Meet Grace Tamayo Holiday: Actor and Health and Wellness Advocate

We had the good fortune of connecting with Grace Tamayo Holiday and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Grace, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk taking… see these two words written here what does one first think of? The perspective of risk taking usually would seem, to go forward in that decision, means some pain staking consequences. The thought of the unknown and the loss that would accompany it. Has and do human beings ever stop and would more wonder instead, what risk is being taken without moving forward in this decision? In my mind and perspective I view risk taking as being that which could be lost if not weighed, calculated, prayed over, guided, wisdom sought from others, and not taking the chance. Without having taken so many chances in my personal and professional life, so much would have been lost. Sitting here still wondering now what will be lost if I don’t take action or move now. Or in a more positive spin, I will pray and think and then move because it’s a chance I will take to find out what will become of it. Like so many choices I have made personally and professionally, the risk was a grind, it may have been judged, there was sacrifice and sweat, but it was and has been well worth it. When I began my health and wellness brand, when I step out in every audition, when I took on a whole new lifestyle, when I picked up and moved and moved again, when I signed up for that class, when I opened my heart to love and be loved again, when I said yes to more children, when I began my better beauty business, and as I share in vulnerability now. Who have I inspired, who have I helped, and how have I myself grown in all of this. In other words, risk taking is a chance for opportunity or is it a chance for loss. That would depend if the risk is taken or the risk has shipped sail. Do I take the risk to earn the gain or do I let it pass me by to lose the loss? That is how I think about risk taking and how it has built upon my life and career by taking them. Take a chance and take the risk.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
All I know is nothing has ever gone as planned and I now know that it will continue to be that way. I can look back at the struggles and hang my head down or I can look back and see all of the surprises that came and the experiences I never thought or dreamed of becoming part of the person I am today. My mind was small and I now realize to broaden that outlook but also stay in the present and enjoy the process. That is the most challenging portion for me, with my acting career, look back at the hard work and what has transpired. So that those moments sometimes often long seasons of quietness are just the process in which will bring the fruit of my efforts. As an actress I have had to keep my work flexible. Keeping that in mind as a single mother in Los Angeles where we braved the LA craze completely by ourselves the two of us females. I had to put myself through school and then took on various jobs as a freelance American Sign Language Interpreter. This gave me the flexibility and the versatility to learn and grow in that craft, ranging from jobs in the hospital, for the Navy, working in the LAUSD school district, and so much more. This was opportunity for me to show up to an audition or take a job I had booked. For years I have been into fitness, shiatsu, reflexology, and health and wellness across the board. I needed an outlet for creativity that I could control. This brought me to my health and wellness brand. Youtube fitness videos is where we began, to our G Fitness products being launched on Amazon, and then being approached to begin my better beauty business. I have always been aware, educated, and health conscious in all areas of my life. I believe it is not selfish or vain but being a good steward of that which I have been residing while on this journey of life. I cannot say I’ve done a perfect or even close to perfect job, but when I said yes to starting this business with Beautycounter; now I have become accountable with fitness, food, and what I put on my face, hair, and body as well. This gave me additional flexibility. I added this to all of my avenues and it became a way to build community and support others. I became an advocate for safer beauty, built my income, and now have a group of empowered women that we can support each other with. In this, the dreaded C WORD came, (covid), right? During this time I lost almost everything I could do for work and income. I also moved to Orange County AND…. I got married to a Pastor, taking on a whole other role, AND became a mom of not only one child but four! Where was I now, in the transitions I had Beautycounter, my better beauty business that has grown and expanded every since. It’s become my G Beauty along with my G Fitness and Health and so much more. I become Director last year and now my team of ladies are soaring as well. We are the leaders in clean. I am proud to tell others what I do. I am proud to bring in my own income. From being an independent woman I needed this to merge into my new role as a house wife and mom. I can most assuredly say its been a whole lot of adjustments or just one giant one. The macro and the micro have collided but have become a beautiful adventure which has come to fruition and now more is on the horizon. If anyone is interested in learning more, please reach out. I would love to share, support, advocate, and come alongside. Here is to more future surprises.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Wow in Los Angeles I am the ultimate tour guide! I have had several jobs in my past working all over the entire city and when I say all over that is the truth. I have LA down like the back of my hand. When others come to visit I like to take them on some of the best hikes in town of course. We know all of these but how about the best Italian Pizza at DeSanos. Or the oh so delicious spaghetti at Musso and Franks in the booth that Frank Sinatra ate in. Los Angeles is like a giant amusement park, in every different town are little pockets and different cultures and so so much food! Where would I begin, sometimes it’s as simple as the Friday night classic car show at the classic Bob’s Big Boys in Toluca Lake. Maybe the height of the Hollywood Tower, a nice stroll at the Getty Center during a full moon evening, the Huntington Library, maybe just a nice window shopping walk down Ventura Boulevard. Perhaps some rock climbing at Stoney Point Park where my family had once own the land a few generations back. A walk to Universal City Walk and try the best Carmel Apples and the nicest recliner seats at the movies. It is literally endless from museums to food to outdoors and beaches. I’ll take you everywhere if we have the time.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Every single person that has come into my life or I into theirs along the way, deserves recognition. Whether it’s been a friend, a co worker, a rival or an enemy, a family member, or a mentor; they all well deserve credit and have had an immense part in who I am today. I personally thank all of you. From the bottom of my heart for the support, the challenges, the advise, the listening, and the examples. Thank-you Parental’s… and thank-you Gabriel for booking me.

In addition I want to give more focus on one, my daughter. She journeyed with me on some adventures that were high and low but mostly low. Through the low, because we had each other, we turned them into highs. She was my best friend and fellow adventurer, we were as we called ourselves, “Gilmore Girls, the real thing.” She was my drive, my rise and shine every day who God placed in my life. As the focal of my vision everyday to keep going, to fight, and to stand back up. There are no words to describe what we had been through together, a lot of which we have blocked out of our memories. We hold onto that which brought smiles and also the worst things that pushed us into loving and appreciating everything simple, small, and sweet. There is nothing that can break the bond we made and the one we have now. Which brings me to new territory we now have entered into together, and again without her I would be lost. I thank God for her everyday as she was who I needed to learn to adult.

Now we have an additional four persons to be so grateful for, who deserve so much recognition and love. My three sons and my husband. They cherish us, they have given us new perspective, and hope in life. New strength, protection, and a covering we never had before. We are able to breathe, to put the weight on, to hold each other up. When they were there and we were here, we were being prepared and molded for the new adventure and the many challenges that would await. There is a new joy and peace we never had before. We have a home, we have little men, and one very big man. They lead us, guide us, laugh at and with us, support and encourage, and have ever so much patience. Their presence in my life has now greater weight and depth. Greater drive to be better, to hope more, to truly love, and to see through a different lens. There is more drive behind everything I am and everything I do. Because of these five other human beings, I have to live intentionally, I must.

Website: Chain https://www.beautycounter.com/gracetamayo

Instagram: @healthy_human_fitness

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/mwlite/in/grace-tamayo-6a134b64

Twitter: @GigiTActress

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Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/HealthyHumanFitness/videos