Tea With TJ
Welcome to Tea with TJ! A Podcast on self-discovery where our love for tea, conversation, a deeper understanding of life, and self-improvement intersect. Life is messy and sometimes you just need a cup of tea!
Tea With TJ
Manifesting your Dreams with Broadway Star Anastacia Mccleskey
Broadway star Anastacia Mccleskey takes center stage on this episode of Tea with TJ, offering a captivating glimpse into her illustrious career that began at the American Musical and Dramatics Academy. From her debut in the national tour of "Hairspray" to shining performances in celebrated productions like "Tarzan," "Book of Mormon," and "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert," Stacey's journey is a testament to passion and perseverance. Discover her unique perspective on rebounding from the pandemic, her return to the stage in "Hercules" at the Paper Mill Playhouse, and her fascinating experiences on London's West End and in "Sex and the City 2."
Ever wondered how gratitude and abundance can manifest your dreams? Anastacia and I explore this transformative concept, sharing personal stories and practical advice on harnessing gratitude to live a fulfilling life. Listen as we discuss the art of writing down goals and then releasing them to the universe, revealing how this approach can reduce the pressure and fear surrounding auditions and life’s unpredictable events. You’ll learn the value of embracing the present and how seeing abundance in the small things can lead to a more meaningful existence.
Explore the intersection of creativity, spirituality, and self-awareness with Anastacia as she opens up about her journey of self-love and discovery. We touch on the importance of solitude, energy practices for artists, and Stacey's inspiration behind her TikTok series "Hello Beautiful Spirits." From sound baths to protective energy techniques, Anastacia shares insights into maintaining balance while navigating the pressures of performing. This episode is a heartfelt exploration of personal growth, offering listeners inspiration and practical tools to foster self-awareness and inner strength.
Join us in conversation on socials:
Youtube
Instagram
Tik Tok
Twitter
Threads
Hey friends, it's TJ, and you're listening to Tea with TJ, where our love for tea, conversation and self-improvement intersect. So let's take a deeper dive into my cup and let's have a chat. Hey friends, it's TJ. Welcome back to another episode of Tea with TJ, and today I have a very special guest, broadway star Stacey. So could you just tell me your story?
Anastacia :Well, my story. Well, you know, my government name is Anastasia McCluskey, but I definitely go by Stacey S-T-A-C-Y, and I'm originally from Nashville, tennessee, born and raised. I moved to New York when I was 18 to go to AMDA, the American Musical and Dramatics Academy, when it was a two-year program. This was a minute ago. I come from a family that has been very supportive of my career, thank God, a very, I would say, moderate kind of conservative, kind of liberal Christian family in the South. Father was an engineer and a preacher, mother was an educator, and I have two older brothers who are also actors and activists in their own right and now are both entrepreneurs.
Anastacia :And I moved here when I was 18, like I said, and right out of AMDA I booked my first show, which was the first national tour of Hairspray. Out of AMDA I booked my first show, which was the first national tour of Hairspray, and that was exciting because I got to learn from a lot of people that were much older than me on that tour about the business, about professionalism, about work ethic, about just life in general. I made a lot of great friends on that tour that are still friends today. And then I made my Broadway debut when I was about 22 in Tarzan, I was an ape.
TJ:Oh, wow. I love telling people that I love that. I don't think I did that.
Anastacia :And that was exciting because I got to work with Phil Collins, bob Crawley, david Henry Wong and just learn. It was a four-month rehearsal process out in Steiner Studios in Brooklyn, learning how to ape, and our amazing flight captain or choreographer Pichon, who conceptualized Fuerza Bruta and De La Guarda. He did all our flight choreography, so it was really cool to work with him. Forza Bruta and De La Guarda he did all our flight choreography, so it was really cool to work with him. Even though I ended up not flying in the show, I was more so a singer that kind of did dance movement throughout that piece. From there, when I think about my career, I'm like what was next? I can't remember. I think I then did some regional work. I think around that time I did the Sex and the City 2 movie. Yes, yes, you did, yes, you did. I remember.
Anastacia :They had originally hired Bette Midler's harlots when she was doing her Vegas show. They couldn't make it, so they hired me and two other girls to do the opening wedding scene in Sex and the City 2, which is really exciting. Then I went on as far as Broadway's concerned. I did Book of Mormon. I did Hair, which was a life-changing experience for me. It just kind of opened me up to my truest self. Um, I did Priscilla, queen of the Desert. I was one of the divas. That was really exciting too. Um. Then I went on to do Waitress, um, well, Violet. Then Waitress, um, and then, uh, carolina Change. And the cool thing about Carolina Change was one I always loved this score Janine Tesori, genius, um, but pre pandemic um.
TJ:I was the standby for Carol Dottie and the washing machine.
Anastacia :Oh, wow, oh wow yeah, which you know was really dope. Um, and then the shutdown happened and when the show came back, I went back to Waitress, because Waitress came back to Broadway, and so I didn't do Carolina Change but, as life would have it, I ended up. Well, I did Annie Live right after I left Waitress, but then, as life would have it, I got to go back and do Carolina Change, replacing the amazing Tamika Lawrence as Dottie. Replacing the amazing Tamika Lawrence as Dottie, so then playing opposite of Sharon Clark and just being with that cast that I love so much pre-pandemic I thought that was really a nice bookend for that piece. And then I left the city for two years. Oh, wow, wow.
Anastacia :I left New York and I wanted to travel more. You know, after the pandemic I felt like the city was still trying to recover energetically, wise. Um, the energy was still a little sad and somber because the pandemic did a number on all of us. Um, it was life changing and so I was like I want to travel, I can make art anywhere, I don't need to be in New York. Got rid of my place. I'll also say I did go to London. I worked on the West End. I did an amazing show called Close to you, originally called what's it All About? It was all Burt Backrack music reimagined.
Anastacia :Yes, I remember that A dear friend of mine, kyle, wrote that, put it together and that was really cool because we got to work with Bert and meet him and he has since transitioned. But yeah, I left the city for two years. I went to Seattle to work on a new show. I did some work at Barrington Stage, traveled, ate good food, rested, saw my family you know we sacrificed so much in this career and saw friends and extended family members that I hadn't seen in years and then I finally came back.
Anastacia :I was summoned back. I always said I wouldn't come back to New York until it called me back. So I was summoned back to do Hercules at Paper Mill. Yes, that was really exciting, um, to do that piece. Um, because I got to work with people that have been my friends since I moved to this city. Um, I always said the, the other four muses, we are divinely aligned because we're in the same place, kind of in life, in our careers. We have a similar spiritual practices, so it's nice to come together with those ladies and work on that piece. Um, oh, I skipped a project that I really loved. Um, I did secret life of bees at the atlantic theater.
Anastacia :Oh, yes, I forgot about that, where I got to play may, and I really, really loved that because I got to work with lejean's, say, con, isa davis and so many other amazing artists. And another show I worked on, which I was the choreographer for, was Mighty Real, a Sylvester musical, yes, that Anthony Wayne and Ken Drell created. Um, that I got to working with them and my best friend, jacqueline Arnold, um, and we played Azora and Martha. But, um, yeah, summon Back did Hercules. It was amazing. And then I kind of was still in and out until I was fully summoned back to work on Sufts, which I am now in currently, and you know it was a. It was one of those things where I was like I don't know if I want to come back and do this, I can do this I don't know if this is the project that I come back to New York on.
Anastacia :And I had a dream, and this is when I talk about like understanding that all of our purposes will be fulfilled. The purpose will be fulfilled right, because we're going to flow. Life's going to happen. Everything is already predestined, but it's about hearing the calling and understanding that you have to make certain decisions or certain moves in life that you, your conscious, your current awareness might not want to, but it's not about you.
TJ:Exactly.
Anastacia :And so I had a dream where I met Mary Church Terrell, who I play in the piece, and she was like it's going to be okay, but this is you know, the energy was saying this is what you need to do. So I said yes to the project and came back. We started rehearsals in February, we previewed in March, opened in April, and it has been one of the most life-changing experiences of my career. Honestly, I've met some amazing people. I get to work with a cast of women and non-binary humans that are just talented and divine in their own right, and the creative team all women, our lead producers women, and so that brings a different energy to the room, to the piece, how we show up, no matter how we're feeling, and so that's been a true gift. I'm very grateful.
TJ:That's amazing, no matter how we're feeling, and so that's been a true gift. I'm very grateful. That's amazing. I've not had a chance to see you in stuff yet, but when you were going through your very illustrious career there's a lot of stuff that I didn't know that you had been a part of.
TJ:I met you or saw you on stage rather for the first time in Priscilla, queen of the Desert, which was mind blowing to me. I think maybe the second year of me being in New York City, ok, and it was also the first job I had here, ok, that company that I worked for. So just being able to see you up there and perform every night, I was like, wow, this person is amazing. See you up there and and perform every night. I was like, wow, this person is amazing. Um, and then I got a chance to actually meet you in person a few years back, post pandemic and during the time of Broadway, coming back, um, in an office setting where I worked and you were at that time I think was that pre waitress during waitress or like yeah, it might pre, maybe post, I don't know what, but what is time I know um, but I remember us having a conversation in that space in me being very enamored and being like this human.
TJ:I feel like this, this human sees me and I feel like we are in alignment. And then, of course, the connective tissue of also being from down south yes, yes there's just something about southerners that you immediately recognize when you meet in New York City.
Anastacia :Yeah, and so.
TJ:I remember, and I kind of kept it in the back of my mind I was like I want to get to know more about this person, and so that's led us here today.
Anastacia :Yes.
TJ:So when we were thinking of topics for the show, for your episode, one of the topics on the list was manifesting your dreams and you kind of hinted at that in your beautiful introduction. Uh, so I'm curious to know what does that, what does that mean to you to manifest your dreams, and how, um, how thick is that like in your soul of like trying to actually accomplish that on a daily basis?
Anastacia :Yeah, you know, we all have dreams and goals and I do believe in planning and setting those goals and then making a plan to achieve those goals and make those dreams happen. I also believe in writing stuff down and letting it go, because when you, when you're constantly focusing on what you want and don't have, you're missing out on being able to sit in the abundance that you do have. You know, I want to be a mother, right, but I have a dog. I am a mother.
Anastacia :My mother reminds me of that all the time. She's like you are a parent and so I have a dog. I am a mother. My mother reminds me of that all the time.
Anastacia :She's like you are a parent, and so I have to remind myself that, like release, that If that is meant to happen for me, then it will. If it is not, then it won't. My life will still be full and abundant, but also practicing gratitude, and gratitude for the small things. This cup of water you know what I'm saying this cup of tea sitting here with you, breath of life, being able to walk and see and hear, um, being able to use the talents that come through this vessel to to teach people, to heal people, to commune with people, and so I think that's all a part of the manifestation.
Anastacia :But when you truly sit in abundance and gratitude, all your wants and desires will come to you, you will attract them to you, and it's 10 times out of 10 not going to show up how you think it's supposed to show up. A lot of times it'll show up a lot better. And no matter what you believe in or who you pray to or whatnot, I always say say thank you to that energy, because that energy is facilitating this for you. It is it. Like I said, everything's predestined, everything's laid out. I don't believe in coincidences either. So everything's laid out, every path you think that you're going right. You think that you're doing that on your own, you're being guided and led there. So I think just sitting in the gratitude and abundance is the biggest part of manifestation and releasing it.
TJ:And saying, hmm, I'll be fine. That's amazing. I love that, where I have started to gain a better grasp on what it means to manifest and what, um, what that practice can look like for me. Um, because you've mentioned something that I think I've started doing now and it's.
TJ:It's funny how the universe will align things and transmit thoughts without even saying words, but I've gotten in the habit of writing things down that bother me and burning it or letting it go or or like throwing it in the trash. Um in, I had a moment and I think I've mentioned this a few times on the show before I had an acting teacher who, when I worked when I was at cat 21, it was like a summer training program and he mentioned.
TJ:He was like the acting um technique teacher and he was like you know, the biggest thing that actors have a problem with when it comes to auditioning is letting go of what happens after you leave the room. And he was like figure out, whatever that thing is for you to help, you kind of just leave it in the room. Yeah, and I remember coming out of that experience and the first time I tried it I this is still when we had paper sides, because I've become a digital person now but we had paper sides and I left an audition and I felt really good about it and I was like you know what? Mm-hmm.
TJ:I'm gonna throw this away. I'm not gonna keep it in my book, I'm gonna keep it in my bag, cuz at that time I was holding on to all of this stuff and I think that whole transformative moment really helped me to understand the idea of actually letting things go, because I think there is this sense of holding on to this idea of hope or whatever it is, and finally figuring out a way through it and not, um, clinging to it.
TJ:Yeah, uh, cause I do believe that there's a way that you can have hope and still move through life without actually, like you know, obsessively clinging to things.
Anastacia :Yeah, you got to flow. I flow I mean, I I think that that is so true when you hold tight it also it causes tension in your body and in your cells and you're telling your body that like fear, there's fear there. You know you don't want that. I would go a step further and say letting go before you even go into the room okay, letting go like and not.
Anastacia :I've booked a lot of my jobs by shuffling in and being like all right, um, you know, and and people, because what I'm learning in this industry is that people want to see you. Yeah yeah, they know what the text is you can build a character in the room, but they want to see you, yeah, and so when you just are like, let me show up as myself and do this also, those people behind the table cannot do what you can do come on now they, they just can't.
Anastacia :They might be amazing writers and choreographers and directors, but they can't sing, act, dance, convey a character like you can. That's why they sitting on that side Exactly and not all, let me be clear Like there's some on that side that can, but still, you know, yeah.
TJ:That's a whole Jesus Like that is a. That's a concept that I struggled with even coming out of the training program and still trying to find my footing amongst everyone. And I had a conversation with Will, who has also been a guest on this season, because he is performed and, like he's a, he's an all-around creative and beautiful human. But we were talking in our episode where you know, trying to, trying to um prove yourself in the room is also not conducive to like just showing up.
TJ:Yeah right, because you can feel the energy is very palpable you can feel it when you walk into the room. You can feel the desperation, not to say that people are desperate for a job. We're all looking for a job, but you can feel that coming off of someone and that's not going to be conducive to the character that you're trying to create.
Anastacia :Exactly. Also, what is for you will never pass you by. Yeah, yeah. So breathe life into that and just be easy.
TJ:What would you say has been outside of on stage performing? What do you think has been like the most magnificent dream of yours that has kind of like starting, started to come to life or is currently fully fleshed out?
Anastacia :Um, I don't think anything is ever fully fleshed out Okay, that's fair. Um, I don't think anything is ever fully fleshed out okay, that's right. I feel like everything is always in draft, um, but I'm a writer and I had kind of allowed my writing to take a back seat to my own stage and television life, and so I this year. I've just met a lot of people that have reaffirmed that I need to pick back up where I left off, and so that is something I'm very excited about, because I have so many stories within me that need to be told that I've never seen, and I think, because my imagination runs wild, I think my stories could be very healing to people. I also just love that, like coming into myself. I always say I'm a late bloomer, I was a little emotionally delayed. I get that.
Anastacia :And so it's been nice to discover things about myself that I just am falling in love with, and I don't care what other people think about those things, or myself. Um and I think that comes with age Um, you just you start to realize that one nobody's really thinking about you, and and you stop worrying what other people are thinking and you just kind of live, enjoy that, and what I found is that by doing that, you again attract those things that you want, need and desire, because you're not worried about everybody, the external, you're here and everything that you need is right here. So be here. Yeah, so be here. So that's been really yummy, and it's also offered me. I love spending time by myself. I love it Same, it's quiet.
TJ:Yeah, it's very peaceful. It is a lot of my more solitude moments, I feel like, have brought me more clarity and it has allowed me to really kind of figure out the things that I want in life, the direction I want to go and what my position is in this humongous world that we live in humongous world that we live in? Um because I do feel, like you know, oftentimes we unfortunately can sometimes not see the bigger?
TJ:picture and ego can get in the way and we get stuck and hung up and focused on well, well, this person's doing this and why can't I? You know why?
Anastacia :is it?
TJ:happening for me, or why is it not, you know, doing it for me? And I agree with you that I do believe that the things that you want and desire and want out of the world will come to you once you actually just release those things yeah, um so.
TJ:I think you know, as as a performer, as a creative um, I've also noticed that you have started uh posting on TikTok, which I love, I absolutely love. It is it is my like, like my moments of inspiration, especially in the middle of the night when I'm scrolling and I am feeling some kind of way, or I need to pick me up because I often go to TikTok when I need a good laugh. But I love what you've been doing with beautiful souls, beautiful spirits beautiful spirits, sorry um, it's, it's so intimate and it's so intentional.
TJ:Where did that come from for you?
Anastacia :Oh, during the pandemic, I was in such a rut and I was just like I didn't want to get out of bed and I would go to my mirror and speak affirmations or speak life over myself, and I would always start by saying good morning, beautiful spirit, or hello, beautiful spirit. And then I just started thinking and I was like I want to share these thoughts with people and I was like we're all beautiful spirits, we're all beautiful lights, no matter what anyone has told you or how you feel. And so you know simple things, simple things like you know we are the creation and the creator. What do you do with that? You know? And and even if it touched one person, because I was like I'm not at the time, I wasn't trying to build a brand, I wasn't trying to like, and because that's just kind of not my vibe, I'm like let's just flow and see what happens.
Anastacia :And it's reached a lot of people. People feel seen or they're like oh, I needed this today and I'm like great, that's the goal. I also feel like information should be free. So if I have a thought that has helped me, that has healed me, that has made me feel safe, I'm going to give it to the world. They might have thought of it, but there are people out there that are like oh my God, and think about that. Wow, thank you. So that's where it came from and it's just kind of doing its own thing.
Anastacia :Right now We'll see what happens to build a program to go into schools to help kids between the age of first grade and, like eighth grade, understand, like I said, that everything that you need is inside of you.
Anastacia :You know if you're being bullied or if you are the person that is bullying. You know, don't let that go, look, look right here at yourself, let that go, look, look right here at yourself. Speaking affirmations over self doing, exercises where you look at self and say what are the things that I want and then releasing that it's all the things that we said. But offering that to children, because I feel like within our school system, especially public school system, you know these curriculums are set that try to make little workers worker beads. I mean, that's what the Board of Education was created to do is to make workers. But when you are making workers, people aren't understanding that they possess the secret of joy, they possess the divineness within, and so offering that to children at a young age I think will propel them into society, into high school and into society with a different perspective on life.
TJ:And then they'll ricochet that out to everyone else. I was a child, because I think so many of us, specifically black and black and brown folks, I feel like we're we're already underserved, as it is Right, and within our communities, in especially in the school system, and I don't know, I'm not speaking this over every school system, but where I grew up in Memphis, tennessee.
TJ:You know we had some things and some programs that existed, but looking at the bigger picture of the world, there are so many things that I was unprepared for. You know that I was just walking in blind and granted. I think I was fortunate enough to be in an arts program that allowed me to kind of like view the world in a different way and it helped me kind of shape the life that I actually wanted as an adult coming out of those experiences and going into college.
TJ:But so many people don't have that. Yeah. And I feel like there were even there were people in my, like, high school that didn't have, you know, any type of artistic presence, and so that that idea I think amazing and I and I hope that it is, you know, on track to to coming it's, it's doing its thing, it's percolating out there.
Anastacia :But you know also like social media has done a number on humans in general, yeah, on on the youths of the world, it really does a number, because there are a lot of kids that don't like themselves, they don't love themselves, and then some of them are in communities that don't uplift and encourage.
TJ:So, yeah, you mentioned something about affirmations which I don't think I've had a guest bring up yet, but I want to touch on it while we're in this moment and acknowledge it. What if you could give any advice to someone who may be listening or watching, um, that is trying to pull themselves out of a rut or potentially get into a place where they can start saying affirmations out loud for themselves? What would you recommend?
Anastacia :I am and and breathing into that. I looking in the mirror and saying I am, I think about the chakras as you go up, I am is at the root chakra and all the way up to the crown chakra, which is I know, or I understand, I am divine. I understand that I am divine. I love that. I am divine.
Anastacia :I speak that I am divine. I love that I am divine, I speak that I am divine, I feel I know I attract my divinity. And going up those chakras from the root to the crown, speaking things over your life, whether it's I love myself, I love you, saying I love you to yourself, it sends a different vibration through your body. Looking at yourself naked and saying I love my body, hugging yourself and it's going to bring tears. But salt water waters the soul and we need that. Whether you're walking down the street or in the privacy of your home, it waters the soul. So I would start with I am, you know, going through the, the solar and and sacral, up to the heart, up to the throat, up to the third eye, up to the crown, and getting to I know and understand, and then ascending yourself on.
TJ:I love that. That is beautiful, thank you. It's funny because the conversation that I had with Will on his episode as well, we mentioned briefly chakras, because I was talking to him, because he is also a healer and I mentioned to him. I was like I'm always trying to figure out, like you can sense and I feel like creatives have a very, um, sensitive soul and you can tell when something's off right you can tell when your body's not right. You can tell like I feel like something's coming.
TJ:I don't know what it is, but I can, I can sense that it's there. Um, and I was speaking to him and and just mentioned I was like I always feel like I have problems with my root chakra, I feel like and.
TJ:I'm not, I'm not well versed, but I can sense where things are, yeah, Um, and I told him I was like, yeah, I always feel like there's something just off, even though I consider myself to be a very grounded person and people you know acknowledge that about me but I can tell I'm like, hmm, something I don't feel right, Like it's not right there Like throat chakra. I usually feel like that is in alignment.
TJ:My heart chakra I feel like is pretty good. Third eye and crown can vary for me sometimes, but usually the root chakra is where I sway a little too much and I'm like I got to figure out how to do this. So I mentioned to him, because he was talking about sound baths and I was like I really want to figure out a way to do this for myself or go somewhere or experience it so that I can try to just do a cleanse.
TJ:I guess, have you had any of those experiences, or is that something that you practice yourself?
Anastacia :I actually have never done a sound bath. I have a lot of friends that have actually been talking about these a lot lately. They've been going between shows or yeah, and I. It is something that I'm very interested in. I have, however, and I cannot remember the name of this place, if I'm going to look it up and I'll let you know I used to go to this place down in the 20s I think, like 23rd, between maybe Broadway and Sixth Probably wrong, but I know it was in Chelsea and it was a meditation space and I actually went in because they were selling this before weed was legal, but they were selling CBD products in the front and then in the back they had these rooms where you could go in, lay down, and they would do like a guided meditation or binaural tones, frequencies that would just relax your body. Um, so I have done that a lot. Um, and I do a lot of breath work too, which I think is important. Um, because we are sensitive as artists. We're very sensitive to the touch, to the spirit, to the mental.
TJ:We have to protect ourselves yeah, we were speaking in that last episode and how we landed into that conversation was that I was telling him I've always been, even as a child, very sensitive to sound and I was like I can't explain it. I don't know why, but rain sounds do something for me. The sound of thunder is very soothing. Certain types of music and tones are very calming for me. The sound of thunder is very soothing, um, like, certain types of music and tones are very like calming for me. Um, and I've, just as I've been, you know, grown up and become an adult. I've noticed it more and more and I'm like, when I'm feeling a little off, or when I'm feeling sad, or when I'm feeling, you know, whatever I will use usually, go to, you know, on YouTube a rain sound playlist, or I will take a shower in the dark and just listen to the water and not like visualize anything.
Anastacia :Well, we are 70% water.
TJ:So that makes sense, yeah that's true, that is true. You know, I am curious to know have you had any experiences, whether it be career-wise or just in life, where you've assisted with someone kind of adjusting to their life to help them manifest their dreams at?
Anastacia :all yeah, no, um, nothing like specifically comes to mind, but I think, you know, I think we all kind of do that with each other. Um, yeah, I mean spiritually I definitely think I have, I know I have um, monetarily I know I have um, yeah, and physically as well, um, and then also. But in those moments I also am very protective of my energy, because I think, when you're, I sense that I'm taking on other people's stuff a little more, because I know I I let me preface this by saying as an only child, as a Gemini, I know how to detach.
TJ:Sometimes it's not always the best method because people can take offense to it, but I know how to detach. Can you just share with our audience, um, what that looks like for you when you have to to go to that place?
Anastacia :Um, it's a lot of alone time. Now. If I'm with people, it can look like me stepping away, going to the bathroom, going outside to breathe to do some breath work.
Anastacia :I can also still engage, but what I'm doing with my body is I'm consciously pulling down a shade and what does that feel like? It feels like it feels good actually. And what does that feel like? It feels like it feels good actually because I always say that I walk through life watching, feel like I'm watching a movie, so I'm over here and everything else is over there, and it feels soothing because I get to partake and and watch and participate, but I also get to be a spectator, and so it feels and kind of looks like that okay.
TJ:I love that. I definitely have prior to living here when, I used to play trumpet when I was in high school. Um, there are a lot of musicians in my family and singers and all that kind of stuff, uh, but one of the things that would help me in those moments that I, when I needed to physically detach from other people or just the world in general, is, for some reason I felt the need to express the energy through my fingers.
TJ:So whether it was playing on the piano or like molding something or like kind of I won't say fidgeting with stuff, but getting that energy out. Now that looks like for me is going on a walk and like getting movement through my body. I'm still working towards getting back to a regular yoga practice because I've also noticed that over the years that has also been helpful.
Anastacia :Yeah.
TJ:And just being able to do some type of vinyasa flow yoga to just move all of that out of me. Do you feel like you have other practices outside of detachment to help with that, like movement of energy with yourself? Yeah.
Anastacia :Yoga is one of them. Working out, I love to like sweat, I love to run cycle. Prayer is one of them. Writing, of course, and being near water, I'm a water sign. With Pisces, I'm on the cusp of Pisces and Aries, so I like to say I'm a Pyre's. Okay, that fire and water, but doing something exciting and also going to the movies for me. I love movies and TV and jumping into a storyline that has nothing to do with me is very soothing and allows me to just. I call them my programs. I love it.
TJ:I love it, it's program that's what my grandma would say I'm watching my stories. Yes, yeah, grams, I love it. I love it, it's per gram.
Anastacia :As my grandma would say, I'm watching my stories, uh-huh. Yes. Yeah.
TJ:Well, we have made it to our time, but before we go, thank you so much for doing this.
Anastacia :Of course, thank you for having me.
TJ:This has been fun, and I'm speaking it into existence now that this will not be your last time on the show. But before we go, where can the folks find you?
Anastacia :you can find me on all social media platforms Instagram, I think it's Anastasia, that's A-N-A-S-T-A-C-I-A M-C-C official. You can find me on TikTok at hello beautiful spirits, which I'm going to change soon because I need to bring my dog back more onto TikTok. I feel like people love her a lot more than me and I'm okay with that because she's divine. And you can find me on Facebook too, if people are still doing that at Anastasia McCaskey. Okay, good to know, yeah, and come down to the music box and see Sufts.
TJ:Yes, yes, please support the Broadway theater. So we do this thing at Team of TJ, called the Last Three, just to give our folks a little bit of knowledge. You ready?
Anastacia :Yeah.
TJ:Where do you find the most peace?
Anastacia :In nature, in like the woods.
TJ:Same. Where do you find magic in the world?
Anastacia :Oh within.
TJ:Oh, okay, all right, all right. And then final question how do you practice gratitude?
Anastacia :Breath.
TJ:I love that yeah that's beautiful thank you. Thank you for doing this. This has been perfect and with that, I will see you next week, friends, and that's our show. Friends, thanks for joining us on Tea with TJ. Please rate, review and subscribe, and you can find us on Instagram at Tea with TJ Podcast. And, as always, stay kind, keep sipping and remember we're here, so we might as well do it, thank you.
