feature of the month.

Hailey Transue

YGTG supporters, can you believe we are halfway through 2021 - WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE?! I hope all of you out there have been able to reflect on your needs and wants and thrive in whatever shape or form that may be. This month’s #FeatureOfTheMonth, Hailey Transue has been able to do that by prioritizing her mental health and setting much needed boundaries. Her words are a great reminder that you need to put time into yourself to be able to pursue your dreams. 

Hailey is a creative and professional dancer who has performed with achieved much success in the industry. She performed at the Algiers International Dance Festival as a Cultural Ambassador for the United States under the dance company BODYTRAFFIC, and she was a featured dancer in the D-Man Documentary about Bill T. Jones and Arnie Zane. She has also worked in productions with Marvel, Megan Trainer, Chris Brown, and more spicy things that cannot be disclosed at the moment. In addition, she is the host of The Zen to Men Podcast (@zen_to_men) where she shares her thoughts and journey on mindfulness. What a badass!

With a repertoire that big, I think it’s safe to say that she is queen of balance. She hopes to inspire others to follow their authentic path, just by being herself. By being herself, she can follow her intuition, which has led her to some of her greatest creative endeavors. Hailey is also dedicated to taking moments to slow down, listen to her body, and finding the time to fulfill her needs. Thank you Hailey for sharing your story with us and for inspiring all of us to thrive!

 Written by Pichteeda Taing

What is your “Why” and how has being a creative contributed to it?

My why is “to be so me, I inspire others to follow their authentic path”. I have never defined myself as one thing. And especially over our covid - period, I have allowed myself the time to open up and explore options outside of dance. AND I AM LOVING IT. This “why” statement allows me to really BE whatever I want. It is not limited to one avenue. By being me, I can follow my intuition and see where that leads me creatively. It has brought me to dance, film/tv production, podcasting and more! It opens me up to the ALL the possibilities and opportunities that are floating around.

How do you navigate moments where you’re overwhelmed or can’t find the motivation to get things done?

Motivation can be a hard feeling to come by. I have always been a driven person. My mom really instilled that in me at an early age. Maybe it’s the years of dance training where you REALLY don’t want to keep going… but you have to. However, when I don’t feel motivated or if I am feeling overwhelmed, I have learned to tune in. Tuning in always you to really ask yourself what it is you need in the moment. Sometimes that means just getting the damn thing done or it could mean taking the night off from work. There are no wrong answers, just choices. And we find that when we take a moment to slow down and listen to what our body wants us to do.

Have you faced any roadblocks while pursuing your dreams? How did you overcome them?

One of my biggest roadblocks is this idea of being “seen”. “BUT HAILEY, you are an outgoing Gemini, who dances on stage, records podcasts, and wears crazy clothes!?”. Yes friends... I am aware. Believe me, if I fully understood it, I would let you know. This has always been something that I have internalized in many different situations. Not speaking up when I feel something off, not listening to my intuition, not fully putting myself out there. This little ideal of “unworthiness” has kept me small for so many years and especially coming into the industry. Overcoming it is an ongoing process. And if I hadn’t taken two months to work on myself under the extortionary Mel Mah, I would not be where I am today. I think with any roadblock, getting comfortable with yourself, and giving space to what needs to unfold, is the best way to move through a block. We often are SO busy that we don’t even know what’s going on inside us. It’s a process and it can be so flippen scary, but when you sit with yourself, you begin to create space for what needs to speak. 

What do balance and success mean to you, and how do you navigate the two

Balance and success are VERY important. This theme has come up a lot these past two months and something I am constantly navigating. I have been working a lot in production and the hours are INSANE. Always on call, always responding to what needs to get done and anticipating problems. I noticed I would work all day with not a single thought for myself. Then I would come home and immediately hang with friends or go do something. When was there an ounce of a second for me to think a thought that I wanted? Well, there wasn’t. After I felt like I was losing myself in the job, I decided to reschedule my day and create boundaries. Prioritizing my mental health over emails on the weekend, or waking up so I can do my morning routine. These little changes allot for a big difference in my overall happiness. Now I appreciate when I am at work and when I can sit on my balcony and eat chipotle. Balance is key and again, it derives from getting close to what your body needs you to do in that moment. Booking that job is everything but it’s nothing without a happy healthy you! 

What does it mean to be an empowered woman?

An empowered woman can look different to every single soul. To me, she is mindful. Mindful to how she is feeling in the moment. From that that kick ass energy that lights up a room to needing a you day, an empowered woman is intuitive. Always choosing to fucking GO for it fully because what is there to lose? The definition is ever changing and that’s what I love about it.