We recently had the chance to connect with Shelby Payne and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Shelby, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: Who are you learning from right now?
I’m learning from the greats, upcoming content creators, Ashley Graham, Tabria Majors, Precious Lee. These women have made being curvy look so good!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi I’m Shelby,
Im a content creator/model. I don’t have the biggest following but my content has surprisingly landed me gigs with Torrid and more recently Savage X Fenty by Rihanna.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child I believed I wasn’t going to see pass the age of 18. I know that’s sad but my God was I wrong. I wish I could tell my younger self, “that’s aniexty babe, fuck that noise”. I would also tell younger me that you’re not hungry enough, lock in. If only I knew what I was capable of, like being a brand ambassador for big name companies. Maybe I would have went harder and not beat myself up so much. Good things come to those who work hard. I wish little Shelby understood that but everything happens for a reason, no regrets.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering has taught me that patience, is truly a virtue. Surround yourself by those who choose you and exist quietly for those who don’t. Staying calm and acknowledging how I feel instead of putting it off later is how to master emotional control. I hate that I have to suffer but I’m grateful for the lessons that shaped my character.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
Public version of me is not the real me. I’m cordial and surface level. Not everyone deserves access. Most people don’t take the time to learn someone so they miss out on who the person is at core. Good things take time. I have a rule for dating, it applies to platonic relationships too. You don’t really know someone until you go through 4 seasons with them. Who you are in the spring, summer, fall, and winter are different. Maybe someone had an aunt that died in the summer so seeing them in the summer grieving maybe different than the winters February for Valentine’s Day. It’s human nature to go through life. And you get to learn a lot about an individual in four seasons.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What pain do you resist facing directly?
Rejection, what’s not for you is not for you. No matter how hard you want it to be let it go. The faster you can accept that the better.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: _Gussola_
