Story & Lesson Highlights with Chanice Ball of Los Angeles

We recently had the chance to connect with Chanice Ball and have shared our conversation below.

Good morning Chanice, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
I think right now, I am fully being called to bet on myself 1000%. No plan B, no trying to balance other work in between my own, truly bet on myself and remember the plan I came out here with. No more deviations, just true focus, faith and belief that I am enough.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m an East Coaster now living on the West Coast, and I work across commercial acting, modeling, social media, and video editing. I like to say I work both in front of the camera and behind it. Along the way, I started my own company, Choose Joy Entertainment, which helps brands and companies stand out on social media through digital media services and creative content.

What makes my story interesting is that it’s been anything but linear. My path has shifted many times, and it’s been an absolute winding road. I’m still figuring out my brand and how to make all the pieces fit together but that’s also what makes the journey exciting.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, I used to believe that I was weird or different because something was wrong with me. I often felt like I was “a lot”. Eventually later realizing that what I was experiencing was really my high-functioning brain, most likely undiagnosed ADD. The way I thought, the blessings and moments where God would show up in my life, even how others interacted with me, sometimes made me feel like my uniqueness was a burden.

Now, I see it so differently. I embrace that I am weird, I am different, I am a lot — but not because it’s a bad thing. It’s actually purpose. It’s part of something greater that I’m meant to do while I’m here. When I was younger, I didn’t fully understand the magnitude of that. Now, I see it as a gift.

When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I don’t know if I’ve completely stopped hiding my pain. I probably still do in many ways. As an only child who lives alone, I’ve always spent a lot of time by myself, so I learned early on how to self-soothe and heal privately. Because of that, my struggles aren’t often on display. When I do share, it’s usually after the storm has passed, once I’ve found the solution or the “aha” moment about what the pain was meant to teach me.

Most people experience me as light and happy, and I like to bring that energy to the world. But in private, I’ve learned how to transmute pain into power by focusing inward, bettering myself, and making sure I never stay in the same place someone left me. No matter what, I always rise from the pain. You can’t keep me down for long, resilience is my nature.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
One of the biggest lies my industry tells itself is that you have to show up every single day; that you can’t take a break, that your mental and emotional wellness is somehow less important than being on camera or posting to stay “relevant.” And that just isn’t true.

All creatives need breaks. We need space from the constant pressure of auditions, being on camera, or posting on social media just to keep the algorithm happy. Honestly… forget that algorithm. The pressure can be overwhelming, not just for me but even when I’m managing social for clients. It’s this constant concern about showing up but what happens when life happens? Life doesn’t wait for anyone, and I think our industry needs to give more permission for rest without fear of losing relevance.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
I deeply understand how temporary life really is. We’re here to learn through our own experiences and through each other. The good and the bad both push us forward. I don’t believe we need to make things more complicated, harmful, or heavy than they already are. Life is about living it: trusting your gut, taking risks, showing faith. I always say, the universe rewards bravery and God rewards those who show faith — to me, they’re one and the same.

At the end of the day, we’re here to meet and master ourselves. Everything else — status, looks, jobs, even relationships — is in-between stuff. People weave in and out of our lives, but the one constant is ourselves. So take care of yourself, impress yourself, and put out good energy. What you give always comes back tenfold. When you learn to master yourself, people are drawn to that — and they take pieces of it to add to their own journey. To me, that’s the real meaning of “be the change you want to see.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://Www.instagram.com/chaniceball
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chaniceball
• Youtube: https://Www.youtube.com/chaniceball

Image Credits
Breana Otey