BREAK Cycle Of Self Sabotage | On Purpose Podcast | La La Anthony | Podcast Summary | The Pod Slice
In their candid discussion on the On Purpose Podcast, host Jay Shetty and guest La La Anthony start by focusing on the perspective around perception versus reality. Anthony, an influential figure in the entertainment industry, reflects on the hardships she has endured, including her painful divorce. While outsiders often view her life as perfect and full of success, she underscores that everyone goes through struggles and challenges.
Anthony describes her journey of healing as “messy,” stating that she’s learning to allow herself space for this process. She contests any notion of a fixed timeframe for healing and underlines its unpredictability. A quote she holds close is: “be kind to yourself, give yourself grace, because healing is messy.” She emphasizes the importance of being patient with oneself, acknowledging that it’s okay to still feel bothered by things after possibly long periods of time.
Through an open dialogue, Anthony and Shetty explore the fallacies of social media and how it often presents an idealized version of people’s lives. Anthony comments on the danger of comparing oneself to others, leading to dissatisfaction and preventing genuine happiness. She invokes the universal truth that human beings, regardless of their wealth or status, encounter similar life issues, asserting that obtaining more fame, money, or influence does not exempt individuals from difficulties.
The conversation then transitions to discuss the effects of fame. Anthony is appreciative of her success, but also acknowledges its downsides, including increased scrutiny and public judgement on personal matters that would usually remain private. She advocates for personal fortitude, but also recognizes the important role of a supportive network, capable of understanding her on a deeper level. Despite the public perception that influential figures have “figured things out,” Anthony and Shetty confirm through personal experiences that this is a misconception, underlining the importance of continuous learning and personal development.
Through the course of their enlightening discussion, on the On Purpose Podcast, Jay Shetty is joined by actor and best-selling author, La La Anthony as she dives deep into thoughts of strength and friendship in the progression of her life. Anthony gives a nod to her supportive network – her family and unwavering friends – confirming their value as her bedrock amidst the trials she has experienced.
During the conversation, the duo touches upon an often disregarded topic – the difficulty in opening up to friends about personal problems, even to the most trusted ones. Anthony emphasizes the importance of trust within a friendship, encouraging listeners to be raw and honest about their life struggles with their friends, arguing that this is what strengthens the bond among friends.
Anthony recalls the emotional challenges she had to face during her divorce and her son’s surgery, and mentions some of her most memorable moments with friends. She reiterates that a strong friendship isn’t solely about experiencing the joys of life together, but it’s about sharing the burdens as well, stating that, “life is up and down, and up and down… that’s what life is.”
As they delve into her personal struggles, including her divorce, Anthony is quick to suggest that blame should not be the immediate reaction when relationships fall apart. She advises listeners to be accountable without being self-critical. She insists that we should see such experiences as opportunities for self-growth and learning, suggesting that their purpose is to ensure one does not repeat the same mistakes in their next relationship.
Continuing on, Anthony acknowledges her challenge with balance. She accepts that she has been exceedingly career-driven, so much so that it has had an impact on her personal and professional relationships, making those around her feel neglected. She has learnt that balance is essential not just for maintaining relationships but also for oneself.
Anthony confesses that her inability to give herself permission for a balanced life was sparked by the fear of becoming irrelevant or outperformed. This fear led her to overwork herself until she burnt out. Today, she is learning to let go of this fear, slowly accepting that she is enough and if something can be so easily taken away from her, it probably wasn’t hers to begin with. The notion of balance extends into her personal life allowing her to take vacations, without guilt or worry, something she feels she deserves after committing to her industry since the age of 16.
Towards the end of the conversation, Anthony discloses the role of her son in her life’s balancing act – instilling joy, worthiness and pride, seeing him emulate her teachings, and carry forth her values. She believes these qualities speak for the success of her parenting. While managing her career and personal life, she has always prioritized her son’s needs, a feat that isn’t easy but one that she feels proud to have accomplished. Overall, Anthony’s story teaches the importance of balance, patience, and the tenets of a strong relationship, be it with others or oneself.
In their engrossing discussion on the ‘On Purpose Podcast,’ Jay Shetty delves into the life of La La Anthony and her perception of parenting, alongside the challenges of career expansion and her love for work. Anthony shares how motherhood has taught her patience and the true essence of unconditional love.
Anthony emphasizes her perspective on the role of parents, disclosing her belief that it is possible to be both a friend and a parent to your child. She explains that while she disciplines her son like any parent would, they have an open line of communication, which she believes is key to developing their relationship. Anthony suggests that this mutual understanding and respect is an indication of successful parenting.
In a related topic, Shetty and Anthony explore the concept of ‘Mom Guilt’, acknowledging the pressure many mothers feel in maintaining the perfect balance between parenting and personal aspirations. Anthony expresses that the most significant accolade for her is hearing words of praise about her son’s behaviour.
The conversation shifts to the topic of her career: Anthony discloses their ongoing drive to achieve more even amidst the success she has already gained. She talks about her respect for hard work, explaining how it motivates her to keep progressing. Anthony shares how she enjoys having a commanding role in producing where she can cultivate opportunities for other deserving talents.
Analyzing the concept of rejection both as a producer and as an actor, Anthony unveils to her listeners that rejection is rarely a reflection of personal incompetency. She gives insight into the varied reasons behind rejections, emphasizing that many are beyond one’s control. She suggests it is less personal than most people assume, stating that it typically has nothing to do with talent or competence and quite often, comes down to less significant details.
Continuing, Anthony articulates about her intense love for her career that makes her persistent in the face of adversities. Despite rejecting thoughts about giving up acting multiple times, she chose to stay and learn from each experience. To wrap up the heartening discussion in this portion, Anthony encourages perseverance and learning throughout one’s journey, irrespective of the number of twisting roads and blind turns one encounters.
Furthering their sincere conversation on the ‘On Purpose Podcast,’ Jay Shetty and La La Anthony discuss the transformative power of long-term friendships, the constructive influence of disappointments, and the way fear can impede growth.
La La reflects on past experiences where early rejections led to the formation of lasting relationships, reinforcing the idea that failure isn’t necessarily a loss but an opportunity for growth. In this context, they unveil this profound insight: if they hadn’t been denied certain opportunities earlier on, they wouldn’t have ventured into other fulfilling projects. Such wise reflections foster a healthy mindset, emphasizing that as long as you’re moving forward, disappointments are sometimes stepping stones to success.
Talking on fear and disappointment, La La explains how these feelings tend to obstruct us from realizing our potential as we often give up just on the edge of a significant turning point. She iterates her external acknowledgment for their resilience contending these hurdles, earning the widespread recognition their discussions have generated.
In a candid confession, La La reveals her struggle with ‘people-pleasing,’ a trait from her younger years that she still carries. She talks about her journey to confront and overcome this fear and the resultant need to be universally liked. La La expresses her growing understanding that pleasing everyone is not a feasible or healthy goal, especially in the age of social media. She admits her efforts to focus on the positive feedback while consciously letting go of the negative reactions, thus keeping her growth unhindered by unwarranted criticism.
Discussing the misinterpreted perception of public criticism, Jay and La La agree on the necessity to interpret criticism constructively rather than personally. They admit how they have had to train themselves to handle negativity and acknowledge the positive feedback to keep their morale high.
Gradually shifting the conversation, La La talks about her involvement in prison reform work. She profoundly discovers that the elements of love and changed environment could completely turn around a person’s life. She shares her experiences with the young men she works with who have never heard words of love or affirmation previously, showcasing the enormous impact of such simple gestures.
What ties this discussion together is the authenticity and empathy that both Jay and La La bring, using their life experiences and insights to underscore the transformative power of love, empathy, and resilience.
Diving deeper into their insightful conversation, Jay Shetty and La La Anthony delve into the emotionally charged topic of prison reformation. La La shares touching stories from her work with the incarcerated, emphasizing the communication and influence that gave fresh starts to many individuals. One of the striking stories she shares is about a young man named Rondo. Meeting him for the first time in Riker’s Island, La La talks about how his motivation and strong willpower not only got him out of the jail but landed him a job and an opportunity to voice out his experiences to inspire the Gen Z population. Witnessing his transformation, La La explains the critical role of opportunity, change in environment, and most of all love.
La La Anthony recounts her firsthand experience witnessing the struggle of incarnated loved ones and the strife of their families. She recalls feeling helpless, being on the outside, unable to augment the situation. Now that she’s in a position where she can evoke change, she emphasizes her passion working with incarcerated individuals and helping them reform lives post-prison.
La La goes on to express her realization and acceptance of public criticism and maintaining a private life under public scrutiny. She lightly mentions her jovial nature, which she believes doesn’t shine through her public persona. Further, she articulates how she tries to normalise her newfound situation post-divorce. Juxtaposing life’s surprises with an ever-changing, unpredictable horizon, she underscores the importance of accepting, adjusting, and moving forward.
Narrating her personal experience with divorce, La La presents the emotional and mental challenges of parting ways with someone whom you envisioned a future. Despite its difficulty, she emphasizes resilience, citing the significant turnover her life has taken. Acknowledging the lingering uneasiness or unexpected emotionally heavy days, she affirms her contentment and acceptance of her present life. This candid confession showcases her strength and resilience in the face of personal crisis.
La La Anthony gracefully touches upon the essential aspect of co-parenting for her son, Cayenne, despite the dissolution of her marriage. She emphasizes the importance of providing a unified front for him, despite any tension between herself and her ex-husband. It’s crucial for her that her son sees love, cooperation, and support from both his parents – these are values she hopes he will carry over into his future familial relationships.
La La candidly portrays her contemplation of societal norms and conventions, revealing a well-formed personal perspective. She acknowledges that the anticipated ‘traditional’ way of life rarely is the reality. Her experiences have shaped her view that every individual must figure out what works for them – judgement aside. She urges listeners to make decisions based on personal comfort and happiness, rather than societal expectations.
Reflecting on her divorce, she underlines her own wisdom of coping with emotional turmoil and personal upheaval. She propounds an empowering message: love yourself, recognize your accomplishments, and be kind to yourself. Post-divorce, love for her now entails happiness, connection, authenticity, and companionship – elements that she eagerly awaits from her future romantic partner.
La La also touches on the topics of mental health and self-love, underscoring the value she has found in nurturing her mind and spirit. She highlights how Jay Shetty’s podcast and his words of wisdom have been an influential source of hope and motivation in challenging moments.
In a heart-warming exchange, Jay Shetty expresses profound belief in the intrinsic beauty, power, and value of every individual, free from the shrouds of societal pressures and expectations. La La reflects on this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of kindness, patience, and self-love as guiding principles for life.
On the whole, La La shares invaluable insights from her life, offering listeners relatable tales of strength, resilience, love, and parenthood. Her honest exploration of her beliefs, experiences, and perspectives leads to a potent conversation about acceptance, change, and personal growth.
Check out the full podcast by clicking the link in the description below. Make sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more content like this. Thank you for listening to this podcast summary episode of The Pod Slice.