The Squeeze - Anna Sitar: Create What You Love

Episode Date: June 7, 2023

Another day, another Starbies! TikTok Queen Anna Sitar joins the Lautners to talk about content creation and managing a massive online presence. Your hosts begin the interview by thanking Anna for the positive content she puts out into the world. Anna shares how she got started on TikTok and when she noticed things really taking off. She offers insight into how she keeps some things private and highlights the kindness of her online community, which offers her confidence and connection. Tay applauds her for being real, including showing her real skin when she’s struggling with acne. Taylor asks about how she finds balance and boundaries with a career on social media, and Anna and Tay bond over the search for purpose they both had when content creation became their full-time job. Anna also shares her favorite place she’s visited recently and offers advice on blocking out the haters. To hear even more from Anna, be sure to hop on over to our YouTube page to watch her tackle the Lemon 11.  Be sure to follow Anna @annaxsitar  Thanks to our awesome sponsor, Cozy Earth! Go to cozyearth.com and get up to 35% off sitewide when you use the code THESQUEEZE.  To email us your questions or share your story, you can reach out to [e-mail]. Be sure to rate, review, and follow the podcast so you don't miss an episode! Plus, follow us on Instagram, @thesqueeze and personally @taylautner and @taylorlautner.   To learn more from The Lemons Foundation, follow @lemonsbytay on Instagram and visit lemonsbytay.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Auto-hue with Sunny Cars feels as if the children not be made. Kiselstramble, Zandvo. Actis forqueer, verdwine, vacancy can chaotic

be chaotic. But who'sorgalos an auto-hurt says, One dos, no stress. No idea. No, unverwachted costs,

always fullledgird. So, would auto-hue without your reiseiseur or sunnycars. combe. When life gives you lemons,

what do you do with them? Over here at the squeeze, We talk about it. Welcome back to the squeeze. Welcome back to the squeeze. Welcome back to the squeeze. You're here with Taylor and Taylor. And Remy and Lily.

And Remy and Lily, if you're watching on YouTube, as her little shark. Actually, you know who gave this to her? Our last guest. Our last guest, Lexi. Yeah, she did. Lexi is an angel and delivered the sweetest gifts to us and the puppies while we were gone. And she brought us a lemon tree. She felt bad because she couldn't play with it.

her hugs. Oh yeah. She can't play with the hugs with a little sit-de-sloth. So she brought Remy her own toys that she could play with. Yeah. It was so sweet. So sweet. Well, Taylor and I just finished an argument about how I steal his food. So there's that.

It's just like the typical, you know, that's always... But it's not typical. It's... I just explain this to you. It's so typical. There's the cute joke of how in a relationship, not when you do it to this. extent. In a relationship, obviously there is like the joke of one person always, you know, just wants to steal the other person's food and, oh, even like, you know, the other person's food

tastes better, right? It's cute. But just like, he takes it to a whole other level. I just, we were getting ready to film this and I said, I need five seconds because I am, my stomach is eating itself. I am so hungry. Can I just go downstairs quick and heat up some food? And she's like, Oh, fine, fine. Because that's exactly how I sound. And I do that. Mind you the sooner that we are done filming this, the sooner that we can go in the hot tub that's been hating that Taylor is so badly wanting to get it to.

So I was just trying to be a nice wife and get him in the hot tub sooner. Right. And I clarified to her, I can't do this without a little bit of food in my stomach. That's how hungry I am. So I heat up my food and I bring it right back up here. And I'm like, all right, let's get ready to do this. You know, I'm just need a few bites here. And she's setting up and I'm eating my food.

and I'm so hungry and she looks out where she's like, what you got there? And I'm like, our leftovers from last night. She's like, hmm, is there, can I, can I try some? I was like, really? And she's like, yeah. I was like, here. And I give her the plate.

And she has the plate for, you know, a hot second. There's a few bites. Ends it back to me. I'm like, thank you. All right. I start scarfing it down so we can start filming. and I'm down to my last bite. And she looks at me and goes, oh.

And I'm like, yes. And she, like, gives me these puppy dog eyes. And I know exactly what she is insinuating. And it's that I, there's not enough left for her to have more of my food. And I'm like, you take this to just another stratosphere. I just love you so much. I want to share everything with it. That's not correct.

That's not true. That is not why you want to. eat all of my food. Yeah, I want to be. You weren't even hungry. Yeah, but then I saw food. If when I said, I need to go downstairs quick because I am dying, if you were hungry, you would have said, hey, can you bring me up some too?

You weren't even hungry. But you wanted to, I gave you time with my food. Then you waited until I had one bite left. And you were like, oh, what happened? I was reminded of how good are left up before with that bite. Anyways, this is what's causing us friction in our relationship. Right at the moment. And I'm getting over it.

I'm trying. I'm really sorry. I didn't leave the last bite for you. It's okay. I forgive you. Next time I'll learn my lesson. The next time just like put a couple bites on there for me. Oh my goodness.

Well, we have a fun guest today. Anna. Anna. Anna. TikTok Queen. Starbies. Starbies. Yes.

I feel like people probably know her by Starbies than more so than Anna. But we had so much fun with her. I felt so inspired after our time with her. Obviously, she showed us like how to use TikTok and stuff because Taylor's not on it. I'm new to it. And Anna is just like the queen of transitions and doing all the things. doing all the things and making all the stuff look good. We filmed a TikTok for it.

And my mind was blown with this girl's eye and vision of things. I'm like, holy crap, you need to be like directing something. Yeah, well, I mean, we learned that she has a master's in TV and film production. That makes a whole lot of sense. Yeah, it does. She did post something I wanted to share, though, that I thought was like really insightful because obviously like with her social media, she, she's really good at just like keeping it. fun and lighthearted and like positive and yeah she's just herself all the time and it's just like a very she's a very positive uplifting person to follow a great account to follow yeah if you don't we highly suggest we'll have it linked down below but she posted this thing that was like a little of her just like kind of having a moment and i wanted to read it on the video um it's just kind of her like taking a moment in a hotel room just having a little cry moment uh but she's like it's okay

to be exactly where you want to be, but still feel lost. It's okay to have the best day of your life and still feel sad. It's okay to be in a room full of people and still feel alone. It's okay to feel. And then in her caption, she writes often, I feel guilty for not feeling like myself or feeling sadness in times that are supposed to be so full of life and happiness, but emotions have depth and you're allowed to feel confused and out of control and sad. Everything will be okay, I promise. But I just like, I love that she posted that because I totally relate to it because sometimes when we're like doing these things that are so fun and like riding the wave of like the highest thing. But sometimes I'm like, I still like I don't like feel happy right now. Like I've definitely experienced that before.

But it was just like a very honest thing that she shared that a lot of people I feel like can relate to or even when stuff is going good. but you still feel sad or you're feeling depressed or whatever and then you just end up feeling guilty like I shouldn't be feeling this way like I have a great life I'm so blessed but you know I'm still feeling sad right now yeah it's all part of the journey and yeah it's all part of the roller coaster of life and it's normal yeah and uh I mean it really just it goes to show that you could be doing the coolest quote like things you know living quote the you know most insane life and like that's not what brings you know true like ultimate happiness yeah yeah it's a good reality check yeah i love that yeah but we loved our time with anna we did we did we left

we left our conversation with her and you did look me in the eye and say i want to like spend time with more people like her yeah she she just inspired me yeah were you telling me that yeah she's definitely someone like you just like want to be around she left and I was like, wait, can we, can we keep hanging out? Like, one of those people that is, like, on fire about, like, what they do and just, like, absolutely loves, it's just like, loves life. Yeah. Surround yourself with Anna's. Yeah. That would be my recommendation. And I think you will get why after you take a listen to this. Yes. And as always, make sure to subscribe to our channel, like this video. That always helps with. Of course, the podcast and our algorithm and all that fun stuff.

and leave us your Sittres Scott real answer in the comments below. I would love to hear what you guys have to say. I guess you'll just have to wait to hear the question. Yeah. Here we go. Hello, Anna. Thank you so much for joining us at the squeeze. Hello.

I'm so happy to be here, you guys. Your voices sound so nice in these microphones. Oh, my gosh. What is yours? Stop. I feel like, does anybody feel like their voice changes as they, like, yeah? Yeah. I start and I feel like, yeah.

And by the end, I'm like, it's been a great day. That's what I do. I feel like I start talking lower and like kind of I don't know what this is. I kind of sound like that. Oh, you're going to laugh. You know that Miley thing going around? Where they bring it down and she's Morgan Wallen or something?

Or like, have you seen that? No, but I have seen that. That is nuts. I don't know how that works. I don't know. I have seen that. But the one, she was talking in this interview and she sounds like this. It's like really.

Yeah. And they put like the little. clip of her talking and then something right after it'll like cut to like a bag being zipped up because she sounds like a zipper when she talks or a French bulldog that like makes a noise that's like ah yeah anyways I feel like I start to do that when I hear myself too much I feel like my face gets relaxed I stop smiling and I'm like yeah this is what I sound like normally yeah I love that um okay before we get started we couldn't do um this podcast without your sponsors.

Another day, another starbies. Another day. What are we drinking here? Yeah. Is this the pink drink? I think we're drinking Grande pink drinks with vanilla sweet cream cold foam. They've been sitting in the California heat for a little bit.

So they're a little separated, but it just is divine. It is really good. This is my first time, actually, I think, ever having a pink drink. I thought we had a pink drink once. And it didn't taste like this. Well, I think it tastes this good

because of the cream on it. The vanilla suit cream cold foam changes the game. Oh, so you added something special to it. There's like a little foam that they like blend up to make fluffy and they pour it on top. Okay. That's the cherry or strawberry on top. Yeah, strawberry on top for this.

Are you like comfortable in jeans on this couch? Yeah, I am. Why? I don't know. Are you comfortable in your sweats? Obviously. I mean, they're comfortable jeans. And shoes?

Yeah. This is just Taylor and I are very opposite of clothing that we've worn on the podcast because Taylor is always fashionista. I don't know if I would call this look fashionista. You are. You're in black jeans. Jeans, shoes, a cool vintage shirt. Literally just. I'm just always a baggy t-shirt.

Yeah. I mean, yeah, to be honest, this is one of, this is one of my more relaxed, looks. Yeah, this is true. You don't really have like a deep cut little V. But we both do value comfort. Yeah. You are just the queen of comfort. Thank you. I'm the queen, I would say, of being cozy. Yeah. Which leads me to talk about a company that I love because I get to be cozy. But I also get to be cute. Cozy and cute. In their loungeware. Yeah. Sign me up. What I thought. Cozy Earth has, you guys have heard to talk about it before. But We're big cozy earth fans. We're big cozy earth fans.

They have amazing sheets, amazing bedding, but they also have a loungeware that is so cute and stylish. I've honestly been wearing it the past few nights as my pajamas. I have a couple of different colors. Yeah, she never takes it off. But imagine like the coziest, softest sheet and like a pillowcase that is just like butter. I think exactly, do they use bamboo? Yeah. Um, imagine the heavenly feeling of that.

And now they use that same material in their clothes. Yeah. And they have the cutest pajamas and clothes. They have joggers and hoodies that I wear. It's really, uh, killing two birds with one stone. Um, yeah. Yeah. Looking cute and feeling even cuter and goes here.

Yeah, like cute and feel cute. Comfy cute is my, is my go to with that. Uh, because. Cozyeth has provided us an exclusive offer for all of you listening today up to 35% off sitewide, which I still need to use it, actually. Well, let's get using it. I know. We need to. The code, maybe I should say the code.

The code is the squeeze. Again, 35% off with code the squeeze. Wow. So scroll down, click that Cozy Earth link, and go check out their website because you will not be disappointed. All right. I need to get off this couch because I need to. to go use that code. Oh, no, I got over here.

Cozy her! Ah! Let's squeeze. So something, as you guys know, that has been a huge part of my mental health journey, Taylor's mental health journey journeys as individuals, and as a couple, has been therapy. Amen. And that is why I am so excited to share our next sponsor with you guys, which is cerebral. Cerebral is here to help you achieve your mental wall.

wellness schools with professional therapy and medication management support 100% online. You will experience the all new cerebral way, an innovative approach to mental wellness designed around you. You'll get a personalized treatment plan from a therapist, prescriber, or both in a safe and judgment-free space. I love that cerebral is 100% online because that means you have no excuse. You have to go. There's no, oh, I don't have time to go drive.

It's too long of a drive. No, you can do it on your lunch break. You can do it before work, after work, and it's honestly just, it's convenient. Yeah, it's convenient, and they have great therapists. Yeah, and it'll just keep you accountable too. So we highly, highly encourage that you guys check out cerebral because therapy is just done wonders for us,

and we know it'll do the same for you. To get started on your path towards better mental mental, Health, Cerebral is giving our listeners 15% off their first month of online therapy, medication, or both. Get started at Cerebral.com slash podcasts and use code the squeeze to make 2024 your best year yet. That's Cerebral, C-E-R-E-B-R-A-L.com slash podcast and use code the squeeze. offer is only valid on monthly plans. Other exclusions may apply. See C-Sight for details.

Get going on that therapy. As a major research institution, Arizona State University offers the most online bachelor's degree programs, along with world-class faculty and dedicated support. Discover why ASU is ranked number one in innovation for nine consecutive years. Tap to learn more. We start each episode with our little jar, a little segment called Citrus Got Real.

if you would like to pull a piece of paper out of there. I love games. They're very super intense questions. You guys, this question is way too accurate to what we literally just talked about. If you were a fruit, what fruit would you be? Okay. Okay. I would be a strawberry.

You would be a strawberry? I think so. I have a strawberry purse. That's true you do. You know, literally over here in the corner of a strawberry bag. Vintage. Yeah, it is vintage little coach moment. I think I only say that because it's my favorite fruit, but not because I actually have a reason.

Great. Fair enough. Yeah. What would you be? You don't like fruit. Oh. My toes are underneath this dog's body. And for anybody not watching, we decided to attempt this episode with both of the dogs in the room.

And Lily. Lily did. I don't know what that was. She just had a couple coughs. She had a couple of coughs in there. Her and Remedy are both laying on the floor. So having two dogs in this room is the best day of my life. We're just going to see how this goes.

I would be a kiwi. Oh. Yeah. Do you have a reason why you'd be a kiwi? Once again, I think just because it's my favorite fruit. Okay. Yeah. I was trying to make like a metaphor of like the texture of a kiwi on the outside versus the inside.

But you're not like rough on the outside. Bussing on the outside and yeah My skin has been dry lately Yeah yeah you're definitely not that What would? What would you be? My initial thought was to say blueberry But

Those are cute So I enjoy But yeah but they're also like Just round When I think of blueberries What's your name? And Willy Wonka Is it Veronica or something?

Same thing When she blows up into a blueberry Like she gets like the blue on her nose right? Yeah That's where it starts And then it goes everywhere Oh my God But I'm going to go with a cute little blueberry.

Thank you. Thanks to my husband. They're cute little blueberryiness. Anyways. Anyways, great question. I love starting the show. That's a great question. Should we do one more of those?

Okay, great. Say less. Are you guys picking one? Oh, yeah, go, babe. We never do this. Oh, gosh, I love this. Oh, oh, oh. First ever.

The first double citrus got real. Okay, here we go. you you must have made this question because you have this answer you tell me every other day what song do you want played at your funeral do you have this answer too no absolutely not this is you know i have this really bad memory about like song lyrics and names i'm great with faces i can remember a beat from anywhere yeah but like the actual physical names of anything cities streets no yeah for me so you're like i can't even name a song i literally if you want to the first one like good wine. Call your girlfriend by Robin.

Why? Don't ask. Good song. You know, like catchy. Like, I want everybody dancing to that in my funeral. But although it's like the one that I need to have in there. Yeah. I don't know either. So why don't you go with yours? Yeah. Mine is I want my like casket walk down to fur delicious. Period. Okay.

A major sleigh. Yeah. I've said that. It's just like like a nice little like hot pink, maybe like some rhinestones on there. Okay. My little casket. Okay. She's going down in style. Yeah.

She's gone out with a bang. Oh, my. Maybe we'll see. Well, hopefully that. Never mind. I'm just, let's just, I don't like this question. Let's move on. Oh, my gosh.

Okay. Well, first of all, I would love to kind of just start with thanking you for the content that you make. I feel like we talk about, you know, social media a lot on here and like the pros and the cons and I feel like it's, you know, a big reason of why there's such mental health struggles today and there's so much comparison and blah, blah, blah. But I just love that like through and through all of your content, you're just like you. And it shows.

I mean, I'm literally just meeting you here for the first time. But obviously, like, I follow you on TikTok. So like I know like what you post and it like, I feel like I've known you because you are just yourself. Which I feel like... And it's just good, positive. Yeah. Like we talk all the time about, you know, being careful about, you know, who you're following, what you're following, you know, what you're scrolling and seeing every day.

Because that, you know, whether you notice it or not, it's going to have an effect on you. And I think we need more people like you out there that make that kind of content that is positive, uplifting. in is the good kind of content for us. Wow, guys, thank you. You guys are so safe for saying that. Thanks for saying that. That's so nice. How long have you been doing this?

Like, what? Where does it start? Exactly. I feel like that's like the base confusion. Even for me sometimes is I downloaded TikTok in 2019. Spontaneously, like I think with everybody else, I went to a party for grad school. And one of the girls was like,

everyone needs to download this app. It's so cool. It's on the rise. It's so fun. And I was getting my master's in film and television production. So I was like, you know what? An opportunity to do you. storytelling to work on like some creativity to kind of just get my thoughts out there,

keep like a little keepsake and I love video making. So I download the app and started just doing like one to two videos a night for fun and then just like kept making them. And I think I made videos for like six months before like anything took off or like had any success. I was getting like 10 views a video and I was loving it. I was eating it up. And then kind of at the start of like the end of the year a little bit like a couple videos had gone viral. And I was like, oh my gosh, I have 10K. I'm hitting it big, you guys. I'm the talk of the town. I'm in LA. I'm a girly now. And then when COVID hit, that kind of like is I think what skyrocketed a lot of creators is everybody got TikTok. And then if you were kind of like an OG,

like one of the original people like making stuff, for some reason the app just like loved you. Yeah. And promoted you and you made it on the for you page. And yeah. So it was everything. I was making anything that came to mind from get ready. videos to story times to relationship goals to like documenting at the time I was in a long distance relationship you know everything under the sun I was just kind of filming and capturing and sharing and yeah getting like the chance like just relate to people and in a lot of ways it was like my way to be expressive so yeah that's really what it was when it started for me yeah it's crazy that it's been that like short period of time it's unbelievable like even I think like the year 2020 started

and I think I had like 50k on TikTok and I was like I was in disbelief. Like, you know, it's like a weird thing where the numbers, like, hit a point where you're like, oh my gosh, if you think about it, that's like a stadium of people. Like, that's so many people who see your stuff. Yeah. By the end of the year, I think I was around like seven or eight million on the app only within the year of 2020. And so then my body was like, what do I do? And like, we're all stuck at home.

You don't, like, you don't see. Like, you're not going out on a daily basis. You're not really seeing anybody either. So, like, I'd just be at home and like, I'd bump to people at Target and they're like, I love your stuff. And I'm like, that is so cool. Literally. Who me? No way.

Like, have you found it hard keeping things? Like, private versus public now that you're like. I love oversharing. No, I love oversharing. That's great. No, but there is for sure. I like will remember, especially during like a time my life when I was freshly single. And I knew that like, you know, you're kind of in like that dating era.

I like had to talk with my parents. We can't talk about any anybody or like any like brand deals or boys in public. Like just in case. Like just in case somebody's like over listening. I just like wanted to keep that really private. I was in that healing phase in my life and just like want to make sure that I was taking care of myself and wasn't oversharing that's so complicated and so complex to share that I just want to make sure I was like, you know, keeping that from me. And my like my mom, my dad were all living together during COVID. So I was kind of like, okay, guys, this is like we're at this stage now where we really can't talk about any of the stuff in public anymore.

But I feel like I do. I feel like I can be pretty vulnerable on the internet, which is. really nice. It gives me the chance where there's my community is the nicest people I've ever met my life. Like I feel like I go out. That's because you attract them. Yeah. Thanks. But in the same way, like I think you're so sweet. So me to be like, oh, I watch your videos. I always think of that. It's like the nicest people who watch my content and like are supportive and are so sweet. Like even when I go out, the girls are always so gentle. And like my community is like 97% women. So it's normally gals for the most part. It's a couple of guys here and there. But they're always so nice. And they's like,

I honestly feel like we're already best friends. That's great. Because they like know what I been doing or what I've been up to and then I could hear about their life and what they've been up to. So, you know, in some ways, like I feel like I kept a few things private, but everything kind of comes to service eventually. I think it's just like all with like healthy timing. Yeah. Yeah. That's so true. That's, I relate to that because recently, I mean, obviously, you know, there's people that go to Taylor all the time. And that's like just a very normal thing for us. But recently, we've had people literally come up to us and be like not even sometimes not even acknowledge Taylor, which is hysterical to me, they'll be like, I watch the podcast.

And I'm like, oh my gosh, come here. That's like the biggest compliment. I'm like, yeah, I get it. Twilight. It happens. Shark Boy, yeah. I've heard it. But like when people say that they listen to the podcast, our hearts explode.

We were literally out of concert and we were like in, it was at the, what was it, the YouTube theater? Oh, in LA. Uh-huh. Okay. And they have like the little, what are they called? Like the boxes, but it's not a box. Yeah, it's like the little like sweet kind of areas.

And we were like right by a walkway and Taylor was right by it and it was me. And these girls like reached over and they were like having and they were like, we love the podcast. And I was like, oh my. Oh my gosh. You're like, this is so sweet. These are the homies right now. I was like these are our people.

But it's just like it feels so like tender when someone like, you know, like this is obviously like a very vulnerable like space for us and your space as well. So when someone like says that, you know, they're a fan and they love it. It's just like makes it so much more. So much more sweet. does and it's honest to like see like I love seeing the face of the people who are on the side of the phone you know like it's kind of a bummer where I feel like I don't get that opportunity as much and so like when I literally get to like wrap my arms around somebody

and be like oh my gosh my friends I love it it just like fills my way it makes it worth it every every time yeah but on the note of vulnerability I absolutely love I think it's probably one of the my favorite things that you do is just like showing your skin when you're breaking out or just like you're just naturally yourself because I find myself, I try to, you know, just, you know, be myself, whatever. But when I'm following people, always, I'm like, their skin is so nice. Your skin is so good, miss girl. From over here, I'm like, literally, you're glowing.

The mic is hiding a huge mound I have on my chin. Taylor's laughing that hard because he knows it's there. You're like, you'll never guess what came up today. Yeah. You get to hear it. But I always find myself like comparing my skin to other. That's like something that I always look at is skin. So when, you know, when I come across creators that are like, hey, it's normal.

I have acne. It's normal. I think that's so important because, you know, I try not to compare myself. And it's very, we're very much in a comparison era. Yeah. So I love that. I even feel like the comparison to ourselves. Like I didn't struggle with acne.

It's so weird. My skin journey has been wild. Like when I was, it's kind of that weird thing where you know when you don't notice it until you look back at it. Like I didn't know I had acne in college until I look back and I was like, oh my gosh, I had that much acne in college. Oh my gosh. And then I used curology, cleared all of it. Like I had flawless skin for the last two years. I like can't even tell you last time I had a pimple.

And then suddenly like that mid-20s era hit. And it was like, you know what? You could use a little acne. And now I'm trying to, you know, like I'm using trend knowing right now, like trying something kind of new, which is always stress. because you know you're like going to get the worst breakouts. But I also love like TikTok to me feels like one of those apps so you can really just kind of be yourself and it doesn't have to be so cookie cutter. Like Instagram feels so like so much pressure to have a pretty feed and nice photos and good photography. And if your camera's not professional, it's not a good picture.

And like TikTok, you know it's an iPhone for the most part unless like I go nuts and I film it on a professional camera. But for the most part, it's a nice feel to just kind of take that barrier down and really show the more organic version of yourself. Yeah. I feel that so much. I mean, I, I had, I downloaded TikTok in 2020 because we were all home. Making content on that for me is like so much like more fun. Like I just feel like it's very like in a way like similar to Snapchat, but not really. I don't even really.

I use Snapchat in high school. I don't use it. But it's just like very like stripped down normal. Like I don't need like the nice, the nice feed. You got a great feed. Oh. Thanks, babe. Best compliment I've ever given me.

Yeah. I have a question for you. I'm ready. So I just, I can only imagine because I try to be somewhat active on social media because, you know, these days that's important. But I'm not very good at it. And even the small amount that I try, it really can affect me mentally, emotionally. And for somebody like you, that, you know, it's like, it's your job. like in the amount that you have to film, you know, create, be on your phone.

I just can only imagine like the dangers of how that could affect you mentally or emotionally. Is it important for you to establish any sort of boundaries or a balance? Is it important for you to check out at times? How do you deal with that? Yeah. I don't think it was a bad relationship with social media, but when I was first starting, like once I started kind of having growth on the app, I was like, oh my gosh, like this is an opportunity that I cannot miss.

And I think that's a lot of people's mentality when anything is taking place. Yeah. That I, when I first started, like I'm talking 2020, I made videos five to eight a day. Every single day, no days off, no weekends off. Did not miss a posting day for two years straight. Wow. And like that amounts like so many videos. But in my brain, I was like, I have this momentum.

And if I stop, like, I will fail. And I don't know, like, what part of my brain was convinced of that. But I just was so sure that I was like, okay, you cannot take days off. You have to like, even, I was a full-time grad student when I first started social media. And I finished, I finished my master's. So I, like, had a three-year program. So it was right at kind of the beginning of my master's program. So through the whole eternity of being in grad school, I was doing full-time student and then creating, you know, three, four, five, six, seven, eight videos on for,

TikTok and it was anything from minute long videos to get ready with me as to like ones that took two hours to film ones that took five minutes to film. So when I was first starting, I don't really know how I did it. But I didn't get burned out. And I felt great until I finished school. And then it kind of like caught up with me because I think that my brain was treating school like it was my work where I was like, this is when I'm putting my energy and my social media is my escape. And then once school went away and it became my full time career, I was like, this is a lot of things to be like. There's a lot of things to be like. There's a lot. of videos and like it's a lot of creative juice and I think because I was in school and I was around people all the time and like going to class and I was having all these experiences that I could pull inspiration from it gave me fresh ideas it like gave me something to do every day once you kind of back off from that and realize like my career was the content creation I was kind of like okay what's my purpose though like what what am I hoping to achieve with what I'm making and that's like the first time that I took like I took my first like one week off of posting videos and don't wrong I was still capturing content the whole time because I

I love making videos. Like I love the videography and then like picking up a moment and doing photo shoots and like testing out new cameras. So I like went on a family vacation and I kind of told my family like, guys, this is my first vacation. We're not, I'm not going to talk about what's going on on the internet. We're just going to like experience this. And it was so nice.

But then it kind of has that back and forth a little bit where you be, as a creator, like you have this mentality that's like if I'm not creating, I'm falling behind everybody else in a very comparative mindset. And if you like take a break. you're slacking. Yeah. Even if you need it, it's like, well, everybody else is still posting and I'm the one that's not. So, you know, and you see it from such a pinpoint perspective that it, you know, in the grand

scheme of things, it's really not the end of the world. And like those two days off aren't going to ruin your career, your trajectory. Yeah. And I think that that can be translated not only from a social media perspective, but in any career in school, if you're like, oh my gosh, you did a one bad test, I'm literally a failure. I'm going to have to drop out. Like, I'm never going to make it. Or, you know, in your, maybe your career.

maybe you didn't get the bonus that you thought you were going to get or like the raise that you thought you thought you're going to get. It's like nothing is linear in any sense. So like by continually creating, you're not really specifically building this path of like a linear success or, you know, any of that. It's really just about what feels good to you. And I think that I've come to acceptance with that more lately. Don't go wrong. I still struggle all the time with it. But just accepting that like making what you love is what is good. And like making what you feel healthy making and not putting on a facade or like a, you know, every day has to be the busiest day of your life. Yeah. I think that's really valuable. Yeah. I think that would be the most

draining part is if you're not being yourself. Yeah. And that's why I think like TikTok gives the chance to be so vulnerable. Like using social media, I feel like my relationship with it. I'm like so thankful for because it gave me this newfound empowerment and this newfound confidence. Like for the first time my life I'm making videos and like, you know, you kind of get this great feedback. People like I relate to this and I love this. And it makes me feel like, oh my gosh, like all these experiences that I have, like, I'm not alone in them. Like, other people are having them too. And like, yeah, this is such a cool way to bring people together. Yeah. Normally Taylor is the one that does the relating to the guests always. I just had an aha moment, which I don't think I've had yet. When you were saying,

like, while you were still in school, like creating was kind of like your like release, whatever. And then when you were done with school, that was like what you were doing. You're like, what the heck is my purpose? What am I doing? I think I have struggled with that same thing. Like I was in nursing school. I started doing like content when I was in nursing school and then I worked as a nurse and then leaving. I've kind of just been like what am I doing? Because content was always like my fun like, oh, I have a day off. Oh, I want to film something. Like it was like my fun. It's your escape. It's like your little keepsake. When it becomes your career, I mean, it is the most incredible career. I don't want that like, you know, anybody to think that I'm not saying it's not, though, I don't, I have the lucky. keyest job on the planet because I get to do what I love every single day and like connect with the community of people who I absolutely adore. But there are for sure times where I'm like,

I wake up and I'm like there's not a single thought of my brain. Yeah. And I know that like it's my job though to have a thought in my brain and to like make something out of it and to like cultivate something with this and make it creative and you know. Yeah. You kind of, it's easy to get hard on yourself with that mentality. But in the same way, it's like the greatest blessing to be able to have a job. Like I've worked the more corporate side where I was like, man, I was. I wish I could be creative. Like I was like, I wish I could do something that was different.

Yeah. So, you know, with everything, you know, the grass always feels like it's greener, which I think social media is amazing.

It's such a cool, cool job and a cool experience. But there's times where it's like, it's really meant, it's never like physically taxing, but it's really mentally taxing. Yeah. As a creator.

Yeah. What's like the biggest thing that helps you prevent that burnout in to like just keep you motivated? I think remembering it doesn't all, like your best ideas aren't going to come from scrolling. on the internet. Like living your life and having experiences to base these new ideas off of.

Yeah. I feel like I felt this new creative wave today. It was so cute. My mom was with me all day today because we had a little event we went to this morning and we did like Get Ready videos. And I remember like I cannot tell the last time I like jumped out of bed to make a video like this. But I was like, okay, mom, I want to do a little get ready with me. We have to do the transition video. We have filmed the before, film the after. Like I had all these ideas. And it's just like the fact that I had something that I was so excited to get to share with my mom and get to capture. And we walked around and took so many photos together. And it's just like having life experiences and doing things keeps me from getting burnout.

So like traveling, normally exhausting, I love traveling. It's like my way to get a new refresh. I get a new backdrop again, new style. I'm going to see like what the world looks like through a different lens. And I feel like that just like empowers my little like creative. Yeah. Like spark. Where have you been to recently that you've loved?

Oh. I just came back from Paris a little bit ago. Oh. And I've like been there. only a couple of times, but I love it every time. I don't know why. Like, I would move there. That's like one of those cities where I'm like, oh, I just love that every city and like every

street feels like a cinematic experience. So that's good to hear. Because people with Paris, I don't. It's so hit or miss. Yeah, it's hit or miss. People either love it or just are like, it's overrated. Yeah. And I have never been able to go for fun.

I've only been a few times for work and it's been on like a press tour. so I'm in and out in 24 hours or less and have never been able to like explore. So I don't know Paris very well. And we've been wanting to go. And the reviews have been so this or that. If you need to get hotels, I have good ones. I feel like I have that weird. I have the most lucky experience of this that I get invited like the fashion weeks to like create content for brands.

So like I went with like Dior and Louis Vuitton. I little bit of going to throw up saying that. But like those. Those two brands invited, we're like, hey, come and come to our fashion show and, like, enjoy. Like, whatever this brings to you, make something out of it. And I was like, this is nuts. Because then I feel like I go and I'm like, my eyes are like just thinking of what like the movie would look like if I were to make a movie out of what's happening. Because that's like what the job is.

You know, like I get to pretty much make this experience and open the door. Anna three years ago would have lost her marbles. Like me in the Midwest, like seeing other creators or seeing like these huge names go to like Paris Fashion Week. And she was like, wow, can you imagine experiencing that? And now the fact that I get to be the person who opens up, like those curtains and be like, this is the behind the scenes. I feel like those experiences, though, make it feel like a fantasy. Make it feel like a movie when you go to those because you're, you kind of get that like it's during the fashion week. Like the streets are filled with people who are dressed like it's high fashion.

And like there's one event after another and it's like all dinners. And you kind of get this like really boogey treatment that I really don't deserve. But like I love it. And I'm like, please just one more. I'm here for it. I know. I'm like, listen,

I'll make as many videos as you want. This is so nice. What is life? I know. But it's like one of those shocking things where I would have, I would have never thought that that was a career option even. And then the fact that I get to like share that of my community that this is something that blows my mind.

And like, you know, I always wonder what those experiences look like, you know, the fact that I get to like see them firsthand. Yeah. I feel like it like romanticizes the experience though of Paris for me too. Yeah.

By having that kind of like luxurious tie into it. Yeah. Well, we'll definitely take you up on any recommendations. Yeah. I got all the good ones. Okay. All the goodies. Last thing on, just on social media.

What, like, what advice do you have for our listeners, viewers? Just on, like, blocking out, either viewing negative content or blocking out, like, haters in the comments. Like, how do you block that out? And I guess, what advice would you have been doing that? it's some of the best advice that I learned, which like I feel like I have to debrief what this advice sounds like because it sounds aggressive, but my mom used to tell it to me. And it has stuck with me. And my mom, if anybody knows, Marca, we love her dearly. English is not her first language, though.

So it's like an interesting translation. But she always used to tell me when I would get really down about like, you know there's going to be trolls on the internet. You know there's people who are trying to like bring down the energy or even like it's so frustrating to me because I feel like some of these things like are so taken out of context or so twisted. to seem like unintentional one. Like I have always just wanted my page to be like to delight on the internet. And so my mommy still always tell me though and I'll get a little bit bummed down and be like, what am I going to do like this person said this or somebody thinks this is mommy and my mom would always tell me, don't you spend your time trying to drown others when you could just

swim faster. And listen, we're not drowning anybody. Okay. We're starting there. But I think her intention with that is like don't use your energy to be like looking in your rear view mirror. Like other people are going to be like trying to be like trying to. to bring down your light and bring down your energy.

And instead of focusing on that negativity or going back and, you know, fighting with keyboard warriors or like getting frustrated about those little things, you have so much ocean ahead of you. You have so much potential ahead of you. You have so much farther you can go by just focusing your energy on the positive and everything. And I feel like that's what I like hope is like the lesson people learn from even any of my content is like there's good and there's opportunity in everything even in negativity. Like someone who's leaving you and not nice.

comment is really just not feeling good that day. Even if you, even if that's not true, I'm believing that. Like, I'm believing they're having a bad day and they didn't mean it. Yeah. And like,

it's not about like looking at those comments and I, oh my gosh, I'm so guilty of letting it get to me and letting it affect the way that I even see my own content or it's so funny. You can ask, I think any creator on TikTok, what are the negative comments going to be on this video before you post it? And I can name them before I post a video.

Even if the video has nothing to do with anything except for how I did my makeup. Yeah. Like I already know what everyone's going to, like what people would say. Even if the video is like an upbeat, happy get ready song. Like, and I think most creators know, but it's the fact of you just have to accept that like you are putting into the world what you love. And the energy you put out is the energy you're going to get back. Yeah. Even if it has to kind of like school wiggle through some of those more negative sides.

But you're better off to just continually make what you love and just like manifest the happiness for everybody around you as well. That's a great advice. Yeah. I know. It comes off a little spicy. So I'm always like, listen. We're going to debrief them. We're not drowning anyone.

She meant like, you know, don't fight people when you could just walk away. Exactly. Yeah, yeah. I love that. You mentioned it earlier, but you have your masters and TV and film production. Yeah. What do you, like in the future, you're already absolutely crushing what you do. Thank you.

Is there more that you want to do that, you know, you have the. this master's degree and clearly you're passionate about it. Clearly, you know, some stuff. I love it all. I love traditional media. I like always thought, you know, with getting my master's, I wasn't even on TikTok yet when I was first starting. So I did a focus in writing and directing. I love rom-coms. I would love to write a rom-com. Dang, you should. I, the world is missing it. The issue is. I know an actor if you need one. Okay, Slay, because you know what? We'll put them in part one. Okay, we're ready to go. So I like always was behind the camera even when I was a kid like my family vacations I would film and make these little short movies out of and like put music montages to them and like at text and everything like Vegas before Premiere Pro was like acceptable for you know a 10 year old.

It's kind of a funny thing where I always love being behind the camera and more recently now because on social media I kind of you know had to take like that front of camera role. I've like I love new passions. I've picked up acting. I was like why not? Might as well take a couple of classes and like learn. all the all of the ropes of the film industry. Yeah. But I love the writing and directing and I'd love to write a film, a TV show, a rom-com, I'm saying feel good happy.

A lot of my films in Gras School were really, really sad. I don't know why. I'm not a sad person either, but all of them were so sad. They were all about like heartbreak. Okay. Okay. You know? You were going through it.

I was like going through it at like 22 apparently. Like you didn't seem like something like a high school would write. Like a teenager. Like he didn't look. back at me in chemistry. I was just fighting all because I was so angsty like fighting all those memories

like he slammed his locker heart of the normal. It's me. Oh my gosh. But yeah so like I would love to write a little like happy feel good movie. Yeah. I love that stuff.

A little comedy moment. I can see it. Yeah. I can see it. That's great. Well perfect. Well, thank you so much for joining us. You guys.

This episode was so fun. It was such a joy. So much good advice. And that was just, that was lovely. And thanks for our Starvees. Oh my gosh. Any time. If you guys ever need it, hand delivery.

I'm bringing to get a pet with the dogs any day of the week. Deal. Perfect. Deal. We're playing Tug War immediately after this. Bye, everyone. Bye. Thank you so much.

For listening to this episode. Remember to subscribe. Give this video a little thumbs up. Maybe give us a little five-star review something. Also, if you. Five. I'm asking for a lot. It was a great episode.

You're right, it was. Give Anna a five. Yeah, go on. Anna deserves it. She deserves a five. Sorry. Oh my gosh, I love it. Well, of course, be sure to follow The Squeeze on Instagram.

You can, of course, follow us. We have Lemons by Tay on Instagram as well for additional resources, tips. And be sure to send us an email at Lautner. Dot the Squeeze Podcast at gmail.com for any guests you want to see, anything that resonated with you with this episode. any and all stories, things you want to share. We've been receiving a lot and, you know, we, we love it. You love it? Yeah, I love, I love hearing what you guys think.

Yeah. Got a lot of great recommendations and yeah, we can't do this without you guys. Yeah. Should I find another good quote for this episode? Oh, no. Here we go. Actually, no, I'm in a full circle moment this. Okay.

And go back to what I talked about. about in the intro about Anna's video. Okay. It's okay to feel. That's what I'm going to say. It is okay to feel. It's okay to feel. All your emotions.

However you're feeling, whatever you're feeling, whenever you're feeling it. Feel it. Feel it. Feelings are good. Love it. All right. We love you guys. Have a good rest of your week.

And we'll see you next Wednesday. Woo! Toodles. This podcast has been brought to you by Podcast Nation.