Gully jumping – get out of the ditch!

Life is full of highs and lows – we get sidetracked into the ditch and have to find our way back to the road we are meant to travel. We need to jump out of the gully.

This past week I ran into a roadblock. It made me realize a few things & make some changes.

I have a cornea condition called, “Cornea Dystrophy”, a disorder that clouds up your vision and creates a constant burning sensation. It’s a problem that heals and then comes back. During the times that it is acting up like this last week, it makes it difficult to focus on work through the pain and struggle of trying to read a script. I always fight through it & manage to get everything done but it seems to be twice as hard to accomplish. I always tell myself that I am lucky and that things could be much worse. What if I were a Pilot? My career would likely be put on hold or even over. First realization.

When facing a hurdle, it is natural to run for the ditch and give up. It’s too easy to just let the frustration overwhelm you causing you to just walk away from your project. Second realization. If you make sure to take a short break when you feel like that and then get back to your project – it will run much smoother and you will feel better. My days were difficult while dealing with my eye but when I would take just a few minutes to rest it, it made all the difference. When doing voice-overs, If you are dealing with pain or discomfort, don’t force it to happen when it’s not there. Your frustration can lead to a dissatisfied client because they will hear it in your recording.

Third realization. We are all dealing with struggles at different points in our lives. It is the way we look at those struggles, our attitude that makes or breaks us. When facing a challenge, find a way to jump out or around it. What can you do differently? How can you manage your time, so that these types of hurdles don’t get in the way of delivering excellence?

There is always a detour around every roadblock and you might even enjoy the scenery.

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Bringing Your A-Game

You are your business.  No you, no business.  So it makes perfect sense that taking care of you must be a top priority.  Yet amidst the to do lists, the daily challenges of running a business, putting out fires, auditioning, recording spots, and a sundry of life’s little curve balls thrown our way, it’s easy to get lost in the mix and slip out of the running.  It’s easy to become last on our priority list.

Last place.  Nobody likes last place!  We dread it.   It’s what we strive to avoid. Yet if we are last place on the priority list in our own lives, how can we be anything else in our professional lives?  As a voice talent, last place is not an option!  You either get the gig or you don’t.  Getting the gig requires bringing your A-Game!  You can’t bring your A-Game if you don’t have it to bring! Bringing your A-Game requires taking care of you, getting enough sleep, eating the right foods, exercising, and taking time for yourself.

A tired voice is not a hired voice!  Lack of sleep will show up in your vocal delivery and will affect your performance.  It will also affect your mental clarity.  Aim for 6 to 8 hours of sleep every night.

You are what you eat!   Eating clean and staying hydrated will provide your body with the proper nutrients, boost your immune system, boost your metabolism, and give you energy.  Choose fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes, lean protein sources, and healthy fats.  Drink water, lots and lots of water and green tea to stay hydrated.  Sodas, energy drinks, and other caffeinated beverages will tighten the vocal chords and dehydrate you.

Exercise.  If the sight of the word makes you want to run away, go for it!  Getting at least 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity 5 to 6 days a week will severely boost your attitude, mental clarity, energy, and metabolism!

All work and no play makes for a dreaded life day by day.  Taking time for you is necessary, not selfish! You are only one person but you are still just that, a person!  You are a person with interests, friends, and family.  Take some time to enjoy these and you will be much easier to relate to and a lot less stressed!

When you make taking care of you a priority, the ironic thing is that others will too!  They will treat you with more respect because you treat yourself with more respect.  You will become a priority in their minds because you are a priority in your own mind.  You will bring your A-Game because it’s the only game you have to bring!

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