#81: Starting a Blog, Video Magic, and Getting Out of a Rut with Chelsea Austin
Chelsea Montgomery-Duban Waechter, otherwise known as Chelsea Austin, is a writer, speaker, and self-worth advocate with just the most cheerful personality I think I’ve ever seen. But perhaps that’s no surprise — Chelsea has been sharing a message of love and tolerance ever since she was in high school.
Growing up with two gay fathers — who are both biologically related to her — Chelsea has been a huge advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. She talks about her experiences on her blog, The Girl with Five Names, and speaks with other inspirational folks on her podcast, Worthiness Warriors. She’s also JUST sent in the final draft of her upcoming book, Inexplicably Me, which is due out in May 2022.
That’s a long time to wait for a book to drop, but luckily Chelsea can participate in great conversations like this one to help alleviate some of that nervous waiting energy. We’re talking all about her book, what it was like growing up with two gay dads in a time when that wasn’t as common, and talk about a bucket list item revolving around cars and music.
Highlights of our conversation include:
A quick dive into the delights of barbecuing and eating BBQ. (4:17)
How growing up with two gay dads who are both biologically related to her has shaped Chelsea throughout her life. (5:59)
Chelsea talks about her blog, The Girl with Five Names, walks us through each and every one of those monikers, and shares the special pen she uses to make sure she can write her name when filling out forms. (8:58)
The most surprising thing about starting a blog. (13:00)
Chelsea takes us back to her theater days and shares her favorite role she’s played. (14:17)
The setup Chelsea uses for her video shoots, and how you can get good video equipment on a budget. Plus, a nostalgic look at Flip Cams! I miss ‘em. (17:00)
A look inside the Worthiness Warriors podcast, what makes someone a worthiness warrior, and the beauty of not caring what other people think. (22:05)
Chelsea brings us inside the pages of her book Inexplicably Me, and the anticipation of the book coming out in May 2022, book marketing, and other prep for a book launch. (30:50)
Chelsea and I talk about the quirks we have in our writing — and why it’s important to have editors to identify those areas. (34:46)
The art of designing a book cover and a process for going through multiple options. Plus, this great tweet thread on the types of book covers. (36:42)
Why it’s important to go beyond what people do for a living and learn about who we are. (43:20)
Chelsea’s top three tips for getting out of a rut. (45:56)
Where to find Chelsea Austin:
Learn more about Chelsea, pre-order her book, check out her blog, listen to Worthiness Warriors, and a whole lot more at chelseaaustin.com.
Follow her on Instagram @chelseaaustinmdw.
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