Today we’d like to introduce you to Chelsea Austin.
Hi Chelsea, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born (yes, I’m taking you back to the beginning of time) in 1993 to my two incredible dads, both of whom I am both biologically related to. Being the girl with two gay dads has always been a label that I’ve worn proudly since I didn’t know anyone else growing up who had a family that was exactly like mine. I am incredibly close to my dads and growing up adjacent to the LGBTQ+ community instilled a sense in me of what it means to advocate for those you love, stand up for yourself and remain open to things you don’t quite understand. I was, and still am at heart, a theater kid – I grew up my whole life thinking I was going to be on Broadway. But after graduating with a degree in theatre and dance, the world looked a lot different than I had expected. Namely, one of my incredible fathers was serving time in prison for tax fraud (a very long story that I unpack more in my book), and I wanted to be close to home to support my dad and daddy in whatever ways I could. After moving home, I pretty quickly realized I was not headed for Broadway.
I was still auditioning part-time in Los Angeles when I took on a part-time gig at my parents’ real estate office so that I could move out on my own and support myself, although my parents would have been happy to support me. I quickly got sucked into the real estate world, got my real estate and then broker’s license, and sold 90 million dollars worth of real estate by the time I was 26.
Real estate treated me well. I met my husband, who happened to be the office intern. We started working as a team, my daddy came home from prison, and from the outside life looked good… except that I was falling apart inside. I strongly disliked my job, even though I was great at it. I was having panic attacks every day. I was coming home crying most nights. I was having to put the essence of who I was in a closet every day so that I could execute a job that I may have been successful at but was making me deeply unhappy. I thought there was something wrong with me or that I was being ungrateful, but no matter how strong the pull was to be financially stable and successful, I knew I had to quit to preserve my mental health. So, as much as I loved working with my family, I put in my 365-day notice and told them that I would need to find something else to do for work because I was breaking on the inside. My family was sad but incredibly supportive.
I spent the year doing a ton of self-development. I hired a coach, I started getting quiet and listening to what it was that I wanted. I started writing a blog and finally began writing the manuscript that everyone had always said I should write. More than anything, I just kept picking up metaphorical breadcrumbs- I kept following what my heart told me felt good and continued heading in that direction.
Now, about a year and a half later, I have a publishing contract and a book being launched in April, a successful podcast, a blog, an online course, a non-profit organization and so many more exciting projects in the pipeline. All of these things are activities that I enjoy doing and take pride in, and that are products of the belief that I am enough and that anything is possible.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Well, based on my story, you can see there have been some bumps, but even after I started working at what has become my dream job, there are still hurdles. Learning a new industry is a challenge. Facing rejection a whole lot is something I had to get comfortable with. Balancing a new position in life while also finding out who you are is complicated and messy. I spend a lot of time going back to my core, writing out why I started this new work in the creative field I’m in now. I constantly have to go back to my “why” because even when I left real estate, I didn’t leave my anxiety behind. I was leading myself to burnout in my new job because I have always felt an intense pressure to perform. I was turning something so incredibly fun and fulfilling into something anxiety-inducing. So, I have learned that my path is beyond just what I do for work. My path as a human has to be sorted out too because you still bring the person you are when you run away from something, someone, or some job. You have to get to the core and do the deep work, and when you do, it is so very worth it. Everything becomes more fun, lighter and inspiring. Of course, there are challenges, but when you do the work on yourself, when you take the time to learn about who you are and what you want in life, those challenges seem to have answers and solutions that are much easier to find. Not to mention, you find so much more joy, fun, abundance, and peace along the way.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a writer, speaker, podcaster, and self-worth advocate, which means I spend a lot of time talking, writing, and doing all I can to guide people to understand that just by waking up in the morning they are enough. I am known for being the girl with two gay dads who believes deeply in what humanity is capable of. I believe that regardless of the polarization we face in this world, our ability to love, connect, and understand is greater – we just have to access it first. I believe we do that by starting with self-acceptance and self-love. I am deeply proud of my book, Inexplicably Me: A Story of Labels, Worthiness, And Refusing To Be Boxed In, which will be hitting bookstore shelves in April 2022 and is available for pre-sale now! It is a true labor of love and writing was an incredibly cathartic experience. While growing up and in school, I never thought I was much of a writer, so I never thought I could write a book, but here I am. I was also told that first-time authors can’t get a publisher, yet I also refused to believe that and forged ahead and was able to get a publishing contract.
I am a firm believer that anything is possible. After all, if I am here with a dad who is my biological dad and a daddy who is my biological uncle, isn’t anything truly possible? And I believe anything is possible not just for me, but for everyone, even if they don’t believe it yet. I know that my privilege, in more ways than one, has given me a huge boost to get to where I am today, but I also believe that my privilege has given me a platform to speak out and to advocate for others to better understand how incredible they are. That is what I plan on doing with my life and what I believe sets me apart.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Oh yes! I am a huge fan of Glennon Doyle’s Untamed and Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic. Both of those books were instrumental in my journey to getting where I am today. I love Deepak Chopra’s meditation app, as well as Breethe for meditation, both of which I use daily for centering exercises. I also love Brené Brown’s podcast, Unlocking Us, and Glennon Doyle’s, We Can Do Hard Things, podcast as well.
Contact Info:
- Email: chelsea@chelseaaustin.com
- Website: https://chelseaaustin.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chelseaaustinmdw/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegirlwithfivenames
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/chelseaamdw
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDs_jbU05HIvMBjEJOa0I6A
Image Credits:
Leo + Laine
