In life, failure is the greatest deterrent in wanting to move forward with a person, living in a place, or doing something that we thought would be enriching to us. This failure often can make us question whether we want to move forward with anything in our lives, whether from a general or specific way. Taking the lessons of these failures, however, can turn into successes that can impact so many different individuals, including kids as it is in today's episode. Megan Murphy, a host of the popular YouTube TV show she has created called The Aunt Nae Nae Show, shares her unique story of Broadway, theatre, and starring in multiple TV shows and movies in various capacities, and how it has manifested into a passion to teach kids valuable life skills for growth & development. Through her story, learning how to turn rejection into success is not only possible, but how it can inspire us to become more engaged to take our knowledge, skills & abilities to new heights we never thought possible.

Guest Bio

Megan Claire Murphy is a professional actress in her thirties, currently living in southeastern Alabama. She also lived in New York City for six years. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in theatre from Troy University in 2008, and after graduating, she worked at the Jewish Ensemble Theatre near Detroit and then she worked at the Flat Rock Playhouse in North Carolina. She then moved to New York City, and while living there, she worked in television, film, and off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway theatre. In 2023, Megan created her own YouTube show called The Aunt Nae Nae Show, which is a variety show for kids that includes songs, stories, jokes, educational content, and more, which she’s been working on these days. Megan’s hobbies and interests include science fiction, fashion, reading, and traveling.

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/megan.murphy.52035?mibextid=LQQJ4d

YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/@mmurphy47208

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Intro/Outro By: Michael Dugan, Podcast Host: Voice4Chefs

Welcome to the podcast where relationships, confidence, and

2

determination all converge into

an amazing, heartfelt experience.

3

This is Speaking From The Heart.

4

Joshua: Welcome back to episode

number 180 of Speaking from the Heart.

5

Today, we have Megan Murphy joining

us, and Megan is a professional

6

actress in her 30s, currently

living in southeastern Alabama.

7

She also lived in New

York City for six years.

8

She graduated with a bachelor's degree

in theater from Troy University in

9

2008, and after graduating, she worked

at the Jewish Ensemble Theater, near

10

Detroit, and then she worked at the

Flat Rock Playhouse in North Carolina.

11

She then moved to New York City, and

while living there, she worked in

12

television, film, and off Broadway,

and off off Broadway theater.

13

In 2023, Megan created her own

YouTube show called The Aunt Nae Nae

14

Show, which is a variety show for

kids that includes songs, stories,

15

jokes, educational content, and more.

16

Megan's hobbies and interests

include science fiction,

17

fashion, reading, and traveling.

18

Now I have to say, this is a multi

talented person that we have on

19

today's show for a variety of reasons.

20

A.

21

I think about the theater background

that she has, which we dive into quite

22

a lot in today's episode, but B, having

something like the Aunt Nae Nae show,

23

something that is educational in nature,

especially in a YouTube channel, is really

24

quite interesting for a lot of reasons.

25

Educational content, especially for

children, is so desperately needed that

26

teaches fundamental skills, and I think

that even with what she has done in her

27

life, she has shown that she has so many

different types of possibilities, and

28

Megan even described some of those today.

29

I think this is really getting into an

opportunity for us to really practice not

30

only our impromptu speaking, our ability

to act, for that matter in Megan's case,

31

but I think that you learn a lot about

yourself and others, even if you think

32

that in a different period of time,

that you need to take care of yourself.

33

You can take care of others at the same

time, too, through all the gifts that

34

you have available, and I think those

opportunities, those ways in which

35

we can inspire others, is ultimately

how we're able to find the best

36

versions of ourselves, and we'll learn

more about that in today's episode.

37

But with that, let's go to the episode.

38

All right, we're here with Megan Murphy.

39

Megan, thanks for sharing

your heart with us today.

40

Megan: Thank you for having

me on the show, Josh.

41

I'm glad to be here.

42

Joshua: I'm glad that

you are here too, Megan.

43

I have really been excited to have you on

the show because you have a very unique

44

background unlike any other guests I've

had thus far, and I've already let the

45

listeners know a little bit about that

unique background, but I'm wondering

46

if you could tell us a little bit about

your acting career, because you have

47

been, and you still are a professional

actress, and I'm wondering if you could

48

tell us a little bit about what got you

into theater, and what has taken you

49

on this journey to where you are now.

50

Megan: Well, I had always loved

singing and performing like

51

play and pretend, making little

plays in front of my parents.

52

When I was little, my mom said I started

singing as soon as I learned to talk, and

53

so I had always loved having an audience.

54

When I got to high school, I

wanted to join the high school

55

theater group, and the first

play I did was in the 10th grade.

56

I was a chorus member in Hello, Dolly,

and I did that for the 10th, 11th,

57

and 12th grade, and then I didn't

know what I wanted to major in; in

58

college at first, so I went to a junior

college for the first two years, and

59

then I thought one day, "You know.

60

This is not just an

extracurricular activity anymore.

61

This is what I want to do with my life.",

and so I decided to audition for a

62

theater scholarship at a college called

Troy University here in Alabama, and

63

I got the scholarship, and so I got a

bachelor's degree in theater, and then

64

after college, I worked a couple of odd

65

York City to pursue acting professionally,

and I had high hopes when I got there.

66

I was like, "I'm going to be on

Broadway within a year!", but

67

that didn't happen, of course.

68

I kept going to audition, after audition,

after audition, and most of the time

69

you get rejected, because that's just

the way the business works, especially

70

in New York City, but I did get to join

an off Broadway sketch comedy troupe,

71

and we performed off Broadway sketch

comedy shows every three or four months.

72

I did that for several years,

and I got to do some children's

73

plays while I was there.

74

I was in Cinderella and the Wizard of Oz.

75

I played the gatekeeper of the

Emerald City, like the one in the

76

movie who's like, "What do you want?"

77

Joshua: Yes.

78

Yes.

79

Megan: Let's come see you now.

80

Joshua: I remember that

part of it, for sure.

81

Megan: That was fun, and I also became

a member of both Actors Unions, SAG

82

AFTRA, and Actors Equity Association,

and I had a great time in New York City.

83

Oh!

84

I also worked as a background

extra on lots of TV shows and

85

movies that filmed in New York.

86

I worked on Law & Order: SVU,

Boardwalk, Empire, Blue Bloods,

87

The Good Wife, Billions.

88

I worked on Avengers:

Infinity War one day.

89

Joshua: Are you serious?

90

Megan: As an extra.

91

Joshua: Now

92

-

Megan: That's just an extra.

93

Joshua: I have to say, for my listeners,

it is something that is really

94

important that I have to disclose.

95

I am a Captain America fan.

96

Some people that known me for a very

long time, so Megan, I have to say

97

I have an affinity for Infinity War

and even like The Avengers, so I love

98

that, even if you were an extra, that's

awesome just to be part of the set.

99

Megan: None of the main actors in

the movie were there on the set.

100

It was all CGI.

101

They told us it was supposed to be Dr.

102

Strange, but it was just like a

cape on the end of a crane with

103

a little tennis ball on it, and

they were going to add in Dr.

104

Strange, Benedict Cumberbatch, later,

so that was a little disappointing,

105

but it was still fun because what

they had us do was we were running

106

away from Thanos'henchmen or whatever

they are, the evil guys in the movie.

107

Joshua: Yes.

108

Megan: We were running away from the

evil aliens, and so it was pretty fun.

109

Joshua: I do remember those parts

because they did film some of those

110

things on location, so I know that

there are a couple areas within even-

111

Megan: There was a couple

of scenes in New York.

112

I think it was Washington Square Park.

113

Joshua: Yes.

114

Yes.

115

Megan: It's the scene in the

beginning of the movie with Spider

116

Man, and Doctor Strange, and-

117

Joshua: The Hulk.

118

Bruce Banner.

119

Yep.

120

Yep.

121

Absolutely.

122

Yeah.

123

That's awesome, Megan.

124

I have to even stop you there,

and just even ask you this.

125

Did you ever think that you'd be working

on some hit TV series, even movies for

126

that matter, when you started to act?

127

I'm imagining that that was

always a dream, but did you ever

128

think that would come to reality?

129

Megan: No, like I remember when I got

my first paid acting gig, which was a

130

job as a background extra on- I can't

remember the name of the show now, but

131

the scene took place in World War II, and

132

they did my hair like in victory rolls.

133

That was exciting when I had other

people do my hair and makeup for me.

134

Joshua: Well, even then to be

treated that way, to be able

135

to say, "Oh, well, look at me.

136

I'm being all dolled up."

137

I've had some people even recently, one

of my previous guests, Regina, had talked

138

about her experiences being a CGI, visual

effects person for the movie Avatar,

139

and I've actually had another guest a

number of months ago who was on that

140

worked on Francis Ford Coppola's movies

as a production assistant, so there has

141

been some opportunity that I've seen

that people have gained so much insight,

142

and I have to ask you, because you grew

up with this small town feel, but you

143

went to this big town, New York City.

144

You went to New York and essentially

tried to start your Broadway

145

career, and even break into a

variety of different acting roles.

146

Why is it so hard, in your opinion, to

try to get into some of these areas?

147

I think it's always interesting because

there's only so much that is available,

148

and there's a large pool of people.

149

I know that's always a factor, but

is there something that you feel that

150

somebody needs to have to be able to get

the movies, to get into these TV series,

151

that are usually produced as pilots, and

then ordered for production for seasons.

152

What do you think it

takes, in your opinion?

153

Megan: I'm still trying to figure it

out, because there's the artistic side

154

of acting, and then there's the business

end of it, and I haven't got quite

155

very good at the business part yet,

but if all I had to do was go in the

156

audition room, and do my monologue and

say, "Thank you.", and leave, then I'd

157

probably be famous already, but then they

ask you questions, and I'm like, "Um.

158

I don't know, blah, blah, blah."

159

I just choke up, so you have to

practice your craft of acting every

160

day, or singing if you're a singer.

161

You have to take all the

classes, and continue your

162

education as much as you can.

163

Work with an acting coach, if you

can, like a private acting coach.

164

Find really good material for your

auditions, like, find a really great

165

monologue, and a really great song,

and practice it, and practice it, and

166

practice it, until you can't do any more,

and it's as good as it's going to get.

167

Joshua: Yeah.

168

Megan: You know what I mean, because

there's so much competition in New York

169

City for people trying to be actors.

170

There's thousands of people who look just

like you who are all auditioning for the

171

same part, so you have to be really good.

172

You have to give a really great

performance to even have that little

173

bit of an edge over the other people.

174

You know what I'm saying, so yes.

175

It's hard, and there's a lot of

rejection involved, but I just learned

176

to get used to it after a while.

177

It used to get me down, and get me

discouraged, in the beginning of my

178

career, but now it's just like, "Okay.

179

On to the next one."

180

Joshua: I think that is

something that you get used to.

181

There's a lot of no's before all the

yeses come, and I know I've learned that

182

myself over the last few years, even with

operating a business is that you get a

183

lot of different opinions about what you

should be doing, what you should not be

184

doing, but at the end of the day, you

have control of it, but you also have to

185

realize that there are many other people

that are competing for the same thing.

186

What keeps you motivated?

187

Although there's all these rejections,

what has kept you going, knowing

188

that you've had these opportunities

like you've mentioned earlier:

189

The Good Wife, Blue Bloods, all

those different types of shows.

190

What has kept you motivated

to keep pursuing those?

191

Megan: Well, I think it's just what I was

meant to be, and what I was meant to do.

192

What is it that the French say, my

raison d'être, my reason to live?

193

Well, my nephew is my number one reason

to live now, but it's what makes me happy,

194

and it's what gives me joy, and gives

me a reason to get up every morning.

195

If I wasn't doing something, if I

didn't have my YouTube show, The Aunt

196

Nae Nae Show, which we'll get to later,

then I'd just be, like my nephew says,

197

"Sittin' around like a bump on a log."

198

He thinks that's what I do all day anyway.

199

Joshua: Well, we even were

talking about that before.

200

I don't think that you're a bump on the

log, or I don't think anybody would view

201

you that way, Megan, because you have

been consistently trying, and that's

202

part of it is that we have to just keep

trying, even when we get all the no's.

203

Even when we get the yeses, we still

keep trying because we know that we

204

could keep moving in that direction.

205

Before I even move on to your

show, I'm kind of curious.

206

For anybody that is out there

that might have had interest

207

in, say, a theater career.

208

I've had my hand in improv theater, Megan.

209

That's one thing I didn't

tell you before we started.

210

I did try a couple levels

at a local improv group.

211

I didn't really feel like it was a

good fit for me, but I also haven't

212

been practicing theater for so many

years like you, so you've had this

213

opportunity to grow your skill set,

grow your knowledge, grow the technique.

214

Yeah.

215

Megan: I'm not that

great at improv either.

216

I do better with scripted material.

217

Joshua: There's all kinds of different

theater as well, and I'm just giving

218

one example out of multitude of others,

knowing that you are specializing

219

in different types of that matter.

220

What would you say to someone that might

be interested in pursuing a career, even

221

if it is late stage, maybe they just

had this motivation to jump into it.

222

What would be a piece of advice that,

knowing what you've been through,

223

what you have endured, what would be

something that you would want to share

224

with my listeners that would be helpful

for them as they're considering it?

225

Megan: First of all, one of the first

things you need to do if you want

226

to get into an acting career is get

into the theater in your community.

227

Do community theater, or if you're

a student, see if there's some plays

228

at your school that you could be in.

229

Even if you're a college student,

most colleges, you don't have to

230

be a theater major to audition

for the plays at the college.

231

Joshua: That is one regret that

I had when I went to school.

232

There were so many different plays.

233

I should have tried at least one,

and I never did that, so I'm kicking

234

myself even all these years later.

235

Yeah.

236

Megan: After that, you need to build up

your resume by doing community theater, or

237

plays in your schools if you're a student.

238

The main piece of advice, just in

general for your whole career, is don't

239

give up, because the people who get

discouraged and give up too soon are

240

the ones who never make it in the end.

241

Remember, Morgan Freeman didn't

get his first major acting role

242

until he was in his fifties.

243

Lucille Ball didn't start her own TV show,

I Love Lucy, until she was 40 years old.

244

I'm 39, and I just started

my own TV show last year.

245

It's never too late and don't give up, but

it may take a long time to get to where

246

you want to get to, but if you don't give

up, and you keep working at it and working

247

hard, doing the work every day, there's

a chance that you might just make it one

248

day, but if you give up, then you've got

no chance of making it, so don't quit.

249

Joshua: It's that persistence factor.

250

That's essentially what

it is, and you're right.

251

I always have remembered telling

different people, at different

252

stages of their lives, "Well.

253

You've put so much effort into it.

254

Don't give up now, because there has been

a lot of work that you've created and it

255

has been contributing.", and sometimes

we need that reminder for sure, and I

256

have to remind you that you've done a

lot of great work, and I know that you

257

even said like early on, like, "Hey.

258

Well, you know.

259

I did that."

260

You did do that though.

261

That's awesome stuff.

262

I'm super excited for you, so-

263

Megan: I've been working

at it for a long time.

264

Joshua: Yeah.

265

I would never be able to do some of

the things that you've even said to me

266

today, so I appreciate you sharing that

with my listeners, and even myself.

267

I do want to get to your TV show, so in

268

show called The Aunt Nae Nae Show, and I'm

wondering if you could tell our audience a

269

little bit about the concept of the show,

what you actually do, everything about it,

270

because I did watch a few of these before

I came on as I said to you, and even for

271

my listeners, but it was really engaging

for me how you done different types of

272

content for that, so why don't you share

a little bit of what it's all about?

273

Megan: Okay, well I started

my own YouTube show for kids.

274

It's called the Aunt Nae Nae Show.

275

I started it in March of last year.

276

It was inspired by my seven year old

nephew who calls me Aunt Nae Nae,

277

because when he was little, when he

was a baby, he couldn't say Megan,

278

so he was like, "Aunt Nae Nae!", and

he still calls me that to this day,

279

even though he's seven years old.

280

Sometimes he accidentally calls me

Megan, and it's a little disappointing.

281

Joshua: He's growing up.

282

He shouldn't do that.

283

Megan: Anyway, so I decided to make

it a character, and make a show about

284

Aunt Nae Nae, and call it The Aunt Nae

Nae Show, and it's a variety show for

285

kids ages eight years old and younger.

286

Some kids around, like, 10 years old

might appreciate a few of the episodes.

287

5 to 8 is the target audience, I think.

288

I tell stories.

289

I tell jokes.

290

I sing songs.

291

There's educational content.

292

I just did one last week where I taught

a short piano lesson, made a video of

293

me teaching piano, and sometimes, I

go like exploring different places,

294

like we had one show that was Aunt

Nae Nae goes to Central Park, or

295

Aunt Nae Nae goes to the beach.

296

Anyway, it's a great show

and you should check it out.

297

You should tell your kids to watch it.

298

Joshua: Absolutely, and I even said

to you even before the show that a

299

lot of content that I even see on

Netflix, Amazon, things of that nature.

300

There are sections obviously for kids,

but to have quality, quality educational

301

content for kids is something that

I think is lacking, and we need to

302

have more of, especially with the

ways in which that is an important

303

stage of development in our lives.

304

I've had doulas on the show, Megan,

where we even have talked about the

305

fact that those first few months,

even after birth and after all those

306

years, it's so important to have that

support, and I think having content

307

like yours, it helps to feed as one

of those inputs that we can have.

308

I have to ask, and I'm

thinking about as I hear this.

309

What was the shift from going from being

extra on TV shows, movies, to wanting

310

to move into kid content, educational

content, jokes, things of that nature.

311

You mentioned about your nephew, but I was

wondering if there's something more to it.

312

Megan: Well, when I lived in New York

City for six years, and I was just doing

313

the background extra work as my survival

job to make money, although it was really

314

fun, and it was easy work, because you

got paid to do acting, and to like walk

315

back and forth in the background all day.

316

Joshua: Yeah.

317

Megan: In 2018, I decided to move back

home to Alabama for a while, partly

318

because of financial reasons, and also

because my acting career was not going

319

anywhere at the time, and I was just

getting burned out with my acting career,

320

and with going to auditions, and just

New York, and everything else, and

321

relationships, and my finances were low,

so I decided to move back to Alabama for

322

a while, and just to take care of myself,

and to take care of my mental health, and

323

just to rest for a while, and take a break

from everything, and then the pandemic

324

happened, and I stayed in Alabama longer.

325

In 2017, my nephew was born, and

if it weren't for him, I wouldn't

326

be Aunt Nae Nae, because he's my

only niece or nephew right now.

327

Two years ago, I decided to get my acting

career started back up again, and I got

328

an agent that I'm working with here in

Alabama, and then I decided to make The

329

Aunt Nae Nae Show in March of last year,

just because I thought, "Well, I know all

330

these silly songs from Girl Scout Camp.

331

Why don't I just sing one of those songs,

and make a YouTube video out of it, and

332

see what happens, and put it on YouTube?",

and they got it, you know, a modest

333

amount of views, and I thought, "Well.

334

This is fun.

335

It gives me something to do.

336

I'll just keep doing it.", because

I know a lot of silly songs from

337

camp, and then my 20th video that

I made got over 54,000 views.

338

Joshua: Wow.

339

Megan: All of a sudden, I don't know how.

340

Joshua: It's that algorithm.

341

Megan: So then I thought, "Well.

342

I better step up my game.", so then I

found two guys who are now my producers.

343

I have two producers who are

helping me make the future of The

344

Aunt Nae Nae Show even bigger and

better than it already has been.

345

When I first started out, I was just

using my iPad with my mom or dad

346

holding the camera as my camera.

347

Joshua: As your camera

person, essentially.

348

Megan: Yeah.

349

Joshua: Yeah.

350

Megan: Now I've got a person who

can do all the editing for me.

351

I've got my other producer who helps find

special guest stars to be on my show.

352

Just like you're interviewing

me, I interview guests on

353

the Nae Nae Show now, too.

354

The first one of those episodes is

called Aunt Nae Nae Learns About

355

the Circus with a special guest

star named Bobby Hedgeland Taylor.

356

He is a circus performer

and trapeze artist, and he

357

used to work with elephants.

358

Joshua: I just want to say for my

listeners, obviously we're recording

359

this in the past, so that episode

will be available on Megan's

360

YouTube channel, which will be-

361

Megan: Available after August 24th.

362

Joshua: Yeah, so as you are wrapping

up with Christmas and everything, I

363

hope that you take a listen to Megan's

episode from a few months ago with that.

364

I do want to circle back

on something that you said.

365

It sounded like to me when you had this

breakthrough of 50,000 views on one of

366

your videos that you did with The Aunt Nae

Nae Show, that was sort of a turning point

367

to realize maybe this has some potential.

368

You brought on some other people.

369

What did it mean for you to know

that you were starting to maybe

370

make a positive direction to be

able to bring in these other people?

371

Did that help you a bit?

372

Walk us through what that mindset

was that was changing for you.

373

Megan: It definitely gave me

motivation, and hope, to keep going.

374

It made me feel like I was actually

doing something legitimate that could

375

actually become something big one day,

and I'll go ahead and say that one

376

of the main reasons I chose to do a

kids show, instead of a show for grown

377

ups, was because I want to make kids

happy, like that's my mission in life.

378

Even if I make just one kid

happy, then I'll have succeeded.

379

I started doing The Aunt Nae Nae Show

just to have something to entertain

380

my nephew, but I said to myself in the

beginning, "If nobody else watches it,

381

even if he's the only one that ever

watches it, I'll keep doing it just for

382

him.", but he doesn't watch it anymore.

383

He's like, "I'm too old for that."

384

Joshua: Well, I think that we all get

a little saucy, especially when we get

385

older of "Oh, well, that's a little

bit something that is way beyond my

386

age group at this point.", but even

then, I think your heart is there for

387

those reasons that, like you said, even

if you could just reach one person, I

388

think that makes such a big difference,

and part of even what I do, Megan.

389

I find that when I work with people that

are trying to figure out what's the best

390

way to move forward, like, that's almost

identifying a little bit of what they've

391

been through, even as a kid, what they've

been through, so like I said earlier

392

to you, what you're doing is creating

some meaningful things that can make a

393

positive difference at a very young age,

especially if they're able to see that

394

for the future, which as we get towards

the end of our time, I do want to ask

395

you this last question about the show and

about you in general, where this is taking

396

you, because I think that, like you said.

397

We can have these ups and downs

in our career, and obviously

398

being an actress, even if you're

an actor, it doesn't matter.

399

That is the sort of industry

that you're entering into that

400

kind of has those ebbs and flows.

401

What does it mean for you to do

The Aunt Nae Nae Show, and what do

402

you think it will mean for you in

the future to continue doing it?

403

Meaning, what do you see yourself

going towards by doing this?

404

Do you think that you're going to be

able to get back, and maybe do something

405

really meaningful, even more so than

you're doing now in your actress career?

406

What's your trajectory?

407

I'm kind of curious

what your thoughts are.

408

Megan: Well, I want to be able to

reach more kids with The Aunt Nae Nae

409

Show, so I hope that your show can

help me partly to get more subscribers.

410

Joshua: I will ask my

listeners to do that for sure.

411

Yes.

412

Megan: The big dream is to be like the Mr.

413

Rogers show, and have a show on PBS,

and I want to be able to inspire

414

kids, and inspire them to find

their talents, and find their gifts,

415

and to go out into society, and

share their gifts with the world.

416

I want to provide some entertainment

that is wholesome and substantive,

417

that has substance, meaning it's

educational a little bit, that

418

parents will feel good about their

kids watching, and that's how the Mr.

419

Rogers show and like Sesame Street.

420

I just want to be like Mr.

421

Rogers.

422

Joshua: There's nothing wrong

with that, though, and Mr.

423

Rogers, by the way, grew up in my

home state where this podcast is, and

424

on the other side of Pennsylvania,

Pittsburgh, so we even have a Fred

425

Rogers Day to honor him up here.

426

Our governor did that

a number of years ago.

427

I think that having those kinds of

people that influence and surround

428

ourselves, regardless of where their

background is, where their origin,

429

creed, whatever, we should all be

accepting of all those factors.

430

It's just about the essence of what is

it for our hearts to be able to manifest

431

that, and I think you have the right heart

to manifest all those things, Megan, so I

432

really encourage you to keep doing that.

433

That is some awesome

work that you're doing.

434

I want to give you the last few minutes

here to tell our listeners how they

435

can access The Aunt Nae Nae Show.

436

Maybe they want to contact

you for some actress work?

437

Maybe this is a great opportunity

to pitch yourself for that.

438

I think that it would be a great

opportunity if you also shared your social

439

media if they want to connect with you

on that regard, but I'm going to give

440

you the last few minutes to do all that.

441

Megan: You can find The Aunt Nae

Nae Show on my Youtube channel.

442

The name of my YouTube channel is my

name, Megan Claire Murphy, and the

443

number two, so that's Megan Claire

Murphy two, and if you want to get in

444

touch with me, you can comment on one

of my YouTube videos, or you can also

445

message me on my Facebook account.

446

I'm on Facebook under the name Megan

Claire Murphy, and I don't have Instagram,

447

or anything else yet, so that's it.

448

Watch The Aunt Nae Nae Show,

and Merry Christmas, and happy

449

holidays, and Happy New Year.

450

Joshua: All of those things, right?

451

I have to say, to wrap this up, Megan.

452

Sometimes we have these ebbs and flows in

our life, and I was telling you a little

453

bit about my ebbs and flows before we

started, and I know that there's a lot

454

of things that we can easily dive into

to make this even longer, but I think

455

what's fascinating about a story of an

actress, especially with all the things

456

that I've seen, like you mentioned, even

some of the people, or even earlier today,

457

Morgan Freedman, Lucille Ball, all those

people, even others that have been not

458

named, they all have unique identifiers

as to what made them successful, what

459

puts their mark on the map, and it's

just about keeping that consistency.

460

Keep on trying, and I love that you're

trying all these things, even doing your

461

own YouTube show, which I really do mean

this too, and I know you've said it too.

462

I'm saying it for all intensive

purposes, for my listeners, check

463

this out, especially if you have kids,

I think they're going to enjoy the

464

quality of the content that is there,

so Megan, for all those reasons,

465

and for what you're doing to keep on

pursuing your dreams, thanks for being

466

on Speaking From The Heart today.

467

Thanks for sharing a

little bit of your story.

468

Thanks for inspiring us to

continue being on that path.

469

Megan: Aw.

470

That's so sweet.

471

Thank you.

472

It was my pleasure.

473

Joshua: I want to thank Megan again so

much for being part of the show, sharing

474

her story of how she's gotten to where

she is today, and I wish her much success

475

in The Aunt Nae Nae Show, being able to

continuously educate others, but I think

476

what's really interesting about today's

episode is that you can sing, and talk,

477

and chew gum all at the same time, and I

think that her multiversity of talents,

478

which is essentially what I'm alluding

to, in Megan's case, is quite a talent.

479

Thinking of the Big Apple, places

where people would go to showcase

480

their talent, their abilities, their

knowledge, their skills, especially on

481

Broadway, is an exciting topic in itself.

482

I think that where dreams happen,

where those expectations might occur,

483

even if you feel a little bit let down

because you're not chosen, you can

484

still do so many different things, so

many different types of opportunities.

485

You can be famous for a variety of

different ways in which you can still

486

have opportunities to work in your craft,

your ability, your knowledge, to be able

487

to share so much to so many different

types of people, but I think, even as I

488

reflect on this final interview of 2024,

that it's about not only the crafting, the

489

acting, the singing that helps us create

opportunities to succeed, but it's about

490

that practice, and practice makes perfect.

491

Rejection still happens even after

you keep practicing, and it's okay.

492

I have been rejected so many

different times this year, and

493

it's okay that I have been.

494

I'm learning from each rejection, trying

to be better, figuring out what it is that

495

I've done wrong so that I can be better.

496

It's no different than

auditioning for a play.

497

It's no different than trying to be

cast for a musical, and I get it.

498

It can be very demoralizing, it can be

very hard, especially when you're trying

499

to make ends meet, when you count on that

as your main financial line of support,

500

but what does it mean for us to have

these infinite number of possibilities,

501

even when rejection happens, that

we get back on the right track?

502

How is it that we continuously

practice our skills?

503

Well, I think Megan gave

us a suggestion today.

504

Go practice theater!

505

Go practice opportunities; just show

up and it's funny, because I even as I

506

talk about this, I did improv theater

shortly before I started this business.

507

I did a level one a level two

class in the Harrisburg area.

508

If you ever visit, you can always

check out the Harrisburg Improv

509

Group; there in downtown Harrisburg.

510

They have a great opportunity for those

that are interested, taking in person

511

classes, learning about basic fundamentals

of improv theater, which is a whole

512

art in itself, and not to disrespect

traditional theater, or even Broadway,

513

which has its own set of different

things that they're looking for, and

514

I obviously encourage you, if you want

to check something like that out, Megan

515

might be a great resource, but even

then, practicing these opportunities,

516

getting ready to create your own show.

517

It's about not giving up.

518

It's about that persistence, and

I think we really heard that theme

519

consistently in today's interview.

520

If there's anything that really

stood out more than anything else,

521

it's Megan's tenacity to keep

pressing along, even when things

522

seem bleak, or glum, for that matter.

523

She kept on doing it.

524

She kept on seeing the potential, and

I think that potential is essentially

525

what really paid off in her story,

and it pays off in all of our stories.

526

The best concepts that we can find,

even from our family, being able to

527

find ways in which they are rooting

us on from the background, and

528

helping us get to that next step, that

next plateau that we need to reach.

529

That is something that even when we

try to pivot, even when we try to

530

figure out what it is that's going on,

even with things that have happened

531

all the time, trying to figure out

what it is that is happening, because

532

it's a pattern that we can't break.

533

It's something that we have to figure

out and shift in a different direction,

534

what it is that we need to do, and we

need to figure that out fast, because if

535

we don't, we're going to lose so much.

536

That's why, even with that period of

time, even if you have to move back, even

537

if you have to take a step back so that

you can reset, there is nothing wrong

538

with doing that, and if society tells

you any differently, trust me on this.

539

They are lying to you.

540

They're not telling you the whole story.

541

One big break can make all the difference

for us to make a significant impact

542

in our lives, and I think of all the

time, and I've even mentioned him on

543

this show, Gary Loughner, a gentleman

that was one of my first coaches when

544

I started this business, giving me

some very pointed feedback, helping

545

me to see what it is that I need to

do to keep on growing, to keep on

546

leading, to keep on moving forward.

547

Even then I have to keep on continuously

seeking impact, keep on continuously

548

seeking feedback, so that I can make

the impact in a variety of ways.

549

When we create these opportunities

to expand ourselves, to make

550

even kids happy, even in Megan's

show, it's about teaching skills.

551

It's about showing others

compassion and joy.

552

It's about even showing what it means

to live a life that is full of great

553

opportunities that are existing.

554

It means that we have to feel

inspired, that we have to become

555

the best versions of ourselves

by growing and leading others.

556

I think that's why Megan's story is so

interesting to me, and maybe even unique

557

to you as we wrap up this year, because

she demonstrates to all of us that

558

regardless of what happens, regardless of

what challenges might occur in our lives,

559

even if it is from setbacks with our

work, or other sort of life challenges, we

560

will always find a way to use our skills.

561

2024, for me, has certainly

shown me that I can use my

562

skills in a very positive way.

563

It's not very easy for me to even talk

about this, because I get very emotional

564

about the fact that if it was not for the

things that I've been through, the suicide

565

attempt that I had, I would not be here

behind this mic today, talking to you

566

about what it has meant for me to keep on

leading the charge, to keep on seeing what

567

is there in the great expanse of life.

568

What we're able to do in our lives is

really dictated by a series of choices.

569

Those choices are not only shaped by

society, by culture, by our parents, by

570

our friends, or other significant others,

but also about the things in ways in

571

which we react to, but even then, those

reactions might change as we get older.

572

What we might not like at one point in

our lives might be challenged in a whole

573

completely different way, and that's okay.

574

Being able to see that we have this

opportunity of a lifetime to practice

575

our skills, to see what's developing

inside of ourselves, to be able to

576

challenge the status quo, it means that

we have to see in our lives what it is

577

that we can give to others, and we're

always continuously evaluating that.

578

No business goes stagnant.

579

No business stays on one consistent

pattern, and if they ever want to

580

stay in business, they have to evolve.

581

You think of Sears and Kmart as some of

the prime examples, even Blockbuster,

582

for that matter, which for many of my

United States friends, and even maybe

583

some of you that traveled to the United

States, or we have even seen these types

584

of stores in your own backyard, you know

that if they had never changed, if they

585

would have adopted to the ever evolving

landscape, I think we would see that

586

some of them would still be in business

today, but it's okay that they're not.

587

It doesn't mean that it's the end of

the world for those businesses, because

588

they have taken a new shape, a whole

other type of perspective, that we

589

would have never thought possible.

590

We see them in Target.

591

We see them in Walmarts.

592

We see them in all kinds of other

new stores that are coming up, that

593

always challenge and saturate the

market, and they dominate, based

594

on consumer preferences, what is

the things that we want to do.

595

If you think about it, children's

shows are no different.

596

We all have likes and interests of

a variety of different things that

597

we want to learn for our children.

598

We want to show them.

599

We want them to go for; whether that's

being a scientist, an astronaut, or an

600

engineer, and I think of all the tests

that we take, even going through grade

601

school, of what it is that we want

to have as the career moving forward,

602

but are we stuck on that one path?

603

Absolutely not!

604

I immediately challenge that

because, even me, somebody

605

that thought would be a lawyer.

606

certainly changed their tune when

they saw that the opportunity of

607

being able to do something else

completely different would help me

608

become the best version of who I am.

609

Working in plastic bottle factories,

being able to work behind a desk serving

610

customers that were renting rooms, even

cleaning toilets, janitor work that

611

was menial in nature, all got me to

where I'm at now, on the precipice of

612

quitting a job in the Commonwealth of

Pennsylvania to work on my real passion:

613

helping others to become the best

versions of themselves and motivating

614

others across many different platforms.

615

Your story, Megan's story, and many

other stories, all have different

616

ways in which we come from.

617

They are all interconnected though, and

at the end of the day, how we're inspired,

618

how we're able to fall back, how we are

supported, each have different paths.

619

It's almost a multiverse, if you will, if

you want to use that Marvel reference in

620

this episode, but I have to say, for all

the things that we learn about ourselves

621

to grow and be inspired, Megan's story, I

think, is a nice reminder as we close out

622

the year 2024, that nothing is impossible.

623

Nothing can be out of reach.

624

We just have to have that desire.

625

We have to have that cheerleader.

626

We have to have that exposure for

us to see that there is a brand

627

new light, a brand new day in

which we're able to showcase what

628

it means to live in humanity.

629

Humanity makes mistakes and also

celebrates success, so today, I

630

want you, as you reflect on this

show, and you reflect on all the

631

things that we've taught you, that

it's okay to take a different path.

632

It's okay to think a

little bit differently.

633

It's okay to showcase what it is

that you have to share to the world,

634

because this is about uniqueness.

635

This is about individuality, but

blending it into a team oriented fashion,

636

because we can't do it alone, and hey!

637

Even when you think about it all, I want

you to know that no matter what kind of

638

possibilities that might exist yet in your

life, you have a place, and that place,

639

whether you have to create it yourself or

not, will always be there for you, ready

640

to take it on with both arms, wide open.

641

Thanks for listening to episode

number 180 of Speaking from the

642

Heart, and I look forward to

hearing from your heart very soon.

643

Outro: Thanks for listening.

644

For more information about our podcast

and future shows, search for Speaking From

645

The Heart to subscribe and be notified

wherever you listen to your podcasts.

646

Visit us at www.yourspeakingvoice.biz

for more information about potential

647

services that can help you create

the best version of yourself.

648

See you next time.