Liv James shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Liv, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Something that’s been bringing me joy lately has been having opportunities to see God working in my life, whether through reading or hearing something that I really needed to see/hear in that moment, finding new ways to connect with Him, overcoming challenges, etc. This is a highlight for me anytime in life, but especially recently!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Of course! Hey, I’m Liv James, and although you’re not watching Disney Channel, you may be listening to my podcast 😉 My show centers around a couple of topics, but primarily helps you understand personality types through the lens of pop culture by personality typing characters from your favorite TV shows and movies. Aside from personality types, I also sit down with incredible guests (recent listener favorites include Jenna Boyd from Atypical and a pelvic floor physical therapist) and ask them the types of questions we all wish we could get the answers to, but rarely find in traditional interviews.
As for myself, I’m pretty much known by those around me for always blasting 2000’s-2010’s hits, drinking mineral water (only in a glass bottle, obvi), keeping up on the latest in politics, and planning my next podcast episode.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
Such a good question! This might be kind of a different way of answering this, but when I was young, I always loved preforming and thought for sure I’d be a singer or an actor. Now, about twenty-some years later, I’ve seen how that passion I had from such a young age was not meant to be fulfilled in the “traditional” sense, but through content. I believe that we all are born with different gifts, talents, and abilities, but to know where you thought that gift/talent would get you, versus seeing the end use in your life is so cool!
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Wow, this is a tough one. I’ve dealt with a lot of suffering in my life that I’ve kept very private, but the lessons I’ve learned from it are something I’d love to share with the world one day. If I could sum it up in a nice, neat bow, I would say that suffering has taught me that you’ll never know what you can truly take on until it all lets loose and you can’t control it. As my favorite book, Hinds’ Feet on High Places, points out: taking the hand of suffering and leaning into the lessons that come from the roughest times will ultimately lead to more grace and acceptance-with-joy. We were never promised an easy life—in fact, we’re promised the exact opposite—but it’s the attitude in which you run the race that determines the prize you receive. This is an incredibly hard thing to put into practice, believe me, but I look back and I see how these things have grown such resilience, grace, and boldness within me that I would never of had if it was success and rainbows.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
I’ll say this: my most popular episode to date is titled “Not Everyone is Going to Like Me — And That’s Okay.” I stand by this 100%. You can’t please everyone, and if you do, you’re not being authentic to who truly are, because it’s absolutely IMPOSSIBLE to please every single person. I firmly believe that you have to be you, no matter the cost. This is something I’ve had to come to terms with in my own life and ultimately, you’ll never be happy if you’re constantly wearing a mask. In order for you to stand out, honor your values, and connect with those who will actually get you, you have to be totally yourself. So, to sum it all up, YES, the public version of me is absolutely the real me!
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
This one hits home! I don’t know if there’s a particular story I can pinpoint that I’d want to be my “legacy story,” but as I hear that question, I can see in my mind the scene in The Fault in Our Stars, where Hazel Grace and Issac eulogize Gus. They each had moments to recount with him that stuck out the most and I think that’s what I’d want—my closest friends and family sharing those inside jokes and special memories. I hope they tell stories of the times where we were literally wheezing laughing, or when I had to hold their wedding dress for them while they went to the bathroom (a joke I’d made years before they got married that actually came true), or times when we prayed together for something going on in one of our lives. I hope they recall that I was steadfast in faith, a true friend, and someone who passionately pursued the things I felt called to.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @heyitslivjames | @livlaughwhatpodcast
- Twitter: @heyitslivjames
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@livlaughwhatpodcast
- Other: “Liv Laugh What?” On Spotify, Apple Podcasts, etc.
