Podcast #40: From moving back home to saying yes to your dreams with dana alyss

What whaaaat?! Today I'm chatting with actor and creator of The Ugly Friend series, Dana Alyss.

Dana gives us a really honest look of what the LA Dream journey looks like: the ups, the downs, what it looks like when people aren't supporting you, and what it really takes to make your LA dreams come true.

While Dana always had a dream of acting, she didn't originally pursue it because of outside influences. Even though this path was not what she wanted deep down, this path was still a worth-while learning experience that taught her skills that she is able to use now in her YouTube series, "The Ugly Friend".

Dana's story is a perfect reminder that sometimes things happen on a different timeline than we are hoping for, but we learn so much along the way. Every experience we go through, makes us who we are today, (and gives us great material for creative endeavors!).

For those of you who are worried about having to move home, Dana shares her experience of moving back home, and then moving back to LA. 

If you're concerned about having to move back home, or figuring out how much money it takes to move to LA, download this free cheat sheet here. It will break down expenses for you so you know exactly how much you need to make the move.

Things started to turn around for Dana when she got real with herself by asking, "What will make Dana happy? What makes Dana tick?". 

She started a project called "The Ugly Friend", which is currently a YouTube comedy series. Watch the promo below and subscribe to her channel to get informed about each episode!

Dana uses her natural comedic personality to create her own series, and start a conversation about what it means to truly be yourself in a town that is stereotyped as housing the county's most beautiful people. 

There are basically two types of people: those who live their dreams, and those who watch others living their dreams and feel resentment and jealousy over the fact that they can't do the same.

- Bonnie Gillespie, Self Management For Actors

Often times when we go after a big dream career, there will be people who pop up in our lives who don't understand. They may say discouraging words to you like, "You should get a real job", or they may try to convince you to go in a more "stable" direction. That can make it difficult to stick to your own dreams and live a life for YOU. 

Going after your dreams is a choice. You either do it, or you don't.

- Dana Alyss

You need to find something that emotionally connects you to your dream to remind you why you're going after this dream. For example, on rough days, Dana would read her scripts or write new ideas that would light that fire in her again. 

It's also helpful to surround yourself with people who 100% support your dreams. 

It's YOUR life, you're the one living it. Do your dream 100% and don't stop for anything.

- Dana Alyss

You can follow Dana Alyss here:

Facebook: facebook.com/theuglyfriendseries

Instagram: danaalyss

YouTube: The Ugly Friend Series