The ACTING Coach

Scene Work & Character Development taught by Cindy Hogan. Saturday, March 14th in Jacksonville, FL.
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POST #2 STORMS

The last post was about carrying on, and although I started this post on Motivation, I pivoted and decided what was on my heart at this time, is more about surviving storms.

As our industry is facing, yet again another storm of sorts, how do we not get swallowed up in the dismay? How do we not dwell in the disappointment? How do we rise above it and create new solutions?

You see personally, I know a thing or two about storms. I have had my fair share and then some. Each “storm” taught me something. I wish I could say the light bulb lit up right away, not the case. But each time I refused to dwell in the pain and chose to use the lesson to chart a new corse for happier days, it always worked out. Again, this skill didn’t happen over night and honestly something that I still work at, because there will be another storm. It’s part of life. The key, in my opinion, is to not dwell on what’s missing but to feel grateful for what remains.

So in talking about the “storm” of the industry right now, what remains? YOU, you're gifts, your talents and your stories. No storm can diminish any of those. The venue in which you express those gifts, talents and stories may change, momentarily, BUT they are NOT missing. They are part of your being. Find ways to develop them. Find ways to honor them. Find new ways to share them.

During this rather slow/down time I started cleaning houses. I use to have a construction cleaning company years and years and years ago. (to support my hobby lol) I will be honest, at first I was “resentful” that I had to return to this. I was praying and meditating one evening and I felt the strong message of “be of service”! So off I went with a few clients to start with.

The most wonderful thing happened! I was making a difference in their lives, organizing and cleaning their spaces, sharing stories and trading ideas. The conversations came naturally and the bonus was I lost 23 pounds burning up some calories. I had wanted to lose some weight and get healthy again after a “major storm” and I never expected it to be this way. I worked for (and still do) writers, non profit pioneers, spiritual mentors, new parents, entrepreneurs and Ms Gloria who is in her 90’s and my biggest cheerleader! They have enriched my life and I theirs.
I was up front with them as to my “day job” and I found an unexpected moral support and a family I didn’t even know existed.

The inspiration and connection developed by this has been an inspiration for launching a new story that was caused out of this “storm”. The script is being written.

So in this temporary storm we are all experiencing let’s remember to focus on what remains and not what’s missing.

Storms….pass.