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Join James Petrossi in 'Leave the Feed: 30 Days of Disconnect' as he interviews creators and mental health advocates about their journeys, the digital quagmire, and tips to create a healthier relationship with social media.
[00:00:00]
James Petrossi: Hello and welcome to Leave the Feed 30 Days of Disconnect Today is 13 identity crisis but let's not be doom and gloom yet Let's talk about empowerment inspiring journeys and with me today is Sophia Sargent to talk about herself in this really important topic about authenticity in social media So welcome to the show
Sophia Sargent: Hi. Thank you so much for having me, James.
James Petrossi: To start off let's talk about your journey in the world of content creation and the world of media sparked this and where has the journey taken you and where are you today
Sophia Sargent: So when I was in high school, I knew that I wanted to work in media and modeling, but I grew up in New Hampshire, which is a pretty [00:01:00] small state. But I'm close enough to Boston where I really wanted to leverage that community and those. You know, connections in that network that I could tap into. So I decided to start posting.
I decided to start posting my journey, what I was doing to kind of keep like a log. And also I used social media as a tool to look at other careers and say, okay, they did this. I could do my own sort of digging and kind of replicate it in my own way. So social media for me was actually. I hate the saying, fake it till you make it, but in a way it was because I was able to put myself online as this persona that I was trying to be and really build to, to get into different events and network my way into the rooms that I've you know, made it into today.
And that started with posting, modeling photos and that led me to an agency. And then from there. I kind of networked my way throughout events in Boston. There's this one magazine event that I went to called Boston Man Magazine, and [00:02:00] they just let me show up because I offered my time, and that's because I, you know, sent them a message on social media like.
Who knew it's that easy to be like, Hey, can, how can I be involved? What can I do? Social media is such an empowering tool and because I didn't really know where to start, I was only in high school and then transitioning into college, I continued to use it as a tool to get in those rooms. But it. It was something I wanted to take advantage of because I knew that I could control it.
I knew that I could brand myself and market myself in a way, and today I still do it. I really try to share all the bits and pieces of my life that I can that are authentic. Of course, it is a highlight reel within reason too, so you get a bit of of everything. But I really do credit. Everything I've done to social media, because I wouldn't have been able to do the research and find these people to get me to my goals, which is television, a modeling career and even just having the freedom to work where I, I want to work right.
James Petrossi: So talk about the [00:03:00] progression of your content from just It till you make it till today And how has that transformed what you post how you post why you post
Sophia Sargent: For a while when I, you know, got into the modeling world, I posted the perfect photos the edited ones, the photo shoots to make it look like I was legit and I had a, you know, something in the industry, which, I mean, to be honest, you don't have to be. Quote, legit, to get into modeling, you just have to have a portfolio, right?
So you gotta start somewhere. But for me it was, you know. Filming all of my photo shoots. It was doing behind the scenes content of what that looked like and a day on set. And now my, my content has really changed into lifestyle. It's my day to day because my life is changing. I do so many things. Radio, I mentioned television, and so no day is the same.
And I like to take people on that journey and show them the. Behind the scenes because I know that there's [00:04:00] people, girls, boys, whoever out there that want to pursue media and or pursue something and feel like they can't because of maybe their circumstances or other people don't do media or do the fun, the fun social media stuff.
So to find someone that they can look at and say, okay, this is actually something that I can do in my own life and I can take control of my career. Maybe I don't need to go to college. Like I can take all of these tools and use it myself. I mean, I am all for college. It was a very transformational part of my life, but it didn't help me with my career where I am now.
I majored in something completely different. It taught me a lot of things about myself and it kickstarted where I am now. But I would say my content's very lifestyle really to answer the question. Any way that I can show people the ropes or help, I love to do it. And that's the goal. The goal is to show the fun stuff, but also show the hard work behind it all.
James Petrossi: Now talk about your passion for radio and television because obviously [00:05:00] you started and you have this passion for modeling and there is an intersection point
Sophia Sargent: Mm-hmm.
James Petrossi: What really propelled you into radio and tv
Sophia Sargent: Yeah, modeling was actually sort of my gateway into it because I just wanted to try modeling. It was something I always wanted to do, watching Disney Channel growing up, being in front of the cameras and doing all the fun, glamorous. Stuff that was like a, a bucket list thing for me. Now, modeling is like a fun side thing that kind of pops up here and there, but it really was the gateway to tv and as I started to be on sets and experience how incredible everybody is, but also how fun it it is to be yourself in front of a camera and meet all these different types of people.
You know, it was a transition and I think sometimes when you, when you go from modeling to television, people are like, wait. That doesn't connect. How are you doing that? But you're right, there is a lot of crossover that you may not expect. But I, I started my television career in around, I wanna [00:06:00] say 2021 sounds right in Boston.
When I was at that magazine event, I was kind of talking about a little bit before I was networking my way around and I met this lovely crew of people from Dirty Water tv, Julian, bill Fairweather. And I remember going up to them and saying, you know, I've seen all of your stuff on socials. 'cause I did my research and I was like, how do I get involved?
I'll be an intern. I'll volunteer my time because that's another thing I could give. Like I was documenting everything to kind of build the skill of social media, but I was also so willing to give my time. And that's, that investment was important to me because I knew I could get the skills from them.
And then. They have someone to help them do their dirty work if that, if that's what they need. So I, I said, Hey, I'll give you my time. And they said, great. Except if you wanna be on tv, like let's just do it now. Like we don't need you to be an intern. We can tell that by the way that you're speaking, you can totally do it.
So I was like, oh. And then just like [00:07:00] that, it kind of jumped into my. Media career, I, they called me one day and said, we're doing a shoot at the greatest bar, which is in Boston. It's across the street from TD Garden. And they said, do you want to come work for the first time? And I was like, okay, sure. And I got in my car and was freaking out the whole way because one, driving to Boston is like the scariest thing ever.
And number two, I had no clue what I was doing. Literally no idea. And that's a common theme that I think you'll notice through my content, through me doing pageants, because I'm also competing in a national pageant next year. I just throw myself into things and I think that's why I like to show the authenticity, because socials can be a highlight reel.
But anyway, so I get to the greatest bar and they hand me a script and they're like, just. Grab the key points of this and talk about it as you can and as you will and what feels natural. And I was definitely nervous, but it was the most fun that I had ever had. It was fun to be in front of the camera and interact with people at the Greatest Bar.
'cause that was kind of the show. Like you [00:08:00] go to different spots in Boston and see what it's all about. And it was the night of, I wanna say a Patriots game. And it was like the first season without Tom Brady. So everyone's freaking out because Tom Brady's gone and like they're trying to find their new quarterback.
And I just remember leaving and being like, whoa, this is the start to something incredible. And from there it was a, a domino. I was working and working. But that, that love. For TV and was just like filling a childhood hole in my heart because I'd always watched Disney Channel and wanted to do that.
And the reason I went to radio was mainly because I knew that Dirty Water, the Nesn show that I do couldn't be an everyday thing. It was a contracted role. So. To, to be able to bring joy to people and have fun and do all of those things I was doing on tv, I could do on a, on a radio show every single day, and the pieces fell for that as well.
Like it was really, truly meant to be with how that [00:09:00] worked out because that TV situation was the same, like who walks into a room and meets someone and says, Hey. I wanna be on tv. It was kind of the, the same with radio. I just happened to meet the right people, and I worked to learn, I worked to create my demo and learn the industry and what that meant, so that when I showed up to employers, they were like, whoa, you know so much.
How do you, how did you do this? Like you, you're in college still, but if you put in the work, I mean, and you want it bad enough, somebody's going to align with that. And so things fell into place from there.
James Petrossi: That's an epic story and so cool How social media propelled all of this forward and all of the hard work that you put in all the behind the scenes I love how You said it took a lot of hard work Nothing comes easy but you put yourself in the right situations But the challenges that you faced with social media along this process
Sophia Sargent: You don't really realize how many people are walking you. And that's something that I think [00:10:00] social media to me is like a personal diary of like sharing. My journey. But it kind of goes with a radio show too. You're having a conversation, you're naturally sharing your life on socials, and then somebody calls on the radio show and you're like, whoa, wait, I'm reaching this audience.
I quickly became someone that people were. Kinda like talking about around me. And I remember specifically in high school, that was a little hard for me. Like I tried to lay low especially like my senior year when I was putting more of myself out there because I remember just kind of like everybody knowing in a way.
One thing that I do is I'm a huge overthinker and I get in my head, and that's that actually you probably just saw that in real time, is the gears turning and I was trying to think about that a little bit, but for me, I kind of felt this pressure to keep posting to press the gas and.
Especially in times when I was growing and so there were times where I was like, do I post this content? Is this good? [00:11:00] And I would think about like, are people gonna like this? But then I had to realize, like the whole point of me posting wasn't for other people to like it necessarily. The point of me posting was to document my journey.
And, and find a couple of people that it resonated with. And for me, like I have 6,000 followers on Instagram. I'm sure you interview people with hundreds of thousands or even millions of followers. Like to me, the, the number doesn't really matter because the goal is to hit that. Person where they can relate to it or feel inspired by my content.
But yeah, there have been times where I felt pressured to conform to the trends or the audios just to like hit those numbers and get those views and try to grow. But I think the most important thing I've learned throughout social media is just to stay authentic because you'll find the right people, they'll find you, and that's what.
That's what matters to me. And that was the whole purpose of me doing it in the first place. And for some people it's more complicated, like they need it to pay their [00:12:00] bills and in that case they will follow those trends. But I enjoy social media. I love it. And so, yeah, you know, I could think about the people watching me and I could think about, you know, are people talking badly about me or saying things?
But at this point it's like. It doesn't really matter if that happens, because I enjoy it and I love it. And that goes with anything in life. People will always talk. So no matter what platform you put yourself on or whatever you do in life, there's always gonna be people who gossip. It's just about how you handle it and, and deal with it.
James Petrossi: Yeah because that authenticity brings us into today's topic which is identity crisis and much in this world even regardless of social media people are Chasing the aspirations of someone else or putting on a persona It's very difficult for a lot of people just to be comfortable in their own skin And then you add the layer of social media and it can become even more challenging have you found the means to [00:13:00] make sure that you stay grounded in your authentic self especially when you're broadcasting on so many different channels
Sophia Sargent: One thing I've kind of accepted is that it's okay to be human. It's okay to grow. It's okay to change and. I also think that if you're staying authentic, that feels good. It starts to feel off when you say something. That doesn't feel right. And you know it like you feel it in your gut. You feel it in your head, your heart like sinks when you say something to conform to, I don't know, agree with someone in a conversation or if you have people pleasing tendencies, which I do too.
I definitely have people pleasing tendencies is probably one of my biggest weaknesses at times, which does seem very contradictory to everything I'm saying. But like it's. When you're saying true to what you, your gut is telling you or what you're doing, that can be hard to figure out. I mean, there have been so many trial and error moments for me.
[00:14:00] Like I had a podcast at one point and then one day I was like, wait. This doesn't feel good. And I guarantee nobody's looking at that podcast, right? Like, because nobody actually cares that much. We're all people, we're all humans. They have their own things to worry about and it's cool to see your, your six second reel, but if it's not like the best thing you've ever put on the internet, people aren't gonna look at that and judge you and sit there.
And if they are well then that's their problem and they have bigger things. To, to worry about, but it does take time to figure out that authenticity, what's important for you. And I mean, I would say. If you want to, to post that, take time to think about that. Like get grounded in and in the sense, I know that was part of the question, but like, take care of yourself first.
Do what feels good first, and then if social media feels good, then add it. Add it to your routine. For some people that won't. So, and you can tell when it's inauthentic. You can tell when somebody's talking about something. For example, like a brand deal maybe where they're getting paid. I [00:15:00] don't know, a a hundred million dollars.
We'll just throw that number out there. And they're promoting this product. You can just, you know, when they don't actually care about the product. So people will, will know. And people will stick with the content when authenticity is there. And I know I'm just throwing that, that word around a lot, but I think it, yeah, it can be hard to be yourself, but it shouldn't be because it should feel good.
And if it does feel off, then maybe social media isn't the thing. Or maybe what you're sharing, maybe you need to think about a topic more. I mean, I like to take care of myself first. That's where I'm authentic in myself and can share my best thoughts is when I, you know, sit down and relax or go to the gym or, it's all about doing, I can't say it enough, but what feels good, filling your cup, doing things for you, and then you're able to talk about things more and broadcast that on a bigger platform, because then it won't feel forced.
James Petrossi: Oh that was a great answer And you brought up something interesting you [00:16:00] brought up getting lost in your head and also listening to your gut
Sophia Sargent: mm-hmm.
James Petrossi: how do you manage that How do you manage the times when you start overthinking and realize wait a minute let me get back into my intuition here What's that like
Sophia Sargent: Yeah, I have. I definitely take a step back and I feel like recently I've been really good at that, at taking a step back, but. It's really easy to fall into the trap of social media like we talked before, following those trends. But being so self-aware I think is like half the battle understanding when you get stressed, when you need a break or when you just need to like go outside and literally ground, like put your feet on the grass and just take a second and realize that social media like isn't the end all, be all like it.
Social media disappeared. Are you the same person? That's so important. And for me, because I love to share the message about authenticity and being true to yourself and following your gut and prioritizing health, like, these are all things I love to talk [00:17:00] about. It would be very contradictory if I didn't do those things.
So when I find myself over analyzing a video or thinking about whether or not I should do a trend, that's when I pull back and I, I look at my Instagram. Once a month and I fall into the trap because I don't mean to do this, but I notice it's, it can be common where I look at it and I'm like, do I need to take that down?
Like, does this make sense? Is this post good? And then when I get in that I'm like, stop. The phone's going away. We're doing something that is makes sense, that is natural. I'm getting my mind off of social media because it's supposed to be fun, you know, like at the end of the day, yes, people are making money on socials to some degree and you know, have content plans and all this stuff, but it's like socials are supposed to be fun as well.
As much as they can be a tool. So. For me, that's my purpose, is that it's supposed to be fun. And so I want to make sure that it stays that way and I don't wanna ruin it for myself. And again, authenticity people know when something is posted because you [00:18:00] mean it. You mean the message. They can feel that versus when it's just another video you've popped up on your page.
James Petrossi: So where do you see your trajectory going from here what's next in your journey
Sophia Sargent: It's so funny. People have been asking me this a lot recently just in life, and I'm like, I don't know actually, because I, you know, I got engaged this year. I entered a pageant this year, and now I'm going to a national one next year. I'm getting married next year, and so. A lot of things have changed very quickly.
What I would like to do at some point is have my own show, whether that's on, you know, the channel that I'm on today, new England Sports Network. Mainly television would be the goal. I know there's like talks about something happening potentially so that my fingers are crossed at that stage and that we can make the show happen.
But. Honestly, I surprise myself every day. Like I have just interviewed last week, I interviewed Laura Trump. There is never [00:19:00] a dull moment in my life and I try to just take, say yes to things when I can, when the opportunities arise and they're good and they feel good and they align with where I think I'm headed and.
It's been so surprising that I feel like I've always said, oh, I'm gonna do this. And then something amazing has popped up that I didn't expect that I followed. So ideally, I mean, I would love to be Miss Volunteer America, which is the national pageant I'm going to next year. The wedding can be pushed back.
That is fine. And I would love to have a show, whether that's now or, or later. And one thing I would love to do as well as be a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, these are like things on my. On my bucket list that I would like to check at some point in time. So I don't like to put pressure on myself to have it be done now, because it doesn't have to be done now.
I'm gonna be 25 in a month. Like I have so much life to live. I mean, sports Illustrated could be now, it could be when I'm 50. You really never know. I've been trying to let go of the control 'cause I spent so much time [00:20:00] wanting to control my career. And there reaches the point where you've, you've done the building and now you have to just kind of let the opportunities come to you.
And so I'm so blessed that I am. So young, but at this point where I can let that happen and of course I'm still working for things, you know, different skills and there's always stuff to work on. But I love being able to now be like, this is what I've done. Look at this. Can we try this now? And, and really build on what has been made and my skills so that those are the goals.
But then again, you never know what could happen.
James Petrossi: A lot of wonderful things on the horizon for you Congratulations on your engagement and also your authenticity and the balance that you found in social media Now that being said some people that are listening to this podcast that are going on a 30 day disconnection journey From social media others that are just looking for inspiration What advice or encouragement would you have for anyone that's struggling with their [00:21:00] relationship social media That they don't feel good inside about it or it's taking advantage of their authentic self
Sophia Sargent: One thing that I've really loved recently is biohacking, and this might sound like a stretch, but hear me out. You know, when you're so in tune with yourself. When you go outside and you ground and you touch grass or you take care of yourself, you fuel your body, you meditate. These are all things that are gonna allow you to let things align.
And for me, biohacking has been a really great. Tool for that. It's helped me settle my mind. It, it reenergizes me and keeps me going. And ways that I do this is, I mean, I'm in the Boston area, so I'll put a cold plunge in my backyard, like a little tub, and I let it snow outside. And then I sit in that for a little bit.
I'm lucky enough to have access to Asuna, but biohacking is much more simple. It, it's sleep, it's whole foods. It's water that has a little bit of electrolytes in it, so [00:22:00] some like mineral salt and when you get, so when you peel back the layers of yourself. One thing that was really clouding me for a long time, which I know we didn't talk about, was I got a Lyme disease diagnosis in 2022 and my brain was.
Beyond clouded the brain fog because that treatment journey is, or ideally to get the, the disease dormant in your body. You have to like pull it all out kind of and feel all the feels and symptoms before you feel better. And that was a really hard time for me to feel aligned because everything was off.
It's, it affects your neurological state. I was gaining weight and I like felt suddenly like it was some of the best years of my life, but I almost felt. Like I felt the worst that I had ever felt in my life. So that was a great reminder for me to step back and do those things and get the blood work like, you know, maybe social media isn't actually the toxic thing for you.
That might be controversial to [00:23:00] say, but maybe there's something else. In your mind that's clouding that, that judgment and is not allowing you to really dig deep and say, what do I want with my life? What do I want with social media? Where am I headed? Right. Because for me, social media is a means to an end.
It's not like. I'm just on it 'cause I love it, which I do, but it's part of my strategic plan. So figuring out anything, what anything means in your life, whether that's your relationships, your friends, social media, what role that plays. You have to be grounded first and that comes with health. So really overcoming that.
These have been the best years of my life because I was able to overcome that and deal with all of these issues that I actually didn't know were affecting me long term. And that in turn, by dealing with that. My health allowed me to have a better relationship with social media because my mental health was better.
My physical health was better, and because I felt more confident in how I was showing up every day and presenting myself, I felt like I was clear on, [00:24:00] on my my thoughts and my judgments. All that brain fog was gone and all of that doubt was gone in myself. It allows me to show up to be a better person in real life, and.
As a role model, maybe to a young teenager following me. And again, biohacking starts at the, the bare minimum. You don't have to go and sit in the cryotherapy machine that costs like thousands of dollars. You just have to like, take care of yourself and get some good sleep. And it, it sounds stupid, but it really is like, for someone like me who was grinding for a long time at this and forgot because I was so excited to live my life, it, it does take a toll and it will, and you'll burn out.
James Petrossi: I think that's incredible advice biohacking it might be a loaded word You're right But just making sure that you're looking inward and focusing your Attention to what's going on inside your body your environment And when you do those things it allows you to have a healthier relationship with social media It allows you to be more authentic to [00:25:00] yourself and beautiful takeaways you've been such an inspiring guest I love your journey It's nice to connect with someone from New England and hear stories about Boston But thank you so much You've been a phenomenal guest
Sophia Sargent: Thank you for having me. I hope everything I said made sense.
James Petrossi: And for those of you that are listening sure Leave the feed with a friend Don't be afraid to disconnect and have an epic day Thank you again Sophia
Sophia Sargent: Thank you.