July 3, 2025 • 29 mins
Can moms really turn their passion into purpose and profit? YES—and today's guest shows you how.
In this powerful episode of Wake Up with Marci, I’m joined by Tirralan Watkins—a passion and purpose coach, content strategist, and host of the MOMetize Your Passion podcast.
We talk about:
✅ Walking through self-doubt and imposter syndrome
✅ Launching a passion-led business as a busy mom
✅ Trusting God’s plan—even when it means pivoting
✅ Turning your gifts into income without selling your soul
Sharing links to Best Holistic Life magazine's website and YouTube channel below.
https://www.bestholisticlife.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@BestHolisticlife
🔔 Subscribe for more episodes like this
👍 Like this video if it inspired you
🗣 Comment below: What's one gift you’re ready to share with the world?
Follow Wake Up with Marci:
Instagram: [@wakeupwithmarci]
Facebook: [Wake Up with Marci]
Website: [www.wakeupwithmarci.com]
Don’t miss this insightful conversation that could change lives! Like, comment, and subscribe for more inspiring content. 💡💬
In this powerful episode of Wake Up with Marci, I’m joined by Tirralan Watkins—a passion and purpose coach, content strategist, and host of the MOMetize Your Passion podcast.
We talk about:
✅ Walking through self-doubt and imposter syndrome
✅ Launching a passion-led business as a busy mom
✅ Trusting God’s plan—even when it means pivoting
✅ Turning your gifts into income without selling your soul
Sharing links to Best Holistic Life magazine's website and YouTube channel below.
https://www.bestholisticlife.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@BestHolisticlife
🔔 Subscribe for more episodes like this
👍 Like this video if it inspired you
🗣 Comment below: What's one gift you’re ready to share with the world?
Follow Wake Up with Marci:
Instagram: [@wakeupwithmarci]
Facebook: [Wake Up with Marci]
Website: [www.wakeupwithmarci.com]
Don’t miss this insightful conversation that could change lives! Like, comment, and subscribe for more inspiring content. 💡💬
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Wake Up with Marcy, a deep dive into
self discovery. I'm your hosts Marty Hopkins, and this is
the space where we get real about life transformation and
finding our true selves. Hello all, welcome back to Wake
Up with Marcy. I'm so excited you are here. If
you are here, you are ready to step into self discovery,
(00:24):
healing and navigating life transitions with true confidence. And today
I'm joined by someone who is truly walking in purpose,
and that is Caroln Walkins. She's a passion and purpose coach,
a content strategist, and the host of the top ranked
podcast Momatize Your Passion, where she empowers moms to turn
(00:45):
their God given gifts into thriving, purpose driven businesses. Her
work has been featured in People Magazine, Entertainment, Tonight, Access, Hollywood,
and so many more. But her true passion and power
lies and how she helps women silence self doubt, embrace
their calling, and step boldly into the life they were
(01:08):
designed to live. And I'm telling you we live in
self doubt so often in Trolan, I just am so
grateful you are here so we can build confidence and
help those out there to move into their purpose. So
thank you for being here.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Thank you Marcy for having me. I'm so honored, and
congratulations on your show.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
I'm so excited to transition into the podcast world. It's
a great place to be and we get to really
expand on the conversation. When you have a TV show,
it's so short lived. You only get seven to eight
minutes with someone. So I'm really grateful to have this
time with you. And let's talk about that that confidence
(01:55):
where you have built the confidence and that's been rooted
in God. Right, So how did your faith begin and
how did you rewrite the way that you saw yourself?
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Oh, that is a great question.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
So my faith, the journey began when I was young
because I was surrounded by a lot of family members
who were also with my faith, a Christian faith. But
I feel like as I went through my journey, because
I'm just gonna connect this to passion pursuits, Like I
feel like when I was younger, I've always been creative
(02:33):
with acting, with just being a creative little girl and
wanting to pursue things that made me want to dream.
So when I was younger living in the San Francisco
Bay Area, I'm in southern California. Now, I always felt
like I was a dreamer, and with that dream came,
(02:55):
I felt like God was connecting with me in some
way through my dreams, like there was something he wanted
me to do with my dreams. And of course, you know,
we have dreams as little girls, as women, and sometimes
we think it's that one thing. So for me, as
my creativity evolved, it turned into a love for acting.
(03:18):
So I'm thinking, Okay, this is it, this is the ultimate.
I need to move to Tintiltown aka Hollywood and pursue
this acting career. Because I was like, okay, God, you
give me this gift, these passions.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
And just to.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Take you back a little bit, because I had just
graduated from college with an undergrad in mass communications and
I told my mom that I wanted to move to
la to be an actress, and she was not for
it at all.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
I was still living in a.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Living in the house, and all of a sudden, It's like, well,
I want to move to Hollywood to be an actress,
and it's such a far affetched dream, you know.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
So I felt I.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Really felt like God wanted me to move to Hollywood
to pursue an acting career.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Do you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (04:03):
And I remember even then, I wanted to make an
impact in Hollywood. It wasn't just for self. I wanted
to make a difference in some way, and I wasn't
sure how to do that quite yet. Yeah, So I
was like, okay, God, if you really want me to
move to La Because it was.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
A strong.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Rash and desire and unction from God. I felt that
he wanted me to move. So I was like, okay, Lord,
if you really want me to move here, then please
open up these four things. And it's four, I believe.
One was I needed a job. Number two I needed
an acting agent. Number three I needed a place to stay.
(04:41):
It was five things. Actually, Number four I wanted a
good multicultural church. And then number five was to change
my mother's heart, so literally, because La and Oakland, which
is where I'm from, is about five hours half hours away.
(05:01):
So and one day I drove from Oakland to LA
because I had a job interview and I had an
interview with an agent and I got them both on
the spot, drove back home. Meanwhile, my pastor at the
time worked it out where I can stay at a
Korean dormitory, a missionary dorm for free until I got
(05:22):
on my feet. So that was the third thing. The
fourth thing was someone had recommended a multicultural church in
LA which was filled with other entertainment hopefuls, So I
had that connection. And then as time was going on,
all the pieces were just adding up. My mom just
started being proud of me. Like when she was speaking
(05:44):
to people on the phone, it was with pride, like, oh, yeah,
my daughter's moving to LA to be an actress, you
know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Her tone had changed.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
So at my going away party, I asked her, you
know what made you change the way you viewed me
going to LA, and said God gave her a vision
that I was in LA and there was angels surrounding me,
and she knew that that was a sign that I
was supposed to be there. So literally those five things
God came through for me on and I knew it was,
(06:14):
you know, the right move for me to move. So
I felt like, to your original question, like with me
pursuing that passion, it was a God led passion because
I feel like when we pursue our God led passions,
it opens the door to purpose. And when I say
open the door to purpose, I mean it's not just
for ourselves. It's for us to use our gifts, our
(06:34):
dreams to help someone else as well. And I felt
like as he opened up those doors, he was opening
up the opportunity in the door for me to help
other people in the process, right right, yeah, And are
you helping people?
Speaker 3 (06:48):
Well?
Speaker 2 (06:48):
It was through a series of events, I felt like.
So as I was going along this journey, you know,
of the acting, I always wanted to my saying was
I wanted to make an impact in the world with
this acting in some way. So as I was pursuing
this acting career, I realized that the acting itself wasn't
(07:13):
the end. It was a means to get me somewhere else.
So throughout that process of a yeah yeah. So throughout
that process of me pursuing this and trying to make
an impact, I was able to start a local talk
show called Life Impact because on that show I wanted
to help other people struggling through whatever area they were in.
(07:36):
Like I had different guests on, like Sherry Shepherd, who
was a dear friend at the time, like an Olympian,
But it was all about what they went through through
their in their lives and how them getting through that
was able to help in some way. So I was
using that as a platform to be able to use
these high profile people and use their stories to encourage
(07:59):
and inspire other people in their journey. Right, So there
was there was There was always like little things like
that where I saw that God was seeing showing me
how I was helping other people in the process. And eventually,
several years later, you know, I was able to build
this platform, Tinsiltown Mom, where I'm helping moms to pursue
(08:19):
their godlet passions so they can be used to help
other people in the process. So I feel like it
all kind of evolved into this platform where I'm helping,
you know, multiple people in a main way.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
We one hundred percent I feel Listen, I've gone through
a lot in my life, and when I got in
front of the camera, it was a dream that I'd
always had, but that changed throughout my life. I lost
self confidence and such. But something happened in my forties
and I actually somehow found the strength to start pursuing
(08:58):
that dream. And then all these doors started opening up.
Right people were coming into my life that could help me.
I was getting agents right away. I was starting to
you know, get auditions and find schooling that I could
be a part of. So it was really interesting. I
feel that when you are doing what you are called
(09:19):
to do, that the universe conspires with you. God conspires
with you, and these doors open up easily for you.
And so I always like to say, if you're trying
to pursue something and you feel like you are going
up a mountain and you are struggling the whole way
(09:41):
up that mountain, you might be going up the wrong mountain,
and you know God has another place for you. So
I think that you prayed to God and those things happened.
And I truly believe in that that when things happen
with such ease, that God is there to answer that
(10:03):
and to create these possibilities for you when it is
your purpose.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Yes, and I feel like it doesn't happen in the
way that we expect it to happen, never doubt, you know,
we have these expectations, Oh, I want to do this,
I wanted to line up like XYZ. It doesn't line
up that way. But we have to be open to
how that's it's going to happen. Because a lot of
times we get into these dry seasons where it's like, Okay,
I'm not doing what I want to do, like I
(10:30):
call stuck. But sometimes there's more value if we allow
God to use us. There's more value in that season
of being stuck in what we need to learn and
get out of it, or how we're able to help
someone else during that season than that very thing that
we're pursuing.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
Yeah, when you say that, I look at it as
a pause. Now yeah, yeah, Yeah, you had this dream
were acting, You had created this platform. But then for
you that fire, that fire was gone and you wanted
(11:08):
to make a change, and you wanted to make a
pivot and so frightening right to make a change and
why is this happening?
Speaker 3 (11:15):
Right?
Speaker 1 (11:15):
And what should I do? So for you, what was
that change? What was that pivot? And what was the calling.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
That you had?
Speaker 2 (11:26):
Yes, so I felt like the season of acting had
dried up and I no longer had a passion for
it like I once had. And part of the reason
was the things that I was asked to participate in
I didn't really connect with. And I felt like I
wanted to write about things that I would want to
be in. So, you know, after getting so many asks
(11:48):
to you know, be in a certain project or audition
for certain things that your values don't align with. You know, eventually,
you know that can wear on you. So I felt
like that, and then the struggle with acting, I kind
of lost my passion for it and it transitioned into
a passion for writing. So during that time, I was
at the church that I was telling you about at
(12:09):
the beginning, and I joined a small writing group and
that's where I met another young dreamer who was there
pursuing a filmmaking career. He was another dreamer moved from
Alabama to LA and that was my husband.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
You know, we eventually got married.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
So during that season when I was pursuing this writing career,
and thankfully I had connection because I do think that
helps when you're pursuing something, like if you have connection
in a similar passion, it helps to have that like accountability,
just people that you're talking things through. So it helped
to have that small group.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
Actually.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
So eventually after my husband and I we were dating
at the time we got married, I went back to
school got a master's in professional writing from USC and
now I had this professional writing degree and after I graduated,
I'm like, what am I going to do with this degree,
I started freelance writing for different publications at the time
until eventually I'm like, you know what, I can create
(13:06):
my own platform, write about the things that I want
to write about, and still continue to pursue my passion.
So at the time, you know, because my husband's a filmmaker,
I had this acting career. My husband helped me come
up with the name Tensil Town Mom. I made it
a point to interview celebrity moms about their journeys so
(13:30):
they can help other moms with their journeys. And even
though I was interviewing these celebrity moms, it wasn't about
Hollywood or acting. It was about if you have a dream,
then you can pursue that dream. How do you pursue
that dream? So I wanted to use these public figures
to show how they did it so they can encourage
(13:52):
other moms in the process. So that was just, you know,
another way of how I felt like I wanted to
help moms. That's it's the birth of it actually where
I wanted to help moms because at the time I
was also a mom and helped them going through what
their season of life through.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
At I get that and it's hard.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
One of the things I really want to point out
is that you talk about God and being guided, and
I'm very much a believer in God. So for anyone
out there, your higher power, whoever that is for you,
for me, it's God. You were taken Troylan from acting
(14:35):
to a dream of writing, and you join this small
group and you find the person that you married me.
I was living in Denver, I was working, I had
a good job, and I ended up changing my entire
life within a month. I got a job in La,
(14:57):
I broke off an engagement, I sold my house. Yes,
it was a very, very trying time, but I was
so driven to create that change in my life and
I went to La and within three months I found
my husband.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
My point to this is when you get that strong desire,
when you need to create that change, there is a
reason that you are being guided in that way, and
when you cut it off, you are most times cutting
off the true reason you're supposed to be there. Like,
(15:39):
we started a whole new, beautiful path in our lives
and we met our husbands that.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
Yeah, yes, and your passions and your calling yes, exactly exactly.
So I just want to really bring light to that.
So so yeah, there right, like, and you have this
strong calling, don't let that fear hold you back from that, yeah,
because it leads to different purposes out your life when
(16:07):
you are pursuing those things, you know, whether it's the
relationship or you touch someone in a certain way that
they needed your guidance in some way.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
So let me talk about for the women listening that
are the crossroads right now and their dreams no longer
lighting them up right, what would you say to that
woman who's afraid to make that pivot?
Speaker 3 (16:33):
Yeah, because afraid of failure.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
Yeah, I would say, and I had to rectify this
with myself, is sometimes you have to take that step,
but you have to do it messy.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
Do you know what I'm saying? You don't need to
be perfect.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
If you have a dream and you think everything has
to be laid out for you, you can take the
step and do it messy, not saying you're going to
be unprofessional, because we've all done things and realize, oh
why did I do it like that? But you learn
through the process. And I would also say that if
there's a dream or a gifting that you have, think
(17:12):
about if someone is not encountering what you have to offer.
They may be staying stuck in their journey in life.
Like you can be impacting someone in such a powerful way,
but because you're remaining stuck or you're not allowing yourself
to pursue those things out of fear or whatever it is,
then someone is not getting what they need from you.
(17:34):
Because we all have our own personal giftings from God,
and I can't.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
Do what you do. Marcy.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
You're touching the people you're supposed to touch. I'm touching
the people I'm supposed to touch, right, So this I
just want to encourage the people listening to think about that, Like,
think about how you can touch someone in a certain
way by just taking that first step of pursuit, like
always say pursue. Just start, Yeah, just start. And that
(18:01):
can look different for different people. Maybe it's maybe if
your passion is I'm just going to throw this out there,
I don't know, organizing, Yeah, maybe you can.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
Start by it.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
Maybe there's a friend you can help who's in distress
because her home is disorganized and she doesn't know what
to do. Maybe you can start by just volunteering your gifts.
That's how I started, just volunteering my gifts and my passions.
Just volunteer and see how you're helping someone. Even if
you just help one person, see how that can impact them.
(18:33):
And maybe that'll arise something in you to want to
keep going and take it further because you can help
so many more people by just taking that first step.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
Yeah. Yeah, so true. So tell us what's the hardest
truth that you had to admit to yourself during your
entrepreneurial journey.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Probably that it is difficult and it's not as easy
as people say. So even when I am encouraging moms
to pursue their passions, you know, I help them to
monetize and find ways to monetize their passions, I'm not Yeah,
I'm not one of these people who says, oh, yeah,
do this and you'll make a million dollars. Yeah, it
(19:16):
might be monetizing a passion and selling your crocheting patterns
on Etsy, do you know what I mean? But that
has opened up the door to something else.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
So I think that's the hard truth. People think that
when they start something, they start the monetization route, that
it's going to be like all these people say, it's
going to be, oh yeah, you'll make seven figures if
you do X, Y and Z, it doesn't It doesn't
happen for most people like that. Those are the exceptions.
But you can still start and do the things that
you're called to do. And if you're looking to monetize,
(19:48):
monetize in some way and still be used and it
can grow into something bigger. Exactly set those expectations. Yeah,
you gotta, that's just the thing you've got to start at.
I think a lot of times people don't get to
where they're possibly meant to be because maybe it doesn't
(20:10):
happen fast enough for them, or they're expecting.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
Too much in the beginning. And you kind of got
to pay your dues, right, you got to walk the
walk you got to do and give of yourself and
then it will come back to you. Yeah, just like
you're saying, Yeah, So, if there's someone out there and
(20:36):
they have these fears, right, or they're wanting to launch
something new, what are some tools that they could use
when that fear shows up, when that confidence that we
talk about isn't there for them at that point.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
Well, I feel like if they're having self doubt or
imposter syndrome like we all have, Yeah, I feel like
you have to still just walk it out despite what
you're telling yourself that's negative.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Do you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (21:11):
Like we're all going to experience that like oh I'm
not good enough or that can't be the reason that
you're not doing something, do you know what I mean?
Because you can still be doing something and still have
those fears, but you have to you have to do
it afraid, like walk through the fear.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
Yeah, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
If like someone has a gifting and they're afraid, then
I'm not saying, so what to that fear, But I'm saying,
why would you stop just because you have a fear,
Because we all have fears.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
We all have it, and I do a lot of
things afraid.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
Yeah, And I'm saying practically speaking, if you have a fear,
but you know you have this gift and you have
this desire to pursue it, I would say, even with
the fear, just take the steps to pursue the thing
that you're afraid of, because oftentimes, like we may have
a desire. I want to do this again, as we
(22:10):
mentioned earlier, it's not going to line up perfectly.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
Like we think.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
You know, you may think like you Marcie, you have
a lot of skills and gifts from your past. Let's
say you're afraid, but you know you want to be
a life coach. Like I would say, well, you know
you're afraid, you want to be a life coach. You
know dress for success. They're looking for volunteers, they need
life coaches. Why don't you just start there. There's no
(22:38):
pressure because you're not getting paid for it. Just volunteer
your time and see how it goes.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
Do you know what I'm.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
Saying, Well, start on a smaller scale with your gift,
the thing that you're afraid of. Start on a smaller
scale and see how it goes. Like heef, you are
actually touching someone or making a difference in someone's life,
and I think that will quell someone's fear when they
see that they're making a huge difference in someone's life.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
Another thing that I that helps me today and this
took time. I'm not going to say this happened overnight,
but is to truly have faith like you talk about
right like walking in God's purpose And I wake up
every day today and I did not used to do this.
(23:26):
This was something that through my healing journey that I
have begun doing and have done consistently throughout the years.
Is I start my day with God? Yes, and by
doing that that could be There's there's videos I watch
on YouTube that's starting with prayer and gratitude and scripture,
(23:50):
and these things really have helped me, Yes, calm that
overwhelm inside of me and to really trust the process.
And a lot of times somebody will be like, well,
what's your goal in five years?
Speaker 3 (24:06):
What do you do about this?
Speaker 1 (24:07):
Or blah blah, And for me, a lot of times,
it's truly just having the faith and I'll do the work,
But where's my calling and listening to my inner guide,
my higher self? And that's God, you know, so your
high you know, it could be your higher self. But
I just think that and this is something that you
(24:28):
teach and this is something that you share a lot about.
Is just having that trust in your purpose and trusting
and having faith and something bigger than yourself.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
Yeah. I talk a lot about that on my show.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
You know, I have a big audience of Christian moms
who listen to me, So I can't attest to what
you're saying, Like starting my day reading scripture asking God
to guide it, like before I get on my phone,
before I step out of bed, I am in the Bible,
the Word, praying and asking God to set the tone
for my day and even asking him what do you
(25:07):
want me to do with this gift?
Speaker 3 (25:09):
You know what I mean? And that's why I say
I try to help moms to pursue.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
And monetize their God led passion because I feel like
if it's a God led passion that can turn into
a purpose, it is God who wants us to pursue it.
It's not just for self, it's so we can help
other people. I know, I put that into perspective. We're
helping other people by pursuing this, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
Then maybe we can get out of that fear too.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
It is if you make it about service and make
it about someone else instead of yourself. Yeah, that's a
huge one.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
Even when I started Tintaltown Mom, I was working a
full time job, but it was my passion to do this.
I didn't start it to get paid. It was just
because it was an outlet for me to pursue my passion.
I wasn't even thinking about monetizing when I first started it.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
It was just I.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
Wanted to use this to help moms in some way.
Eventually I started monetizing it, you know what I mean.
But when I first started, I wasn't even thinking about monetizing.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
So, and you have something coming in the future that
you have a new book coming out.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
I do have a new book coming out later in
the summer. I also have a little mini course that
I just created for you know, the mom or a
mom figure or the woman who is looking to monetize,
to pursue actually their calling or their passion and monetize it.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
It's very simple.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
It's a simple framework that I just put together along
with a workbook, a guided workbook to help them go
from A to Z. So that's something that I just
put together as well. If your audience is interested, that's
now available.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
Okay, Well, what's your website? You have it on your website?
Speaker 2 (26:59):
Yes, I do have it on my website www dot
tenttletownmom dot com.
Speaker 1 (27:05):
Okay, And did you mention something about a free giveaway
if somebody.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
Was interested, Well, I did say that.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
I also have a weekly newsletter that I give out,
oh the news on a weekly Yeah. Yeah, So I
always talk about the giveaways I have, like free coaching,
or you know, just different things that I offer. So
if anyone's interested, they can go to tintletownmom dot com
and find out about my weekly newsletter that talks about
the giveaways in the new audio bundle if they're looking
(27:35):
to monetize their passion.
Speaker 1 (27:37):
Plus, you just learned so much being a part of
that community. So I just want to thank you so much,
Tarlin for empowering all of us and sharing your truth
and the way that you've been guided and how you
show up and help other people now. And I just
want to share that if you felt inspired by today's show,
(28:00):
make sure to check out the notes and all of
the information will be there, and share this with someone
that needs to hear this message, hear this conversation, and
I'd be so grateful if you're listening today, Thank you
for being here, Thank you for watching. Please subscribe, rate me,
(28:21):
leave a message, leave a review. The more that you interact,
the more people I reach with this message. And you
can find all of the episodes on YouTube a Wake
Up with Marcy, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and on in Jay and
don't forget to follow me on Instagram at wake Up
(28:42):
with Marcy and please leave me a message and what
your takeaways are. And Caroline, thank you again for coming
on the show.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
Thank you so much. Marci, this was such a blessing
for me.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
Thank you truly a blessing for me too, And I
can't wait to see you all again next week. Remember
there's a new show dropping every Thursday until next time.
Keep waking up with purpose and possibility because you've got
this all right. Guys, have a great week and I'll
see you on the next show.
Welcome to Wake Up with Marcy, a deep dive into
self discovery. I'm your hosts Marty Hopkins, and this is
the space where we get real about life transformation and
finding our true selves. Hello all, welcome back to Wake
Up with Marcy. I'm so excited you are here. If
you are here, you are ready to step into self discovery,
(00:24):
healing and navigating life transitions with true confidence. And today
I'm joined by someone who is truly walking in purpose,
and that is Caroln Walkins. She's a passion and purpose coach,
a content strategist, and the host of the top ranked
podcast Momatize Your Passion, where she empowers moms to turn
(00:45):
their God given gifts into thriving, purpose driven businesses. Her
work has been featured in People Magazine, Entertainment, Tonight, Access, Hollywood,
and so many more. But her true passion and power
lies and how she helps women silence self doubt, embrace
their calling, and step boldly into the life they were
(01:08):
designed to live. And I'm telling you we live in
self doubt so often in Trolan, I just am so
grateful you are here so we can build confidence and
help those out there to move into their purpose. So
thank you for being here.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Thank you Marcy for having me. I'm so honored, and
congratulations on your show.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
I'm so excited to transition into the podcast world. It's
a great place to be and we get to really
expand on the conversation. When you have a TV show,
it's so short lived. You only get seven to eight
minutes with someone. So I'm really grateful to have this
time with you. And let's talk about that that confidence
(01:55):
where you have built the confidence and that's been rooted
in God. Right, So how did your faith begin and
how did you rewrite the way that you saw yourself?
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Oh, that is a great question.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
So my faith, the journey began when I was young
because I was surrounded by a lot of family members
who were also with my faith, a Christian faith. But
I feel like as I went through my journey, because
I'm just gonna connect this to passion pursuits, Like I
feel like when I was younger, I've always been creative
(02:33):
with acting, with just being a creative little girl and
wanting to pursue things that made me want to dream.
So when I was younger living in the San Francisco
Bay Area, I'm in southern California. Now, I always felt
like I was a dreamer, and with that dream came,
(02:55):
I felt like God was connecting with me in some
way through my dreams, like there was something he wanted
me to do with my dreams. And of course, you know,
we have dreams as little girls, as women, and sometimes
we think it's that one thing. So for me, as
my creativity evolved, it turned into a love for acting.
(03:18):
So I'm thinking, Okay, this is it, this is the ultimate.
I need to move to Tintiltown aka Hollywood and pursue
this acting career. Because I was like, okay, God, you
give me this gift, these passions.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
And just to.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Take you back a little bit, because I had just
graduated from college with an undergrad in mass communications and
I told my mom that I wanted to move to
la to be an actress, and she was not for
it at all.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
I was still living in a.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Living in the house, and all of a sudden, It's like, well,
I want to move to Hollywood to be an actress,
and it's such a far affetched dream, you know.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
So I felt I.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Really felt like God wanted me to move to Hollywood
to pursue an acting career.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Do you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (04:03):
And I remember even then, I wanted to make an
impact in Hollywood. It wasn't just for self. I wanted
to make a difference in some way, and I wasn't
sure how to do that quite yet. Yeah, So I
was like, okay, God, if you really want me to
move to La Because it was.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
A strong.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Rash and desire and unction from God. I felt that
he wanted me to move. So I was like, okay, Lord,
if you really want me to move here, then please
open up these four things. And it's four, I believe.
One was I needed a job. Number two I needed
an acting agent. Number three I needed a place to stay.
(04:41):
It was five things. Actually, Number four I wanted a
good multicultural church. And then number five was to change
my mother's heart, so literally, because La and Oakland, which
is where I'm from, is about five hours half hours away.
(05:01):
So and one day I drove from Oakland to LA
because I had a job interview and I had an
interview with an agent and I got them both on
the spot, drove back home. Meanwhile, my pastor at the
time worked it out where I can stay at a
Korean dormitory, a missionary dorm for free until I got
(05:22):
on my feet. So that was the third thing. The
fourth thing was someone had recommended a multicultural church in
LA which was filled with other entertainment hopefuls, So I
had that connection. And then as time was going on,
all the pieces were just adding up. My mom just
started being proud of me. Like when she was speaking
(05:44):
to people on the phone, it was with pride, like, oh, yeah,
my daughter's moving to LA to be an actress, you
know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Her tone had changed.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
So at my going away party, I asked her, you
know what made you change the way you viewed me
going to LA, and said God gave her a vision
that I was in LA and there was angels surrounding me,
and she knew that that was a sign that I
was supposed to be there. So literally those five things
God came through for me on and I knew it was,
(06:14):
you know, the right move for me to move. So
I felt like, to your original question, like with me
pursuing that passion, it was a God led passion because
I feel like when we pursue our God led passions,
it opens the door to purpose. And when I say
open the door to purpose, I mean it's not just
for ourselves. It's for us to use our gifts, our
(06:34):
dreams to help someone else as well. And I felt
like as he opened up those doors, he was opening
up the opportunity in the door for me to help
other people in the process, right right, yeah, And are
you helping people?
Speaker 3 (06:48):
Well?
Speaker 2 (06:48):
It was through a series of events, I felt like.
So as I was going along this journey, you know,
of the acting, I always wanted to my saying was
I wanted to make an impact in the world with
this acting in some way. So as I was pursuing
this acting career, I realized that the acting itself wasn't
(07:13):
the end. It was a means to get me somewhere else.
So throughout that process of a yeah yeah. So throughout
that process of me pursuing this and trying to make
an impact, I was able to start a local talk
show called Life Impact because on that show I wanted
to help other people struggling through whatever area they were in.
(07:36):
Like I had different guests on, like Sherry Shepherd, who
was a dear friend at the time, like an Olympian,
But it was all about what they went through through
their in their lives and how them getting through that
was able to help in some way. So I was
using that as a platform to be able to use
these high profile people and use their stories to encourage
(07:59):
and inspire other people in their journey. Right, So there
was there was There was always like little things like
that where I saw that God was seeing showing me
how I was helping other people in the process. And eventually,
several years later, you know, I was able to build
this platform, Tinsiltown Mom, where I'm helping moms to pursue
(08:19):
their godlet passions so they can be used to help
other people in the process. So I feel like it
all kind of evolved into this platform where I'm helping,
you know, multiple people in a main way.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
We one hundred percent I feel Listen, I've gone through
a lot in my life, and when I got in
front of the camera, it was a dream that I'd
always had, but that changed throughout my life. I lost
self confidence and such. But something happened in my forties
and I actually somehow found the strength to start pursuing
(08:58):
that dream. And then all these doors started opening up.
Right people were coming into my life that could help me.
I was getting agents right away. I was starting to
you know, get auditions and find schooling that I could
be a part of. So it was really interesting. I
feel that when you are doing what you are called
(09:19):
to do, that the universe conspires with you. God conspires
with you, and these doors open up easily for you.
And so I always like to say, if you're trying
to pursue something and you feel like you are going
up a mountain and you are struggling the whole way
(09:41):
up that mountain, you might be going up the wrong mountain,
and you know God has another place for you. So
I think that you prayed to God and those things happened.
And I truly believe in that that when things happen
with such ease, that God is there to answer that
(10:03):
and to create these possibilities for you when it is
your purpose.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Yes, and I feel like it doesn't happen in the
way that we expect it to happen, never doubt, you know,
we have these expectations, Oh, I want to do this,
I wanted to line up like XYZ. It doesn't line
up that way. But we have to be open to
how that's it's going to happen. Because a lot of
times we get into these dry seasons where it's like, Okay,
I'm not doing what I want to do, like I
(10:30):
call stuck. But sometimes there's more value if we allow
God to use us. There's more value in that season
of being stuck in what we need to learn and
get out of it, or how we're able to help
someone else during that season than that very thing that
we're pursuing.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
Yeah, when you say that, I look at it as
a pause. Now yeah, yeah, Yeah, you had this dream
were acting, You had created this platform. But then for
you that fire, that fire was gone and you wanted
(11:08):
to make a change, and you wanted to make a
pivot and so frightening right to make a change and
why is this happening?
Speaker 3 (11:15):
Right?
Speaker 1 (11:15):
And what should I do? So for you, what was
that change? What was that pivot? And what was the calling.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
That you had?
Speaker 2 (11:26):
Yes, so I felt like the season of acting had
dried up and I no longer had a passion for
it like I once had. And part of the reason
was the things that I was asked to participate in
I didn't really connect with. And I felt like I
wanted to write about things that I would want to
be in. So, you know, after getting so many asks
(11:48):
to you know, be in a certain project or audition
for certain things that your values don't align with. You know, eventually,
you know that can wear on you. So I felt
like that, and then the struggle with acting, I kind
of lost my passion for it and it transitioned into
a passion for writing. So during that time, I was
at the church that I was telling you about at
(12:09):
the beginning, and I joined a small writing group and
that's where I met another young dreamer who was there
pursuing a filmmaking career. He was another dreamer moved from
Alabama to LA and that was my husband.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
You know, we eventually got married.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
So during that season when I was pursuing this writing career,
and thankfully I had connection because I do think that
helps when you're pursuing something, like if you have connection
in a similar passion, it helps to have that like accountability,
just people that you're talking things through. So it helped
to have that small group.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
Actually.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
So eventually after my husband and I we were dating
at the time we got married, I went back to
school got a master's in professional writing from USC and
now I had this professional writing degree and after I graduated,
I'm like, what am I going to do with this degree,
I started freelance writing for different publications at the time
until eventually I'm like, you know what, I can create
(13:06):
my own platform, write about the things that I want
to write about, and still continue to pursue my passion.
So at the time, you know, because my husband's a filmmaker,
I had this acting career. My husband helped me come
up with the name Tensil Town Mom. I made it
a point to interview celebrity moms about their journeys so
(13:30):
they can help other moms with their journeys. And even
though I was interviewing these celebrity moms, it wasn't about
Hollywood or acting. It was about if you have a dream,
then you can pursue that dream. How do you pursue
that dream? So I wanted to use these public figures
to show how they did it so they can encourage
(13:52):
other moms in the process. So that was just, you know,
another way of how I felt like I wanted to
help moms. That's it's the birth of it actually where
I wanted to help moms because at the time I
was also a mom and helped them going through what
their season of life through.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
At I get that and it's hard.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
One of the things I really want to point out
is that you talk about God and being guided, and
I'm very much a believer in God. So for anyone
out there, your higher power, whoever that is for you,
for me, it's God. You were taken Troylan from acting
(14:35):
to a dream of writing, and you join this small
group and you find the person that you married me.
I was living in Denver, I was working, I had
a good job, and I ended up changing my entire
life within a month. I got a job in La,
(14:57):
I broke off an engagement, I sold my house. Yes,
it was a very, very trying time, but I was
so driven to create that change in my life and
I went to La and within three months I found
my husband.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
My point to this is when you get that strong desire,
when you need to create that change, there is a
reason that you are being guided in that way, and
when you cut it off, you are most times cutting
off the true reason you're supposed to be there. Like,
(15:39):
we started a whole new, beautiful path in our lives
and we met our husbands that.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
Yeah, yes, and your passions and your calling yes, exactly exactly.
So I just want to really bring light to that.
So so yeah, there right, like, and you have this
strong calling, don't let that fear hold you back from that, yeah,
because it leads to different purposes out your life when
(16:07):
you are pursuing those things, you know, whether it's the
relationship or you touch someone in a certain way that
they needed your guidance in some way.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
So let me talk about for the women listening that
are the crossroads right now and their dreams no longer
lighting them up right, what would you say to that
woman who's afraid to make that pivot?
Speaker 3 (16:33):
Yeah, because afraid of failure.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
Yeah, I would say, and I had to rectify this
with myself, is sometimes you have to take that step,
but you have to do it messy.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
Do you know what I'm saying? You don't need to
be perfect.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
If you have a dream and you think everything has
to be laid out for you, you can take the
step and do it messy, not saying you're going to
be unprofessional, because we've all done things and realize, oh
why did I do it like that? But you learn
through the process. And I would also say that if
there's a dream or a gifting that you have, think
(17:12):
about if someone is not encountering what you have to offer.
They may be staying stuck in their journey in life.
Like you can be impacting someone in such a powerful way,
but because you're remaining stuck or you're not allowing yourself
to pursue those things out of fear or whatever it is,
then someone is not getting what they need from you.
(17:34):
Because we all have our own personal giftings from God,
and I can't.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
Do what you do. Marcy.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
You're touching the people you're supposed to touch. I'm touching
the people I'm supposed to touch, right, So this I
just want to encourage the people listening to think about that, Like,
think about how you can touch someone in a certain
way by just taking that first step of pursuit, like
always say pursue. Just start, Yeah, just start. And that
(18:01):
can look different for different people. Maybe it's maybe if
your passion is I'm just going to throw this out there,
I don't know, organizing, Yeah, maybe you can.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
Start by it.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
Maybe there's a friend you can help who's in distress
because her home is disorganized and she doesn't know what
to do. Maybe you can start by just volunteering your gifts.
That's how I started, just volunteering my gifts and my passions.
Just volunteer and see how you're helping someone. Even if
you just help one person, see how that can impact them.
(18:33):
And maybe that'll arise something in you to want to
keep going and take it further because you can help
so many more people by just taking that first step.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
Yeah. Yeah, so true. So tell us what's the hardest
truth that you had to admit to yourself during your
entrepreneurial journey.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Probably that it is difficult and it's not as easy
as people say. So even when I am encouraging moms
to pursue their passions, you know, I help them to
monetize and find ways to monetize their passions, I'm not Yeah,
I'm not one of these people who says, oh, yeah,
do this and you'll make a million dollars. Yeah, it
(19:16):
might be monetizing a passion and selling your crocheting patterns
on Etsy, do you know what I mean? But that
has opened up the door to something else.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
So I think that's the hard truth. People think that
when they start something, they start the monetization route, that
it's going to be like all these people say, it's
going to be, oh yeah, you'll make seven figures if
you do X, Y and Z, it doesn't It doesn't
happen for most people like that. Those are the exceptions.
But you can still start and do the things that
you're called to do. And if you're looking to monetize,
(19:48):
monetize in some way and still be used and it
can grow into something bigger. Exactly set those expectations. Yeah,
you gotta, that's just the thing you've got to start at.
I think a lot of times people don't get to
where they're possibly meant to be because maybe it doesn't
(20:10):
happen fast enough for them, or they're expecting.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
Too much in the beginning. And you kind of got
to pay your dues, right, you got to walk the
walk you got to do and give of yourself and
then it will come back to you. Yeah, just like
you're saying, Yeah, So, if there's someone out there and
(20:36):
they have these fears, right, or they're wanting to launch
something new, what are some tools that they could use
when that fear shows up, when that confidence that we
talk about isn't there for them at that point.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
Well, I feel like if they're having self doubt or
imposter syndrome like we all have, Yeah, I feel like
you have to still just walk it out despite what
you're telling yourself that's negative.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Do you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (21:11):
Like we're all going to experience that like oh I'm
not good enough or that can't be the reason that
you're not doing something, do you know what I mean?
Because you can still be doing something and still have
those fears, but you have to you have to do
it afraid, like walk through the fear.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
Yeah, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
If like someone has a gifting and they're afraid, then
I'm not saying, so what to that fear, But I'm saying,
why would you stop just because you have a fear,
Because we all have fears.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
We all have it, and I do a lot of
things afraid.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
Yeah, And I'm saying practically speaking, if you have a fear,
but you know you have this gift and you have
this desire to pursue it, I would say, even with
the fear, just take the steps to pursue the thing
that you're afraid of, because oftentimes, like we may have
a desire. I want to do this again, as we
(22:10):
mentioned earlier, it's not going to line up perfectly.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
Like we think.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
You know, you may think like you Marcie, you have
a lot of skills and gifts from your past. Let's
say you're afraid, but you know you want to be
a life coach. Like I would say, well, you know
you're afraid, you want to be a life coach. You
know dress for success. They're looking for volunteers, they need
life coaches. Why don't you just start there. There's no
(22:38):
pressure because you're not getting paid for it. Just volunteer
your time and see how it goes.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
Do you know what I'm.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
Saying, Well, start on a smaller scale with your gift,
the thing that you're afraid of. Start on a smaller
scale and see how it goes. Like heef, you are
actually touching someone or making a difference in someone's life,
and I think that will quell someone's fear when they
see that they're making a huge difference in someone's life.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
Another thing that I that helps me today and this
took time. I'm not going to say this happened overnight,
but is to truly have faith like you talk about
right like walking in God's purpose And I wake up
every day today and I did not used to do this.
(23:26):
This was something that through my healing journey that I
have begun doing and have done consistently throughout the years.
Is I start my day with God? Yes, and by
doing that that could be There's there's videos I watch
on YouTube that's starting with prayer and gratitude and scripture,
(23:50):
and these things really have helped me, Yes, calm that
overwhelm inside of me and to really trust the process.
And a lot of times somebody will be like, well,
what's your goal in five years?
Speaker 3 (24:06):
What do you do about this?
Speaker 1 (24:07):
Or blah blah, And for me, a lot of times,
it's truly just having the faith and I'll do the work,
But where's my calling and listening to my inner guide,
my higher self? And that's God, you know, so your
high you know, it could be your higher self. But
I just think that and this is something that you
(24:28):
teach and this is something that you share a lot about.
Is just having that trust in your purpose and trusting
and having faith and something bigger than yourself.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
Yeah. I talk a lot about that on my show.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
You know, I have a big audience of Christian moms
who listen to me, So I can't attest to what
you're saying, Like starting my day reading scripture asking God
to guide it, like before I get on my phone,
before I step out of bed, I am in the Bible,
the Word, praying and asking God to set the tone
for my day and even asking him what do you
(25:07):
want me to do with this gift?
Speaker 3 (25:09):
You know what I mean? And that's why I say
I try to help moms to pursue.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
And monetize their God led passion because I feel like
if it's a God led passion that can turn into
a purpose, it is God who wants us to pursue it.
It's not just for self, it's so we can help
other people. I know, I put that into perspective. We're
helping other people by pursuing this, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
Then maybe we can get out of that fear too.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
It is if you make it about service and make
it about someone else instead of yourself. Yeah, that's a
huge one.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
Even when I started Tintaltown Mom, I was working a
full time job, but it was my passion to do this.
I didn't start it to get paid. It was just
because it was an outlet for me to pursue my passion.
I wasn't even thinking about monetizing when I first started it.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
It was just I.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
Wanted to use this to help moms in some way.
Eventually I started monetizing it, you know what I mean.
But when I first started, I wasn't even thinking about monetizing.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
So, and you have something coming in the future that
you have a new book coming out.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
I do have a new book coming out later in
the summer. I also have a little mini course that
I just created for you know, the mom or a
mom figure or the woman who is looking to monetize,
to pursue actually their calling or their passion and monetize it.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
It's very simple.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
It's a simple framework that I just put together along
with a workbook, a guided workbook to help them go
from A to Z. So that's something that I just
put together as well. If your audience is interested, that's
now available.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
Okay, Well, what's your website? You have it on your website?
Speaker 2 (26:59):
Yes, I do have it on my website www dot
tenttletownmom dot com.
Speaker 1 (27:05):
Okay, And did you mention something about a free giveaway
if somebody.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
Was interested, Well, I did say that.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
I also have a weekly newsletter that I give out,
oh the news on a weekly Yeah. Yeah, So I
always talk about the giveaways I have, like free coaching,
or you know, just different things that I offer. So
if anyone's interested, they can go to tintletownmom dot com
and find out about my weekly newsletter that talks about
the giveaways in the new audio bundle if they're looking
(27:35):
to monetize their passion.
Speaker 1 (27:37):
Plus, you just learned so much being a part of
that community. So I just want to thank you so much,
Tarlin for empowering all of us and sharing your truth
and the way that you've been guided and how you
show up and help other people now. And I just
want to share that if you felt inspired by today's show,
(28:00):
make sure to check out the notes and all of
the information will be there, and share this with someone
that needs to hear this message, hear this conversation, and
I'd be so grateful if you're listening today, Thank you
for being here, Thank you for watching. Please subscribe, rate me,
(28:21):
leave a message, leave a review. The more that you interact,
the more people I reach with this message. And you
can find all of the episodes on YouTube a Wake
Up with Marcy, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and on in Jay and
don't forget to follow me on Instagram at wake Up
(28:42):
with Marcy and please leave me a message and what
your takeaways are. And Caroline, thank you again for coming
on the show.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
Thank you so much. Marci, this was such a blessing
for me.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
Thank you truly a blessing for me too, And I
can't wait to see you all again next week. Remember
there's a new show dropping every Thursday until next time.
Keep waking up with purpose and possibility because you've got
this all right. Guys, have a great week and I'll
see you on the next show.
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