Check Out Myranda Whitesides’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Myranda Whitesides.

Hi Myranda, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
It’s tricky fitting 33 years into a paragraph or two! I’m a proud pseudo-native Coloradan (moved here when I was two), and have fit more experiences into my 3 decades than I would’ve thought possible. I just celebrated my 15th work anniversary at the Department of Interior, starting at the National Park Service as an administrative assistant when I was 18 and continuing my career as a Human Capital Analyst where I get to help people bring their best selves to work. I always dreamed of being a musician or an artist growing up, and while that didn’t end up being my day job, I am thrilled that I have the opportunity to continue sharing my music through others by playing at breweries around Denver and singing with the Evans Choir through the University of Denver. I also teach various fitness classes including Reb3l Groove (a super fun dance class!) and Reb3l Strength. This journey to get to where I am has certainly had its setbacks. I was hit by a car when I was 19 and am still trying to figure out the best way to treat my body the best with that hip pain! I was also diagnosed with breast cancer when I was 25 years old. I’m blessed to say that my treatment was extremely successful and I am 8 years cancer-free. Going through cancer treatments at such a young age really helped me to figure out what I want my life to look like and what kind of a legacy I want to leave. Ultimately, I want to create a space where people can be themselves and learn to love who they are. I continue to do that in my work, through my fitness classes, and in my music. Last but not least, I’ve had some amazing help from my wonderful partner, Daniel, whom I’ve been married to for almost 9 years. He has helped me learn how to love myself more than I thought anyone else could, and has been extremely supportive in both the good times and the difficult times. I feel like I’m so lucky to have such an amazing partner by my side.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Honestly, I don’t think it has ever really been a “smooth” road. Even as a child, I struggled a lot with anxiety and learning more about why I behaved the way I did. I was bounced around from school to school to try to get me into a program that challenged me enough and allowed me to learn. When I finally found a sticking place in high school, I dealt with body image issues, the death of a close friend, and trying to figure out what I valued in finding a career. After my car accident in college, I was faced with chronic pain that I still struggle with to this day. However, it has given me some perspective on how to treat my body and when I need to rest versus push on. After I graduated with my bachelor’s degree, I chose to go directly into working on my master’s degree and start working full time on top of that. Not only that, but my new job had given me the opportunity to travel for work 1-2 times per month. I loved it, but the burn out I faced while dealing with school, work, and traveling was real. Plus I was planning a wedding at this time. I’m exhausted just remembering it all! Little did I know, the chaos was all just beginning. Not long after I completed my master’s degree and had my wedding to my husband, I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Breast Cancer. I wasn’t sure I was going to live to see 26. It was the scariest time of my life, and I wasn’t sure how to wake up each day. Once my treatments were decided, I was blessed to see progress in my tumor size and had some wonderful doctors who came up with a wonderful treatment plan. While I’m so happy that my treatment went well, I struggled with a lot of mental health issues after my treatment was over. I was plagued with anxiety over whether my cancer would return. It still gets to me sometimes even 8 years later. Ever since then, well, you’ve seen the world! We’ve certainly had our struggles in the past 5 years or so. But I think what I’ve been through has taught me a lot about resilience, appreciating the little things, and taking it one day at a time.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’ve been a proud employee of the Department of Interior for 15 years. I currently work under a facet of the Office of the Secretary as a Human Capital Analyst. In this role, I do training in skills like Crucial Conversations, coach employees on topics such as change management and professional development, and run employee development programs such as our mentoring and job shadowing programs. I’m proud of these programs as they help employees not only improve their work performance, but can apply many of these skills to being the person they truly want to be. I’ve been told I’m a wonderful trainer, and that I am able to explain complex concepts that are easier to breakdown and understand. I feel that what I bring in my career is a bubble for people to be able to be their authentic selves, to share their concerns and DO something about it, to dream bigger and to take action to make those dreams a reality. I do this through powerful questioning, active listening, and a bit of challenging back…like asking “what’s getting in the way?”

I feel I bring some of these aspects into my “other” career as a fitness instructor. I coach a dance fitness class and a HIIT style format, cheering others on and providing feedback on form and safe fitness practices. I feel through my coaching I help motivate my clients to push themselves further than they thought they could, while also encouraging them to listen to their bodies and making sure they are honoring any injuries so that they can continue their fitness journey. I truly believe fitness looks different for everyone but is such a huge asset in one’s physical and mental health, so if you show up, I’m going to make sure you have a wonderful experience while you’re in my class.

I also believe I bring these aspects into my more creative endeavors, particularly in my music. Most of my shows are more laid back, chill settings where you can come together with the people you love and enjoy a beer while listening to some songs that you may want to sing along to. If I can get someone to go “Oh wow, I forgot about this song”, I feel I unlocked a fun memory for them. However, I love to share some of my own music as well. I feel my authenticity comes out in many of the songs I have written, as it can be so difficult to express degrees of frustration, understanding, whatever emotion it is, simply through words. If someone feels they can connect with my song for whatever reason, then it’s absolutely worthy sharing for me.

What does success mean to you?
I find success is honoring your values. I recently discovered my top two values were balance and authenticity. I’ve struggled in the past with burnout and overworking myself, so I recognized that I felt my best when that balance was honored. I did a lot of work on myself to recognize when working more and pushing myself was in my best-interest versus doing it just to try to appease others, and that was amazingly eye-opening. I always want to do a good job and go above and beyond, but I also learned the power of saying no and recognizing when I didn’t have to be the one to do everything. That kind of leads into the authenticity piece as well. This helped me to explore why I was saying yes to things. Was it because I truly wanted to, or I was worried what would happen if I said no? I also recognized that a lot of my joy comes from helping others figure out who they truly are and who they want to be, so I think it’s important for us to uncover what those values are for us so that we can honor who we want to be.

Pricing:

• $75-$100 per hour for musical performances

Contact Info:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/myrandawhitesides/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@myrandawhitesidesmusic
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/myranda-whitesides

Image Credits
Yasiris Torres
Michael Hilmes