~Remember to have fun~
When I was in undergrad, part of my acting scholarship requirement was to audition for all the main stage shows--plays and musicals. We didn't have a Musical Theatre program--it was primarily Acting for the stage. But there was usually a musical production every semester. Now, while I did like to sing, truth be told, I was more comfortable doing it in the shower or as part of a choir as opposed to a solo performance in front of a live studio audience.Well, it came to pass that the school was putting on a musical and had hired a well known Musical Theatre performer/director/teacher outside of the school faculty to come in and direct it. So, I did my prep work--picked a song, went over it with a voice teacher and went to the audition. I made it through the first round and went on to the second round; callbacks. Now, it's a wonderful thing to get a callback. It meant that you were one step closer to being cast in the production. I did the callback and when the cast list was posted, my name wasn't on it. Yes, I was disappointed, but I didn't dwell on it too much until I got a call a few days later. I got a call from the director and she said she was calling to give me feedback. This was a rarity. Usually after auditioning for something and you don't get cast, you never know why and just move on to the next audition. But she went out of her way to call me and on top of that to give me actual feedback. She said that I had done a great job, but it came down to the fact that I didn't look like I was having any fun. Now, I was already taken aback by the call so in the moment I didn't fully process what she was saying. I mean, I heard her, but it didn't go further than that until I got off the phone. She asked if I had any questions, I said I didn't and then we said our goodbyes and hung up. But once I'd gotten over the call itself, I started to really take in what she'd said. She was absolutely right. I had been so focused on the work and doing it "right" that I made it more of a stressful situation for me. Fun and Joy ended up being the last things on my mind. Which, in hindsight, was pretty odd, since I loved Acting so much. Here, I'd been given the chance to do something I professed loving, but I forgot to enjoy doing it... I share this memory to say, today, remember to play, remember to embrace the opportunities that allow fun and joy to be a part of your life, your work, your day, etc. Sure, not everything in your day naturally lends itself to thoughts of fun, but there's got to be something in your day that allows the experience of fun. So, why not seize the opportunities that present themselves or create those fun opportunities yourself. Allow some fun in your day. I plan to. Good luck :)
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