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Whatever it may be that you struggled from as someone in a position of vulnerability or feeling taken advantage of, there is such a strength that comes from that low.
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And I am a firm believer of utilizing that and harnessing that strength to create something that is instrumental in your lives and in the lives of other people. Let's start at that.
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I just want to get to the heart of how you were able to do it, because I think for a lot of people listening, they want to be more comfortable being alone. Mhm.
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They want to be able to create their own version of success, not be dictated by the one that's been brought about by their parents or society or their industry. How did you do that? Oh my goodness.
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I think it it stems from the initial feeling of being uncomfortable. Mhm.
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Um and knowing that you just don't want to be in that space for very long, right?
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So, you start to look for resources to help you get out of being uncomfortable.
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Um I'd say from a young age, I was very independent.
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Um I didn't have like a I had a great family and I had a great upbringing as a whole, but there was a lot of unstable elements.
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Um My parents were not a good ideal marriage, um I guess scenario growing up.
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I didn't see what marriage and what like um a compatible relationship really looked like.
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And I learned to at that point sort of take control of my own life and and taking like care of my brother, make sure that I always made money.
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I was a little kid hustler.
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It was really weird if I think back to the things that I was doing like making clothes, selling clothes, rhinestoning, anything that was popular at the time.
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I learned to do it very quickly.
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People wanted braids, people wanted their ears pierced.
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I was like all over the place.
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Okay, when I think about it, I'm like just to make school lunch, you know, like money for lunch or when I was vegan, I had to buy my own groceries.
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So, I learned like, "Okay, I'm having a garage sale this weekend because I want to get Follow Your Heart Mayo."
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This Do you know what I mean?
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Like everything was like one for one and I learned that it wasn't going to happen on its own.
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So, regardless of my upbringing and sort of the chaos that was going on at home, which at the time I thought was normal, Mhm.
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and which is even more weird.
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I I knew it was weird and I knew it was uncomfortable and I knew that they weren't a good fit for one another, but I accepted it and I sort of became my own adult at a young age.
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Meanwhile, I'm I'm acting. I'm in an adult world.
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Um I didn't go to high school.
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I really wasn't even in middle school for very often.
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I was on a a series at the time.
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I was the only kid on the show.
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So, I went to school in a trailer, a tiny trailer, just me and this incredibly political teacher that wanted to push every election on this like 14, 15-year-old kid.
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Um so, I learned a little about that and what not to do. Wow.
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Um and I think one of the things I learned very quickly was like I said, I I had control over certain things.
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So, I started to control what I ate to a point where it was unhealthy. Mhm.
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Did go through an eating disorder while being on a show.
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I've never really admitted that, but yeah, I've I dropped down significantly.
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I mean, I must have been at one point my lowest 6 15, 16 years old, 70-something pounds.
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Um I was on a CBS series.
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So, the network was not happy and in order to appease them, they did so much to try and help.
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They made sure that I had tons of vegan food and smoothies.
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They made sure I was going to meetings in the morning. I was so confused.
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I didn't think I had a problem.
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I wasn't being honest with myself.
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myself. I was trying to sort of cope with being very quickly emerged into an adult world while knowing that I had a brother who was sort of still in the home scenario that wasn't healthy and wanted to help him and wanted to help my family and realize that like I need to be making a
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lot of money because money is going to help all of this and so the drive was on another level and having control over the things that I could which was food and working out and staying as busy as I could and being as motivated as I could really drove me to skin and bones. Um
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Um but I I saw the light pretty quickly and I'm going to be so honest about that.
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I I'm so grateful that I have this like consciousness in me where I I don't need to go down a rabbit hole very long to learn that the bottom is up.
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And I learned that I had no choice but to be healthy.
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And that's where I started to talk more about health and that's when I really started to lean on what I was and what gave me purpose and what made me happy and speaking up for animals and taking jobs that I knew were positive and fun and interesting and not dark and deep and and too far stretched from the imagination was what I wanted to do.
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I became very selective in what I worked on.
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I then ended up on Nickelodeon therefore because I knew that that's family friendly, that's happy, that's colorful, that makes me feel good like I'm I'm getting in the lives of children which like for me that's a game changer. I love children.
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I think they're obviously they're the future and I want to have a significant role in their lives.
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I took being on Nickelodeon so seriously that I knew being a role model meant everything to me. I'm a big sister.
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I'm the oldest of my cousins.
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And being on a show where I knew kids were watching meant that I had a position in their lives, that I was someone that they could look up to.
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And so that's been really powerful.
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And to this day, I still have young kids, teens, adults, you know, that grew up watching me on the last 12 years of being on Nickelodeon come up to me and and have nice things to say.
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And I just want to keep that traject- trajectory going.
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That's really important to me.
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That's amazing that you see it as a responsibility, almost.
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Because you know that people are watching you.
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People are seeing you as a role model.
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As I said earlier, this this show for me is really to talk to real models, people who can express their reality, and people who I think are real models for the world to follow.
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You're definitely one of them in in so many areas of your life.
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But I think it's really special that you took it as a responsibility.
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Because I think it's so easy at that age to be on Nickelodeon, to have fame, to have success, and to just enjoy it.
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Like it's like, why do you even need to care about anyone else?
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Because you've worked hard to get there.
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But it seems like you've always just had this responsibility in your life. Yeah.
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Yeah, it's weird because sometimes I wish that I had a little bit more of that because I find myself wanting to help so much along the way, and wanting to get to a certain place so that I could help more people, that I don't celebrate the small victories in the timeline, you know?
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Like I just kind of know that there's so many people and so many animals and so many resources in the planet.
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I mean, you could go down forever, right?
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Like you can think about And I think for me, um one of the things that is always in the back of my head is my family and the people that sort of suffer with things in my family.
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Um my brother who feels like he's almost like my own child.
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Um he suffers with addiction and has been homeless for um probably on and off for about a year or two. Sorry.
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I've never actually like time. spoke about it.
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Um So, that for me, to see that in my own four walls and like the closest thing to me, the kid who I mean, he slept in my room the majority of my life.
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He had his own bedroom, but he slept in my room on a trundle bed because I feel like I was like his safety net.
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So, I've learned that I want to be that cuz I know that I have that capability.
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And I want to be that for more people, you know?
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I could be that for him and I could do as much as I possibly can.
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But, I want to help people before they get to a place where it's harder to to make a change.
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Um so, I've really tried to make that a big goal of mine. Yeah, and in a big way. Yeah.
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I I think Thank you for sharing that, by the way. I'm sure it wasn't easy.
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And Yeah, thank you for being so open and vulnerable and just just sharing so so genuinely here because I don't think that you're someone that ever hides anything. I never feel that way.
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Like when I'm following you on Instagram or I see any of the content you're making, it's just from the heart.
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It feels that way to me, anyway.
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And when I'm hearing you today, I'm I'm actually loving learning about you even more because it's only making me appreciate everything else you do. Thank you.
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And it's it's crazy because I align with so much of what you're saying in my own life.
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So, my sister I actually my sister's nickname that I've given her is kid cuz I treat her as my kid like my child.
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So it's so funny that you said that about your brother. Mhm.
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And similarly in our parents, I felt I mediated my parents' marriage growing up. Mhm.
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So I can definitely resonate with that.
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And then I resonate with something else you I'm listening to you and I'm just going like, "Wow, we have there's so much in common."
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And I know you were saying it earlier when when we were outside, but it was the same as the not celebrating little wins. Yeah.
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I I I rarely do that because I see how much work that needs to be done in the world.
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So I'm constantly focusing on what's next to solve or not what's next to heal, what's next to have an impact on. Totally.
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Where where do you where do you kind of see that going or how do you want that to grow?
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Because I mean, we haven't even started talking about all the great activism work you're doing, which I think is important for for people listening to know.
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But how do you see yourself kind of transforming those elements we've just spoken about now?
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Moving forward, how do you want them to change? Sure.
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So, I've been sort of in a lot of ways I've earned, but I've also been given this platform just from really being on TV and being in people's lives and feeling like they're connected to me.
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So, I want to utilize that.
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I want to to grow that and I want to utilize that for the good.
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I think that yes, I'm I'm invested in these companies and I like to call them conscious companies because they're not purely just for the monetary investment.
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They're there because I see a bigger picture.
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So, companies like Outstanding Foods, I know that they have a direct effect in the lives of animals.
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Not to mention the health and the other trickle effects that come along with it, but um companies like Sugar Taco, Yeah.
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I believe in making vegan food, healthy organic vegan food that tastes delicious accessible at a good price point because that's an argument of people's, you know, they have this idea that veganism is is too expensive. It's not attainable.
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It's not realistic um for a normal person's lifestyle.
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That is what I want to scratch right off the bat.
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That is so far from the truth and I feel like just not to go down another rabbit hole, but Do it.
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spending money on what you put into your body, much like spending the time and and whatever investment you make to work out or health, wellness, whatever that mean, meditating, whatever that investment you're making has such a huge impact in the big picture of your life.
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A lot of people spend all this money on health care, on pills, on things to make this instant fix in their lives when if you just do a little bit of the work along the way and you're really being mindful of how you create you as a whole and what you do to help yourself thrive, that is a non factor.
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I don't know, knock on wood, but I don't know the last time I've seen a doctor, spent money at a pharmacist, all of the above. Never.
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I don't even take an Advil or Tylenol, nothing. Wow.
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But I really do believe that a lot of that is because I make conscious efforts to drink water, to work out, to love myself, to meditate, to do something that makes me feel whole and balanced.
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Um So so that goes along without saying, right?
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What these conscious companies, like if you can make these baby steps along the way and they become easy to implement into your lifestyle, then hopefully the bigger picture is that someone will gravitate towards either eating plant-based or taking better care of themselves and um so on and so forth.
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So that's sort of the companies that I've invested in thus far.
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I have a couple that are on the ground level startups, I'm sure you know. Yeah.
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Where it's, you know, and so on and so forth. Right? Some cool ones. as as a future customer. I appreciate that. I appreciate that.
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But I I love the way you do it because fair if you don't follow Danielle on Instagram, you should go and follow her because you make it fun. Like it's not preachy. Thank you.
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It's never condescending.
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You never sound like you're better than anyone or you've got it right or you've got it figured out.
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It always comes from that space of just it's you make it look fun.
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I saw you on your recent video you went on the streets out with the big pig mascot. Yeah.
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And and you're out with big out bacon and I just I I loved it.
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I was just like this energy is so fun and it's and even the fact when we were speaking about it earlier and you mentioned it now about how you've focused on making vegan food accessible and affordable.
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I just think the way your thinking is so far ahead.
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Like you're so far ahead of how others are thinking about helping people. Thank you.
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And yeah, and I love that. Thank you. Yeah.
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I just think that um there's so many people that are underserved.
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Um and there's a there's these stereotypes that go along with that, right?
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You don't make a lot, you have to eat a certain way.
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They pump these saturated cities that are lower income with the McDonald's, with the Jack in the Box, with the elements that these people can afford, right?
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They're they're not serving these these these communities in the right way.
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That that's setting people up for the opposite of success.
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So, to create a awareness via social media and using your voice of the platform that you have to implement these different lifestyle changes along the way, I think that person tells their friend, tells their mom, tells that that's the way that I think. So, Exactly.
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the more honest I can be with people about how I live and really it's just how I live.
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It's not like perfect in any means, but it's just for me it's worked and when something works like I just want people to know. Mhm.
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And I think it's like it's our right to share with people and help people along the way cuz why wouldn't you?
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If you're thriving in your own right, then why wouldn't you share whatever tips or tricks that you have?
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And so, um I've I've sort of started a little pet project um just on Instagram called Daniella's Digest.
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And it kind of goes in different terms of the word, right?
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So, it's like, yes, what we put into our body and we digest it and all those kind of things, but also in general, like I just want to break down different articles and different facts and um share inspiring messages and eventually I see myself interviewing people in this space, the health and wellness space, but also just always reminding ourselves to keep it light and fun because that's how I got into these people's lives. I'll never forget that.
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I do sitcom, I do comedy, that's my forte.
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And that's the approach I have in life, you know?
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If we can't laugh at it, even if it is deep and dark and scary, we have to find the light or else there's no optimism.
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There's no potential for for change or innovation.
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You have to constantly be kind of seeking out the light even in the darkest of times and that's what I want this platform to sort of be and I want that to resonate with people.
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If if they're feeling like they're not motivated today or they need a nudge, like that's that's what I want to be there to do and I Yeah, that's I'm excited about it.
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go find out on Instagram, Daniella's Digest, right?
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Yeah, I had it down on the notes. That's awesome.
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Yeah, I love that you're doing that and and I couldn't agree with you more.
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My whole reasoning behind doing video at a time when most people in the health and wellness space were doing courses or they were writing books and they were speaking and I was just like, we need to get this out to everyone.
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And my whole goal when I first start started making videos was to make content that was at the pace of entertainment.
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So, I wanted it to feel like a short movie.
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I wanted it to feel like a song.
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I wanted it to feel like entertainment as opposed to education. Yeah.
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But for it to have insightful messages within it.
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Now, I'm I'm not funny, so I I had to make meaningful uh meaningful videos that are not comedic, but I love it when comedy or anything is is used from the point of view of I love it when comedy or any of this is viewed with the point of getting people towards the light. Mhm.
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I I couldn't agree with you more and I'm so glad you're doing that.
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We need that more and more and more. you.
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Yeah, we genuinely need that more and more. Thank you.
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And I think the more of us that use our platforms and our skills and the talents that we have in whatever way it is to make things accessible, easy, relevant to everyone in the world, the more likely we're going to see it. Yeah. See it take off. 100%.
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I mean they exist for a reason and you could use them however you choose and I choose to think I'm not here for a long time, I'm here for a good time and I'm going to try to make some good out of it.
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I want to do that for people and You are. Thank you.
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So, I mean, please, you're preaching to the choir.
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Okay, so it's been so awesome to be able to see the content that you're creating and honestly, it never stops at that.
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Like there's so I just I love the word trickle effect cuz I feel like that is the perfect word to explain what is happening in our generation and in the generation of social media.
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You just you just never know and I think the unknown in that regard is is optimism and that's what I'm sort of striving for is more of that.
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Yeah, I wanted to pick that out because I think so many people in our generation also have a negative view of social media. Yeah.
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And I find that's because we're so consumed by it rather than using it purposefully. Mhm.
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And so we find that people actually feel they're wasting I know I saw study that said people are wasting about 6 hours a day on social media doing something meaningless or insignificant.
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How where do you get your optimism for social media and the trickle effect?
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I know I get it, but how did you get that point where you were like, actually, social media is helping, it can work? Mhm.
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I I it started with realizing, you know, it's no different than taking that few minutes for yourself in the beginning of the day to drink your coffee or read a magazine or whatever it may be, watch the news.
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You're getting some sort of information to sort of And that really does trigger what's your day's going to be like, what what's going to sort of ignite that spirit in you.
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And so, I think people can use social media to do just that.
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They just have to curate the right social media that they're sort of funneling into themselves.
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And that's why I feel like accounts like yours are so I mean, that is the proof in the pudding right there.
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Starting your day off, and I know that you're strategic about when you post cuz when I turn my phone on and it's the first video I see, I'm grateful because I know that that's what my brain needs to absorb.
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If I'm going to choose to use social media, I'm going to choose to sort of put these positive images and these positive messages into me rather than seeing I hate to say it cuz no discount to them, they're a hustler in their own right, and I'm sure they have their own purpose in mind, but I don't need to see a hundred different beauty bloggers and OOTDs to make myself feel like I'm good you know, good enough.
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It doesn't do that for me personally.
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And some people do resonate with that, but personally, my goals are so different than that.
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And so, I think for someone out there who looks at social media in a negative way, be sure that you're using social media to benefit you and you're not just a consumer.
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And maybe take the approach of trying to create before you consume.
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Um I think that that's a really good tool to go about because creating something that could have its own trickle effect makes you feel like you're part of a bigger purpose.
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Consuming social media, unless you're using it purposefully, can really weigh on you. So well said. Oh, thank you. So well said.
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Create before you consume. I totally agree.
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When you're part of something, when you're part of creating something, it doesn't take you away from anything, right?
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When you're a part of creating what everyone else is seeing.
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And And I have to say that I get motivated by Danielle's extreme workout regime.
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Like I'm just like, "Wow, I need to Yesterday you were pushing a truck."
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Like I was just like, "What?" I was like, "Oh my god."
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Like you pushed it and then you were chasing it and then you ran around it.
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And I was just like, "Wow, this is so epic."
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I was so impressed by it.
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I was like But But it's Yeah, it's great.
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But that that discipline you have and it's I feel the same way about yours.
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You post so many And you And you do make it funny, too.
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Like I I remember there was a time when you were eating avo toast every day.
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And I'm a huge avo toast fan.
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So it was just It was just I I couldn't agree with you more.
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I think also when when you're also able to connect, I find that the great The thing I love about social media is that you really you really attract the energy you create.
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You really attract the energy you put out.
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So if you're always putting out positive, meaningful messages, whether they're comedic or whether they're from my side more more inspirational or positive, whatever they may be, you start attracting people.
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And that's how we connected.
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Like we met once, but then I was following you on social media.
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I was like, "Oh wow, we align so much."
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And then we had a relationship built up out of social media. Yeah. And we've not met often.
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This is in fact probably the second time we've been together, but I feel like I know you so well.
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And that's what I've loved about it.
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That when I've accelerated a relationship, and I say this to everyone, if you build up a good connection with someone online, go offline as soon as you can.
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Like try and meet with that person for coffee or have lunch together or whatever it is.
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Obviously verifying that they're real and all the rest of it, but go and do that because you're going to build a an amazing relationship with that person.
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You know, don't let it just be online.
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If you can go and meet that person, do it.
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I love that piece of advice.
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I think that's so great and especially in this time where so many people can go years or longer with just having these fiction not fictional, they're real they're real relationships, but without putting a face to the name and having that physical connection, I think there's so much more that can come of that.
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Um yeah, so I totally agree with that. It's powerful.
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I want to go back to when you were talking a bit about your parents and growing up and now obviously you're engaged. Yeah.
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last December you were sharing. Congratulations.
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And I was I was lucky enough to meet your fiance as well, which is awesome when we first met.
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And you guys are so cute together. Like I love it. But yeah. you. We work at it.
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You know, it's the biggest part of it, right?
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You want something so bad, you work at it. Uh we just connected.
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We we work well together for the most part and I think we support one another's endeavors and we respect each other's independence, but we're very much a unit.
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Um I know we were talking earlier cuz a lot of people ask me about the wedding and there's so much of that on social media, you know, these big moments, these big chapters in your life are celebrated to the nines.
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I mean, the likes, the comments, the excitement around the build-up of of an engagement or a proposal or a wedding or whatever.
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It almost makes you feel like everything in the middle is insignificant, which I think is such a misconception because it's the day-to-day that feels like the real success in a relationship. Wow.
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You know, we can all have these moments where we celebrate one another we and everyone around us is celebrating our love and there's so much just anticipation around that.
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But really it's the day-to-day grind.
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It's no different than building a company.
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It's that day-to-day grind that inevitably sets you up for a successful business or relationship.
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And I feel like we we're doing that and the wedding is is not on the forefront of my mind.
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I'm really more focused on being the right fit in the right partnership. And on that note.
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So yeah, I think that that's like my main focus is just being the right fit and having the right partnership together.
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What do you guys do to do that? What's your approach? What have you learned?
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How long How long have you been together?
24:59
We've been together almost 8 years. Amazing.
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So, you've been together for 8 years.
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So, to anyone who's listening, that's real experience.
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That's not, you know, that's not just oh, we've been together for a year.
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So, you've been together for 8 years. What have you learned? What has worked for you?
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What can help other people?
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He was my first relationship.
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So, when I say I've learned, I have learned, okay?
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In terms of the the moving in together and and having this co-lifestyle was easy. That was easy peasy.
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I love I love it, which is interesting, right?
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Most people are like moving in is a very, you know, it could go one of two ways.
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And for us, it was like I love to nurture and I love to nest.
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And anyone who's around me and comes over, I just I crave that taking care of element.
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Like that's something that feeds my soul.
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So, easy, that fit right in.
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I think for me, I have an independence element that I've established since a young age.
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And so, um being in a relationship sometimes that that can be a little bit of a tricky element, but he's also an entrepreneur in his own right.
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So, we sort of balance each other out.
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Like I found that person who can respect that quality in me and lifts that quality up rather than saying, oh, yeah, it's another dreamer.
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It's another dream or whatever, you know?
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Like So, we work at it and we we've been figuring out how to communicate along the years.
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And like that changes as you evolve as humans.
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And it's um it's been fun.
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And I think that to me is what keeps us interesting is that it's not monotonous.
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I mean, it's monotonous in a way that we're one for each other and that's it.
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But it's not monotonous in our daily, weekly, monthly grind.
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Like we love adventures and we love trying new things.
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And we talk about, you know, not falling into the, you know, conventional relationship or what that may be for some people. So.
26:48
Yeah, I love that we were both talking about our What's the right word?
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Our It's It's like Lack of status quo.
26:55
Yeah, our our not discussed Like It's almost like we're we're not trying to follow the rules or something. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
27:03
I don't I don't know who invented the rules. them? Yeah, who invented them?
27:06
I don't agree with any of them.
27:09
And and why do they have to be tied to a certain age, a certain demographic, or a certain stage of life?
27:15
And I've never I've just never thought like that.
27:18
I've never felt that life is a set of stages that you have to live in order. Mhm.
27:22
And I feel like the more you do that, you push away from what you were saying, which is falling in love with the process.
27:30
And then it becomes about the destination.
27:32
It becomes about the next milestone.
27:33
And I was saying that to someone Someone was asking me the question the other day.
27:36
They were said, "Jay, how do you stay detached from the result?
27:39
Like how do you stay detached from an expectation of how something should go?"
27:45
And I said that it's when you get to the degree that you're getting all of what you need from the process, to that degree you don't need it from a milestone or an end.
27:54
But if you're not getting any juice from the process, then you're going to wait for that award.
28:00
You're going to wait for the milestone.
28:01
You're going to wait for the big the big day because you're not getting any happiness or joy.
28:06
But if you're getting happiness and joy from the process, then you're not looking for it anywhere else. Dead on. Dead on.
28:13
And that's where rules and norms and Yes. kind of mess.
28:17
that happen so much in our generation.
28:21
And I I maybe it's because I'm at this age and I'm obviously in that that age where everyone is sort of celebrating those big milestones, but there's not enough of celebrating the things that I feel like take more inner strength, which are owning a company or working for someone
28:39
or striving to do something in the activist community or speaking about real problems or issues in their family, whatever it may be, like all these different little things along the way that make you up to be this whole person and this happy individual. It's not always about the wedding or the
28:54
It's not always about the wedding or the baby shower, the big birthday bash, or whatever it may be that kind of creates this identity of who you are for that moment because then you set yourself up for failure.
29:04
You get to that peak, it's where do you go from there? Yeah.
29:06
That's why you hear about these girl like I have friends all the time and they're like, "I'm going through the blues, the wet the post-wedding blues, and they're going through the depression of like, what was my life for a whole year and now I have to reinvent the wheel." Oh, wow. must feel so tricky. Definitely.
29:21
And And the interesting thing about that is that can happen with starting a company.
29:24
That can happen with It can have that feeling can happen with anything. Yes. Yes.
29:31
And therefore, what what I believe being you're trying to say what we're trying what we're getting to is almost like it shouldn't be around any of those. No.
29:39
It's It's a personal choice.
29:39
It's that personal exploration, that curiosity. Yeah.
29:44
Because there I know people who've built successful companies and 10 years on are now re-trying to find their identity because identity was so closely linked to that company.
29:51
That's how I feel about acting. Right.
29:54
I feel like for so long I my identity was and I was just telling a friend of mine and it's like, in my family and my group of friends, like there's the actress.
30:01
That's the girl who, you know, was on TV or whatever.
30:05
And I'm so different than that identity.
30:08
Like there's so many different layers to all of us.
30:10
I just I want to be the person who expresses the layers in between and I think that's what I want other people to feel acceptable doing as well cuz there there's so much that makes us great. Yeah. I love that.
30:23
Expressing the layers in between. Yeah. Yeah, it's so true.
30:24
We can be seen as so one-dimensional, even if you're not. Mhm.
30:28
Our our job titles make us one-dimensional.
30:31
It's like that becomes your imprint and that's why I'm getting That's why I get excited by Every time I get asked to send my biography for an event I'm speaking at or whatever it is, I literally struggle with what to write because I like, I don't even know how to describe what I do.
30:44
And then my mom will be like, I want to tell your my friends what you do.
30:47
And I'm like, "Yeah, I'm not sure, Mom, like how you can explain it."
30:51
Because if I told you a title, they wouldn't like, you know?
30:53
But it's beautiful that we are struggling to define ourselves in one sense. Yes.
30:59
Because it we are multi-layered and multi-faceted and we have so many more dimensions and elements Yep.
31:05
as opposed to saying I am this and defining ourselves by a by a word Mhm. Mhm. Absolutely.
31:10
Because then you you by nature somehow instill all this happiness in that identity.
31:15
And what if at some point that identity dissipates? Or you decide to pivot.
31:21
And then all of a sudden you have to teach the people around you that no, that's okay.
31:25
Like, I don't I don't resonate as that and that's not all of who I am.
31:29
I'm going to pivot into this and this is also a part of who I am and this also feeds me and this also makes me feel empowered.
31:35
It's a It's a tricky thing to sort of navigate sometimes.
31:41
It sounds like you had to do that with your friends and family.
31:43
Yeah, and I think little by little I mean, everyone always thinks that I'm just going to fall into another show and I probably will at some point.
31:47
But I'm taking this time to do what I think I'm supposed to do right now.
31:52
And I think there's a bigger purpose behind all of it.
31:55
How have you connected that with your family and friends?
31:59
Like, how have they been able to see that rise of you?
32:00
Because I guess I've only known that side of you. Right, right.
32:04
only known you as an activist more than anything, really.
32:07
And I see you as as an incredible activist.
32:10
Like, you're doing amazing work.
32:11
So, how have the people who have had to evolve with you evolved?
32:16
How have you helped How have you helped them see the different side of you or has it just happened naturally?
32:20
You know, it's been really nice is that social media is so prevalent because people see what I'm doing very quickly and they kind of get on board pretty quickly.
32:28
But no matter what I do, I don't know that I'll ever be able to shake the actress identity. And I'm okay with it.
32:36
Um but I just hope that they know that there's so much more than that, you know?
32:40
And that's, you know, that's all.
32:43
And I think you've leveraged it, which is which is what we're saying earlier.
32:45
And that's the best bit, I think, that you've leveraged that identity to be able to be everything else you want to be. Right.
32:53
And people, like you said, take you seriously.
32:54
They follow you because of this particular identity that you're showing.
32:57
So, I I actually think it works hand in hand. Yeah, so do I.
33:00
It It works hand in hand.
33:01
not trying to shake it too much, but I also want people to know there's those layers. They're there. Yeah, I know. Exactly. Yeah, keep it there. points underneath. Yeah, keep it.
33:07
We need it because I I think anyone I speak to that wants to be a advocate for change, an ambassador, an activist, I feel like when you are known for something, when you are influential in a particular way, everything you do becomes more amplified.
33:24
It's just the world we live in. I know.
33:26
And And I'm aware of that. Yeah. So. No, I know. I know.
33:30
It's just I I when I hear that, it's almost like I need to reinstall that way of thinking as well because I know that there is a reason why I've been given so many amazing opportunities to be on a platform or reach more people, and I I sometimes forget how important that piece is and be so grateful for all of that.
33:51
And with your intention, it's perfect.
33:53
Like that's why I think I feel very confident saying that to you because I know what your intention is and it's so much deeper.
33:59
So, when you have that beautiful intention and then you give influence to that intention, that amplification is beautiful.
34:04
Whereas if the intention is just greed, enjoyment, negativity, fame, power, etc.
34:13
And then you give that amplification, that never leads to any good. Mhm.
34:16
And and I feel like I think you'll also inspire not only people who watch you or know you for what you've done, but also peers in this space to find more meaning in their life, too, because I find that I was speaking to someone who's a successful singer the other day and he was sharing the same thing with me that he struggles with the industry and the kind of messages that are put out.
34:40
And I was like, "Yeah, but you can change that."
34:42
Like people listen to your opinions, so you not turning up to interviews and award shows and actually sharing the right message is actually a disservice. Yeah.
34:52
Like it's actually a disservice because you not turning up makes says nothing. Mhm.
34:56
You turning up and sharing something says everything. Yeah.
34:59
And and that's I think you'll not only inspire the people that are watching and following and part of the community, but inspire peers, which I'm excited to see. Oh, thank you.
35:07
When I when I'm listening to you, what I'm hearing so much is I hear passion, I hear meaning, I hear fulfillment.
35:15
And I'm not saying any of that's perfect and we both know that. And same with my life. Mhm.
35:20
But I'm hearing all of that and in my opinion, that comes because you're a person of service, because you're an activist. Mhm.
35:28
And and that identity of yours, that layer of yours is what's fueling all of this, right? Yeah.
35:33
No, I just had this conversation.
35:34
I I was telling someone the other day they were struggling to find out what their identity was, what their purpose is.
35:40
Like they just feel like they live a more mundane lifestyle and they just feel like they're constantly on that wheel of just what is the life, what is this?
35:48
And I said, "Are you serving?"
35:50
And they looked at me and they just didn't know what that meant.
35:51
I said, "Are you serving?"
35:52
Like it could be on the smallest way, but are you doing anything for anyone, whether it be a friend, family member, community, animal, whatever? That feels like power.
36:05
That is something we all can do. Yeah.
36:08
That doesn't There's no definition that describes someone who serves other than It's all of us. We all can do that.
36:11
And the feeling of doing something that can make an impact on someone else's life or in a in a bigger impact than you even could have imagined yourself makes you feel like there's a purpose.
36:26
And who knows what can transpire from that?
36:28
So, thank you for even saying that because there's something really special about finding that service element in your life cuz I just there's so much good.
36:37
There's just so much good that can come of that. Yeah, definitely.
36:39
I remember getting so into understanding service after I lived as a monk for 3 years.
36:46
And and service was a total part of our life.
36:48
Like that was that is the foundational principle of everything. Wow.
36:51
And then when I came back to the real world, I was like, "Okay, I need to understand how true this is scientifically too."
36:58
And I saw this incredible study they did at Cambridge University where this guy called Michael Norton, he tested how people feel when they were given given $5 to $20 to spend on themselves or spend on other people.
37:11
And they measured their happiness before and after without telling them it was a happiness experiment.
37:14
And they found that everyone who used $5 or $20 on themselves were no happier than they were before.
37:22
So, your happiness didn't go down, but it didn't go up.
37:23
And everyone who spent the money on other people, whether it was $5 or $20, their happiness went up by at least 10 to 20%.
37:29
And so it was just, you know, scientifically from a data point of view, forget how we feel and forget what we know, just from that point of view.
37:38
And the funny thing is that the most common things people bought each other were like bought themselves were Starbucks and makeup.
37:44
And the most common things people bought others were Starbucks and makeup.
37:45
So, it wasn't even about Yeah, what it was. Yeah. was.
37:49
It was that feeling of giving.
37:49
And the whole study kind of concluded by saying money can buy happiness if you spend it on other people.
37:56
And it wasn't all about money.
37:58
It was in terms of time and energy as well. So, even if you Exactly.
38:02
Right, even if you don't have money, it's that investment of time and energy. Oh, that's so powerful. Oh my goodness.
38:09
I just hope people take that away.
38:09
You know, like I hope that really lands cuz it doesn't cost anything.
38:14
I mean, it is a measure of money in that regard, but it doesn't cost anything to serve.
38:18
And it could be so simple.
38:20
I mean, people say call your grandparents, you know?
38:23
And you don't want to call your grandparents.
38:24
You get off the phone with your grandparents and feel like a hundred bucks.
38:27
You're like, "Wow, I just made her day."
38:29
And maybe she didn't really know who I was.
38:31
Like, she was probably "Who's that?" Didn't matter.
38:35
That is the peace that makes you feel like you did something that's bigger than you and you step outside of being a selfish person like we all tend to be because it feels like survival of of life sometimes.
38:45
But yeah, it's it's awesome.
38:47
Power of service for sure.
38:51
Yeah, I I I often say as we've been we're wired for generosity, but we've been educated for greed.
38:58
And and it's, you know, as kids what you said what you started with this whole conversation. I'm going back to that.
39:03
You started by saying that as kids we're almost you know, our best selves.
39:10
And and that's why when you made that incredible decision at five years old we we're able to kind of tap into how we really feel.
39:16
And I genuinely believe that kids are wired for generosity.
39:18
As kids we're wired for generosity.
39:20
And then education of all types comes in.
39:22
I don't just mean the educational system.
39:26
And it kind of re-wires us to become me me me.
39:28
So, it's beautiful when and I think everyone who's listening for those of you don't know and we've gone so deep with Daniella today, but you know, you work with a non-profit called Bridget. Yeah, Meet Bridget.
39:39
Yeah, that uses video creation to equip underserved teen girls to envision themselves in careers outside their media environments. Mhm.
39:46
Tell tell us a bit about that because I want the audience to hear about these things because that's why it's so good having this conversation with you because you're living it.
39:53
You're not just saying it. You're not preaching it.
39:56
You're not just posting on Instagram about it.
39:58
Like, you're you're behind you're an activist behind so many great ventures.
40:01
So, tell us a bit about that one.
40:03
Oh my goodness, one of the most amazing females crossed my path through yoga, ironically.
40:08
I mean, not really so ironically cuz there's some amazing people in yoga.
40:12
Um, her name is Asha and she used to work um, in the field of yoga and she was going to school and she saw this need in the female community and these younger generosities of girls, these younger demos that are underserved and
40:28
she created Bridget, which is a community of girls that need a little bit of like a big sister element and also someone who can help guide them in their career path and give them that extra tool or hope or skill or just assist um along the way. So I mean some
40:43
So I mean some of these are young moms or just kind of were dealt a unique set of cards and and need some more hope.
40:51
And so we've teamed up with Microsoft, we've we're doing an event at USC and we're talking about the Me Too movement and we're just speaking about the the tougher things but also giving a lot of hope and skills to this group of girls.
41:06
And um if you don't know about it, I recommend just doing a little bit of homework and following us or whatever and coming to one of our events and um we're all just real people at the end of the day and we're just trying to do our part to instill whatever we can in these in these young girls. Yeah, that's beautiful. Thank you. Yeah, thanks so much.
41:23
It's Yeah, it's it's great to speak to a real change maker.
41:27
Like someone who's like your grassroots, you're but you're also an entrepreneur in in the activism space. Yeah.
41:35
empowering I think for a lot of people to see that you can do good Yes. and make money Yes.
41:40
and be successful at the same time and you don't have to say no.
41:41
And I think for a long time I felt in especially when I was growing up, maybe it's in London or I always believed that you couldn't do good and be successful.
41:49
Like they were two opposite things.
41:50
Like if you were successful, you were successful but maybe you're a bit greedy because if you want to be successful, you have to be greedy.
41:56
And then at the other end I used to think, oh yeah, do gooding people don't make money. Mhm.
42:00
And I always had I don't know where that came from and I'm still trying to explore that but I always had that viewpoint. Mhm.
42:05
And it's nice to see now in our generation people bring that together. Oh, yeah.
42:09
To show that actually you can do more when you have more resources. Oh, yes. Yeah.
42:13
I feel like that's happening all over the place.
42:14
These bigger companies are are realizing that people want to put their money in these consumers care about where their money's going.
42:22
And as soon as people it's supply and demand, right?
42:24
So, as soon as people start to supply for something more than just consumer goods or more than just getting their needs met and they want a bigger picture involved in this like these companies will all start to follow suit because they'll realize like uh-oh, people are becoming a little more woke over here.
42:40
It's time to step up our game. Yeah.
42:42
And that's what I want to be a part of.
42:44
I want to be a part of those companies that are realizing that from the beginning. Yeah.
42:47
And being the game changers, right? I love it. I love it.
42:51
I've got my five big questions for you Oh, okay. as we come to a close. Okay.
42:55
So, these are these are usually quick, but they've been a bit longer recently when I've been doing them because I have awesome guests and everyone has awesome things to share.
43:04
So, I stopped doing them as quick questions because I was like if it gets deep, it's deep.
43:07
And you can make them as funny as you like, too. Okay, okay.
43:10
So, I genuinely feel like this and and again, I I'm saying this to everyone and I know Danielle would say this about ourselves.
43:15
It's not about being perfect, but you do seem really happy and content and that energy comes out very naturally through you.
43:22
What what makes you happy?
43:24
I start my day with a cup of coffee. Nice. Okay.
43:27
And I I evaluate what I'm doing.
43:30
I always I'm checking in with myself and I know when I'm feeling a low, I either pop a B vitamin or I get to the gym.
43:37
And usually I get to the gym before I do anything because I know that there are certain things that make me who I am and if I'm not the happiest person that I can be, then I can't serve in the way that I can do best, right? Absolutely.
43:50
So, um I know the things that work for me and it's working out, it's being conscious of what I'm putting in my body, it's uh drinking coffee.
43:56
I I hate to say it, but it is. It gives me energy.
44:01
I'm not an addict by any means, but I do know that there are certain things that make me who I am. Yeah.
44:04
And that's that's part of it. Amazing. Awesome. Second question.
44:08
The number one question you'd ask a monk.
44:10
Have you ever met a monk actually? No, just you. No, interesting. Interesting. Okay.
44:15
What would What would you ask a monk if you ever met one? Oh my goodness.
44:17
What is your skin routine?
44:22
Would you actually ask that to a monk? Yeah, whatever. Can you imagine that?
44:24
Monks I do have great skin actually. I'm sure they do.
44:28
Their lifestyle is probably What is your lifestyle?
44:30
That's the question I would make.
44:31
Like what what is it What does a Monday look for a monk? Right. Right. Interesting. Okay. Good. Good for me to know.
44:37
Yeah, what does a Monday look like? That's what I'm asking.
44:38
Oh, you are actually asking. Yes.
44:42
What did a Monday used to look like?
44:42
So, I'm not a monk anymore, but what I used to be.
44:46
Your morning start off the same and that's the morning routine thing is such a I mean it's really propelled into mainstream society now to have a good morning routine, etc.
44:54
But all of our days would start at 4:00 a. m. You'd wake up at 4:00 a. m.
44:58
You'd start meditating collectively at 4:30.
45:00
And then by about 5:15 you'd have independent meditation or personal private meditation.
45:06
And half the day basically is spent in silence and self-awareness. It's your growth.
45:12
It's about taking care of yourself, your needs, your learning, your development.
45:17
And then the other half is spent in service.
45:19
So, the other half is spent being out there, whether it's helping build sustainable villages or building food distribution programs or teaching young kids or sharing the message or teaching meditation, whatever it may be.
45:32
So, that construct is something that I've tried to take through in my life.
45:36
That half of my life should be spent learning, growing.
45:39
Even this exchange like from today, I'm just learning.
45:44
I'm just listening to you without trying to judge, without trying to teach, without trying to share.
45:48
And then the rest of my day is spent serving by teaching, etc.
45:52
And so, that's kind of Amazing. Monday looks like. Very cool.
45:56
That's what everyday looks like. Yeah, I love it. But yeah, okay. Question number three.
45:59
The best advice you've ever Ooh, that's a I feel like I was different couple from you today to be honest.
46:09
Um gosh, the best advice.
46:14
Wow, it's scary when you start to draw blanks on that and cuz I almost feel like some of the advice that I've gotten along the way has all been self-taught or self-learned.
46:24
But then again, I would say that following leaders like you.
46:26
I I really do feel that way.
46:30
There are people out there in my network or in my circle that I learn from on a daily basis and I think um there's just too many to even choose.
46:40
I don't even know where I would start. Nice. That's cool. That's fine. Oh.
46:43
And then the question is best mentor you've ever had or some of the best mentors you've had or any people you look up to or anything.
46:52
Wow, I'm finding a lot now for sure.
46:52
I think growing up I didn't even know I had mentors.
46:57
My aunt was a significant role play in my life.
47:00
Um there was a time where I didn't know where I was living.
47:04
I had my clothes in the back of my car.
47:06
I was kind of just sleeping where I could sleep until I figured it out and my aunt gave me her couch for a while and I learned a lot.
47:12
I got a lot done in that amount of time.
47:16
I went to community college.
47:18
I got my personal training certification.
47:20
I went to school for real estate, got my license.
47:22
Like there was this time where I was trying to figure it out all amongst acting which is crazy.
47:28
I always felt like there was more than acting, always.
47:30
And that couch and being in my aunt's life still to this day, she's someone I lean on immensely.
47:38
She's full of knowledge, full of wisdom and she did a lot of work on herself and still does and those are the people that I aspire to be like. Wow. Yeah.
47:47
I'm going to I'm going to segue before I ask you that last question because you just made me think of a few things there.
47:52
What what are your thoughts on so young men and women today who want to be actors, want to be social media influencers, who want to be anything that gives you that platform.
48:02
What would be your advice to them?
48:06
Well, I think we live in a time where you can do it.
48:11
That's the first thing I would tell someone is it's not a joke.
48:12
Like you have more resources than like someone who lives in the heart of LA or Hollywood or whatever you imagine who's going to auditions every day. You know?
48:23
Maybe decide what your true goal is in terms of what um what kind of entertainment you want to put out and then target that.
48:30
So, find the the network around that.
48:34
Find the demo and start creating content on your own because at the end of the day even people who are actors are still content creators.
48:42
And I think there's so much more power and so much more self-worth in creating something of your own.
48:48
Um but not to say that using acting as a platform isn't the right tool as well because I do that as well.
48:54
But I think a little bit of everything, working alongside, collaborating with people, creating your own, that is all equipment to become, you know, someone in the public eye or someone who has a voice or an actor.
49:06
Those are all things you could be doing.
49:09
And I always tell kids too, get involved in school plays. Get your feet wet.
49:11
You know, stand in front of a large audience with the lights blaring in your face, okay? Just try it on. Try it on a few times.
49:19
Were you Were you shy the first time or were you always like Gosh, I I don't remember ever being shy.
49:25
In fact, I feel like I was really annoying most of my childhood.
49:26
Is what I think when I think about me as a kid, I'm like, gosh, she must have been so annoying. But I don't know.
49:33
I just I always felt like I I didn't have a fear of speaking up. Um yeah.
49:41
I'm so glad you're using that fearlessness of speaking up for the right thing. Thank you. Yeah, it's nice. Thank you.
49:47
And my last question before I ask you whatever else you wanted to share that I didn't cover today is the worst advice you've ever been given. Worst advice? Oh my gosh.
49:55
You're going one that comes to mind?
49:58
Um after I had lost significant weight and I got my head back in the game and I started to get healthy, I put on quite a bit of weight.
50:10
Um I thought it was like the right thing to do at the time. I felt generally happy.
50:16
Um but I just knew where I was wasn't where I should have been.
50:19
So I'm going to do something else and my manager at the time advised against it and was very honest about me putting weight on.
50:29
And she told me that nothing tastes good as good as skinny feels. And um yeah. Wow.
50:39
And I'd say that's the first thing that came to mind. Yeah.
50:41
It's pretty bad advice cuz let me tell you, a lot of things taste good. Yeah. Absolutely.
50:47
No, I think it's really cool advice.
50:50
And that's why I always ask people the worst advice they've ever been given because I feel more people in their life will hear bad advice than good advice. Yeah.
50:58
And so to be able to know which one's which helps a lot. Mhm.
51:03
Because good advice is actually more rare. Mhm.
51:04
So when when people are hearing this and they're hearing you share your worst advice and other guests who are sharing their worst advice, I want people to kind of get an arsenal of like the worst advice so that they know never to like buy into that. So smart.
51:20
Yeah, so that makes sense.
51:21
That's that's that is good advice.
51:24
Is there anything we've not covered today that you're like, "Oh my goodness, I really want to share this story or I didn't get to share this message or anything?"
51:29
I always like bringing that up because Yeah.
51:33
I just want to tap in on one really quick thing.
51:34
Um It doesn't have to be quick.
51:37
Yeah, so I um I've been in this industry for a long time.
51:41
I've come across a lot of very headstrong personalities and I um was in some uncomfortable positions with males and I learned a lot from it.
51:49
And I'm going to eventually tell a little bit of this story, but I also feel like the one thing I want people to take away from just the Me Too movement in itself cuz I've never really spoken out about it is and this might be a controversial angle.
52:09
But whatever it may be that you struggled from as someone in a position of vulnerability or feeling taken advantage of, there is such a strength that comes from that low.
52:24
And I am a firm believer of utilizing that and harnessing that strength to create something that is instrumental in your lives and in the lives of other people.
52:36
Um so I just feel like if anyone's listening and feels like something was done wrong to them, whether it male, female, whatever it may be, instead of taking and get I get that everyone needs their time to um sort of comfort themselves and maybe even sulk in that moment because believe me a good cry is a recipe for a lot of answers, but after you're done, take that time and say, "I am so ready to be the biggest boss."
53:06
That's what I just wanted to make sure I said because there there that I think that can I don't know, it applies to a lot of things and I just really believe and like with every element of weakness or devastation or anything that anyone's encountered that felt wrong, there's so much strength that can come of that.
53:25
So I just hope that people can like hear that and feel stronger.
53:29
Thank you for sharing that. Yeah. Yeah, thank you. Yeah.
53:32
Thank you so much Daniela for being here. I'm so grateful. That was amazing.
53:36
We we talked about so many amazing things and I learned so much. Oh good.
53:40
So that And the just flew by.
53:41
I think we were talking for like 1 and 1/2 hours, but it just I didn't even feel it.
53:44
It's Yeah, I didn't even feel it.
53:46
It feels like we just started. gosh.
53:48
We'll do dinner sometime. Yes, we have to. We have to.
53:49
But thank you so much for coming on.
53:51
Everyone who's listening, please please please go check out Danielle on Instagram.
53:54
Is there anywhere else they should try and find you?
53:56
No, I mean I'm on it all.
53:58
Facebook, Instagram, YouTube. Just Danielle Monet. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely.
54:01
Um thank you so much again for coming and sharing so openly.
54:05
Honestly, it was it was really a lot of good learning for me. So thank you. good. It felt good. Good, I'm glad. Thank you. Thanks, guys. Thanks.
54:11
If you want even more videos just like this one, make sure you subscribe and click on the boxes over here.
54:15
I'm also excited to let you know that you can now get my book Think Like a Monk from thinklikeamonkbook. com.
54:25
Check below in the description to make sure you order today.