How To Train If You Want To Perform.

When, I was in college, I learned this age old advice to actors:

“Only pursue a career as an actor if you can’t do anything else.”

From 2012 to 2020, I tried to channel my exclusive desire to work as a theatre professional into a career as a Certified Personal Trainer, fitness studio owner, and diet book author.

Although I helped thousands of people lose weight and gain strength, this choice caused me a lot of harm. It also harmed my family and other relationships because I was desperately unhappy once I gave up acting, singing, and dancing in order to do something to help people: something that mattered.

In her book, “Big Magic,” Elizabeth Gilbert writes,

“Do whatever brings you to life, then. Follow your own fascinations, obsessions, and compulsions. Trust them. Create whatever causes a revolution in your heart.”

What fascinates you? What are you compelled to pursue? What kind of training would free you to create your world?

Giving up sugar and cardio freed me to to act, sing, and dance again. Something about metabolic health has lessened my obsession with the way I look. What’s even more important is that good mental health is removing my obsession with what other people think or say about the way I look.

For the performer, the body is the medium. Today, my medium is a mature woman with gray hair, a few wrinkles, and a zest for life that is bigger than it ever was in her youth. I eat, train, and practice in a way that keeps my body as ready as possible to respond to the demands of my creative spirit.

My specific training is a combination of resistance, intervals, dance and yoga. These routines can all be found in my earlier posts on this blog. This post asks you to consider what kinds of training would develop your ability to be truly happy.

Now, I’m going to practice my piano and guitar. Later, I have choir practice and dance class downtown. In between, there will be cooking and housework to do. With acceptance of the fact that I only want to work as a performer, I have the energy and enthusiasm for all of it.

I wish you the time, energy, and enthusiasm to create the life and living you long for.