Megan Susanne Dingfelder is my long time best friend from high school. We both made the absolute most of our high school experience and became very close along the way. She is a positive presence in my life and a reminder of where I come from! (Also, I refer to her exclusively as “Megan Susanne” or “Ding”, so it’s odd to be writing Megan throughout this piece!)
Megan is dedicated, smart, hard-working, positive, and joyful.
Megan is from an itty-bitty town in south east Minnesota - even smaller than my home town, LaCrescent. We were young women on a mission, even then, holding almost every possible student leadership or elected position at LaCrescent High School. Student Council all four years, almost every homecoming and prom court, class officers – junior year I was President and she was VP while senior year it was vice versa.
(I was so weird in high school- Ding can attest - but, somehow, people kept voting me in for things. I still don’t quite know how that happened. “But how weird were you?”. . .well, my style was so eccentric that, during dress up weeks, mismatch day was also referred to as “dress like Cat day”. Mmm hmmm.)
Although we were always friendly, we got very close toward the end of high school and have done a good job keeping connected to each other since then. Megan is always on my list to visit when I’m in Minnesota. Our relationship has truly withstood the test of time and I am sure she will be in my life always.
Megan is the only daughter of three children. She loves her encouraging and supportive family so much! Megan attended the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and then the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry. She’s a Registered Dental Hygienist and, oh, does she love teeth. Smiles and teeth! On her wall she has a large quote that reads “You’re never fully dressed without a smile.” – too perfect for her!
Megan is engaged to a great guy named Corey and I am thrilled to be a bridesmaid in their wedding this upcoming May. (I’ll be honest, as a close friend, I was obviously skeptical of Corey before I met him. I mean, that’s a bff’s job, right? Well, he is wonderful and I couldn't imagine anyone more perfect for Megan. I think they complement each other beautifully.) I am really looking forward to their wedding as it is my first experience being a bridesmaid. I’m truly honored to be part of their celebration.
Megan loves Minnesota so much! Like, every part of MN. Exploring the state, attending and/or watching all MN sports teams, wearing jewelry, clothing, and accessories that rep MN – anything and everything MN! She loves shopping and has a taste for dark chocolate, sushi and visiting neighborhood restaurants that support locally gown food and drinks. She’s also deep into wedding planning so is frequently on Etsy, Pinterest, and looking at wedding magazines!
I admire Megan’s spirit and positive nature. Y’all think I’m a positive person? You need to meet this girl! (She talks about this in her thoughts at the bottom!) I mean, there’s a reason this woman has attended or been in like 10 weddings each of the last few summers – she is a joy to be around and, therefore, keeps a large friend group. Her energy and joy is contagious and people want her in their lives! I certainly do!
Read what and who inspire Megan and her words of wisdom below. . .
What inspires you?
"Making other people smile. I enjoy being a "day maker." My career allows for me to visit with people and crack jokes as often as possible and I really love to see other people happy/smiling. Life is too short to not be happy."
Who are women in your life that inspire you?
"It's so cliché, but MY MOM! She's so STRONG-WILLED and works so hard to make sure that my family is happy, healthy, and cared for and I love her so much for it."
If you had one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be and why?
"Be true to yourself. Don't be a "people pleaser" and bend over backwards and compromise your VALUES and BELIEFS to make others happy. I have learned over the years that stronger individuals recognize that and capitalize on your weakness. I demand to be considered an equal and tell people what I want now rather than do whatever I can to convenience those around me. "
This March, I am celebrating all the amazing women around me! Sharing women who have influenced me and make up my personal history. As the month goes on, you can see all my Inspiring Women posts here!