Design Your Life with Content Creator Lizz Rantze

Speaker 1: 0:00

There's a video I posted. It was my fourth video I post on TikTok and it told my story and it went viral and I was weeping because I was like I the for me to press post on that video took so much courage and I almost didn't do it about 5,000 times, and then I did, and then for the reaction to happen that happened was it was a little validating, I'll admit, um, but also I was just in awe that I was not alone. I was so not alone that this many people cared about it. You know they started following me. So I think I'm just so grateful that this happened to me. I lost my purpose. I did the work to try to figure it all out and now I'm doing the thing that I think I should be doing, but I'm still not totally clear on the path. I'm just. I'm just doors are opening and I'm going through them, but that it's it's. It's happening and things are moving, and so I'm just very grateful for this opportunity.

Speaker 2: 0:55

Welcome to Tried and True with a dash of woo, where we blend rock solid tips with a little bit of magic. I'm Renee Bowen, your host, life and business coach and professional photographer at your service. We are all about getting creative, diving into your business and playing with manifestation over here. So are you ready to get inspired and have some fun? Let's dive in. Hello, welcome back to Tried and True with a Dash of Woo.

Speaker 2: 1:22

I am your host, renee Bowen, and today's an extra special day here on the podcast or if you're watching on YouTube because today marks my 52nd episode since I've started the podcast. So I have been producing a weekly show for one full year and that's a big accomplishment. So I'm going to do what I'm always telling you guys to do. I'm going to take my own advice and I'm going to pat myself on the back, because this has not been easy. I mostly have done this by myself. I do have a little bit of help here and there, but I have basically been producing the show on my own and it has been a really like amazing experience as far as like a learning experience hands down, like just kind of throwing yourself into the fire, which is what I like to do in general. I want to just experience it, you know, and not try and make it perfect. So I hope that that could be a little inspirational to some of you guys. If you have something that you've been wanting to do and maybe you feel like it has to be like just right or just perfect it doesn't, you can just start and you know, by no means is this show perfect or where I would love for it to eventually be. But hey, a year in and I'm doing pretty good. So I just wanted to share that with y'all. I am really excited to continue to be able to do this for you and to provide this kind of free resource and be able to connect with a lot of you guys, which has been really, really, really fun.

Speaker 2: 3:08

So, in honor of my one year anniversary for Tried and True with the Dash of Woo, I am doing a giveaway. All the details will be in the show notes, but here's the deal basically. So I would love for you to share the show with someone or just on your feed on Instagram If you think that it's impactful, you know, send them a link, that kind of thing. But there's a couple of little stipulations on what I'm doing for the giveaway. So I do want to outline that really quickly for you.

Speaker 2: 3:40

So, first of all, if you haven't left a review or a rating, go ahead and do that. That's the first step and it's super easy to do that. You just go to ratethispodcastcom slash Renee Bowen, and again, the link is below. So that's going to bring up a menu where you can rate it on the platform that you listen to it on. So that makes it a little bit easier. Obviously, if you're listening on Apple Podcasts, you can just go down and hit that link. It's pretty easy. So, definitely, on one of the podcast apps, not necessarily YouTube go ahead and leave a rating and a review. If you've already done that, you don't have to do that step.

Speaker 2: 4:22

Okay, you can still enter the giveaway because there's a couple more steps involved. So then you're going to want to go to Instagram and make sure you're following me at Renee Bowen, and then you're going to post about this on your story. So it could be anything you want. It could be a screenshot of the latest episode, whatever. It could be like one of my reels talking about my podcast, whatever you want to do. Like, you don't have to show up in this piece of content. Okay, you can do a repost, but the deal is is that you are saying something about it, on your story, about why you listen, what you find valuable, et cetera, and you have to make sure that you tag me so that I can see you and enter you into the contest.

Speaker 2: 5:09

Okay, so this contest is going to go for a full week, because I know not everybody listens on you know the day that the show airs, which is on Wednesdays. So it's going to be from this Wednesday, today, through next Wednesday, and by then I will go ahead and, you know, look at all the entries and contact the winners after that. So you also will get an extra entry for every time you post. So if you want to post about it multiple times during that week, go for it. Just make sure you tag me so that I can take note of that and make sure you get all those extra entries. Again, I'm going to outline all of this for you guys in the show notes, so just make sure you read that, or in the description on YouTube, if you watch on YouTube and you guys can win some pretty awesome prizes. Y'all know how much I love White House Custom Color. They are my lab, so if you're a photographer, you can win one of their custom albums, which is amazing. It's worth like minimum 250, something like that. So it's a really, really cool thing to win. If you're a photographer, that will be really fun. They were kind enough to send that in for me and sponsor this little giveaway, so that's super amazing.

Speaker 2: 6:24

I'm also giving away a coaching package. This is a coaching package that includes two coaching calls. They have to be used within the span of six weeks, so there are a little bit of stipulations for that, but this is worth over $2,000. So this is good. If you need life coaching, business coaching, a little bit of both, something that you wanna really dig into in your business that you need help with, let's get you some really awesome clarity. And if you've been wanting coaching and you have not been able to afford that, this is an amazing opportunity for you.

Speaker 2: 6:57

I'm also giving away a three-month membership to elevate my monthly membership for photographers, and you don't have to be a senior photographer. There's a lot of other photographers who are in there as well. A lot of them, you know, shoot various different niches and it's based in marketing and mindset. So you're going to get a monthly call and lots of other stuff in your portal. So that is a $49 a month value and you'll get three months for free.

Speaker 2: 7:29

I am also giving away the creative team method, which is worth $997.

Speaker 2: 7:34

And that is going to teach you how to start a revamp your creative team, meaning your senior rep team.

Speaker 2: 7:41

If you're a high school senior photographer, this prize is particularly for you because it will teach you how to start an ambassador team or turn your team into one that actually is profitable, meaningful and actually gets you booked. So, again, if you are a senior photographer, that one is specifically for you, and I am going to be checking to see who is who when we do these giveaways. So you know, for instance, if I do the random poll, because I'm going to use random number generator for the contest, but if I pull somebody and it looks and I can see that you are not a photographer, then I will move on to another prize for you instead. Okay, and I'm also giving away a couple of audible books, some of my favorites, or you can tell me if there's something on your list that you've been wanting. If you need any suggestions, I'm happy to give that to you. But, yeah, lots of giveaways this whole week. It's going to be like Oprah you get an audible book, you get a coaching call, all kinds of different things.

Speaker 2: 8:46

It's going to be really, really fun. I'm super excited to even just like be here with you guys. I'm excited to celebrate this really, really big milestone and thank you guys so much for tuning in and being a part of this. I wouldn't do it if it weren't for you, so today you guys are in for a really awesome treat. My guest today is a super creative, really fun, down to earth, really inspirational person, and I found her on TikTok, as I find most of the people that I love, but it turns out that she's local to me, so we're actually going to get together in person soon and I'm really excited about that.

Speaker 2: 9:33

Liz Rance is a storyteller and a creator. She spent the last two decades telling other people's stories, first as a barely employed actor and then as a much more successful editor and creative director, running her own creative studio for over 10 years. But in the process of crafting other people's stories, she completely lost sight of her own. In 2020, when the world stopped, her mental and physical health started suffering until she stumbled upon an old journal with a scribbled quote you design your life. Those words helped spark a series of changes as Liz became systematically changing the direction of her life. She shared pieces of her adventure on social media and, to her surprise, her quirky little videos were resonating with audiences all around the globe and inspired a bit of a following. This experience reminded her of the power of storytelling and its ability to help us not feel so alone as humans. So today, liz continues designing her life and sharing her story by creating cinematic moments out of the mundane, all with the goal of designing lives. We are proud of having a laugh, leaving this world a little bit more beautiful than we found it.

Speaker 2: 10:54

So at the time of this recording, she has almost 62,000 followers on TikTok and some of them have gone pretty viral. Nancy Meyers even shared one of hers, and some of them have gone pretty viral. Nancy Meyers even shared one of hers. It was really exciting. We talk about that. We talk about a lot of different things her process, how she sort of views creating videos and how she does a lot of things that most creators will tell you you shouldn't do. So she does things very differently in her own way and it works really well for her and I think that is a fantastic example for a lot of us. But regardless, you're going to love her and you're going to love following her. So all of that information is in the show notes as well, and I'm really really crazy excited to introduce you guys to Liz. Liz, I have so many questions for you. We're going to just start at the beginning and see how far we go.

Speaker 1: 11:52

Okay, let's do it.

Speaker 2: 11:53

Yes, I'm so excited to chat with you. What inspired you first of all to start creating the kind of content that you make? I just wonder have you always been like this? Have you been like, were you running around with a video camera as a kid? Or like, how did you know you had an act for it? Like, just kind of walk me through that, that process.

Speaker 1: 12:13

Well, there's. There's a few things there that you asked Um, but the first thing is um, I always loved storytelling. I was uh, I'm so sorry, can we stop for one second? Absolutely, I just got like a crazy hot flash. So sorry, but I think I'm good, let me just take a sip of water and no pressure. Oh, okay, we had a real moment. We're getting to know each other right off the get here.

Speaker 2: 12:41

Look, I am. I am anxiety queen. Okay, I lived my life with panic attacks for years and years. I'm a Virgo. I overthink, like you name it. That's why I became a life coach, because I went through all of that stuff and I still do so.

Speaker 1: 12:54

I totally get it Plus.

Speaker 2: 12:56

I went through menopause really early and that's super fun because hormones are awesome when they're going against you. Yeah, that's great. They are, I know I feel like that's part of what I'm dealing with. Is my body's like, who knows, there's a full moon coming?

Speaker 1: 13:14

Yes, and it's a full moon in Virgo, so hold on to your shit. Here we go. Okay, let's do that again. I'm sorry, I'm ready now we got it, you're good.

Speaker 1: 13:21

We asked a few good questions there. So, kind of start from the beginning, storytelling was definitely something I was always drawn to. As a kid, you know, I loved movies. I think a lot of us, like 80s kids were kind of raised by movies. I would rewatch them, get memorize, you know, memorize them. And then I started falling in love with dance. I discovered music videos at that same time and I was like, okay, maybe, maybe this is what I'm going to do, maybe I'm going to be a backup dancer, maybe I'm for Janet Jackson specifically, or maybe, you know, and I would get these ideas in my head, like these music video ideas, but I had no skills to execute anything. So theater morphed into I mean, I'm sorry. Dance morphed into theater. Theater morphed into I mean, I'm sorry. Dance morphed into theater. Theater morphed into video production and editing editing. I was like, wait a minute, I can create the story. I can make this idea in my head become a reality. And that completely blew my mind. I fell in love with it and I started a creative studio. And I was running a creative studio for about 10 years.

Speaker 1: 14:26

2020 hit and I think things were going for me like the creative studio was doing. Well, I have a beautiful husband, we were building a house together and I was pushing 40. But at the same time, I looked at myself and I was like, okay, I'm probably the most mentally and physically unhealthy I've ever been in my life. And then one day I remember clearly I was sitting at the computer and I had this moment of like what am I doing this all for? I don't know what my purpose is here.

Speaker 1: 14:56

I'm not happy, and not in the sense of like I didn't want to be here, but more in the sense of I have been chasing a to-do list for the past 10 years, never once asking myself what do I want to do? What am I contributing to the world? Do I have anything to contribute? And so that was a wonderful, enlightening moment. However, now we're in 2020. So I'm just sitting at home, the world is in turmoil and I have nothing to do but look in the mirror and figure this thing out. So I realized that my story wasn't exceptional and the fact that a lot of people at some point go through this feeling lost, and that would have been so helpful for me to know at the time, because it can feel so lonely to feel that way.

Speaker 1: 16:00

So I thought, wait a minute, what if? When I was trying to kind of rediscover my purpose, I was like what if I take my skill set, I'm only qualified to be a creative. That's the only thing I've been trained in.

Speaker 2: 16:12

I was like what if I take only as if it's okay, right Like, I only have this amazing brain, but continue.

Speaker 1: 16:21

So I was like what if I take? This skillset and then I create something that perhaps could help somebody out there at least one person and so I started to do that and, um, and that's kind of where we are today. Yeah, Okay.

Speaker 2: 16:37

This is like such a great, and I think this is one of the reasons why your content resonates so well with people, because it's it comes from that. You know your purpose. You finding rediscovering this purpose Right and like, um, it's universal. So many people and I speak to creatives a lot, obviously, and I am one and I I definitely see this as a common theme that a lot of us either are going through right now or went through in 2020. Like, it was such a catalyst, for sure, and I feel like maybe we go through it over and over again too, sometimes, right, I've been at this long enough where I feel like this is like my third generation of going through.

Speaker 2: 17:18

Like well, what am I doing? Like you know what I mean. Like continuously having to. Like you get stuck in this rut of like, oh, I love what I'm doing, and then you get into it and you start making money and you're like this is great, and then I'm like, a few years in, you're like this sucks and I want to burn it down to the ground. So you know, it's like.

Speaker 2: 17:33

I feel like this might be part of our curse of being creatives too, but you're right, there's so much power in speaking about it and to other people about it, because you know it is lonely to feel that way and you feel like, oh my God, this is just me, but it's not. So I do think that that's why that sort of resonates and you have this messaging in your content that you design your life right, so, like, come out of of this, you know, discovery process for you. That's definitely also what drew me to your content as well. What does that mean for you specifically? Cause I I'm fully like down that rabbit hole. I definitely believe that too, but I would love to hear your take on the you design your life concept, to hear your take on the you design your life concept.

Speaker 1: 18:22

What it means to me. Yeah, so I think for me, from experience, I think we can be reactive our entire lives. We can just be reacting to whatever's happening to us from the minute we wake up in the morning. Right, you pick up your phone. You're scrolling your email that has nothing to do with you. You're taking in that input. You're scrolling social media, you're taking in that input. Then you check your to-do list possibly of an entire day of things that you don't really want to be doing but you have to do. You can just spend your life until you die going down that list, and for me, life design is taking a beat amongst that chaos that we're going to have, that chaos in our lives, but just taking a beat to say what do I want my life to look like and then actually making conscious decisions somewhere within that schedule to make sure that you can get there.

Speaker 2: 19:14

Yeah, I talk about that a lot because I feel like we live unconsciously, like you said, in this reactive state and it's this unconscious programming right Of, like you're supposed to be doing this, supposed to be doing that, but then it just kind of takes over and it's very being intentional right. That's kind of what you're speaking to, I think, and then it's definitely something I definitely believe in. And I talk about a lot about how it is possible for us to get back in the driver's seat of our lives and decide where we want that car to go. But most of us tend to kind of get stuck in this rut sometimes of just being taken along for the ride, basically, and you know how it is. You just kind of get to a destination literally when you're driving. Sometimes You're like I don't know how I got here.

Speaker 1: 20:04

Don't remember driving here Literally.

Speaker 2: 20:08

And you know that's great, that we can have all of these daydreams and stuff. You know and you know. But at the same time I feel like that is truly a metaphor for the way we live our lives, and especially in today's world, where there's we're thrown we're thrown a lot of crap over and over again, so it's really easy to just get stuck in that. So this designing your life is a good reminder.

Speaker 1: 20:32

It also cause I do talk to a lot of people that are like going through a really hard time, so say, they're going through a divorce, they've lost money somehow, they have a family member that's super ill, they are ill and they're like, yeah, that all sounds great and lovely, but that doesn't apply to me. And when I talk to people I'm like obviously right now you're not going to be accomplishing what you can because you have limitations. But what can you do? Can you take five minutes today to figure out a way to keep your sanity? Can you step outside and ground for five minutes? Can you just take a deep breath? Can you be grateful for the nurse that is helping you? You know, can you?

Speaker 1: 21:10

Just the little things that we can focus on, that we can control, I think are very helpful in those moments. And it's, you know, life design. I think people think it has to be this transformation that has happened and now you're a completely different person. And it doesn't. The steps start very small because otherwise it actually can be very overwhelming. Thinking you have to be transformed in this new person. That can be incredibly overwhelming.

Speaker 2: 21:35

That's such a great point and I'm really glad you brought that up because it is absolutely true and I think also and maybe it's part of, and not just creatives, but I think that a lot of us are very black and white thinkers. Right, it has to be all or none, like I got to do it perfect, or I'm not going to fucking do it at all. You know that whole situation and so I feel like, because we sort of have this, we're primed for that mindset. When people do hear this, you know, design your life, it's like, well, that's nice for you, but and you're right, it's small steps. Right, small steps lead to really big changes over time. And we can just break it down and do it in chunks and do what you can with what you can and what you have at the moment. Even if it is five minutes, even if it is just like sitting in the sun for like five minutes, and if that's all you have, like, what can you do with what you have and what can you control, because most of it is completely outside of your control, but you can control yourself and your state and your breathing, you know, and and the intention there. So I do appreciate you bringing that up, because I hear that a lot as well in my community.

Speaker 2: 22:41

I initially found you on TikTok, as you know, because I reached out to you. I love me some TikTok. I had been on there since 2019, actually, yeah, before the pandemic hit. I was. You know, I work with a lot of high school seniors and teenagers in my job as a photographer, and so I saw them migrating there and I was like that's where I've got to be and I actually really loved it. All the photographers that I coach are like absolutely not, I am not doing TikTok, I'm not dancing, I'm not doing this. And I was like no, no, no, you don't understand, you can make it your own. And then 2020 hit, and then everybody started coming over and I was like I told you guys, literally.

Speaker 1: 23:22

I've been telling you for years.

Speaker 2: 23:25

I was on the cutting edge, right, but that's besides the point. Anyhow, what really struck me with your content because, again, you know, you came up on my For you page and what I loved about it was that you know it's polished and professional because you know what you're doing, but it's not overly like slick and like super, you know it's, it's still, it's still something that I can connect to and I found that really, yeah, I found that really interesting and different. Right, it's another reason why you stand out, which is huge today. Like, how are you going to stand out? Um, it makes a lot of sense hearing you say the whole music video thing, because that's I, I, I. It makes a lot more sense. Now I'm like, oh, yeah, yeah, because I, I was the same way, like I had fantasies of, you know, not necessarily being a dancer, cause that is not my skill and singing is not my skill either, but I wish that I could.

Speaker 2: 24:25

You know what I mean, like I wish that I could, and so I would definitely throw myself into those like dreamlike scenarios when I was younger. And I totally understand that and you and I, we probably we have very similar music tastes. So that's definitely. We'll get to music in a second, because I have a question about that that is going to be really specific. But my question for you in this respect is how do you do that melding of the like, you know, professional, with connection, and this might be like more of a technical, you know, question which I think a lot of people would probably find value in. But you know, what do you use to film your videos? What do you use to film your videos? What do you use to edit, like, how do you how, what's your preferred way of doing it and what do you find works best for you and your audience?

Speaker 1: 25:10

Well, I don't. I can't say that I actually made a conscious decision about the polish level polish to the videos but I did have always two goals. My number one goal always is to make sure that this video is worth your time. I have very high standards for my audience and I you know I I don't want to waste anybody's time, so it's is it worth the time. And also I want to make the visuals interesting enough to keep your attention, but I want to make it relatable enough and grounded enough that that it feels real. So technically, I use um basic things like when I can, I use natural light as much as possible. I shoot in real spaces Um, but I am very drawn If you've seen my videos. I'm very drawn to um things that kind of pull the extraordinary out of the ordinary Um. So like I'm always inspired by different directors like Tim Burton and Edward Scissorhands when Edward goes to the town and it's this fantastical character in these normal situations that really gets me excited. So I I just find different ways, like shooting with the natural light and the real spaces. That's one way that I kind of can can do that and bring those elements in Um. Also, I shoot everything on my iPhone. I love that, which.

Speaker 1: 26:25

I came from a video production background and I was when I that was a conscious decision. I was like I am not going through the wrangling of the DSLR and the batteries and the memory cards and the lights and the lenses and then the. If you want to do audio, you got to do a mic and a four track, like it's too much. So I was like, okay, let's simplify. If I'm going to create this much content, I'll just do it on my iPhone. So I shoot everything on my iPhone, which has been great. Uh, we've done a few drone shots, but everything else that you see is is iPhone. Um, and then editing, I use premiere. Okay, cool, that's my baby. That's probably where I'm the most comfortable, that's where I've done my 10,000 hours, for sure, and that's really where the storytelling happens. So I get very excited when I'm heading into the edit for a video. That's like that's where all the magic happens.

Speaker 2: 27:10

Yeah, yeah, you can tell. You can tell that you have an editor's eye and heart. You know what I mean, because that's really people I don't know. I don't. I don't think that people really understand just the, the average Joe, let's say, uh, I don't think they understand how important that is. I mean, um, and it also, you have to love it. Like as a photographer, I can see that from a different perspective because I'm definitely nobody's videographer, right, and I and I you know as much as I love doing content and um, making videos and providing value, my, my joy is not in that editing process, but I love editing photos. Like honestly, that is where you put your finishing touches on it. You know what I mean. Like that's how you make it yours, do you find that's kind of how you feel about that as well? And video, it also.

Speaker 1: 28:01

That's where it kind of comes to life. It's especially when you're shooting. Photography is a little different, because you get the shot, but even photography when you're editing it, the colors you're able to actually bring the color to life. So the photo takes on an incredibly different story In editing, I mean most of the time when I'm shooting these videos, I'm not shooting in order to order.

Speaker 1: 28:26

I I mean most of the time when I'm shooting these videos, I'm not shooting in order to order, I'm just shooting a shot and then. So now in editing, I can put it all together. My brain is a little bit nuts and I do. Before I go into a shoot, I do have all the shots in my head. I do do a shot that's amazing but I also picture it all in my head. So when I'm doing it, I'm picturing the edit before I've even started editing to make sure that I'm getting everything that I need. I'll even like I'll be in the middle of a shot and I'll be like, oh whoops, I forgot to write down. I need to pick up there, because I'm going to need something to go from this shot to this.

Speaker 2: 28:49

Like I it's yeah, you're a filmmaker, you're thinking like a filmmaker. Yes, yes, yes.

Speaker 1: 28:56

Yeah, and it's a blast. I mean it's. It's a blast. It's a lot to think about.

Speaker 2: 29:01

It is. But when you have the kind of brain that I think you know automatically is sort of like wired for the outer prime, for obviously if you're doing it because you love it, that you know what I mean At least there's there's something like that because for me, like personally and I'm married to an actor, writer, director, filmmaker, so I understand, like I hear him talking a lot about that as well that's not how my brain works at all Right, but I definitely understand that in terms of photography, because when I'm shooting, I can see it, like I can see that final image.

Speaker 2: 29:36

When, like, when I've gotten that shot, I'm like, oh my God, like I know when it happens and I know how I'm going to edit it. I'm in crop it and I know the feeling that's going to be like received from that image. I see it all. So I think it is similar in that process when you have that end in mind, right, yeah, I think that makes such a big difference.

Speaker 1: 29:57

So can I ask you a question? Yeah, absolutely, because this is something that I am working on. So this is more of just a discussion point. But I've noticed with shoots cause I'm someone who likes to like plan everything out, but I work on perfectionism, just just a bit but I've noticed every shoot, if I something magical, always happens that I did not plan and so now in my planning I'm like okay, but I'm going to leave room, I'm going to leave a little extra time on the shoot day to just see what happens. Do you do that?

Speaker 2: 30:26

at all, absolutely. Yeah, I don't know if you know a lot about the Enneagram, but I'm an Enneagram 7, wing 8. And so I think that has because otherwise which is so weird, because everywhere else I'm a Virgo, I'm an INTJ, like I am like primed for perfection, right, like that is like Gen Xer, you know, basically like feral childhood, but like had to be born and bred for perfection.

Speaker 2: 30:52

Yes, yes, rama, and so, um, you know like, but this part of me, you're right, I think that too many times I see creatives and I love that you brought this up and that you do this, because I work with a lot of creatives, I coach a lot of creatives and I think that's what gets us into trouble is that we we tend to start, you know, comparing ourself to all the other ones, whether it's photographers or, you know, creators or whatever we are, field we're in. We start like get inundated with all this input and oversaturation of content. You start thinking like, oh, oh, maybe I should be doing that, I should be doing that, and you get kind of lost in all of this other stuff and forget your own magic that you already have, and so it's something that I am actually really intentional about.

Speaker 2: 31:43

When I go into a shoot, I'm always leaving room for what if, like, I'm asking myself that question a lot Like I'm really big and I'm trained in NLP and this is kind of an NLP thing, but I always like to ask myself those questions Like I wonder what would happen if I did this. Like I wonder, I wonder what kind of magic is going to show up today, like literally just asking myself that every morning and then before I go into a shoot, like you know, um, I wonder what's going to show up today, I wonder what. You know what I mean. Like just just asking ourselves these questions actually opens up a whole different like creative space for us and it gets us out of this rigidity that we feel like we have to like ask perfectionists, like be in, and so, if you guys are listening to this like and if you struggle with that like, that is a really really great point to take from this conversation is that there's so much amazing stuff that happens, but you have to allow it to. Yes, right.

Speaker 2: 32:41

And so I feel like just kind of like for me. I just kind of like let it be and I asked myself questions Do you have, like, is that kind of how you approach it as well? Or do you find yourself daydreaming about things that could happen to you? Like, cause I do that sometimes too.

Speaker 1: 32:55

I'm daydreaming all the time. All the time I have caught myself on video when I'm in, if I'm in the middle of thinking about something, I just get quiet and I have no expression on my face and it looks like someone's just turned me off. I've caught it on video before and I'm like I look like I'm clinically nuts Cause I'll just be like dead face. Meanwhile my brain is doing cartwheels through the sky Like it's it's on fire. So, yes, I am daydreaming all the time. For me, the building in the the, the magic to happen is, I think, I think I, I still the perfectionist, I still like to build the structure, but then I just allow a little more space for something to happen.

Speaker 1: 33:33

So either that might manifest in time, um, that might manifest in hey, we're going to a cool location. I'm just I don't know exactly what the shot's going to look like. Let's get there and test some stuff out. You know, that day might be weird, the light might be weird or a beautiful cloud could appear and we could do something like that. I've had a flock of crows suddenly come by and I'm like trying to get that. You know there's, there's just magic that that happens, that you'll miss if you're just like got to follow the shot list and that's, that's not on there. You know, like it's, it's, it's really important. But it's something I learned literally probably in the past three months. I was not, I was, I was rigid before that and I was missing things.

Speaker 2: 34:14

That's a really good point. You kind of have to get out there and sometimes just throw yourself into the fire to do it and see what shows up. You know, but also you are also aware enough to notice it. That's the thing you know, like you have to kind of notice when that stuff is happening. Um, which I believe you know I I talk a lot about, like in business and things like that. We need grit, obviously, but we need optimism.

Speaker 1: 34:38

I love that word that is one of my that is one of my favorite things. I'm so glad you said that.

Speaker 2: 34:44

Grit and optimism, and there's actually a lot of research on this that's been done as well, and that's really kind of the basis of my show, right, Like tried and true strategies and things that we know work, and then a dash of woo, a dash of magic, a dash of optimism, whatever you want to call it. I really do believe I don't know, maybe it's my Libra rising that I feel like we, you know, we have to have both, a balance of both, and and we dance with it. For sure, I think like there's definitely times where you got to be more gritty. There's definitely a lot of times where you got to be a little bit more open to the magic, but I believe that we definitely need a healthy dose of both to to kind of make our dreams come true. If we want to be cheesy about it, but like that's really what it is right, Like if you've you know you've got this desire and you're creative and you got the desire to make money from it, you know that's a business as opposed to a hobby.

Speaker 1: 35:39

So, have.

Speaker 2: 35:40

I wanted to kind of dive into that for a second and see how cause you probably you know, when you started this, like you said you were doing this for you this rediscovery, like it was very much an authentic journey. But as you've grown, I can imagine and I don't know the answer to this and I could be completely wrong, but I can imagine that now you've amassed such a huge following on TikTok especially, this is now going into a different sort of lane for you, right? So, as far as like business, how have you navigated that while keeping the joy, keeping the creativity, while also like is that something you want it to be? Even you know what I mean, yeah.

Speaker 1: 36:20

Well, this has been fascinating, because no one is more surprised about the rise on TikTok than myself. I still don't really know what's happening. Um, and also it happened very quickly, so I started posting on TikTok Halloween of 22. So it's been a little over a year year and a half ish I math isn my strong suit, but let's just guess Year and a half and I think I got very lucky A. I got lucky in the fact that my brain doesn't work in the way that I'm like. Oh well, now I have this amount of following, so now I'm important. I feel like A. I have a little bit of imposter syndrome, so part of me is like what? This was a giant mistake.

Speaker 2: 37:06

You guys have gone to the wrong account.

Speaker 1: 37:08

I'm so sorry. We'll correct it soon. Um, but part of it is that I just I don't know that my relationship with it has changed over the past year, because it happened very quickly. So then I had to be like, okay, well, maybe this means I have to post every day. So then I it just started making me figure out whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Okay, so this isn't.

Speaker 1: 37:32

I am much less concerned with what the app wants for me than how this actually is going to fit into my life. That way, I can make it sustainable and stick with my purpose of bringing people value. I'm not going to just start posting just to post, which is a strategy that works and businesses need it because they need to grow all that stuff. I'm I'm doing the absolute wrong rules on everything here, um, when it comes to posting, but it's, but it works for me, so that's that's how I've dealt with it, but it's, but it works for me, so that's that's how I've dealt with it.

Speaker 1: 38:04

And also, I'm just very grateful and I'm still in awe of the fact that there's a video I posted. It was my fourth video I post on Tik TOK and it told my story and it went viral and I was weeping because I was like I the for me to press post on that video took so much courage and I almost didn't do it about 5,000 times. And then I did, and then for the reaction to happen that happened was it was a little validating, I'll admit, um, but also I was just in awe that I was not alone. I was so not alone that this many people cared about it. You know, they started following me. So I think I'm just so grateful that this happened to me.

Speaker 1: 38:45

I lost my purpose. I did the work to try to figure it all out and now I'm doing the thing that I think I should be doing, but I'm still not totally clear on the path. I'm just I'm just doors are opening and I'm going through them, but that it's it's, it's happening and things are moving, and so I'm just very grateful for this opportunity. A and I'm also just kind of seeing where it goes. And also, you know, the podcast. When you asked me to be on, I was like, am I interesting enough to be on a podcast? Also, can I edit this myself, cause I'm very I don't know.

Speaker 1: 39:18

I'm a control freak, I totally get that.

Speaker 2: 39:20

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 39:21

You guys listening. This is only like my second podcast and I almost had a panic attack at the beginning of this thing. So I'm I'm learning and sometimes you have to do the things you're scared of. That's one of the reasons I said yes is I was like I'm terrified of this. Let's just do it. I think it'll be good for growth. And, yeah, thank you for patience with me.

Speaker 2: 39:39

Oh my gosh, of course. Well, it's one of the things that I talk about a lot too, and I mean I didn't make it up. I think the first time I heard it was Tony Robbins, cause I've been like a self-development, like you know, going down that rabbit hole for 20 years. And one thing he talks about a lot and people have regurgitated this many different times but, like, if something comes up and you feel like you can't, you must, it's like literally, and so I hear his voice in my head all the time, like when there's something that comes up, because for me, like podcasting, zooms, all of that comes super easy to me. Get me on a stage in front of physical people, I want to vomit, like literally, and people are like shocked by that.

Speaker 2: 40:20

They're like yeah, like, what are you talking about? Like you talk all the time blah, blah, blah. And I was like, no, you don't understand. Like I want to curl into a ball and go to sleep, like literally never, ever, ever show my face in public again. And it keeps coming up. It's like if you can't, you must, if you can't, you must. And I was like I hate you, tony, but it's so true, right, because, like, the only way through is through, right, the only way to get over this is to go through it. And I mean I coach people on this daily, like, right, like the whole imposter stuff, everything. But it's really interesting too.

Speaker 2: 40:53

I wanted to just quickly make a little note about the imposter syndrome, because I just saw a real today of America Ferrera talking about that and she was like you know, because imposter syndrome is rooted in I don't know if you've ever looked into, like, the origins of that, but I did a podcast on this a long time ago and it was about I was shocked to know exactly where it came from. But anyone who is basically minorities and even women, like people of color, who have been suppressed for years, right, and she was talking about how well it's, not necessarily she's like yeah, I definitely feel like an imposter. She goes, but I didn't do this to myself, like I, I literally like never. It's society and the way that we were raised that taught us that we couldn't do this, or you know. So it's almost like this.

Speaker 2: 41:44

It's a natural sort of feeling to have, right, like well, I've never been here before, so why would I feel like I can do this? Because this is so new and I love that perspective a little bit that she brought to it, because it's so true. It's like we've never done something before. It's going to feel scary, no matter what. And then if it's a trigger, like we were just talking about, like oh my God, like this is bringing up anxiety For me. You know, running from it gives it a lot more power. It gets bigger and bigger and bigger, and so the harder thing to do is to just face it, but in actuality, it's kind of the easiest thing to do as well, because it takes its power away and you become empowered again.

Speaker 1: 42:25

So and I brought that up. Yeah, it's. You just said so many important things there, and, especially as a woman, the America for error, that's. That's brilliant. I haven't heard that before and that was just resonating with me as you were saying it, I think, as women as well, it's. It's even stronger because this is something I've been fighting my entire career, because I was an editor that was female, I was in video production, I'm female and, uh, most of the time I would talk to people and they'd be like can I please speak to your editor, or things like that, and I'm like you're talking to her, let's get into it.

Speaker 1: 43:01

It's just the way it is and I think there's still. We carry so much of that because it's even though I've been fighting it for so long, it's still. It just depends on what different avenue you're going into. We do carry that. That was a really fascinating point.

Speaker 2: 43:15

Yeah, no, it really is. It's something to definitely think about and it was just a short clip. I'd like to try and find the longer clip of what she was talking about, because she probably laid a lot more truth nuggets in there. But it's something I see a lot of and, kind of going back to this discussion of just kind of like showing up you pressing the button on that video was incredibly difficult to do. I hear that a lot and I've definitely been there as well.

Speaker 2: 43:49

But I hear a lot from creatives, from photographers. They're like well, who cares, who cares about my story? Nobody cares about what I had for breakfast, nobody cares what I blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. You know what I mean and I'm sorry, but that's just not true, right. And the only way to really understand that and to know it is to just kind of put yourself out there and to show up authentically. And I think that the reason why people do connect is because of that, right and we throw that word around a lot that authenticity, right. I mean, I get kind of like sick of that word, but there's a reason why you know that video of yours and I think that I don't think that that's the one I initially saw, but I went to it after I you know, I was like, oh my gosh, like this is so fun, your content is so fun, and that's really that's really what was so refreshing about it, and that brings me back to my optimism statement, like we don't have enough of that.

Speaker 2: 44:48

We don't have enough of that. And my husband this is something he talks about a lot too because the movies that he makes and wants to make, they're not like doom and gloom, true crime, they are like happy movies. They make people feel good, like 80s films did, yes, and I feel like I really hope. I hope that we might be on the verge of a resurgence of that, just in our media in general. But I think that I just want to make that point to you guys, to you know, when you go check out Liz's content, like you're going to see what I'm talking about, it's happy, it makes you feel good.

Speaker 2: 45:25

And I have a question about the music, because I know this has to be something top of mind for you now that TikTok has like doing you know, we had this music rights situation with Universal Group, so a lot of the music went away, and that's like your music is. I mean, your videos are very music based, like you, and maybe you even come up with an idea when you hear a song. I don't even know what is going on with that for you, and how are you going to navigate that? I mean?

Speaker 1: 45:57

I'm rolling up my sleeves. Ladies and gentlemen, let's dive into my most favorite topic. That is such a good question and also, you are such a smart creative that you picked up on that. Like I'm you're, you're just, I just love speaking to other creatives. Thank you for asking this question. Um, yes, music is my thing. I love music. Um, and when I come up, most of the time I am listening to music and then an idea comes up with a song.

Speaker 1: 46:28

Sometimes I have an idea and the music comes up, but either way the music and the idea are the top of my process, and then I kind of move on from there. Um, so, yes, this UMG TikTok feud not great. Half of my videos right now are muted, which, if you want to see the ones that are muted.

Speaker 1: 46:39

They're over on Instagram as well. Yes, exactly, and I'm hoping so. Hoping they come to a resolution here and they're able to make up, but it's out of our control, it's totally out of our control. That's the risk we take on posting on these apps is we don't have control of the content completely. So until then, I'm just going to have to be selective about my music and be a little more flexible, which makes me not as excited, but I have hope, because Taylor Swift is coming out with an album in April and she's on universal. I cannot imagine. If anyone can fix this, it's going to be Taylor.

Speaker 2: 47:18

Swift.

Speaker 1: 47:19

Yes, yes, mother will heal this wound, please.

Speaker 2: 47:26

Please, gods of Taylor Swift, literally, I don't even know. You're right, you're right, we can't control it. It's definitely something that we can't do. But and as a creative, I can also sort of infer that, you know, it's probably made your brain like kind of turn in a different way, like okay, how, because I've been thinking about that Like how can you get around that? Like, yes, us speaking on camera is important and you've gotten voiceovers, I mean, you know what I mean, like things like that. So maybe, maybe it'll spark, maybe it'll be a something that'll, you know, spark something even more amazing. Um, if we want to be optimistic, but yeah, I like that thing.

Speaker 1: 48:12

My brain is so crazy that at one point I was like, well, now I'm going to have to learn how to score my own things. And I was like, liz, you don't have time. You don't have time to now become a composer. Okay, let's rein it in a little bit there.

Speaker 2: 48:24

Sister, I love that that's the only choice. Well, I can probably do it. You know what I mean, and that's the thing. That's the thing with creatives and especially those of us like and I think I was, like I was a grown ass adult before I realized that not everybody kind of thought this way Because, like I said, I'm married to somebody who's also a creative, but his creative is different than my brain, like his, his brain never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, stops, like, never stops. Like sometimes he can't sleep, like there's, like there's some days where he will just not sleep because he just can't shut the brain off. I don't have that type of neurodiversity, so I'm really blessed in that. But in general I was always the kind of person who like, oh, I want to learn how to do something, I'll just teach myself. Like, I'll just figure it out, you know. And I really was an adult before I realized, oh, not everybody does that, but I imagine you probably are, which is why you had that idea 100%.

Speaker 1: 49:22

I am, yeah, delusional to the max. I think, yeah, and I don't know. I don't know who to thank for this gift. I don't know if it's my parents for just instilling that confidence in me. Also, work Like I was a PA for so many, a production assistant for so many years on sets, and literally there'll be like, well, we need the moon in an hour, and I'll be like, okay, you can ask questions, you just have to figure it out on your own, and I think that training, too, got me like I will, I'll just do it myself. I can just do it to my detriment. There's times where you need to ask for help, and I'm learning that because you can also burn yourself out, which I did. Um, so it's, it's a balance, and your husband and I have the same brain.

Speaker 2: 50:00

I he's are you like that too?

Speaker 1: 50:01

Yeah, yes, but to my health, I mean to the detriment of my health. So I've had to. It is so hard for us creatives listening. You can't tell a creative brain hey, it's nine to five and then you just turn off. It's our brains don't work that way. You get ideas at weird times of day. Some days I'll block out and I'll be like, okay, today's a writing day, and then I sit down to write and my brain's like, nope, we got nothing. You just have to be a little bit flexible. But at the same time there are like time blocking, there are different strategies you can set up so that way you don't, you're supporting your brain but you're not burning yourself out. You put in time to rest. I had no idea how important rest was.

Speaker 1: 50:40

Oh yeah, Build in rest as much as we build in work. I mean, it's especially for protecting your brain as a muscle and your creativity as a muscle. It's, it is. I've learned that the hard way. Everything I talk about I learned the hard way, which is the only reason why I'm speaking about it. Um, yeah, but it's. It's fascinating. It's so funny how we work differently. Like, your creative brain is completely different than your husband's. My creative brain is completely different than my husband's.

Speaker 2: 51:06

Is he a creative as well? Your husband like how does that work for you guys? That's interesting to me.

Speaker 1: 51:11

He is. He has his own production company. Um, he's. He works mainly in sports and music life in a van. Shout out to life in a van productions. Um, he is so disciplined. It's frustrating. He is so disciplined with his work-life balance Like he. He can just turn it off. He's like that's enough for today. I'm tired, I'm going to take the time to rest. It's inspiring to me because he's he, you know, he goes to sleep at the right time. He's so consistent. Meanwhile my brain's like let's go. You know, if I let my brain go, I'd be up till 4amm every day doing something. Yeah, it's just like a Tasmanian devil up there, but he helps his watching him. He's kind of an inspiration for me Be so disciplined and still be successful. And meanwhile I'm over here staying up till 4 am and feeling miserable, like that was a good parameter for me to figure out like there's another way to do this and and still get the things done and also take care of yourself.

Speaker 2: 52:10

Yeah, what a concept. What a concept. I know you know what it's so interesting to hear that because, like you, yeah, I sound, your husband and I have a lot in common. Um, but I kind of came to that because I burned myself. You know what I mean. Like I definitely I am blessed and I am so grateful for this. Like I am blessed with the ability to sleep, like that I didn't realize how, like I took it for granted. Basically, you know what I mean.

Speaker 2: 52:40

And like, being married to Andrew and seeing how he struck, because, literally, like he will just be like nope, tonight's not the night that I'm going to get any rest, and there are like certain days where he just and you name it, by the way, and he's tried it, you know what I mean Like literally, like there's, and sometimes it works, and he'll go like two weeks and he's like this is glorious, and then it'll stop. And so I, literally, I am asleep pretty much as I lay my head down to the pillow. He's like what happens? I'm like I just stopped thinking and go to sleep. And he's like you're an alien, like how, how do you get your brain to stop?

Speaker 1: 53:16

I'm like I just tell it this is really fascinating, because I'm you in this respect.

Speaker 2: 53:21

I can turn it off. That's good. That's good.

Speaker 1: 53:25

And my husband can't, but yet he's the one that is like making sure he gets to bed. Well, maybe that's why.

Speaker 2: 53:29

Yeah, exactly, and I, yeah, and he definitely. Andrew has more like sleep rituals and they call it like a sleep diet, right, Like there's certain supplements that he has to take like three hours before he wants to go to sleep. There's certain things that you shouldn't do before you go to like me. I'm like, before he wants to go to sleep, there's certain things that you shouldn't do before you go to like me. I'm like, whatever, I can have a glass, I can have a cup of coffee, and I will be like asleep in an hour. You know what I mean?

Speaker 2: 53:52

My body, I think it is just like and honestly, this could have to do with a lot of different things but I've gotten into human design a lot in the last couple of years and I've really seen that because I'm a generator and I'm like that I'm cause I'm a generator and I'm like, oh, I just burn my, I just burn all that energy all day long and like, by the time I go to bed, I'm like, I'm done, I got to replenish, and so I'm really grateful for that. But years and years of having kids.

Speaker 1: 54:12

So I had three kids under the age of two, which was awful.

Speaker 2: 54:20

Yeah, we didn't plan that at all and it was just like the universe was like oh, here's a bunch of kids and, okay, we're doing that, and then it was just years and years of not sleeping enough because of that. That's kind of where my sleep issues came from. When I did sleep, I slept, but I wasn't sleeping enough. And what you had said before about how important sleep is, when I started prioritizing seven to eight hours that's my window, I know that. You know cause I lived on like five and a half six hours of sleep. I lived on that for years.

Speaker 2: 54:51

Just like you know, and it really took a toll on my body, my hormones, my cortisol, all kinds of stuff. And it wasn't until my kids left the house and went to college that I was like, oh I get wow, this is kind of amazing Like seven to eight hours of sleep. I'm a different person. So I think that if you can like find your sweet spot as early on as possible and I know it's hard, like if you're out there raising kids and you're listening to this, I totally feel you. But maybe that does look like shutting down, you know, a lot earlier.

Speaker 2: 55:28

Because for me I used to like rebel against that, that bedtime, right, I'd put my kids to bed and I'd be like this is my time, and you know, this is my time to be creative and to build my business and edit photos or whatever it is. And it's like, oh, okay, now it's one o'clock in the morning and I got to get these kids to school at six. That's going to suck. So really being intentional, I think about like what works for you and then allowing yourself some freedom in that maybe as well. You know, but that is interesting, that your husband, you guys, have that sort of like different dynamic and I'm glad that you're a sleeper as well, because it matters have that sort of like different dynamic, and I'm glad that you're a sleeper as well, because it matters, it totally matters, and, like you're, the difference between five hours to eight hours of sleep is so different.

Speaker 1: 56:11

The difference between six hours to seven hours sleep is so different. It's, it's wild how our brain works, and it's he, though, is a person that, because he doesn't always sleep great, he'll take naps during the day, and I'll actually get at him, cause I'll be like we have so much to do today.

Speaker 1: 56:25

This is not. He's like I have to take a nap, like I just said. That's it and I respect it. But at the same time I'm like, well, if you just keep going through the day, then you'll go to sleep at night, exactly.

Speaker 2: 56:36

These are. These are conversations I've had with my husband. I'm like why are you napping? He's like cause I physically need to actually sleep.

Speaker 1: 56:43

And that's totally fine. But people like you and I, who are not nappers, are like let's keep it going, buddy, come on, we got that's bedtime only.

Speaker 2: 56:51

That's so funny Does and so does he help you with your content, sometimes Like, how does that look for you guys, Cause sometimes I drag my husband into my work.

Speaker 1: 57:07

He? Um, yes, he helps me sometimes. Most of the time it's me. Um, occasionally, if you see me on camera and the camera's moving, then I've either had to rope him in or a friend in my niece lives in the area. I started roping her in anyone someone on the street.

Speaker 1: 57:16

I mean I've just started. Yeah, it just depends, but he's super helpful. He's also the first person I show everything to, um he's. He's an incredible support and he supported me through this whole thing, when one day I was like I'm going to try this and he was like, okay, let's you know that's awesome. Yeah, he's. He's a wonderful man. I'm very lucky.

Speaker 2: 57:36

That's very cool. Um, what is I'm curious to know, like, out of all of this that's happening and again it's still happening, for, you know, you're still sort of trying to like acclimate to it and kind of you know, figure out where you want all this to go? Um, what has been like an unexpected either challenge or good stuff or both um, that you faced and like, if it was a challenge, how'd you overcome it faced?

Speaker 1: 58:05

and like, if it was a challenge, how'd you overcome it? Um, something that's unexpected not unexpected that I'm always facing is, um, perfectionism and my relationship with it, Um, which this has actually been preach, start it, start a club. Seriously, it's just. It just rears its ugly head sometimes, but this has actually been very helpful for it, because there's times where I'm like we're not going to reshoot that. Liz, you got to.

Speaker 2: 58:30

this is what you got.

Speaker 1: 58:32

You only have a day to shoot this, and then we got to just move forward. So that's something I'm constantly battling. The thing that was unexpected is the idea that the content never stops. There is no end insights to how much content to create, and that was I spoke earlier on this. That was when I really had to look at my relationship with the apps and also balance that with my life and be like what do I want this to look like? This is way more about what I want it to look like, the quality I want to produce, and if, if that happens to grow, that would be wonderful. I can't just live my life just trying to follow the rules, because it's I'm going to lose all the life design that I just spent two years working on, you know.

Speaker 1: 59:14

So, that's been the the probably the most unexpected challenge and something that I'm still grappling with, Cause it's. You know. I actually would love to ask you the question of how you deal with content, because you are so good you are, always have content out and it's quality content. You do. I'm like does she have a team of 30 people? How is she doing all this? You're really incredible at it.

Speaker 2: 59:38

Oh, thank you, Thanks. Honestly, it is a lot of repetition. I mean, it wasn't like that when I started in 2019 on TikTok and, honestly, before that, I wasn't producing as much because that's not the world we lived in. Like you know what I mean. Like back then, it was Instagram mainly, and you know I wasn't thinking about, oh, I have to create like three to five videos a day. That's TikTok and so, and it's changed, and it's changed. You know what I mean. As you know, that algorithm is just like, constantly in evolution.

Speaker 2: 1:00:10

And so you know a PhD to just figure that out. But what I have found is that, first of all, I know I know the kind of content that my audience really responds to and like what's going to be the most helpful for them. And a lot of it is me talking to camera and answering questions and doing that sort of content. And that's not really hard necessarily for me to do because I do it all day, every day in coaching, like I'm doing it all the time. So it's that 10,000 hours thing about you know what I mean. Like that's definitely coming into play there.

Speaker 2: 1:00:48

If I were creating something more in line with what you're doing, that would be a whole different story. Like that's a whole different type of content in my mind anyway, because first of all, I'm not great at that. I wish I could be, but I'm not. And you know there's definitely pieces of it where I'm like, oh, that would be fun to do, but it's quick, it's like eight seconds and it's like something that just kind of pops into my brain and I just kind of like I'm inspired by, maybe a piece of music and I just want to kind of push it out. But I think really the answer to.

Speaker 2: 1:01:19

That is that I have stumbled into it Like I didn't intentionally do this, but I'm good at it. I didn't know that I'd be good at that. Right, it's like a lot of times we don't know we're good at something until we do it, and I think this is definitely one of those things where I'm like oh, like somebody was asking me that at lunch the other day. She was like who do you have right now helping you? And I was like nobody, because I have in the past had people in and out, but like they can't go as fast as me and I'm going to find somebody. I am definitely I'm a big believer in asking for help and outsourcing and having people, but I need somebody who's going to be like a me.

Speaker 1: 1:02:02

Right.

Speaker 2: 1:02:03

That's what.

Speaker 1: 1:02:03

I run into too, cause I am getting to the point where I'm going to need to start asking for help. But I'm like, but who? How myself?

Speaker 2: 1:02:11

Yes, yes, it is really interesting, and so I know that that person is out there. I do, and I have people who help me with other things right, but not necessarily with like the production of the content For me like that's really like where I shine right now, but not necessarily with like the production of the content For me like that's really like where I shine right now, but over time, that's definitely, it's on my radar for sure.

Speaker 1: 1:02:32

Well, it's inspiring that you're able to do that, and it's just so authentic because you see a lot of people creating a lot of content, but it's not always great content, and I'm in the same way.

Speaker 2: 1:02:43

It's like I'm not going to just put something crappy out, just to put something out, like that's not ever what I want. And a lot of my videos like some of them are just like some of them do fine, some of them do really well and that's data Like. So I tell that to creatives all the time like notice, notice what is resonating, and then just do it again, right, like maybe put a different spin on it, maybe, you know, talk about a different piece of it and see how that resonates. Because really what it's about is like, how am I connecting with that audience?

Speaker 1: 1:03:14

And that's the whole thing. I mean, that's the whole. I feel like if you're not coming from that place, then what are you doing here? The whole thing is about the audience. I mean, it's all about what your connection and the value that you're bringing, and that's the best for me. That's the best way to approach this whole thing, because otherwise it's quite overwhelming. Otherwise you're also trying to follow the trends which are never ending never ending it's I have not done.

Speaker 1: 1:03:38

I don't think I've done a trend yet this is what I'm talking about when I'm breaking the rules, and I love that.

Speaker 2: 1:03:45

I love that you have created like 60,000 plus followers on TikTok without doing trends and you don't go live and you don't. You know what I mean. Like you're doing things in a very different way, which is fascinating to me, because it's like Seth Godin always talks about like be the purple cow, right, and I love me some nonconformity. Okay, let me just tell you that's like, that's my. We were talking about why. That is part of my. Why statement is is all about like unconventionality and do differently.

Speaker 1: 1:04:17

So but even I'm surprised by you know, I had a video that went very viral last year it was the witch video. This past Halloween, that was a two and a half minute video that got ended up getting 1.6 million views. I ended up getting 32,000 followers. Wow, that one video, and it was a two and a half minute video on TikTok I. There are parts of things like I also happened to post that video right as TikTok, unbeknownst to all of us, was going to start pushing longer content. So there is an element of luck, for sure, with this stuff, that that comes into play. But but I don't know about you, but sometimes when things go viral, I'm like wow, I thought this video was going to go, but this, this is the one. Like it's. It meant something to me and I was super proud of it, but I never, I never thought it resonated it resonated, you got it.

Speaker 2: 1:05:10

That video can't go viral like that if it doesn't resonate and if it doesn't, if people don't watch it the whole time. That's the thing. And, like you said, two and a half minutes, like that's asking a lot of a TikTok generation, you know. But that is storytelling and that is that's really a huge. You know, props to you, because that is hard to do If somebody's tuning in for that long and over and over again cause I watched that video, like I probably three or four times, like I was just like this just makes me so happy and you know, like, and I love the song and I love all the things that you, it's just like the storytelling part of it, um, is really, really huge.

Speaker 2: 1:05:52

And so if you're out there trying to create content and nothing's really hitting, like you know from this conversation, hopefully you've gotten stay true to yourself. You know it has to come from you and it has like that, that the nature of it has to be pure in that. In that sense, I think you know like it can't just be because you want to like become, you know, tiktok, famous or anything like that. Like, I'm sure that happens, but long. The longevity, I think, is where what comes in is when it's authentic and when you have connection. You're building a community of people who are like-minded, like, really like.

Speaker 1: 1:06:26

If you've got that many people following you from one video, that means they want to see more of that, but also that means that it's your people, and I think that's something so magical there you know, and as I'm getting to know them too, I mean these are like incredibly brilliant, smart people living incredible lives, and it's just so cool to resonate, to have the same themes going on in your life that are going on in someone else's life, and for you guys to connect. That's the beauty of social media, I think.

Speaker 2: 1:06:55

And you had Nancy Meyers comment, I think, on one of your videos right.

Speaker 1: 1:06:58

She reposted a video. I have still not recovered. I am not okay about this.

Speaker 2: 1:07:02

That is insane. I mean, I was going to ask you, I needed to ask. I was like how did you deal with?

Speaker 1: 1:07:06

that I did not. I did not. First of all, I was like I shut for a minute. I shut down because I couldn't believe what I was seeing. My husband has a funny imitation of me, because we were watching. Every time I post, I post it and I put the phone away for like three hours. Sometimes I don't even check it till the next morning because I just don't want to be. That's awesome.

Speaker 2: 1:07:25

So you don't stay on there for 20 minutes and make sure you go through like they say you're. So that's another rule that you're breaking. That I love.

Speaker 1: 1:07:31

Instagram. Occasionally I will stay on for like 10 minutes, but it just it's hard for me Like it just feels very um salesy. I don't know if that's the form word. Formative and ego.

Speaker 1: 1:07:43

Yeah, and not authentic, like I'm just commenting that way I get more I don't know. So I do try to dismiss. Also, it is hard when you start getting a lot of positive feedback. We are human beings. It can get addicting and I want to make sure that I'm not searching for that because then I think it's going to cloud all of this. So I try to make that's another boundary that I try to make. But that day I posted, did my thing. My husband and I are watching TV, we like made dinner, went for a walk, did all this stuff and then I picked up my phone to check it and he said I just started going, what I? Oh, he was like you couldn't make a word because I was getting these alerts on Instagram which I don't get, like huge things from Instagram. I was getting a million alerts. And then finally he was like I think Nancy Meyers just reposted your thing because people are DMing me. And I was like what? And then we I mean called all my friends.

Speaker 2: 1:08:37

It was oh, that is so I still can't believe it.

Speaker 1: 1:08:39

And she wrote me the sweetest note after too, like we had a little interaction that I didn't post, but she is. She's a real gem, okay.

Speaker 2: 1:08:50

That is incredible. I love that so much. I love that for you. Okay, before we wrap up, cause I could keep you here all day talking. I know I could stay with you all day.

Speaker 1: 1:08:58

This is so fun.

Speaker 2: 1:08:59

A lot to talk about. I know I do always like to ask my guests because of the show and the theme of it. You know how does woo or magic kind of show up in your daily life, like whether it's a spiritual practice or rituals you do, belief systems, whatever it is astrology, you know like what? What level of, uh, what level of woo are you? Level of woo I have in my life, my life.

Speaker 1: 1:09:24

Um, I have anxiety, I suffer with anxiety, I have for many years as I said at the beginning of this podcast, when I had to restart cause, I started having a moment Um I, so I have a lot of woo in my toolbox, along with other things, some things that have recently been helping me the most. Um one I didn't want to believe that this works as much as it works, but now there's too much evidence is manifesting. I'm like it just works, it just happens. I'm not saying I'd sit here and I say I want a million dollars and it shows up on my doorstep, but there has been so many things that have happened that I have thought about and then suddenly it's happening. Maybe not in the way that I thought it was going to happen, but it's happening. So manifestation. I'm very cautious about what I'm putting out in the universe, what I'm asking for and how specific.

Speaker 1: 1:10:10

I get when I am asking for something, and also what am I giving to back to it? I believe in that give and take with the universe, which is so well. And then the second thing is meditation. I meditate and I journal every morning and that for me, um, the meditation just helps. Mornings are stressful. Your cortisol levels up it it. Your brain, right away when you wake up, tends to be stressed. So I don't touch my phone, I just I meditate and then I journal and the meditating is calming my mind. The journaling is getting out whatever nonsense.

Speaker 1: 1:10:45

I'm ruminating on and just getting it out of my brain. So those have been the two woo things that I'm into at the moment.

Speaker 2: 1:10:52

I love it, I love that, but yeah, us anxious girlies. Meditation, man meditation, and honestly, that goes along with the manifestation too, because you can get so much closer to the person you want to become by meditating, because you were literally like I don't know. Are you a fan of Dr Joe Dispenza? Have you read his books at all?

Speaker 1: 1:11:13

I'm just about to start some meditation stuff with him because so many people have recommended it, but I have not started yet.

Speaker 2: 1:11:19

That will change your life. Yeah, because that's what he talks about, and it's literally about becoming energetically, becoming this energetic version of yourself, and the fastest way to do it is to meditate through it. And so I know like a lot of people are like well, my brain is too active. No, you don't have to do anything. Like that's the thing you know. And I'm certified in hypnosis and I love hypnosis as well. So I use both, because in hypnosis you can speak directly to your unconscious, which I think is like a fast track Game changer. Yeah, it really is.

Speaker 2: 1:11:51

And sometimes I'll just fall asleep listening to hypnosis tracks and I'll wake up and I'm like it's really cool. It's really really cool. I'll have like students say like I don't know why, but all of a sudden, like everything is shifted. I'm like, how often are you listening to the hypnosis tracks Every night? And I'm like, yeah, that's why. So there's a lot of power, and I just think that it's amazing. That's why I love to ask this question to see what everybody's processes are, because, yes, you're right, your mornings it's very easy to just like get up and fall right down. You know the anxiety highway that's what I call it and to be reactive. It sets you up to be reactive, but if you take control of it, you're the one who's like no, I'm not doing that, I'm going to create first or I'm going to before I consume. You know that kind of thing. Be a little bit more intentional and in control of your state from the, from the jump. I really think it's.

Speaker 1: 1:12:48

It's a much better way to set up your day and I only learned that through doing it the other way first and it didn't work. And it's just sometimes I think these things are so simple that we're like it's too simple, it can't possibly work, it's too simple but it does so no 100%. I tell people all the time.

Speaker 2: 1:13:06

It're like it's too simple, it can't possibly work. It's too simple but it does no 100%. I tell people all the time it's like it's a very, very simple thing. It doesn't mean it's easy, it is simple, right, and that's the thing, cause we get up here and we the overthinking takes control and it's like you create a lot of different excuses and things like that. But it can be easy. So you know, just let it be easy.

Speaker 1: 1:13:25

Yeah, so much pressure on yourself. Yeah, exactly.

Speaker 2: 1:13:28

That's me. Thank you so much for being here. Okay, tell everybody where, where do you prefer people connect with you? All of that, you know, cause I know um, you know obviously on Tik TOK and things like that, but is there a specific way that you want people to connect with you or anything like that?

Speaker 1: 1:13:46

Well, yeah, you can follow me on TikTok at Liz Rance. You can follow me on Instagram at Liz Rance. On Instagram, I am probably more reachable DM wise. I'm always in my DMs and I'm always talking to people, so if you'd like to get ahold of me, that's the best way, but I would love to chat with you. I mean, I'm so excited to talk to your audience and this is very cool what you're creating here. So thank you so much for having me.

Speaker 2: 1:14:08

Thank you for being here. This has been awesome. How amazing is she Like just so real and I mean like, even with that little moment in the beginning where she wanted, you know, she needed to stop when we were done, she's like keep that in. Like, just keep that in. It's like totally my thing, like I think it's important for people to see like we're all just human, we all have stuff going on, right, social media is fake. And I loved that because it's a really great beat and a reminder that yeah, sometimes we just need a second. And yeah, you know, like I've been in that position.

Speaker 2: 1:14:45

As I mentioned on the show a few times, I have a lot of anxiety and there has been a lot of times where I've had to do that. I've had to just say, oh, can we just take a second? I just I need to, I need to breathe, I forgot to breathe and I've also done it where I didn't speak up and take a minute and I just pushed it down and tried to like pretend that I was okay, and it's really a lot harder to do that. It's so much easier to just stop and say, hey, you know what, I need a second. So sorry, but let me just regroup for a minute, and that's usually all it takes, and so I think that's a really good metaphor just for all of us, right, like, if you need a minute, say something. Okay, be your own biggest advocate, because a lot of times we feel like we can't say something because it's going to be weird or we don't want to be perceived a certain way. But in actuality, most people are dealing with this kind of stuff and most people are going to be understanding of what you're going through. So speak up for yourself. Okay, you can't get what you want if you don't ask for it.

Speaker 2: 1:15:54

Another takeaway that I think is really valuable from this episode is her process and sort of the way that she looks at it, and also what she brought up about leaving room for the unexpected and the magical. I love that, because I didn't even realize I kind of was doing that until probably years into my business, and it is like it is a very cool thing that we can be very intentional about, because when we do intentionally leave the space open and like the what, if right, the question, when we get curious, the universe answers, and so something really fun always shows up, and that's where most of like the magic happens in my sessions is you know stuff that wasn't necessarily planned. There is a lot to say for planning and I do love that. She spoke about how she does storyboard and even as a photographer, you guys, that's a really great idea. It's a great idea to storyboard your session. If that's what works for you.

Speaker 2: 1:17:00

Don't try and be someone else. If you know that the planning is going to calm your anxiety and make you feel more prepared, then that's what you should be doing and spend the time to do it. But if you're kind of like me and I like to have a little bit of a plan, but I really like to flow, I'm really big in flow and I also am very good in the moment and I know that about myself. So if I wasn't good in the moment and I know that about myself so if I wasn't good in the moment and I know that you know like I needed some help in posing, then I would prep that. But I know that I'm just better when I'm in rapport with my client and some of my best ideas just happen when I just don't plan and I'm just like, oh my gosh, that is the location, we need to go right there, like if I see something, like when we're out and about and things just drop in. So I know that I tend to work a little bit better when I allow myself to. You know, just be willing to be flexible, right, but you have to know yourself. That's all part of the self-awareness and I hope that this show in general has helped you with that. If nothing else, I hope that it has helped you find your path with your self-development and self-awareness, because I feel like so many of us just kind of float around, live hypnotically. So many of us just, you know, kind of float around, live hypnotically, and I just think it's so much more effective and more peaceful to be intentional about all of that.

Speaker 2: 1:18:32

So, once again, thank you for being here and listening and sharing and go out there and do your sharing for the giveaway. I'm excited to just give away a whole bunch of stuff over the next seven days and thank you from the bottom of my heart for being giveaway. I'm excited to just give away a whole bunch of stuff over the next seven days and thank you from the bottom of my heart for being here Some of you guys from the very beginning of me launching this show, and I truly, truly appreciate you guys so much. You have no idea. Thank you so much. There's nothing that I love more than hearing from you in my DMs telling me how a certain episode impacted you, and that just keeps me going, even when it's super hard to keep going. So, thank you so much. Have a fantastic rest of your week. I'll see you next time. Love you, bye.