Episode 139
Episode #134 - Challenging The Status Quo: An Interview With Maisie Trang
It is no secret that being able to challenge yourself means identifying what are some of the beliefs that may hold you back from identifying what you are meant to become. Whether that source of limiting beliefs come from the activities you engage in, the individuals that you surround yourself with, or something else, being able to challenge yourself to see "beyond the beyond" is really important not only for perspective, but to ensure that progress, in a healthy way, can be made. How do you exactly do that? Today's guest, Maisie Trang, shares her unique profession that has allowed her to not only step outside of her comfort zone, but to also create opportunities that would of otherwise not been experienced if she did not challenge those beliefs. We are all capable of being able to overcome our limited beliefs, but with the right influences, we can become better versions of ourselves by listening to "what is in our hearts" at the right time.
Guest Bio
Maisie is from a quaint little town in Idaho. She spent years conforming to the expectations of others, living life with a small mindset and loads of negative self-talk. However, her journey took a transformative turn when she granted herself the freedom to dream big, break out of the conventional mold, and liberate herself from the need for validation, even from her cultural roots as a first-generation Asian American. She has realized it's okay to have unconventional dreams and diverge from the norm. Her perspective on life has shifted, viewing the world as unfolding "for me, not to me."
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Intro/Outro By: Michael Dugan, Podcast Host: Voice4Chefs
Transcript
Welcome to the podcast where relationships, confidence, and
2
:determination all converge into
an amazing, heartfelt experience.
3
:This is Speaking From The Heart.
4
:Joshua: Welcome back to episode
number 134 of Speaking From The Heart.
5
:Today we have Maisie Trang as
our guest, and Maisie is from
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:a quaint little town in Idaho.
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:She spent years conforming to the
expectations of others, living
8
:life with a small mindset and
loads of negative self talk.
9
:However, her journey took a transformative
turn when she granted herself the
10
:freedom to dream big, break out of
the conventional mold, and liberate
11
:herself from the need for validation,
even from her cultural roots as a
12
:first generation Asian American.
13
:She has realized it's okay
to have unconventional dreams
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:and diverge from the norm.
15
:Her perspective on life has shifted,
viewing the world as unfolding for
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:her, not for others, and I have to
say, this is one of the more unique
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:interviews that I've had as Maisie will
talk a little bit about her career as
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:a voiceover actress, something that we
haven't had yet on the show, but what
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:we also haven't had was the ability to
have a conversation with someone that
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:is challenging her own beliefs, what
she has been raised to believe, and
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:to create her own destiny, despite any
obstacle that might stand in her way.
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:Now, I get it.
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:Many of you might not believe in this
manifest destiny, or even setting
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:your own tone for what you ultimately
can become, but when you listen to
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:her story today about how she's been
alright to navigate through some of
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:these healthy alternatives that she
has laid out in her life, we can all
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:understand that we are all pieces of work.
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:In other words, maybe pieces of clay,
if you wanted to have a more visual
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:representation, to being shaped
in a variety of different ways.
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:We have to celebrate, though, the ability
for us to have that freedom, that choice
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:to express ourselves in more ways than
one, and hey, for somebody that has been
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:raised on a farm for most of my life,
I can certainly appreciate not only
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:growing up in a small rural community,
but also challenging the status quo,
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:because status quos don't always mean
that everything that we're doing is right.
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:It means that we have to work on
connection, finding ways in which
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:we can discipline ourselves to have
bigger and better aspirations, but
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:also being able to do things that
we never thought we could ever do.
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:But with that, let's go to the episode.
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:Alright, we're here with Maisie Trang.
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:Maisie!
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:Thanks for sharing your
heart with us today.
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:Maisie: Thank you, Josh.
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:Happy to be here.
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:Joshua: Yeah, I'm so happy that you're
here, too, and I have to tell you that
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:with your profession, which I just shared
with the audience, you have broken another
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:milestone here at Speaking From the Heart.
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:I love what you do for part of
your work and I will get into it.
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:I don't want to jump the gun, but I
want to start off with this, because
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:one of the biggest things that stood
out to me is that your cultural roots,
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:first generation Asian American.
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:I found that so interesting
to point that out.
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:I wonder if you could tell me a little
bit, and my listeners, your story about
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:being raised in that sort of environment.
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:What did that mean for you?
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:What did that create for you?
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:What made you, you?
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:Maisie: That's a great question,
Josh, so me, growing up in a
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:little town in Idaho; it's called
Burley, the little city in Idaho.
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:It's a very small town.
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:I think it's a population of about
10,000 people or less, might have
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:grown since then, but I was born in
Twin Falls, and then I grew up in
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:Burley, so they're both small towns,
so I've been in Idaho born and raised,
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:and I was pretty much the only Asian.
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:We were the only Asian family, pretty
much, in that city, and there was
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:maybe one or two other families,
but we were surrounded by other
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:people who didn't look like us,
but I got used to that, growing up.
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:I didn't really see it as any different
than me being different than them.
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:I just tried to belong, I guess-
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:Joshua: Mmhmm.
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:Maisie: And so growing up, I found
that over time, the Asian culture
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:is really known for having high
expectations and discipline and hard
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:work and anything, and my parents, they
started a business there in the little
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:town, so we became quite popular in
our city, because they were known for
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:their restaurant, their food, in town.
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:They had to really work hard to survive,
to make our family the way it is, just
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:the three of us, and I noticed that
over time, just as I was growing up,
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:they never expressed any emotions or
opinions on anything, and they just did
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:the work that they had to do to survive,
and I understood that later on, but I
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:didn't really understand that back then.
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:It's just what they knew, and I respect
that, and I love them dearly of course,
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:but for me growing up, it was like a
split; three different worlds in a way.
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:Two different worlds at least, right,
so trying to live in the Asian culture
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:and following the traditions with my
family, my parents, but then also, trying
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:to follow the traditions in school and
learning the way to interact with people
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:in school, and hearing the different
languages also, so, it's just different
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:behavior, right, and I got confused,
I think, growing up, and then I became
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:more familiar with it and just said, "Oh.
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:Whatever.", so for me, I was
just often told by people around
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:me to keep focusing on school.
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:Excel at it.
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:Get that good job, but I kept
being told, "Don't dream too big.
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:Don't dream too big.
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:Just keep it small.
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:Don't have opinions on things, and just
do the work that you need to do.", so it
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:all had a profound influence on me, and
because of that, I grew up thinking I was
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:unworthy, that I wasn't good enough, or
intelligent enough, and I just ask all
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:these questions about why I even tried to
talk about my feelings on things, because
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:I didn't really know how to do that.
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:Joshua: I was going to say that I
think for some people growing up,
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:we're often stifled from being able
to share that, and recently I've had
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:some guests on the show that I've
talked about the fact that for the male
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:population that we usually are taught
at an early age, "Well, you can't cry.
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:You can't do this.
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:You can't do that.", and you bring up
something though that's very interesting
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:and I've had a lot of Asian American
friends, myself, growing up in school.
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:They felt almost the same
way as you described.
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:It kind of felt like they didn't
belong, maybe they had to conform to
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:what their parents had to say, and
you talked a little bit about what
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:those feelings are, but how did you
associate with others in school then?
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:I mean, I feel like you were
probably still well respected
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:and you had some friends, right?
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:Maisie: Yeah.
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:I mean, as a kid, I didn't
really think too much about it,
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:but later on I realized, "Well,
it's almost like anybody else."
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:When you're a kid, you just want to
have fun, but then at the same time,
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:you want to fit in with the groups of
people and make those friends, and it was
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:hard for me in a way and it might have
been because of the cultural background.
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:I always wanted to spend time with
my friends and make sure that I was
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:liked with the people in my classes,
but I was always told, "Okay, no.
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:You can't go to this.
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:You can't go to that.
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:You have to stay home and study and
do your homework, because that's more
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:important than making friends.", and so I
had to re-evaluate pretty much when I was
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:a kid and then growing up, telling myself,
"Okay, I guess I don't need friends.
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:I'll just do this and get it done and
do what's expected of me, and not have
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:opinions about it.", because that's what
I was taught growing up and it's not
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:anything bad to say about my family,
really, because that's really what they
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:knew, so it's nothing bad about them.
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:Joshua: Oh, no.
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:You're not saying anything
like that for sure.
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:I'm validating you in that, and for
your parents, if they are listening to
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:this, trust me, she is not saying that,
and I've worked with a lot of people
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:that definitely are saying the complete
opposite and I would know for a fact,
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:so Maisie, I validate you with that.
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:Maisie: Thanks Josh, but yeah, no, I just
always pretended to be happy, I think.
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:As a kid growing up and even into my
college years, just pretending to be
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:happy because that was so much easier
than explaining why I wasn't happy, and
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:getting all the questions from other
family members and friends, and because
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:I was just still recovering from all the
things that I haven't expressed, and so
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:it was exhausting to explain why and it
actually felt a little wrong to have to
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:express those emotions, or have an opinion
on anything, because I haven't done that.
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:I haven't really practiced that, so
it just didn't feel right, but it
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:makes sense that my self esteem and
confidence just weren't there, and they
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:weren't there for a really long time,
and just not knowing what I wanted, I
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:think also, and having to dig deep to
find that, and just trying to succeed
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:academically, and having a good career to
survive like everybody else that I knew.
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:I just kept working really hard,
because that's what I knew, and I
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:got that academic success, but I felt
like deep down there was something
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:else involved, but I didn't know
how to manage that until later on.
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:Joshua: What would you say was some of
the motivation for you to say, "I'm not
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:going to follow these precedents that
have happened.", and what led you to
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:realize that inner confidence in yourself,
because it takes a big step for somebody
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:to be able to say that, and wanting to
actually put action behind it, because I
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:mean, what we're going to get into is the
direct opposite, I would say, of what you
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:just described, so what was that catalyst
for you to make you turn that switch on
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:and maybe find what was inside of you?
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:Maisie: I think I just sat with myself
a lot, because I was alone a lot, and
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:there was something inside where I just
kept getting sad all the time, and I
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:didn't really like where that was, and
eventually, I got to a low point in my
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:life, and I didn't really talk about that.
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:I haven't talked about that with other
people, but, in the dark place that
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:I was in, I just didn't want to stay
there anymore, and I just really got
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:sick of feeling that way, because I
always felt that way, and it's almost
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:like the feelings just became numb, and
I think with all of that suppression
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:inside of me, it's just like my body
just went, "Let's go!", and it just
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:went all out, because it wanted to.
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:It was like almost involuntary in
a way, and it just completely just
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:released it all, and it felt good.
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:It felt messy.
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:It felt exhausting, and somewhat of a
relief, but I knew that I needed that.
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:It's just been so long that it's
held there, and just to finally
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:release that, oh my goodness!
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:I can't even explain the feeling
other than just now, but I just wanted
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:something to change, and because I
felt as small as possible at that
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:point in time, nothing else mattered.
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:Nobody's opinion mattered anymore,
and so I decided to do whatever
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:felt good to me and to just start
something, so no matter what anyone
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:else thought, I just said, "Okay.
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:I'm doing whatever, whatever.", so it's
just strange that it took me to go to
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:that point to make the moves that I
did, and I would say that that was the
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:main point to get me there, to make
that shift, and even though I didn't
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:really plan on doing that, it just did.
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:Joshua: Sometimes it just comes out
of nowhere and almost hits you like
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:a train, or a car, or a bus, which
physically that didn't happen to
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:you, so thank goodness it didn't, but
metaphorically, it did because it helped
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:you to kind of see that other side of
it, and you talk about the low point.
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:I think that many of us get to that low
point in a variety of different ways.
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:I know for me it was overworking,
not paying attention to myself,
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:not being health conscious.
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:I mean, now I work in my coaching
business to help others to kind of
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:see what those warning signs, those
triggers are, so that they don't fall
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:into those same traps like I did.
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:It's really good to have that perspective,
because sometimes some people don't
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:know what those signs are, but was
the catalyst what you do, which
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:I'm getting into now, which is your
voiceovers and also being an actress?
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:I saw this, and I'm like all fascinated,
and for my listeners, I said to Maisie
197
:before we started that I had no idea
about a lot of these things until I
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:started to explore her website, and I
was so fascinated by the work that she's
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:done, not only for commercials, but other
things, so was it because of this, like
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:that was what you were looking to do?
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:Is that your calling?
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:Maisie: Yeah, so I don't know if it's
really my calling quite yet, but I can
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:say that for some reason, I just needed
something to express myself, and my voice,
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:and my thoughts, and this turned out
to be a really good avenue to do that.
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:I was able to learn how to control my
emotions, release them more, and express
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:myself, and be authentic, so it was
a really great outlet, and honestly,
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:Josh, I never planned on that either.
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:I just wanted to do something that
was different, and I fell into this
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:because I just was searching for, "Okay.
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:What are some creative things that
I can do?", and this is something
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:that came up, and I gave it a shot.
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:I tried it, and I loved it, and I loved
how it made me feel, and so I just kept
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:going with that, but yeah, there was
a hesitation at the beginning because
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:of all those previous thoughts coming
back again, but then I was like, "It
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:doesn't really matter at this point.
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:I just want to try it out.", and it's
led me to this point where it feels
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:good to grant myself that freedom
to dream big, no matter what anybody
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:else says or thinks, and I think
just having this new way of thinking
219
:really allowed me to just continue
to do that because it feels right.
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:It feels good to do this.
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:Joshua: Wow.
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:I think you don't even realize what you're
saying right now is so powerful because
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:it takes great courage and fortitude to
be able to pull yourself out and say,
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:"I want to do something that's fun.
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:I want to do something that's for me."
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:I mean, not many people, Maisie,
nowadays, even across the world, because
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:I have international listeners as well.
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:Maisie: Yeah.
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:Joshua: That are willing to say that, so
you got to give yourself some more credit.
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:I think.
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:Maisie: Thank you.
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:Joshua: Yeah.
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:I mean, because I'm totally impressed.
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:I'll give you an example of why I'm
impressed, and for my listeners, if you
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:go to Maisie's website, you'll see exactly
what I'm talking about, but I played
236
:your commercial demo reel before I got on
tonight, listening to this, and I loved
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:all the variety of different products,
all the different things that you pitched.
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:Your voice is so calming.
239
:I always felt like for three
minutes or whatever how long it
240
:was- no, it wasn't three minutes.
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:The poem was three minutes, but
the commercial demo reel that
242
:you have for a little over a
minute made me feel like, "Wow.
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:This lady is so talented and I
don't even know she recognized it."
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:Now I'm hearing your story, so I have
to ask you this because for many people,
245
:maybe just to set the groundwork for this
conversation, many people probably don't
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:even know what a voiceover is in terms
of what that falls into the commercial
247
:world, let alone how you even get into
it, so I'm wondering if, just from your
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:perspective, can you share a little
bit about, first off, how you got into
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:this, and then secondly, how you got
some of the people that you got to work
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:with on some of these commercials as
voiceovers, how did you achieve those?
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:Maisie: Yeah, so, with voiceover,
I first took a webinar, I believe;
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:local webinar that was available, and
I remember thinking to myself, "Wow!
253
:Am I really going to do this?", and I
said to myself, "Well, it's not going
254
:to hurt to just learn something.", so
I enrolled in that class, that webinar,
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:and it allowed to give an introduction
to the profession and the industry, and
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:then they allowed like a free evaluation
on your voice and performance with
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:that webinar, so I did that, and they
told me that I actually passed that
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:evaluation, and I think just from that
evaluation experience, it basically
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:encouraged me and told me, "Okay.
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:Well maybe this is a possibility for
me to continue on.", so it started
261
:from there, and then after that, I
wanted to know more information, right?
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:I just kept going.
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:It's like I started it and now I'm
like, "Oh, I want to keep finding
264
:the pieces to make this work now.",
but I wanted to do it the right way.
265
:I wanted to make sure that I'm doing
this correctly, because I think
266
:every industry, you can always learn
mistakes from other people, and just
267
:learning how to do it the correct way.
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:Joshua: Yes.
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:Maisie: So after that, I just sought
out other people online, and I found
270
:out that there was someone else who
was a pharmacist, which I relate to,
271
:because I'm a pharmacist by training,
so I talked with her and she did
272
:voiceovers as well, and that inspired
me to continue that way too, so-
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:Joshua: My mouth is dropping open here.
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:A pharmacist group
essentially doing voiceovers.
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:This blows my mind.
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:Keep going.
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:I love this.
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:Maisie: I know.
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:It blew my mind too.
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:I was like, "Wow!
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:There is somebody else out there."
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:Joshua: Yeah.
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:Maisie: And so we talked, and she
encouraged me to try it out, and so
284
:I did, and basically took off from
there, so I joined different groups.
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:I went to a conference that
was specifically for voiceover,
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:but I wasn't used to that.
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:I was used to more pharmacy, pharmacist,
professional conferences, and going to
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:this voiceover conference was totally
different for me, and networking with
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:people that way in this kind of creative
space, it just felt really good.
290
:It felt fun.
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:It felt just really nice to know
other people in the industry who
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:are really kind in the voiceover
community, and I took lessons.
293
:I was coached, trained, and still right
now I'm still enrolled in the different
294
:groups, and I'm going to another voiceover
conference here coming up, so that, and
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:just learning from the different experts
in the field, and eventually, you kind
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:of get to know one another, because
we're a pretty small group, even though
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:there's thousands among thousands of voice
actors, but for some reason, it still
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:feels like a really small community, in
a way, and we're really supportive of
299
:each other, and if we wanted to learn
more, there's always those different
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:groups on social media that have industry
experts in those and provide a lot of
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:the guidance and direction that's helpful
for newcomers who want to learn more.
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:Joshua: It's so cool to
just see such a small group.
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:I love- you doing- sorry.
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:For our listeners, we just
did a little happy dance.
305
:It's like, "Yeah.
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:I'm doing what I'm doing.", and those
are the happy dances that I like
307
:seeing from some of my clients when
they see that success, like, "I am
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:doing it now.", but you have a lot
of different things underneath your
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:belt with what you've done so far.
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:I've seen therapy voiceovers
you've done for some commercials.
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:I've seen some for healthcare providers.
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:I was listening to Panda Express.
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:I've listened to one of those.
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:You have reached all kinds of different
types of gambits with it, and I have
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:to ask, because I think this is awesome
question for me, and like I said, you're
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:my very first person on the show to
have that is done voiceover acting.
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:What would you say was your favorite
one to do thus far out of your huge
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:portfolio that I'm sure you have?
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:I know, that's a tough question.
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:Maisie: It is a tough question.
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:Honestly.
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:I don't have a single favorite one,
but I can say that I really, really
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:enjoyed the mental health space
service that I did; the project, mental
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:health project that I did with them.
325
:It just felt good to do that, to help
tell the story, to help give something
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:meaningful, to send that message to
people that it's okay to have mental
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:health services and to talk about that.
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:It just felt really,
really good and meaningful.
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:Joshua: What would you say is one
of the reasons why you continue to
330
:build upon your confidence in doing
voiceovers, because let's face it.
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:Let's integrate the conversation
we had earlier into this.
332
:You had reached a low point.
333
:You wanted to figure out what
those things are in your life.
334
:That's what you were saying
in terms of the expectations.
335
:Do you set yourself high
expectations with this now, or
336
:do you try to have fun with it?
337
:Maisie: You know, I
thought about this before.
338
:I'm like, "Am I going back to
what I was before in a way, just
339
:in a different version of it?"
340
:I think I do set myself high
expectations, but I think it's in
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:a more healthy way than before.
342
:I think that's because I'm more in
tune with my authentic self, and
343
:by doing that it feels much better.
344
:It feels right, and I think for anybody
listening, if you've ever experienced that
345
:before, you'll know that it's the right
thing for you when you're doing something
346
:that aligns with your spirit and yourself,
and even though it's setting high
347
:expectations for you, you know it's okay,
because it's not in a very toxic way.
348
:It's in a very supportive, growth,
inspiring type of way, and I think
349
:that's what makes it feel right.
350
:Joshua: Having that feeling of what
is right, and sometimes knowing what
351
:is wrong, sometimes we put that shade,
those rose colored glasses on, so that
352
:we don't see what's wrong, and I will say
to you, even at my age, which I'm over
353
:37 now, I have still been dealing with
a lot of those sort of expectations and
354
:trying to pull those down, and I think
that for all of us, we're always going
355
:through that exercise, and you saying
what you're saying, it makes sense to
356
:me that for all these kinds of people
that we have in our lives coming in and
357
:coming out, maybe they have to be able to
work really hard to get what they need.
358
:For others, it might just come easy to
them, and I think you're in this path of
359
:figuring out what is coming easy to you
so that you can enjoy what's fulfilling,
360
:so with that said, you are essentially,
as you said in your bio, you're trying to
361
:break that mold; that conventional mold.
362
:Do you think you're doing that?
363
:I mean, do you think that you're honestly,
earnestly doing that, and if so, do you
364
:think there's a lot more work that you
have to do to continue breaking that
365
:mold, because yeah, it's one thing to
break it, but you could be unintentionally
366
:re-shaping it into a completely
different shape that you might be setting
367
:yourself up, so what's your safeguard?
368
:Maisie: That's a good, good point.
369
:It's probably more of like
reshaping it in a way.
370
:I think there's, of course, plenty of
work to do to keep on reshaping it,
371
:because of the work that I'm in now,
doing acting and voice acting and
372
:trying to be a pharmacist as well,
and doing my day job and everything,
373
:there's still a lot of misconceptions
or a lot of thoughts that come to mind.
374
:When other people, when I try to explain
it, that it's just not a typical thing
375
:for an Asian person to do, or a pharmacist
to do, and that's one of the ways I feel
376
:like, when I'm working on these kinds
of projects, it helps me know that I'm
377
:supporting and influencing that change,
and reshaping it, and educating people,
378
:that you can be more than a pharmacist.
379
:You can be more than an artist.
380
:You can be many things.
381
:Sometimes you may be better at one thing
at a given moment, but you can be all the
382
:things, just maybe not at the same time.
383
:You'll probably be working on one
thing and enhancing that at a given
384
:moment, but you can also be an actor,
or a voice actor, or some other
385
:type of artist, and that's okay.
386
:That's okay, but I think a lot of
us are afraid to pursue those other
387
:passions that we might have, because
of what other people think, and that's
388
:stopping us from doing anything.
389
:At least that's the way
it was for me before.
390
:Joshua: This is a really
important question.
391
:Are you getting in your own way now?
392
:Maisie: Hmm.
393
:I think, right now, not
as much Not as much now.
394
:Before?
395
:Yes, growing up.
396
:In college, I just told myself to
stay low, stay small, don't try
397
:anything else, just get that good job,
succeed, survive, and have the family.
398
:Be proud, but, now, not as much.
399
:Not in that same way, at least.
400
:Right now what's really getting
in the way is having enough time
401
:to do everything, but, yeah.
402
:Joshua: Always the age old question
for even business owners for sure.
403
:Where am I going to do with the
finite time I have every day?
404
:Yeah.
405
:Maisie: Yeah.
406
:Yeah, but no, I think
it's a special thing too.
407
:For me I really love doing this
because I found that I love creating
408
:projects, and telling the stories
that need to be told, and having
409
:people think in a different way.
410
:It just feels really meaningful to me
to work on these kinds of projects,
411
:knowing that I helped create those,
and that could potentially impact other
412
:people to think in a different way.
413
:Joshua: Potentially?
414
:There has to be hundreds of thousands
of people that listen to your voice,
415
:especially being on commercials.
416
:You got to be kidding me, Maisie.
417
:You are so still
underselling yourself here.
418
:I'm like sitting here and
I'm thinking, "My gosh.
419
:I wish I had some of her talents
because she has such a calm, soothing
420
:voice and I'm like, big ruff and gruff
over here, a big masculine voice."
421
:Maisie: But we need that too,
Josh, so you've got that.
422
:Joshua: Okay.
423
:Well good.
424
:Can I be hired as a voice actor then?
425
:What do you think?
426
:Maisie: You probably could.
427
:Yes.
428
:Joshua: Yes.
429
:Listeners.
430
:Adios.
431
:I will no longer be doing any episodes
after tonight because of Maisie.
432
:She has given me the recommendation,
the green light to keep moving forward.
433
:Maisie: That's right.
434
:Triple green lights.
435
:Joshua: See?
436
:Now I'm doing my happy dance over here
too, so- Maisie, we're almost out
437
:of time, but I want to ask you this
final question, and I've been really
438
:enlightened by this conversation.
439
:I got to tell you.
440
:Like a quaint little town in Idaho
had this wonderful lady that was
441
:being able to bless me on the show
today, and share a good piece of
442
:her story and what you have done.
443
:What's ahead for you?
444
:What do you see as that big picture
down the road, that not only would
445
:I like you to answer what it means
for you, but what would it mean
446
:for my listeners listening too?
447
:Meaning, what would you give
them as advice for being able
448
:to dream big, and as you put it,
shift your perspective on life?
449
:Maisie: Right.
450
:For me, I think what's ahead is to
keep on being my authentic self, and at
451
:least trying to maybe not be at the 100
percent perfection, authenticity mode,
452
:whatever that may be, wherever that may
be, but it's more of like encouraging
453
:others to embrace and celebrate the
various aspects of their identity
454
:and their life, because you can have
multifaceted things that you enjoy.
455
:Everyone has unique and diverse aspects
to their personalities and to their
456
:desires, and the ways that they want
to express that, so, just acknowledging
457
:that, and integrating all of that,
all your feelings, and being okay,
458
:and celebrating that about yourself.
459
:I think that's something important
for us to realize, and I really wish
460
:everyone listening to really reflect on
that and embracing that for yourself.
461
:Joshua: Embracing that is always
a big part of that process.
462
:Being able to feel like
you're in control of it.
463
:Being able to say, "Yes!
464
:I have this feeling.
465
:I'm going to accept it.", and you
said something that I even say to my
466
:clients, so you make me feel validated
that you don't have to be 100 percent
467
:all the time, so for my active
clients right now listening to this.
468
:Listen to her.
469
:She's saying something I've been telling
you, and that's what's really important.
470
:Maisie: Yeah, it sounds easy sometimes
when we're saying it, and I understand
471
:it can be hard to do, and I think one
of the important things we can do is
472
:really surrounding yourself with people
that support you and serve you, saying
473
:yes to things that serve you, saying no
to things that don't, so that it leaves
474
:space for the things that do serve you.
475
:Joshua: So true.
476
:Just so true, and I think that if we
don't surround ourselves with that, that's
477
:what sometimes creates the unfavorable
Impressions, the low points in our life.
478
:Maisie, I love that you've
transformed yourself.
479
:I want to give you the last few minutes as
a result of doing that to pitch yourself.
480
:I would love for you to tell my listeners,
how can they get in contact with you?
481
:If they're interested in having a
project, maybe a voiceover done with you.
482
:You have a nice calming voice
throughout this half hour.
483
:I feel a little bit more sleepier
than I did when I started.
484
:Maisie: No, don't fall asleep.
485
:Joshua: Oh no.
486
:Don't worry.
487
:We'll get it through the rest of this.
488
:I'm wondering if you could let them know
how they can get in contact with you,
489
:but I'm going to give you the last few
minutes, go ahead and pitch yourself.
490
:Maisie: Okay, thank you, Josh.
491
:If you'd like to work with
me as an actor or a voiceover
492
:actor, you can go to my website.
493
:It's maisietrang.com, so it's M A I S I
E T R A N G.com, and all of my contact
494
:information and demos and samples are
available there, and you'll also see
495
:that I can do commercials, meditations,
e-learning tutorials, different narration
496
:pieces, including medical narration,
and explaining different products, or
497
:even podcasts, and I'm also available
on Facebook @MaisieTrang, and then
498
:X, or Twitter, @MaisieTrang, and then
Instagram @Maisie.Trang, and then I
499
:guess a final piece, I never mentioned
this, but I'm also trying to teach a
500
:computer basics program because I do some
technology work at work, so I have that
501
:available, and if you'd like to enroll
in a computer basics program at all,
502
:I have a free intro call that you can
talk with me more about what you need
503
:help with, and you can just email me at
maisietrang@gmail.com and we can talk from
504
:there and talk over the phone after that.
505
:Joshua: I'll put all that information
in the episode notes in case anybody
506
:wants to check out and reach out
to Maisie, but I have to say.
507
:Look, and I don't normally do this
and I feel like I almost lecture when
508
:I do this, but you're one of these
guests that I just have to give you a
509
:quick little pep talk before we wrap
up, so I hope your accepting of this,
510
:and you can yell at me later if you
don't like it, but here's the thing.
511
:You grew up in a community
almost like I did.
512
:I grew up in a small town
called Oley, O L E Y.
513
:It's in Pennsylvania.
514
:It's this quaint little town, about
hour away from Philadelphia because we
515
:were talking about how far away I was
from other locations when we started,
516
:but I also had this feeling that I was
just not doing what I needed to do in
517
:life, and I put that off- get ready-
for over 30 some years, until I finally
518
:realized I needed to open a business
and help others because I was not doing
519
:what I needed to do in life, so I'm
helping people figure out what the junk
520
:is in their life and getting it fixed.
521
:I'm helping people with their speaking.
522
:I'm helping people get better jobs
with professional development.
523
:I do all kinds of things, and I
even trying to break into the public
524
:speaking realm by being a professional
speaker, and it isn't that I'm trying.
525
:I am, so I want you from now on
today say, "I am a voice actor.
526
:I am a voiceover artist.
527
:I am the best in the
industry.", and I'll tell you.
528
:You don't have to go around and tell
people that, but if that's your daily
529
:affirmation getting up, Maisie, I swear to
you, I swear that you will do so much good
530
:work like you're doing already because
you are doing some awesome work and I
531
:would love that we talk at some point
down the road and you tell me that, "Yes!
532
:I broken into this.
533
:I'm no longer doing pharmacy work.
534
:I'm doing this for big time corporate
entities with their commercials.",
535
:so make me that promise that
next time we talk, you're going
536
:to keep believing in yourself.
537
:Okay.
538
:Maisie: Oh yeah.
539
:Thank you.
540
:Thank you for that pep talk.
541
:Yeah, no, I love that.
542
:I love pep talks.
543
:Yes, of course.
544
:I try to practice different
affirmations a day.
545
:I haven't done that.
546
:I am a voiceover, like voiceover actor,
but I have done, "I am grateful today."
547
:Joshua: Well, you should be grateful too.
548
:Yes.
549
:Maisie: Yeah, but yeah, that's great.
550
:Thank you.
551
:Joshua: Yes, absolutely, and for
all those reasons, and for you
552
:continuing on your journey, thanks
for being on Speaking From the Heart.
553
:It was really a joy and a privilege to
have not only my very first voiceover
554
:artist on the show, but to know
somebody with your deep heart and
555
:your deep story, you definitely were
your authentic self, so thank you.
556
:Maisie: I appreciate that.
557
:Thank you so much, Josh.
558
:Joshua: I want to thank Maisie so
much for being part of the show.
559
:She shows to me, just like we had
with other guests, the importance
560
:of being able to have that small
town living feeling, but also
561
:being able to have big aspirations.
562
:It's almost coming out of a movie
directly, if you think about Maisie's
563
:story, in that sometimes we have a lot
of different setbacks, a lot of different
564
:people that come into our lives, influence
us, but yet at the same time, they
565
:have all kinds of different problems,
situations, and other aspects that might
566
:throw a wrench into the overall plans that
we have for our lives, but I think that
567
:we also have great role models when it
comes to not only working with the variety
568
:of different people that surround us,
but it allows us to be more disciplined.
569
:The expectations that we have for
each other can be measured in ways
570
:that sometimes we don't even think
about, but at the same time, maybe
571
:those limits, those things that we
have as some of the lowest points of
572
:our lives, might not be what we want
to do, and that's when we resist.
573
:We often fight back because we
don't want to live up to those
574
:expectations that we are given.
575
:In other words, do you do that work that
you have to do in order to survive, to
576
:connect, to follow tradition, or, are
you doing the work that allows you to
577
:live free, to have aspirations and dreams
that you never thought possible, and
578
:it allows you to think outside the box?
579
:Many guests that we've had on the show
have even talked about the importance
580
:of focusing, creating that value in our
lives, just so that we can influence
581
:not only the positivity, but also the
variety of different things that we
582
:have in store for our lives, if we're
just willing to connect with what those
583
:opportunities are, instead of just
focusing on what is in front of us.
584
:It means being proactive.
585
:It means thinking about how we can have
a voice in this ever changing world
586
:to change our perspectives, but even
with trying to shake, rattle, and roll
587
:through our lives, how do we fit in?
588
:What makes it really hard for us to be
liked, especially when we're challenging
589
:that status quo, because let's face it.
590
:If we do those things,
we might not be liked.
591
:We might not be appreciated, and
truthfully, we might not even be able to
592
:work through some of the problems, some
of the situations, or even achieve some of
593
:the outcomes that we need to have in order
to just survive, so how do we do that?
594
:Is it really hard to be able to step
outside of our comfort zone to be
595
:liked, to be enjoyed, especially with
all the things that we have going on?
596
:Well, if you think about it, the
rules, the breakthroughs, the things
597
:that we're trying to do in our lives
to support one another, whether it's
598
:friends, family, or something else, it
means that we have to understand that
599
:just fitting in might not always be
the solution, so what's that catalyst?
600
:Let's get to the heart of
really what this is all about.
601
:How do we create that catalyst so that
we can have the things that we want
602
:to have in our lives be achievable?
603
:How can we do that to be able to
achieve some of the best dreams,
604
:some of the best versions that we
have yet to unlock in our life?
605
:I think that we need to understand
that we need to express ourself
606
:and control our emotions in ways in
which we can not only achieve those
607
:successes, but also understand that not
everybody's going to see our viewpoint.
608
:Maisie shared so much about what those
differing viewpoints are, and even creates
609
:that context about how we can be more
talented, more invaluable, by just simply
610
:understanding what our differences are by
learning and leaning into what might be
611
:our gifts, but the best way that we could
ever do what we ultimately want to do in
612
:our lives means that we have to be able
to jump into any career that we want to.
613
:We have to be mentored.
614
:We have to learn from others, because
we certainly don't want to jump
615
:into any sort of field, whether it's
being a nuclear scientist, a rocket
616
:scientist, maybe even a blinker
scientist, which, yes, I'm making a
617
:joke about headlights and blinker fluid.
618
:I think that we all have to
understand that if any of those
619
:sort of occupations, make believe
or not, we have to be able to learn.
620
:We have to be able to be mentored in ways
in which we can jump into those careers
621
:and be successful at the same time, but
that also means that we can't be afraid
622
:of what we are ultimately able to become.
623
:Look at my life.
624
:Look at all the things that I've
been able to achieve simply by
625
:stepping outside my comfort zone.
626
:Does it mean that I have it all together?
627
:The answer is no.
628
:I still have to work through a variety
of different situations on a daily basis,
629
:and we have to be able to work through
those problems by the knowledge, skills,
630
:and abilities that we've talked about
on many episodes that allows us to feel
631
:empowered, but even with jumping into
it, when people might be looking at
632
:you strangely, especially because you
are doing something that is outside the
633
:comfort zone, it's okay to still have fun.
634
:It's okay to have healthy avenues in
your life that allow you to not only
635
:propel yourself to that next level, but
we are also able to create some of those
636
:opportunities that maybe are still being
shaped, because even as I mentioned at
637
:the beginning of this episode, it's still
okay to be a piece of work, being able
638
:to be shaped into whatever that final
product will be, but it means that we need
639
:to continue to express the things that
we really enjoy and not suppress them.
640
:Maisie shared even some of those
important lessons to us as to why we
641
:should never hold ourselves back from
our unlimited potential, especially if
642
:we had something that we always wanted
to pursue, even voice acting for that
643
:matter, doing voiceovers for commercials.
644
:Who would have ever thought in a million
years that this young lady would be
645
:able to achieve so much, with not only
the things that she's learned growing
646
:up, but to reinvent herself, despite
what the culture and society might have
647
:told her otherwise, and that's exactly
why you shouldn't put yourself down.
648
:You shouldn't say no to opportunities that
might come up, but it's also understanding
649
:that there is a balance, and despite
what anybody might tell you, even if that
650
:is the buzzphrase of the year to have a
work life balance, it's still very true
651
:that you should try to strive to it as
much as you possibly can, but also not
652
:indulging too much in one particular
form or another, though the question then
653
:becomes: are you going to stay low, not
even acknowledge some of the opportunities
654
:that you have, or are you going to
keep on putting your head down, always
655
:ignoring what might be around you, because
society and culture told you otherwise?
656
:We have to celebrate the various
aspects of our lives and accept
657
:the feelings that are tied to it.
658
:It's okay to be scared and
fearful, especially if you're
659
:jumping into something brand new.
660
:It's not easy sometimes being a business
owner, especially in this tumultuous
661
:climate that we're in right now, both
economically and financially, seeing
662
:businesses close all around me and
cutting back, but I know that the
663
:heart and passion that I have deep
inside of me, wanting to keep this
664
:adventure going for myself, and working
through all the variety of different
665
:viewpoints that might come my way,
really empower me and want to empower
666
:my clients to become the best versions
of themselves, but it means that I have
667
:to surround myself with people that are
continuously working on themselves, and
668
:continuously challenging the status quo.
669
:Now, I could easily go into a tirade
about all the different things that might
670
:be holding us back as a society, whether
that is the social, the cultural, the
671
:different expectations that are put upon
each and every one of us, whether it's
672
:through friends, family, jobs, all kinds
of other aspects, but the truth of the
673
:matter is, is that if we're ever going
to grow individually, we have to, at some
674
:point, listen to what's inside of us.
675
:How we fit in does not always
mean that we have to fit in.
676
:Let me say that again.
677
:How we fit in doesn't always matter.
678
:Period, because even if we did try to
fit in, does it mean that we're actually
679
:living that best version of ourselves?
680
:If we're restricting ourselves with just
rules and different avenues where we have
681
:to follow, and that's not really what
we want to follow in the first place,
682
:how are we ever going to create change?
683
:How are we going to be able to become
those talented and valuable individuals
684
:that can jump into any career or any
sort of adventure that we ever want to?
685
:I started listening to this
podcast that follows a couple
686
:that are traveling digital nomads.
687
:I would love to have Austin and Monica
on the show at some point in which
688
:they talk about how they started this
adventure, but I'm in awe and wonder of
689
:how they've been able to create value
for themselves by simply diffusing what
690
:society and culture says about them.
691
:They are shaping the clay that allows
them to become not only more valuable,
692
:but allows them to become more
acknowledged, and more attuned, to
693
:what they have as undeniable freedoms.
694
:Undeniable opportunities to go around
the world and live a life where they can
695
:still support themselves, but also do
things that normal 20, 30, or even 40
696
:year olds would never dream possible,
but even if you're in your 60s, 70s, and
697
:80s, even if you believe in a completely
different work ethic, know that it's
698
:not about just keeping your head down.
699
:Know it isn't just about
trying to think differently.
700
:It means that we have to be mentored.
701
:We have to learn to understand
that we need to create a culture
702
:that not only supports one another,
but also supports ourselves.
703
:I believe Maisie's story today really
exemplifies the fact that we have to
704
:not only lean into our traditions,
but how we can use those traditions
705
:to our advantage to create things
that we never, ever thought possible.
706
:If we're able to do that, and if we're
able to express ourselves in ways in
707
:which we would never be able to express
ourselves before, if we're able to delimit
708
:ourselves to create the opportunities that
we have, especially now and in the future.
709
:I think we're not going to stay low.
710
:I think that we're not
going to put our head down.
711
:I think we're going to change our
healthy avenues into even more exciting
712
:adventures, because even if we're
traveling all across the world or if
713
:we're in that small little cubicle in
a office that we are always looking
714
:to see what's ahead of us, just know
that each of us have an entitlement,
715
:an empowerment if you will, to create
the best versions of ourselves by
716
:simply speaking out loud, and affirming
ourselves that anything is possible.
717
:Thanks for listening to episode
number 134 of Speaking From The
718
:Heart, and I look forward to
hearing from your heart, very soon.
719
:Outro: Thanks for listening.
720
:For more information about our podcast
and future shows, search for Speaking From
721
:The Heart to subscribe and be notified
wherever you listen to your podcasts.
722
:Visit us at www.yourspeakingvoice.biz
for more information about potential
723
:services that can help you create
the best version of yourself.
724
:See you next time.
