Nearly 16 years ago, I became a figurehead for the community after I played the gay kid from School of Rock. At the time - and for many years following - I did everything I could to escape that image because of outer and inner homophobia experienced at the young age of 11. For most of my life, all I wanted was to be normal and unassociated from this responsibility that I felt I had been given that I didn’t ask for. Now at 28, I have very quickly learned the power of authentic storytelling. I didn’t know the significance of what I did as a child or how freeing it would be if I stopped running from who I was.  

I’m now running in the opposite direction. I use every aspect of what I do to encourage other people to love themselves and share their stories because I know now how important it is. The only thing in the way of the story we want to share is the story we are telling ourselves. I help my clients love themselves with a love that is inclusive of all aspects of their story. To have any other point of view besides love for what is your true self would be an argument against reality. All the clichés are true - you are enough, you are already perfect, and you are not alone. How is your view of yourself limiting you and what is on the other side of that? 

For most of my life, I didn’t think happiness was an option for me. I now operate from a place of general contentment nearly every day. But don’t just take it from me, it’s been psychologically and neurologically proven that we have the ability to change the story we are telling ourselves. Once I truly accepted the fact that I am worthy of presenting my authentic self to the world, my life changed. Resources flooded the path in front of me. I’ve come a long way from the day when I thought there were no options other than to change. I’d love it if no one ever felt like that ever again.