BWW Blog: A Contradiction of Life Lessons

As myself, as well as many others head back to school, I have been wracking my brain for the perfect post. I give you all a list (because I love lists) of lessons I have learned from performing that are as important on stage as they are off.

1. Be easy on yourself.

Treat yourself with compassion and understanding. Cultivate self love because your body is an instrument that needs taken care of to create beautiful art. Failure is inevitable, but what matters is how you move forward.

2. Push yourself.

Sometimes, you are going to be the only person who will push you. You will no longer have teachers or professors. If you learn to continue pushing yourself to be the best version of yourself, you will keep moving forward instead of staying in the same place.

3. Let go.

This has been and still is one of the most difficult lessons for me to learn. It applies to almost everything in life and performing. Let go of toxic people. Let go of needing to please people. Let go of keeping a certain image. Let go of jaw tension. Let go of needing to ace every audition. Learning to let go frees you to enjoy the beauty of life and performance.

4. Hold on.

Hold on to the people who cheer you on and believe in you when you don't even believe in you. Surround yourself with the people and energies that make you feel good, authentic, and loved. Hold on to the people who understand how your brain works. They are often hard to come by and make life so much better.

5. Use your voice.

Speak about what's important to you. Sing about what's important to you. You are the only person qualified to tell your story and it is worthy of being told. DO NOT waste your time on people who say you are "too much" or "too loud."

6. Listen.

Many actors, like myself, REALLY enjoy talking, which means sometimes we forget to listen. Make sure you are listening to what others need to say. Don't just hear them. Listen to them. Listen to your heart and soul, too. And your director.

7. Stir the pot.

If something doesn't feel right, speak up. Change does not come from compliancy. Trust your gut.

8. Advocate peace.

There is so much polarization in the world right now, there is a shortage of peace. Find inner peace and allow it to pour out of you onto others. And, if you find peace within yourself and the process as a performer, you will find so much more joy in the craft.

9. Live in the present.

Appreciate what you have and where you are on your personal journey now. As an actor and a person. On stage, being in the moment is necessary to create an authentic, connected performance. Off stage, trust the process and the idea that you are where you are supposed to be at this moment in time.

10. Hold the past and future close to your heart.

As someone who spends a little too much time both reminiscing and planning, sometimes I take this overboard. The past and future have a significant impact on the person you are today. You are built with the memories you've made and experiences you've had, as well as the goals and dreams you have for the future. Carry these with you, even if they aren't great memories or seem too far-fetched to be achievable goals. Each part of who you were in the past and the person you want to be in the future makes up who you are now. Some parts are good. Some parts are bad. But that's who you are.