THE ONE THAT GLITTERS with Michelle Lang (Current series: BTS called GLITTER MOUTH)

Michelle Lang
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

Want a friend while you create your book, podcast or TV series? I'm here for ya. I'm from a small town in Wisconsin, and I moved to HoIlywood in late 2004. I've been producing, acting, directing, and doing stunts for the past 20 years. (and having 3 kids) Now, I'm moving into my next era of creating the hit dark romance/thriller series THE ONE THAT GLITTERS. Set in Hollywood, THE ONE THAT GLITTERS will be a book series, scripted podcast series and, eventually, a TV series. For now, this podcast is a Behind-the-scenes of my struggles to create art in today's day and age.

  1. 4d ago

    S3 E5 - Holiday Chaos Creation VS. Kids, On-Camera Confidence, and Birthday Joy

    [Audio Diary recorded 11.26.25] PDF’s to help you be you on social media www.theonethatglitters.com In this episode, I navigate the chaos of holiday season with young kids while trying to maintain creative momentum on "The One That Glitters" series. I share my breakthrough experience seeing "Predator Badlands" and finally getting a kid-free night with Ian, which reignited my creative fire.  The episode chronicles my struggle with on-camera confidence, my transition from stunt content to more personal storytelling about the series, and my 44th birthday reflections on reclaiming joy and setting boundaries. I discuss the challenge of accepting unfollows as I pivot my content, the algorithmic struggles of reposting content, and my journey from last year's surrender to this year's "balls out" pursuit of my dreams after a health scare gave me my "whiff of death" moment. The parenting-creativity balance: I discuss how having young kids makes it nearly impossible to think creatively during holiday chaos, but also how becoming a parent made creative work feel like a vacation rather than an obligation when I finally get time for it Overcoming on-camera discomfort: I'm working through my struggle with talking on camera as "myself" versus as a character, realizing I need to get clear on what I stand for—just like I do for characters—before I can be comfortable being seen The danger of demure people-pleasing: I got positive reinforcement for years by being "very humble and demure and invisible" in Hollywood, which led to years of crankiness and losing myself—now I'm done with that martyrdom My "whiff of death" turning point: Last January's health scare (possible vasculitis diagnosis) became my story structure catalyst moment—the thing that made me decide to battle "all these voices in my head saying you're not good enough" Strategic content pivoting: I'm intentionally transitioning from pure stunt content to talking head videos about "The One That Glitters," accepting that some followers will leave but trusting that the right audience will stay and grow Algorithm realities and birthday vulnerability: My birthday car hit post got zero views because Instagram recognized it as duplicate content, which forced me to practice being uncomfortable with "failure" and asking for birthday love despite cringing internally Practicing boundaries like swimming lessons: In the pool I set graceful, loving boundaries after 20 years of practice, but in my personal life my boundaries are still "barbed wirey and full of snaggle teeth" because I'm new at it and insecure they'll be respected Finding your natural joy on camera: I discovered that the only talking head videos I don't cringe at are ones where I'm discussing stunts with natural excitement—now I'm working to transfer that joyful ease onto other topics like the series The long climb back from being dimmed: After someone close to me said "you need to read your own book" as a dig during my swim book tour, I crumbled for 5-6 years—now Ian jokingly said the same thing but this time it's positive because I actually am excited to read my own work

  2. Sep 23

    S4 E5 - Reclaiming Identity, Proving Yourself, and Singular Focus

    [Audio Diary Recorded 11.14.25] PDF’s to help you be you on social media www.theonethatglitters.com In this raw and introspective episode, I grapple with reclaiming my identity as a performer and actor after years of prioritizing motherhood. I chronicle my journey of redefining my Instagram bio as "storyteller, performer" while working through deep-seated imposter syndrome about claiming creative titles I once held with confidence.  The episode captures my breakthrough moment of understanding that I must prove my capabilities publicly before opportunities will come, sparked by receiving multiple stunt work offers through Instagram—validation that my social media content is working. I share my resistance to breakfast routines that don't serve me, my struggle to finish my romance series "The One That Glitters," and my realization that I need to focus on one thing rather than attempting everything at once. Reclaiming identity as a performer: I discuss the difficulty of calling myself an "actor" after 12 years away from consistent acting work, recognizing how motherhood shifted my identity and how I'm now earning that title back through viral content creation The power of believing in your own greatness: "No one is going to pay you to do something that you haven't proven you can already do"—you must bestow greatness on yourself rather than waiting for others to christen you worthy Instagram as career catalyst: Three separate stunt/performance opportunities have come through my Instagram presence, validating that consistently showing up with stunt content is creating professional opportunities The danger of being a "sponge": While being receptive to advice helps with implementation, I recognize I've been too susceptible to others' opinions (like forcing myself to eat breakfast when it makes me feel terrible) Quality over quantity in content creation: I'm choosing to be a perfectionist who posts ideas I believe will "hit it out of the park" rather than peppering the algorithm with daily content The necessity of singular focus: Acknowledging my lifelong struggle with wanting to do everything at once, I realize true success requires choosing one thing and sticking with it for years—currently "The One That Glitters" series Strategic character work for casting: I'm planning to create sketch content as my three main characters (Dakota Everly, Lexi) to showcase specific casting types directors could see me playing—naive characters with martial arts badassery underneath Overcoming resistance to opportunities: Despite anxiety and self-doubt about returning to set as a stunt coordinator, I recognize my body's resistance to growth and push through to show up professionally

  3. Sep 16

    S3 E4 - Trying to overcome fear of talking to the camera | Unworthyness

    [Audio Diary Recorded 11.10.15]  In this vulnerable resistance-filled episode, I'm confessing I forced myself to record 30 days of talking head videos at the studio without makeup (just pink hair extensions) for a challenge where I'll write one word in the book for every follower, but now I'm paralyzed with fear about posting them because what if they only get 300 views and I'm an epic failure? I'm stuck between two paths: keep cranking out stunt stair falls that work even though the emotion isn't bubbling up anymore, or lean into the resistance and recalibrate toward the one that glitters series, but writing this seven-book saga is such a tremendous undertaking and I'm blocked by holiday mental load, sugar hangovers from gummy bears and truffle Cheetos, a throbbing back and cramped middle toe that might be psychosomatic since Ian said at 43 your body goes through massive aging.  The real fear underneath it all is that no one will like me for me—it's one thing to do stunts in my element ignoring the camera, but putting out talking heads will prove I'm not worthy and not likable, plus I've proven I can go viral with stairfalls and I'm terrified of messing up the algorithm that's giving me 10 million views a month even though barely anyone translates to listening to the podcast. Key Themes & Takeaways: Perfectionist paralysis with talking head videos - "I recorded 30 days of talking heads and I'm so scared to post them, what if it gets 300 views? The perfectionist in me says if it doesn't get 10,000 views you're an epic failure" Fear of being liked for me vs stunts - "I deeply have a fear that no one will like me for me, putting those out will prove I'm not worthy and not likable - it's one thing to do stunts in my element, but talking heads is different" Algorithm anxiety and planting seeds - "Fear is I mess up the algorithm doing such a good job pushing my content, but you have to plant the seed where you want to grow toward the series I'm writing" Two paths dilemma - "I can keep doing stunt stairfalls if I want to be successful on social media, or say okay let's listen to resistance and recalibrate, but I just shook off years of angst and don't know what more to say" Watching yourself back is torture - "Watching myself on screen was so brutal, I forced myself to do one take of each, seeing the same spiel 42 times trying to find ebb and flow of personality but not too much" October hibernation resistance pattern - "I work so hard all summer and by October I just want to go on hibernation, this happens every year, I want to eat gummy bears at 2pm which is so unlike me" Seven book perfectionist struggle - "Way it's outlined is seven books and I'm like good gracious I bit off way more than I can chew, can I keep every scene a humdinger? As perfectionist it's so hard to get out of my own way" Long form vs short form brain switch - "One that glitters is such long form content I'm having trouble flipping back and forth to Instagram shortest form content, can't get my brain from one track to other track" Holiday mental load starting early - "Last night I was looking up stocking stuffers already, I can feel my November and December getting absolutely lost to holidays with kids out of school a lot" Compare and despair vs beast mode - "I'm usually in beast mode but I still have these days where I cannot get myself out of quicksand, look at all these other people creating like beasts"

  4. Sep 9

    S3 E3 - Creative Burnout | Trying to figure out next path

    [Audio Diary 11.7.25] In this deeply introspective episode, I'm wrestling with creative burnout and asking the brutal question: what am I even trying to say with these stairfalls anymore when they came from frustration and anger that I don't feel now? I'm caught between wanting discipline to keep creating content versus only making things when they bubble up from within, realizing the frenetic energy that drove me earlier this year (terrible rash, Palisades fires, fear I'd never perform again) has evaporated now that I've proven to myself millions of people want to watch my content.  The real struggle is admitting I don't care enough about anything to receive backlash for it—I like being characters not myself, I don't want to give parenting tips or yatter about chasing dreams, and maybe the answer is creating as Lexi, Dakota, or Everly instead of me because there's nothing I care that much about to get hate comments over as myself, plus I woke up before Halloween with my kidney and hip hurting like time folded on itself knowing I'd bang it during the stairfall. Key Themes & Takeaways: Creative burnout and loss of drive - "Stairfalls came from frustration at myself and the world, now I feel satisfied and calm but have no hunger to perform other things" The frenetic energy disappeared - "Beginning of year I had terrible rash, lost business to Palisades fires, thought I'd never perform again - that underlying frenetic energy drove me, now it's gone and I'm like okay now what?" Proving something vs sustainable creation - "I was so driven by fiery passion to prove I had something special millions would watch, I've proven that time and time again, now I need something more sustainable" Not caring enough to receive backlash - "I don't care that much about anything to put it out into the world to receive potential backlash, and things I do care about I don't feel need to talk about publicly" Prefer being characters not myself - "I want to perform, I want to be a character, I want to feel things but not as me because I feel calm and don't need friction on the interwebs for no reason" The $5 million freedom number - "At $5 million I could invest it and pull $200,000 a year and just be free to create without the whisper saying you have to do it or bad things will happen" Fiercely independent won't accept help - "I'm fiercely independent in good way but also doesn't allow me to feel supported because I won't allow people to support me, I feel like I should be leader of every community" Time folding on itself hip injury - "I woke up before Halloween stairfall with my kidney and right side hurting, then banged that same hip during the fall like my body already knew it would get jacked up" Plant seed where you want to grow - "Can I do stairfalls until I'm 120? I don't think so, so I need to build the one that glitters Instagram instead" Compare and despair trap - "Getting caught comparing to other people's pages going 'they're so good at this why can't I do it' when I'm sure someone could do that to my page too"

  5. Sep 2

    S3 E2 - YOU are the one that GLITTERS | Not Letting Hate Win | Finding My (Gentle) Alpha Energy

    [Audio Diary Recorded 10.3.25] PDF’s to help you be YOU on social media: www.TheOneThatGlitters.com (and cool merch)  In this brutally honest episode, I'm confessing the depressing podcast reality as of November 2025 (which hopefully are VERY different than when this podcast comes out!) while having a massive breakthrough about my social media theme: am I gonna let hate win, fear win, or trolls dictate my life? After teaching swim lessons, I'm literally screaming in my car about being done with false beliefs people projected onto me, realizing I'm becoming an alpha again—but this time with grounded calm energy instead of that high-frequency excitement that used to bump people the wrong way. Turns out my core wounds didn't come from childhood but from moving to LA and letting insecure people squash my shine when I was booking things with blissful unawareness, and now I'm standing in my closet next to broken masking-taped shelves trying to say "I am the one that glitters, and so are you" without completely cringing. Key Themes & Takeaways: The depressing reality of early metrics - "Between 7 and 13 people listen to each episode, 15 total subscribers, and yes it's depressing but I'm looking at it scientifically to see what audiences are gaining" Social media theme breakthrough: not letting hate win - "Am I gonna let hate win? Am I gonna let fear win? Am I gonna let trolls dictate what I do or do not do in life?" Alpha animal fight metaphor - "In the wild if a non-alpha goes up against an alpha and gets in a fight, even if they lose they are now an alpha - this year has been my year to turn back into an alpha but a very gentle calm alpha" High frequency vs low frequency grounded energy - "Before I had alphaness but it came with high frequency excitement energy that bumped people, now it's low frequency grounded calm knowingness you get as you get older" Core wounds from LA not childhood - "My wounds come from when I moved to LA and started allowing myself to get squashed by people - I had blissful unawareness booking things easily and I allowed other people's fear and insecurity to really degrade that" The shine that angers insecure people - "We all have a shine and when we allow ourselves to shine other people get angered and want to squash that because maybe they're insecure" "I am the one that glitters and so are you" - Cringing while saying this out loud standing in closet but finally accepting it's okay to feel worthy of success without taking away from others Better when witnessed than alone - "I always felt like I'm better when witnessed, my witness state is a better state than my alone state, being seen makes some people uncomfortable but I like it" Quantum physics mirror effect - "On a quantum level when you feel different about yourself everything switches, people react to you differently because you react to yourself differently" Opening vs closing image progress - "Opening image: me curled up crying with terrible rash all over body. Closing image: me floating expansive in closet (or ideally on mountain edge looking up to heavens feeling free)"

  6. Aug 26

    S3 E1 - Life lesson to live by: Achieve, Avoid, Maintain

    [Audio Diary Recorded 10.22.25] PDF to help you be you on Social Media at  www.TheOneThatGlitters.com (and Merch!)  Welcome to Season 3 of Glitter Mouth, where I'm sharing my dad's game-changing framework for decision-making: what do you want to gain, what do you want to avoid, and what do you want to maintain? I'm getting brutally honest about hemorrhaging money on this creative endeavor (made $1500, spent way more), the hamster wheel of seasonal income pressure, and why I'm treating my creativity like my swim business by refusing to cancel on myself even with no money coming in yet. Plus, I'm breaking down my three metrics for social media domination and explaining why planting the seed where you want to grow means you have to start doing the thing before anyone gives you permission. Key Themes & Takeaways: Dad's three question framework for decision making - "What do you want to gain? What do you want to avoid? What do you want to maintain?" Use this anytime you're struggling Startup mentality for creative endeavors - "Startups cost a fortune, anybody's business is probably in debt or has been in debt, yet with creativity we feel like it should instantly make money" Plant the seed where you want to grow - "If you want to be an actor you have to act, you have to put yourself in a position to act" - do the thing you want to be known for No one knows what you want if you don't know what you want - "How is my husband supposed to know what I want if I haven't done introspection work to figure out what I want myself?" Three metrics for social media domination - (1) What worked based on views, (2) How happy the post made you, (3) How much you enjoyed making it - "Follow the fun" The doing is the thing - "It's very hard to do the doing when you don't have proof that the doing is the thing, but you're banging your head against a wall for a year and a half studying and trying different things" Treating creativity like business - "If I wouldn't cancel on a swimming lesson I'm not going to cancel on my creative endeavor for that day, put it in same category of same amount of importance" Making house into vacation destination - When you have young kids and travel is expensive at peak times with five people, "we decided to make our house into where we'd want to travel to" Circle chart 100 fails method - Do 100 attempts, track the three metrics, see what works and double down on that Income reality check - "People ask how much money do you make on Instagram - none as of now, well not true I made $1500, I've spent far more than that, and I will continue to set aside money to hold space for my creativity"

  7. Aug 19

    S2 E33 - Filming “shorts” for Social Media is a DREAM & the TRUTH about Podcast Growth

    [Audio Diary Recorded 10.10.25] In this creative euphoria and brutal-numbers-honesty episode of Glitter Mouth Season 2, I'm working at office after hour-long podcast edit while walking on a treadmill, then shooting Blink horror short in bedroom with my daughter Evie as my DP. Finally, I’m confessing devastating Spotify analytics showing 259 total plays, 15 followers, 13-of-2000 streaming requirement while having 44-million Instagram views proving need to stay focused on scripted series despite slow-growth discouragement. I also re-posted old content for the first time with a new spin on it…which made me feel as if I was “cheating” on a test.  In this episode, I talk about: Hour-long podcast edit treadmill walk: Crafting particular notes for Rachel about cello timing and city soundscape fade - "episodes like mini practice for One That Glitters soundscape" Blink feature-to-short pivot excitement: Person seeing monsters when closing eyes - "has been in my head for so long, finally shooting it as Halloween short in bedroom" Everyone's Doing Great Tubi release: Season one now free, directed episodes four and eight season two - "paintings in background are my sister's art or my art for copyright clearance" Evie resident-DP praise: Daughter shot $16-million-view stairfall and multiple others - "good eye for framing because consumes short content, speaks YouTube language" $10K Call versus free Blink comparison: Spent fortune on short 18 people saw versus hour-and-half bedroom shoot potentially getting millions - "will have learned as much" Compliment sandwich Ian evolution: Working on giving positive-negative-positive feedback structure - "spoonful of sugar helps medicine go down" Devastating Spotify analytics confession: 259 total plays in 90 days, 53 consumption hours, 15 followers - "13 of 2000 streaming requirement, 18 of 10,000 hours" 44-million-views-to-13-listeners disconnect: "Seems crazy low considering over 44 million views on Instagram page - turnover rate reality" YouTube $22K versus Instagram $5 revelation: Following creator who got 3.2 million Instagram views paid $5, half that YouTube paid $22,000 - "good gravy Marie" Reposted 1.4-million-view dinner post: Changed "hurt myself" caption to parenting-feels-like-hard-fall because "sick of Instagram help-notifications, feel chastised every time alert pops up"

  8. Aug 12

    S2 E32 - Universe loves projects in MOTION | Smallest-Version-Today Strategy | I can hit a home run, but if no one is in the stands…does it matter?

    [Audio Diary Recorded 10.8.25] In this episode of Glitter Mouth Season 2, I'm kneeling on silky black rug lighting candles from Bossy stairfall experiencing deep happiness remembering Bruce-and-Linda-Lee's bonded struggle period, processing how Ian finally stepped up like 50-Shades husbands after I realized no one schedules your time but yourself, celebrating grandmother-honoring San Francisco University dress purchase despite money guilt, then cycling through bio evolution landing on "black belt underneath my ball gown" perfection before spiraling into PDD realization that 44 million views only converted to 6,000 followers making slow-grow reality check necessary.  Perfect for creators experiencing breakthrough joy moments, anyone navigating partner support negotiations, and listeners learning why viral views don't automatically equal follower conversion or monetization. In this episode, I talk about: Silky rug candle-lighting happiness: Bossy stairfall candles creating deeply satisfying creative moment - "so deeply happy kneeling in front of giant white cabinet" Bruce-and-Linda-Lee bonded struggle: Happiest time was trying to become successful together - applying to own journey with Ian Husband support negotiation processing: Asking Ian to schedule my time like 50 Shades authors' military husbands - "no one responsible for your time than yourself" Bed-mole-rat writing invisibility problem: Year and a half writing in bed with desk not cinematic - "no one watching posts like I cannot wait to curl in bed and write novel" Airport mom-narrative rejection: Woman saying good moms always mentally connected to kids - "I felt that for years which is why I couldn't act" Ian's ignited-support breakthrough: Stepping up huge this year seeing how absolutely ignited I am - "go fly lady, go do your thing, I've got this" Grandmother dress memorial: San Francisco University outfit under $200 reminding me of glamorous heel-wearing-till-80s grandmother Bio evolution breakthrough: Finally landing on "black belt underneath my ball gown / let me climb inside your ears" - visceral storytelling language 44-million-views reality check: Only 6,000 follower growth despite massive views - "if I'm hitting home runs and no one's in the stands, doesn't matter"

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About

Want a friend while you create your book, podcast or TV series? I'm here for ya. I'm from a small town in Wisconsin, and I moved to HoIlywood in late 2004. I've been producing, acting, directing, and doing stunts for the past 20 years. (and having 3 kids) Now, I'm moving into my next era of creating the hit dark romance/thriller series THE ONE THAT GLITTERS. Set in Hollywood, THE ONE THAT GLITTERS will be a book series, scripted podcast series and, eventually, a TV series. For now, this podcast is a Behind-the-scenes of my struggles to create art in today's day and age.

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