Watch

Delivering Joy — One Party at a Time

Creator:
Published:
January 8, 2024
November 7, 2022
Watch how changing careers impacted this woman's life.

Tiwana Rochelle wasn't happy with the job she was working, so she took a leap that changed her life. She left her job at the post office to throw parties for kids, playing as characters, and bringing joy to families — and she hasn't looked back since.

"You got to live life for you. A lot of times people are living life for other people. As long as you can stay true to who you are...everything else will work out."

Video Transcript

Tiwana Rochelle: Aw, thank you. Happy birthday!

It's like real emotions when you're wearing a costume. If you have a child right here looking at you, they're looking at you like a celebrity. “Oh, it's my favorite character, I love watching your show.” It's entertaining. You're in a costume. Watching all of that go on. I love to see the reaction. I be getting into it.

I hated my job at the time. I worked all day every day. I was never able to spend time with my kids. I was able to do the parties and do the mail carrying at the same time. Said I was going to quit the post office to do the characters. So people was looking at me like, “You gonna quit the post office to do that?” They did kind of make me nervous. Is it going to work out? And I was like 20 years old at the post office so all my coworkers were a lot older than me. So I'm thinking maybe they know something that I don't know. My husband was really supportive, and we kind of came up with a plan.

One of my first parties, it was like, “Ok, I'm really about to go to the strangers’ party as an outsider to entertain?” So I called one of my friends up. I was like, “Can you please come to this party with me? Just be there.” I became a good actress because they just think that I was just so comfortable. And I think even still, I get nervous going to people's parties.

If it's a toy on the floor, I'll get, literally, get down on the floor with her, throw the little ball with her. I'm literally a darn child. If they have gifts, I'll hand it to the child, and clap and help them play.

Producer: Does it help having kids already?

Tiwana: I could say, yeah, but really I want to blame everything on my childish, playful personality. It's like at times I'm more playful and silly than they are so yeah. But I'll go ahead and say yes, having kids helps me to become a better character.

I always think everything's going to work out anyway, so if it didn't, then I'll figure out something else. I haven't looked back since, so it all worked out. You got to live life for you. A lot of times people are living life for other people. As long as you can stay true to who you are and everything else will work out. Don't overthink, just do.

Creators:
Grotto
Published:
January 8, 2024
November 7, 2022
On a related note...
Food is a Lot Like Love — Here’s Why

Food is a Lot Like Love — Here’s Why

Grace Spiewak

How Improv Brings Back the Joy of Play

How Improv Brings Back the Joy of Play

Clarissa Aljentera

Why You Should Be Reading Outside

Why You Should Be Reading Outside

LuElla D'Amico

Kombucha Brewer Takes Holistic Health Approach

Kombucha Brewer Takes Holistic Health Approach

Grotto

Why 'Awe' Might Be the Secret Ingredient for Happiness

Why 'Awe' Might Be the Secret Ingredient for Happiness

Emily Mae Mentock

10 Inspiring Twitter Accounts to Uplift Your Feed

10 Inspiring Twitter Accounts to Uplift Your Feed

Molly Cruitt

‘I Hated All My Classes’

‘I Hated All My Classes’

Allison Williams

“Leaving Behind What We Think We Want”

“Leaving Behind What We Think We Want”

Christian Santa Maria

The Healing Power of Laughter

The Healing Power of Laughter

Noah Bongiovanni

5 Ways to Make Running Joyful

5 Ways to Make Running Joyful

Joe Kuhns

Learning to Live with Cystic Fibrosis with Joy

Learning to Live with Cystic Fibrosis with Joy

Grotto

Hate Your Job? These 4 Questions Will Help You Move Forward

Hate Your Job? These 4 Questions Will Help You Move Forward

Marye Colleen Larme

4 Ways Artists Can Pivot During This Pandemic

4 Ways Artists Can Pivot During This Pandemic

Stephanie DePrez

Losing Your Job Could Actually Ignite Your Career

Losing Your Job Could Actually Ignite Your Career

Emily Mae Mentock

Good Vibes Only Spotify Playlist | #GrottoMusic

Good Vibes Only Spotify Playlist | #GrottoMusic

Grotto

5 Things to Do When You're on the Job Hunt

5 Things to Do When You're on the Job Hunt

Matt Paolelli

Do You Really Want to Go to College?

Do You Really Want to Go to College?

Christine Chu

12 Ways to Spend a Volunteer Year

12 Ways to Spend a Volunteer Year

Marye Colleen Larme

6 Steps to Addressing Your Workplace Burnout

6 Steps to Addressing Your Workplace Burnout

Tony Oleck

How Changing My Mindset Made Me a Forever Learner

How Changing My Mindset Made Me a Forever Learner

Mariah Cressy

newsletter

We’d love to be pals.

Sign up for our newsletter, and we’ll meet you in your inbox each week.