There are going to be days, maybe weeks, and probably the odd month or even year when this industry, and maybe life in general just feels kinda like death. This may sounds rather dramatic; so if that never happens to you, and you don't believe it ever will, thats cool, fee free to stop reading now.
But for many of us, (yes, totally projecting and generalizing), sometimes its feels like when it rains it pours. No this is not a reference to the weather here in Vancouver, because as I write this post it's shockingly sunny.
In these times of need, stress, or lack of calls from the Agent, there are many distracting or uplifting things to do. Have a cocktail, go to Yoga, watch a chick flick, eat an entire bag of Ruffles Sour Cream and Onion potato chips, (that might just be me?) etc.
But instead of feeding the fear (possibly literally), I'm of the frame of mind that a little push and shove goes a long way. And choosing to make stuff happen can be pretty awesome.
For example, last week I was feeling a blah, 'the industry is slow' kind of energy. But I met with my new Mentor, Julia Benson (I'm in an amazing mentorship program called Fulfilling Young Artists -more on that later) and we had a really good chat about what I wanted. To do and who I wanted to be and how to get there. Then we set some small, measurable, accountable goals for this week, and I put effort towards them and they were way less difficult then I projected! But it puts that energy out there, more than sitting on the couch or at the beach.
So what I'm saying is it can be a little tough to get out of the 'depts of despair', but finding out what makes you happy, what makes you tick and what keeps you going in whatever path you choose is a wonderful thing.
I hope everyone has someone in their life they can sit down and tell their dreams too. And as much as I like 'believe in your dreams and they will come true!' It takes a little effort too.
Having a a to-do list is super helpful, and I'm addicted to them but that can be daunting. To start, think of what you want to accomplish, think of some steps and then pick one, just onefor like, the next week. See how it goes! You might even move on to more of the list, or you might fail. Either way you'll probably learn something!
If you're interested in finding out more about Fulfilling Young Artists, its' a program that matches working Professionals in the Acting Industry with young aspiring actors. Over a 6 month period we work together to set goals, create projects etc. You can follow them on twitter if you like.
@FyaCanada All of there info to their new website etc is on there.
If you feel like you don't even know what 'next steps' to take, try checking out the
Actor's Deliverables class at The Actors Foundry. Matthew Harrison is super helpful at guiding you in the right direction and giving you a good kick in the pants to get you moving!
This post may have been a little 'positive attitude' preachy, but I do honestly believe a few little baby steps can get the momentum going, sometimes we think the stepping stones are way father apart than they actually are. Plus if you miss, it's a chance to enjoy falling in the water!
Hope you all have a lovely day and get a chance to enjoy some free Vitamin D!
xoxo
