Saying goodbye to Peter Pan, Mrs. Doubtfire, the Genie, our friend - Robin Williams

This is something I wrote the day I went to the Doubtfire house in Pacific Heights here in San Francisco. I found it again, and thought the words mean just as much now as back in Aug. '14...

I found myself drawn to say goodbye to a friend that never knew me, but was a significant part of our lives.

It's tragic that someone so full of life, love and laughter felt so empty and overcome by dark demons.

We all find ourselves in darkness blinded by sadness, frustration, guilt and doubt. Yet, it's how we crawl, climb or sprint out of the shadows and into the light that keep us moving forward.

It's a reminder that life is short, family is important, friends are essential.


Don't hold back. Take every opportunity to inspire, challenge, grow, and love. You never know when it may be your last and God calls you home.

What will you leave behind?

Regrets or memories?

Boldly challenging status quo.

30 Regrets Not to Have in My Next 30 Years

I’ve spent precious time with my Papa Wilde, either on road trips or sitting on his back porch reminiscing about the past, talking hopefully about the future, but always with a voice of reason and caution. Now, as a man of leisure, he says, he has a lot of time to reflect and he’s spent some of that time wishing he had made other choices – been a better father, husband, etc. I wish he wouldn’t spend time regretting, but in fact, spend more time cherishing the great memories he did make and all the new ones yet to come.

Since my grandma passed about now almost 14 years ago, (man, that crushes my soul thinking about it), I think he wishes he would have made more of the time he’d had with her. She was, in fact, a beautiful, selfless, loving person who, to this day, is everything I hope to be someday. I don’t think she had a bad bone in her body, and even if someone told me she wasn’t perfect, I wouldn’t believe them ;)

The reason for this blog is because you never know when God will call you home. You shouldn’t exhaust precious moments wishing you had done things differently. To deflect that initially, you have to put the right people and plans first, but be willing to change course for the better if life sends you on a new adventure.

My Papa’s reflections, as sad as it makes me when I think about it, are valuable to me - to remind me not to have those regrets later, to remember to value the right people and things in life.

I’ll be thirty at the end of this year. Holy shit. I can’t believe it. Before I get there, here are 30 regrets I don’t want to have in my next 30 years.

1. Spending too little time with the right people. – Sooner or later, you just want to be around the people who make you smile. So today, spend time with those who help you love yourself more. And remember, the people you take for granted today may be the only ones you need tomorrow. Never be too busy to make time for those who matter most.
2. Not making your loved ones smile more often. – The most beautiful thing is to see a person you love smile, and even more beautiful is knowing that you are the reason behind it.

When life flashes before your eyes, will it be worth watching?

It's been awhile since we last met. I moved to San Francisco, traveled to a few new cities, my little sister got married, and I graduated with my MBA. I've met many new friends and spent precious time with old ones.

My dog, Blaze, and I are still thick as thieves hiking, backpacking, running, and swimming until we have no further energy to give.

OK, OK. Confession. I certainly get to a point of exhaustion sometimes, whereas Blaze is still ready to ascend another mountain or sprint through more trees. Rude, I tell you. No reason to show off like that in front of your owner and embarrass her! At least I have another being willing to keep up with me on a moment’s notice.

Anyway, I sit here on the beach watching the sun go down behind the Golden Gate Bridge with only a few crazy souls in the "cold" San Francisco winter wind. By no means is it Chicago weather, but we Californians are pansies. We can't deal with cold to save our lives.

It's dark and quiet, almost too quiet for this city. The water is calm and smooth; not at all fierce and threatening. I can’t hear any traffic, any voices, or really any noise pollution apart from my soft music and ocean waves.

I have finally jumped on the Spotify bandwagon after years of stubborn, brand-loyal me couldn't walk away from Pandora. This is relevant because my playlist is The Most Beautiful Songs in the World. Add calm waves and a light cool breeze, it's the makings of a reflective, thought-filled evening.

Pause. My fingers are about to fall off from the cold. It's 55°F and I've become a wuss. Too bad I don't have logs to make a beach fire. It's probably for the better as I’d get too comfortable and wake up to cops or bums telling me to get to steppin’.

When life gives you lemons, bite ‘em!

When life gives you lemons, bite ‘em and enjoy the sour taste as it drains down your throat. Next time, you’ll be better equipped to deal with it, even though it’ll still be hardcore painful.

Sometimes, the toughest situations that make you grind your teeth and make you want to cry in frustration are typically the ones that shape who you become in life. If you easily stride through life without obstacles, then you aren’t putting yourself out there and you aren’t really living. I’ve found myself in countless situations where there was a solid fork in the road...AND for some reason, I always choose the Amazon jungle. Luckily, I know how to use a machete to get through the toughest of terrain.

Finding a Meaningful, Tangible Purpose

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How do you find a purpose in things that aren’t tangible? I’ve found that question tough to answer in a career that’s ever-changing. Not only do I not know what I want to do when I grow up, I feel like I can’t find my footing to even propel from.

For me, tangible accomplishments are a big deal. I know I work hard, but typically, I find myself being “too much” that it becomes a negative energy. Unfortunately, I don’t really know how to dial down my intensity. I don’t know how to communicate to other people that I’m not out for their positions or jobs. I’m sure the way I attack life is a bit off-putting because I work my butt off for what I want or do. I’m a threat to people who can just casually go about their days. Sadly, I find those kind of people frustrating - so much so that they suck the life out of me!

I think the biggest energy suck is not having a tangible, meaningful purpose or goal. I’ve had to step back and refocus myself - some of it at work, but much of it in my personal life. I’m so much more satisfied overall when I workout in the mornings. Giving myself goals like beating my last half-marathon time, finding human marks on the mountain I’m going to pass, and surrounding myself with other crazy fitness freaks. Since I know that, I’m that much more fulfilled when I stick with at least that.

What Gets You All Jacked Up About Life?

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It’s about time. I’ve been in beautiful Arizona for 455 days, or about 15 months. I’ve more or less found my groove with work, love being a student again, and found a bunch of odd things to do around the city (I mean suburbia) of Phoenix. These first few months can be compared to the first year of a relationship: you’re a bit uneasy, posing a little bit to morph to what the other likes, and put on a smile when things bother you after you subtly communicate the issue.

Let’s be real. When do I ever sit in the corner and let life pass before me? Never. Yet, I have morphed a bit to what the majority of people like to do around me. Going out every once in awhile is quite awesome, but when I’m surrounded by people that ONLY do that - I start to get bored. Like I said in my last blog, I’ve identified my missing links. It may sound cliché, but COME ON PEOPLE! We only live once.

What about you? Do you feel fulfilled with the life you’re living? What do you wish you could do, but just don’t? You could be working for a fantastic company you couldn’t even dream of, surrounded by some pretty entertaining people, living a comfortable life.

Finding Inspiration Again

It’s been awhile and don’t get me wrong - I’ve been inspired, but wow! The year has just blown by. I’ve been through my first year as an MBA student, been at Yelp through the wild ride it’s been, and even spent a month in Europe!

I was on such a high when I came back from Europe. The culture, the history, people, food - the list goes on. I was so inspired by what I saw and learned; I just couldn’t hide it upon return. But then, disaster struck and I dove way down. I was incredibly sad to not be in Europe any more, surrounded by about 50 people from across the world who also decided to take the MBA class like me.

There was no drama. At all! Weird? I thought so too, but we all clicked like we’d known each other for ages. You could morph into any group for meals, trips during the week, or long excursions on the weekends. I couldn’t have planned a more successful trip!

What am I missing here that makes me long for that again, or long for school to start up again? It’s people I’m surrounded with that inspire me, challenge me, and genuinely enjoy similar things as me (well mostly outdoor, crazy things!). Most of my close friends have munchkins, significant others, or partake in activities that are true to my character. Totally not judging and so love everyone of them, but I feel like I’m missing something.

Strength in a Weakness

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I used to hate writing. English was my least favorite subject and I dreaded writing multiple page papers. My love during grade school was dissecting the unknown of science, but most of all living a life to better the lives of those around me. The same still exists. Every day is an adventure waiting for me to take hold and discover its meaning. Each presents opportunities to influence lives and cherish the memories created.

I may not articulate my thoughts perfectly or use the most intelligent words, but I’m not trying to impress you with my words. I’m trying to spark something inside you. Maybe one of my blogs will take ahold of you, or awaken some part of you that’s been dead. Maybe they’ll influence you to pay good things forward instead of hold a grudge about someone who’s done you wrong. Maybe you won’t agree with me, or maybe you will. I don’t mind either way. These are my thoughts. I don’t want to think for you. I don’t want to puppet your life. But I do want you to challenge yourself to be the best you can be. Not to give yourself excuses. Those are worthless. Life will have many obstacles and it’s how you overcome them that makes you who you are or who you want to become.

My Epiphany

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While I was applying for grad school, the same question I kept getting asked was something along the lines of “What are your long term career goals?” Well, crap! I had no idea what to say because I haven’t figured that out yet. I wrote about some compilation of ideas between reaching out, collegiate success for others, technology or retail industries, and making a difference and non-profit work. The goals changed depending on the day I was writing my application essays.

After I filled out double digits of applications to top universities across the world, I started thinking I’d enjoy international event planning. Planning large entertainment events across the world would be such a FUN career! A former professor of mine does just that which is where I got the idea. But how do I get into that?

I started looking into headquarters of restaurants, resorts, golf tournaments, retail stores, travel agencies, and every other headquarters in between that could possibly get me to that overall goal. (I’m pretty sure once I move to Phoenix, every agency will know who Britni Freiboth is because they all have my resume!)

But then I started thinking about my essays and what the underlying messages were that I was trying to imply. I thoroughly enjoy the satisfaction of putting others before myself in any situation. However, I delight in fighting for a good cause to raise money whether I participate in running activities, or creating my own charity events. I believe I was born to fight for those who cannot or will not fight for what is ethically right. I am a firm believer in what is popular is not always right, but what is right is not always popular, and I live my life based on influencing others to choose based on ethical values. I have a genuine, passionate, competitive, active personality, which is a deadly combination. Once I set my mind on a goal, I will achieve it no matter what obstacles fall in my way. If I can teach others or help others achieve their goals along the way, I will have succeeded.

You Never Know When You'll Be Inspired

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A week ago, I was in Vegas for the Miss America contest. No, I wasn't in it, but many people thought I should have been. Unfortunately, my talent is inspiring, mentoring, or leading people, along with my adventurous love for life. I guess I could request to hold the talent portion outside and skydive for my talent. :)

Want to see my Vegas pics? Click HERE.

How about random Vegas pics of us? Click HERE.

The whole week up until the main event, I walked all over Vegas, took the stairs at every chance I could instead of escalators, visited every casino/resort possible in the small amount we were there, and spent as little time sitting around as we could. A ridiculous amount of photos were taken along the way to capture the city's ambience and life. I can honestly say I never gambled. I was so impressed with how much there was to do in Vegas that I didn't think twice about not throwing money away. Well, on gambling anyway.

Craving Mental Stimulation

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Pandora current song: Only Hope, Switchfoot

The last few weeks have made me realize why I NEED to go back to school. Since graduation, I haven’t had to use my noggin as much as I used to. I’ve been working in areas I am good at and have excelled greatly. Yet, my recent projects haven’t been easy. I’ve created and implemented political events, helped sign multimillion dollar leases, morphed an old building into a residence hall, built a positive cash-flow company and managed from the ground up, developed a position for myself within the university and furthermore designed a new position to expand student involvement on campus.

How are You Dealing with Change?

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Pandora current song: Praying for Daylight, The Fray

How are you dealing with change?

On Wednesday, Sept 22 I took the NCTA student senate leadership to a conference in Lincoln, NE. Why, you ask? Well, even if you don’t care, let me tell you.

Back at WSU, I was a part of the Services and Activities (S and A) Fees committee where we allocated over $7M to organizations on campus to broaden their reach or event success for an overall better student experience. The money came from fees charged within the student’s tuition. When I came to NCTA, there was no help from the college for organizations and no way for new ones to start.

I was appointed at the Student Union manager with over $60K in funds available to it for student activities, maintenance, and salaries. I decided this would be a great opportunity to utilize the funds to bring fun entertainment as well as allocate funds back to the students. Why not?

I took everything I knew and created the same kind of committee on this campus with three staff members and seven student members. The committee has to be heavily student weighed because the students need to decide what they feel is important for the entire student body. Old farts like us as staff don’t necessarily “know” what they want.

Anyway, all student organizations who wanted money had to send student representatives to present what and why they wanted the funds. Student senate requested funds to attend a leadership conference for their leadership. So long story short, that’s why we ended up in Lincoln.

The keynote speaker was Gary Bradt, who is an endorsed business speaker who has spent 20 years consulting the nation’s senior business leaders, advising them on how to thrive in the constant change that takes place in today’s business world.

Read on because I promise you’ll be inspired.

What really matters in life

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I was asked to write what I would want to tell young ones I loved, if I only had two minutes to live. Since I love you all, I'll share it with you...

What really matters in life is that you take chances. Don't ever settle. Ever. You have so much to offer in this world even if you don't believe it. Find others who don't believe in themselves and make them believe that they matter. Be selfless. The more you look out for others the better you'll feel about yourself. Be humble. It's the hardest thing to do, but do it. Be the first to say you're sorry, even if it's not your fault. Make sure you spend time with family. You may not think it matters to them that you are present for a football game or choir concert, but when you aren't around any more they will appreciate the time you took to be with them. Leave a legacy that inspires others.

If you had minutes left in your life, what would you say? 

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