Meet Michelle Lombardo

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Michelle Lombardo a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Michelle, so happy to have you on the platform and I think our readers are in for a treat because you’ve got such an interesting story and so much insight and wisdom. So, let’s start with a topic that is relevant to everyone, regardless of industry etc. What do you do for self-care and how has it impacted you?

My self care routine may be out of the ordinary but it works for me! I box, yes, that is part of my self care routine at the moment that helps me to stay active, work on a new skill and as well focus and stay in the moment. I used to box in my 20s, before I had kids and I loved it. It came natural to me as well, having grown up an athlete in competitive sports. About a year and a half ago, I started up again; this was 3 kids and about 14yrs later! I was definitely nervous to get back into it, but I am so glad that I did not let fear get the best of me. Boxing helps me to get out of my head, as sometimes I can be an over thinker. With boxing there is nowhere to be, except exactly where you are, or you will quite literally get punched in the face. Another aspect of my self care is drumming, I recently took up learning how to play drums, on a drum kit. This as well is a new skill, and a creative outlet. It also puts you into a meditative groove and I find it a lot of fun. Both of these things make me feel good, productive and connected to my body, mind and soul.

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?

I have been an actress for the last 20yrs, starting when I moved to L.A when I was 18years old to pursue my dreams of both modeling and acting. Though I stopped modeling in my early 20s, it was a great launching point for my acting career. I decided early on that I wanted to dedicate myself solely to acting as I found it to be incredibly exciting and freeing-to let yourself go, become a ‘new’ person and push yourself into the uncomfortable. Playing a character to me was like discovering different parts of my own self, which I found fascinating. You really do put yourself in another’s shoes, tell another’s story and in doing so, bring out and shed light on our shared humanity. It is also so much fun to let go and just play pretend in and amongst whichever story you are telling along with the rest of the cast! Though I am not acting as much anymore, as I have chosen to step to the side to raise my 3 children, acting will always be an exciting vehicle into the uncovered parts of myself and life.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I would say that the 3 qualities that were the most impactful in my journey would be curiosity, a sense of adventure, and trusting my instincts. To have a curious mindset keeps one wondering and questioning, and helps you to dig into yourself, others and the world around you. A sense of adventure gave me the excitement to seek out different opportunities and to go after new things, even if I was afraid at first and to let the excitement rather then the fear propel me forward. Trusting one’s instincts is key to knowing what is right for you no matter who may be around you saying the opposite. My advice would
be to push yourself through your fears, start with little things, and dare yourself to fail or make a mistake, then you will see that it’s really no big deal when you do. It happens, and that’s how we learn and grow and become more in tune with who we are. You can help develop and trust your instincts by just feeling into what you want in the moment, whether it’s to go left instead of right on a walk, to a new career opportunity; again, start small and you will begin to be more in tune with your wants and needs.

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?

The most impactful thing that my parents did for me, was to allow me to discover myself and be myself and they supported me along the way. Whether it be sports, school or when I moved so young to L.A, I wouldn’t have been able to do it without their trust and guidance. They as well had strong boundaries and traditions and gave me a solid foundation in my family roots, which was incredibly impactful to me. That along with understanding the meaning of honest hard work, which I saw throughout my childhood, allowed me to have the confidence to be able to chart my own path with the determination to succeed.

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