Mindset Artistry
Mindset Artistry Empowers Corporate Creatives and Fashion & Entertainment industry professionals to discover their purpose and achieve career fulfillment through inspiring content, personalized coaching, and a supportive community.
Mindset Artistry
Finding Balance and Authenticity: Julia Damatin on CrossFit, Acting, and Personal Growth
What if finding authenticity could transform your life? On this episode of the Mindset Artistry Podcast, we sit down with Julia DeMaten, a New York City actor and CrossFit coach, to uncover her inspiring journey from restrictive dieting and exhausting exercise routines to a balanced, fulfilling lifestyle. Julia shares her raw and honest experiences in a BFA musical theater program, the pressure to fit a certain mold, and how discovering CrossFit served as both a challenge and a revelation in her life.
Julia opens up about the financial constraints post-graduation that led her to reexamine her relationship with fitness and nutrition, ultimately finding a healthier path. Transitioning to life in the bustling city, she found empowerment and freedom through the inclusive community at CrossFit Wall Street, where she now coaches. We delve into her acting career and how embracing authenticity has been crucial in both her professional and personal life. Julia’s story underscores the importance of self-acceptance, balance, and finding inner peace.
We also highlight the multifaceted world of CrossFit, illustrating its transformative impact not just on physical fitness but on personal confidence and overall life performance. Julia's evolution from a gym novice to a coach highlights the supportive and inclusive nature of CrossFit, accommodating everyone from teenagers to seniors. Through personal anecdotes, Julia illuminates how CrossFit can create a sense of community and inspire curiosity. Join us for an episode that encourages you to try new things and embrace the journey, knowing you are never alone.
This is the Mindset Artistry Podcast. I'm Amanda DeWoe, an actor or actress per your reference, and an inner voice life coach, and I'm Janelle.
Speaker 2:Pulaski, an actor and career and mindset coach. We're your hosts and we're here to flip your mindset, to teach you the artistry of what we learned to keep your mind in check Over the course of our lives.
Speaker 1:we've taken on the journey of healing, living and being authentically ourselves, as we successfully built our individual careers in the entertainment industry.
Speaker 2:This podcast is designed for you so you can discover your goals and courageously reach them at your highest potential, while being a hundred and thousand percent yourself.
Speaker 1:What you'll get from us is real dirty and okay, a little more like a lot of quirky, along with special elite guests that nurture empathy and create a safe space without judgment. So get ready to build a mindset that is unapologetically you and excel beyond the stars. Welcome to the Mindset Artistry Podcast.
Speaker 3:That's good.
Speaker 2:Hello everybody and welcome back to another awesome episode of Mindset Artistry. I'm so excited for our next guest, ms Julia DeMaten. She's a New York City-based actor and CrossFit coach. Her audience is mainly young performers college and post-grad age, and she creates content to highlight the importance of strength training, fooling your body, fueling and finding balance in all that we do as performers, and Amanda and I are always talking about this. I talk about the three buckets biz, craft and self-care when I'm building my calendar out to make sure I'm checking off the boxes. So there's so much we want to talk to you about. Julia, I really would love to start with your journey. You got a BFA and that had a certain structure and mentality and mindset around it and then you were like this has to change because this is unhealthy. So I would love what you have to share about that.
Speaker 3:I went through the very traditional musical theater college audition track. I did four years in a bfa program. Um, I definitely have a love-hate relationship with musical theater because of my program and also a love-hate relationship with just like musical theater programs in general. Now, going into like my freshman year of college, I really decided I had this idea in my head that I needed after going through the college audition process. I don't a lot of people go through it and it's like harder to get into most of these schools than it is than like Ivy League schools. It's like insane like the acceptance rate and a lot of it is like truly, what I was taught especially was like you're put into a box, and so I decided that I needed to become the smallest version of myself and I'm a dancer, but I was a dancer who sang and act like that's how I went into college and so I spent like the first two years just like going to the gym. Honestly, yeah, two years of college going to the gym every single day, eating as little as possible. It was very unhealthy. I was tired all the time. I was going to class, I was in shows, I was going to the gym. I was barely eating. It was awful Thinking about it now and like what I was told, what I believed and how I tried so hard to shape myself into that person. I uh I really do try not to speak poorly of just like my program or like professors in my program that there was um. There was um one specific part of my program. It was my sophomore year. That was kind of like when it really really got bad. That's actually when I started CrossFit too, because I knew this class was coming. Where you took this class it was called Musical Theater, repertoire 1. And basically at the end of the class they decided they handed out a series of letters basically recommending that you leave the program. My class had a record number of letters. I don't think there had ever been as many letters given out in previous years and it was awful. We wrote these like papers, that the papers you would write who you thought you were like in the industry and your grade was based off of whether the professor agreed or disagreed.
Speaker 3:I'm 20 years old, like I didn't know myself. I didn't know who I wanted to be. I just knew that I loved musical theater, and I still do love musical theater, but it was my whole life and I was willing to do anything to fit into that box and get that A, basically, and that honestly continued until I was a junior or senior, until I graduated. I didn't really start to really look at what I was doing to myself. I've been out of school for two years now and moved to New York City for like a temp job after I graduated and it was like the first time that I kind of like stepped away from that.
Speaker 3:I couldn't afford to go to CrossFit in New York City and CrossFit's really hard. It's one of those styles of workouts I think it's amazing. It changed my life. It's the reason that I am the person I am today. It's the reason that I have the people that I have in my life. I'm literally wearing a CrossFit brand t-shirt right now because I coached from 5 am to 8.30.
Speaker 3:I love it to death, but the way my relationship with it was so awful and unhealthy and I just wanted to be so small and I just didn't want to eat carbs and it was just terrible. My mindset of it and my two years post-grad, like I went to New York and I couldn't afford to go to the gym and I like started to be like you know, if I want to. I remember I was like eating a muffin. It was like a chocolate chocolate chip muffin. I really want to eat this muffin. Like maybe I should just eat it.
Speaker 3:One of those things like that's so hard, especially like I had a binge eating disorder forever. Senior year of high school is when it started and it just got worse and worse and worse and worse and I was so restricted with food and something I still like and continue I don't think you'll ever stop working through it, when that is always your mindset, especially as a performer, when you're like I need to be this way, because I need to look this way so I can get this role and then I can get this agent and this, and that it does start in education, like, especially, um, like collegiate theater, like I can't stress that enough. So I started to make content, like a year ago because I was honestly bored. I was in Buffalo, new York, which is like my favorite place in the world. It's where I went to school, it's where all like my crossfit friends are, um, and I was like you know what?
Speaker 3:I always wanted to make a fitness page. And I was like I want to make a theater fitness page and and I just started cranking out content and it has opened so many doors for me and created so many conversations that I didn't even know that I could start. And it's really nice, too, because I've had so many people who are either currently in my program or ahead of me, who've just reached out to me about similar experiences that we've had, and even people in other programs. It's crazy to think that now I'm going off on a tangent but like these things that are ingrained in our head, like really shape who you are, and you don't even know yourself and you're just forcing yourself to be something that you're not. And that's what I did. I was forcing. I was forcing myself to be someone that I like I'm not. And so now here I am and I live in New York.
Speaker 2:You're here and you broke the mold.
Speaker 1:I just wanted to commend you. I always like to commend our guest because and thank you for telling your story and being able to express that you had the eating disorder and that identity kind of crisis. I call it like the chaos of identity, especially when you're in that age of college, guilty, and I work with my clients on this identity and empowerment and it's very difficult to find your identity and who am I within a society or a career or a structure that is being defined for you, because success is defined this way. You see, that actress right, that comparison of like who are you compared to in the industry, that is successful and I'm going to judge if you're right or wrong. That is so detrimental to our identity and how we see ourselves, because then it tears down our confidence and the fact that if I'm not like that person, I will never be as successful as that person. And so we mold ourselves and that's what you were kind of doing is. You were in that mindset and I love that you talked about mindset, because mindset is the groundwork, the foundation of who we are and if you're not managing that, if you're not paying attention to that, if you're not in tuned with that. You end up moving through life kind of like you did, whereas you were putting yourself in these situations that were harmful, putting yourself in these situations that were harmful, that were also dishonest with your truth, like with your truth and your gifts. And so I commend you for all of that, because it's very hard, it's very, very hard for someone to get out of that mold. And then I think what's beautiful is that no one can tell the story like you can. No one can ever tell the story like you can, and I keep telling everyone that is don't be afraid to tell your story, because there's someone out there waiting to hear that story so they can get out of their predicament.
Speaker 1:And so I wanted to kind of circle back a bit you talked about, and then I definitely want to talk about where you are with CrossFit and how that correlates with your success and your ability to talk to other people and share your story and work.
Speaker 1:Is you talked about there was a through line between your belief during a time when you were trying, when you were getting your BFA, and how you were treating your body and then how you were interacting with your craft at that time. And so I'm just curious on what was the you think was the mindset of that version of you that was in school versus now. And I know you said there was a moment where you started looking back in your junior year. But what specifically was it that you had the courage and the perseverance to say wait a minute, let me take a step back? This doesn't feel good, this is not what I want to do, and so now I have to dig a little bit deeper and then also look at the bigger picture and going is this something that I want? And then take that step forward to pursue CrossFit and connect with your craft now. Good question.
Speaker 3:I think about college and I loved college. I really did Like I. I wouldn't have the people in my life today that I do. There are a lot of parts of my life and a lot of parts of myself that I wouldn't have without that experience and without my school and my program. I, honest to God, in college I was in survival mode and, like I think about it now, I truly was.
Speaker 3:I'm asking anyone I went to school with, especially my three roommates. I was the same three girls who I was roommates with freshman year. I was with at least one of them like living with them throughout that whole time. I was very fortunate in that sense, but I was. I was just constantly I wanted to do well. I wanted to do well in school and I really loved what I was doing. And I think like I didn't want to fail and I wanted to. In my head I was like the only way that I'm going to be successful is if I be this version of myself that someone already decided I was, because, you know, I went into college thinking that I was an ingenue and that I was going to sing like Green Pigeon, linda Byrds and I was going to be in a Sondheim musical. Then I get to college and it's like, actually, julia, no, that's not who you are. You don't look like them, you don't have the same body types that you have the same voice types, that you have this, this, this, this, this, Like. I was told that. And then the second that I left school and I come to New York City for two months, I to, or I can go to, whatever audition I want to go to, like I don't have to do all these things. There's no one telling me who I can and can't be, and my grade doesn't depend on it, my transcript doesn't depend on it. I wrote, I wrote an excellent paper, or I worked so hard on this performance, or I did this or that, and I also paid an insane amount of money to go to college, only to constantly be told who I am and am not.
Speaker 3:When I started CrossFit, the reason I started it was to become small, to become the smallest version of myself that I could Over time. Like I just love it. Like regardless of like what my mindset was with food or with CrossFit, like I truly just love the sport. It is a sport in itself. I'm going to one of my friends made it to the adaptive athlete CrossFit games, which is like he's number seven in the world for his division, which is absolutely insane. So I'm going to go to San Antonio with all my friends to watch and, like all of my best friends really in the world minus like my couple of my dance friends, couple of my college friends are my CrossFit friends and I think, like now like I work at CrossFit Wall Street and I coach a lot of dudes honestly, which is like really funny.
Speaker 3:Today it was me, but in my, in my 5.30 PM class, it was me, a 24 year old girl who was like hey guys, how are we doing? And then these just like, it was all guys, it was just dudes between the ages of like 28 and 37, like and me and I was telling them what to do and I that's hilarious I lead my coaching with empathy, like I truly don't think like, or at least where I am in my fitness or what I believe fitness is like. Everyone has different goals and there are people who are like super competitive. But also I always say to everyone I would rather you go lighter or not do this movement or not push as hard if it means that you're going to be able to come back the next day, if it means that you're not going to get burnt out from it, if it means that you know, don't live to train. I train to live Because I used to live to train and I was so tired, like so tired. I think I was just tired of being tired.
Speaker 2:And that makes me think of.
Speaker 2:I saw a quote the other day and I don't remember exactly what it said, but it was talking about a lot of times people will say I'll feel more rested or happy once I get to this point, and really it's. You know, you have to just find your peace first, and then everything else will follow, and I love that. You mentioned here that if you're trying to become the smallest version of yourself and it could just be physically I've definitely made myself smaller if I felt I was too intimidating, partially because also a very empathetic person, I don't like to see people shrink, but I was also protecting myself from people being mean to me for being my full version of who I am, and so I would love if you could talk more about how that translates to your acting career. You know playing small and not being fully authentically you, and it's not just acting, it's everywhere in life, because how you do one thing is how you do all things, or at least many things. So I'd love for you to speak more on that point.
Speaker 3:Parts of the boxes that are put that I was put in. That I really liked. I can't stop talking to save my life. I am very like bubbly and energetic and I love just like fun, comedic relief, best friend roles like I live for that stuff. And in college that was also like all I got. That was like really all I was ever given, unless it was sort of like a dancer ish role. But you know, I was. I was a dancer, but I was never the strongest dancer. I was put in the featured ensemble for dance a lot of the time I wasn't like the dancer, if that makes sense.
Speaker 3:In terms of theater, I study and I perform on screen more and I just can't bring myself to go to a musical theater. Call I just there's zero interest in doing that. Sounds awful to me. Maybe that will change. But right now, like I love that instead of always being this crazy big, over the top character all the time, I'm like I get to like be more simple. I just started at a new acting studio that I'm with Act. First I got a scholarship and like this whole thing I was super excited about it and I went the other day for like my first day. Just everything just felt so natural. Everything just felt so natural.
Speaker 3:I love telling stories and I love camera work, because I've done a couple short films in New York. I'm finishing one this week. I'm just so much more like at ease. I'm like this is, I'm just cruising through, I'm I enjoy being there and for a long time I didn't enjoy it. I wanted to quit sophomore year. I quit for a day, actually, I quit my BFA program for one day. Um, I was going to be an exercise science major. I get my degree. Every day I stand up in front of people and I talk to them every single day. I am the comedic relief, I am the information I get in front of dudes and I tell them what to do.
Speaker 1:I think you touched something so great about joy and I was in the same position as you. I didn't think that, first of all, I didn't go to college for it to be an actor, didn't think that it was actually even possible. I went from criminal justice to forensic science, to forensic psychology, and many times that I've changed my degree when I was in college and then I finally settled on forensic psychology and graduated. But all that to say is you say and I say this all the time is that life is purposeful, everything in your life is purposeful and everything that you experience is purposeful for the thing that you're meant to do. And so you would not be where you are today if you did not go and study and get your BFA. It's taking it with a grain of salt and also stepping back again to say, okay, I learned what I learned, I know what I don't like now. And I was watching the round table with Naomi Watts and Jennifer Anderstein and Nicole Kidman and they were talking about saying yes and no in the industry, as actors, as actresses, and learning how to identify the hard no's and the hard yes's and the joy behind that. And you said that right now. Musical theater is a hard no for you and you're okay with that. That is such a beautiful place to be in and it's a great step. Anybody who's kind of struggling is get to know what your hard no is. Get to know what you're excited about is with your yes's. And then you said yes to yourself and you were like all right, I'm going to kind of pursue this career in CrossFit, not only because I want to get smaller, but it's actually bringing something to my life that I didn't know was possible. And then you're still now all that. Now you're back to acting. Congratulations on getting to. Was it actor first? That's awesome, so congratulations on all that. And now you're in a place where you can start intentionally pursuing the things that you want and right, and I love that.
Speaker 1:So tell me about what that feels like. That is confidence, right. That is knowing who you are, and that's what you know as a coach. That's what I teach, because I struggled with that for a long time All the you know questions, and it's okay, cause that's what I teach, because I struggled with that for a long time All the questions. And it's okay, because that's what we're supposed to do when we're like 19, 20, 21.
Speaker 1:We're supposed to question identity a little bit, right. We're supposed to explore and say, well, let me try this, let me try that. Oh, no, I don't want to, and that's very common within our lives. But what does it feel like now to know that you are intentionally living and going? No, I'm going to focus on. No, I don't want to do a musical theater right now, and that's okay.
Speaker 1:That confidence, that security, that peace, I'm still want to do acting. And now I'm way more calm in the art and like, because most people they would say no, I don't want to do it, and then they would talk themselves out of pursuing the career. All together and going no, I'm a failure, because I didn't get to do what I was supposed to do, and so you took a shift and now you're in a place where, again, you're moving intentionally and you got into that class. So tell me what it's like to be in that mindset of I am intentionally living and I find joy in doing multitude of things and you are Angelou in your own way, right? You're crafting this new world for yourself and you're identifying it and defining it for yourself now. So what does it feel like and what is your advice for anyone who may be struggling with actually moving through life and saying yes and saying no to the things that they actually want to, versus putting themselves in predicaments that are feeling comfortable and just not true to themselves?
Speaker 3:I love that question. I think there's like two sides to that in my opinion. I love that I have so much control over my life. I'm 24 years old. I moved to New York all by myself. I didn't have a lick of help. My parents helped me move here like physically move, but I did it all on my own. I love that. I get to make choices every day that move me forward. But it also hasn't always been like this. I think it did take a certain amount of discipline, and especially financially. If I'm being honest, the reason that I have a lot of this freedom in my life is because I don't have necessarily financial freedom, but I have financial stability that I built for myself.
Speaker 3:I still bartend. I will be at the bar a couple days this week. My friends are in town and I still have to hop behind the bar because no one else can do it. I can't take that time off. I need that money. But also I make content for businesses and they pay my rent, which is insane and it's so fun. Today I did a shoot at a restaurant and I got to eat all the food after and I'm going to make the content and pay my rent this month, which is insane. And I did that because I just started making videos. My account actors are athletes. I started there and then I make TikToks, which I just do TikTok for fun. Please, nobody ever take my TikTok seriously, please. And yeah, I just I love that I can make these choices for myself and like I can afford to go to a studio, like that Cause, yeah, I got a scholarship.
Speaker 3:It pays for like a third of it but like still a lot of money. And I think that's another thing. I know what I want and I'm willing to pay that money because I know that's the direction I want to go. And I know that I have a bunch of short films under my belt now. I know we've talked about this to get me on tape a lot. I can be intentional because I worked really hard to have that privilege. I can't remember a time where I didn't have three to four jobs. You know what I mean. So I think it's one of those things where it's exhausting. It truly is exhausting, but I do love it and I am really proud of myself, honestly, for putting myself in that position, like coming out of college and just build that life for myself so that I can do these things.
Speaker 2:You have a beautiful, the most beautiful energy, like you've rested like 17 hours. I didn't plant Julia, ladies and gentlemen. I think it's really wonderful because you're not meaning to, but you're speaking directly to. What I talk about is that find the creative jobs that bring you joy. So, as you're saying, I use my degree every day cracking the wick on these Wall Street men that are older than me, because I'm using this performance, you know, and then you get to create content, because you really just leaned into your message and it opened those doors for you. And so, yes, we all have to work.
Speaker 2:When I say I work full-time in the industry, I remember when I first told people that and I was really afraid to tell people that, because then they started saying, well, I haven't seen you on TV, and I was like, well, that's not all that I do. I work in production fit, showroom, regular print, body modeling, makeup modeling, parts modeling, commercials, voiceover, theater and TV. I'm going to do everything that I can. That's creative. And I've been pulled to produce too, like field producing.
Speaker 2:So I thought I would hate it because, yeah, I was like I'm behind the camera and I'm like, hold on, I don't go behind the camera. But I actually really loved it because it's very directorial and so I just got very excited because I was like, oh, what's the storyline? And then we had these beautiful people and I was like, okay, yeah, do this, this and this. And then they had a good time and I had a good time and we created this thing together, which is what you're doing with these. You know you're making this stuff at restaurants and really neat. So I appreciate, as you're sharing that, because I think a lot of people are afraid that if they like their side hustle or their thrival job is what I've heard people say they'll give up completely on acting. But what you're saying is I'm still in class, I'm making these connections, I'm working on the craft, I'm just also doing these other jobs so I can pay for that, but it doesn't take away from my dream and it's also like I.
Speaker 3:When I first moved to new york, I was working at I'm not gonna say the name of the restaurant, but one of the most well-known new york city uh, restaurant chains. Just take a. Just think classic american food. There's four of them. You know some people will get it, but I was a bartender there and I was miserable. I was exhausted. I was working insane hours and I didn't want to. I didn't want to go to dance class, I didn't want to do any of these things and you know I'm still tired. But I also I'm less tired when I'm less miserable and I don't want to be miserable. I don't want to be miserable. And you know, some people, there is so much in our industry, so much glory and misery, like being miserable. It's like a flex. I'm like why I was like that for so long, Like why yeah, there's this thing.
Speaker 1:It's funny because I'm very similar to you in the sense of like I think that it takes a lot of courage also to leave something that you're not happy in Right, and you did that with that job. It's very difficult to do that and say, no, I'm done because we get comfortable in the misery. Right, misery loves company, so we end up joining with misery and then you live in that and then you're like why do I hate life? I don't have energy to do the thing that I actually want to do. And so you and Nell talks about this all the time is you know about the different jobs and really tapping into your creativity and just being open to exploring different facets of yourself and then finding out how that can contribute to your financial status or bringing more joy into your life so that you can show up to do the other things. And that's what you did. You actively made a choice to go, and I love that. You said choice. Right Now you have choices. You are actively making choices that align with okay well, I know it's sacrificing too right. It's like well, I don't want to be in a job that I hate, because then that's going to make me come home and be tired, and then I'm not going to do my dance classes, I'm not going to want to go to art classes, and so you made an active choice to go. Okay, so there's something got to on the podcast with us and having a shit ton of energy to say, yeah, I fucking love this shit, right, as part of my French, right, but I like, I love it, and so for you know, and so that's the beauty about finding the freaking joy, finding the joy and then being able to find that balance in between. So I and I'm grateful that you say that, because I've been talking about that with my clients it's like find the joy, explore that. What does joy look like for you in different facets? And don't be afraid to express that, because, just like Janelle and myself, we have expressed producing and writing, and now we're life coaches and we're the podcast.
Speaker 1:It's like go for it, you don't have to be one thing and you can do it all. Maybe not at the same time, because you can't split into multiple people at once, but there's space to do the things you love. You just got to find that balance and you found that balance. So what would you bear with someone who is trying to do multiple things but they can't quite get a grip on the balance within their life, right? So we have obligations, we have bills, and then we have desires and goals in our life, and so how do you balance these obligations, such as a job of like oh well, this is my survival job, I need to pay the bills versus the things that I love to do acting but I love to do CrossFit and I love to do all these other things? How do you find balance within that and be able to say I think it goes back to again the choices and saying yes and no and then being honest with yourself to go.
Speaker 3:I can't do all of this right now, but let me see how I can eventually do it. Yeah, I think one of the reasons that I again I said this before like I can do that and hopefully it will get better, is because I did sit in a lot of discomfort for a really long time, like I. I had to pay like $1,000 to get a CrossFit certification, but I also now don't pay a gym membership and I make twice as much in New York compared to what I made in Buffalo coaching. So it's like sitting in that financial discomfort. Or for a long time I had to work jobs that I didn't want to work so that I could afford to move to New York or stuff like that. So I think it's like I would say finding balance is really something you have to work so that I could afford to move to New York or stuff like that. So I think it's like I would say finding balance is really something you have to work towards. It's not going to happen overnight. You have to make sacrifices. Sometimes you don't always get to do what you want to do, and I think that's sort of where I think like just as humans, like when we don't get that instant gratification, we give up, and I've done that many times.
Speaker 3:But I think that you know it's okay to sit in that discomfort, it's okay to sit in that imbalance, it's okay to be exhausted, but it's also like okay not to go out four nights a week, which is something I used to do. It's also okay to say no to a shift. It's also okay to say no to an audition. It's okay to choosing what you say no to think can be important. But yeah, I, it took me a long time to again get to. I'm kind of like at the beginning of my balance, I'm finally finding it. But again, like I, I get to coach and I get to.
Speaker 3:I get paid to go to the gym, which is like I've worked at three gyms now and I am like certified baby of the group, because people usually join CrossFit like mid-20s when you're like expensive, it's like we're in, like you're fine, like people are like financially stable enough to afford a gym membership, like that. But I've been in these spaces since I was 19 years old and I was paying like buffalo prices to go there, and so I always say like I also am very lucky to have people in my life who I aspired to be like from a very young age. Some of my best friends own homes. That's a crazy concept for someone my age. Some of my best friends in the world are homeowners.
Speaker 3:One of my friends sends pictures of his baby in the family group chat all the time because he's 33 and has a baby. I grew up so fast, but like not in a bad way, if that makes sense. Someone said to me today I was like oh yeah, I'm 24. And he's like you're 24? He's like you just seem so mature for your age and like it's because I spend my time around people who are older than me and people who you know they set a bar for me when I was post-grad and I worked twice as hard to just like get to their level.
Speaker 2:Basically, it's the only way I've ever grown and, yeah, it's great. I love that you're making that point, because even I didn't start my journey towards working full time as a creative until I met somebody that was doing it, Because one thing to know that it exists, that's why we all started. It's another to meet a human that is right there and doing it and she says, oh, I do commercials and print full time. I was like, oh, what else? She's like, that's all I do. I was like what? And I think I came across a little offensive but she was really sweet and looked at me like, oh, young child, little offensive but she was really sweet and like, looked at me like, oh, young child, you know. And she started asking me really deep questions that nobody else that was at my level was asking me Okay, well, what are you doing? I'm doing this. She's like how often I was like I don't know. She's like you don't know. Well, that's your problem. She's like it's a business and every business measures their progress and what's going on.
Speaker 2:And I take business classes now and they'll say, if you can't really pinpoint exactly where something went wrong, went a direction you didn't want it to go, you're not aware enough. You're not paying enough attention to your business, and so I'm so grateful for her. And in dance class, I always wanted to be around the other dancers that were older than me or that were better than me, and I felt like a loser for a while. But then I started picking up their skill set because they were teaching me things that I didn't know. And even in acting class right now one of the guys he just got a tour of Harry Potter. He's Harry Potter and you know the other people in there are booking recurring TV roles, and so sometimes I feel a little intimidated in there, but I'm just learning so much from them.
Speaker 2:Okay now, Julia, this is the thing that we really need from you is the social media advice, because so Amanda and I are quite young ish. We've been around and you know, and I actually was so inspired by you because you did one where it was like a day in the life and I was like, why haven't I done this yet? And it's a little tricky, because as a fit or showroom model, you're not allowed to show the designs. I could actually get fired. It totally made your uptick in my views, because obviously it's very fascinating. It's one thing if I'm like this is what I do every day, and it's another thing if I show, and so you even gave me a little courage. I was like, well, I can show around it and it works. So, please, whatever social media wisdom you have a lot of, it has to do with authenticity and really like a clear, concise message right, Like how did you?
Speaker 3:find that? Um well, for like the day in the life I started doing them last year On, just on TikTok. This was before I, even before I even thought about creating actors or athletes. It was like the beginning of audition season. I was traveling to New York and Toronto a lot for auditions and, honestly, for those I just pick super busy days Like today was an insane day for me. I coached at 5am and then I filmed content and then I came home and watched the Tonys for a little bit and then I went back to coach and then I came here. That's an insane day and it hits all my points fitness content and now acting, creating content.
Speaker 3:I always like to say, depending on the platform, you're on creating it with intention. So I would rather you know I try to post five days a week and I have a specific grid so that it's a post and then two videos and then a post like a photo. Like you, look at my grid. My grid is very aesthetically pleasing. It's modeled after my friend's business's grid. If you look at her business account, it's like they're same but different, but always I think like post with intention account. It's like they're they're, they're same but different, but always, I think, like post with intention, like what, what do you, what are you trying to say? And like what's a cool, different way to say it. So I did a content video the other day of I was filming content at my gym, because I help with the content at my gym sometimes and I took a video of me filming content and I like talked about that or I always try to prop my phone up at the gym. I'll mass record them so that I have backups just in case. It's been hard to keep up with my personal content just because I've been getting so much freelance stuff, which is great. I'm so grateful that I have the opportunity to create these conversations. I don't have a huge audience, but I do have a really decently sized audience for my niche. It's given me the opportunity to connect with so many awesome people and I've gotten some really cool people coming up Like dream collaboration.
Speaker 3:I had Cara Rose DiPietro. I like almost died. I'm like her biggest fan. I really am. Like I'll say that openly, like I don't care if she sees it Like I'm literally her biggest fan. And the fact that, like she answered, she like followed me back one day and like answered my DMs. I was like, but her story on just like recovery and we have like very, we have like similar but different experiences, which is something I started following her when I was in college. So like really cool, like her eating disorder recovery journey, especially going through BFA program too. Like eating disorder recovery journey, especially going through bfa program too. Like I mean, have so many cool conversations with people who, like I never like if I didn't, if I didn't start that account over a year ago, we wouldn't know each other, we wouldn't be sitting here.
Speaker 3:So make the cringy content. Who cares? If it's cringy like who cares? Like someone you went to high school, it's gonna see and be like oh my god, juliette abond is so weird. Why did she post that? Like okay, I got a lot of opportunities because I posted that cringy video and like they only get better. I don't know if I should post this. Who cares?
Speaker 1:Yes, that's what I'm talking about. Like really just start right at the end of the day, thanks, congratulations. Because, let me see, janelle and I had no clue how to freaking do this podcast stuff. I was not really big on social media and it was like taking that brave step to go I don't know, and that's okay, you said it earlier. It's like it's okay not to know, it's okay to be nervous, it's okay Like almost kind of living in an imposter syndrome but still doing it anyway. And that's what you did. You were like so what, it's going to get better and that's.
Speaker 1:I lived in the perfectionism of things. I was like no, it has to be a specific way, it has to look like that person in this and very much controlling. And when I gave that up and decided that just try and be yourself, it was so much more liberating and so much more fun. And then I learned a lot more. I just made the shifts as I went along, which is what you did. Is you just tried, did the cringy thing, did the thing, and now you've gotten better and it's like, honestly, as my mom used to say, fuck that shit. Right, when people say like fuck that shit, I'm cursing today, all types of things. But hey, right, it's the Bronx coming out today. It's really just going. Who cares? Because at the end of the day, you get to do what you love, like look at all the things you've accomplished along the way and develop within yourself and learn to grow and speak your truth in everything that you do. And now you're sharing that on a platform that is probably and I'm sure it is inspiring others to do the same, just like you inspired Janelle. You are inspiring because you took the risk, you did the thing and said all right, if you like it, you like it, if you don't, okay, because you've lived in the rejection of it. And so you've kind of like with acting and the BFA program and all that stuff, it's like all right, rejection is not going to define me, if anything. It's like me and Janelle, we say rejection is redirection, rejection is protection and rejection is correction, and so it's all those things that you decided to do. So it's like do the thing.
Speaker 1:Because now look at myself and Janelle. We have you on this podcast, we're collaborating with all these amazing people. We get to share your story, share our story and like have fun doing it. We have so much fun doing this and we're doing so much more and you are doing so much more.
Speaker 1:So it's like do the thing, do the freaking thing that you want to do, forget what people think, don't worry about it being perfect, try it out. It's like doing those auditions You're not going to prepare and then let go see what happens, see what comes up and see what kind of fun you have with it and I just it's beautiful to see and it's beautiful to be talked about and really dismantle that idea of perfectionism or comparison to others. Like so what if they're doing the same thing that you are? You're doing it differently. No one can have your story, no one can have your voice. I just want to circle back because I want some more information. Can you explain to me, for those that don't know, what is CrossFit? I know it's a little late in the game, but, like, really explain to me what CrossFit is and how someone can get access to CrossFit, to you and your platform.
Speaker 3:Crossfit is functional training. It is constantly varied. You will never show up and do the same thing every day. It focuses on strength training, functional movements, gymnastics, cardio, hiit anything and everything you will do in CrossFit. The thing that I love about it most is the functionality of it. You know a squat. Everyone sits down in a chair and stands up every single day. You know you pick something up off the floor every single day. Sometimes you live in New York City. You got a teeny tiny little closet. You got to take that box and you got to put it up overhead.
Speaker 3:I love the competitive aspect of it. I think it's also just like the most community oriented style of fitness out there. You show up to class and you have a coach who is certified by the brand, so it's not just a regular certification. Like I have CrossFit credentials. I can work in any CrossFit gym that will hire me, and we all stand at the whiteboard and I say Hi, welcome to class. My name is Julia. This is the workout that we're going to be doing today.
Speaker 3:Usually there's like a strength piece and a conditioning piece, sometimes a longer conditioning piece, and we go through the workout together. We do everything like on time together. There is a specific conditioning piece at the end. We talk through everything. There are progressions, modifications. Thing I love about it doesn't matter if you're 17 or 72, you can do it. There is something for you there it is. There are like also because it is a sport like in itself. Like there are the crossfit games where people literally win millions of dollars for like they. They're paid so much money for winning. They have the most insane sponsorships. It's not even funny. Like matt brazier, he was sponsored by nike. He has like his own brand. Now he's like the seven time fittest man on earth. Like that's like your crown fitness fittest on earth. And there is like a stigma about CrossFit. Like if you look up CrossFit pull-ups on TikTok, people are like making fun of CrossFitters and I'm like they're like that's not real pull-ups. I'm like, yeah, because we're training muscular endurance and cardiovascular endurance at the same time and that's really hard. But also, you only have to work out for an hour. You get a good workout and you don't have to go to the gym for seven hours to feel like you've got your workout in. But everyone can do it and that's literally why I love it.
Speaker 3:When I started, I was a lot heavier than I am now. I had never really stepped in a gym before. I just didn't have any confidence and it gave me, as a young person, so much confidence to a point where I can stand up in front of these men, which men terrify me most of the time. I'm scared, half the time but I now, as a 24-year-old girl, can be like hi, actually, we're going to do this, please stop talking. I am speaking, we're in class, which is crazy. I would never be able to do that.
Speaker 3:I'm a coach at CrossFit Wall Street. It is a lovely place with absolutely lovely humans. If anyone ever wants, if you go into my Instagram bio, you can take a class. Also, I do personal training. I do small group training. I actually like my GM. Actually she our head coach. She was in the national tour of Phantom of the Opera. Her name is Sarah Mossman. She is an absolute rock star, the fittest woman I've ever met in my entire life, incredible. But also we've had a lot of conversations about making fitness especially because how expensive fitness is in New York City, and especially CrossFit accessible to performers. So that's something I'm working on now really trying to find small groups of people who want to train together for a reasonable rate and stuff like that. So yeah, if you want to train with me, send me a DM, send me an email. It's all. It's literally all on my Instagram. Eventually I will probably release programming I have for fitness programming.
Speaker 3:I don't want to be like an online fitness trainer. I want to do everything in person. Like I'm going to edit like seven videos after this. I really just want to like I'm going to edit like seven videos after this. I really just want to like go into a space and hang out with actors or performers and teach them my favorite thing in the entire world. It made it easier. I remember when I started CrossFit and then I went back after like COVID and like did some shows or like did dance class at school, I was like wow, like this is so much easier because it is CrossFit makes everything else easier. People think I'm crazy, but it's true, like it does. I don't care what anyone says, it's great, it changed my life.
Speaker 2:And there you have it. Ladies and gentlemen, CrossFit, I'm not strong enough to do that. See, I have this thing I'm. I'm much better at, like, I don't know all types of dance and I can hike and, you know, do all types of things, but I don't know. I tried to CrossFit class once and it was. It was a mess, but you know what, I bet you could bridge a gap for me, Julia.
Speaker 3:Take my class, you got to take mine.
Speaker 2:All right. Well, don't don't make fun of me, though. My gosh, I can't believe it's already been like an hour. This has been so amazing. Do you have any final words for the people that are listening that you really want them to know about your journey and about life, and about being an actor and a human and anything?
Speaker 3:I'm just grateful to be here. Thanks for listening to my tangents and listening to me speak Like that's crazy to me. Like still, it's like crazy to me that I'm here. I hope what I've gone through can help someone or like connect me with more people who are as wonderful as you guys. You guys are awesome. This has been great.
Speaker 1:Don't make me cry. So thank you so much, no, thank you honestly so much for being on the podcast with us and sharing your story. I love this stuff. I love just sharing people's story, because I think so much gets brushed under the rug or overlooked or unshared. And that's why we created this platform is to share the stories and to let everybody know that you're not alone in this. Like ever, you don't ever have to be alone in this and that curiosity is what's going to really propel you forward in life.
Speaker 1:So thank you for sharing, because anyone's out there curious about CrossFit. You found your lady, you found your person to go and go, especially if you're in New York, like, go check it out, even just try it once. And if you don't like it, that's okay, but at least you try to give yourself the chance and that's at the end of the day. I think that is the through line through all of this episode is that you tried, you know you did it and you know, yeah, you may have had some moments where it didn't work out, but at the end of the day it all worked out the way it was supposed to, because it all works in our favor. It works in what we do best and what we find joy in.
Speaker 1:So again, julia, thank you so much for joining us on the podcast, and you deserve every accolade, and I can't wait to see what comes next, especially for our actors. I love actors. We're kind of crazy kooky and we deserved a platform to share our stuff. So, thank you so much and thank you for joining us on this podcast and we'll see you next time, everybody, and that's a wrap on this episode of Mindset Artistry Podcast. Don't forget to like, share and subscribe. Catch us every Thursday for a new episode to help you master the art of your mindset. Yeah, we got it. Yes, okay, cool.