EFR 598: Navigating Growth as a Social Media Influencer, Creating Authentic Content, and Finding Confidence Through Vulnerability with Sam Gwaz

Speaker 1:The following is an operation podcast production.

Speaker 2:Hi everybody. My name is Sam I'm here on ever forward radio talking about health, fitness, social media, how I've experienced everything for the past six years of social media. What I like about it, what I don't like about it and how to just move forward, being your most authentic self

Speaker 1:Sam and I love getting a good workout in, but you know what else? We love clean, healthy [00:00:30] snacks, especially ones that are packed with protein, likely 100% grass fed B6 from today's partner, paleo valley. And today only exclusively here on the podcast. You can get a pack of these grass fed beef sticks for just 4 99. That is 80% off the normal price. These are 100% grass fed beef, and they come from regenerative, small scale American farms free from pesticides and herbicide packed with naturally fermented goods, Paleo certified and keto certified. These are the only beef sticks in the USA made from 100% grass [00:01:00] fed and grass finished beef and flavored with organic ices that are naturally fermented. I keep them at home in my pantry, in my backpack, in my desk, in my gym bag, they've got five delicious flavors to choose from and you know what, like I said, best of all today, they're 80% off. So make sure to check today's show notes. That's a very special link for you waiting down in there. Click that link, head to the paleovalley website for this exclusive to get 80% off of these delicious, nutritious. Good for you. Protein packed, healthy snacks [00:01:30] on the go. Welcome back everyone.

Speaker 1:This is your number one source for inspiring content from people who are putting a purpose to their passion and truly living a life ever for conversations and messages that will take your fitness, nutrition, and mindset to the next level. I am your host chase tuning. This is ever forward radio

Speaker 1:[00:02:00] What's. So what's up. What's up. Welcome back everybody. This is, uh, I, I love when this happens. This is a repeat performance, a repeat guest from a very good friend of mine. And in fact, dare, I even say my first new Southern California friend, Sam qua AKA the am plan on Instagram was one of the first homies I met [00:02:30] that I reached out to when I moved to Southern California pushing four years ago, I met her at a local gym. She was a trainer there and I was just trying to get tapped into the health and fitness community in my new hood. And Sam welcomed me with open arms and well, you know, it's just been a great friendship ever since she and I still catch a workout whenever we can. And she has grown so much on Instagram and has grown so much as a human being over the years in terms of the content that [00:03:00] she puts out and how she helps herself, both physically and mentally, and how that translates to her audience.

Speaker 1:Especially over the last few years, when we were enduring this global pandemic, Sam just completely pivoted and changed her content to not only keep her sanity, but also her fitness and helped tens of thousands of other people do the same to maintain physical activity. When we didn't really have a whole lot of other options, if you wanna check out Sam's first episode, this was episode 2 0 1 [00:03:30] body building to intuitive eating, transforming the body and mind Sam has done it all intuitive, eating flexible dieting, macro. She has been a competitive body builder. Now she's kind of like where I'm at, you know, we're just in it to feel good to look good and to be happy for the long haul. So if you wanna learn more about her transformation from body building to intuitive eating, like I said, go ahead and check out episode 2 0 1. I'm gonna link that for you down on the show notes as always, but today.

Speaker 1:Well, what are we [00:04:00] diving into today? Today's a little bit more on the content creation, business, entrepreneur, fitness creator side of things. We're gonna be navigating growth as a social media influencer and creating authentic content and finding confidence through vulnerability. Like I said earlier, Sam has grown so much and in this discussion, we're gonna talk about her growth and evolution as a health and fitness content creator on social media, we speak on the power of vulnerability in [00:04:30] building confidence. Sam's current struggle as a content creator and how you can reevaluate your social media presence to ensure that you are in fact authentic content that is aligned with your audience and their needs. And kind of looking down the barrel. So to speak, looking down the line of what could be Sam and I talk about the future and she really opens up about what her hopes are for the future of social media, along with a few pieces of advice for any of you [00:05:00] aspiring content of creators out there.

Speaker 1:So if you've ever had this question pop up or just been mulling over, what can I do with my platform or platforms? So you gained a few on social media. You've got a little following. Well now what the answer, isn't always that cut and dry. It's not so clear and direct. What we have come to realize is that Instagram and TikTok are no longer, or even perhaps never were places where [00:05:30] you had to appear perfect to gain a following or appeal to a large audience, or to leverage it to a product or a service of your choice tune in today. You're gonna find so much value, especially if you are in the health and fitness space. If you're a health and fitness creator and trying to start, grow, or convert your social media audience into your offer, and this show would not be possible without the support of you, but also our partners.

Speaker 1:And today I'm gonna give special attention [00:06:00] to one of my favorite partners that I have brought on this year that has added immense, comprehensive and convenient daily nutrition to my life ag one ag one from athletic greens. This contains over 75 essential vitamins minerals and whole food source ingredient. Giving me you a multivitamin, a probiotic, your prebiotic adaptogens, and so much more. It's so easy guys, listen, all you need is just one scoop one scoop. I take mine in the morning. I mix [00:06:30] in with some good quality water. I start my day off on the right foot because this is supporting my immunity. My gut health contributing into healthy aging and my overall energy levels simply put, this is just better. Nutrition made a lot simpler and they're hooking it up here on the show. This exclusive offer for you is if you want all of this in your life, which I know you do, you're gonna get a free one year supply of vitamin D an essential nutrient that a lot of us, in fact, the most of us are division and N plus five travel packs.

Speaker 1:So no [00:07:00] matter where you go, you've got ag one with you. You've got comprehensive and convenient nutrition with you. Head to athletic greens.com/ever to swoop in on this exclusive deal. Again, that's athletic greens.com/ever, or simply check under episode resources in today's show notes. I've been using ag one for months. I love it. It's so convenient. It's so delicious. It mixes so easily. And I know that I'm doing my mind, my body justice, athletic [00:07:30] greens.com/ever Ford to unlock this exclusive offer of a free one year supply vitamin D and five travel packets on top of your three or day supply of ag one, Sam, such a pleasure to have you back here on the show. Welcome everybody. This is Sam GU. What do you want people to know most about right now? What's going on? Like in the fitness space, nutrition, wellness, mental health, like, what are you doing most online right now to help people?

Speaker 2:It's one of those things where I feel like I about a lot [00:08:00] and I don't always have a definite answer of what that looks like, but there's a lot that I've learned. I'm gonna pull your last

Speaker 1:Episode

Speaker 2:Real quick. Sorry. There's a lot that I'm still learning Uhhuh in terms of even my own relationship with food, my relationship with fitness and what I want out of life. And I think also like, what can I, my platform for, and at the end, like my journey, what I've gone through, I know other people are still in the beginning stages of that. Mm-hmm [00:08:30] <affirmative> sometimes I forget. Sometimes I feel like I've shared something on social media and then yeah, like new, I don't need to send it or I don't need to share it again. Right. So I'm kind of in that phase of where I feel like I've put everything that I've been through and that I've learned onto social media. Mm-hmm <affirmative> but it's almost like, do I go back through and just like share again?

Speaker 1:I love, I got it. I got some ideas.

Speaker 2:Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker 1:We'll roll with that.

Speaker 2:I like that. Especially when it comes to like growth, right? Like, or even like a lack of, because social media has been a really tough spot for me lately, especially on Instagram, because [00:09:00] it's changed so much from when it was or what it was even a year ago. Mm-hmm <affirmative> like it's yeah. Unfortunate. <laugh>

Speaker 1:You got groove, you got your groove. I love, I love that idea. That's um, I was just pulling up, so I reference back our last episode. <affirmative> we all good? We're all right. That looked awesome. Cool. Uh, yeah, this recording. Cool.

Speaker 1:I'm gonna say again, I got a real thing right here. I could just like, actually do it like we're on set. Here we go. Uh, [00:09:30] Sam plan back on the EF radio radio airways. I was just pulling up. I can't believe it's been with two years, two years, episode 2 0 1. And, uh, we were at my old place downtown Los Angeles. And these last two years have done a lot for a lot of people. The world's changed. You've changed. I've changed. And we were just talking about how, particularly as a health and fitness, professional, online health and fitness influencer, like, what do [00:10:00] you do with that platform? How do you handle the growth, but then also, how do you reevaluate your content and your audience members so that you're continuously in service for them? Um, that's been kind of top of mind for you recently, huh?

Speaker 2:Yeah. Especially with how things are changing on social media. I feel almost a lack of growth in terms of numbers mm-hmm, which I know is in everything. We all notice it and everything, but it's hard not to get caught up in that. And so I've had to really [00:10:30] get back to the root of like why I'm on social media in the first place and what gave me so much fulfillment with social media, which ultimately has been sharing my story and seeing the impact that it's had on other people, because through stories and through sharing, through being vulnerable, especially when it's hard, I've grown the most. And I've also been able to help a lot of people, I think, through what they're going through and the same time. So,

Speaker 1:But you've had a lot of growth, uh, for those of you that don't know, we [00:11:00] talked about this in our last episode, but Sam was one of the first people I met when I first moved to California. Um, and I found you through Instagram and I think you're at about like 30 K now, what are you like?

Speaker 2:2, 2, 2 15, 2 18, something like that.

Speaker 1:Yeah. So like almost 200,000 K growth on one platform in about three years. Mm-hmm <affirmative>. And so what have you done with that since that growth happened? What, what have you done [00:11:30] for yourself? What have you done for other people? I know we're kind of talking about now where it's like getting more difficult to process that now, but right. Let's reflect first on what you have done and how you have L P

Speaker 2:Right. I really noticed a shift in my growth when I started just being vulnerable and authentic to myself. Right. I stopped trying to be this fit and tell like the tiniest version of myself. I started to really just step into who I was and start to, you know, share that with other people. And that authenticity that really, I think [00:12:00] really helped my audience grow. And from that, I just continued to step into that role because I saw a change in myself as well, of feeling more validated to me, move forward with really just being myself. Right. And it sounds a little backwards, right? Like, you'd think, oh, you were confident and you just shared that. And then that's how, you know, you just are on social media, but really being vulnerable and sharing things that I never would've before, like me sitting down and [00:12:30] not being perfect and not being the smallest of myself that was really intimidating for me for a really long time.

Speaker 2:And it was that like first leap that I made that really helped me gain the confidence that I now have. It's kind of like, like journaling or talking with a therapist. Once you say things out loud, or you share them with other people, they start to have less power over you. And so in gaining confidence, a lot of that came from sharing and being vulnerable on social media. And [00:13:00] really just, it just started happening for me, I guess, like people really resonated with what I had to say. I felt even more encouraged to share. And from that came more growth. Just like not just on, yeah, not just on social media, but all also with how I became more confident in myself.

Speaker 1:So you're saying what you experience when opening up and becoming more, your authentic self online kind of worked in reverse to help you become more authentic in real life. Mm-hmm <affirmative>. Cause I know a lot of people will say or think that [00:13:30] you need to become this version of yourself first mm-hmm <affirmative> in air quote here real life, but right before you can share that person on social media.

Speaker 2:Right. And I've had almost like the inverse experience and, and a kind of unpopular opinion too. Like when I started dating the person I was dating last time, I didn't have the confidence that I do now, but seeing myself through someone else's lens who loved me as much as they did. Yeah. Helped me see myself different and Lee, because of that relationship. And I know a lot of people say like, oh, love [00:14:00] yourself first, you know, get to know yourself first and kind of have your list of what you're looking for and, and know who you are and what you want. But it was kind of the inverse for me, at least in that relationship to help kind of develop a better understanding of how I maybe look to other people instead of being so caught up in how I thought others perceived me, which was this imaginary idea of what that was.

Speaker 1:Do you think that same model would work now? Like would you recommend that same approach to authenticity for yourself and for social [00:14:30] media for people now?

Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely. I think the whole curated version of Instagram in particular is just gone. You know, the whole, I have to have a professional shoot. I have to have look a certain way in order to appeal to a larger audience. I think people relate to what's real. And you don't wanna feel disc, like if you're disconnected from somebody or you don't feel like, you know them, then, then that's not a true relationship either. And that's really [00:15:00] what social media is. At least for me, it's relationship building. And I'm there to, to help other people too, with my experiences and with my coaching that I offer, it's a big part of what makes me feel fulfilled. But also I think what other people are looking for more on social media,

Speaker 1:I would agree. I would agree. I'm curious. Do you have like a, a protocol? Like how do you show do, do you have a plan? Is it like, this is what I'm gonna do, how I'm gonna say it. You're more aware of this [00:15:30] is what I'll authentic. Sam needs to look and sound like, or is it literally like what's the Sam plan, social

Speaker 2:Media protocol. I say it's more just, it's more just unfiltered. Okay. Like I don't put too, like, you know, I think I put some thought into like what I say and how I share it. Mm-hmm <affirmative> but I don't overanalyze it. I don't try and pick it apart and think about it from, you know, all these perspectives. I just share a lot, as much as I can. And it's also hard to share a huge message [00:16:00] in any given moment. Right. Like if there's something that I wanna say, I don't almost always know how to say it. Instagram, like posts have kind of been my therapy of being able to you share an image, but then also be able to share a long paragraph, which is the

Speaker 1:Meaning behind it.

Speaker 2:Yeah. Which it's easier for me to do that in text than it is like in a real, but reels are really cool right now. And everybody,

Speaker 1:I play the game a little bit.

Speaker 2:I know, but it's so hard and I'm, it's, you know, and that's like kind of the hard place that [00:16:30] I'm in right now too, is I do have a lot of things that I wanna say. And a lot of people I wanna help with going through what I did eating disorder and with, uh, you know, struggling with professional

Speaker 1:Professional body building

Speaker 2:And stuff. Yeah. Basically putting my body through so much and coming to a point where I just wanna live a really happy and healthy life and how do I get there? Right. Like,

Speaker 1:So, so much to ask <laugh> right,

Speaker 2:Right. Uh, I just wanna, you know, be happy with how I look, be happy with how my body moves and, uh, enjoy [00:17:00] the life that I get to live because of it, you know, like being able to go on a four day Trek to Machu Picchu, which I'm doing at the end of the

Speaker 1:Month. Oh no shit. Wow.

Speaker 2:Congrats. Yeah. So things like that where I don't have to worry about my training status or my ability to do things like that's what I get out of the gym that I never used to appreciate before. And I think a lot of it's mindset, but also physically putting yourself in a position where you're not abusing and taking advantage of your body through nutrition and training, which is easy to kind of flip [00:17:30] that switch and be like, okay, now I'm in a phase of eating healthy and X or size, or now I'm in a phase of like not

Speaker 1:Different season of life, season

Speaker 2:Training. Yeah. Right. Getting away from that. So,

Speaker 1:Um, we were talking about earlier kind of a current struggle of yours is you're being reminded or you're reminding yourself that in this authenticity that you're sharing, you have different people in your audience and they may not be where you are right now. They might be a, a beginner. They might be someone [00:18:00] beyond you. So from a creator's standpoint, I'm curious, how do you kind of take inventory of all these people in your audience so that you can be your authentic self with all of them, but still kind of serve them in their different areas of the journey so to speak.

Speaker 2:Yeah. So kind of little tangent really quick. I actually went on Reddit like a year ago, which never do it. <laugh> never

Speaker 1:Do it. You'll never come out.

Speaker 2:You'll never, you won't come out the same person. Uh, I went on Reddit and I read something about [00:18:30] myself. That was something along the lines of like, she's so repetitive with the things that she shares.

Speaker 1:Oh, you went on that, you searched yourself.

Speaker 2:It was on a thread with a business that I'm like associated with. And it, off of that thread, they were talking about all the different athletes in the program. And I read that and I was like, shoot, like, okay. And this was probably summer, summer around summer of 2021. So not that long ago. And so, but since then, I've, I've kind of like taken a step back of like, how can [00:19:00] I share things differently or in a new way to my disadvantage though. I think, I think that it's taken away a lot of the power behind some of the things <affirmative> had to say and the repetitive nature of it. Okay. Because the reminders behind a lot of the things that I try and share are really powerful on a day to day basis. But I think not doing that to take away from, you know, the message that I'm trying to share, that I think people can hear on a day to day basis and it can, [00:19:30] it can feel are repetitive, some people, and that is just one or two people's opinions. Right. But, uh, I

Speaker 1:Think, but isn't that like the, the success key really? Yeah. I think no matter where your audience members are for you or for any content creator. Yeah. No matter where your audience members are in their journey, mm-hmm, <affirmative>, it's the reminder that these things need to be done successfully continue or continuous sleep in order to be successful.

Speaker 2:But I think that's like the stressful part about being on social media is you feel this need to like reinvent yourself. It's kinda like Taylor swift. [00:20:00] <laugh> like, she's reinvented herself in, I don't know how many different music genres, you know what I mean? Because she feels the necessity to stay relevant and to stay up on the latest. Right. So I've felt that pressure in the last like six plus months and, you know, I've probably let it get the best of me sometimes because then I'll feel like, oh, I like already shared that. So maybe I won't, and maybe I'll just try and create new and different things, but really, is that me saying true to myself or is that [00:20:30] me listening to people that just have an opinion on how I caught a glimpse show up in the world. Right, right. Exactly. And there's always gonna be new people coming to you.

Speaker 2:And it's hard for me to re remember, and I try and remind myself, trying to remind myself to continue to share things no matter what, uh, how many times I've shared them, that there's always gonna be someone new that's gonna benefit from it. And even if it's just one person, right. It doesn't have to be every person who views [00:21:00] a post or a story or real is the first person to ever hear that message come from you. Right. Yeah. But also I think sometimes depending on where you're at in your life, it will have a greater impact on, on you when you hear it. You know, if you're not ready to hear that message, then you're just gonna brush it off and move on. Yeah. But if you're in a position where, okay, you're like, okay, I'm so frustrated with this endless gaining and losing weight. And I just really want to find a place or find, you know, the, the movement and the nutrition [00:21:30] part that is gonna be sustainable long term. And then you hear a message like along the lines of that. And you're like, okay, that feels more reasonable. She's done it. You're finally ready to receive at that point. Yeah, exactly. Right. Right. You're CLO you're not closed off to it.

Speaker 1:Do you view, um, you were platform it'll take Instagram, mm-hmm <affirmative> 215,000 followers. Do you view that as I have 2015, two hun, 215,000 people that I [00:22:00] need to serve, like I'm curious on the other end of it, of having such a large platform, like how do you that, cause I, I know, I know you. Yeah. Um, and I know you, you're out to help people, coach them provide valuable content, education resources, but that's a lot of people to take on. How do you, how do you handle that? How do you process that? How do you view that?

Speaker 2:Um, great question. How do I view it? I, I think like a [00:22:30] lot of people, I probably sell myself short in a lot of ways and understanding and fully grasping the magnitude of what that means and what that can look like. Probably falls a little short on me sometimes and that responsibility and living up to it. I don't is take advantage of

Speaker 1:How so.

Speaker 2:Uh, you know, there there'll go days will go by where I don't post anything significant on a story, significant

Speaker 1:To whom

Speaker 2:Like [00:23:00] I post my breakfast. Right. You know what I mean? Or I post my coffee or I, you know, just, I don't share anything of what I would consider to be value or, or educational. Right. I don't share a workout. I don't share, you

Speaker 1:Know, but isn't that kind of the, the catch 22 here, what we're talking about is who deems it significant. Right. You know, this is your, your day, your authentic self you're sharing through, but also we're trying to be of service to others and be mindful of their whole journey. Right. So like yeah. Who who's to say it's significant. Right.

Speaker 2:[00:23:30] And who's to say what's valued gold work,

Speaker 1:I guess, that people on Reddit do <laugh> right. You're

Speaker 2:Right. Those two people on Reddit. Really. Yeah, definitely. Um, yeah, it's, it's definitely a perspective thing. And just because it's something that I've lived and experienced for years, again, doesn't mean that it's not fresh to somebody else. Right. So something that I find to be so obvious certainly is not to a majority of people. And, and again, I just think I get [00:24:00] lost up lost in that a lot. And it is something that I'm working on <laugh> but even just having conversations about it for me helps me feel more motivated and empowered to share more, more variety. And just more of my life that maybe I've been closed off to because I don't want it to be repetitive.

Speaker 1:Interesting. Okay. So

Speaker 2:Like, this is really my therapy session,

Speaker 1:This, you know, welcome. This is not a billable hour, by the way, I

Speaker 2:Was about to say, this is, is, um, my, uh, coach here, chase <laugh> and he is, uh,

Speaker 1:Swipe [00:24:30] up subscribe <laugh>. Um, but I'm curious, like for you now on the creator or, uh, consumer side mm-hmm <affirmative> How do you shift out of creator mode into consumer mode and when you're consuming content, I'm assuming you do like people educational resource fun. Do you just kind of check out as a creator and just turn into consumer or being a consumer, do you take note to get better at the creator aspect of yourself?

Speaker 2:I find it very [00:25:00] difficult to be a consumer on Instagram. So I very rarely spend any time scrolling or things. I like that I will, in a sense of looking for sounds for reals and things like that. <laugh>, it's so lame, but it's, it's

Speaker 1:So true

Speaker 2:Right now, but it's true. Um, what trending is that? Yeah, you're always looking for that up arrow in the corner save. Um, but yeah, I, it's hard for me on Instagram to be a consumer and how tick to big consumer,

Speaker 1:How can you turn down the [00:25:30] talk

Speaker 2:It's so

Speaker 1:They

Speaker 2:Hopeing. Yeah. I know when I first got it, like I would have that guy pop up my screen that said it's a little late.

Speaker 1:Like

Speaker 2:You've been on here, the screen

Speaker 1:Alert time.

Speaker 2:Yeah. Uh, it'll be here tomorrow and then I literally would turn it off that it works. Cause I'd be like, he's right. Wow. Uh, so on TikTok, I think I enjoy it more from a consumer perspective. It's hard to translate what I do [00:26:00] on Instagram to TikTok. Cause it's completely different. Uh, but I'm starting to enjoy it more and create more on TikTok. I think it's easy, easier for me to be just like off the cuff and just post up. It's more relaxed

Speaker 1:Over there. Right?

Speaker 2:It is because people, some people will see it, some people won't and it's not like you have people like people will just scroll and pass you by if they don't like it. Well, I say that, but also people can be incredibly negative on TikTok. Oh yeah. It's kind of

Speaker 1:Any where they can leave a comment.

Speaker 2:[00:26:30] Yeah. And I think people enjoy on TikTok more so creating negative comments that might be well liked, like creating a viral comment is like a thing on TikTok. Whereas it's not, you

Speaker 1:Can make a viral TikTok or a viral comment on TikTok damn.

Speaker 2:Right. Based on like, you're just being a snooty judgemental person. Geez. It's so it's so weird. Um, but at least from what I've experienced, it's more positive. I enjoy the content than I've served because obviously they know [00:27:00] me now. Yeah. Which, and I like the on like skincare and how to decorate your home. Like the more variety I, I get way more variety on TikTok than I ever would on Instagram.

Speaker 1:All the like total human aspects. Yeah. Not just the one

Speaker 2:Bucket. It's so much, so much more variety. Whereas on Instagram, if you like a fitness post, like you're gonna see all fitness on your page or if you like a baby post, all babies, it's crazy.

Speaker 1:All fitness babies, just Jack babies.

Speaker 2:<laugh>

Speaker 1:What [00:27:30] do you, um, are you hopeful for something right now in social media? Like in general, maybe not one platform specific, but having been a content creator for several years experience, great growth. You have a business out of it. Um, what are you really leaning into the most right now? What are you most hopeful for that these platforms can do for the creator side and the consumer side to actually be of service? You know, we'll keep it under the umbrella of health and fitness here.

Speaker 2:I mean, [00:28:00] you're always gonna have people sharing their opinions and you're always gonna have people sharing miss information. Uh, it would be nice if we could all agree on what's right. And what's wrong. <laugh> uh, and then that would eliminate a lot of the craziness that we see on both TikTok, Instagram, things like that. Um, I think for myself, I wanna just make an impact on other people. And so figuring out ways to share my story, share what I've learned through my education, through my experiences [00:28:30] in a way that is enjoyed by other people. Right. And that is impactful to other people. And I feel like I figured it out for a little while. And then now I'm kind of like, they

Speaker 1:Changed the game on it. Yeah.

Speaker 2:Now things they're a little different, so I'm still trying to figure that out. And I am invested in figuring that out. Mm-hmm <affirmative>, I'm still interested in it. I don't think social media can be a forever thing for me. I think I eventually will have to

Speaker 1:Go [00:29:00] on the next thing. Go

Speaker 2:On to the next thing. Right. Um, but as long as people will have me <laugh> I will, of course it will be on the screen. So

Speaker 1:What, uh, what piece of advice would you pass back to someone right now that will say is just getting started?

Speaker 2:The biggest thing I think that's been helpful for me is as long as one person benefits from something that you have to say, that's all that matters. You know, you can get caught up in, oh, this post performed really well. This one didn't or even a year [00:29:30] ago, this post would've done so much better versus like posting it now, but as

Speaker 1:Stuck in comparison of your own self. Yeah.

Speaker 2:Your own. Exactly. Not

Speaker 1:Even somebody else.

Speaker 2:Right? Yeah. Comparing it to other people, comparing it to yourself, whether it's past or, or future. It all, like, all I set out to do is just help one person. And if that post helps one person, if one person does work out that I post, if one person benefits from my story or short story that I'm sharing, then that's all that matters. And I, and if, and I catch myself reminding myself that [00:30:00] a lot, especially if there is a post that I don't feel like is performing very well, then I'll kind of get down to myself a little bit. But as long as one person is like, thank you. I'm like done, that's

Speaker 1:It. You know, it's funny to say that I've actually caught myself recently. I'll like post up a story or do something and I'll question it. Mm-hmm <affirmative> <affirmative> but not through the lens of like analytics, but I'm becoming more conscious to ask myself who is this helping mm-hmm <affirmative> to some degree. [00:30:30] I, I think it's important on social media also for your own self to just like, let your guard down a little bit. Like, sometimes it doesn't always have to be right. Super educational, super whatever <affirmative>. But I think if people like us or somebody listening wants to leverage this platform into the potential, it can have mm-hmm <affirmative> for other opportunities, business, whatever. Ask yourself that question. Mm-hmm <affirmative> I've been doing it a lot and it's changed. Yeah. Sometimes I won't like totally scrap something, but I will be like, okay, I can change [00:31:00] this. I can say something better. Or even sometimes just change like the, the angle kind of thing to make it seem more professional, but right. You know, just asking myself, who is this helping or does this help somebody? Right. Really is a, a new true north. Right.

Speaker 2:And you can, right. You can be a person too. You don't have to just be an educator or a performer. Like, you know what I mean? You can be yourself. And I think that's really important on social media and what's, what's gonna set you apart from everybody. Who's trying to do the same thing or who already is doing the same thing.

Speaker 1:Yeah. Um, well, I'm glad to have you back [00:31:30] on the show. I could absolutely talk to you. I know forever. Um, we are a little short on time today, but I will say this for the person listening, watching, go back and check out. I'm gonna put all the Sam's content and her old episodes on ever four radio. Um, you've got an incredible backstory. So if anybody's curious as to like, what is she talking about? Where does she get her start? Like you have built so much over the years. So I just wanna say, congratulations, you're a hard worker, great trainer, you know, your shit. Um, but [00:32:00] kind of now through the lens of your platform, moving forward in life, moving forward under the umbrella of like social media, health, fitness as a whole, how can we actually move forward? How are you moving, ever forward in, in what you're doing now?

Speaker 2:You know, I've actually, cause I know you asked this question. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Every time. And I've been thinking about it a lot the last couple days and

Speaker 1:Thank you. You're so that's cool. That's cool.

Speaker 2:It is cool. Right. Um, for me ever forward [00:32:30] is more a reflection of letting go of the past because the present in the future is where you're going. Right. And if I held onto my past, which sometimes I do still, you know, we're all human. Uh, it makes like reflecting on what it makes me feel. Sometimes I'm proud of like little things, but mostly when I look back, I'm thinking of things that I did wrong or things that I, um, I miss. Right. And there are things that are holding me back from [00:33:00] the present and moving forward and maybe they make me feel sad or whatever. So for me ever forward is like this all encompassing, moving towards the greater end of your life. Right. Moving towards the best that is to come, which is this present moment. And then what's to follow that moving forward.

Speaker 1:I love that interpretation. Honestly. I've been getting a lot of cool responses last couple months about, um, it's less go, go, go, no matter what, which definitely plays a role, but it's more be [00:33:30] present. Mm-hmm <affirmative> um, you'll figure out those next steps by detaching yourself from the past. Not saying so fixated on the future, just being extremely present and everything else kind of unveils itself.

Speaker 2:Yeah. And just to plagiarize on, uh, I think it's accurate toll. <laugh> Go. Great. Uh, so cause I read a ton of self-help books last year. Uh there's this one thing that's like, or the, I guess, description of why it's so important to be in the now. Right. I think that's what it's called, like

Speaker 1:The power of now, right? Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker 2:That's what it is. And [00:34:00] he said that those who live in the past often feel extreme depression and sadness. People who live in the future, like not in the present, tend to have a lot of anxiety about what's to come. So that's something that I remind myself often, cuz it just, just feels like a literal example of what living in the past and living in the future kind of can feel, can feel like, especially when we, I think talk a lot about depression, anxiety, especially I think our generation [00:34:30] and the new one, the young

Speaker 1:Ones. Yeah. I was gonna say like, if I could stave off depression and anxiety mm-hmm <affirmative>, I'd be down for that. There you go. <laugh> I was one the president. Right.

Speaker 2:Which is so hard because I think the present and the future are both super helpful and kind of helping you achieve what you wanna achieve. A lot of attraction mm-hmm <affirmative> manifestation. I'm a big believer in both those

Speaker 1:Things. Right.

Speaker 2:<laugh>

Speaker 1:Uh, it's a pleasure to have you back here. Thank you so much for stopping in, um, all of your information. The last episodes [00:35:00] can down on the show notes for everybody to check out. Um, and thank you.

Speaker 2:Yeah. Thanks for having me

Speaker 3:For more information on everything you just heard, make sure to check this episode, show notes or head to everforwardradio.com.