Have you noticed what you say to yourself at an audition, in the waiting room, on the way out, on the set, or even driving around in your car? Is your inner dialogue filled with ridicule or praise? Your inner thoughts are reflected in your outer world. So, if you change those thoughts, your experience will begin to change.
“Whatever you’re thinking about is literally like planning a future event. When you’re worrying, you are planning.When you are appreciating, you are planning…What are you planning?” ~Abraham-Hicks
It seems like the biggest thing that gets in actors’ way of their own success is not the competition, the casting director, their agents, the amount of time they had with the sides, but rather, the thoughts and inner dialogue that goes on in their head. Most often, the only thing that is keeping you from your own success is YOU! That can be hard to hear, but also exciting, because it puts you in charge!
“It’s not what you are that holds you back, its what you think you’re not.” ~ Denis Waitley
Only you can control the thoughts you think all day every day. As you change your thoughts, your beliefs will change, your actions will change, and your experience will change!
In order to create a garden of blossoming beautiful experiences, you have to plant positive seeds of thoughts and tend to them each day. Think of your life as a garden, and in it are all the experiences you are having. Some experiences may be beautiful flowers, others may feel like dead weeds, and others may be buds about to blossom. What is the seed of thought and self-talk that needs to be planted in order to grow the experience you want to grow? Another way to think of it is to begin with the end in mind. Think of it like this….if I woke up tomorrow, and everything I wanted were my new reality, what would my thoughts and inner dialogue be?
So if you want to grow new experiences, you have to plant new beliefs. What are beliefs? Beliefs are just thoughts you keep thinking…a daily, habitual thought you keep telling yourself over and over again. In fact, your consistent thoughts have brought you to where you are right now. So, change your consistent thoughts, change your experiences!
The great news is you can dig up the dirt at any time. You first have to acknowledge and be aware what is in front of you, take 100% responsibility for planting it there, decide to release it and then you can begin to change it.
5 STEPS TO CHANGING YOUR BELIEFS
STEP 1: DISCOVER YOUR BELIEFS
Take some time, quietly by yourself and think about all the areas in your career that might be frustrating or concerning you. Your goal is to uncover your beliefs in each area such as success, age, credits, representation etc. Make a positive and negative column under each category, and begin to list all the positive and negative beliefs you have in each area. Add as many areas as you’d like to address.
STEP 2: ASK YOURSELF, IS THIS BELIEF 100% TRUE?
Writing your beliefs down on paper helps it get out of your head where you can see it, acknowledge it and face it head on. Seeing it on paper also allows you to make it tangible, and you will be amazed how that helps to diminish it’s power. When you look at the negative beliefs, ask yourself, Is this belief 100% true? The answer might surprise you, because it’s most often NO! This belief has just been a lie you have been telling yourself that isn’t true! It’s a story you’ve been telling yourself (and others), sometimes for years! Maybe it’s a story that was told to you by a parent, teacher, friend or colleague. Just because a story was handed to you doesn’t mean you have to accept it as true! Now it’s time to let it go.
STEP 3: RELEASE WHAT YOU DON’T WANT
Once you acknowledge a belief, you can let it go. One great way to do this is to go to the mirror, look yourself in the eye and say….I now release any old beliefs that do not serve me. I let go of everything I do not want or need I let go of old programming that keeps me stuck in old patterns. I give myself permission to release any blocks that have been holding me back.
STEP 4: AFFIRM WHAT YOU DO WANT
Take each negative belief and re-write it as a positive affirmation. Turn “I don’t have enough credits” to “I can get to where I need to go from where I am right now. I have enough credits for where I am right now and I continue to evolve. All is really well.” Below, I’ve written out affirmations to help you tell yourself: “I ACKNOWLEDGE MYSELF”
STEP 5: PRACTICE YOUR NEW BELIEFS
What if you practiced daily to change your thoughts? As you continue to practice your new thoughts and beliefs, and take action from this new, improved place, you will feel different and your experience will begin to shift. What if every time you began to think a negative thought about yourself, your life or your circumstances, you reached for a thought that felt better? What would your garden look like at the end of the month of planting better thoughts? At the end of the year?
What if this were your inner dialogue for the next 30 days?
I acknowledge myself for all the good I have created in my life. I acknowledge myself for who I am, and who I am becoming. I am proud of myself for my perseverance, resilience, and willingness to change and grow. I make peace with where I am right now. I release any judgement, self-doubt, and criticism about where I am. I am exactly where I need to be to learn the beautiful lessons I’ve come here to learn. I can get where I want to go from where I am right now. I make peace with my past. I easily let go of old patterns and old thinking. I have done the best I can with the knowledge I have. I acknowledge all the baby steps I have taken to get to where I am today. I know that I am on the right path. I trust in the future that I cannot see right now. Everything is unfolding in the perfect order and the perfect way. I can relax and allow more abundance in my life. I no longer have to push or struggle. I acknowledge all the wonderful people and experiences I have attracted in my life. I love myself. The more I acknowledge myself, the more the Universe mirrors positive experiences back to me. I am proud of myself, exactly as I am right now.
Print these out and post them in a place you can read them every day. The key is daily practice. Add to the list by writing your own.
Need more help with mastering your thoughts? Our new meditation CD, Creating Powerful Auditions, has helped actors at every level turn audition anxiety into positive energy and powerful performances. (and a portion of the proceeds goes to charity!)
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You can, as long as you include this complete statement with it: Actress Wendy Braun, has enjoyed over a decade of working in TV, Film, Theater, Commercials and VoiceOver. She has inspired, educated and empowered actors through her website www.ActorInspiration.com, as a workshop leader, guest speaker, private coach and guest column writer for BackStage and other publications. To receive more inspiration, tips, and insights, sign up for Wendy’s FREE NEWSLETTER at www.ActorInspiration.com For more about Wendy Braun’s acting career, go to www.WendyBraun.com