EMMA SPENCER: ONCE I LET THE NEGATIVE THOUGHTS GO, I COME ALIVE

Meet Emma. After working with brands like Tom Ford Beauty, Emma's personal life changed in an instant leading her to become the actor she's always wanted to be.

The lives I’ve lived

Oh gosh, where do I start?! I worked in PR for a few years before deciding to run away overseas… After a few months of travel, I moved to the UK with my husband, Tim, where I started a fashion, lifestyle and travel content site sharing my favourite things. This led me to working with brands from around the world including Tom Ford Beauty and Laurent Perrier champagne.

How my life changed

My life changed when my mum was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I moved home to Melbourne to be her full-time carer and look after the family. I am still processing everything we went through when mum was sick. It’s now been three years since she passed away. Honestly it feels like yesterday.

Becoming an actress

Life-changing experiences put things into perspective.  I realised life's too short to not do what you want to do. I had always wanted to be an actor. It took me many years to find the confidence and bite the bullet, but finally I threw myself into study and started my acting journey. I have never looked back – I love it!

What I’ve learnt from my experience

Every experience you have brings you closer to where you want to be (and what you want to do). It teaches you so much about yourself and life. It’s a journey. Sometimes it can be a bit of a rollercoaster but you have to trust and enjoy the process along the way. Things work out - you got this!

The rule I live by

Worrying about what other people may think has caused a lot of anxiety for me. In instances, it’s held me back from letting my true self shine. To this day I can still be really self-conscious. Once I let the negative thoughts go though, I come alive. The real Emma comes out and it is so much fun. And yes I may overthink things, but I am always happier if don’t let the anxiety win.

What I know for certain

I’m a big believer in making things happen for yourself. For example, I wanted to work with big luxury brands. It took me a few years, but I got there. Make a plan on how you’re going to make your dreams come true and follow it. Even if your dream seems out of reach, there is always a way to create opportunities - make your own work, chip away at things and don’t be afraid to share your journey along the way.

Also try not to be too hard on yourself. As I keep reminding myself, it’s a marathon not a sprint. Oh and be bold, be curious and have fun!

The quote I’m loving right now

I just read a quote from Gabby Bernstein and I love it:

“Your energy has far more power than you can ever imagine. There is energy in your spoken words, in your e-mails, and in your physical presence. When we function from a place of positive energy, the world around us becomes more positive.”

Positive energy is infectious. I’ve noticed that when I’m more positive things just seem to happen. When I’m in a more negative headspace, things seem stagnant and slow.

The truth about me

I’m good at giving love out, but I can find it hard to give love back to myself. Self-love is something I’ve struggled with and it’s something I’m working on. The mantra I’ve been saying is - I’m strong, I’m powerful, I’m amazing and I can do everything and anything that I want to do.

Also, my Instagram looks fancy and serious with my fashion shots. But behind the glitz I’m a really big dork. I laugh a lot and I try not to take myself too seriously.

What lights me up

Pilates. Working out has been like my friend - a constant thing in my life that makes me feel good. It’s been so powerful in helping my mental and physical health.

I wanted to share this with other people - help them feel incredible, strong and happy - so I became a Pilates (reformer & mat) and Barre instructor. You can find me via my YouTube Channel Club Forme, and at Soul Athletic studios in Bayside Melbourne.

Follow Emma @EmmaSpencerLelek and her latest movie The Scent of a Killer.