The Aligned Actor Podcast

Before we get into our work today, I want to pause and acknowledge the horrible situation going on in Minnesota. If you have been feeling powerless, here are a few actions you could take. Even if these feel small, every action matters and will move you out of powerlessness. * Go to the website (or download the app) 5 Calls. It will get you in touch with your representatives so that you can demand that they take action to defund ICE. It’s very easy, the folks who answer the phone are kind, and if you’re incredibly phone shy, you can call after business hours and leave a message. In fact, calling both CA senators always goes straight to voicemail anyway. * If you have the resources, you can donate to various organization and mutual aid groups in Minnesota via the website standwithminnesota.com. Recently we’ve been talking about energy and how being a human living in 2026 takes a lot of energy — work, family, kids, social life, staying informed/overwhelmed by the news, etc And being an actor takes extra energy. For many of us it’s an additional full time career on top of our full time job and our full time life. Plus, the essence of the acting craft itself takes a ton of energy. Yes, it’s super fun and sometimes cathartic to portray the rich emotional life of complex humans, but that work — fully committing with our bodies and minds — can be physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting. I want us all to respect and acknowledge that for ourselves. It’s all too easy to say, “Acting is so fun! It’s so juicy and delicious to play these fun scenes and characters. It’s all playtime!” Yes. Acting is fun. It’s also work and takes effort from our bodies and our minds, which means it requires energy. We have a special skill set as actors and our craft deserves our respect. The best way for us to honor instrument and our craft is by giving ourselves the energy we need, so that we can pour ourselves into our characters fully. How Do You Fill Your Cup? In order to pour into our characters, we need to pour into ourselves first. We’ve all heard to saying… You can’t pour from an empty cup. We can’t show up for our acting when we’ve got nothing in the tank. It’s harder to memorize our lines. We end up staying surface level with our characters. Our brain is too tired to really figure out and get specific about our character’s circumstances, wants, and stakes in the scene. You don’t want to half-ass a scene on set or in a self-tape because you’re too exhausted to do the work. You want to an abundance of energy you can channel into living your character’s wants, stakes, and circumstances, take-after-take-after-take. So, how do you fill your cup? How do you get yourself the energy you need to be able to show up in your life and your acting craft and career how you want? The unsexy answer is good ol’, basic self care. I’m not really talking about spa days, mani/pedis, and massages, although that all definitely counts, too. But what really gives us the most energizing bang for our buck is the often basic and boring daily care we give our bodies, minds, and spirits. It’s highly personal and intentional care that we give ourselves so that we can show up present, energized, and ready to get “in flow” with whatever we’re doing in our lives. * Rocking an audition * Writing our solo-show * Working an overnight shoot * Cooking dinner with our family * Managing a deadline at the day job Let’s fill up your cup and get you that energy! How Do YOU Care For Your Body, Mind, and Spirit? Self-care is highly, highly personal. We all have different bodies. We all have different minds. We all have different spirits. The body is probably the easiest area to consider first, because there are some general categories that apply to most, if not all, bodies. * Sleep. Are you getting enough quality, restorative sleep? * Hydration. Are you staying hydrated? Are you drinking enough water? * Nutrition. Are you eating foods that make your body feel good? * Hygiene. Are you staying clean so that you can avoid getting germs and spreading germs? * Movement. Are you moving your body and using your body so that it stays strong and healthy? Mind and spirit are where things get really, really personal, but some questions to get you going on this might be… * What activities stimulate and engage your mind? (creative projects, puzzles, games, discussions, acting work, etc) * What activities help your mind turn off and restore? (meditation, cozy games, chill music) * What kind of passive input feels good to your mind? (shows, books, podcasts, music, etc) * What kind of passive input doesn’t feel good to your mind and how might you limit your exposure? (social media? cable news?) * What activities light you up and make you feel good? Personally, mindfulness is a HUGE way that I nurture my mind (plus, my body and spirit benefit, too!). I also enjoy games, logic puzzles, funny podcasts, music and my spirit really benefits from laughter, nature, and social connection, just as some ideas. Again, these lists could be endless in terms of what feeds energy into your unique human system. The questions to ask yourself are: * How do I want to care for my body daily? * How do I want to care for my mind daily? * How do I want to care for my spirit daily? These answers are going to be highly, highly personal. What’s self-care for me might not be self-care for you. And what’s self-care for you might not be self-care for me. So release any expectations you have around what self-care is supposed to look like, and just do an exploration for yourself in terms of how you want to be caring for yourself. Below is a worksheet to help you brainstorm a list of energy-boosting self care items you can prioritize in your daily life. You can get a print out here or refer to the image below. You will get the greatest benefit from this exercise if you write down your list and post it somewhere you will see it regularly. That way your brain doesn’t have to remember your list when you’re tired and need self care the most. You can also you self care apps like Finch where you take care of a little bird by doing the items on your list. Get Back Your Energy! Now that you have a list of energizing self care items - USE IT! Remember the vow you made a few weeks ago and follow through for yourself. Get yourself the energy you need for your FULL Actor Life. Do it for yourself as a human. Do it for yourself as an actor. Do it for your life. Do it for your career. Do it for your craft. You need this care. You need this energy. Your life and your career will thank you. If you found this article helpful or inspiring, I’d be honored if you’d leave a comment, share it with a pal, give a one-time donation, or consider becoming a paid subscriber. I’m a professional actor, a mindfulness and mindset coach, and I’m ready to help you thrive in your actor life. 🎭 I’ve been a professional actress for almost 20 years. I’ve survived 3 industry shut downs - 2 strikes and 1 global pandemic. I’ve worked in TV, film, commercials, and produced my own award-winning web series. 🧠 I’ve been a life coach for 5 years, specializing in mindfulness and neurolinguistic programming and helping people become more aware and focused on making positive changes in their lives. 💖 I blend lived experience with powerful, proven coaching tools. 🎢 Let’s get you feeling resilient, empowered, focused, playful, relaxed, confident, and riding the acting career roller coaster without throwing up! 🤗 Community Zooms for Paid-Subscribers! 💻 I offer exclusive Zoom sessions for paid subscribers. Support my on-going work and enjoy “office hours” with yours truly! Drop into a Zoom session to experience guided mindfulness and supportive, community-based mindset coaching. If you’re curious about mindset coaching, but saving for your next headshot session, this is a great way to get affordable access in a supportive, community environment. 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