In this episode of Similarly Different, I sat down with celebrity makeup artist and founder of Ortega Beauty, Etienne Ortega, and his story is one of those that genuinely reminds you that grit, vision, and showing up will always outlast talent alone. From doing his friends' makeup for $10 in high school, to working with Eva Longoria at 21, to being found by Kim Kardashian on Instagram — Etienne built one of the most respected careers in the beauty industry entirely on his own terms.We also get into things I didn't expect — his cancer diagnosis in 2022, the six years it took to launch Ortega Beauty, the investors that let him down, and why after all of it, he still showed up to work the day after chemo. This is not just a beauty episode. This is a conversation about legacy, identity, survival, and what it means to bet on yourself even when everything is working against you.If you've ever felt like you don't belong in the room, or you've been building something for years that nobody else can see yet — this one is for you.In this episode, we talk about:• Growing up Latino and navigating machismo in the beauty industry• How Etienne got his start and booked Eva Longoria at 21• How Kim Kardashian found him on Instagram• Imposter syndrome as a Latino immigrant in a celebrity world• His cancer diagnosis in 2022 and how he kept going• Six years of building Ortega Beauty through bad investors and setbacks• Why comfort is the killer of growth• What he wishes he knew before starting his brand• How to build a legacy in your own lane without comparing yourself to others📲 Etienne Ortega’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/etienneortega🎓 This episode is sponsored by National University, to find out more information see here: https://bit.ly/4vJfyKQ🔔 Don't forget:✔️ Subscribe for weekly episodes✔️ Leave a rating & review (it helps more than you know!)✔️ Drop a comment — I always read them✔️ Tag me in your stories @similarlydifferentpod — I'll repost! 💬📲 Let's stay connected:Instagram: @similarlydifferentpodTikTok: @similarlydifferentpodSubmit a 'Similarly Curious' question: https://www.youandmemedia.co/similarlycurious

In this episode of Similarly Different, I'm breaking down what survival mode actually is, why your nervous system stays on high alert long after the stressful situation has ended, and what's actually helped me — from somatic healing, to walking everywhere after surgery, to a tiny calendar habit that's stuck with me for years.

We talk about how trauma lives in the body, not just the mind, why rest feels so uncomfortable for so many of us, and why healing isn't a one-time breakthrough but a slow, ongoing process of small habits done consistently.

If your body still feels tense, anxious, or on edge even though logically you know you're safe — this episode will help you understand why, and what to actually do about it.

In this episode, we talk about:

• What survival mode actually is — fight, flight, freeze, and fawn

• Why your nervous system reacts even when the danger has passed• How trauma is stored in the body, not just the memory

• Somatic healing, breathwork, and movement as nervous system tools

• Why rest feels uncomfortable and how to give yourself permission

• Social media, overstimulation, and protecting your energy

• Therapy versus self-guided healing — and why you need both

• Big sister advice for anyone who feels stuck in survival mode

🎓 This episode is sponsored by National University, to find out more information see here: https://bit.ly/4vJfyKQ

🔔 Don't forget:


✔️ Subscribe for weekly episodes


✔️ Leave a rating & review (it helps more than you know!)


✔️ Drop a comment — I always read them


✔️ Tag me in your stories @similarlydifferentpod — I'll repost! 💬

📲 Let's stay connected:


Instagram: @similarlydifferentpod


TikTok: @similarlydifferentpod


Submit a 'Similarly Curious' question: https://www.youandmemedia.co/similarlycurious

In this episode of Similarly Different, licensed marriage and family therapist Alyx Allen joins me to unpack a term I had never heard until recently — hyper-independent codependency. We talk about what it actually looks like, why high-functioning women fall into it, and how "I got you" can secretly be a need for control disguised as helpfulness.From there we get into anhedonia, the difference between healing and learning to live with what you've been through, why dating apps are killing real connection, and what it actually takes for men to open up about their insecurities.If you've ever wondered why you can't seem to slow down, why relationships feel harder than ever, or why you feel emotionally flat even when life looks good — this episode will give you language for what you've been feeling.In this episode, we talk about:• Hyper-independent codependency and how to spot it in yourself• Why "healed" might not be the right word for what you're looking for• Anhedonia, burnout, and feeling flat even when life is good• Compartmentalizing emotions — and why men and women do it differently• Why dating apps are draining our ability to actually connect• How to reset your nervous system in an anxious moment• Men's mental health, insecurity, and why they struggle to open up• Finding your own version of a non-negotiable self-care practice• When to walk away from therapy and when to stay🎓 This episode is sponsored by National University, to find out more information see here: https://bit.ly/4vJfyKQ📲 Alyx Allen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theselfishcontract🌐 Website: https://www.tscbecomingher.com🎙️ Podcast: How I Ended Up Here — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-ended-up-here/id1754056081🔔 Don't forget:✔️ Subscribe for weekly episodes✔️ Leave a rating & review (it helps more than you know!)✔️ Drop a comment — I always read them✔️ Tag me in your stories @similarlydifferentpod — I'll repost! 💬📲 Let's stay connected:Instagram: @similarlydifferentpodTikTok: @similarlydifferentpodSubmit a 'Similarly Curious' question: https://www.youandmemedia.co/similarlycurious