Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Bridgette Yang. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Bridgette, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
A lot of my confidence comes from surrounding myself with great people. I have very high standards for friendships, which has allowed me to cultivate a support system that not only reminds me of my worth but also pushes my potential. They believe in me even when I don’t believe in myself. They call me out on my mistakes and make me a better person. My entire support system is a web of beautiful evidence that I positively impact lives and can tell great stories.
My confidence also comes from spending my alone time very intentionally. I write, daydream, and read often. I am constantly questioning what lives in my mind and what aspects of life I’m drawn to at the moment. If you can’t tell people who you are then others will try to do it for you. I aim to be so grounded in my energy that when I step into public spaces and meet new people, I am so sure of who I am that no one else’s aura can shake me.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
During this particular season of life, I am very focused on writing and filmmaking. I say season because I’ve recently been trying to give more grace to the unknown. Like in three years I could dive into floristry or candle making and 23 year old me would never know. And while that most definitely freaks me out, I’m also trying to make my identity less about what I do and more about who I am.
But I digress. Given my track record, I’d say language and film makes up my current spine. My thoughts, feelings, and beliefs flesh it out and dictate how I move through the world. Poetry has taught me to slow down, the power of silence, and how to move people with as little as possible. Film has taught me the power in being a part of something bigger than yourself. How being on set with the right people feels like playing in your childhood bedroom.
To me, the pursuit of becoming a better storyteller is synonymous with the pursuit of becoming a better human being. It’s listening beyond the audible. What is the subtext of this person’s body language? What privilege do I hold, and how can I use it to uplift the voice of someone else?
I think you know when you love something, the way you know when you love a person, by the way everything traces back to it. Lots of my art is sparked by a song, by a conversation, or even a feeling like that one time I wanted to write a poem about how I cried in hot pilates. Everything is like a radio. You just have to decide what to tune into.
Right now, I am focused on a short film I’ve recently written and directed called “Fuck Instagram.” It’s about two ex-best friends who coincidentally get into the same Uber, years after their falling out. You can keep up with the details on Instagram @figfilm.fr.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I’ve learned many things that have positively impacted my journey, but one I think about often is soccer. It was the first experience of learning how to be a team player, and many other lessons I didn’t know would be great life metaphors. Even something as simple as using your head to hit the ball. If you let the ball hit you, it hurts. But if you go for it instead, it hurts way less. I think a lot of approaching fear is like that. It’s still terrifying going out of your comfort zone, but when you choose to do it you’re also bridging the fear with a kind of self-respect that only you can earn for yourself. And that kind of bravery is priceless.
When I was in middle school, I used to be on an improv acting team. My greatest takeaway was just saying yes and then going with a flow. Now, I realize that’s all post-grad life is. Saying yes to some things, and then figuring out whether or not I like it just by doing it. But it all starts from taking the leap.
And as much as a 12 year old me hates to hear it, playing a classical instrument for 10 years was actually really helpful. Music is a language that crosses borders. And while my poems might not be able to do that, I think my films can. I learned rhythm and pace, which helped my ear for spoken word and sound design. I learned the importance of letting another section of the orchestra carry the melody, the way I lean on my department heads when directing a film.
It used to bother me that there are some people who have known their whole life what they want to do and I never did. Now I couldn’t be more grateful for the mixed experiences that I’ve gotten the chance to try. My main piece of advice to anyone about anything is to just be curious. Don’t follow a title or thing, follow the feeling.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
The greatest gift my parents have given me is freedom. I’ve had the privilege of trying out different hobbies without a pressure to pursue any specific path, and I couldn’t be more grateful. They drove me to my first poetry workshop. They took me to museums and the movies and told me to always stay curious. They’re the complete opposite of Asian tiger parents. When I was in college, my dad even joked that if I was getting grades higher than a C then I wasn’t partying hard enough. And then I graduated a year early as valedictorian. It’s kind of funny. Or maybe they were using reverse psychology. Regardless, their trust and support towards whatever kind of path I want to pursue is something I’ll always be grateful for.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://byangfilms.com/about-me
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@o.ceansdaughter
Image Credits
Gianpaolo Pabros, Kari Liu, Miles Moreira
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