The First Hack is the Deepest: Exes, Passion and Reasons to be Ranting

Okay, so the years like 2013, I was 20 years old, and I was on my way to New York City. [CHUCKLES] But I was I was in this like, on and off relationship since high school or whatever. Honestly, this wasn't even the last time that we're going to be off, which makes it even more hilarious. Because it's like I'm a words person. And so these words have always kind of stuck to me, and it was like, why did this end sooner? But we were always in a fight. My high school sweetheart and I were always in this fight. And they were like, in one of the fights they're like, "Well, on your death dead? I'm not going to be there. I'm gonna, I'm just gonna leave you with your art!" [LAUGHS] Okay.

[FILM ROLL] Welcome, fellow creatives. This is Ranting through Life: Life hacks for the creative soul. I'm going to use this first episode to introduce myself and, of course, give you a creative hack that I believe is the first step to unlocking the creative soul. I am your host, multifaceted creative, Jhonu Alicia. Let's go. [CHUCKLE]

Soo, for me, the creative journey started before I can actually even remember I grew up in a creative family. My grandmother is a pianist and like, musician and grew up in, you know, the choir. My mom's an opera singer and also a multifaceted creator...she's like...you know, her dream was to become an opera singer, and she also became an actress, and now she does visual arts and messes with all of those kinds of things. So honestly... there was no way for me not to have a creative journey. I think for me, it was like, choosing...well, like I said, I'm multifaceted, but... kind of choosing the things that I'm passionate about within the creative sphere.

So yeah, I did my first show at 6 years old, so that's over 20 years ago. I'm an actress and other stuff as well. But we'll get into that in a second...So for me, somehow, even with like  all the creativeness; I started writing scripts, and plays and stuff, when I was 10, or 9 or something, and I started doing all these things, but I was so convinced (until a little later, than I want to admit) that I didn't have a personality, I was like, "I don't have a personality. So this is gonna be difficult." I like doing all these things because I don't have a personality. And then I get to, to write these personalities or, you know, live through a character that has all this personality, and I empathize really easily, and all those kinds of things. I think a lot of creatives have the kind of same thing that I do, like, even if you know you're not from the creative family or it wasn't "set upon you" from outside sources. I think all of us creatives... like it's... it's in us, and you know, some of us are happy to expose ourselves to it. And some of us are, you know, exposed to it very early on.

But yeah,  I was so convinced that I didn't have a personality. I think, even in the essay that I wrote to get into...what school did I get into?.. I got into a conservatory and another school. And one of the essays I don't know which one... like what school I wrote this essay to because I wrote three different essays to three different schools, but one of the essays literally was like, "Yeah, I want to be an actor and I want to go to your school, because I don't have a personality."  I was so convinced.

And then before that, and I think it was upon rewatching The First Wives Club because this is a quote that's like rang in my head like most of my life. In First Wives Club... and we're actually, throughout the show, and throughout the weeks, we're gonna have a fictional creative of the week. So, each episode, we're going to talk about real life creatives and some of the hacks that they make it through, as well as myself, and then some of the guests that we're going to have on the show. But we're also going to venture into the fictional universes. I said universes because you know, they're not all going to be from the same show, movie, book or anything like that. They're creatives that we've heard of or know of...buuut you know... And that might have even inspired us! but because, you know, we're real, we forget how real those feelings and the inspiration is, even if they were characters created by another creative. It's...it's the sphere that the loop of creativity.

But today's fictional creative is going to be Elise Elliot, from The First Wives Club. She's played by Goldie Hawn. And one of her quotes while she's... while she's in an argument with Bette Midler's character in the movie... I can't actually think of her name right now...because, you know, the creative of the week is, Elise Elliot. But there's, there's a quote, that is literally my motivation when I'm feeling a little wonky, about like, " I dont have..." or like, "my feelings don't matter", or like, "my creativity is Aaaahhh", or you know, like, there's one I'm feeling a little wonky, about...about when the creative...my creative...my creative soooul needs a little inspiration or something like that.

And so she's in a fight. In an  argument...Actually, I thinks they throw stuff at each other, so they're in a little more than arguement. And Goldie Hawn, or Elise Elliot says, "You think just because I'm a movie star, I don't have feelings? Well, you're wrong, I do have feelings. I'm an actress, I have all of them!!"

That gives me... that moves me every time...it makes me so happy, because, like, I said, I'm a multifaceted creative. And, even part of  why I've created this podcast and why I want to talk to other creators their creative journey, and and I want to give hacks, and and... just so we're all making it through together. For those moments where we either feel like, you know, no one understands because they think... you're an artist! and you know, all the stereotypes about being an artist or creative. and then, you know... I am going to talk about l some celebrity creatives, and just how... not in this episode...and how...in another episode... how we kind of treat people that we don't know because of what they do. It's going to be a whole topic. But yeah, different life hacks and I'm so excited. But yeah, this is.. this is just... we're gonna, we're gonna feed our collective creative souls and it's so exciting.

So like I said, I'm a multifaceted creative. I borrowed the multifaceted part... I know, it's a real word, but the multifaceted part was kind of borrowed from Marie Forleo, which, I think she's a really great creative. She's a life coach and a business coach and stuff like that. And she uses the term multifaceted entrepreneur...often and... you know, most creatives are that, but I want to focus on the creatives. I like saying multifaceted creative, because I have even have trouble...I have difficulty even calling myself an entrepreneur. Even though technically, you know, when you start starting your own business and you  do all this kind of stuff, you're an entrepreneur. And honestly, any actor is basically an entrepreneur, for starter. If you're an author or an actor, or any of those kinds of creatives...actually, most creatives are entrepreneurs, because you're selling...but you're selling yourself in some of those situations, and feel like "but i dont have a product".I know so many people are like, "I don't have a product, and that's how I think of  entrepreneuring"... 

I don't know, I don't know... I don't know why I just separate the word entrepreneur from what I think I am so often. But I definitely call myself a multifaceted creative because even though like my formal education is in theater. I do write and I paint and I cook, which I also think is a creative thing. I'm hoping to have like a chef on the show, because I think, like, even if you watch all those cooking shows, like their freakin artist. 

I dabble in, in modeling, I guess. But I will literally do anything that that's just feeds my creative soul. So I'm not just like, Oh, I'm an actor, because I feel like there's so much more to it. And honestly, I feel like most of us creatives are  like that. You know? And with that, I will give you your, your first hack of, of the show. And in this one, it's going to seem you're gonna be like, that's not a hack, but let me explain.

Okay, so the first hack is RANT. I don't how if you didn't see that coming, I don't know how because literally, like the show is called Ranting Through Life. And you're like, "how is RANT at hack?" Well, so I think rant is the hack that is underneath everything that you're going to be doing, as we discover different hacks for feeding the creative soul, and through our lives as creatives in our different journeys.

So let me just explain for a second, what is RANTing, or just give you a brief definition of why I use the word rant so much and especially when speaking.. Yeah, speaking creatively and speaking artistically. Like why rant? So rant is, "speaking at length in a wild, impassioned way." Yeah, so connect that with the meaning of Create, "Create is to bring something into existence." Yeah. So that's why this is your  first hack of the show. And it's so nice to meet all of you. Kind of thing..and this is how I want to introduce the show, and introduce you guys to me, introduce me to you guys.  Is just to know that, when you're creating, the first thing you have to remember is RANT.

If you're not speaking at length, even if you're... you know, you're a visual artist, or a writer or or something where it's like, "well, I'm not speaking."  The second you start creating something, your voice is being seen. Even if you're an actor. Each character. You're creating that character through you. That character is now being birthed out of you. So if you aren't impassioned about what you're basically birthing, then why do it? So, yes, the most important rant....  the most important hack is going to first be, for me, RANT. RANT through life, and this is why we are we are creating because if you don't have that impassioned voice to start out with, then why, you know? And you might not feel it. You might be like how I was, just think, "Well, I don't have a personality", "I don't have a voice", I don't like..." It doesn't matter!

I love doing all of these creative things. I love being an artist, but I didn't... I didn't... I didn't have a personality... I didn't know why I was doing it. And once... still so much later in life than I thought that I would start finding that voice... Just between so many different things, I started finding that voice. And ever since that voice started to be found it had to be rranted. I had to make sure that it was impassioned, and it's literally the thing that feeds me.





But yeah, so yeah, you guys can reach me by emailing me at connect@gmail.com even even if you're like, I just want to be like what? Or something like that. You guys can definitely reach out to me. And and we'll talk we'll out. We can talk about it on the show. I want to hear you about you guys's creative journeys. I want to hear any questions you guys have for me. I am a Houston area creative. And I'm so excited that we get to start this creative journey together, even though we're all on our individual ones as well. And so yeah, wherever you are listening, just click five stars or whatever your highest amount of stars. It's generally five stars. Give me a review. Give the show review. And, yeah, just rant through life. And don't forget that you are the beholder of your creative soul..

I've just had... just as I'm recording this, not just as you're listening to this. But I had a coaching session where, you know, my podcast coach, Ozeal... shout to Ozeal, he's awesome. But as we were talking, I just remember leaving that meeting, and just being so... so excited and so full of something wonderful. And this episode, actually... I've already done a few interviews before even recording this first episode, but  talking to some of the people that y'all are gonna get  to hear and other creatives just also just brought out that passion and that...it's  even listening to other people ranting about their creative... AAAAHH, beautifulness!  feeds that thing in me. And that's... you'll realize that it feeds you. It's the same reason that we take in art. It's the same reason that we not only  we do it, that we take it in. And yes, speak impassionately, whatever you have in to existence. Just RANT man.



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