Monday, January 22nd, 2018
What brings you joy? What makes you smile with your heart?
Really take a moment to think about it. Is it playing a sport? Having coffee with your best friend? Walking your dog? Exploring a new place you’ve never been? I bet, if you wrote it down, you’d find you have at least a dozen (if not many more) things in your life that bring you joy. For me, it’s spending quality time with my family, exercise, and making a difference in the lives of artists (among other things). I start each day with the intention to LIVE in that joy as much as I can. And I challenge you to do the same.
I challenge you to set your intention towards the feeling of joy every single day.
How does one do this? Glad you asked. I have a list!
1. Sing to yourself in the morning. Whether you are Broadway-ready or not, SING. It is scientifically proven to lighten your mood and release serotonin. This also works if you are nervous. Sit alone somewhere and belt the crap outta your favorite song like the rockstar you are.
2. Meditate. I am not talking about going to a cave and thinking of nothing for hours on end. Take 2 minutes to center yourself and set your daily intention. Could be as easy as repeating the sacred mantra “Om” five times. It will calm you and lower your blood pressure immediately. Try it and see how you feel afterwards.
3. Enjoy the process, not the outcome. We are a success oriented society. We set a goal and want to achieve it, right? I.E. You get an audition and want to book it! And I want that for you too! But… considering that being an artist is a lifelong choice, I would rather you ENJOY the process of the audition. Open those sides and say “YES! I get to PLAY!” and diligently treat it as play. Every actor who walks into that room gets a chance to play that part. Dive in fully, forgetting about results, and I guarantee you will find JOY in the process. And should you book it? Great! If not, you have just practiced one of the most important life skills.
4. Give yourself a happiness project. I have a client who told me she used to find joy in painting but stopped when she moved out to L.A to pursue acting. She’d been getting the itch to grab a canvas and paint again so I dared her to make that her happiness project. I am thrilled to report she just finished her first painting in years and is now onto her second. She’d forgotten that painting was the place for her to just zen out and, funny enough, it’s made a hugely positive impact on her acting as well!
5. If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands. Ridiculous, right? Maybe not. When you feel happy, I literally want you to clap your hands. This physical and auditory reminder of “happy” will not only make you laugh (increasing your happiness) but it will remind you and your subconscious that “We like it here. This happy thing is working. Thank you. More please.” Like Pavlov’s dogs, the clap will be your “happy bell”.
Happiness is a conscious choice. Of course life is going to happen and darker emotions will take hold at times. This is okay. This is what makes your the layered, complicated, work of art that you are. But, I want you to know that choosing joy is always possible. When life’s frustrations rear their heads. It just takes practice and a conscious desire to shift your focus, open up the floodgates of happiness and live in your joy, every single day!
SS