Los Angeles Acting blog by David August: Keeping the Faith

Monday, July 16, 2012

Keeping the Faith

Keeping the faith in oneself and your career is not always easy, especially if you have not booked recently, are feeling financial pressures or are basically not pleased with how things are going. It likely takes more than one blog post to cover all the ways to try to maintain or resurrect optimism, but here are 2 thoughts:

breathe - both literally and figuratively. I had a stage combat teacher who when faced with actors holding their breath while doing choreography would say "breathe, or die." it isn't just in combat rehearsals that there is temptation or habit to hold one's breath. Breathe. Many a bad decision has been made while the deciding person held their breath. Easy to avoid. Just breathe.
Don't take life too seriously; no one gets out of it alive. Yes, things matter to you, and may even matter in a larger or even objective sense. But worry has never solved any problem, and most things are not as life or death as they feel. Hang in, be patient and keep at it.

Other ideas would include talking with and connecting to supportive (at least not undercutting) friends and family. Your support network can be a life saver. Do what you can to be happy now. Depression is serious and small things like a walk in a park can short term improve a mood (as does most exercise). Bigger things like changing how you earn money, and how much you earn, may be harder to do, but are also possibilities. Let me know your ideas in the comments. Good luck.