Amy Poehler’s Reddit AMA was chock full of wonderful (and hilarious) advice
Amy Poehler’s book “Yes Please” came out this week. I’m currently plowing through it and it’s shaping up to be one of my very favorite famous-person-writes-a-book books EVER. It’s honest and wise and kind and teaches you all the life lessons without being like even one percent preachy about it. This book is basically everything and if you listen to the audiobook (like I’m doing in the car. . . and also in my house, because I’m really bad at waiting for my next car trip to get my Poehler fix) you get Amy narrating plus a cavalcade of guest stars.
These days, celebrities are just as (if not more likely) to do a Reddit Ask Me Anything to promote their books as they are to do a traditional brick and mortar tour. Below, some of Amy’s best answers and advice from her AMA sesh. And if you like this, remember, her book is just PAGES upon PAGES of this gold:
Question: How do I avoid becoming depressed after Parks and Recration is over?
Amy Poehler: Get some sunlight, go for a brisk walk, take your Vitamin D, call a friend, make sure you change out of your pajamas at some point in the day
Q:What is the most rewarding piece of advice you have been given during your life?
AP:Um: hmm. Well, that’s a good one. Maybe ” Pay attention to what people do, not what they say.”
Q: Hey Amy, How do you relax, or what is your source of energy when you’re having a stressful day?
AP:Haha! Um… I relax by running marathons. And I get my energy by base jumping.
Q:What advice would you give to a lovely girl who also happens to be a huge fan and is turning 18 today (A.K.A me)??
AP: Oh! Happy 18th birthday! Exercise your right to vote! Whenever you feel drunk, stop, because 18 year olds have a hard time figuring out how much they can drink. Be with a good friend who can make sure you get home safe, and try one new thing on your birthday every year.
And this last one isn’t technically advice, but it’s just a really beautiful response Amy has to a really sad note:
Q: I feel stupid writing this, but here we go. I’m at work so I had to sneak into the bathroom to write this. It isn’t really a question, I guess, but I had to reach out someway (and as far as I know you don’t use any social media). I had to say thank you. I was very depressed this past winter. Stuck in a small town full of idiots, no idea where I wanted my life to go and more than anything just feeling alone and like a failure. Then I discovered Parks and Rec. You, the the cast and writers, fully turned my year around—maybe my life. I still live in this crummy town, and I still feel lonely sometimes, but I don’t feel hopeless. I value what I have and have learned to look for opportunity and take chances. The laughs and tears (not just from the laughing, corny enough as that is to admit) have had a profound effect on me and I couldn’t be more thankful. I wish the show could go on for forever, but it can’t so I’ll instead fill that void by introducing friends to what I view as the greatest tv comedy ever. And just since this is an ama, I’ll just ask what your favorite kind of waffles are? ?
AP: Okay, who cares about waffles?
What a beautiful post. Thank you for sharing that with me. That was really nice. and you sound like the kind of person that will find a lot of love and happiness in your life. Because you’re not afraid to be vulnerable, and you’ve gotten stronger in tough times. I love the image of you huddled in the bathroom. We’ve all been there. I can’t wait to see – I wish I could see what happens in the next 10 years. I can tell you’re a special person with lots of good things ahead. Also: blueberry.
Amy Poehler just needs to open up an ashram so we can all make her our personal guru and seek enlightenment together. A billion cheers for this woman whose amazing sense of humor is clearly a product of her brilliant brain and ginormous heart.
(Image via)
