Overextended.

I'm supposed to be in my scene study class right now, but I woke up feeling like I had been hit by a truck.  I was all fatigued, achy, and sweating like I had just run a marathon (happens when I'm exhausted - gross, I know).  I forfeit my $62.50 if I don't show up for class, so I don't skip them willy-nilly, but after mulling it over, I knew that my body was telling me that I needed to take a "me" day or illness is sure to follow.

Even having been in this industry for a long time now, I still sometimes fall prey to the thought that says that I am not "working" if I don't get up and go to another location for 8 hours a day and have someone tell me what to do.  And since my career path isn't linear, I usually feel like I could always be doing more.  No matter that my calendar is a rainbow of color-coded activities that sure require a lot of time and effort (read: "work"), old mindsets die hard.  And this is how I get overextended, again and again.  Auditions require audition memorization and character preparation, wardrobe selection, not to mention scheduling (or re-scheduling things accommodate the auditions), proper hair/makeup, driving, parking, and waiting. Throw in a couple of same-day auditions (yes, those are real things), where you only have 3 hours or so to do the prep and get there, and carefully planned order can go haywire really quickly.  Plus actors have OTHER things in their lives besides auditions: bills gotta be paid, we gotta eat, some of us have children and/or spouses or partners, we gotta get into the gym sometime, side jobs, other creative pursuits, personal grooming (!!), staying connected with friends, family, and business associates, personal problems, and oh, wait... did I forget to schedule sleep?

You get the picture.  I know you do, because, chances are that you are- or someone that you know is also overextended.  This is where self-care has to come in.  If you aren't in a position to take as much time as you need, then take as much time as you can, and just "do you."  Don't answer to anybody, don't fix anybody's problems, just mind your own business, keep your own counsel, and do whatever you need to do for your physical/ mental/ emotional/ spiritual wellbeing.  A walk, a run, an ice cream cone, a vacation, church... whatever.

For me, today, that's going to involve a mani-pedi, cleaning up my raggedy eyebrows, yoga, and a nap.

Bye, y'all.

--Nicole