Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Costa.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Katie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Let’s put it this way… I most definitely was last picked for dodgeball in grade school gym class and the extent of my athletic career was playing half a basketball game in 2nd grade. Always felt like the odd one out and somehow missed out on any type of athletic or coordination gene. My time was filled by all things beauty and videography when I began my makeup and fashion based YouTube channel in middle school. While countless friends and classmates ended their school day with track conditioning or volleyball practice, I was sat at my vanity recording a blue eyeshadow look for all of my 2o subscribers at the time. Fast forward to college, Katie and my passion for makeup remain constant but I was left feeling unfulfilled; even though I’d spend hours getting dolled up and had an insanely ritualistic skincare routine, somehow I still didn’t feel confident or comfortable in myself. I felt like a part of the essential self-care was missing. Why is it that makeup, which used to make me feel the most confident in myself, wasn’t doing it for me anymore? As the pounds packed on and my mental health began sinking, I knew something had to change. I had to stop relying on superficialities to get me out of the dumps. I’d heard working out “releases dopamine and stuff” and I had been working front desk at a spin studio for a couple of months at this time, so I figured why not try out a class? How bad could it be? Oh… it was bad… so I didn’t take another class for a couple of months after. January 2019 is when I became a regular in the spin classes. It came to my surprise when the owner and manager of Vibe Ride would compliment me after classes and ask if I’d ever thought about instructing. Quite honestly, I was in disbelief that not only was I working out, but it was something I was good at? I accepted the offer and began working so hard doing something that wasn’t even on my radar a year ago. Suddenly, I was more self-disciplined, responsible, and level headed. I thought “I don’t know who this person is, but I like her”. Somehow I make the time to train and spin amongst the chaos of my three jobs and multiple hobbies and am so excited to take the next step in teaching my own classes!
Has it been a smooth road?
At the end of 2018 is when things really changed for me. I didn’t like the person I was and I was really longing to feel lighter mentally and physically. I felt a constant gloom around me and my outlook on life was so sour. So, I ended a relationship, dyed my hair pink, got a nose piercing, and began consistently taking spin classes any time I could. It definitely wasn’t smooth sailing and I had countless amounts of nights binge eating and ordering $30 worth of UberEats, but my mind began to feel more clear and it’s like I could physically feel the stress leave my body. Even if I hadn’t seen large physical changes yet, it didn’t matter because I KNEW I was doing something good for me mentally and not just physically.
What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
What do I do? I think the better question would be… in the least self-righteous way possible… what don’t I do? I have so many passions and I find it impossible to just focus on one. Alongside my endeavors of becoming a spin instructor, I’m a marketing and digital advertising student at Georgia State University and am an assistant PR/social media chair for my sorority Phi Mu. I also spend my time doing freelance graphic design and social media work for various small businesses in Atlanta, with a concentration on beauty brands. Every couple of months, I get to be an exhibitor at Atlanta’s Apparel Mart and be a brand rep for Entro Los Angeles, where I am gaining experience in wholesale and improving my people skills in a professional setting. When I’m not doing school or computer work is when all the real fun happens and I do freelance hair and makeup artistry in Atlanta and outside the perimeter. After all of this, any time I can squeeze in goes towards my YouTube channel and building and maintaining my own personal online brand based around fashion, beauty, and now fitness. I take pride in the fact that I don’t restrict myself to a box of what I enjoy and choose to spend my time doing. When you accept and practice everything you enjoy, you’d be surprised at how harmonious all of your passions can be alongside each other!
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I’d rather end on a good note so my least favorite part of the city would be the lack of convenient and widespread public transportation. But ANYWAY… every part of Atlanta is so different, but all so special and all somehow feel like home. The diversity in Atlanta and specifically Georgia State is so incredible. Living in downtown, I can’t help but be swallowed by Atlanta’s culture and come to love and appreciate all of the different types of food, music, and people that I’m surrounded by daily. I love that just about everyone I meet has a side hobby or are working on creative projects that are only benefitted by Atlanta and everything it offers opportunity or resource-wise. Something about this city makes me want to be fully myself, explore and try new things, and immerse myself in the beautiful, diverse, and creative culture.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_g8cUckVM1VP8MUHFQR8TA?view_as=subscriber
- Email: katiecostayt@yahoo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katielynnmua/
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/katiecosta/
Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
