WEBVTT - Alyssa Rosenheck & Sarah Davidson 0:00:09.320 --> 0:00:16.239 Carola. She's a queen of talking. He was son. She's 0:00:16.280 --> 0:00:20.639 on the side. You got the scoop on side. No 0:00:20.760 --> 0:00:30.319 one can do with Caral Carola. No one can do 0:00:30.480 --> 0:00:37.400 with quiet Caroline. This timple Caroline. You know when you 0:00:37.479 --> 0:00:40.000 meet people and you just immediately connect with them and 0:00:40.040 --> 0:00:43.040 you're just so vibing on the same level, and you're 0:00:43.080 --> 0:00:46.040 going for the same things and you speak the same language. Well, 0:00:46.240 --> 0:00:49.280 that is how I feel with Sarah and Alyssa. Sarah 0:00:49.320 --> 0:00:52.440 Davidson and I have been friends for years, almost a decade. 0:00:52.440 --> 0:00:54.560 We went to college together at Belmont. We have grown 0:00:54.720 --> 0:00:57.800 so much as people and friends, and I absolutely am 0:00:57.840 --> 0:01:00.920 in all of her heart. The way she thinks about things, 0:01:00.960 --> 0:01:03.240 the way she chooses to view things that come into 0:01:03.240 --> 0:01:05.920 her life that may be bad per se, but she 0:01:06.120 --> 0:01:08.960 always spins them and makes them a lesson and a blessing. 0:01:09.040 --> 0:01:11.920 She blows my mind. And Alyssa Rosenheck is a new 0:01:11.959 --> 0:01:14.240 friend of mine who I have just fallen in love 0:01:14.280 --> 0:01:18.959 with immediately. She's an incredible photographer. She shoots interiors of 0:01:19.000 --> 0:01:21.360 houses that are absolutely mind blowing. They will take your 0:01:21.360 --> 0:01:24.280 breath away. And the way that she approaches life and 0:01:24.319 --> 0:01:27.440 the world with her heart and her soul. She is 0:01:27.520 --> 0:01:32.760 so connected, so tuned in. This conversation is about influencing, 0:01:32.760 --> 0:01:35.679 but it's about influencing from your soul and using your 0:01:35.720 --> 0:01:39.960 calling to make your life's purpose become your work. And 0:01:40.000 --> 0:01:42.680 it's absolutely inspiring. I hope that you love this interview 0:01:42.720 --> 0:01:45.240 as much as I loved having it. Alyssa Rosenheck and 0:01:45.240 --> 0:01:53.960 Sarah Davidson here to rock your souls. Man, what up, babes? 0:01:55.000 --> 0:01:57.280 What's up? Oh? I'm just here with all of the 0:01:57.320 --> 0:02:00.440 two most fabulous Alyssa Rosenheck and Sarah if it's in 0:02:02.320 --> 0:02:05.440 two of my favorite y'all are so much more than 0:02:05.480 --> 0:02:08.960 like bloggers. This is an influencer series. Y'all are influencers 0:02:08.960 --> 0:02:13.000 in such your own way, and not only influencing with 0:02:13.080 --> 0:02:16.800 style and home design and all sorts of things, but 0:02:16.840 --> 0:02:20.760 you're influencing with your positivity, and I think that is 0:02:21.280 --> 0:02:28.280 really the greatest of all. Thank you. You bring the 0:02:28.360 --> 0:02:31.480 light every day well. I try to gather with people 0:02:31.480 --> 0:02:33.560 who are light shiness as well, because I feel like 0:02:33.600 --> 0:02:36.919 it only makes things brighter. You know, I'm very used 0:02:36.919 --> 0:02:40.079 to something about that on your instant story the other day. 0:02:40.160 --> 0:02:42.160 You are both really good at posting inspirational stuff on 0:02:42.160 --> 0:02:45.240 your answer stories. Well, I try first of all, you know, 0:02:45.400 --> 0:02:47.320 things get tough, and so I try to share the 0:02:47.400 --> 0:02:50.120 things that really work for me, and then I share 0:02:50.160 --> 0:02:52.119 them and put them out into the world. So, yeah, 0:02:52.440 --> 0:02:56.160 what are things that have worked for you? Oh? Man? Um, 0:02:56.160 --> 0:03:02.200 really starting with positive intentions every day and being peaceful 0:03:02.320 --> 0:03:06.359 and having focus and really capturing the things that are 0:03:06.600 --> 0:03:09.080 priorities and going back to basics like not letting all 0:03:09.120 --> 0:03:11.799 the hype kind of you know, get you and just 0:03:11.960 --> 0:03:15.000 you know, maintain focus, staying peaceful. Sarah Ne were talking 0:03:15.040 --> 0:03:16.959 about this. We're in Alissa's house right now, and it 0:03:17.000 --> 0:03:20.120 feels like peace. Like it's if the words the word 0:03:20.160 --> 0:03:27.160 piece had a house, this would be it. Write that. 0:03:27.520 --> 0:03:31.400 Sarah just released your music today today. What's the name 0:03:31.440 --> 0:03:33.600 of it? Pretty much love you? Pretty much love you 0:03:33.760 --> 0:03:39.080 because you're writing about us a video and I was like, 0:03:39.720 --> 0:03:43.120 because I pretty much love all of y'all. But no, honestly, 0:03:43.200 --> 0:03:45.400 I genuinely do, and that's sort of my I'm an 0:03:45.440 --> 0:03:49.839 independent artist. So um, this music that I that I've 0:03:49.880 --> 0:03:51.640 released and I will be releasing over the next four 0:03:51.720 --> 0:03:53.960 weeks is a little less I mean, it's very the 0:03:54.040 --> 0:03:56.160 intention is love. They're more stories sort of from the 0:03:56.240 --> 0:03:58.720 past couple of years of my life. But as an artist, 0:03:58.760 --> 0:04:00.920 that's really what I want to do, just compel people 0:04:01.000 --> 0:04:05.080 to love, to question their beliefs, to question where they 0:04:05.160 --> 0:04:08.400 stand on certain things, to question their judgments, and to 0:04:08.920 --> 0:04:12.320 provoke people to think and to provoke people to love. 0:04:12.600 --> 0:04:15.400 It's such a gift you have. I downloaded it quickly. 0:04:15.480 --> 0:04:18.240 I listened to the first like ten seconds and it's 0:04:18.360 --> 0:04:20.920 it's amazing. Thank you. And you've been on such a 0:04:21.040 --> 0:04:23.520 journey with your music career. So tell me how you've 0:04:23.600 --> 0:04:26.000 ended up here Because you came to Nashville being like 0:04:26.440 --> 0:04:29.400 hot off the press, country music star all that way. 0:04:29.760 --> 0:04:32.640 I mean you literally have You've had record deals, you've 0:04:32.640 --> 0:04:34.800 had a TV show, you've had it all. You've had 0:04:34.920 --> 0:04:36.920 it all. So tell me how you've ended up here 0:04:37.040 --> 0:04:40.000 musically and what your journey has looked like. Gosh, okay, so, 0:04:40.279 --> 0:04:43.920 and how you've got into this positivity light space. Yes, 0:04:44.600 --> 0:04:48.679 that's a long question. I'd like to tell you everything 0:04:48.720 --> 0:04:52.600 I want you to answer. Then you just roll um, 0:04:54.040 --> 0:04:57.120 assuming that we only are seeing we only have an hour. Basically, 0:05:00.000 --> 0:05:04.880 guys are moving in. Yeah, I moved to Nashville. You know, 0:05:04.960 --> 0:05:07.640 when I was twenty years old, sort of like without intention, 0:05:07.800 --> 0:05:09.320 like I want to be a star, I want to 0:05:09.360 --> 0:05:13.200 write music. I want to, you know, be known like 0:05:13.320 --> 0:05:16.440 so stadiums, you know that whole thing I known. I 0:05:16.480 --> 0:05:19.440 always wanted to be known. Yeah, but it wanted to 0:05:19.480 --> 0:05:22.720 be known really, yes, but it was in a different way. 0:05:22.880 --> 0:05:25.640 I feel like now. I actually was listening to Oprah 0:05:25.839 --> 0:05:29.320 Super Soul and I don't it was who wrote Love Warrior, 0:05:30.120 --> 0:05:33.880 Ohlendon Doyle, Glendon Doyle, and she was talking about how 0:05:34.000 --> 0:05:36.800 she really just wants to be known. And it's in 0:05:37.040 --> 0:05:39.000 not in an egotistical way, in like a real way. 0:05:39.040 --> 0:05:41.080 And I think at that time in my life earlier on, 0:05:41.240 --> 0:05:43.760 it was it was it was like I have to 0:05:43.800 --> 0:05:46.200 be famous. It was almost like this validate your yeah, 0:05:46.240 --> 0:05:51.600 to validate my worth. And so you know, record I 0:05:51.760 --> 0:05:55.000 love people. I listened over here and she's like, no, 0:05:55.040 --> 0:05:58.880 I've been common people forever. She's like, I've already known 0:05:58.960 --> 0:06:03.640 this ship for a long time. Um, but yeah, so 0:06:04.200 --> 0:06:06.680 you know, in and out of record deals. Um, you 0:06:06.760 --> 0:06:08.320 got my first record deal about a year and a 0:06:08.400 --> 0:06:09.760 half after I went to Town, and I was a 0:06:09.839 --> 0:06:12.120 part of this reality show that ended up not doing anything. 0:06:12.279 --> 0:06:14.360 It wasn't really a main character in it, but it 0:06:14.440 --> 0:06:15.960 was gonna be a big deal on CBS and all 0:06:16.000 --> 0:06:19.160 sorts of stuff, or maybe Fox. The first one was 0:06:19.240 --> 0:06:22.440 on Fox. Yeah, and then UM, you know, ended up 0:06:22.480 --> 0:06:26.600 getting married to another songwriter in Nashville, and UM just 0:06:26.720 --> 0:06:31.279 kind of living that Nashville life, you know, writing music. 0:06:31.480 --> 0:06:33.760 I was assigned to EMA then Sony at the time 0:06:34.279 --> 0:06:37.080 or you know, I was purchased by Sony and um 0:06:37.200 --> 0:06:40.360 then ended up doing another reality show and that was 0:06:40.480 --> 0:06:42.520 kind of about how I was married and I was 0:06:42.600 --> 0:06:44.680 in a position that I where I didn't necessarily have 0:06:44.839 --> 0:06:46.800 to go out and hit the pavement as as a 0:06:46.839 --> 0:06:49.520 new artist and work my music, but I wanted to 0:06:49.760 --> 0:06:54.040 because I am that passionate about my music. UM, and 0:06:54.120 --> 0:06:55.640 I think still at the time, it was kind of 0:06:55.720 --> 0:06:57.080 like that, you have to prove something, you have to 0:06:57.160 --> 0:07:01.200 be something, and UM, So anyways, I ended up doing 0:07:01.240 --> 0:07:03.560 the show. I ended up going through a divorce. Like 0:07:03.640 --> 0:07:06.080 while I was on the show. The way you've handled 0:07:06.120 --> 0:07:11.640 your divorce though, is so glassy and fascinating, fascinating. I agree. 0:07:11.640 --> 0:07:13.360 It's explaining me why you think it's fascinating, because I 0:07:13.400 --> 0:07:17.080 do too. I just think there's so much transparency and 0:07:17.280 --> 0:07:20.960 courage behind your story and now where you are today, 0:07:21.160 --> 0:07:24.080 I think it's filled with so much just substance and 0:07:24.200 --> 0:07:28.040 self love. And you've reflected and you've grown every day 0:07:28.160 --> 0:07:31.920 since then and you've embodied it full force. And to me, 0:07:33.000 --> 0:07:36.040 thank you. I really agree with you. Y'all were not 0:07:36.160 --> 0:07:41.200 there on my floor with me, and I was those 0:07:45.880 --> 0:07:48.880 but you know, it's what you do after that may 0:07:48.960 --> 0:07:52.240 you have picked yourself up and have been a just 0:07:53.160 --> 0:07:56.600 ray of like and you haven't been bitter about any 0:07:56.640 --> 0:07:58.800 of it. And because there's always two sides, so it's 0:07:58.880 --> 0:08:00.360 of course, like you don't want to just like blame 0:08:00.480 --> 0:08:03.080 someone for the divorce. Obviously you are both involved, but 0:08:03.840 --> 0:08:07.600 you haven't been bitter, you wishing well you like she said, 0:08:07.640 --> 0:08:09.280 you've taken it and you've made it a part of 0:08:09.320 --> 0:08:11.760 your story in such a positive way. You've used it 0:08:11.840 --> 0:08:14.920 for growth. Well, I think it's really interesting. I think, 0:08:15.080 --> 0:08:17.880 you know, it's really easy for people to point the finger, 0:08:18.040 --> 0:08:19.640 and I think when I initially got out of it, 0:08:19.840 --> 0:08:22.400 I did that. I was like, well, it wasn't me. 0:08:22.520 --> 0:08:24.080 Not in a way where I came out and said that, 0:08:24.200 --> 0:08:27.320 but in sort of it's always round about let be honest. 0:08:29.880 --> 0:08:33.240 And it started to really reflect on like the things 0:08:33.280 --> 0:08:35.000 that I did and the things that I said, and 0:08:35.160 --> 0:08:38.000 I was just as guilty, you know, and I and 0:08:38.120 --> 0:08:40.679 I look back and I have now compassion for that 0:08:40.840 --> 0:08:43.760 girl because the situation that I was in. I didn't 0:08:43.800 --> 0:08:47.080 know that girl like yourself. Yeah, myself, but that situation 0:08:47.120 --> 0:08:49.719 because I didn't have the tools and I didn't have 0:08:50.040 --> 0:08:54.120 the the moment, the AHA moments that I have now 0:08:54.320 --> 0:08:56.679 to handle the situation that I was in. So what 0:08:56.800 --> 0:08:59.800 AHA moments have you gathered? Um? I think I've just 0:09:00.040 --> 0:09:02.920 really kind of dealt with things that were in my 0:09:03.080 --> 0:09:07.800 past before my marriage, you know, things that were um, 0:09:08.640 --> 0:09:11.800 you know, almost where I didn't feel worthy. We all 0:09:11.800 --> 0:09:14.120 have those moments in life. It's like those injuries that 0:09:14.280 --> 0:09:16.800 stick with us forever. You and I are super similar 0:09:16.920 --> 0:09:18.880 with how where we are now and what we've come 0:09:18.880 --> 0:09:21.320 from because I never felt worthy, and I'll be interested 0:09:21.360 --> 0:09:24.160 in where does that come from? Though, because we I 0:09:24.240 --> 0:09:27.440 think we all have very similar stories. I think so too. 0:09:27.640 --> 0:09:31.240 I never felt like I don't know, I grew up 0:09:31.280 --> 0:09:32.679 with parents who told me I was great and all 0:09:32.720 --> 0:09:34.280 this stuff and believed to me. But I just never 0:09:34.440 --> 0:09:38.760 felt like I was good enough ever, Like I never 0:09:38.800 --> 0:09:40.199 felt like I would be the one picked, Like I 0:09:40.200 --> 0:09:41.880 would be the one that the guy would want to date, 0:09:41.920 --> 0:09:43.880 I'd be the one that would get the job, I'd 0:09:44.120 --> 0:09:46.199 be the one that would get the opportunity. I don't know, 0:09:46.240 --> 0:09:47.719 I just never thought it was me. I don't know 0:09:47.800 --> 0:09:49.920 where that came from, but I believe that for a 0:09:50.000 --> 0:09:53.320 really long time. Yeah, and maybe that I think that's 0:09:53.400 --> 0:09:56.160 kind of how like why I ended up where I 0:09:56.320 --> 0:09:58.320 was in my marriage, because I had all those things 0:09:58.360 --> 0:10:00.760 and I felt unworthy and then it was like I 0:10:01.000 --> 0:10:04.360 almost was in this position of worthiness, and it was 0:10:04.440 --> 0:10:07.320 like almost like I felt entitled. You know, it wasn't. 0:10:07.480 --> 0:10:09.640 It wasn't. I didn't come from place of gratitude, thanking 0:10:09.679 --> 0:10:11.880 the universe to all of the blessings, thank God for 0:10:11.920 --> 0:10:14.439 all the blessings that have been given. It was like 0:10:15.160 --> 0:10:17.679 what can I have? That's more, what can I How 0:10:17.760 --> 0:10:21.120 can I be or appear more perfect? And that just 0:10:21.240 --> 0:10:26.280 continues to perpetuate us in a very unhealthy external way. Yes, 0:10:26.480 --> 0:10:30.640 until God, the universe, whatever slaps you, blaps down and 0:10:30.760 --> 0:10:34.880 brings you down. Yeah, and that I think that's really 0:10:34.920 --> 0:10:37.439 what it was. It was like, people think that, like 0:10:37.520 --> 0:10:39.760 the breakdown is bad, but really the breakdown is where 0:10:39.760 --> 0:10:43.160 you get the break through. Yeah it is, Yes, Amen, 0:10:43.480 --> 0:10:47.959 there's so much beauty in in that moment of Wow. 0:10:48.360 --> 0:10:51.040 I have been living my life all wrong, you know, 0:10:51.160 --> 0:10:54.880 in my mindset, my attentions, my lack of gratitude is 0:10:54.920 --> 0:10:57.400 all wrong. So I've just really been on a journey 0:10:57.440 --> 0:10:59.679 the past three or four years and just kind of 0:11:00.240 --> 0:11:04.040 finding that and getting back to that place of of 0:11:04.320 --> 0:11:09.480 being in unity with with God, my spirituality and um, 0:11:09.559 --> 0:11:14.959 I mean I'm binding. No means perfect at all, but 0:11:15.679 --> 0:11:18.240 I feel like I'm a lot more of a granted 0:11:18.280 --> 0:11:20.760 same person now and a Lissa. You've been through a 0:11:20.800 --> 0:11:23.480 lot too, Like how did you end up being this peaceful? 0:11:23.559 --> 0:11:27.160 Have you always just radiated peace? No? No, I'm like 0:11:27.559 --> 0:11:30.719 a crazy human being. God, I mean so am. I 0:11:30.880 --> 0:11:32.600 I feel like half the time if people could get 0:11:32.600 --> 0:11:37.920 to my brain may No. No, it takes work every 0:11:38.040 --> 0:11:42.400 day and I feel like I've gone from my life 0:11:42.440 --> 0:11:46.520 has been. It's been full and good and and positive, 0:11:46.880 --> 0:11:50.880 but I've had some moments where you know, growing up, 0:11:50.920 --> 0:11:53.480 I had a very supportive family, but my father had 0:11:53.960 --> 0:11:58.079 you know, some alcohol issues, which sucks. You know, and 0:11:58.280 --> 0:12:01.599 so we talk about self worth. Through that process, I 0:12:01.720 --> 0:12:04.320 had to really look within and say, Okay, my self 0:12:04.400 --> 0:12:08.360 worth needs to come from full alignment within, not any 0:12:08.440 --> 0:12:12.720 external sources. And at the time, all of that propelled 0:12:12.800 --> 0:12:16.640 me into very much like people pleasing, if that makes sense, 0:12:17.720 --> 0:12:20.240 And so I went I would just try to be 0:12:20.440 --> 0:12:23.679 this like perfect little thing where I had. I went 0:12:23.720 --> 0:12:27.120 to college, I got a full ride playing tennis. I 0:12:27.240 --> 0:12:31.000 went into the corporate world. I was the perfect corporate employee, 0:12:31.240 --> 0:12:34.000 rising the ranks, you know, and I worked in very 0:12:34.120 --> 0:12:37.439 male dominated industries because that's really what was able to 0:12:37.440 --> 0:12:41.280 support myself financially. How did you handle male dominated industries 0:12:41.360 --> 0:12:44.400 being the beautiful woman that you are. Did you have 0:12:44.559 --> 0:12:46.600 the correct tools to handle it then? Or how did 0:12:46.679 --> 0:12:52.120 you navigate that? Do you guys want to answer? We 0:12:52.200 --> 0:13:01.240 have a not online interior was amazing Bason Arnold Interiors. 0:13:01.280 --> 0:13:03.559 You want to come to design my house, I'm available 0:13:08.040 --> 0:13:12.199 call you back. Oh, how did I handle male dominated 0:13:12.760 --> 0:13:17.160 the male dominated industry? So I was in medical device sales, 0:13:17.200 --> 0:13:22.400 selling spine equipment, and I wanted to be hired for 0:13:22.520 --> 0:13:24.559 my knowledge and not the way I looked. So I 0:13:24.679 --> 0:13:27.400 really wanted to be taken seriously. Well, there's a fine 0:13:27.440 --> 0:13:32.160 line because at that point you have to not be 0:13:32.280 --> 0:13:35.080 bitter number one, because you're not being like you can't 0:13:35.120 --> 0:13:40.240 be your feminine, full creative self. And I didn't want 0:13:40.320 --> 0:13:44.000 that rough edge around myself, and so I just worked 0:13:44.040 --> 0:13:46.520 really hard. I didn't wear a lot of makeup, you know, 0:13:47.520 --> 0:13:51.079 you know, and um, my whole goal was just to 0:13:51.120 --> 0:13:54.040 be hired from my knowledge and provide as much value 0:13:54.120 --> 0:13:57.679 to you know, my accounts and my my clients as possible, 0:13:57.840 --> 0:14:00.880 and to grow because I had to work twice as 0:14:00.960 --> 0:14:03.959 hard and twice as long to get you know, in 0:14:04.040 --> 0:14:08.280 the door and to get respect. And I'm not this 0:14:09.480 --> 0:14:12.599 I am a feminist, but I'm not this staunch. I 0:14:12.679 --> 0:14:15.760 believe in equal rights and humanists, you know, and I 0:14:16.760 --> 0:14:19.480 believe that you know, when you walk in that door, 0:14:20.040 --> 0:14:23.320 people should, you know, respect you period, regardless of what 0:14:23.440 --> 0:14:26.560 you look like, how old you are, and you know, 0:14:26.800 --> 0:14:29.680 especially if you're coming from a place of being, you know, 0:14:29.840 --> 0:14:33.440 providing value. So it was tough. I mean I was 0:14:33.560 --> 0:14:35.520 judged by the way it looked. You know, there were 0:14:35.600 --> 0:14:38.760 people might not taking you seriously, and there was you know, 0:14:39.160 --> 0:14:41.200 and not to get too deep, but you know, there 0:14:41.320 --> 0:14:45.160 was sexual discrimination. There was like stuff you know that 0:14:45.680 --> 0:14:47.840 I think as a young female in the corporate world 0:14:48.120 --> 0:14:51.520 or in any industry, you know, especially with everything going 0:14:51.560 --> 0:14:55.360 on right now, like we have all experienced it. So 0:14:56.080 --> 0:15:00.800 I was living that life and to me, I said 0:15:00.840 --> 0:15:03.479 this a couple of days ago. But I think success 0:15:04.120 --> 0:15:07.160 changes depending upon where you are in life, and at 0:15:07.240 --> 0:15:11.360 that time in my life, success was very much on 0:15:11.480 --> 0:15:14.040 the outside looking in. I had to feel like I 0:15:14.120 --> 0:15:15.680 had it all, like I had to make a certain 0:15:15.680 --> 0:15:20.800 amount that I had to just I had to feel 0:15:20.800 --> 0:15:22.440 like I had it all together. You had to check 0:15:22.480 --> 0:15:24.280 off some major boxes for you to feel like you 0:15:24.400 --> 0:15:27.080 had success. And those were all external things that were 0:15:27.160 --> 0:15:30.680 driving me. And it really wasn't until I had cancer 0:15:30.800 --> 0:15:33.640 that it knocked me on my ass. Breakdown back, because 0:15:33.760 --> 0:15:36.160 that is a story that he that that took you 0:15:36.760 --> 0:15:40.560 by surprise, Explain, explain that part of your story. So 0:15:41.560 --> 0:15:44.360 my husband's very much involved in this story. And we, 0:15:45.040 --> 0:15:47.520 you know, on the outside looking in still like everything 0:15:47.600 --> 0:15:51.080 looks perfect, but we're all human, like we all go 0:15:51.280 --> 0:15:54.320 through growing changes and seasons in life and this Evan flow, 0:15:54.720 --> 0:15:56.880 and we were very much in this Evan flow during 0:15:56.920 --> 0:15:59.840 the first part of our relationship to where I said, peace, 0:16:00.040 --> 0:16:05.280 I'm moving to Chicago. I know. I sometimes you have 0:16:05.320 --> 0:16:08.000 to find yourself because you can't be a great partner 0:16:08.080 --> 0:16:11.840 if you don't know what you're looking for, truly correct. 0:16:12.680 --> 0:16:17.040 So I said, peace, I'm out and um Chicago going 0:16:17.080 --> 0:16:23.040 to Chicago. Um. So that happened, and we took a 0:16:23.120 --> 0:16:26.880 year off and then we got back together and we're 0:16:26.960 --> 0:16:31.120 towards the end of me being in the city. And um, 0:16:31.280 --> 0:16:33.560 I was really towards the end of my corporate career. 0:16:33.640 --> 0:16:35.360 And I had been in the corporate world for a 0:16:35.440 --> 0:16:39.360 little over a decade and that was my identity, you know. 0:16:39.760 --> 0:16:43.640 And um, I remember us We're having dinner and we're 0:16:43.680 --> 0:16:46.800 talking about, you know, important things, and he looked across 0:16:46.840 --> 0:16:49.480 the table from me and he's like, um, Alyssa, you 0:16:49.560 --> 0:16:52.160 have you have a tumor growing out of your neck. 0:16:52.200 --> 0:16:56.080 And I'm like, Benjamin, were talking about we haven't even 0:16:56.200 --> 0:17:03.600 ordered appetizerste So, you know things. I do believe that 0:17:03.720 --> 0:17:06.440 things happen for reasons, and I believe in, you know, 0:17:06.600 --> 0:17:10.480 surrendering and letting those things happen. And this was just 0:17:10.600 --> 0:17:13.800 a season of change for me. I was really doing 0:17:13.800 --> 0:17:17.639 a lot of introspection and having that self dialogue of 0:17:18.440 --> 0:17:20.240 is this what your life is supposed to look like? 0:17:20.480 --> 0:17:24.120 You know, you're in this pretty, you know, condo in Chicago, 0:17:24.320 --> 0:17:27.239 and you're you have this great corporate career, but are 0:17:27.320 --> 0:17:30.600 you happy? Like, are you really? Is this filling you? 0:17:30.720 --> 0:17:33.159 Because you had reached the place where you had actually 0:17:33.240 --> 0:17:35.480 checked off those boxes you're trying to check and so 0:17:35.640 --> 0:17:37.359 you didn't get the happiness you're hoping was going to 0:17:37.400 --> 0:17:39.520 come with it, right, And then that's an interesting moment 0:17:39.640 --> 0:17:42.119 that happens. You have to revisit it and you're like, 0:17:42.359 --> 0:17:44.399 you have all of these things and you should be happy. 0:17:44.600 --> 0:17:46.840 You know, exactly like what you're saying. You know, you 0:17:46.960 --> 0:17:51.040 have all of these things, this this stuff, and you 0:17:51.119 --> 0:17:53.879 know you you should be proud and happy. And I 0:17:54.000 --> 0:17:59.720 knew something was lacking. And whenever he diagnosed me and 0:18:00.080 --> 0:18:05.280 was going through cancer, it honestly gave me the permission 0:18:05.359 --> 0:18:08.879 to really really look within and start living my most 0:18:08.960 --> 0:18:12.080 authentic life. So cancer was actually a blessing. It was 0:18:12.119 --> 0:18:16.040 a gift. I get emotional still to this day because 0:18:16.080 --> 0:18:20.720 it really gave me the opportunity to pursue the things 0:18:20.760 --> 0:18:25.720 that bring me life. And it's just been. It's cancer 0:18:25.800 --> 0:18:28.560 is a terrible thing, but it gave me so much 0:18:28.600 --> 0:18:33.919 more than it took away. I know that it sounds, 0:18:34.160 --> 0:18:36.360 you know, but it's so what did you do once 0:18:36.440 --> 0:18:40.119 you went through this diagnosis? You've got your cancer removed, 0:18:40.200 --> 0:18:43.720 every your back, You're back through it. My coping was 0:18:44.480 --> 0:18:48.520 so I had never really had the opportunity financially to 0:18:48.680 --> 0:18:50.960 have that freedom to do the things that I wanted 0:18:51.000 --> 0:18:55.360 to do. And through the process of me being diagnosed, 0:18:55.600 --> 0:18:58.720 the process of me having surgery and then healing, I 0:18:59.280 --> 0:19:01.639 started doing things that I wanted to do for me, 0:19:02.000 --> 0:19:05.119 and I bought a camera. I read the manual, you know, 0:19:06.040 --> 0:19:09.640 that's amazing. I started shooting like around my own home, 0:19:09.960 --> 0:19:12.680 you know, in the city, which ended up selling the 0:19:12.800 --> 0:19:16.000 condo we know, which was great, and the photos sold 0:19:16.080 --> 0:19:18.440 the I mean, I used the photos, you know to 0:19:18.520 --> 0:19:21.159 sell that. So you just always had a passion for photography, 0:19:21.359 --> 0:19:24.560 well latent. I didn't know it, and my mom was 0:19:24.640 --> 0:19:27.960 always kind of this this like little voice on my shoulder, 0:19:28.040 --> 0:19:31.679 going a Lissa, you really need to focus on photography 0:19:31.800 --> 0:19:35.040 because growing up as a little girl, I loved going 0:19:35.080 --> 0:19:36.639 to museums. And when I would go to the museums, 0:19:36.640 --> 0:19:38.919 I would always go to the photography, you know side, 0:19:39.080 --> 0:19:41.960 and I would always have loved like Richard Avidant growing up, 0:19:41.960 --> 0:19:43.480 and I'm like, I don't even know who this man is, 0:19:43.560 --> 0:19:47.000 but I gravitated towards his work, and and she she 0:19:47.240 --> 0:19:49.960 saw it, and I didn't see it, and I didn't 0:19:50.000 --> 0:19:51.920 have the time to do to pursue it, and so 0:19:52.119 --> 0:19:55.320 she was always like, Okay, now it's your time do it. 0:19:55.560 --> 0:19:58.200 So how did you What did you do when you 0:19:58.840 --> 0:20:02.200 decided to quit print job? I know that's an incredible story. 0:20:02.320 --> 0:20:03.920 Quit your corporate job and now you're like, okay, I'm 0:20:03.920 --> 0:20:06.320 gonna go into photography. How did that transition happen? What 0:20:06.520 --> 0:20:11.119 what did that look like? So again, I'm after having 0:20:11.280 --> 0:20:13.840 all the things where you where it feels forced, and 0:20:13.920 --> 0:20:16.560 then you take a step back and you kind of 0:20:16.680 --> 0:20:19.680 surrender that control. I feel like once you surrender, and 0:20:19.760 --> 0:20:23.760 once you're following that light within yourself, that authentic light 0:20:24.000 --> 0:20:27.359 that's been each and every one of you, things fall 0:20:27.600 --> 0:20:31.720 into place. Yes they do, because you're finally doing what 0:20:32.000 --> 0:20:34.840 you call to do on this earth. And I believe 0:20:34.920 --> 0:20:38.280 that we all have a different blueprint. It's like that 0:20:38.720 --> 0:20:41.119 you have that urge inside of you that draws you 0:20:41.200 --> 0:20:43.640 to photography, that draws you to muse it, that draws 0:20:43.680 --> 0:20:46.119 you to whatever. But you're like, oh, that's just what 0:20:46.560 --> 0:20:48.560 you don't listen to because you don't think it's really 0:20:48.960 --> 0:20:51.879 going to make money and be a conduit to something 0:20:52.119 --> 0:20:55.840 so much more substantial and so much more bigger than yourself. 0:20:56.000 --> 0:20:58.680 So yes, I just take pictures of houses and style, 0:20:58.880 --> 0:21:02.280 that's not it. I people to see the light and 0:21:02.359 --> 0:21:06.280 the love and from the collaborations and from the you know, 0:21:06.520 --> 0:21:08.320 the love that I have in my heart. I want 0:21:08.800 --> 0:21:13.639 the end receiver to feel that. Saying just compassion, I 0:21:13.720 --> 0:21:17.560 feel like there's something so cool about, like you said, 0:21:17.640 --> 0:21:21.400 just living from the success is relative, and living from 0:21:21.480 --> 0:21:24.280 that place of passion rather than like, where's the money 0:21:24.280 --> 0:21:25.560 going to come from? How am I going to know? 0:21:26.200 --> 0:21:28.879 In fear? You just trusting the light within you and 0:21:29.000 --> 0:21:31.680 then aligning that with your intention to love others. And 0:21:31.880 --> 0:21:35.240 it's really it's getting out of your head. It's it's 0:21:35.320 --> 0:21:40.040 kind of like mind versus heart. It's truly taking some 0:21:40.200 --> 0:21:44.800 time quieting your environment and asking yourself those tough questions, 0:21:44.920 --> 0:21:48.040 what drives you? Where, where do you feel those goosebump moments? 0:21:48.600 --> 0:21:51.359 And when that yeah, and that's what's going to connect 0:21:51.400 --> 0:21:54.040 you to your greater your greater purpose and truth. And 0:21:54.119 --> 0:21:56.359 I think exactly what both of you guys have mentioned 0:21:56.400 --> 0:21:59.600 in your stories is you both had check marks you 0:21:59.640 --> 0:22:02.600 needed accomplished this, this is what success is, and you 0:22:02.720 --> 0:22:05.119 reached them, you checked them, and then you realize, Okay, 0:22:05.280 --> 0:22:11.119 you're not fulfilled, and then you have trauma happened, a divorce, cancer. 0:22:11.560 --> 0:22:13.760 I mean, I have a similar story, totally a different story, 0:22:13.800 --> 0:22:16.200 but same process that I work at, where it's like, 0:22:16.240 --> 0:22:17.480 all of a sudden, you're like, Okay, I got what 0:22:17.560 --> 0:22:19.440 I thought I was going for that would make me happy, 0:22:19.560 --> 0:22:23.000 didn't make me happy. Ship hit the fan, and now 0:22:23.520 --> 0:22:26.560 I gotta decide what I'm gonna do with this life. 0:22:26.720 --> 0:22:30.720 Next steps most authentic next steps. So it's almost like 0:22:30.920 --> 0:22:33.680 kind of amazing when you have that process happened to 0:22:33.720 --> 0:22:36.760 you because you get to experience it firsthand and really 0:22:36.880 --> 0:22:40.960 know that things in success like success of the world 0:22:41.080 --> 0:22:43.880 is not going to make you happy. We were at 0:22:44.000 --> 0:22:49.720