When you’re an artist or a creator of any kind, there is no defined path to success. We are in it for the long haul, and there’s not usually an end in sight until we arrive. It’s not like becoming a doctor or a lawyer, a teacher or a real estate agent. Sure, there are…Read more The Single Best Way to Have Stamina as an Artist or Creator
I'm writing this on January 1, 2017. Moving on to a brand new year feels like a fresh start, doesn’t it? Writing this very post feels cathartic somehow, like I’m absorbing the lessons of 2016, while purging any lingering negativity. A major part of moving on to a new year is always the resolutions. Because…Read more One Simple Way to Make 2017 Different from 2016
The stack of rejection letters I’ve received, which now sit in a shoebox at the back of my closet, is proof of the years I spent trying (and failing) to procure a literary agent. When I finally got one, I thought it would change everything in my life. I thought it was the end-all be-all.…Read more The Power is Yours — 3 Ways to Take it or Leave it
If you’re pursuing the road less traveled—as a writer, actor, dancer, filmmaker, entrepreneur, or any other “improbable” career—you’re likely familiar with the panic voice that says “I can’t.” On this less traveled road, the requirement to continually take huge risks can generate a great deal of anxiety. I already have anxiety. Then add actual nerve-wracking…Read more Get Rid of the Inner Panic Voice that Says “I Can’t”
Your friends and family are probably in this place. You’ve got your favorite things here, like food, a good book or TV show, a cup of coffee or tea, and some great hobbies. You learn about the world and major news from the CNN app on your phone. You even have a secure job and…Read more If You’re Living In This Place, GET OUT NOW!!!
“The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude.” –Friedrich Nietzsche In this month of gratitude, with Thanksgiving having just passed (happy belated Turkey Day, by the way), I thought this was a perfect moment to talk about the role gratitude plays in art. Gratitude is defined as the quality of being thankful;…Read more How Gratitude Will Make You A Better Artist
Dear You, You, who hold hate in your heart. You, who wear ignorance like a shield. You, who hasten to shallow judgments. And you, to whom color is a threat instead of a gift. This is my love letter to you. The day before our 2016 Presidential Election, with a country so divided, I thought…Read more Dear You, Who Harbor Hatred and Ignorance
Happy Halloween, friends! On the beloved holiday when we all dress up in costumes and wear masks, I thought it might be a nice moment to ground the fun in some serious reflection. Analyzing our realities is probably scarier than a haunted hayride anyway. So read on—if you dare. Ha, just kidding, it’s not that…Read more How to Change Your Reality and Find Happiness Through Perception
Entry through the golden gates of Hollywood is almost exclusively reserved for men. So how can women in film still create an impact without the coveted ticket? Ava DuVernay did it. Issa Rae did it. Lena Dunham did it. Just to name a few. It’s an arduous, high-risk journey, but it is possible to create…Read more How Women in Film Can Create an Impact Without Hollywood
It seems there are an elite few who are able to reach their goals and attain their dreams in life. For them, it’s almost as if the anxiety-inducing prospect of “succeed or fail” was never even in the picture. This marginal percentage of the world's population leaves the less prosperous majority choking on their magical…Read more Will You Succeed or Fail? Here are 7 Ways to Know
