Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Operating from our creative center


For years, I pushed myself so hard. Stayed up all night every weeknight studying, inhaling Diet Coke. Somewhere inside I knew that I was creative - I played music and sang, I wrote plays and short stories, painted and drew, even etched glass... but I was convinced that my worth to the world was in being a scientist, and as a girl who excelled at math and chemistry, that seemed like a much more practical life. So I worked relentlessly.

Once I started doing Core Energetics, I got some pretty surprising feedback. People kept telling me I moved too fast, didn't listen, drove them crazy with my stubborn drive to succeed. This was REALLY hard to swallow. But eventually I started to take it in. And soon I found that it actually was possible for me to feel tired, to get to a natural stopping point and sleep for the night. I began to understand different energy centers in the body.

When I operated from my will center, that was all about my back. Pushing through no matter how tired or unhappy I felt. But the creative centers are in more vulnerable places - the heart, the throat and the pelvis. It can feel unsafe for many of us to allow our energy to flow here. And yet, it is essential for creativity.

The next time you're meditating, imagine energy flowing from the earth through your pelvis, through your heart and through your throat. It may naturally emerge from your mouth - perhaps you're a verbal expresser like me. Or it may then flow through your arms and out your hands - maybe you'll write or draw or paint or sculpt or build today? But know that this vulnerable, delicate place is a beautiful center of your creativity. Let it flow.

Friday, June 21, 2013

How to make it in this town


Everyone wants to know how to make it in the entertainment business. After talking to many, many successful people, I've narrowed it down to 4 steps.

Not only do I feel these are the essence of success, they're also the key to happiness.

1. Stay.
This is a 10-year town. You may hit the jackpot on year 1 like my friend J., then get dropped by your fancy agent and spend the next 4 years trying to make ends meet. Or you may work hard for 9 years, secretly fearing that nothing good is ever going to happen to you, and in year 10, it all falls into place. But if you leave when the going gets tough in year 3 or 4 or 5, you'll never reap the benefits of all your hard work and struggle. STAY HERE if you really want it.

Which brings us to...

2. Figure out how to make the money you need to do what you want.
I don't just mean figure out how to pay your rent and your car insurance. You need to have fun, too. You need financial freedom. Anyone can sacrifice for a few months or a year. But over time, if you aren't enjoying your day-to-day life, you are not going to be able to keep going. Do you love live music? Eating out? Going to Disneyland? Seeing movies at the Arclight? You gotta have cash. Don't be a martyr. Figure out a way to make that money that doesn't depend on your ability to book.

3. Spend time with the people you love.
I see so many people land in LA and try to meet "important people." They don't necessarily connect deeply, but these newbies are convinced that famous or powerful people will be the key to their success. This is backward thinking. (Not to mention social climbing.) Connect with people who are on your wavelength, who make you feel good, who raise you up and inspire you creatively. These people are your team, and one day, most likely, you will all rise to the top around the same time. Don't try to ride on the coattails of the already-successful/rich/famous/powerful people you have put on a pedestal. (They have their own gang, anyway.)

4. Find a way to be fulfilled creatively in the meantime.
Don't wait around for that magical day when you will be a series regular. You need to be creative on a regular basis. I have heard Jessica Chastain say that when she was broke and not booking, she went to the library every day and just read plays. Creativity rarely comes in only one flavor. Most creative people I know can do lots of different things. You didn't book this week? This month? This year? OK, it happens to everyone. Write a poem. Go to the Palisades and sketch your view of the ocean. Bake something. Take a dance class. Just when you least expect it, that job will come along.

What do you think of this recipe for success? Has any of this worked for you? Does it resonate with your experience? I'd love to hear your feedback in the comments!

All my best,
Harmony
So, you've been in LA for a year or more - you found a place to live, you bought a car and you even signed with an agent.

Now what?

This blog is about taking your career to the next level - thinking big, thinking outside the box and working collaboratively to achieve success. Success in LA.