Getting back to health one bit at a time

It's been a long hot summer. As it is coming to an end I'm starting to see the results of my newfound summer routine-- traveling, eating, spending time at the beach and going to a few too many margarita happy hours. What is a girl to do when the long summer days get shorter and the promise of fall fashion weeks and pilot auditions are on the horizon?
It's time to get back to health! I am an Everything Fit girl through and through, but I also have an insatiable sweet tooth and a jam-packed schedule. When the summer temperatures hit their peak, I found myself abandoning my running schedule and finding more room in my diet for french fries. It happens, and you know what, it's okay to fall off the fitness wagon as long as you get motivated to get back up again!

I needed a little extra motivation since energy had plummeted as my gym schedule and eating habits had become lax. When you interrupt a steady gym routine it can be hard to remember how you used to get out of bed an hour earlier just to run around and lift weights.

I found my extra kick through my friend, Chrissy, recommending Bits of Health. They have algae tabs (mint-sized algae supplements) to help a variety of needs. For me, Recovery bits prevent an all-day slump after a morning workout and Skinny bits provide a high boost of complete protein pre-workout and between meals. They are one calorie a piece and are all natural (no cafffeine, sugar, or chemicals). I am always skeptical to try new fitness trends (pills especially) but it turns out algae is food. So it felt more like adding a wheatgrass shot to my day (and tasted similar) rather than popping a chemical compound. They have been a great way for me to protein up and power through my day. As I combed my favorite magazines, Shape and Women's Health, hoping to be inspired by the toned bodies of the models or the never ending list of ways to "Shrink your belly". The six pack abs were helpful to reminding me to buckle down, but I also found more evidence that algae is the new way to get in extra protein! According to the July/August issue of Women's Health "Spirulina, a blue-green algae, is a surprisingly good source of protein with all eight essential amino acids and up to six times the iron content of red meat. Research has all shown that it may help your immune system fight off infections." Skinny bits are 100% pure spirulina algae, so I feel good knowing a can chew or swallow these little bits to help keep me healthy.

I dislike "diets". I don't believe in self-deprivation or starvation. "Bits of Health" and I share the same philosophy: It is not about what you take away from your diet, it's about what you add to your health regimen. If you need to get back to your health, focus on the things that you can do more of: increase your water, protein, vegetables, fruit, and your vitamin intake and put in more hours at the gym. When you do start adding these things to your life, you will have less room in your tummy for a midday french fry snack and less late night cravings for cupcakes and ice-cream. When you focus on what you shouldn't be having, it's all you can think about! You feel deprived and let down and increase your risk of failure in your new healthy lifestyle.

Getting back to your fitness goals can be a challenge. I recommend going after it one bit at a time. Find what motivates you. Get excited about it. Practice it. Stick to it. And get back to your health!

"Love is all you need"

I feel that there is one focal point that we can use every day to make our lives better. I believe that LOVE can make our days beautiful and our lives worth living. I don't just mean romantic love, although that type of love can bring an immense amount of happiness to your life. I want to recognize the power of all-encompassing love. Love is the feeling you aim to have for your job, your friends, the people you work with, your home, your ride to work, your meals, the barista at Starbucks that makes your chai latte with soy milk, and perhaps most importantly for yourself. Love is the ultimate source of energy.

Imagine if you woke up each day and your first thought was "I love this day". And then you stepped out of your bed and went to brush your teeth and thought "I love my Crest Sonic Brush" and eventually you made into your car on the way to work and thought "I love LA traffic".  It may seem extreme or downright crazy and the last example probably is both, but to focus on approaching every aspect of your life from a place of love changes your perspective and makes every step of your daily routine full of positive energy.

The Beatles said it best when they said "All you need is love. Love is all you need."

You may be wondering if I practice what I preach. Putting love into everything is a concept I discovered several months ago. I must admit it is not yet a part of my core behaviors but I do try to apply love to everything I do and every person I interact with. The days that I remember to come at every situation from a place of love the more I experience joy in my life.

My amazing support team

I recently competed in my very first pageant, to be the first Miss Santa Monica USA. I came into the process wanted to meet new people, make friends, and get more involved in the community where I live. Yes, I also planned on winning, but it wasn't my first priority. The weekend of the pageant, my family and close friends came in town to support me. The love that radiates around the most important people in my life traveling across the country to celebrate and encourage me infused a brand new joy in my core. I felt so much love sitting down with all of them the night before the pageant. Bob, Jill, Allie, Mimi, Margo, Kira, Colin, Taylor, Katie, Revan, Maura- I cannot even explain how much loving energy radiated off of this group coming together to support me.

Me with the fabulous Miss Santa Monica

The pageant day was an unforgettable experience of my life. All the girls came together with anticipation for what was to come. Many, like me, were entering their first pageant. I came into this day with so much love in my heart I felt I was exploding with energy. There was lots of talking, some dancing and even a few short lived group ab routines that we did before our big moment on stage. I had so much love for the girls with dreams equally large as mine, ranging from athletes to musicians to neuroscience/ engineering majors, we were a diverse group of individuals. But regardless of who we were, the energy of the day was contagious between us. All I experienced that day was love. My entourage sat in the first two rows and I could feel them looking up at me proud of me for branching out into a new world of pageantry. Their support infused me with love. As you may know, I did not win this pageant. After being first called in the top ten announcement, I was not called to be in the top five. The defeat was momentarily disappointing but the experience was something I will always carry with me as a day of joy, friendship and personal growth. Who knew I could impress a group of judges in a one-on-one interview but disappoint the same group during an onstage question? It was all chance at a lesson that will push me to work harder in other areas of my life and move forward in my future experiences. If I see the end result as an unfair question or unfair judgement, I am left helpless to make any changes. When I can look at the experience from a point of love, I can see the opportunity for future growth. So I chose love. From that place I can see where I could have done better and how the winner was most deserving of the crown.

<3 Miss Santa Monica Haley Fletcher is a beautiful choice to represent the community. A California native that focuses on furthering her education and personal growth while staying active in loving the people around and bettering her community. I can't imagine anyone more worthy of the title. And I am so blessed to be able to call her a friend.

When you remember to love, you will be rewarded.

So I encourage you and remind myself that with love, your life will prosper. It has been proven in clinical tests that people that have love and respect for their body have an easier time losing weight than people that hate their flaws. So when you recognize recent weight gain, remind yourself how much you love your body, your curves, your strength, but commit to making it better, rather than attack it for what is wrong. When interacting with the people in your life, you will find that people mirror how you treat them. Treat others with love and you will receive love in return. Come from a place of love in every aspect of your life. When you do, you will experience more love from people and from the world around you. When you see the world is beautiful, it will be such. When you see your body as strong, you will make it so. Stay positive, remember to love.


My sister recently shared a quote from "Eat, Pray, Love" that I find very powerful and a good thought to meditate on and work towards.


I think [we] have the capacity to one day love the whole world.

What a Difference a Year Makes

Just ONE YEAR ago today my family flew out to the east coast to celebrate my graduation from Boston University. At the time I was thrilled, scared, excited, nervous, anxious, tired and a dozen other adjectives all at once. College graduation was my goal since Kindergarten. It was the expectation of myself, my parents and my extended family that I would get my bachelor's degree. I put in 16 years of long days, homework, all night cramming and the occasional socializing break, but I finally attained my goal. I graduated with a Bachelor's in Health Sciences. 

Much to my surprise, this was not the greatest accomplishment of my young life, or even of 2011. The next month I ran my first 1/2 marathon (a goal that initially had terrified me). Two months later I packed up my car like a Tetris game, found my sister to be an obliging passenger and drove across the country to Los Angeles. I knew a half a dozen people in the city, I had no job, no agent, no training or experience, little knowledge of the business, but I had BIG plans. Within a week I moved in, signed with a top agent and booked my first photoshoot. A month later, I booked my first TV show "Two and Half Men" and a trip to New York that would pay me 4 figures per day to model in front of thousands of people. I cried the day I booked that job. I didn't cry because I am over emotional (although that is also true). I cried because I realized that anything is possible. My whole life was ahead of me.

So that is my message for you- anything is possible. If you are staring at your diploma wondering what you are supposed to do now. Don't fret. Follow your heart. Don't be afraid to pursue a career that your degree doesn't necessarily support. Don't be afraid to move even further away from your family or to move back home if thats where your heart leads you. There is no easy track to success. It also doesn't have to be hard. When you focus on the meager job market or high cost of living you will experience a limited job search and bills you can't pay. Focus on the positive. You have so much to offer. Walk into every interview with the knowledge that they would be lucky to have you burnt into your mind. 

In my line of work, I interview every day; each audition is a new job, a new company, a new boss, a freshly printed resume. So I have a lot to say on the interviewing process. My tips in nailing an interview- be yourself, show your passion, be knowledgeable about the company you are interviewing for and be patient. Don't get discouraged, there are so many jobs out there. Everything really does happen for a reason. As long as you keep pressing forward everything will work out as it should. The universe supports you. Your future is better than you can even imagine now. Good luck. May you live the life of your dreams and be happy.

Your degree is not the ultimate goal, it is the first major step in accomplishing your dreams. Enjoy your graduation weekend, enjoy your accomplishments, enjoy your life. As Katie Couric so wisely said in her graduation speech to the BU 2011 grad's:

Find the joy and when you feel it, let it wash over you.

What's your passion?

After my second year of college, I was having a casual conversation where I was asked "what is your passion?" This seemed like a simple enough question. My passions should be the center point of my life driving me through my day to day activities. Instead of responding adamantly about the things that made me tick, I felt exasperated as I tried to come up with an intelligible answer. I could not think of one thing. Everything I was doing at the time I felt I was doing because I "should" be doing it. I could think of a few things I enjoyed doing, but when someone asks you what you are passionate about, it doesn't seem fitting to respond with "reality tv" and "cupcakes". What was it that got me going? What did I love? What would I fight for?

This one question started a turning point in my life. I decided there that I would not only find my passion but I would live it. Thus started a a three year journey to lead me to where I am today. I feel I not only discovered my passion (hint: it was in me all along) but I discovered a way to live passionately. I was afraid of what I knew in my heart I loved. I have always dreamed of being an actress and a model but they never felt like a "realisitic" lifestyle. I felt I should lead my life in a responsible way, in a safe way. When I was living in a way that I felt "should" be, instead of what I desired to be doing, I felt restless, discontent, and often very sad and alone. I felt everyone around me was on the right track to create the life they desired and I was just wandering around aimlessly. I was denying my passion, choosing to live in fear, instead of choosing to follow my heart and live in love. It took a huge amount of courage that I had to find to realize that being afraid of something doesn't mean that I can't do something. Often fear shows us the ways we can become the strongest version of ourselves. I took the plunge, discovered my passion and decided to live in it. I truly ENJOY my days and ENJOY my life. I didn't know how great life could be until I started to follow my heart.

I encourage everyone in a journey of self discovery to find what you are passionate about. What do you desire? What do you have enthusiasm about? Write down your thoughts. Write down every little thing that brings that warm fuzzy feeling in your tummy. Don't write down what you feel you "should" be passionate about, what your family wishes you were passionate about or what you wish you were passionate about. After coming up with a list of several things that bring about enthusiasm, meditate on these positive thoughts for at least 10 minutes. Sit or lay silently without distraction and envision the very things you are passionate about. I have a list and try to focus on a different item on that list each day. I always walk away feeling inspired and up-lifted. When you discover your passion, you can discover how to live passionately, so make your list and unleash your inner passion for life.

Here is what I am passionate about, in no particular order, with no self-doubt or judgement....

Dogs, specifically puppies and pugs 

Sunsets

Beaches

Watching the waves come in 

(The very best to combine 1 through 4, puppies on the beach-- aaah)

Breaking a sweat in a challenging workout

Keeping family close

Loving purely and freely

Allowing myself to be loved

Reading

Accomplishing a goal

Acting and simply being on set
Expressing emotion on camera

Exploring a character

Watching movies (with popcorn)

Women's equality 

Hiking

Stretching

Spreading awareness of disease prevention

Finding a cure

Making someone smile

Making someone laugh

Laughing until my stomach hurts

Stopping/preventing/eliminating sex trafficking

Protecting children

Protecting animals

Exploring the world 

Personal Growth, Self Exploration, Self Realization

Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.
Oprah Winfrey

One Step at a Time

Oh me oh my. Through a crazy week of auditions and talks about the future with agents and potential clients, I get so antsy to see where my career will go.
I want success. I want it so bad that it is hard to sleep some nights. I have a hard time putting my phone down on the off chance the next call coming in could be my "big break".  I run all over town in stiletto heels with my portfolio and stacks of head shots in my purse on the off chance that between auditions, gym time and running errands I bump into someone that will tell me they want to change my life. If this unlikely event occurs that merely walking down the street will get the attention of Steven Spielberg, surely he will say, "I must have your headshot and resume now, or I will never wish to see you again."

I am beyond grateful that my ambition to succeed in this business gets me out of bed each morning, eager to see what my day will bring. But there is a point that I need to take a step back, put the phone down and breathe. My friend Miller Davis, who also lives in LA, just reminded me of the quote:
"Do what you can today."
Such a simple thought, "do what you can today", yet, for me, so powerful. I can take acting classes, take pictures for my portfolio, find agents, but am I going to be able to impress Steven Spielberg just by walking down the street? Probably not. I will work my way up to audition for a major feature film. My agents will do their job and submit me for every role I fit, I will do my job and study my craft. I will learn from each step in the process on how to be the best I can be. I cannot force success to happen.

The crazy part is, I know I can have the success I dream of. It is in my future. I have the drive and the growing skill set to make every one of my dreams come true. We all have it in us to make our dreams our reality. But, if we cannot enjoy each step of the process, then we won't be able to enjoy the realization of our dreams. I must remind myself each day that it is simply one step at a time.

So what is the next step for me? I would like to book a major campaign to solidify that I have what it takes to compete in this town.
The universe has a funny way of revealing to us ways to make our dreams happen. Upon realizing the next step I would like to accomplish, I stumbled upon a contest that allows girls to compete to be the face of BCBGMaxAzria's Spring line. The top ten girls will win a photo shoot and some of BCBG's latest styles. From the top ten, reps from the company will choose the winner and the new face of their line. So this is what I can do today-- Reach out to all the people out there trying to make their dreams come true and ask for a huge favor-- Will you help me take the next step?





Click on the link and vote:

Olivia Jordan for face of BCBG





When it comes to making your dreams come true, the path may be long, but as long as you keep taking one step forward, you are moving in the right direction.

How do I get into modeling?

Since I started publicizing my adventures in modeling, I have gotten lots of questions about what it takes to get into this business. I'll give you all of the knowledge I have gained over the years in hopes that it will help you get your foot in the door. I have been so blessed to be able to make money through high school and college and now to make a living in this business. But, It is a hard and often disappointing business and it is full of competition. You will have the most success if you are motivated to succeed and passionate about what you are doing. You  need to make sure you have what it takes to beat out thousands of other girls. You absolutely must be photogenic, be able to walk and be able to exude confidence on camera and onstage. You can learn all of these things! And to a lucky few, these things come naturally. Make sure you constantly are working on the skills to be the best you can be in your field. Most importantly, have fun! Be free to be you and enjoy each moment of your career.

Here are my answers to the most asked question:

How do I get into modeling?
You must have pictures. To prove to an agent or client that you can work a camera you must have pictures to show them what you are made of. To get pictures, network! Find professional photographers, make-up artist, hair stylist in your area and ask to do TFP (time for prints). TFP or test shoots means that you will not get paid and you will not pay them, you all will simply exchange photos to help you both build your portfolios. When starting a portfolio, start simple. You need images with beautiful lighting, light make-up and simple hair to show off just how beautiful you are. Show off your body. Do shots in swimsuits, modest lingerie or athletic wear to show off your figure. You can use social media sites as an outlet to make more connections. If you post pictures on these sites make sure they represent you in the most flattering light.

Do I need an agent?
If you want to model as anything more than a hobby, you need a modeling agent. You can search for agents online or ask people that are working who their agent is. Some agencies accept online submissions. Most have an open call day once a week or once a month where you can go in with pictures, wearing heels and a flattering outfit and meet an agent with an opportunity to sign with them. There are agents in every city across the US. Modeling agents generally take 20% of each job that you book. But for that 20% loss you get so much. Legitimate agents will assure that you DO get paid for each job you do, that you are hired on legitimate jobs, and can act as your mentor on how to get booked on more jobs. They often will set you up on test shoots and offer runway training to help you get in the best position to work. Also, in modeling you have the luxury of getting agents in multiple areas of the nation. If you live in a small town, reach out to agents in all the large cities surrounding you. If you live in a big city, reach out to other agents in surrounding cities and let them know you are willing and able to travel. The best way to book more work is to work with agents across the country (ideally across the world) that all believe in you and push you out there. It is simple math, if one person is sending you out for jobs, you only have the number of chances that they can offer you, if you have 5 people sending you out, you have 5 times the chances of getting hired. So spread your wings and get represented.

How can I gain experience?
1) Study. Buy magazines, look at current campaigns online, watch fashion shows on Youtube, watch videos of photo shoots online. You have so many opportunities to see what the very best in the business are doing. Take those chances and learn from the success of others.
2) Practice. Like all things in life, modeling takes practice to get better. It took me a long time to accept that I was not improving by simply going through the motions. I kept seeing the same mistakes in each of my pictures and all my shoots looked the same! A model needs to be versatile. You have to be able to exude sweet to sassy in a matter of seconds. Practice poses in the mirror. Know your angles. Know when your body look the best. But, don't let too much practice trap you in the same several poses. Let it open you up to trying different things and taking chances on film. Do as many test shoots as you can. Ask photographers for feedback about what they would like to see from you. Practice walking. Ask friends to watch you and give feedback. Ask your agent to give you feedback. Tape yourself. All of these things will open you up to what you are doing right and what you can improve on.
You can always improve!!! Unless you are Gisele, in which case, you are not reading a blog on how to model.


What size should I be?
People of all heights, shapes, sizes and types DO make it in this industry. It makes me sad that most girls that approach me about modeling say as the first thing that they need to lose a significant amount of weight. If you feel you need to lose an excessive amount of weight than you may need to reconsider if this is something you really want to pursue. I recommend breaking into modeling representing the very best version of you! For me, I had to realize that I have hips, musclular thighs and that I fill out a bra. It was unrealistic for me to try to compete with the stick thin (often 15 year old) models that make up the high fashion industry. I found models that I felt respresented more of my "type". Girls like Marissa Miller, Brooklyn Decker and Kate Upton had a similar body type to me and were making an incredibly successful career out of it. I keep up with those girls and see what companies they work for, what kind of shoots they are doing, who is representing them, and I try to look for similar things for my career. If I studied Kate Moss, I would always fall short. You must be realistic as to what "type" you are and EMBRACE what you have. Most auditions come down to the amount of confidence you exude in the room and on camera, if you are starving yourself or hating your body you will not be able to exude the confidence it takes to get booked.

I got an audition, now what?
Congratulations, you got your foot in the door. Now is your chance to make an impression. Wear a body flattering outfit. I generally wear a short cotton dress with stilettos so they can see my legs- my best asset :) Wear something that looks great on YOU and that YOU feel great in. Too many girls come dressed in oversized sweaters and clunky shoes, they may look beautiful but you can't tell what their body looks like and the client needs to know who they are hiring.
Come with your pictures. If you have signed with an agency, they will give you a portfolio where you will put your pictures and a comp card with images, your measurements and your agents contact information that you will leave with the client. Walk into the meeting with CONFIDENCE! Believe that you will book the job. Know that you are a valuable commodity. You will be greeted by 5-500 amazon girls likely that look much like you do. Do not let them intimidate you. You are all here for the same reason. Technically you are in competition, but if you are auditioning often, you will start to see these girls all the time. Make friends! If one girl beats you out for this job, you might beat her out for the next. Or you may end up both booking the job together and you will regret giving her the evil eye in the audition room when you spend a 12 hour shoot day together.
Don't lose any sleep over not booking. There is always work. Book the next one.

I hope all this helps you get started in the crazy world of modeling. I have been so blessed to experience the fun and adventure of this business. I hope that you will make all of your modeling dreams come true.

Back to the Blog

It has been an excessively long time since I last blogged. Mind you, that doesn't mean that I have run out of things to say. On the contrary, I just couldn't find a focus of what I should share with the world.

A lot has changed since I started this blog a year ago. I was a health science student working at a gym everyday in Boston, where it made sense to share fitness tips and motivation each day. Now I am an actress, model and most recently a pageant contestant living in Los Angeles where I am still finding my way. When making a drastic life change like this, it takes some time to figure out what your schedule looks like, how to get places, and when you can utilize free time. It took me seven months in LA to discover-- I have no set schedule, my GPS is still needed and I usually don't realize that I have free time until its over. I work each day to move forward in my career. In the past year, I have made leaps. I discovered my passion was to be on camera and moved across the country to a place where I knew very few people to pursue that dream. I am now living in Los Angeles, a city that offers endless possibilities for where my career will take me. I have agents working with me to get me work and get my face out there. I am taking classes to better my craft as an aspiring actress. I have joined the SAG union, a necessary step in my field. I have been working(!!!) and through work have had the chance to meet amazing people--people that I look up to in this industry and motivate me to press forward in my quest to fulfill my dreams. I am right on track for where I want to be in the world. I am living my dream, but it took getting to LA and becoming a working actress and model to realize my dream is much larger than simply to work, but to be someone that makes a difference. I want to make a difference in the world, leave an impact in my field of work. I want to inspire, I want to motivate, I want each person to "live the life you have imagined"(Henry David Thereaou).

I would like this blog to be an open forum of a journey. I come to you not as a fitness expert, not as a supermodel, not as a famous actress, not as a pageant winner, but as a woman on a mission.  I figure out my life one step at a time and when I get it right, I want to share my success with you, and hope to motivate your own success. When I am struggling to reach my goals, I will look to inspiring stories and quotes and aim to reinvigorate myself and you. If you would like to be part of my journey, check back in. Always feel free to comment on posts, ask questions and share your stories and quotes.
In the meantime keep in mind: