We had the good fortune of connecting with Monique Abbadie and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Monique, how do you think about risk?
If it weren’t for the risks I have taken in my life I would not be where I am today. Yes, some have been difficult and scary and have required sacrifices at times, but if I wouldn’t have taken the risk I would have never known what was on the other side of that door. I’ve always said “opportunities only come once in a life time.” And that could not be more true. Some times we allow the fear of the unknown and the fear of failure to steer our life decisions. We play it safe and settle for what we are comfortable with. But the truth is nothing amazing has come from staying in my comfort zone. I was terrified to leave my home to go to LA and pursue my dream on The Voice. But I took the risk and ended up getting a 4 chair turn on the number one singing competition in the world! For some years I stood still, complacent with the life I was living, not taking any risks and just allowing time to pass by. Later I realized how truly precious and how much of a commodity time is! Time is something that continues to pass by and we don’t get it back. So I had to make a decision, am I going to let another year of my life pass and look back and see that I am in the same place in my life or am I going to take risks and do things that can potentially change my life. So I decided to do something that I would have never ever done before. Something that was out of my comfort zone, out of the “norm” and completely scared me. I started working in Network marketing. And no I didn’t sacrifice my music career, and no I didn’t stop writing and releasing music. But this business brought out a side of me that I didn’t know existed! It set a fire inside of me that I never had before. It helped me became a fearless hustler that values her time and creates the life she wants to live on her terms! I became passionate about helping others through this business, which was something I’ve always wanted to do but didn’t have the resources to do before. And now I get to change lives in the process of making my own dreams come true. And had I said “No” and never taken that risk I would have never known who this new me is and I would have never had this kind of impact on people’s lives. I even started my own IGTV show “Inspiring Women Wednesday’s” where I get to motivate and inspire every week. I have expanded my social media platform and created an environment where people can feel inspired to do more with their lives and just go for it! The old me would have never done something like that. So I encourage you to take risks, get out of your comfort zone and be fearless because you never know all the incredible things that can await you on the other side of fear! And now I get to do everything I love to do, make music, perform, teach and help others take control of their life!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
For so long I felt kind of boxed into one thing. I knew I always had the potential to do more using my platform. But it wasn’t til later on in my life that I finally freed myself of that box and just allowed myself to blossom! I am a singer/ songwriter and dancer. And I love performing! It’s been a challenging road being that I started from such a young age in television. I saw all the sides of this industry from early on. All the good, the bad and the ugly. I had to endure a lot of discrimination from casting directors & producers because of my look and my weight. My eyebrows were too thick, my hips were too wide and my hair was not brunette or blonde. I was turned away from Nickelodeon and Disney a number of times because my look wasn’t Latina or Caucasian. I was always different. But truth is these things do take a toll on you and influence you even though you try to be strong and not let it affect you. I learned to eventually embrace the way I look and use their words as fuel to keep going harder! I eventually made it on to the Voice which was the peak in my career. Upon returning it was tough to stay relevant and release music right away. I felt like I was back at square one. But I kept going and pushed through the hard times. I released my debut single, shot a video for it, started doing weekly covers on my YouTube channel and went back to college to finish my degree in the mean time. And all of this paid off. It brought many other opportunities my way, I now have over 100 thousand subscribers on my YouTube channel and I teach our youth during the day, perform on the weekends, am a wife/ doggie mom and I run my Monat buisness/ mentor my team. That is a whole lot but I manage my time well and know that it’ll pay off in the future in bigger ways than you can imagine.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Miami is a melting pot. And if you follow me you know I am a big FOODIE! I would say for sure restaurants to visit are Sugarcane for Brunch, Finka for dinner and some craft cocktails, Cooper’s hawk if you want an affordable and luxury type dinner and wine tasting, Christy’s Steakhouse for some amazing steak and their Baked Alaska dessert is on fire (literally) the best Peruvian cuisine with a city view is La Mar, don’t forget to have their signature Pisco Sour, if you want some amazing Cuban croquetas you need to go to Islas Canarias and for some late night sweet cravings you can never go wrong with Miami Baked. It’s a little food truck with just desserts! You’ll thank me later!

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?
I’d like to thank my family & husband for always supporting me in all my endeavors And never letting me give up on all my dreams! And also my Monat family for bringing out the fearless leader I am and completely changing my life. I am forever grateful for the platform you have created and the opportunity you continue to give people across the globe & encouraging to always dream bigger!

Instagram: Moniquesongbird
Twitter: Moniquesongbird
Facebook: Moniquesongbird
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/moniquevision

Image Credits
Jca Photography