Help!
My child is stuck in the body of an actor!
Does your career sometimes feel like a U-Haul adventure gone bad?
The idea was great, you packed up all of your belongings, made the trip across country, while rehearsing your Oscar speech, and now you wonder if you will ever find your way out from under?
What happened?
Is it time to do things differently?
Maybe your adventurous idea just needs some weed whacking?!
ACTORS: I must admit, I’ve visited this place that Albert Einstein so poignantly expressed as insanity! ”Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
And we have all been there… in some way or another. A couple of my dearest friends have spent the past five years of their lives trying to get back the first five months of their relationship, by doing the same thing over and over again. End result, not what they had hoped.
I personally have tried to re-create what I did in the beginning of my career by doing the same thing over and over again. End result, not what I had hoped.
Why is that?
We get in a comfort zone without even realizing and before we know it, we are comfortably uncomfortable.
It’s as if the train left and we’re still standing on the platform, waiting.
Maybe it’s time to be more like Harry Potter and trust there’s a Hogwarts Express that will transport us to that magical world where all things are possible and take that leap of faith?
Maybe it’s time to remember the magic that comes with believing?
Maybe it’s time to become that child again, in a grown-up body?
We will finally make that change when we no longer enjoy suffering! As ironic as that may sound, I find it to be true. People stay in jobs and relationships that no longer bring them fulfillment, and instead of taking action to change the situation, they complain about it, which keeps them exactly where they are… “stuck.”
In the past month, I made a big change; I moved from a place where I was uncomfortably comfortable. And what that means to me is my place was comfortable, conveniently located and adorable, yet, it felt like my soul left years ago and my body habitually was going through the motions. For years I spoke about moving, but complained about staying! Then… I committed to making a change and with that choice came a sense of freedom, yet it wasn’t easy, it felt as if I was tugging and pulling up some stubborn past roots!
My new place is so peaceful, lovely and much bigger… I even started thinking bigger!
Ironically, I have felt the same about my career: soul left, body going through the auditions, callbacks and a booking here and there.
I lost the excitement, anticipation… magic.
Like I NEEDED to move, I NEED my career to be different. I’ve changed, grown wiser and have a lot more to offer. So, it was time for me to play in a different sandbox, if that makes sense?
Upon my Thanksgiving return, I promised my agent we would change things up. I am not sure what that looks like right now, but I know it will be different than what I’ve been looking at.
Over the past year we have talked about the importance of getting new headshots, new agents, new managers and new classes, but, we really haven’t discussed the importance of a getting a new you.
Getting a “new you” could simply mean getting back your innocence. For me, the more I knew, the less excited I got. When I was naïve about this business, I seemed to get the most work. Innocence is beautiful. How do we get back to that?
Well… I started to share with family and friends all that I used to love when I was a child; making ice skating rinks in Upstate New York, playing hockey, making snow cones from real snow, roller skating and holding a boy’s hand for the first time, ice skating to school, becoming the captain of the safety patrol when I was in the fifth grade, being the only 6th grader that made the 8th grade cheerleading squad, taking modeling classes, winning Miss Congeniality of Pleasanton! It was fun to reminisce and guess what? My inner-child got ignited again! This little girl who once saw the world with big bright eyes wanted me to get back to that!
New headshots, new classes, new agents can jumpstart your career for sure, but, when you do it from a new place, a new attitude, a new energy, then you are not doing the same ol’ same ol’ thing, hoping for different results.
Change something about YOU! Perhaps, you can stop complaining? Put a rubber band on your left wrist and when you complain, take it off and put it on your right wrist! You may be surprised how many times during the day you are switching that rubber band! Plus, you can’t help but become more aware of what comes out of your mouth! We do speak things into existence!
Last December, I asked everyone to do one random act of kindness every month. This year, every month, take time to be extra kind to you. Stop talking and start doing; join that gym, start yoga classes, volunteer, cut your hair super short, go back to school, stop complaining. You will be amazed how differently life will show up when you begin to show off your new you.
This holiday season, remember why you got that U-Haul in the first place, get a weed-whacker, map out a new destination, restart your engine and believe, again… in the magic of your dreams.
Here’s to a New You!
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