After a year of tumultuous change, things are changing again. Whether we like it or not.

Over the last week, my social media feed has been filled with stories of lots of folks sharing where they were and what they were doing when everything changed. For me, I was in the thick of managing a Pilates studio and had just started to figure out how to make space for my acting career while doing it. My work for the studio suddenly doubled as I was figuring out how to do all my work from home, take our studio online, set up the procedures to support it, and acclimate our teachers and our clients to teaching online.

As much as I was eager for acting work, it was a strange relief not to have to run around, take 3 or more subway rides a day, and juggle balancing both work and my creative life, for awhile. 

After a bit of a break, I have become more and more restless for my artistic life to build back up. With that in mind, I’ve been deeply excited as more and more theatres have announced their plans, especially over the past few weeks, to move outdoors (or resume outdoor programming) and even to start producing live theatre at a diminished capacity with new safety protocols in place. Theatre is my life blood and where I feel most at home. While yes, there is Zoom theatre – my own participation has been pretty limited – I will be very happy when it is no longer necessary!!

Nonetheless, things opening up doesn’t come without fear. The little cocoon of living at home has come to feel more safe, albeit at times lonely. I’ve been taking classes online that haven’t been exclusively on-camera based. I do have to say, there is a bit of fear around whether I’ll be stuck in 2D mode or have enough ‘stage energy’ once we re-enter in person rehearsals, performances and maybe even auditions.

While 2020 was filled with the most unknown in my own life, the transition “back” or forward to something new is no less unknown.

In theatre spaces online, I’ve seen people talking about their discomforts and fear around things returning. A lot of them relate to the challenging conditions we often experience when we need to go to auditions in person and have a paid job and work on our craft, etc., etc. The list goes on and on …

I have a lot of sympathy with the complaints – unfair audition procedures, lack of access to auditions, and even the old unpractical ‘the show must go on’ mentality. I would like to see all of these things improve as well. Wishing that these things would be magically fixed does not seem to have come to fruition.  I think it is necessary and vital that we speak up and advocate for the improved treatment of performers.

I also see how focusing on our complaints and dissatisfaction creates limitations on us both individually and as a collective. If our belief system is that the theatre industry is unfair and we use our energy to fight against it, that can become incredible draining, especially if it feels like an uphill climb. If we spend all of our energy fighting, how can we fully bring our brilliance to our art? 

Your talent and heart as a performer is needed now more than ever before.

So I have a radical suggestion … before you give into all of your fears about the way you perceive things are or will be as the world re-opens, challenge your thoughts and beliefs.

You don’t have to sacrifice your own well being to change the entertainment industry.

Try this exercise.

1. Make a list of everything you believe is true about the industry, auditions, etc. 
2. Make a list of how you believe that impacts you. 
3. Is there anything you can change? What is in your control? 

Want to go deeper? One-on-one coaching can be a powerful tool to identify how and why you are standing in your own way so that you can make better choices.

I have a few spots for clients to start my One Month Intensive (4 sessions) or a Three Month Program, so that you can set yourself up emotionally, mentally, and physically to thrive in the new “new normal”. Set up your FREE 60 minute consultation to discover how coaching can help you.