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Oh my god.

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Not us already doing our little love fest.

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So early Hey, it wouldn't be

It wouldn't be us if one of us

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isn't crying yet Um, that's when

you know, it's real friendship.

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Yeah,

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Meleena: for real

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Amanda Paolicelli: one thing Meleena

is that now as a recent, you know

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college graduate You're navigating

adulthood for the first time in

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your life, like, like me as well.

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I mean, I am a little bit older than you.

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Not by much.

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Okay, not by much.

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Meleena: But We're basically the same age.

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Amanda Paolicelli: Basically.

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Honestly, everyone's the same age.

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Meleena: 20 something

year old teenage girls.

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Amanda Paolicelli: Yeah, literally,

I feel like a teenage girl.

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But like, the point where I'm trying

to get at here, right, is like,

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we feel like we're teenage girls.

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Because for the first time in our lives,

there's no one telling us what to do.

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And you had sent me this TikTok earlier

that really spoke to like, where we

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are as young adults in our early 20s.

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We're figuring it out for the first

time, and yeah, it's like fun figuring it

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out, but it's also really, really hard.

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Meleena: It is.

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So like,

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Amanda Paolicelli: Let's

just dive into that, right?

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Like, we're in this early life crisis.

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Yes!

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Like, we don't know what is going

on, but then we have people who are

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older than us being like, Oh, like,

it's okay, you're gonna figure it out,

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like, I don't need that right now.

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I need someone to literally hold my hand

and be like, it is going to be okay.

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You are going to figure it out.

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Meleena: I know it's hard to validate

things and be like, I know it's hard.

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Amanda Paolicelli: Yes.

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And I think what's the crazy thing about

it is that we're all just like young 20

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year old teenage girls just trying to

be like adult women in this world that

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keeps telling us who we should be and.

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How we should act like.

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So, one thing for you Meleena that

I wanted to ask is, How do you apply

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this concept of self love and self

care while we're in this stage of

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really figuring out who we are when

we really don't know where to begin?

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Meleena: Yeah, yeah, that's hard.

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It's also been like I said a journey

myself that I'm having to learn about

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myself learn how to Like just be okay

with myself and also my thoughts.

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So it takes a lot of time but

also you have to be just kind to

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yourself and allow you to yourself

to take those steps and Understand

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that it's going to get time before

things are are good and figured out.

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So I think the most important

part for doing that is being,

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being kind to yourself.

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Amanda Paolicelli: Girl, from

your lips to my ears, but my brain

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does not comprehend it because

the amount of times, I know it's

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Meleena: easy to say harder.

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Yeah.

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It's so

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Amanda Paolicelli: much

easier said than done.

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Like we can be like, so

we're blue in the face.

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Oh, be kinder to ourselves.

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Give ourselves grace.

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That is the hardest thing ever.

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Like, I don't know about you, but I

know I am definitely my hardest critic.

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Like, I beat myself up

so hardcore, you know?

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Like, it's so bad.

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Meleena: I'm a perfectionist

also, but I've never been

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the nicest person to myself.

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I think I am getting better about

it, but that's the other thing.

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Like, it's, like, everything

else is gonna take time to-

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Amanda Paolicelli: Exactly.

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Meleena: Adapt and change and,

you know, Become, like, grow

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into a better person, basically.

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Because, you know, as they say, you're

the one person that you're going

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to be with the rest of your life.

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You know, it's just you, yourself.

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Yeah!

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It takes time.

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Amanda Paolicelli: It does take time.

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And I think what's so interesting about

it, right, is we live in, like, a day in

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age where we have all these amazing like

female role models like Olivia Rodrigo.

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I know you and I love Olivia.

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We love her so much.

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Meleena: An icon, if you will.

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Amanda Paolicelli: She really

is an icon, to be honest.

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Oh my goodness.

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One thing I keep going back on like

with this conversation, right, We're

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talking about the topic of really

navigating our early 20s and kind of

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just like figuring it out and like not

adhering to the standards that society

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has for us, like how we should act,

how we should look, so on and so forth.

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And Olivia is such an icon at that, right?

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Because we have all American B.

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That scream that Olivia has in the

middle of All American Bee, I have

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never felt anything more in my life.

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Because that's every day in your

20s, is internally screaming and

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being like, What are you doing?

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What is going on?

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Meleena: Hmm,

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Amanda Paolicelli: So, one thing I wanted

to really dive into with that what would

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you say to your younger self, at the

point that you are right now when it comes

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to figuring it out and being an adult.

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Meleena: Yeah, I've actually

been, there's times where I've

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thought about it, uh, recently.

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Like, one thing, like, just off the

bat is, like, I've always had, like,

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self image, like, body issues because

I've always been, I guess, on the

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heavier side, but seeing older pictures

of what I looked like before, I'm

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like, I was actually kind of skinny.

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I was still thick, but, you know,

like, kind of skinny and overweight.

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No, I get exactly what

you're talking about.

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Like, our minds can be skinny.

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I'm imagining if my younger self

saw me today, they'd be like,

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oh my god, what happened to you?

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Amanda Paolicelli: I was thinking

about that actually the other

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day as well, where I'm like, What

would Amanda two years ago, right?

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Like, looking back, what would

she think of her life now?

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And then me looking back at old photos,

like, specifically for me, If you have

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followed the Dare to be Iconic blog,

Radiant Icons, 19 is an age that I

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mention multiple times because it's

a very traumatic time in my life.

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Meleena: 19 is a big age for me too.

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I don't know what to do about that.

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Amanda Paolicelli: Really?

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Is it?

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Yeah.

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Wow.

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Meleena: No, that's when I broke up with

my ex and got with my current boyfriend.

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But that, that was a whole thing.

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Amanda Paolicelli: Oh my god.

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Why is it at 19 we always

have the shitty boyfriend?

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Meleena: I don't know.

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I mean, I was able to find my current

boyfriend, so I'm good, but I guess 19, 19

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was that like turning a leaf over for me.

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Amanda Paolicelli: Okay, wait, yes.

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I think you're on to something.

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Meleena: And also, Olivia Rodrigo,

speaking of, she talks about

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being 19, like, in her last

album, like, specifically 19.

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Amanda Paolicelli: Did you

just, like, crack the code?

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Meleena: That's how old she was.

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Oh my god, in Adele 19, her first album.

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Amanda Paolicelli: Stop.

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Meleena.

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Meleena: Something about 19.

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Yeah.

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That's so interesting.

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Amanda Paolicelli: For me, I was

so excited to turn 19 because

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it was my golden birthday.

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Because National Amanda

Day is December 19th.

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Meleena: That's true.

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Yeah.

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Amanda Paolicelli: So I was like, ooh, 19.

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Like, it's gonna be like the best year.

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It was the most traumatic year of my life.

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Meleena: Even like the whole

thing, like, was there anything

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at the beginning or end that

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Amanda Paolicelli: To be honest with

you, I look back at 19, and all I can

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think about is my first ex boyfriend.

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And the pain that I had, and even though

that relationship was two months, that

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two month traumatic relationship still

follows me now, seven years later.

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Like, that's all that I remember 19 being.

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Like, yes, did I meet my Last ex

boyfriend as the one we know with

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the letter in the box at that time.

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Yes But to be honest all of

19 was healing from the trauma

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that my first ex left on me.

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Meleena: Wow

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Amanda Paolicelli: so Yeah, I don't

know actually that's kind of crazy.

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Meleena: I mean the same thing

for me because i'd broken up with

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my ex Like soon after I turned 19

actually, I was processing a whole

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lot and I also moved out that year.

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Amanda Paolicelli: That's right.

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You had a really big year at 19.

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Meleena: That's true.

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I forget about that.

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I also constantly forget how old I am,

though, so I guess that makes sense.

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Amanda Paolicelli: That's also so true.

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You know, I thought my sister

was 11 for about 3 years.

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Cause she just like never

grew up in my eyes, you know?

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Yeah.

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So I guess maybe that speaks to

like where we are mentally, right?

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Like, for a while, I feel like

maybe my growth was all stuck

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in me being 19 because of all

the trauma that I had with it.

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Meleena: Yeah, probably.

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Right.

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Amanda Paolicelli: Because I really

didn't start living my life till 24.

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Like, I know that was only last year,

but 24 was like the best year of my life.

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Meleena: It takes time.

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You were going from also a relationship

like that to a new one right away.

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Yeah.

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It's hard not to lose

yourself in the process.

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So it makes sense that you are

just having come out of it and now

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taking the time to, you know, grow

and learn about yourself also.

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It makes sense.

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Amanda Paolicelli: Do you think

you also experienced that?

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Meleena: I feel like 19 in that year

and even some of 20, I was still kind of

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like trying to find myself, like I was

a bit lost, um, but I feel like now I'm

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much more realized in who I am and this

relationship is so much different than my

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previous one, so I feel like I've still

been able to retain my like identity

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and sense of self and my independence,

which is something in my first

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relationship, also my first relationship

that I didn't know was so important.

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So I think having that hindsight and

everything I learned, even though

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it was, Very sucky relationship.

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Yeah.

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It was important and necessary for me.

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I think, unfortunately, I'm one of those,

or at least I was, someone who needed

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to experience and learn the hard way.

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Because I had so many people telling

me, like, this isn't right, you know,

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you don't deserve this, blah, blah,

blah, but I had to learn the hard way.

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Amanda Paolicelli: You had to

see it for yourself though.

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No, I 1000 percent understand

where you're coming from with that.

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Like, as we all know, well, you

know what, I'm just going to spill

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the tea about it because why not?

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This is tea time, right?

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You might want to pour another glass

of wine Meleena I had so many people

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tell me, specifically my mother

it's always, it's always my lovely

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mother, telling me that both my ex

boyfriends she was not a fan of, at all.

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She did not like them from the get go.

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Meleena: Something about, they do

have their intuition in check, though.

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: 00:14:35

And I hate that.

310

: 00:14:36

Amanda Paolicelli: I hate it too.

311

: 00:14:37

You know my therapist would always

tell me, so I would be in my

312

: 00:14:40

therapy appointment, And I would be

telling her about my life, right?

313

: 00:14:44

And I would be like, oh, my dad

said this and my mom said this.

314

: 00:14:48

They were always right.

315

: 00:14:49

And she goes, don't tell them that

because they'll get a big ego.

316

: 00:14:51

But maybe you need to listen to

your, your parents because you

317

: 00:14:55

just want to fix your problem.

318

: 00:14:57

Because you want to feel

good about yourself.

319

: 00:14:59

That's literally what she told me.

320

: 00:15:00

She said, sometimes you create this

chaos for yourself because you want

321

: 00:15:05

to fix the problems and then pat

yourself on the back when you've

322

: 00:15:07

done a good job in cleaning them up.

323

: 00:15:09

And I said, oh, wow.

324

: 00:15:11

I said, wow, call me out.

325

: 00:15:12

No, I love her.

326

: 00:15:14

But she called me out.

327

: 00:15:15

She called me out.

328

: 00:15:16

Meleena: Sometimes you need to hear that.

329

: 00:15:17

Sometimes you need that tough love.

330

: 00:15:19

Oh no,

331

: 00:15:19

Amanda Paolicelli: she definitely

calls me out every single time.

332

: 00:15:21

She goes, Amanda, what are you doing?

333

: 00:15:22

What are you doing?

334

: 00:15:24

I was like, oh, thank you so much.

335

: 00:15:26

I see you.

336

: 00:15:27

No, she literally said, I see you.

337

: 00:15:29

Stop.

338

: 00:15:30

She said, listen to your parents.

339

: 00:15:32

Maybe listen to your gut

too while you're at it.

340

: 00:15:34

Because I knew that my first

ex was not the one for me.

341

: 00:15:39

I knew it.

342

: 00:15:41

But I stayed because I

was scared of being alone.

343

: 00:15:44

Because I didn't know who I

was, and I just wanted someone.

344

: 00:15:47

Meleena: I feel that.

345

: 00:15:48

You know?

346

: 00:15:49

Honestly, I do.

347

: 00:15:50

No, it's, it's also such a hard time.

348

: 00:15:53

Being a teenage girl is never easy and

I don't think it ever will be but it's

349

: 00:15:57

so easy to feel vulnerable and alone

and To feel wanted also like it's just

350

: 00:16:03

naturally can't help it I I had I don't

consider him my first boyfriend But I

351

: 00:16:07

did have a boyfriend that was like I

think a month or two long and I didn't

352

: 00:16:12

really like him Ended up boyfriend

and girlfriend and I ended up breaking

353

: 00:16:18

up with him after I realized like

I don't really like you like that.

354

: 00:16:21

Amanda Paolicelli: Go you.

355

: 00:16:22

Meleena: I wonder what it's like

to have a crush, because at that

356

: 00:16:24

point I never really liked anyone.

357

: 00:16:26

Amanda Paolicelli: Really?

358

: 00:16:26

Yeah.

359

: 00:16:26

Oh, girl.

360

: 00:16:28

I'll give you a masterclass.

361

: 00:16:29

I'm really good at crushes, especially

celebrity crushes, if we can't tell.

362

: 00:16:33

Meleena: Oh, celebrity ones,

363

: 00:16:34

Amanda Paolicelli: oh, yeah, that's right.

364

: 00:16:35

You're a K pop girl, yo.

365

: 00:16:36

Well, how can I forget?

366

: 00:16:38

Meleena: Yes, ma'am.

367

: 00:16:40

My boys.

368

: 00:16:40

Amanda Paolicelli: Which

leads me to girlhood.

369

: 00:16:42

Meleena: I'm feeling right now.

370

: 00:16:43

Amanda Paolicelli: You

Oh my gosh, girl, please.

371

: 00:16:46

We're gonna talk about the boys.

372

: 00:16:48

We're talking about One Direction for me.

373

: 00:16:50

One Direction ever comes

back, I will literally drain

374

: 00:16:53

my whole entire life savings.

375

: 00:16:54

Like, I literally don't care.

376

: 00:16:57

Meleena: I feel that me, me and

BTS are gonna meet in: 2025

377

: 00:17:00

they have their reunion tour.

378

: 00:17:01

You should,

379

: 00:17:02

Amanda Paolicelli: Meleena, I'm gonna

be so happy for you when that happens.

380

: 00:17:05

, you deserve it more than anyone

I've ever known in my entire life.

381

: 00:17:08

Like, you deserve to meet them.

382

: 00:17:11

Meleena: Thank you.

383

: 00:17:11

Amanda Paolicelli: Like, but like,

that brings me to girlhood, right?

384

: 00:17:14

Meleena: Yes.

385

: 00:17:14

Amanda Paolicelli: I have this theory.

386

: 00:17:16

Because as we all know, Radiant

Icons, I love Formula One so much.

387

: 00:17:22

No one would have ever suspected

it to be honest with you.

388

: 00:17:24

Meleena: I really didn't.

389

: 00:17:25

I remember when you told me too.

390

: 00:17:27

I was like, wow, really?

391

: 00:17:28

Amanda Paolicelli: You were like,

oh, what has she gotten herself into?

392

: 00:17:31

The show did it.

393

: 00:17:32

Yeah, it did.

394

: 00:17:33

It really did.

395

: 00:17:34

I started because of DTS.

396

: 00:17:35

And when you start watching it,

Meleena, because you should, you

397

: 00:17:39

will feel the same exact way as I do.

398

: 00:17:41

And I will be a very happy girl.

399

: 00:17:43

Meleena: Downward spiral.

400

: 00:17:44

Amanda Paolicelli: It will.

401

: 00:17:44

So where I was going with

this is I have a theory.

402

: 00:17:47

I am convinced that F1 girlies

now, we're 1D girls in the past.

403

: 00:17:55

Meleena: I actually

think you might be right.

404

: 00:17:58

Amanda Paolicelli: That's what I'm saying.

405

: 00:17:59

I have had this theory for so long.

406

: 00:18:01

I just want to let you know.

407

: 00:18:03

Meleena: I mean, it makes

sense, because like, Right?

408

: 00:18:05

Fandom, fandom culture is, as

we know, something very unique,

409

: 00:18:09

but not everyone experiences,

which is, it baffles my brain.

410

: 00:18:13

Like, I feel like everybody

Right, that's what I'm saying,

411

: 00:18:15

but I think it's actually like

412

: 00:18:16

Amanda Paolicelli: a, what is it, like an

impactful part of the girlhood experience.

413

: 00:18:20

Like it just gives you community.

414

: 00:18:21

Meleena: I think a huge part of the fandom

culture is having that community because

415

: 00:18:26

all of you just have like shared interests

and you can talk about it and then it,

416

: 00:18:29

you know can blossom into something else.

417

: 00:18:31

Amanda Paolicelli: And I think it's at

such a pivotal age in our lives, right?

418

: 00:18:34

Because when I think back of it, right?

419

: 00:18:36

One Direction came out when

I was in 7th to 8th grade.

420

: 00:18:41

And that's like, tween years, right?

421

: 00:18:43

Yeah, that sounds about right.

422

: 00:18:44

We want that sense of community.

423

: 00:18:45

We want to feel like we belong.

424

: 00:18:47

But we also want something to like,

Big fan of delusion over here.

425

: 00:18:51

Meleena: I just obsess over, it's fun.

426

: 00:18:53

Amanda Paolicelli: We want

something to obsess over.

427

: 00:18:55

We want something to have our brains just

like have that little piece of escapism.

428

: 00:19:00

Right.

429

: 00:19:00

You want to be living in Delulu.

430

: 00:19:02

I didn't know what Delulu was back then.

431

: 00:19:04

I do now, but I definitely was living

in delusion my whole entire life.

432

: 00:19:08

But I think One Direction started right

when I was in seventh to eighth grade.

433

: 00:19:12

And that is such a pivotal time where

you're figuring out who you are.

434

: 00:19:17

All these changes are

going on in your body.

435

: 00:19:20

And you're like, what

the heck is going on?

436

: 00:19:22

Like, what am I doing?

437

: 00:19:23

And then now, right?

438

: 00:19:24

The new wave of female F1 fans-

they're all in majority of them.

439

: 00:19:29

I shouldn't say all are in their

early twenties, early twenties.

440

: 00:19:35

You have the key you're

unlocking it to adulthood.

441

: 00:19:38

Mm hmm, and you're in that same as you

were when you were a tween Figuring out

442

: 00:19:44

this new phase of your life this new

chapter of your life You know sense of

443

: 00:19:48

belonging you want a sense of community,

you want something where you can How

444

: 00:19:52

that escapes you, that makes you excited,

where you can connect with others.

445

: 00:19:57

Meleena: That just made me think

of something else, and we were

446

: 00:19:59

talking about it, another time,

was the idea of a third location.

447

: 00:20:05

So a third location is somewhere you go to

that's not work or your home, basically.

448

: 00:20:11

Um, so it's somewhere you can go to de

stress, but it's the most, important

449

: 00:20:16

part of it is also that community.

450

: 00:20:19

So it's like almost a regular

place where you can go to relax but

451

: 00:20:21

also see people that you might see

like every time that you go there.

452

: 00:20:25

For example, like a library is what

happens to be the third place for

453

: 00:20:29

a lot of people these days because

just because of the crazy busy life

454

: 00:20:34

that Everyone seems to be living.

455

: 00:20:36

For me, it's also hard because

I work remotely and at home.

456

: 00:20:41

So my first and second

place are the same place.

457

: 00:20:44

So now my third place has

become like the movies.

458

: 00:20:47

I go to the movies.

459

: 00:20:48

I really

460

: 00:20:48

Amanda Paolicelli: do love the movies.

461

: 00:20:49

Every time I text you, you're like,

Oh, I'm sorry about the movies.

462

: 00:20:52

Meleena: Yep.

463

: 00:20:53

But a third place is, is somewhere

you can go that's not home or

464

: 00:20:57

work and where you can meet people

and foster relationships, shared

465

: 00:21:02

interests, and just do your own thing.

466

: 00:21:04

Amanda Paolicelli: Do you think

now the third place would be

467

: 00:21:07

social media for a lot of people?

468

: 00:21:08

Meleena: Exactly.

469

: 00:21:09

That's what I was getting at.

470

: 00:21:10

Yeah.

471

: 00:21:11

So social media and the internet has

become a third, the third location

472

: 00:21:15

for Almost, like all of us, especially

younger generations, um, Millennials,

473

: 00:21:20

Gen Zs, and Gen Alpha, we're not even

gonna talk about Gen Alpha, I feel so

474

: 00:21:24

bad, uh, they're chronically online,

but anyways, um, yeah, social media and

475

: 00:21:31

the internet has been the third place

for so many of us, and I know TikTok is

476

: 00:21:35

probably a big one for me, personally.

477

: 00:21:37

TikTok and then Twitter,

like right underneath that.

478

: 00:21:40

Amanda Paolicelli: Oh, I can't do Twitter.

479

: 00:21:41

Meleena: Yeah, that's another, tying into

the fandoms, like that's where they find,

480

: 00:21:45

a lot of people find their community

because it's become like that third place.

481

: 00:21:49

Amanda Paolicelli: Why are we geniuses?

482

: 00:21:51

I just have to say, why are we geniuses?

483

: 00:21:54

No, you're a thousand percent right.

484

: 00:21:56

I feel like specifically

for the F1 community, right?

485

: 00:22:01

Obviously TikTok, like duh, but then

I also feel like, and this one is a

486

: 00:22:06

surprising one, but LinkedIn motorsports

community and LinkedIn is popping.

487

: 00:22:13

The girlies are on LinkedIn

creating F1 content.

488

: 00:22:17

Period.

489

: 00:22:18

Right?

490

: 00:22:18

Who would have thought?

491

: 00:22:19

I love it.

492

: 00:22:20

That's actually pretty

493

: 00:22:21

Meleena: cool.

494

: 00:22:22

Because it's like, it is a place for

networking, more so professional, but

495

: 00:22:26

it's really cool that people can go there

to find people with similar interests.

496

: 00:22:30

Like, I feel like what Twitter is

almost like or what you, it used to

497

: 00:22:35

Amanda Paolicelli: be.

498

: 00:22:35

Yeah.

499

: 00:22:36

Yeah.

500

: 00:22:36

Twitter, Twitter is an interesting

one now, but LinkedIn, honestly, the

501

: 00:22:40

more I've been posting on LinkedIn,

Meleena, the more I've realized.

502

: 00:22:43

How, like, how good of a

platform it actually is.

503

: 00:22:47

It's such a vibe.

504

: 00:22:48

Because people are just, at least

maybe the girls our age that are on

505

: 00:22:51

there, like, we all just, like, want

to make our dreams come true, and we

506

: 00:22:55

all just want to support each other.

507

: 00:22:56

That's true.

508

: 00:22:57

I do see a lot of

509

: 00:22:58

Meleena: people on LinkedIn

whenever I do go on.

510

: 00:23:00

Yeah.

511

: 00:23:00

And that's nice.

512

: 00:23:01

I feel like, Most of the time it's

fake, the support, because they're

513

: 00:23:06

just like trying to post and be

as active on there as possible.

514

: 00:23:09

But it's still a much nicer alternative

than You know, hate and trolling, so.

515

: 00:23:14

Amanda Paolicelli: So we

talked about girlhood.

516

: 00:23:15

We talked about figuring out shitty

relationships, navigating our 20s.

517

: 00:23:21

But now let's talk about the

power of female friendships.

518

: 00:23:24

Now, I don't know about you, but I

genuinely feel like at this stage in

519

: 00:23:28

my life, my female friendships have

been the most fulfilling relationships

520

: 00:23:33

I've ever had in my life so far.

521

: 00:23:35

Meleena: Really?

522

: 00:23:36

Amanda Paolicelli: Yeah, I

feel like I learned so much

523

: 00:23:38

from my group of girlfriends.

524

: 00:23:39

Meleena: That's true, I do feel that too.

525

: 00:23:41

And it's interesting to see as you're,

like, maybe older, friendships change

526

: 00:23:47

and grow as you both grow older.

527

: 00:23:49

And like, life is changing,

circumstances are changing.

528

: 00:23:53

But it's really interesting to see

how things will hold you together.

529

: 00:23:57

And I think, even if it's long distance,

You know, if, if both sides are, are

530

: 00:24:04

actively trying and communicating, it's,

it can be so, so fulfilling and it's

531

: 00:24:09

so important, those female friendships.

532

: 00:24:11

Amanda Paolicelli: It's really

like the girl groups, like the

533

: 00:24:13

girlfriends that you have, whether

they're new or old, that really get

534

: 00:24:18

you through your hardest moments.

535

: 00:24:19

Like, when I went through my first,

my, well, I guess both breakups, right?

536

: 00:24:23

Like, the amount of outpouring love

and support that I had from everyone.

537

: 00:24:28

Like, I remember you showing up

to, I was working at a theme park

538

: 00:24:32

here in Orlando as a performer,

and like, I remember you showing

539

: 00:24:37

up and how much that made my night.

540

: 00:24:39

Meleena: Aww.

541

: 00:24:40

Amanda Paolicelli: Like, it

was such a hard time for me.

542

: 00:24:42

I didn't know what was going on.

543

: 00:24:43

Meleena: I remember.

544

: 00:24:44

I remember that.

545

: 00:24:44

Amanda Paolicelli: And

like, you showed up.

546

: 00:24:46

I think you were trying to

surprise me, but then you were

547

: 00:24:48

like, I need your set time.

548

: 00:24:49

So please, please.

549

: 00:24:51

Yeah.

550

: 00:24:53

But you know, like, it's

just crazy things like that.

551

: 00:24:55

Or like, even throughout Meleena

like, our friendship, which is

552

: 00:24:58

something I'm so grateful for,

is how you've always shown up.

553

: 00:25:03

Don't make me cry, Meleena I'm gonna cry.

554

: 00:25:05

You always make me cry.

555

: 00:25:07

But like, every time I think of our

friendship, I think of how you've

556

: 00:25:12

always been there for me through

thick and thin, and how you've always

557

: 00:25:16

supported me through everything.

558

: 00:25:20

And it's friendships like

yours that remind me that.

559

: 00:25:24

No matter how I feel, whether I'm like

on top of the world or I'm like, really?

560

: 00:25:30

No.

561

: 00:25:30

I'm gonna cry God depress

and all that, not us tear up.

562

: 00:25:34

If you're not watching the YouTube

version, you are really missing

563

: 00:25:36

out on the little glimpse of tears

that are showing up in our eyes.

564

: 00:25:40

Meleena: Yep.

565

: 00:25:41

Amanda Paolicelli: Your girlfriends

really can get you through anything and

566

: 00:25:44

that shows you who your true friends are.

567

: 00:25:46

Meleena: I feel that so heavily.

568

: 00:25:47

They're just like necessary I mean,

we're social creatures and all that but

569

: 00:25:51

yeah even friendships like they really

those real friends will be there for you

570

: 00:25:55

No matter what and it's it's so hard,

especially with something like a breakup

571

: 00:26:00

Especially your first one or a bad one

Like you just need your friends around

572

: 00:26:05

you to make that time easier and for

them, someone to lean on during that time.

573

: 00:26:09

And I remember also my breakup, how

important it was to have my friends around

574

: 00:26:13

me, not just to distract me, but, you

know, show me that, that I'll be okay,

575

: 00:26:17

like things are just going to be okay.

576

: 00:26:18

I know, they're invaluable

and they really are.

577

: 00:26:21

I know we're gonna stay

friends for, for like ever.

578

: 00:26:24

I don't see us ever.

579

: 00:26:24

Duh.

580

: 00:26:25

You better not leave separate way.

581

: 00:26:26

I'm gonna

582

: 00:26:27

find you now.

583

: 00:26:28

Exactly.

584

: 00:26:31

,

Amanda Paolicelli: you're stuck with me now.

585

: 00:26:32

Meleena forever and always.

586

: 00:26:34

Meleena: We're gonna grow into

old aunties like rich aunties.

587

: 00:26:37

Amanda Paolicelli: Duh.

588

: 00:26:38

You know it.

589

: 00:26:39

Rich aunties girl.

590

: 00:26:41

I hope so.

591

: 00:26:42

We're trying, okay?

592

: 00:26:43

We're trying so hard for the rich auntie

life, but not to be too sappy, but

593

: 00:26:49

really like The adoration that I have

for my friends and the love I have for

594

: 00:26:54

them And the way they have reciprocated

it back has really proven to me that

595

: 00:26:59

the love I give out in the world Is

being received and that I do deserve

596

: 00:27:03

to receive it back and I think that was

always something That I struggled with

597

: 00:27:08

especially in my first two relationships.

598

: 00:27:10

I don't know why i'm saying first two I've

only dated two boys in my entire life,

599

: 00:27:14

but like, you know my two relationships.

600

: 00:27:16

I struggled with that concept right

of You Feeling like I was enough,

601

: 00:27:20

feeling like, do I deserve to be loved?

602

: 00:27:22

And I think through my female

friendships and lots of therapy, I

603

: 00:27:28

realize that I do deserve love and

that it is possible for me to be

604

: 00:27:32

loved and accepted for who I am fully.

605

: 00:27:35

Meleena: Exactly.

606

: 00:27:36

Yeah, you bring up such a good point

because you know, we have our family

607

: 00:27:39

and then we have the friends, which

is, you know, like our chosen family.

608

: 00:27:44

So getting that validation and

that love from our friends is

609

: 00:27:49

what, like our first experience of.

610

: 00:27:51

Yeah.

611

: 00:27:51

another type of love

that's not just familial.

612

: 00:27:54

So I think it's so, so important the type

of, the kind of friends that you have.

613

: 00:27:59

If you have good friends, you're

just so blessed because that's

614

: 00:28:03

a love unlike any other kind.

615

: 00:28:05

Like they're going to

love you unconditionally.

616

: 00:28:07

Amanda Paolicelli: Yes.

617

: 00:28:08

That's the word we've been looking for

this entire time was unconditional love.

618

: 00:28:11

Meleena: Yes.

619

: 00:28:11

Unconditionally.

620

: 00:28:13

And those are, the truest friends

that you'll have, that they'll stick

621

: 00:28:16

with you through thick and thin.

622

: 00:28:19

Amanda Paolicelli: Meleena, before we wrap

up our tea time sesh, I was wondering if

623

: 00:28:23

you have any iconic insights that you want

to leave with the Radiant Icon community

624

: 00:28:28

before we finish spilling all the tea.

625

: 00:28:31

Meleena: One of the things I lacked in

really growing up and that I could have

626

: 00:28:35

used more was love for myself and also

believing in myself like trusting myself

627

: 00:28:41

like how we talked about earlier trust.

628

: 00:28:43

I think there's too many times where

I didn't believe or listen to myself.

629

: 00:28:48

I needed to listen to my gut and trust

my instincts and I would brush aside a

630

: 00:28:52

lot of things that I felt Deep down or

like things that I knew were wrong or

631

: 00:28:57

weren't right or I should be doing This or

that and I would kind of just ignore it.

632

: 00:29:02

I would tell myself and I would tell

other people to really listen to yourself.

633

: 00:29:06

Like, trust your gut.

634

: 00:29:07

Cause you're, you know what's up, like,

even if you can't see it right then

635

: 00:29:11

and there, if you have a feeling, if

you have a feeling about something,

636

: 00:29:14

really just listen to yourself.

637

: 00:29:16

Amanda Paolicelli: All right,

Radiant Icons, that is our

638

: 00:29:18

tea time sesh for today.

639

: 00:29:20

I hope you enjoyed our first

episode in the Everyday Icon

640

: 00:29:23

segment, featuring my bestest

friend in the entire world, Meleena.

641

: 00:29:27

Meleena, thank you again for sharing

your time and spilling all the tea with

642

: 00:29:30

myself and the Radiant Icon community.

643

: 00:29:33

If you liked today's episode, I dare

you to go follow me on Instagram and

644

: 00:29:36

connect with me on LinkedIn, as well

as checking out Meleena's social pages,

645

: 00:29:41

which are linked in the show notes below.

646

: 00:29:43

All right, radiant icons.

647

: 00:29:45

Remember, dare to be iconic

and I will see you next time.

648

: 00:29:48

Bye.