Christine Mantyla, Paralegal, Realtor, and Co-founder of a Veterans' Series Virtual Forum, never donned a naval uniform. Yet, her passion resonates with the same devotion as those who have served.
We delve into the crucible of authenticity, confront addiction, and grapple with inherited trauma, all the while recognizing the silent battles against invisible illnesses like Fibromyalgia.
By sharing these vulnerabilities, Christine and I aim to light a beacon for those navigating tumultuous life challenges, affirming the transformative power of service and the strength we gain when we work together.
Guest Links:
Christine Mantyla, Paralegal, Realtor, and Co-founder of a Veterans' Series Virtual Forum, never donned a naval uniform. Yet, her passion resonates with the same devotion as those who have served.
We delve into the crucible of authenticity, confront addiction, and grapple with inherited trauma, all the while recognizing the silent battles against invisible illnesses like Fibromyalgia.
By sharing these vulnerabilities, Christine and I aim to light a beacon for those navigating tumultuous life challenges, affirming the transformative power of service and the strength we gain when we work together.
Guest Links:
Welcome back to unarmored talk podcast. Thank you so much for listening and watching each episode and continue pleased to share with your friends and family members and colleagues, and don't forget to leave a rating or review if you feel this is a awesome show. And you can connect to all of my social media on the parade deck Just look in a show notes or you can put in the search engine Mario P Fields parade deck and get all access To my social media. Well, let's get ready to interview another guest who is willing to remove their armor to help other people. Welcome back everyone to unarmored talk podcast. I'm still your host, mario P Fields. I'm gonna try to be your host for the next 25,000 years, but unless you guys fire me. But other than that, we have another amazing guest who's willing to remove her armor to help people gain a better understanding of those Emotions and then how the thought process can make a difference while living. Christine Mantilla is here. What's going on, christine?
Christine Montyla:Hey, it's great to be here with you finally. I'm in front of you years now and talking is just like this is gonna be great, or do what we're gonna say right, you know everyone is kind of like.
Mario P. Fields:You know I'm sitting in my Office in the Carolinas with the friend Christine, because we've we've known each other virtually for quite some time and and we'll get to that and we'll finally get a chance to meet in person here soon. This amazing event before we get to our, our amazing guests again. Thank you guys for getting us ranked number 22 on good pods. That was pretty cool. I'm still learning a lot about that platform. It's an amazing platform, but can't you guys know this? I believe this, everyone I cannot achieve anything without your support. And then, of course, the charitable, charitable donations that you guys have generated on the audio side and on the YouTube channel. So, thank you and continue to share, subscribe, follow and all that good stuff.
Mario P. Fields:And if you have a topic that you would like for me to talk about or maybe bring someone on the show that maybe fit the Kind of framework of that, just send me an email at host at an armor talk comm. That's host at Unarmored talk calm. We're done with this stuff. Ladies and gentlemen, everyone, I don't have that little button. I don't think I will ever be able to afford it. Christine, christine Mantilla, please, blessing grace our audience with Telling them a little bit about yourself.
Christine Montyla:Ah, all right, so I'm Christine Mantilla. I Don't know where to start. I live in California, orange County, and when should I start? I Got to meet this wonderful host right here through an incredible friend of mine, who I got to meet through the incredible work that I do in the community, which kind of involves just connecting and so in. Yeah, I don't even know where to start with my story. Let's say that During COVID, when everything closed, we took the community and we took People who wanted to stay connected and put it on zoom just like everyone else, and so I've had the opportunity to meet amazing people, amazing speakers, amazing people in the community who don't even think they're speakers, who have the best story, and I got to continue some work that I love doing with veterans.
Christine Montyla:So that's kind of mid in the story for me. I Started out as well. I guess we can go back, right. I started out as a kid let's go all the way back to about 11, 12 years old and I thought that Nothing would touch me, like I just knew everything. Nothing was gonna touch me.
Christine Montyla:And, you know, I feel like maybe we don't know this when we're kids it's, but at that time that's like a turning point in life and in your decisions matter and you don't know that they matter. And so at that time I Started drinking and doing all kinds of other things very, very young, and I had all these dreams of Becoming, you know, this or becoming that. And one of my dreams that was far off was going into the Navy. And At that time I thought you know, it's there, I'll do that one day. I have family that were military, navy, army. And so Fast-forward to Teenage years.
Christine Montyla:I drank, I drank a lot, I had fun, I got a lot of trouble, I made choices I shouldn't, so things were put off right and so I. I even ended up in college, somehow ended up in college Before graduating high school. So I had to go back and get my GED, so college would count. And In the midst of all this chaos and craziness, I thought that at that time Okay, it's time to go into the military. I don't mission together, everything's crazy. Let's go into the Navy now and worked with a recruiter for quite a long time and it didn't work out.
Mario P. Fields:Those choices that I had made.
Mario P. Fields:Yeah, and you know it's interesting, I would have never known that. Just so you guys all know, Christine is also the co-founder. I mean, she's such a very humble person but just an amazing connector. By the way, I think the majority of the 18 star connections I've had is from Christine. But Christine is also the co-founder of this amazing platform called the Veteran Series that she kind of had mentioned during COVID that she started up. I'm glad you brought that up because I was going to ask you you're so passionate about helping veterans. I've seen you do more things in the virtual space in Southern California for veterans and then I noticed you and I just getting to know each other. You had never served, so let's talk about when you didn't get into the Navy. How did that like? How did that inspire you to just be so passionate for veterans?
Mario P. Fields:Because a lot of people. When they don't get in, they get rejected. You can go the other way.
Christine Montyla:Well, it's funny you say that like it's growth, it's a process. So when I didn't get in it was kind of a shock. They kept me at meps a third day and they said I would not adapt to military lifestyle because I had no respect for authority. And it didn't even hit me Like I understood what they were saying. I kind of knew why they were saying it. I thought whatever, whatever, right.
Mario P. Fields:At least they did you a favor. They were like all right here's the deal of their candidate. We just asked you to shut the front door. You kind of gave us an attitude. Now we're going to dequeue you.
Christine Montyla:What would have happened if I would have gotten in, you tell me, as a drill instructor? What would have happened if I would have said you know a normal Christine response?
Mario P. Fields:Yeah that's right. That's why I said they were like we're going to do you a favor, we see potential with you, young lady, not in the Department of Defense.
Christine Montyla:Exactly. Wow, it took quite a long time for me to get it. I think that was probably 2000 and maybe it was 2000, 2001. So it took a while. It took a while. I got sober in 2009, January 3rd 2009. And so it took quite a while.
Christine Montyla:So, in this journey of struggling and finding my way, I always knew I had a heart to help people and it could be anything. It could be serving the homeless, it could be going out and serving the community. It could be at work where I'm at work and I have the opportunity to join an event or join the bigger, larger community and show up through my job and work. And so fast forward, I end up going to school to become a paralegal and I get this great job in a law firm with an amazing attorney. So anyone needing an attorney in California look up. Mark Peacock represents law enforcement throughout California safety and veterans and so in that time of learning and getting sober and growing, there was a lot of me that I was finding out who I am, and a lot of it had to do with service. Honestly, it didn't matter what service it was. Sometimes I would bring my kids to meetings when they were in a stroller.
Christine Montyla:So I got help other people who were in the same situation as me, and so when it came to working in the law firm with Peacock Law, we did a lot for veterans.
Christine Montyla:That opened up a new space for helping and giving back In this community that I wanted so much to be a part of at one time where that dream was taken away. When something like that's taken away, it's almost like you either accept it or you shove it. You don't even think about it because it's so painful. I think that I just stuffed it because it was like there were a few of those moments where I wanted to be this or I wanted to do this. The Navy was one of them where I didn't accept it but I couldn't think about it because it was too painful, it just sucked In. Working with veterans in this space, with the law firm, it was incredible because I got to be a part of this community, this brother and sisterhood of people who are serving, and I got to serve them. I really found a passion for wow. This is a way where what I lost wasn't lost.
Mario P. Fields:I like it, christine, interesting. Thank you first of all, but I see a lot of veterans and just people in general that addiction to whatever substance it could be alcohol, drugs, pornography, whatever but addiction and how that addiction can suppress the gifts they have, prevent them from achieving what you just highlighted. It's a choice. Sometimes it's tough, we know that. But I love how you said that once you chose to start to address the alcohol addiction and those things, how it was able to allow you to reveal your ability to serve others. Do you believe that if you wouldn't have made that choice, do you believe you would have been kind of near this position with the amount of service you provided to people, including veterans?
Christine Montyla:No, not that I was selfish before, but we all have a level of me, me, me and I don't think I ever would have grown in that way to see how really helping other people is helping myself, my family and my community. I don't think I've ever been here.
Mario P. Fields:Wow, wow, because we see it a lot and it's tough. I mean, we see it, but now here you are, at this law firm and now you get exposed to veterans and providing services to veterans, and of course, the Navy was like all right, here's the deal. First of all, don't join the Marines.
Christine Montyla:Oh my goodness, I hate to say it, I never tried. They were like all right, young lady, there's a cup of coffee.
Mario P. Fields:Let's check it out here. First of all, don't go into law enforcement.
Christine Montyla:Well, now that you say that, I mean if you want me to share a little bit about that, I'm going to talk Because I would you know, I want folks to understand your journey and what things you need to do.
Mario P. Fields:And then why? Folks to understand your journey and what things that you went through. And then how did you think? Through these things, you did some self-reflection. And then now look at where you are today in the amazing impact that way they know. Hey, you know we're not perfect, but if you think you're things, if you think, do some self-reflection, you can do something similar, you can improve.
Christine Montyla:You can. However, I want to say this in two ways. One is there are, you know, we all have the ability for a second chance and sometimes in this world we live in, second chances aren't given on paper. There is not that time to take a look at who that individual is and what they've gone through and how they've changed. And I say that when you say go into law enforcement because I could never, I could never and because of my past. And it sucks because if I did want to, I could benefit a lot of people and I did have a department interested in sharing a position with me not that long ago and based on what I've done, and I guess I could try. But when you assault a few officers in a few different departments as a five foot four hundred pound female who's got an attitude, it's a problem. It's a problem and thank God I don't have actual charges Right Because of the situation and it wasn't. It wasn't as it was serious, it's not.
Christine Montyla:It's serious when you do something like that However when you make those choices and you're drinking and you're under the influence and you're young and stupid, you know, sometimes I just wish there was more second chances on paper or the ability to get to know someone. So I do say that there were mistakes that I made. There were mistakes that I made that right now, if I did a live scan, there's still DOJ record. However, I have no charges. There's nothing I can get expunged, but it will always pop up.
Christine Montyla:Right, I have friends in the community that are law enforcement. I've supported my local law enforcement. I actually do work now with a beautiful charity called K9 Armor, who helps vest our K9 heroes with Bulletproof Spike for bests all throughout California, and so they're great things that I get to do now and be a part of. However, you know and sometimes this is a fear of mine I wonder if your listeners have this If I wrote down my name and had them do a search on me, I'd be afraid for what they pop up. You know what comes up, not that there are many charges, but when somebody sees and a salt.
Mario P. Fields:Yeah, they're like, even if it was 1800s, it's going, it happened, it, you know. But you know. But I like how you said hey, here's a day, here's a deal, you know, there's there's this thing called second chances, if you will, or third or more, because we make so many mistakes that that you can create for yourself. But then there's other frameworks and other industries that they don't give you a second chance on paper or an industry. But look at you, it didn't stop you and everybody. If you guys don't know, you know, we'll put the links in the show notes and everything.
Mario P. Fields:The amazing things that Christine is doing, as she has done, as she continues to do, is amazing, and and I love how you didn't allow your, your, your past to be a crutch, an anchor. There's so many folks I've seen that are emotionally enslaved to, to their mistakes, that they believe and and so how, what, what did you do to go? You know what? You know what? That? Yes, I am not proud of some of this stuff. However, I'm not going to allow it to be quicksand if you I use that metaphor in Me pursuing what I am passionate about doing. What are some thought processes?
Christine Montyla:Well, I can tell you, especially when starting with Representing law enforcement, like we did, and those were our clients I made jokes about it. They they knew me from this person over here who were I was helping them, you know, with a case with their lives. It was important to them and I was doing work for them and serving them even in that little minuscule way. Right, it's my job, but I took that a step further in it Not just be my job, but I'm serving them and that means a lot and I would make jokes, I would do activities with nonprofits and large community events with law enforcement and I would make jokes about it and let everyone know. And I think, being Ridiculously honest about who I am and what I've done, and not trying to be something I'm not really really helped, because then it was funny, like really this person is, and Sometimes it was an awkward honest, right, like I'm gonna tell you before you find out, cuz hell, you know, I never knew who was gonna look me up. I have friends in the FBI. I never knew which one of my friends, who knew me from helping over here and doing great things over here, was gonna run my knee, right, so like, let me just tell you first, and then, shit, even if you got to be awkward, I just had to keep Keep showing up and doing me. And you know, sometimes there were uncomfortable situations or where people didn't Get me or like me, or or they thought, oh, she's just trying to Do this for some odd reason and that's okay, that's okay. You know, the people that really know me know why I am there. I actually show up, I'm gonna be there. When I say I'm gonna be there, sometimes you don't need to pay me because if I'm gonna volunteer for, you know, an on-profit with you or help you, that's what I'm gonna do.
Christine Montyla:And I think in people seeing me show up and actually do this, things that I said I was gonna do and not for anything, not for clout, not for money in a sense it was. It was so rewarding and fulfilling for me. That felt like payment and I love it. And then I began meeting all these incredible people. And then you know, meeting the lieutenant, meeting the chief, meeting the, the director of this nonprofit, the founder over here, meeting amazing people like you and all the amazing people that I've gotten to introduce to you and others. To me that's a gift and I feel like I'm serving, just being a part of that. So at some point you keep doing the motions, even through that feeling you know of not being enough or not fitting in or whatever it may be. And through those motions you find who you really are. And it doesn't matter what people think not everyone's gonna like me tough shit.
Mario P. Fields:Right, yeah, there's about 8.5 billion humans on earth. I'm not checking. I know it's probably about 8 billion. I'm going. Who's that? Mario dude he's. I can't stand him.
Christine Montyla:He thinks he's trying everybody's gotta love you, you know, and.
Mario P. Fields:I love how you talked about, you know, finding things that are meaningful to you. You know focusing, you know what. Who am I Getting, gaining a better version of yourself? And what does that even mean? And, like you said, hey, you know what, if it's meaningful to me, I didn't hurt anybody. Now, I did, you know I didn't hurt anybody, you know as a joke, but you know I didn't hurt anybody.
Mario P. Fields:I'm just being authentic, I'm being intentional and really, am I going home and did I do things that are meaningful to me? First, you know it's not, you know. And so I love how you said that, because I, you know, I even struggled with this before, but you know you worried about what others think. You know, are you doing, yeah, are they gonna accept you, especially folks that are I mean, this applies to anyone in any industry Am I going to be accepted? So here's one question, christine, my friend, that I just thought of. It's not one of strict ones. I don't run a show like that, but you know, oftentimes, oftentimes, you hear people that talk about how they change their lives After they recognized, they accepted their addiction and then they started to make decisions to, you know, to move, to improve, not not allow the addiction to control them. When you looking back, did you ever get to a point where you were like Now I know why I was drinking so much alcohol or whatever, or the reasons why did you ever get to that point?
Mario P. Fields:You're like, well, that's why I was not just really want to have a lot of fun, or whatever it was because of. Did you ever? Did that ever happen?
Christine Montyla:It did. I found out later, and through a lot of misdiagnosis, that there are Two reasons why you know I have one.
Christine Montyla:I grew up in a home with an alcoholic father who struggled with it and His last, and maybe he got sober a little bit before, but his last five years of life see a cancer, his last five years of life he got sober, and so I got to see where that generational pain and things that maybe are Parents, are grandparents or grandparents, parents, you know this, family things. Sometimes I and I don't understand the science of this, but they do get past you and we feel them. I like, for instance, I never had food insecurity growing up. However, my father did, and I realize now I do things, and so does my son, that Are a reflection of food insecurity as a little strange and I think, wow, like last night we were at a restaurant and he didn't finish his food. I was like, well, we have to wrap this up and give it to him where there's there's no way we're throwing this way Stunt was hungry, and so I say that to say that you know, there, there are things that I think trauma is in our Family and our ancestry that actually are pasty I'm so I feel like there was, you know, something on that set, on that end.
Christine Montyla:And Then I have fibromyalgia and that's an illness that is invisible, a lot of people don't believe in and I can tell you it's real and it exists, and Someone is as famous as Lady Gaga has talked about her struggles with this. And I also have arthritis and I'm 43 years old and so this pain that I had my mother remembers Things like taking me to the doctor with migraines and pain in my knees and joints when I was eight and they just said it's probably pains, it's just this.
Christine Montyla:And then when I had children, I see that in my children and that's a whole mother's story, but that was one of the things I was trying to take care of and so I had that first 151 shot when I was eight years old because I went and grabbed it in the cover because I knew it was there and thought I could do this. I couldn't.
Mario P. Fields:You could try blows far.
Christine Montyla:No, that was the first. That was the first and it's awful. I know whole experience.
Christine Montyla:But yeah going after there was this, you know alcohol, beer, tequila it all comforted. And then I moved up anything that would stop the pain. And then that pain I yeah, I was diagnosed with a mental health disorder and it got to the point where, when I actually addressed the problem, took away the, the substances and went and looked at Myself as a whole with a medical professional. It was this fibromyalgia and this constant pain I was running from and trying yet anyone to listen to me. And there was a point where I had an issue when if I had gone to the hospital ten minutes later I would have died, and only one medical professional listened to me. I was sent away from the ER, called a drug seeker, and at that point I thought, yeah, I'm drinking and using, but, but I'm not seeking drugs from you.
Christine Montyla:I can get them, so I was like help me and right so it was chasing someone, some medical professional, to listen to me and help me. And once I was able to address the alcohol and the substances and the medical portion, it was like a switch. There was not mental health problems, there was not all this other you know, all these other labels that were put on me, and I felt like that opened such a door to To go and just be me. Now. Am I perfect? No right, do my kids hate me some days? Yeah, you know what I mean. Do I have problems with communication sometimes, of course. However, it just made such a difference.
Christine Montyla:Being me and then accepting that's a hard part too. You got to accept it. So sometimes that awkwardness, you know, I've learned to just embrace it. It's me. You're gonna see my face look a certain way, so I can't hide a feeling. It's just, I am who I am. And once you start walking in that for yourself, I feel like it's such an amazing blessing because then you're able to go on and bless others in whatever way God's or your Creator has. You know the gift that he's given you to go do it's well.
Mario P. Fields:Well, christine, I am, I am so, so, beyond blessed that you chose, because it was a choice. I'm so, I'm so blessed that you have done that and, like you said, none of us are perfect. I mean, right now my feet can't even touch the ground as I'm into, I'm not even not. But seriously, you know what an amazing journey and it was a choice. I mean you didn't have to choose to continue to just Really really gain a better understanding of the why and accept it and remove your armor to help others.
Mario P. Fields:I believe there's at least one listener, viewers gonna listen, watch this, and I believe it's gonna inspire, motivate them To take that step. And so you guys heard it, you know, from Christine. You know, take the step, look at your family history, get out, you know, challenge your belief system, do some research. But remember you have more to give and I tell you what guys, you guys seeing Christine, if you haven't, you know, get on, get on on social media. I'll give her a second here to give her her links. But the last thing I want to add to Christine and what she was saying I was listening is passion, and there's no university of passion in the world and no matter what many folks think she's awkward or not, man, you can't doubt that, oh my gosh, you're your passion for humans and veterans and helping people. It's just amazing. So, christine, please one last piece of advice for the listeners and viewers. And how can they find you? Over to you, christine, oh.
Christine Montyla:Okay, wait, there's something I want to interject in here.
Christine Montyla:Yeah how I met you. So we have an incredible well, I had an incredible series called the veteran series virtual forum which helps veterans. It's a place once a month to meet on zoom to connect with other veterans and resources, no matter where you are, and I was blessed enough to meet an amazing veteran named a wood a keel, who is the co-founder of the veteran series virtual forum. We have since grown and we are now a part of mill to vet, which is a wonderful transitioning podcast, and In our creation of the veteran series virtual forum, our dear friend a wood was the link to Mario and I and I love that I Get to continue what we are doing for veterans with the veteran series forum and connecting people day.
Christine Montyla:Wood has since passed away. He got cancer from a previous issue in the military. We met Because he was doing amazing things connecting the community and providing resources to people. He had a passion to help people and I loved that and so when we did what we did together for the veteran series, they would introduce me to Mario and Mario. It has been incredible knowing you, meeting Nicole and, of course, only knowing you guys on zoom, but I feel like you guys are the best of my friends. I love it. I can't wait to see you guys live and, like I said before, I didn't know you were five two.
Christine Montyla:You're amazing personality, you and Nicole, you guys could be over six feet. But meeting you and doing what we do, I feel like now, since Steve wood is past. We continue our series to educate people on claims. He never did get his claim approved. We continue to help with resources, try to meet needs and if we can't meet needs, just listen, just listen and be a support. So, no matter where you are as a veteran, please find us at mill number two, vet Orger comm and look for the veteran series. We meet once a month and With that, you know I I am blessed to continue to do what I feel like was in Dave Wood's heart as well continue connecting amazing people and helping Mario.
Christine Montyla:I see so much of that in you and I know you do so much more. But you continue to connect veterans with amazing people, amazing stories, amazing resources and people like you. What you're doing, what you and Nicole are doing, it's just inspiring to me. It continues to give me passion to do what I'm doing. It helps me sharpen iron right, like I learned from you guys. I get better and I grow and I just thank you. I thank you. I'm so honored and blessed to be doing this with amazing people. So, dave Wood, thank you in heaven for watching down and helping us continue this mission to help veterans. And Mario, I appreciate you giving me the opportunity to share my story, because I haven't done that before.
Mario P. Fields:Yeah, that's why I'm on Armor Talk. It's so exclusive on Armor, the best in the world. Christine, I'm blushing. I mean I have a nice tan here, so I'm blushing my eyes Really. Thank you, god. Bless that, dave Wood as well, and just thank you. So I am, as I always say to all the guests, it's beautiful to see guests that are having fun and that are in their passion. And, with that said, I'm not going to keep you any longer on the show, but it's been a blessing and thank you so much. And everyone you guys want to do I'll see you guys in a couple of weeks, or you can hear me and I always say I see you guys, I won't see you. You will see me in a couple of weeks, or listen to this amazing voice. I guess and that's not my belief that's from feedback on the audio platforms. But until then.
Mario P. Fields:God bless you all, God bless your families, and God bless your friends. Bye, bye, christine.