Protecting your energy as a performer isn’t always a walk in the park. As artists, having enough energy and stamina to get through a performance week without feeling depleted is the ultimate dream. Few of us reach this point, and it has become the norm to feel constantly fatigued, run down, and burnt out. This […]
As a Virgo, I crave structure – I love creating to-do lists, action steps, routines and habits. It helps me to feel safe and is great for keeping track of where I am in relation to where I want to be. But sometimes, my endless to-do lists leave me feeling drained and overwhelmed, and I […]
All-day long, we’re bombarded with external factors seeking to grab our attention, causing our minds to think. Our thoughts turn into an emotional response giving way to how we show up in the world, our relationships, and for ourselves. We have the opportunity to cultivate Emotional Sustainability when we shed light on our emotions. You are free to feel your emotions; we encourage it! You are free to respond to your emotions any way you’d like. Still, we must remember that our emotional responses create a ripple coming from a place of fear or love. Though we may not always have the ability to control our emotions, we do have the ability to listen to them, for they give us a glimpse into our inner workings to discover what needs may not be satisfied.
This year has been a lot. It has brought about some next-level fear and anxiety. It has made me crave certainty and the ability to plan. I’ve felt lonely, isolated, and deeply saddened. And I’ve also connected to myself in a way that I never have before. And I’ve started to speak up and use my voice in a way that I never have. The pandemic has caused me to stop and really look at everything exactly as it is. And the pandemic has given me time. A lot of time. I’ve never had this much time alone. And I’m actually growing quite fond of this time with myself. Don’t get me wrong, when theaters open I’ll be excitedly putting on an outfit and hopping on the train to 42nd Street. But for now, I’m grateful for this time to connect with myself. I’ve shifted from mostly anxious to mostly content. I’ve grounded myself in ritual and self-study. I’d like to share what’s been helpful to me, and I hope some of these things will resonate with you:
So the latest in my list of projects I’ve been working on during this pandemic was a course that caught my eye on Facebook – How to Communicate Like a Buddhist.
As a little girl I loved dancing around the house. I would play my favourite mix CDs, and sing and dance, pretending I was in a music video.
We can all struggle to reduce our stress levels during the best of times, let alone when things are this uncertain in the world.
There are tonnes of great apps available to help support mental health and wellbeing. You may find these useful while you deal with the lockdown of COVID-19. Here are just a few to try…
There are tonnes of great apps available to put on your smartphone, particularly ones developed to take care of your mental health. Here are 5 apps to support Mental Health & Wellbeing that we at the Arts Wellbeing Collective think are great to try.
To know what is essential you must also know what isn’t.
Vast knowledge is best valued when dispersed in small increments. But the truth is we seek to know everything now. We fear that we will not know enough in time to make our impact before we leave this world.
Throughout our lives we consider many people to be our life partner. Whether it be our parents when we’re children, a partner as we discover love, our friends as we go through hard times or even a pet we have a special connection to. We spend so much time cherishing and caring for these relationships yet when it comes down to it… How many actually last?
When we say someone has “presence” what we mean is that they are present—the concentrated focus of their awareness on the now is evident. This is an awareness cultivated readily in meditation. Not surprising then, that the list of actors who meditate is long and impressive – from Clint Eastwood to Naomi Watts, Jeff Bridges to Gwyneth Paltrow, Orlando Bloom to Eva Mendes, Hugh Jackman to Russell Brand.
This past summer I had the opportunity to work with some of the best young dancers from all around the world. I was invited by choreographer Stacey Tookey to teach meditation and goal setting at her unique dance intensive, Camp Protégé, held in Alberta, Canada. The dancers were exposed to the most cutting edge training in contemporary dance, yoga, improvisation, nutrition, and anatomy. The week was so profound and healing for the campers and faculty alike. I am going to try to give the experience justice, through my words, hoping that the spirit of Camp Protégé will continue to inspire not only those who attended, but readers throughout the world.
Each one of us creates our own personal legend; through the way of life we decide to follow. I think my personal legend is the one which goes together with my heart, my beliefs and the perception of the world as I see it.
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