Avery Sunshine was recently interviewed by TheCelebrity.Online Magazine and below is the Q&A session we had with her.
Avery Sunshine As Cover Story – May 2024 Edition
How do you introduce yourself?
Avery Sunshine, an internationally recognized life coach and founder of Sunshine Mindset LLC, empowers individuals to overcome social anxiety and self-doubt to create a sense of freedom within themselves. Through personalized coaching, compelling speaking engagements, and effective training sessions, she inspires positive transformations in her clients’ lives, guiding them towards success and a life their heart longs for.
Childhood to Adulthood—How was your transition from childhood to adulthood and what are the bad and good things you remember?
My journey from childhood to adulthood was marked by turmoil, shaped by the chaos of growing up in a dysfunctional family environment. From the tender age of 18 months until high school, I experienced frequent verbal, physical, and mental abuse at home, where conflict and disorder were my normal. This upbringing left me deeply traumatized, intensifying my struggles with social anxiety, self-doubt and selective mutism, which persisted well into my adult years.
Lacking the empathy, compassion and emotional support from my family only compounded my challenges, deepening my feelings of inadequacy and eroding my self-confidence and self-worth. I carried a heavy burden of self-hatred, constantly feeling that something was inherently wrong with me. This inner turmoil fueled a persistent sense of insecurity and self-comparison, leaving me with zero confidence and a profound sense of worthlessness.
A positive part from my childhood is that I was provided the opportunity to take dance classes and attend various dance competitions. Dance was a nonverbal way for me to really express myself and let my emotions out, it was my outlet. I also graduated high school early and moved to LA at 18 years old to pursue being a professional dancer. I was a part of an intense dance scholarship program there. My parents were supportive of my dream and did help me out financially. Unfortunately I really lacked the confidence to make this dream become a reality.
Struggle—What hardships have you gone through in life?
My journey has been shaped by the challenges I encountered during my upbringing . These experiences instilled within me numerous unhealthy beliefs about myself—beliefs that I accepted as my truths. These beliefs led me to feel inadequate, unworthy, unlovable, and deeply flawed. Carrying these beliefs into my early adulthood years, I struggled to trust both myself and others.
Furthermore, grappling with severe social anxiety further complicated my journey. I found it daunting to establish connections, navigate social situations, and cultivate meaningful relationships. This lack of confidence hindered my ability to pursue my aspirations and fully engage with life’s opportunities. Nevertheless, despite these obstacles, I remained determined to overcome my past and forge a brighter future ahead for myself and the world around me.
What do people usually not know about you?
Most people are unaware of the journey that fueled my mission. It was precisely my internal battles with myself that propelled me forward with immense determination and led me to explore that we can ALL come out on the other side. My past is what fuels my fire for self-growth, transformation and making a difference in other people’s lives. Without my past, I would not be the person that I am today. I was able to forgive, learn, move forward and transform my life and passionately help others to see the opportunities and possibilities to do the same for themselves.
What sets you apart from your competitors in the industry and in life?
Having lived through profound challenges, I intimately understand the struggles others may face. I know firsthand what it feels like to yearn for support and understanding, to battle social anxiety, self-doubt, and to navigate and get to the other side of adversity.
I have fully experienced this work and still do this work to this day with myself. I know what I am talking about and I genuinely believe that there is light at the end of what may seem as a dark tunnel for us all. I’ve seen my own transformation, my two daughters’ transformation, and watched and guided my amazing clients into creating massive results for themselves. This opportunity is available for everyone walking this earth.
Furthermore, my journey is enriched by guiding my two daughters through their own struggles with social anxiety, selective mutism, social phobia, extreme separation anxiety, misophonia, and ADHD. Witnessing their amazing results into the thriving individuals that they are now, underscores the profound impact of our upbringing on who we become.
Rather than being defined by my experiences, I have used them as knowledge, motivation and momentum to advance forward in my life. I am determined to show others that they too can break free from their past, reinvent themselves, thrive and fully come out on the other side of whatever may be holding them back in life.
What are your upcoming major events?
I am currently leading an immersive, interactive, and energizing training program titled “Becoming the Star of Your Own Life.” This dynamic program is designed to be experiential and engaging, creating a high-energy and enjoyable learning environment.
Throughout the program, participants explore various aspects of personal development, including emotional intelligence, self-confidence, taking control of their life narrative, overcoming fear, expanding comfort zones, embracing brave exposure practices, fostering a growth mindset, owning their voice, speaking their truth, and radiating their light for themselves and the world around them.
Each segment of the training is carefully crafted to empower participants to unlock their fullest potential and authentically emerge as the true stars of their own lives.
What are your food preferences and physical attributes?
I tend to stick to a primarily vegetarian diet, emphasizing healthy choices whenever I can. Although I do indulge in sweets from time to time, I always aim for balance in my eating habits, making sure to prioritize nutrition. Additionally, I make it a point to hit the gym daily if my schedule allows.
As for my physical attributes, I have striking bright orange hair, complemented by pale skin and green eyes. With an athletic body type, I stand at 5 feet 4 inches tall. Despite being 46 years young, I prioritize my health and well-being through my lifestyle choices.
Your love life, relationships and family?
I’ve been married twice to my husband, with an interesting twist: we were married for 8 years, had two wonderful daughters together, then divorced for about 8 years before recently tying the knot again almost two years ago. Now, our amazing daughters are 14 and 17 years old.
My oldest daughter is deeply immersed in the world of performing arts. She’s passionate about acting, theater, singing, songwriting, and playing multiple instruments like the piano, acoustic and electric guitar, and the ukulele.
On the other hand, my youngest daughter is a dedicated dancer. She’s involved in various styles, including ballet, pointe, modern, contemporary, jazz and tap.
Both of them share a love for performing on stage, and I couldn’t be prouder of their talents, passions, commitment, hard work and dedication that they put into their craft.
What expert advice would you like to give?
The advice I want to share is simple yet profound: never give up on the person you aspire to become. While the journey may not always be easy, it’s entirely possible—I am living proof of that, as are my two daughters. Despite the challenges we face, we have the power to take control of our lives and create the future our hearts truly long for.
It’s important to recognize that our weaknesses and struggles often become our greatest strengths. Embrace them, use them as fuel to propel yourself toward a brighter future. You deserve it, and you alone have the power to make it happen. Don’t let your past define you. Keep pursuing your dreams, owning your voice, and allowing your light to shine for yourself and the world around you.
Embrace every aspect of yourself—the good and the not-so-good. Your strengths, gifts, talents, quirks, weirdness, and flaws are what make you unique, what make you magical. You are worthy of shining brightly, so show up for yourself and the world around you with authenticity and confidence.
Remember, life is happening now. This is not a dress rehearsal. We only get one chance at life, and tomorrow is never guaranteed. So live fully, embrace every moment, and seize the opportunity to create the life you desire. We need to practice whoever or whatever it is that we want to become. “Brave Exposure Practice”.
It is extremely important to recognize that the journey will take commitment, consistency, brave exposure practice and hard work. It’s not always easy, but every time we challenge ourselves to a new brave exposure practice, we will increase our self-confidence and decrease our fear. This moves us closer to being the person that we want to become. It is also important to reach out and get guidance for the proper practice aspect or to connect with a neutral human being in your life that can support you in your process. With intentional hard work, commitment and consistency it is fully possible to come out on the other side and forever transform the quality of your life for the rest of your life. I believe in you! So much LOVE and LIGHT to you ALL straight from my heart to yours!
Your social media links and web handles?
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/averysunshine
- Website: https://sunshine-mindset.com/
- Calendly: https://calendly.com/sunshine-mindset-choose-to-shine/conversation-call-with-avery
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/groups/1400905980351789/?ref=share
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunshinemindset_avery
- Email: av***@su**************.com
R. Harwood is the writer and editor in chief of TheCelebrity.Online – Read more on our About Us page.