| In honor of the 1-year anniversary of my Dad’s passing, I wrote a poem called Dear Mom and Dad.

Pieces of my heart forever lost
Gone the day you left
Not a sun rises without you journeying through my mind
For I know I am forever in your company
No moon falls behind the morning horizon
Without the assurance of your pride
Should you see how far your sons have come

Thank you for the lessons I’ve learned through your absence
I wish I didn’t have to learn so many so fast
I stopped living my life from the viewpoint of a victim
No longer living off the fumes of it

But it still hurts
And I’m still mad, still sad, only now allowing the anger to emerge
Tears released
Compounded grief
And when it comes I feel it
I don’t hide anymore, I welcome it
And I feel the breeze
And know you’re there
And I feel carried away with the promise of a better life
I look back, but don’t stare
I avoid the mistakes you made
And may I forever be conscious of the blood running through my veins
And not allow your wavering missteps to discolor my world view
Or destroy me

Let me be open, let me be loving, let me be confident and bold
Let me take the chances you never took
And may I be brave enough to take the chances you did take
And may my dreams ever unfold and come true
May I create a happy life
And one day at a time carry on safely with compassion in my heart

Thank you for bringing me into this world
Into existence
Into freedom
A gardener and a carpenter
New England-bred wild children of the 60s and 70s
And may I always remember that I came through your love
I came from love
I am love
I’m strong, I’m brave, I’m resourceful
I’m healthy, I’m happy, I’m beyond
I’m lucky

I hope you made it to heaven
I hope heaven is real
And forever by an invisible string
May we be connected
Until we meet again
As light

RIP Dad (7/21/1956–7/30/2016); Mom (12/29/1955–10/03/2001)

http://mylesellison.com/2017/07/30/dear-mom-and-dad/

If you live in New York you’re probably a slash-king-or-queen, or know one — that is, a “realtor/model,” or a “writer/bartender,” or the all-famous “actor/waiter.” While in the past this may have been looked down upon, in today’s hybrid world where people change jobs up to 15 times per lifetime, it’s not surprising. Plus, having multiple, interdependent passions/careers and transferable skills galore? That sounds like some modern millennial efficiency right there. Also, relying on one income stream and sacrificing your passion in order to meet Mr. & Mrs. Jones’ idea of how your life should look? So last year. Raise your hand if you’ve ever heard of someone quitting their corporate, soul-crushing job to pursue their real dream, which is probably in a rustic, tiny house in Northern Oregon painting landscapes or some other city-folk-nervous-breakdown-emergency-plan fantasy. Here are my 5 Surprising Reasons to Hire a Creative Real Estate Agent

1. We’re connected.

Every time I’m on set it’s a networking opportunity, and with Creative Directors, Ad Agency Executives, top Commercial Photographers, Directors of Advertising for multinational corporations, and Editors of national publications likely hovering around somewhere, the highly qualified leads and potential referral-network additions are plentiful. As a creative on set, there can be a lot of downtime, so we’ll all get talking, and one thing leads to another, then suddenly a new buyer lead for that two-family in Bushwick emerges, or maybe the photographer’s 2nd assistant needs a new studio apartment in Williamsburg.

2. We’re fearless and creative advertisers.

Trust me, if you’ve fought the sweaty, sometimes-bloody and surely tear-filled battle to continue to pursue your dream in the entertainment industry in a major city like New York, you know how to self-promote, honey. And that talent spills over and benefits seller-and-landlord clients, too. Traditional Internet real estate advertising platforms not providing enough leads? Let’s pop this beast on social media. That’s not working? Alright, let’s hit the phones. Phones not bringing in the buyer/renter fast enough? Let’s post a flyer. Flyer not working? Ok, fine, let’s go out on the f****** street and sell this mofo old-school-style.

3. We’re always available — like, always.

It’s a given for a real estate agent to work long hours and hustle, especially in a city like New York, but being a professional model as well? I’ve been blindsided with last-minute bookings, one time being called on a Sunday to fly out to Iceland for a modeling job in the next two days, and just last week booking a national advertising campaign, and when do you think I got that call? 9pm the night before the job. Worried this makes me less available as your real estate agent? Don’t be. Good agents always have a trusted network to call upon in their absence, or an all-star assistant, and being “always on” means I can receive leads for your property at any hour, or respond quickly to your lease-or-contract-related question the night before signing.

4. We communicate better than the average bear, act chill under pressure, and are next-level sales stars.

In my career as a model I’ve been told to “smile with my eyes,” make a product “look fun” with only my extremities, “be the life of the party” amongst complete strangers for a major brand’s advertising campaign, and most recently play a young Dad of 2-and-10-month-old children for a catalogue shoot. In modeling and acting the non-verbal communication is so lit, and the same goes for real estate. My experience communicating with my voice and body to sell myself through the life cycle of a modeling job — from casting to booking — and staying calm under pressure on the job (even with an adorable, crying infant as a co-worker for the day) helps me meet my clients’ needs when selling or renting a home because I can pick up on subtle cues. I can discern if they’re trying to tell me something in a polite way on a showing (which usually is a no), or if they’re feeling uncomfortable with a certain part of a contract, and can meet their needs compassionately and professionally.

5. We won’t give up when things get tough, and we don’t easily take “no” for an answer.

Rejection? That old hat? Yup, if you’re a creative in a major market like New York you know persistence pays. However, as a top sales talent, one should know when to push and when to back away: push when you know a client is merely stalling for fear of change although they do genuinely love the place and it fits their needs; back away when you feel you’re trying to sell someone on something that won’t add value to their lives or fit their needs. I won’t even go into how many success stories there are, which began with initial failure, but I will say that a real estate agent and creative combined is pretty much the most rejection-proof individual you will ever meet — we eat “no’s” for breakfast everyday, swallow them, then s*** them out and keep going until we get a yes.

Looking to list your property, or in search of a new home, and need a tireless, professional, experienced, positive and cheerful real estate agent to take it on? Hit me up.

Male model Myles Ellison with a man bun pouring a bottle of water over his head after a CrossFit workout in Juniper Valley Park, Middle Village, Queens, NY.

If you’re like me — late-twenties, decently fucked up from your childhood and teen years, and could write the book on Entitled Martyr Millennial Syndrome (which isn’t actually a thing, but probably in a few years will be curable by the new, miracle Pfizer drug) — you probably learned some lessons the hard way in your 20s. Well then, you sensitive, potentially artistic, anxious son-or-daughter of a Baby Boomer, you’re gonna want to take a look-see below.

1. You’re not old — stop thinking you’re old.

Bro, you’re in your 20s. What other time in your life will you be able to look back and think, “10 years ago I was all peach fuzz and tucking my micro-boner into my waist band, and in 10 years from now I’ll be a few years older than my parents were when they conceived me?” You’re young — mistakes are chill, just go with the flow and live your life, but please don’t get killed in the process, cause if you die in your twenties, then, well, you’re old (but just for you, not everyone else), ya feel me?

2. Life isn’t fair, but it has a way of coming back around in your favor.

OK, I know: you didn’t get your dream job — that asshole, who doesn’t deserve it, did. Plus, he has halitosis and is in general an awful human being. “WHY DOES GOD HATE ME,” you might think. If you speak with some older people about lifes’ peaks and valleys, I bet the majority of them will have a story that goes like this: “I didn’t get Thing X when I was 25 and it made me wanna give up. So, I sulked and whined about it, then decided, ‘you know what, I’m just gonna go it anyway because it’s my calling.’ I worked hard on it for a few years and did some shitty other job I didn’t care about to survive, then all of the sudden — through my hard work and perseverance — eventually things paid off, and now I’m living my passion.” **Watches 35, 40, 50 and 60-year-olds roll their eyes and shake their heads** Hey, I’m 29, I still have some of that youthful idealism left in me, right? Don’t ruin it for me yet.

3. That person who broke your heart? They aren’t as terrible as you once thought they were.

Early 20s heartbreak got you feeling like a victim, who is banished to be alone forever? Drop dat shiz. This decade — our 20s — is chock-full of life lessons and challenging experiences. There’s a choice to be made: take those bad experiences and carry them like a weighted backpack of heavy excuses to close down your heart, mind and “be right” about people, or brush that shit off, fight for your dream life, get some support (friends / family / mentor / therapist / support group), join CrossFit and get hot AF, and then the next time you see that motherfucker you can do your happy dance and be like, “YOU’RE NEVER GONNA GET THIS.” Unless he / she looks really good, too. In that case, wrap dat shit up and get ready for either a) regret, or b) your future spouse, or c) any other outcome you can relate to.

4. Not everyone has the same values as you.

You’re going to find a lot of people settling in their 20s. This of course — settling — is really only your opinion, it’s not the actual truth. Only you know when and if you’re settling. Some people judge those who have a family early as settlers, but how do you know it wasn’t that young woman’s lifelong dream to be a mother, and that’s all she’s ever wanted to be? In that case, she’s living her life dream, just the same way you might be by building that Fortune 500 company. Think about that one and respect everyone’s life path.

5. A solid amount of your friends are alcoholics.

As you merrily dash through the lupine field of flowers that is your 20s, you’re going to find out some of your friends really don’t slow down. You will witness people’s potential being squandered by problem drinking and full-blown alcoholism, but since we live in a society that laughs off alcohol abuse disorder, just put on those Lorgnette specs and try not to cringe too hard, because the only person you have control over is you, and most people will not seek help until they are ready. If you think you have a problem, seek help. If you think a friend has a problem, offer to help, but don’t get sucked in. Unless you’re a licensed addiction counselor or doctor, it’s best to point them in the direction of help and make sure you’re all set. Alcohol abuse disorder is one of the most tragic and societally acceptable illnesses of our time, and if you want my unsolicited opinion I’ll tell you: all those zombie movies about the apocalypse? Pretty sure that’s a possibility, except it’s not going to be zombies craving flesh, it’s going to be people craving drugs and alcohol. Be careful, and if you think you have a problem, well, there’s your sign. Most people without a drinking problems don’t wonder if they have one.

6. If you have long-distance friends and you don’t call each other, you aren’t that great of friends.

You’re going to need to use the telephone for it’s primary purpose — calling people — if you actually want to stay in touch in a genuine way. That whole thing where you type your 4th grade bestie’s name into your phone and see that symbol pop up — the little one that looks like a telephone? Hit that one from time to time. Texting and social media are a cop out. Social media plays tricks on our brains and makes us think we are seeing our friends because our brain recognizes their faces, but really we are not; we’re just letting valuable relationships go. Check this post from The Guardian titled Top five regrets of the dying — Number 4 is “I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.” Think about it.

7. You overshared so hard on social media.

As a millennial we grew up with a live mic waiting to be tapped at any given time. Going through a breakup? Start a blog about it and share it every. single. time you post. Funneled half of an economy-sized bottle of Sutter Home White Zinfandel with your girls in college? Why not post a photo of that, I mean come on, that was fun (back when you could still have more than 2 drinks without being a baby-back bitch the next day). Fast forward to your late twenties when you’re sitting at home on a Friday night drinking seltzer water trying to clean up your social media presence and realize those photos actually still exist, are live and make you look like a total hot mess. But do you delete them? I mean, you didn’t do anything illegal, plus you want to have the edge of having a wild side, so yea, maybe keep ’em?

8. Actually being successful really does take hard work. Like, lots of it.

Did you laugh when your jaded high school theater teacher resentfully told you every year gets harder than the next and it never, ever stops? I mean, I’m not gonna let her negative thoughts clog my vibrational field of positive energy. Plus, she always cast her son in the leading roles anyway, so screw that lady. **flash forward to your late twenties living in a major city** Oh, fuck… that bitch was right. You mean I can’t just sit around and wait for my vibrational escrow account of positive energy to tractor-beam all the good shit into my life? I actually have to put in the sweat, tears and occasional blood for it? Fuck me, dude.

9. People definitely talk shit about you behind your back.

Ever hang out with that friend who is unnecessarily harsh to someone whom they’re super-sweet to in person, then when questioned say, “OMG I would never say anything like that about you!” Ever be that friend? That’s rough. The reality is humans are social beings, so people talk. Most of the time a conversation about you that you’re not present for is going to have a few comments that might make you feel bad if you were there. Ever been left on the phone with a friend or client who thought they hung up, then proceeded to talk shit about you? Now that’s rough dot com.

10. You’re being too easy on yourself.

Those goals you had that you thought would magically manifest? Not happening. Fuck, man. Want abs, but don’t want to give up that comfort-pint of ice cream each night? Want to put a down payment on a house by the time you’re 35, but spend money on overpriced drinks at the bar and on tech-and-fashion-industry artifacts to keep it cute for the Jonses? Ya, you’re gonna need to go ahead and stop that shit if you want to actually achieve your goals. And you’re going to have to supply your own parenting, unless you have a Jewish helicopter Mom, then I guess you’re all set.

11. You’re being too hard on yourself.

Ever get home from a late night of work knowing full-well you have to get back early the next morning, plus you’re trying to stay in shape and eat Paleo, maintain a new relationship, call your relatives, moonlight-start your own online business, get to a fitness class and not be a complete asshole? I think there’s a drug that helps you get all that shit done, right? Oh ya, meth. But we don’t want you doing meth, so how boutcha take it down a notch there, Skipper. One day at a time, one thing at a time, one breath at a time. Trying to go gluten-free while working overtime, kicking your own ass at the gym and helping a loved one though a tough phase in life? Maybe it’s time to reprioritize and re-plan, because trying to do too much at once generally leads to crash, burn and relapse.

12. You don’t have to do it all on your own.

There are a lot of things you can do on your own: build a business, raise a child, change a tire, give yourself an orgasm, plant a garden, and the list goes on. There will be points in life, however, where you truly do need people: when a loved one dies; when you’re in between jobs in a highly competitive market and no one’s taking your cold applications; or when you get so lonely from stress-overload-self-isolation you’d even hang out with that awful halitosis overachiever from high school just for some goddamn conversation. Humans are social creatures, but a larger percentage than most people might think are introverts (recharge from alone time). Even still, us chronically self-reliant, millennial twenty-somethings do need each other from time-to-time, and in a world culture of increasing independence and Americanization, what better time is it than now to go to the park with a friend, shut that phone down and talk, connect and bask in the glory of vulnerable human connection.

Haven’t quite hit your late twenties, but still relate across the board? Maybe you’re 25 two times over and found yourself nodding all the way through. Think I’m totally off base? Let me know in the comments section below.

My Mom used to call herself the “Pioneer Woman,” wear too-high-cut-off Wrangler jean shorts on her 5’ 2” frame, drink Popov Vodka all day everyday and pick my brother and I up in a riding lawn mower from the bus stop. Do you think she cared what others thought? Pretty sure she didn’t. I remember my face getting hot when I’d see her there waiting for us — so embarrassing for an 8-year-old living in a town of 400 people (who talked, btw). I mean, was it street-legal? For-sure NO. Was it practical? Actually it was, I mean, we lived on a dirt road in rural Vermont and it was only 7/8th’s of a mile home, so why not attach the trailer hitch to the John Deere, put it in high-speed and go?

For all her craziness, my Mom taught me an important lesson, and it’s taken me almost 30 years to truly live it, and that is: do not care what people think of you. Ok, well, you’re probably still going to care, but don’t let it dictate your actions. Don’t let others’ potentially negative judgements of you prevent you from shining your own brand of light into the world. To really hammer home my point, I made a video to accompany this post, primarily to call attention to my subjectively nice ass being shaken at various speeds in white undies, and secondly as a bold offering to anyone who’s afraid to put their ass out there to simply do it. So, if you’ve been holding back for fear of judgement and have an amazing idea that you want to put out there, you should probably git ta readin’ below.

1. People aren’t thinking about you as much as you think they are.

One of the many valuable gem-lessons I learned in my years in support groups is that people are so wrapped up in their own bullshit that they honestly don’t care that much about yours. People are gonna talk no matter what, and here’s hoping all those who do are a huge fan, or someone passionately inspired by all you do.

2. It doesn’t matter what people think.

A year ago I got a random message on Facebook from a stranger saying a girl I went to college with (who “liked” my stuff and by all outward appearances supported me) was screenshotting my posts on social media and making fun of me. It made me feel sad, ashamed and violated, but I also recognized her behavior as a byproduct of fearlessly putting myself out there, plus I thought of all the times my friends and I had done similar things, so I empathized (and honestly thought the person who reached out was a drama queen). My message is: honestly, who cares if people make fun of you? We live in the good ‘ol U-S-of-A; time to start exercising Freedom of Speech in all it’s glorious forms. I’m not going to stop putting myself out there as a model/personality/writer/ridiculous millennial content creator because people think I’m narcissistic and super-extra. #sawwynotsawwydotcom

3. People are waiting to be inspired by you.

There are certain stories only you can tell, certain people only you can touch, and certain things only you understand and can shine light on. Air your soul out and go inspire someone. I’ll be over here shaking my ass waiting for you #whichisfine.

4. The next great idea could be trapped in your head — don’t lose it.

Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love, wrote a wonderful book called Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, which I highly recommend. In it she describes her belief that ideas come and go, and if you don’t act on them right now, they may go to someone else. Ever have an amazing idea and let it chill up in ya head for too long, then before you know it someone “stole your idea?” Maybe that idea got sick of waiting around to manifest in your head, so it went to another host who would put in the work and set it free. Think about it and act today on your creative ideas. What do you think this whole entire blog is?

5. Live with no regrets and don’t sell yourself short; go for the original dream — no matter how big it is — and don’t stop working until you get there.

One of my biggest fears is waking up in 20 years and thinking, “shit, I never really went for it.” I don’t want to be a flaccid, half-measure taker; I want to be a rock-hard, bold creator! I always said I wanted to be a model, and I have achieved that dream in a sense, and I am definitely proud of myself each day for that. But, if I’m truly honest with myself, I haven’t achieved the measure of success my inner child/dreamer originally envisioned. So, I’m rolling up my sleeves and really putting in the work, which for a male model means weight training, keeping the yoga flowing, eating nutritiously and strategically, staying on top of my skin-care regimen, attending castings and bookings on time, and being easy to work with and professional. So, what happens if my career always stays at the level it is now? I still consider that a huge success, especially coming from a rural, alcoholic upbringing and living successfully in NYC for 6+ years on my own. But, as Rachel Platten says, “I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me.” #thankyou

So, go out there, be your beautiful, vulnerable, ridiculous self, because even if you never can become President of the United States because your ass-shaking video got lost in the internet — which, let’s be real, doesn’t matter in this day and age clearly — at least you’ll have had fun in the process, and maybe someone needed to see you acting like a borderline cam boy in order to be inspired to put themselves out there today. Keep shining, friends.