Exclusive: 'Should I Do It?' Actress Emily Capshaw Details How She Deals with Social Media Hate

We often hear that a creative mind is never at rest. Writer, meditation teacher, podcaster, and “Should I Do It?” actress Emily Capshaw knows it firsthand.

Born and raised in Colorado, Emily Capshaw is a classically trained actress who grew up in theaters and has been involved in the entertainment industry since she was only a child.

After getting her degree in acting, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the Entertainment Capital of the World. Unfortunately, COVID-19 significantly impacted her career plans.

During an exclusive interview with AmoMama, Capshaw shared some details of her life and career, the lessons and challenges learned during the pandemic, and her passion for writing, meditation, and mindfulness.

We can change our entire experience of the world [through meditation].

AmoMama (AM): Hi, Emily! Thank you for taking the time to talk with us. First of all, how are you? How’s 2021 going for you so far?

Emily Capshaw (EC): Thank you for having me! It has been great, though flying by! Lots of momentum and energy flowing already!

(AM): COVID-19 has put a lot in perspective for many people; what would you say has been the biggest challenge for you throughout these times?

(EC): The pandemic brought an entire career change for me last year. I was working in live music as a tour manager and audio engineer and creating online content on the side.

I lost ALL of my income and work overnight. It was the big push I needed to go full time into building my online business creating video content and educational resources around mindfulness and wellbeing.

(AM): And what has been the biggest lesson? Have you learned anything about yourself that you ignored before?

(EC): The biggest lesson for me has been the unavoidable reminder of death. We are not guaranteed tomorrow. We are not guaranteed our health.

So, it is important to take action TODAY on creating our dreams for ourselves, rather than waiting for them to be handed to us. Take the risk and put yourself out there, and the rest will follow.

(AM): Now, tell us a bit about yourself and your family. Where did you grow up? What was your childhood like? Do you have siblings?

(EC): I grew up in Colorado. I was homeschooled for most of my childhood with my brother and sister. We traveled a lot and grew close as a family. I was wild and loved being outside and telling stories and playing pretend, pretty much exactly as I am now.

(AM): How is your relationship with your parents? Do they support your creative endeavors?

(EC): They have always been incredibly supportive of me and every crazy thing I have decided to embark on: solo backpacking for months at a time, touring arenas with rappers, moving to LA alone, quitting everything to make TikToks and YouTube videos, there has been a lot of crazy shifts!

(AM): What is the best memory you have of your family doing something together?

(EC): We used to spend every summer at our family cabin that my grandad built. I have so many beautiful memories of singing around the piano or the campfire, hiking through the mountains, and playing dominoes at the kitchen table.

(AM): We know you describe yourself as an artist, poet, writer, and mindfulness creator. However, you’re a classically trained actress. Could you tell us more about your professional background in the performing arts?

(EC): I have been an actor since I was a small child. I grew up in the theatre and felt more at home on stage than nearly anywhere else. I got my degree in acting and moved out to LA to pursue a career in film.

Acting has always been my first love, and I still audition frequently and work on film and TV projects, but I realized that I want to have a say in the stories that I am a part of and the messages I spread to the world.

So, I started training as a writer a few years back and building my social media presence to help create opportunities for myself, and I am currently working on a scripted series for my YouTube channel as well as scripts to pitch to networks.

My ultimate dream would be to write and star in my own show, so the acting dream is still there, just taking a new form!

I get a lot of hate, just like anyone with a large online presence.

(AM): You’ve done some work in music as well. Is that something you intend to approach professionally in the future?

(EC): I’ve worked on the production side of the music industry for many years, as well as some work as a songwriter. I feel my touring days are done, but my partner is an incredible musician, and I enjoy being a part of the songwriting process with him! That scratches the music itch for me.

(AM): If you had to choose to dedicate your life to only one thing, what would that be and why?

(EC): Oh man, dedicating my life to only one thing is probably my biggest struggle! As I am sure you can tell from all the different things I’ve done in the past! For me, it would be writing. I have to be able to dream up stories and worlds and ideas and share them.

(AM): What motivated you to incur in the wellness and mindfulness world?

(EC): I used to struggle a lot with my mental health. I was diagnosed with cyclothymia (a type of depression) and an anxiety disorder when I was in college.

I’ve always been an avid reader and learner, so I started seeking out answers to the things I struggled with. In addition to a lot of therapy, that search led me all over the world studying mindfulness at monasteries and ashrams.

Eventually, I became a certified meditation teacher and life coach and found joy in sharing the things that helped me with others.

(AM): What is the most rewarding part of working as a mindfulness educator?

(EC): Watching meditation change people’s lives like it changed mine. So many people think meditation is just sitting in silence, but there is SO MUCH we can do with an intentional inward focus. We can change our physiology and our psychology; we can change our entire experience of the world.

(AM): And what is the most challenging part of it?

(EC): The one-on-one structure I have been using does not meet the demand of people that want to learn from me, which is why I am building an online course to help reach more people! It will be available in the spring of this year.

(AM): You have touched on many interesting topics on your podcast, “The Metta Moon Podcast,” but if you could recommend one episode that condenses the essence of the show to a new listener, which one would it be and why?

(EC): The podcast is an interview structure, so every podcast is so different depending on the guest! A crowd favorite is my episode with Matias De Stefano, a spiritual teacher with some really fascinating insights on the way the world works!

(AM): You have mentioned that, through “Metta Moon,” you aim to “explore the enigmas of the human experience.” What are some of the topics that you would like to explore moving forward? What can your listeners expect?

(EC): The “Metta Moon Podcast” is currently in its off-season, and I am working on a big surprise shift for season 2! There will be a new name and format, but we will continue to explore life’s big questions. Some episode topics lined up include the future of AI, lucid dreams, breaking bad habits, and toxic relationships.

(AM): On that same page, of all the topics and guests you’ve had in the podcast until now, what would say was the most mind-blowing, or that left a deep impression on you?

(EC): I learned so much from all of them! Every interview leaves me mind blown at the amount of wise and beautifully unique people there are in this world. I wish I could interview everyone! Every person has a story worth sharing.

(AM): We all know how social media can bring the best and’ the worst of people. As a content creator, what has been your experience on social media? Have you encountered any unpleasant situations? And how did you handle it?

(EC): I get a lot of hate, just like anyone with a large online presence. I try to remind myself that my message is not for everyone because there is no such thing as a message that is for everyone.

I could say something that is exactly what one person needs to hear, and that same idea could be triggering and not helpful to someone else. That is okay! I can trust people to trust THEMSELVES in choosing what to listen to and take in, and what to pass by.

Unfortunately, some people hold so much hurt and pain inside that rather than passing by the things they don't resonate with, they feel the need to attack and spread the hurt they feel.

This is not something personal! I have so much compassion for those people and always wish them love and happiness.

You don’t need anything else to start enjoying your life.

(AM): Would you say that social media has played a huge role in your career so far? How important is it for you to establish a real relationship with your followers?

(EC): It has definitely opened doors for me! At a certain point of growth, maintaining a connection to individual followers becomes truly overwhelming. My DM’s are constantly flooded.

I do my best to connect where I can and make myself available when I can, but I have learned A LOT about boundaries for my own mental health. Social media and anxiety do not make good friends.

I think we culturally have very high expectations of influencers to be fully available to their audience; otherwise, they “don’t care.” However, we need to have compassion for how demanding that can be.

If it is already as difficult as it is for me as a somewhat smaller influencer, I can’t imagine the pressure on people with even larger followings.

(AM): Now that working from home has become the rule for most of us because of COVID, how do you balance work and personal life?

(EC): It is so hard! I try to have a hard stop time for my workday, but I don’t always succeed. I’m a recovering workaholic, and I love what I do so much!

(AM): What is something that Emily Capshaw likes to do in her free time?

(EC): I love surfing and traveling and being in nature. I love anything that makes me laugh a lot. And food. I really love food.

(AM): What is the best piece of advice you have ever received and from who?

(EC): Sadhguru, one of the teachers I have studied under, says to ask yourself before bed every day, “If I don’t wake up tomorrow, am I happy with how I spent today as my last day alive?”

If the answer is no, you know what you need to change if you are lucky enough to wake up with another chance.

(AM): Who or what is your biggest inspiration in life? And why?

(EC): Nature, because it is beautiful without trying and flows in perfect synchronicity with the seasons of life. When I need inspiration, I look to nature to remind me that I, too, am part of it, and I, too, can be at peace with the changes.

(AM): What is a lesson you wish you could be able to share with the world? You can start with our readers!

(EC): You don’t need anything else to start enjoying your life. You are alive NOW, you are enough, you have enough, and everything is already perfect. So, go play. And go experience love. That is what you came here for.

(AM): What is on the horizon for Emily Capshaw? What can we expect from you in the near future?

(EC): In the spring, I am releasing a meditation course. I will be sharing all of my favorite meditation techniques that have changed my life, with guided audio experiences for each.

The second season of my podcast will come out in the spring as well. In the summer, I will be premiering my new scripted series on my YouTube channel. And in the fall, I will be dropping my first poetry book.

To keep up with all that, you can follow my Instagram and TikTok @emily.capshaw, and subscribe to my YouTube channel, Emily Joy Capshaw.

After reading all this, it’s fair to say that Emily Capshaw’s mind is, indeed, always trying to find new ways to share her creativity with her fans and followers. Way to go!