THOUGHTS THAT ROCK
With a large following comes great responsibility; use your platform for good.
I got to hang out on the phone with my buddies Jim Knight and Brant Menswar on their podcast “Thoughts that Rock”. Honestly, I get worked up anytime I get asked to do something publicly. I immediately want to say no, run and hide. I have learned to say yes to the right things. Every single time I do it, it’s not that it gets easier… I just somehow get confirmation that my saying “YES” was important in some way and I continue to use my voice and PRESS ON. Here is the email I wrote back detailing what I could potentially add to the conversation.
“Hey guys!
I am SO DOWN with this. Super important to have these conversations! Thanks for thinking of me, Jim. I think my story best fits into the categories below in this order:
Religion
Being Valued
Social Media
Change
Personal Development
RELIGION: Talk of being raised in a very strict religious environment and how that shaped me and affected my entire life.
BEING VALUED: (or lack thereof) Self worth was not something I was taught growing up. Thinking for myself and being proud of myself and/or my accomplishments were not part of the upbringing.
SOCIAL MEDIA: Story of (unexpectedly) going viral and making some of the biggest and most crucial decisions that would change my life and career.
CHANGE: Change HAD to happen quickly. Personally, I wasn’t ready for it…but I pressed on and hustled because social media does not wait for anyone. Jumping from a couple of thousand followers to over 2M views on YouTube and a combined 85K+ followers on social media to being recognized on the Senate Floor in CA for my work with the LGBTQ+ Community. Lots of changes!
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT: Moving forward at a fast pace allowed me to focus on sharing stories and helping others but MY story was never one I felt comfortable bringing to light because of a lot of trauma that was not dealt with. It caught up with me. 2018 was one of the most challenging years of my life. I gave up the booze for awhile, set some much needed boundaries and forced myself to stare down some demons and share my #metoo #churchtoo story and I immediately felt a weight lift that I thought was just part of me.
Hope this sheds some light on what I’d like to share if you feel it’s a good fit!