We recently had the chance to connect with Maci Montes and have shared our conversation below.
Maci , a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
i used to be so scared of confrontation, healthy confrontation of course. up until about a year ago i’d avoid issues i had within my life & within my relationships because it worsened my anxiety & it 100% caught up to me. i’ve gotten better at saying “hey listen i love & appreciate you, but this bothered me & i want to talk about it.” i found how much more respect i gained from that small action & how trustworthy my relationships became.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
hi! my name is Maci Montes, i’m 23 years old & im a professional dancer in Los Angeles, CA. my brand has always been to encourage dancers to use their individuality & uniqueness as their superpower & i truly don’t think that will ever change. growing up in Los Angeles, born in Santa Monica, i always felt like like i was destined for something great. to make my own path in whatever i choose to do. when i was first signed to an agency at age 16, i felt so seen & so driven to create a safe space for dancers that feel like outcasts or feel like they don’t fit in. i feel like ive done that, i feel like ive hopefully set an example & hopefully inspired some people throughout my time in the industry, although theres so much more i want to do achieve & do!!!
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
i think the first time i publicly told my mental health story was like a part of me was finally released. i was very secretive about it at first, i mean of course, i was a pre teen, i was terrified of what was happening in my little brain & i wore huge black hoodies even in 100 degree weather. when i was in the depths of it, i thought id never be heard, let alone truly listened to. once i was given that platform & the world was finally somewhat talking about the severity of depression & the stigma around suicide, it felt like the ideal time to come out of the darkness & share what i was experiencing on a daily basis, little did i know it was part of my purpose all along.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
i’d tell my younger self to “breathe.” just breathe. i remember how i just couldn’t breathe, even for a moment. id hold younger me & tell her that this isn’t all there is to life & that taking your life isn’t the answer. i’d always be so wound up, so tight in the shoulders constantly, i didn’t give myself any time to relax. so that’s what id say, to just take a deep breath.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
being kind. i’d say i have a really good judge of character & i’ve been really great at sniffing out bad energy. i need to surround myself with people who are just genuinely, nice people. id also say loyalty. if i’m not present in a room, id hope that a friend of mine talks well on my name, because id do the same. i care a lot about my friends & loved ones & will do absolutely anything for them, i think thats the leo in me lol.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What pain do you resist facing directly?
i try to avoid the thought of losing the people i love most around me. the irony is, death scares the hell out of me now. i don’t like watching my parents grow old, having friendships that grow apart or maybe just someone i adore moving across the world. i don’t like the mourning process, of anything really. i’ve been working on just taking things day by day, minute by minute, and i find that’s really helped me avoid that rabbit hole of “what ifs”
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @macimontess
