Jordan Marinov of Venice on Life, Lessons & Legacy

Jordan Marinov shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Good morning Jordan, 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 is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
I am going to start horse back riding lessons! This is a childhood dream being fulfilled. When I was in Iceland with my family this fall, we rode and I remembered how healing it is for me to be in nature and around horses. My son and I will be learning at the same time so it will be a bonding experience for us. I am thrilled!

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hey, I’m Jordan! I’m an actress and choreographer. I’m currently launching the Plot Twist Podcast, which tells the stories of real life heroes and how they overcame the difficult twists and turns of life. It is equal parts entertainment and tools for living a better life – for becoming the hero in your own story. I’m obsessed with storytelling to foster connection between different kinds of people through filmmaking and dance. My dream is to inspire people to live bolder, more exciting lives. I’m an avid traveler and disability advocate and live in Los Angeles with my husband and son.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
My deep artistic connection to photographer and filmmaker Bill Hayward really opened me up to creating my own work. I would go to into his studio in New York City for many hours each week and we would play with reckless abandon. I slowly realized that moving to other people’s rhythms was not nearly inspiring as finding my own. He pushed me to choreograph movements that I hadn’t done or seen before. This time was very special and formative for me as an artist. We shot photographs, created dances and filmed many hours each week and it was what ultimately led me to finding my passion for acting.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
I have lived through extremely traumatic and life threatening events. I wouldn’t wish what happened to me on anyone and yet I am so different as a result. I have much more depth of being when I am with others. I understand pain and not in an intellectual way, but in my body and my energy. People feel that from me and intuitively know that I can hold space for their hurt deeply because I survived so much of mine on my own. I hope to bring comfort to others in those moments as there is nothing more valuable. As an actress, I am now able to connect with and play characters that are suffering with my unique voice. I would have preferred a softer, gentler road, but that has not been my path. Now, I value time and sense it more powerfully than ever before. It is our most precious gift and we often overestimate how much of it we have. I know I did. The best part of surviving something really hard has been that I am more free to take risks knowing that the feeling I gain when I run toward fear can be thrilling if I let it.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
What I want most is freedom. I am committed to being free from my own limitations as well as cultural and gender based biases. To achieve this, I follow my intuition above all else. Recently, though very painful, I moved on from a group of people I love and have been with for years. This has been difficult, because it goes against my desire, but my gut told me to do it. I have found that personal freedom comes from within and often times I need to do things a bit differently than what I want to do in order to achieve it. People often think that they need to do so much more than they do to grow. My growth edge is usually just a few small steps outside of my comfort zone. Toward the end of last year, I began filming a podcast because everything inside of me told me it was time. At the end of the day, no matter how important other people are to me, I must face myself. If I can say that I have followed my own path, however difficult it has been, that will be a life well lived.

My charity work has also focused on freedom. I did a lot of work in the anti-trafficking space and now I am helping the disabled community. I love helping under-estimated and disregarded groups, because those people have incredible gifts that society is waiting for. If I can help one other person get closer to freedom, I will feel successful.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say I lived a full and beautiful life and gave to others. I hope they remember the tender moments when I showed up for them in their discomfort or eased their pain. I hope they remember the beautiful art that I made and how I inspired others to do the same. I hope they speak about a special kind of resilience that got me through extreme and difficult circumstances and how I continued to learn and grow inside of all of them. I hope they see how much effort I put into trying to better my life and the lives of others.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jordanmarinov.com
• Instagram: @thejordanmarinov
• Linkedin: jordanmarinov