035. The Power of Stepping Outside the Box with Filmmaker Courtney Deelen

 

 

Have you ever felt like you were living outside your own body?  No matter what you did you still didn’t feel comfortable?  Or, have you ever loved somebody so much, but even still you were unable to connect with them on that deep, deep soul level that you desired? This week’s guest, dancer, turned actress, turned producer/director, Courtney Deelen has struggled with all these mixed up emotions.  Dance fed into a long battle with an eating disorder.  And her marriage to her now husband, helped her step into her true self, that of a bi-sexual woman. 

This latest episode is all about how we become brave enough to step outside of the boxes we’ve constructed for ourselves so that we can live our one life fully, and out loud!

What does it really take to reach our big dreams and goals, and how do we find our inner voice and act on our truth to live the life we know we deserve?

Let’s face it, life is filled with challenges and hard moments, all of which are what shape us and help us grow both personally and professionally.

On this episode, Courtney (www.instagram.com/courtney_deelen) opens up about it all. She shares her journey of becoming the woman she is today, and how years of believing that she’s only been letting her loved ones down for the bulk of her life led her to completely shut down.  She struggled with feeling like she was only ever quitting things, from her dancing, and then acting. So much of her internal battle stemmed from the constant changes and challenges in the industry for women; to her personal struggles with eating disorders and coming out to her partner. Courtney opens up about her experiences and how she has found healing and empowerment through collaboration and self-discovery.

Her experience in front of the camera began to open doors to crafting her own stories behind the camera through writing, directing, and editing. She got involved in ACTRA's YEAA committee, where she took control of the producing duties of a variety of projects for other members. We'll also be discussing her new film, and the importance of setting aside ego when creating it. Join us as we delve into the real-life struggles and wins Courtney has experienced, and discover the power of speaking your truth. 

Connect with her at www.courtneydeelen.com.

We talk about:

  • [0:00] Intro 
  • [2:20] How the acting industry changes for women
  • [4:35] Why and how Courtney pivoted as an actress
  • [6:50] What pushed Courtney into her eating disorder
  • [11:40] How she found her way into healing
  • [24:00] Learning to collaborate and be empowered by others
  • [31:55] Setting aside ego when creating a film
  • [40:20] Coming out as bisexual
  • [48:30] How where we grow up can impact our sexuality and opportunities 
  • [50:00] Putting ourselves in a box from the stories we tell 
  • [52:40] Why it was so hard for Courtney to speak her truth
  • [60:00] Having conflict in relationships and finding resolutions 
  • [62:50] The details behind Courtney's new film

 

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Until next time remember to keep doing the hard things, and show up like you mean it! Without Losing Your Cool!